Observer bias in scoring boys' and girls' aggression

In order to examine the possibility that the attribution of more aggression to boys may be in part a function of observer bias, 40 adults were asked in Study 1 to record the degree of aggression in a series of line drawings that showed children interacting. It was found that a significant subset of both males and females recorded more aggression for boys than for girls when they scanned scenes that showed numerous children interacting. When they rated a series of drawings of two children interacting, males rated boys as significantly more aggressive than girls. Study 2 examined 48 adults' responses under one of three instruction conditions. The findings of Study 1 were replicated. Additionally, it was found that some forms of instruction eliminate sex-typed biases while others yield significant biases among both male and female untrained observers. These results are interpreted in light of the literature on schematic processing. Implications pertaining to the socialization of aggression and to research on sex differences in aggression are discussed.     

San Diego suicide study: comparison of gay to straight males

Previous large studies of completed suicides have not considered sexual orientation in their data analyses. In this study, data from the known homosexual subpopulation (13 males, aged 21-42) in a series of 283 suicides were examined. They were compared with all other aged male suicides 21-42 (n = 106). Both groups showed considerable substance abuse plus a variety of other psychiatric diagnoses. Both also had a high frequency of relationship difficulties near the time of death. Gays who committed suicide did not have a history of more police trouble and were no more likely to be living alone than the comparison group. They did not have more prior suicide attempts or previous psychiatric treatment. We conclude that, among the factors examined here, there appears to be little difference between gay and heterosexual male suicides.     

Cognitive and social functioning across adulthood: age or student status differences?

Younger adult students between 19 and 24 years of age (M = 21.3 years), older adult students between 61 and 76 years of age (M = 67.9 years), and older adult nonstudents between 62 and 76 years of age (M = 68.5 years) were assessed for health (self-ratings of physical and mental health), social functioning (self-ratings of physical and mental activity, perceived role activity level, perceived roles, locus of control, and age-norm expectations), and cognitive functioning (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised vocabulary and block design, and paired associate memory). Age differences were observed in self-ratings of health, social roles, intellectual performance, and memory. No student status differences were observed. The results are discussed in terms of plasticity of intellectual function and characteristics of student status in later adulthood.     

Age-related differences in the pleasantness of chemosensory stimuli

Modest decrements in both taste threshold sensitivity and, more recently, suprathreshold sensitivity have been associated with the aging process. The present study was designed to investigate the existence of changes in preference for various concentrations of single tastes and of the same single tastes in more complex chemosensory mixtures. In this study, 300 participants from three different age groups (18-26, 32-45, over 65) rated for pleasantness four concentrations of sodium chloride, sucrose, and citric acid presented in both aqueous and beverage bases. Results showed significant effects of age, stimulus background, stimulus, concentration, and of several interactions, and they suggest that elderly subjects find salt and sugar pleasanter at higher concentrations than younger subjects do.     

Statistical analysis packages for the microcomputer: New technologies for industry

Major companies in the mainframe statistical software business have started producing powerful versions of their programs for microcomputers. Five of the leading microcomputer statistical packages are reviewed. A statistical software vendor directory is provided. These statistical packages can be used by properly trained personnel to make more reliable business decisions.     

Essential computing skills needed by psychology students seeking careers in business

This article describes some essential computer skills needed by psychology students seeking careers in business. It is suggested that students become familiar with computer software packages in the following areas: statistical analyses, wordprocessing, spreadsheets, data base managers, and graphics. Discussion is provided.Paper presented at the 57th Annual Convention of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, Illinois, May 1–3, 1985.     

Variables differentiating affective interaction in a family therapy and a control group: Father-child welfare and mother-child emergency affect

In this study of 37 pre-therapy and 23 matched control families who never sought family therapy, father-child welfare affect and mother-child emergency affect were significantly higher in the control families. Control families were found generally to express more Welfare and Emergency emotion. Affective expression between parents did not significantly differentiate the groups.This study has been supported by Grant No. MA-4510 of the Medical Research Council of Canada and was presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychiatric Association, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, September 1983. The authors wish to express their thanks to Toby Schwartz, Harriet Gold-Kaats, and Terry Tannenbaum-Dascal, who acted as coders and research assistants; Joseph Beltempo, BSc, who helped in the statistical analysis; and James Robbins, PhD, who gave much valuable advice.     

The future of mothering: reproductive technology and feminist theory

An exploration of (I) alternative perspectives toward recent innovations in reproductive technology: support for new techniques for the sake of the kind of feminist future they facilitate; unqualified opposition despite therapeutic benefit to individual women; or qualified opposition depending upon specific threats to women's interests and (II) relationships between these positions and values bound up with mothering practices.     

Antigone's Dilemma: A Problem in Political Membership

I would like to thank Donna Haraway, Barrie Thome, Daniel Scripture and, especially, Peter Euben for their many helpful comments and suggestions on various drafts of this article. I would also like to thank Thelma Francis for her generous support and encouragement.