Factor structure and psychometric characteristics of the beck depression inventory-II

The present study evaluated the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II; Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996) in the nonclinical sample of 230 young adults. The BDI-II is a revised version of the BDI-IA. We evaluated the fit of three alternative models to the sample data, using confirmatory factor analysis. Results provided support for the fit of the oblique three-factor model. The BDI-II and factor scales had satisfactory coefficient alpha indices. We obtained gender differences on the BDI-II item, total, and factor scale scores. We examined the relations of the BDI-II with demographic variables and with other self-report measures of social desirability, anxiety, depression, stress, and self-esteem. We also examined the issue of whether specific self-report measures of anxiety and depression assess separate or different constructs. We discuss the limitations of the present study.     

The effects of background visual roll stimulation on postural and manual control and self-motion perception

The effects of background visual roll stimulation on postural control, manual controlf andselfmotion perception were investigated in this study. In the main experiment, 8 subjects were exposed to wide field-of-view background scenes that were tilted and static, continuously rotating, or sinusoidally rotating at frequencies between 0.03 and 0.50 Hz, as well as a baseline condition. The subjects performed either a postural control task (maintain an upright stance) or a manual control task (keep an unstable central display horizontally level). Root-mean square (RMS) error in both the postural and manual control tasks was low in the static tilt condition and extremely high in response to continuous rotation. Although the phases of the postural and manual responses were highly similar, the power and RMS error generated by the sinusoidal visual background stimulation peaked at a lower frequency in the postural task. Vection ratings recorded at the end of the postural and manual trials somewhat paralleled tbafrequency tuning differences between tasks, which a subsequent experiment showed to be the result of the differential motion of the central display rather than the differential positioning of the subject. In general, these results show that the dynamic characteristics of visual orientation systems vary according to the specific motor and/or perceptual system investigated.     

Sex differences in responses to the stranger in the strange situation

Children are exposed to differences in adult interactive styles from an early age. The Ainsworth Strange Situation. designed as a standard measure to activate attachment behaviors in the young child, allows us to examine the child's reaction to individual differences in strangers' styles. In the present study, the effect of 11 different strangers was examined to determine if different stranger styles influenced the scoring of behavioral ratings of the child's behavior in the Strange Situation. Boys and girls reacted differently to the different strangers. Eighteen-month-old children showed more variations in their reactions to different interactional styles than did 12-month-olds. Boys showed more resistance and avoidance to strangers who used more direction and initiation. Girls did not react this way. The results are discussed in terms of the child's expectations of sex-determined styles of interaction learned from past social interactions.This research was supported by Grant MH 37911 to the senior author from the Behavioral Sciences Research Branch, Family Processes Division, NIMH, U.S. PHS and Grant HD 17571 from the National Institute of Child Health and Development.     

Male and female teachers: Do they treat boys and girls differently?

Forty experienced and inexperienced teachers, 20 male and 20 female, were observed during free play periods in preschool classes. Male teachers gave more favorable comment than female teachers, and also more physical affection. Male teachers also joined the play of the children more than female teachers. Female teachers interacted less than male teachers. Experienced teachers initiated behaviors, directed, gave information, asked and answered questions, and helped the child more than inexperienced teachers. Experienced teachers interacted more with boys and girls when they engaged in feminine-preferred activities, with no difference between male and female teachers in this regard. Inexperienced teachers of both sexes interacted more with boys engaging in masculine-preferred activities and girls engaging in feminine-preferred activities. It was suggested that the male stereotype and the school environment are less congruent than the female stereotype and school, and that experienced teachers encourage children to engage in school-type activities.This research was supported by a grant from the Office of Scientific and Scholarly Research, Graduate School, University of Oregon. Data analyses were supported by BRSG Grant RR 07080 awarded by the Biomedical Research Support Grant Program, Division of Research Resources, National Institutes of Health.     

Sex and age differences in the sex-role stereotyping of third- and fifth-grade children

A four-part 85-item orally administered children's Sex-Role Expectations and Awareness Scale was developed. The four parts included measures of children's perceptions of (1) sex-associated behavior, (2) teacher expectations, (3) adult sex-role expectations, and (4) children's knowledge of the women's rights movement. The internally reliable scale was administered to 506 middle-class third- and fifth-grade children (259 females and 247 males) from eight schools in six states. Major results included the statistically significant findings that (1) although the absolute level of stereotyping was modest, males stereotyped significantly more often than females with regard to both male and female behavior traits and perceived teacher and adult sex-role expectation. (2) Third-grade students stereotyped more male behavior traits than fifth-grade students. (3) Females more often than males perceived teachers to expect traditional sex-role behavior from females. (4) Fifth-grade students knew more about the women's movement, but the absolute level of knowledge was quite low, with a comprehension rate around a third of the total number of items.     

Communication Patterns in an International Student Dormitory: A Modification of the “Small World” Method1

Milgram's “small world” method was modified to trace communication patterns in an international student dormitory containing 500 residents from 38 different countries. Eighteen residents served as “starters” for chain-booklets that circulated through the dormitory from friend to friend. Social networks were inferred from the circulation pattern of booklets. Sixteen chains progressed beyond their respective starters, and a total of 86 transactions were recorded. Four determinants of social relations were investigated: culture similarity, sex, organizational affiliation, and residential propinquity. The circulation pattern of the booklets showed that culture similarity was a major determinant of social interaction among the residents. The other main determinant was sex similarity. Organizational affiliation was less important, and proximity played only a minor role in determining communication patterns in the dormitory.     

The consequents of problem behavior in toddler children

Three hundred children (ages 18–27 months) were observed as they entered peer play groups consisting of 12–15 children and 2–3 caregivers. One hundred and sixty-eight of the children were boys and 142 were girls. A schedule was used that allowed the observer to code the child's behavior and the reaction of peers and caregivers to that behavior. Four different categories of child problems were selected for study: conduct problems with aggression, withdrawn undersocialized behaviors, separation anxiety, and dependent personality. Three different questions were asked concerning the persistence and consequences of problem behaviors in toddler children: Do the behaviors persist over a period of 1 year to 2 years; what kinds of reactions does a child who is engaged in the behaviors defined in these categories receive from peers and teachers; and how do the reactions received from peers and teachers of problem children compare to those of the average of their own class? The stability of problem behaviors and the reactions received by the child were related to gender of the child and sexappropriateness of the behavior.     

The Bransford-Franks linear effect: Integration or artifact?

It was hypothesized that the Bransford-Franks linear effect is an artifact of the method of presentation of stimulus sentences and is unrelated to semantic processes. Ss were given sentences containing the same information in one of two ways. In a control condition, which was identical to the procedure used in earlier research, overlapping combinations of ideas were presented during learning and recognition; in an experimental condition, ideas were presented one at a time. Results demonstrated that one-idea sentences received significantly higher recognition confidence ratings in the experimental condition, thus supporting the artifact interpretation. It was proposed that Ss assign recognition confidence ratings based on the probability that a sentence containing a certain number of ideas could have occurred in acquisition.