Heritability of antisocial behaviour at 9: do callous‐unemotional traits matter?

A previous finding from our group indicated that teacher-rated antisocial behaviour (AB) among 7-year-olds is particularly heritable in the presence of callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Using a sample of 1865 same-sex twin pairs, we employed DeFries-Fulker extremes analysis to investigate whether teacher-rated AB with/without CU traits also shows aetiological differences among 9-year-olds. Furthermore, we assessed whether the differences in the magnitude of heritability would be evident even when hyperactive symptoms were controlled for in the statistical analysis. AB among 9-year-olds was more heritable with than without concomitant CU. The heritability difference was even more pronounced in magnitude when hyperactive symptoms were controlled. CU traits thus appear to index one valid way of sub-typing children with early-onset AB.     

Weight and muscularity concerns as longitudinal predictors of body image among early adolescent boys: a test of the dual pathways model

The purpose of this research was to examine the longitudinal contributions of weight loss and muscularity concerns as dual pathways to body image dissatisfaction among early adolescent boys. Study 1 included 67 boys who reported on weight loss concerns, internalized muscular ideal, BMI, and body dissatisfaction during 7th grade and 1 year later. In Study 2, 87 7th and 8th grade boys were assessed in the fall and spring of a school year. The results confirmed that although both weight and muscularity concerns were related to body dissatisfaction, concern with weight loss more strongly detracted from a positive body image than did muscularity concern. The findings are discussed in terms of potential developmental variations in the relative contribution of weight and muscularity to body dissatisfaction among adolescent boys.     

Neurocognitive and functional outcomes in persons recovering from West Nile virus illness

Long‐term neurocognitive and functional impairments following West Nile virus (WNV) disease are poorly understood. We assessed quality‐of‐life indices and neurocognitive performance in a cohort of 54 persons recovering from one of three WNV disease syndromes (fever [WNF], meningitis [WNM], or encephalitis [WNE]) approximately 1.5 years following acute illness. We compared findings between the three syndromic groups; the study cohort and a demographically similar group of 55 controls from a study of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS); and the study cohort and a ‘normative’ control population based on cognitive test data. Persistent symptoms, diminished quality of life, and functional impairment were reported by 50% of WNF patients, and 75% each of WNM and WNE patients. Overall, objective neurocognitive performance did not differ significantly between the three syndromic groups, or between the study cohort and the CFS controls or the normative controls. In some neurocognitive subtests, the study cohort scored below the 15th percentile when compared with normative control data. Most persons who returned to independent living following hospitalization for WNV illness had persistent subjective complaints, but had normal cognitive function. However, a minority displayed subtle neurocognitive deficits more than 18 months following acute disease.     

Detecting objects is easier than categorizing them

Two experiments compared performance in an object detection task, in which participants categorized photographs as objects and nonobject textures, and an object categorization task, in which photographs were categorized into basic-level categories. The basic-level categorization task was either easy (e.g., dogs vs. buses) or difficult (e.g., dogs vs. cats). Participants performed similarly in the detection and the easy-categorization tasks, but response times to the difficult-categorization task were slower. This latter finding is difficult to reconcile with the conclusions of Grill-Spector and Kanwisher (2005) who reported equivalent performance on detection and basic-level categorization tasks and took this as evidence that figure-ground segregation and basic-level categorization are mediated by the same mechanism.     

Intrinsic-Extrinsic Religiosity and University Students' Willingness to Donate Organs Posthumously

This research focuses on the links between intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientations as they relate to willingness to donate organs posthumously. Participants responded to a factual test of their knowledge about organ donation, indicated their degree of willingness to donate organs, and filled out personality inventories measuring their intrinsic and extrinsic orientations. The data indicated a high level of factual knowledge about organ donation. Also, contrary to Allport's (1966) arguments, people with an intrinsic religious orientation were not more likely to donate their organs, nor were people with an extrinsic religious orientation less likely to do so. Instead, it was found that intrinsic religiosity was unrelated to willingness to donate organs and that extrinsics with strong social orientations were more willing to donate their organs. Discussion centers on the need to develop more psy-chometrically sound measures of mature religiosity as a means of conducting a fairer test of Allport's original theorizing about intrinsic religiosity.     

The Relationship between Childhood Family Background and Educational Performance,with Special Reference to Single-parent Families: A Longitudinal Study

Aims: Education is an important indicator of health and well-being. We studied the relationship between childhood family background and later educational achievements. Methods: A total of 10,581 subjects from the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort were studied prospectively covering the period from pregnancy to 31 years of age. The association between family background (two-parent family and three types of single-parent families, wantedness of pregnancy, mother's education, family size, social class and its change between 1966 and 1980) and educational achievements (school performance and highest attained education by age 31) was examined using two-way tables and logistic regression analysis. Results: Low maternal education and large family size were the most powerful predictors for low education in adulthood. Single-parent family background seemed to be less important compared with other family background variables in predicting low school performance or low educational level in adulthood. Conclusions: Single-parent family background and other adverse family features may increase the risk of educational underachievement. However, in a welfare state with well-educated population the effect of single-parent family background seems to be relatively small. Health care professionals, teachers and parents should pay attention to the specific educational needs and counselling of young adults from disadvantaged families.     

The Berkeley Civic Courage and Heroism Experiment: The Group Dynamics of Individuals Acting in Concert to Advance Ethical Goals in the Public Interest

Many studies have investigated how to get individuals to obey external authority, as noted in the obedience experiments (Miller, 1986). But next to none have investigated how individuals obey their conscience as they act as members of a group committed to taking nonviolent courageous action in the defense of ethical principles and the public interest. The present study investigates the situational group context and group dynamics that allow individuals to act in concert with others to carry out ethical goals, even at personal cost to themselves.     

Stereotype content and social distancing from employees with mental illness: The moderating roles of gender and social dominance orientation

Mental illness is increasingly prevalent among employees, but little is known about how these individuals are perceived at work. Using the stereotype content model as a framework, we investigated warmth and competence stereotypes associated with employees with anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Employees with these disorders were perceived to be low in warmth and competence, and stereotypes about individuals with anxiety were relatively more positive than those with depression or bipolar. This study also proposed and tested the extent to which stereotypes predicted work‐related social distancing intentions. We found that two characteristics moderated this relationship: gender and social dominance orientation. We discuss practical and theoretical implications as they pertain to improving the experiences and well‐being of employees with mental illness.