Crossing grammar and biology for gender categorisations: investigating the gender congruency effect in generic nouns for animates

In formal gender languages, all nouns have grammatical gender, regardless of whether their referents have a biological sex. The question of whether the grammatical gender affects how the denoted entities are conceptualised is subject to ongoing debate. Here, we investigate the extent to which a gender congruency effect emerges for three categories of nouns, with a particular focus on generic nouns (or epicenes). In two experiments and two replications with native speakers of German, we used an implicit measure to test possible associations of nouns with biological sex. These experiments revealed a stable gender congruency effect for congruent animates, and a weaker effect for generic animates and non-animates. In a fifth experiment, we combined the implicit measure with an explicit measure and contrasted items that have strong versus weak associations with biological sex. The results indicate that the congruency effect is driven by item-specific associations rather than by grammatical gender.     

Exposure to Violence, Perceived Peer Relationships, and Corresponding Psychological Sequelae

As children’s exposure to violence (EV) has become more evident, concern for the implications that violence has on children has risen. Consequently, researchers have explored the relationship between exposure and outcomes, as well as potential mediators and moderators. In this study, we (a) examined EV in a sample of children from the Midwestern United States; (b) replicated previous findings that identify a direct relationship between EV and psychological sequelae; and (c) explored the possibility that loneliness mediates the exposure–outcomes relationship. Children (11–14 years) in our sample were exposed to elevated levels of violence in their neighborhoods. Furthermore, children who were directly victimized demonstrated greater levels of behavioral difficulties than children who were not. Although loneliness was not a significant mediator, our findings have laid the groundwork for future research regarding the influence of peer relationships on EV and outcomes.     

The relationship between implicit and explicit motives, goal pursuit, and autobiographical memory content during a diary study

This online diary study investigated how motives interact with goal pursuit to predict daily autobiographical experiences. Participants (N = 141) completed measures of implicit and explicit achievement, provided daily memories and reports of their goal pursuit during a 3-week diary period. A stronger implicit achievement motive at the onset of the study was associated with more agentic (and fewer communal) autobiographical content. Goal progress was linked with using more agentic words, while goal attainability was related to using more communal words. Interactions between motives and goal pursuit on autobiographical memory suggests a trade-off: Favorable goal pursuit conditions may prompt people not motivated for achievement to shift their focus from agentic to communal themes, while individuals motivated for achievement maintain their priorities.     

Age-related differences in recognition memory for items and associations: Contribution of individual differences in working memory and metamemory

Ability to form new associations between unrelated items is particularly sensitive to aging, but the reasons for such differential vulnerability are unclear. In this study, we examined the role of objective and subjective factors (working memory and beliefs about memory strategies) on differential relations of age with recognition of items and associations. Healthy adults (N = 100, age 21 to 79) studied word pairs, completed item and association recognition tests, and rated the effectiveness of shallow (e.g., repetition) and deep (e.g., imagery or sentence generation) encoding strategies. Advanced age was associated with reduced working memory (WM) capacity and poorer associative recognition. In addition, reduced WM capacity, beliefs in the utility of ineffective encoding strategies, and lack of endorsement of effective ones were independently associated with impaired associative memory. Thus, maladaptive beliefs about memory in conjunction with reduced cognitive resources account in part for differences in associative memory commonly attributed to aging. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).     

Assessing Effort During Neuropsychological Evaluation with the TOMM in Children and Adolescents with Epilepsy

Effort assessment is of particular importance in pediatric epilepsy where neuropsychological findings may influence treatment decisions, especially if surgical interventions are being considered. The present investigation examines the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) in 60 children and adolescents with epilepsy. The overall pass rate for the sample was 90%. TOMM scores were unrelated to age, though there was a significant correlation between TOMM Trial 2 scores and intelligence estimates. Overall, the TOMM appears to be a valid measure of effort in young epilepsy patients, though caution should be used when interpreting scores for those with very low IQ, especially if behavioral problems are also evident. Caution should also be exercised in interpreting scores in children with ongoing interictal epileptiform activity that may disrupt attention.     

Operant reinforcement with structural family therapy in treating anorexia nervosa

Abstract

This paper integrates clinical data gathered through psychotherapy with dual-career couples and research findings from social psychology and sociology. The paper's main focus is the clinical understanding and therapeutic interventions most appropriate for these couples' marital and individual difficulties. The paper briefly describes characteristics of the dual-career lifestyle and personalities. The analysis provides case examples illustrating external and internal sources of stress generated by a lack of time or the need for an effective system for handling housework and childcare.     

Experiential Activities in Family Therapy: Perceptions of Caregivers and Youth

Novel and creative therapeutic modalities have been developed in an effort to increase motivation in family therapy for adolescents and families. Many of these approaches incorporate experiential activities or “family play”, which provides a supplemental approach to traditional talk therapy. Incorporating experiential activities into family therapy sessions has been shown to increase engagement and enhance participation in therapy. Therefore, to understand how families view experiential activities within family therapy, we interviewed nineteen adolescents (age 12–17) and their parents/caregivers who were receiving family therapy augmented with experiential activities. We asked a series of open-ended questions to understand the families’ experiences concerning how they initially felt about participating in family therapy and their perceptions of the experiential activities. The activities involved experiential interactions and skill-building exercises that elicited active participation from all family members and encouraged further discussions. Topics of these activities focused on problem areas the family had identified, such as anger management, problem-solving, improving communication, substance use, expressing feelings, coping, etc. Results showed that most caregivers and youth found the experiential activities helpful in creating positive family interactions and developing communication skills. Caregivers and adolescents noted that the activities increased their desire to participate in family therapy sessions and they were more motivated to engage in the treatment process. Clinicians using the methods discussed in this intervention should be aware of the study’s limitations. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.