Differential relationships of extraversion,impulsivity, and sociability to study habits

Reanalysis of data on library study habits presented by J. B. Campbell and C. W. Hawley (Journal of Research in Personality, 1982, 16, 139–148) revealed differential utility for the EPI extraversion scale and its components, impulsivity and sociability. Individuals studying in locations that provided greater external stimulation had significantly higher extraversion and impulsivity, but not sociability, scores than individuals studying elsewhere in the library. Impulsivity was more strongly associated than sociability with preferred noise levels, frequency of study breaks, and importance and preferred levels of socializing opportunities, but less strongly associated with preferred levels of crowdedness. Findings are discussed in terms of the interpretation, reliabilities, and theoretical context of the subscales.     

Generality and topic specificity of cognitive styles

A multitrait-multimethod strategy was used to assess eight structural properties of cognition applied to several classes of objects by 88 university students in Boulder, Colorado, United States, and 80 university students in Kyoto and Otsu, Japan. Each cognitive style was found to display some degree of generality over object classes and also some degree of class specificity. It is concluded that cognitive style depends on the subject, the class of objects considered, and an interaction between the two.     

Group shift to caution at the race track

Group and individual riskiness were compared on $2 “win” best at the race track. Using the standard pretest-posttest risk-shift design, group discussion to unanimous decision was found to produce a cautious shift in group bets.     

Effects of prefeeding on performance with body weight held constant

Two experiments are reported in which rats received either no prefeeding, nutritive substance prefeeding, or nonnutritive substance prefeeding prior to running in a straight alley. The running-speed data supported body weight as an overall measure of hunger drive. Performance was a function of body weight but not stomach weight or associated stomach bulk.     

When a Cultural Prohibition is Effective: A Field Investigation1

Three conditions have been hypothesized by Allport (1934) to be necessary for normative compliance to occur: (a) the required behavior must seem to serve a purpose; (b) the required behavior must be described in a rule or law; (c) a fairly large proportion of the population must perform the required behavior. Evidence supporting each of the three hypotheses is reviewed. The presence or strength of three variables related to each of the three conditions was varied factorially in an experimental field study of conformity to a prohibition against pedestrian traffic. The three hypotheses were strongly supported: Significantly more pedestrians corriplied the greater the strength of the factors related to the conditions. No interactions were found between variables. In addition, no differences between males and females and between a campus and a suburban sample were obtained. The results are discussed in terms of the normative elements of cultural conformity and a distinction is made between true conformity and cultural conformity.