The survival of a cooperative tradition in the intergroup discontinuity context

Interindividual-intergroup discontinuity is the tendency, in mixed-motive situations, for groups to interact more competitively, or less cooperatively, than individuals, even though mutual competition yields worse results that mutual cooperation. The present laboratory experiment attempted to assess whether the discontinuity effect could be reduced by the establishment of an intergroup cooperative tradition. Cooperation between intact pairs of groups was induced by placing in each group confederates who successfully convinced their fellow group members of the long-term advantage of trust and cooperation. On subsequent blocks of trails, the confederate was replaced by an actual subject, and then each of the original subjects was replaced so as to simulate generational turnover. By the time all initial members were replaced, their level of cooperation had eroded to the level of groups never experiencing mutual cooperation. The results are discussed in the context of other means of reducing discontinuity. This research was supported by National Science Foundation grants (BNS-9007414 and SBR-9408760) to John Schopler and Chester A. Insko.     

The Relation of Cognitive and Memorial Processes to Persuasion in a Simulated Jury Trial

Four experiments investigated the dependence of persuasion on cognitive factors. All experiments employed a court case for which 795 subjects acted as jury members, reading summaries of both the prosecution and defense's testimony. The amount of objective information on both sides of the case was varied. Persuasion was a position function of the number of prosecution arguments and the number of defense arguments. This finding was extended by obtaining measures of the subjects'cognitive reactions to the case as well as their opinions and by following both of these measures over time. Both analysis of variance and multiple regression techniques showed that subjects could have derived their opinions from their cognitions about the case. This relationship also held up over time. These results suggest the general form of an information-processing theory of persuasion. One prediction of this theory is for an asymptotic function relating objective information to persuasion. This prediction received empirical support.     

Attibution of attitudes to speakers and listeners under assigned-behavior conditions: Does behavior engulf the field?

A conceptual replication of the assigned-behavior conditions of previous research in attitude attribution was conducted. Participants made attitude attributions about themselves and also about others who had either given, listened to, or not been exposed to either a proattitudinal or counterattitudinal essay. The position adopted in the essay significantly affected the attitudes attributed to those assigned to deliver the essay. Essay position had an equally strong effect upon attitudes attributed to those who merely listened to the essay, however. Thus, the fact that the actor had delivered a particular assigned essay apparently did not in itself convey information to the observers about the actor's attitudes. Experimental results suggested that essay direction affects attitudes attitudes attributed to others in an assigned-behavior setting because observers use their own attitudes to infer the attitudes of others. Since observers' own attitudes change after exposure to different essays, they attribute different attitudes to others.     

Pilot assessment of pain of orthopaedic patients in Hong Kong

This pilot study examined the internal consistency and concurrent validity of the Chinese version of the Acute Lower Back Pain Screening Questionnaire. A sample of 45 acute low back pain patients (27 men and 18 women; mean age = 47.8) were recruited from the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of the Tuen Mun Hospital in Hong Kong. Three items of the original questionnaire were excluded from the analyses because response was low by 30 of the 45 patients. The questionnaire showed good internal reliability (Cronbach alpha = .88) and correlated significantly with other test scores: the Faces Pain Scale-Revised (alpha = .74), the Chinese (Hong Kong) SF-12 Health Survey (Mental subscale, alpha = -.47; Physical subscale alpha = -.62), and the Chinese Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Anxiety subscale, alpha = .42; Depression subscale, alpha = .43). The questionnaire could be used in research and clinical work to provide data on the multicomponents of a pain experience as well as psychosocial risk factors related to pain among the Chinese. Researchers might examine the course of change in chronic pain.     

应用心理测验评估轻度甲苯中毒者的脑功能状态

以２９名轻度甲苯中毒的工人和２９名作为控制组的工人,就一些神经心理测验上的作业水平,进行了比较。此两组工人工作场所的空气,以８小时的ＴＷＡ计算,所得甲苯含量分别为８８．０ｐｐｍ和１３．５ｐｐｍ。所实施的心理测验包括数字广度、ＷＭＳ视觉记忆测验、本顿视觉保持测验、连线测验、符号数字、栓子安插和手指敲击测验。结果发现,轻度甲苯中毒的工人,无论在语文或非语文的短时记忆、注意力或集中力、知觉运动或手巧等方面的作业水平,都比不上控制组,显示轻度甲苯中毒组之脑功能已受损害。该研究亦进一步表明了轻度毒害性化学溶剂所导致的脑功能损害,可通过简便的心理测验予以相当准确的测查。     

Sick-building syndrome fatigue as a possible predation defense

Sick-building syndrome is an illness characterized by fatigue, headache, and upper-respiratory complaints. It is usually associated with modern office buildings, structures with an impervious outer shell and inoperable windows. Poor air quality, specific pollutants, and inadequate ventilation are considered common causes. The ability to smell faint odors requires air that is free of contamination. Human evolutionary ancestors depended on odors for survival. Even the slightest increase in the ability to smell a predator conveyed a distinct, immediate survival advantage. Conversely, an enormous survival advantage would also accrue to the animal that sought protection or avoided activity when this vital olfactory information was unavailable. Such would be the case with fire on the savannah. The foraging, olfactory dependent animal, unable to smell predators because of contaminated air, would be quickly snatched by a keen-sighted carnivore. There exist, however, well-described reflexes from the nose mediated through the trigeminal nerve that discourage activity when these free nerve endings are irritated. This mechanism may serve as a defense against predation. In adulterated atmosphere the animal, subdued by these reflexes, would be less likely to venture forth and, therefore, less vulnerable to predators. Similar reflexes may persist in humans, activated by poor air quality, air ill-suited for the dissemination of odors. I suggest that the human perception of these inhibitory reflexes is the feeling of fatigue associated with the sick building syndrome.     

Social Motives Underlying Rational Selective Exploitation: The Impact of Instrumental Versus Social-Emotional Allocator Orientation on the Distribution of Rewards in Groups

Prior research has demonstrated that allocators frequently distribute lesser rewards to employees with constrained mobility, and that this tendency is more pronounced among more competent employees. This phenomenon is termed "rational selective exploitation." This allocation rule is rational in that it serves to maintain membership among the most desirable group members–those who contribute most to the group's task goals–but is exploitative in that it produces an erosion of equity: Although deserving of high rewards, the outcomes of competent but entrapped employees are lower than those of their counterparts with greater mobility. Four experiments tested several predictions concerning reward allocation processes. First, allocators distributed greater rewards to more competent employees. This tendency was more pronounced under conditions of instrumental allocator orientation than under conditions of social-emotional orientation. Second, allocators distributed greater rewards to more mobile employees. This tendency was more pronounced under conditions of instrumental orientation and constrained labor pool, and was weakly promoted by the anticipation of future allocations. Third, employee competence and employee mobility interacted; the tendency to allocate greater rewards to more mobile employees was especially pronounced among highly competent employees. This interaction of competence with mobility–the rational selective exploitation effect–was stronger under conditions of instrumental allocator orientation than under conditions of greater social-emotional concern, and was weakly promoted by the anticipation of future allocations.     

Online mental health resources for adolescents: Overview of research and theory

Adolescents use the Internet at higher rates than any other age group. The Internet therefore offers an obvious opportunity for the provision of mental health information for them. Little is known, however, about adolescent behaviour online, especially access of age‐appropriate mental health resources. This review of the published literature examines theoretical and research studies to develop an understanding of adolescent mental health‐seeking behaviour on the Internet. It is clear that adolescents do seek health information online, but little is known about its content, nature or mode of delivery. There appears to be no research specific to mental health resources for adolescents online.