Reviews of current books

Pastoral Psychology -     

An inquiry into the problem of evil

Paper presented as the invited keynote address at the Society of Clinical Psychologists of Chile Annual Conference, Santiago, Chile, November, 1992.     

Loglinear multidimensional IRT models for polytomously scored items

A loglinear IRT model is proposed that relates polytomously scored item responses to a multidimensional latent space. The analyst may specify a response function for each response, indicating which latent abilities are necessary to arrive at that response. Each item may have a different number of response categories, so that free response items are more easily analyzed. Conditional maximum likelihood estimates are derived and the models may be tested generally or against alternative loglinear IRT models.Hank Kelderman is currently affiliated with Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam.We thank Linda Vodegel-Matzen of the Division of Developmental Psychology of the University of Amsterdam for making available the data used in the example in this article.     

Molecular carrier testing for the fragile X syndrome: Issues for genetic counselors

Molecular analysis of the fragile X (FMR-1) gene identifies female fragile X carriers, but appropriate genetic counseling can only be provided if the limitations of the testing methods are understood. Molecular analysis of this gene is achieved with both the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blot techniques. PCR is faster and can determine the actual number of CGG repeats, which modifies genetic counseling substantially. However, for a sizeable percentage of women, PCR alone is not conclusive, and Southern analysis is necessary to complete the study. While this procedure takes longer, it is usually conclusive. Women who present for genetic counseling and carrier testing in the second trimester of pregnancy need this information quickly, and for them the turn-around time is paramount. It is critical that genetic counselors understand these methods so that they can educate their clients and facilitate appropriate follow-up.     

Appraising gender role portrayals in TV commercials

The Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) was used to appraise the gender role orientations of characters appearing in prime-time television advertisements. Four hundred twenty-six college students (primarily Caucasian) rated major ad characters on the BSRI and provided perceptual judgments about the character and ad presentation. The confirmatory analysis of the psychometric properties of the BSRI indicated the appropriateness of the scale for self- and person-perception ratings. BSRI Femininity and Masculinity subscale scores for the ad characters were analyzed as continuous variables. Counterstereotypic female characters had significantly higher Masculinity scores than stereotypic female characters and counterstereotypic male characters had significantly higher Femininity scores than stereotypic male characters. The BSRI was also a significant predictor of character and ad perceptions. A new direction for gender role research is presented.     

Rhetorical theory and family therapy practice

The study found that a connection exists between rhetoric and therapy because both fields are interested in using language as a tool for generating change. Persuasion is viewed as inherent in human communication, even though people do not necessarily intentionally attempt to persuade others. Following a brief (but detailed) explanation of the theoretical stance which informs the implementation of rhetorical techniques in therapy, three pragmatic exemplars are offered to demonstrate the employment of two classical rhetorical concepts, the parastasis catalogue and syncrisis.The authors are grateful to Sandra Kodner, MS for her participation in the development of this project.     

Do Procedural Justice Perceptions in a Selection Testing Context Predict Applicant Attraction and Intention Toward the Organization?

This study examines the effects of procedural justice perceptions on outcomes in an actual selection context with applicants taking a general mental ability test to gain employment as utility meter readers. Applicant attraction and intention related to the organization were measured at 3 time periods. This allowed us to control for initial levels of outcome variables and the pass-fail result when assessing procedural justice effects. Procedural justice perceptions modestly predicted organizational attractiveness and intention prior to pass-fail feedback. However, the procedural justice effects on these outcomes were diminished after controlling for the pass-fail result. Either changes in R ² or regression coefficients associated with procedural justice perceptions failed to achieve significance for all outcomes. We discuss the implications of these findings for procedural justice research and for employment managers.