Physical interaction and association by contiguity in memory for the words and melodies of songs

Three experiments were designed to investigate two explanations for the integration effect in memory for songs (Serafine, Crowder, & Repp, 1984; Serafine, Davidson, Crowder, & Repp, 1986). The integration effect is the finding that recognition of the melody (or text) of a song is better in the presence of the text (or melody) with which it had been heard originally than in the presence of a different text (or melody). One explanation for this finding is the physical interaction hypothesis, which holds that one component of a song exerts subtle but memorable physical changes on the other component, making the latter different from what it would be with a different companion. In Experiments 1 and 2, we investigated the influence that words could exert on the subtle musical character of a melody. A second explanation for the integration effect is the association-by-contiguity hypothesis, which holds that any two events experienced in close temporal proximity may become connected in memory such that each acts as a recall cue for the other. In Experiment 3, we investigated the degree to which simultaneous presentations of spoken text with a hummed melody would induce an association between the two components. The results gave encouragement for both explanations and are discussed in terms of the distinction between encoding specificity and independent associative bonding.     

Pink or blue: Environmental gender stereotypes in the first two years of life

The physical environment of 120 girls and boys was compared in order to study the emergence of gender differences in infancy. Three age groups were investigated, 5, 13, and 25 months, with 40 children in each group. The quantity and types of toys, the colors and types of clothing, and the colors and motifs of the children's room were noted on a checklist by an observer who visited their homes. The results showed that boys were provided with more sports equipment, tools, and large and small vehicles. Girls had more dolls, fictional characters, child's furniture, and other toys for manipulation. They wore pink and multicolored clothes more often, had more pink pacifiers and jewelry. Boys wore more blue, red and white clothing. They had more blue pacifiers. Yellow bedding was more frequently observed in the girls' rooms, while blue bedding and curtains were more prevalent in the boys' rooms. Women were the predominant providers of toys for children. It thus seems that, nowadays, very early in their development, girls and boys already experience environments which are dissimilar. We may hypothesize that these differential environments will have an impact on the development of specific abilities and preferential activities in children.This research was supported by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and FCAR, Québec. We thank France Frenette and Diane Mathurin for their assistance in the collection of data, and Tibie Rome-Flanders for her comments on a first draft of the paper.     

Gender roles and adjustment in elementary-school children: A multidimensional approach

The present study of fourth through sixth graders examined the relationships between their school adjustment and the extent to which their self-concepts conformed to stereotypic gender roles. Several dimensions of gender roles were assessed. Adjustments was assessed by teacher ratings of externalizing and of internalizing symptoms. Among boys, more stereotypic self-concepts were associated with high levels of externalizing symptoms. Among girls, stereotypy was associated with high levels of internalizing. Discussion emphasized the practical importance of these relationships between gender-role stereotypy and poor adjustment, since externalizing and internalizing symptoms constitute the most frequent reasons for clinical referral among boys and among girls, respectively. Further findings, however, indicated that conclusions about the unfavorable adjustment correlates of stereotypy should not be extended to the less gender-typical symptoms (i.e., neither to boys' internalizing nor to girls' externalizing symptoms). Implications of the findings were also discussed with regard to earlier results obtained with adults that suggest mental health advantages associated with higher levels of masculinity. It was suggested that the contradiction between adult and child results partially reflects an emphasis upon externalizing symptoms with children, while studies employing adults have emphasized internalizing ones.The authors acknowledge the assistance of the Jefferson County School District, and especially Ms. Diane Hill, Director of Research, for their assistance in this study. The following persons are thanked for their assistance in interviewing children and collecting data: Heidi Hauge, Carol Hathaway-Clark, Judith King, and Ed Priddy. The authors also wish to thank Drs. Ann Boggiano and William Hodges for commenting on earlier drafts of this paper.     

Patterns of recidivism and relapse among groups of mentally disordered offenders

The management and treatment of mentally disordered offenders is significantly hindered by our lack of detailed knowledge of this population. The present investigation attempted to identify five groups of male, mentally disordered offenders that are distinctive with respect to treatment needs: career criminals, chronic schizophrenics, violent psychotics, violent middleclass individuals, and intellectually handicapped subjects. It was hypothesized that patterns of recidivism and relapse would be different for each of these groups. A sample of 181 males previously judged unfit to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity were followed for an average of 6.1 years after discharge to the community. Factors relating to recidivism but not to relapse were found to distinguish the five groups.     

Gender issues in the treatment of welfare couples: A feminist approach to marital therapy of the poor

This article presents a treatment model for work at home with couples in poor families on welfare that incorporates a feminist view targeting sex-role attitudes and behaviors as a central goal. A case study is presented to illustrate these principles. The work is based on both in-depth interviews with 13 Israeli couples on welfare and clinical impressions gained from the treatment of 30 Israeli couples on welfare. Poor couples are analyzed in terms of gender issues and the relationship of these issues to mental health, couple functioning, and couple interaction within the helping profession.Irit Barnea, Hannan Rosenberg, and Moshe Sens contributed to research and treatment with the couples described in this paper.     

Aging is associated with increased Weber ratios

To investigate whether age-associated changes in the human taste system are quality-specific, we compared young and elderly subjects’ suprathreshold discrimination abilities for caffeine and sucrose. The method of constant stimuli was used to obtain just noticeable differences and Weber ratios. The elderly generated larger Weber ratios than did the young for both the medium and high concentrations of caffeine, but not for the low concentration. For example, a 74% increase in .005 M caffeine was required to obtain a perceptible difference for the elderly, whereas a 34% increase produced a perceptible difference for the young. The Weber ratios for sucrose did not differ for the two age groups. The results of this study indicate that age-associated changes in the taste system are quality-specific.

     

The values and motivations behind sustainable fashion consumption

The growth in ethical consumption behaviour and greater interest in sustainable fashion from a production side provides grounding for the emergence of a new consumer market for sustainable fashion. To date, however, most studies in this field focus on the production end of the emerging market, with little exploration of the consumers. Of the work, there is on sustainable fashion consumption; the majority discuss perceptions of sustainable fashion by the general population, with little work sampling actual consumers of sustainable fashion. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the values and motivations underpinning actual sustainable fashion consumption. Thirty‐nine in‐depth interviews were conducted with a sample of frequent sustainable clothing consumers. The study follows a means‐end theory approach linking purchased products back to purchasing criteria and personal values. This study therefore contributes to the overall understanding of sustainable fashion consumption and gives insights into purchasing criteria and behavioural choices of sustainable fashion consumers. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exploring the Online Communicative Themes of Child Sex Offenders

This exploratory study aimed to examine online communications between contact reality and non‐contact fantasy child sex offenders (CSOs). This research wanted to ascertain whether it was possible to differentiate between these offenders based on the content of their online communications, something which has not previously been examined. The sample consisted of five contact reality and seven non‐contact fantasy offenders, all convicted of a Child Sex Offence. Content analysis revealed 26 them. Results showed that non‐contact fantasy offenders discussed Adult sexual relationships significantly more than contact reality offenders. All other comparisons were non‐significant. The themes were then grouped into five higher order themes: (i) Adult relationships, (ii) Child sexual interest, (iii) Media, (iv) Sexual self, and (v) Rapport. The average largest proportion of the online communication related to Child sexual interest (34%) followed by Rapport (28%). There were no significant differences between the two types of offenders in relation to these five higher order themes. Explanations for the findings are discussed with implications for police investigations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Put Yourself at the Helm: Charting New Territory,Correcting Course,and Weathering the Storm of Career Trajectories

What bearing have you set you set your sights on? How do you navigate the ever-changing swells and winds of our professional landscape? Are you feeling a nebulous desire for change, that your career is not going in the direction you were expecting, worry about lack of future opportunities, or even a deep dissatisfaction in your current position? You are not alone. The formation of the Committee on Advanced Training for Certified Genetic Counselors (CATCGC) was partly in response to such sentiments, expressed within a vibrant dialogue amongst members of the genetic counseling community. The CATCGC sought to understand how genetic counselors chart courses for their careers by conducting a Decision Points exercise during a pre-conference symposium (PCS) at the 2014 NSGC Annual Education Conference. Participants were asked to identify a decision point at which they were most satisfied with their careers and one at which they were least satisfied and to describe the situation, their personal goals and intentions, any actions they took, and the outcomes. Qualitative analysis in the constructivist tradition was conducted on participants’ responses and facilitators’ notes from the PCS to explore what personal meanings were made of the decision points; twelve themes related to Career High Points, Low Points, and how genetic counselors made career transitions were identified. Using a constructivist framework, themes are presented in the context of the authors’ personal experiences, and the authors’ share their reflections on these data. We wrote this article to offer you a window into your peers’ experiences - the good, the bad, and the ugly - hoping to encourage and challenge you to reflect deeply, no matter where you are on your career journey.     

When Middle Really Means “Top” or “Bottom”: An Analysis of the 16PF5 Using Bock's Nominal Response Model

When self-report items with a Likert-type scale include a middle response option (e.g., Unsure, Neither agree nor disagree, or ?), this middle option is assumed to measure a level of the trait intermediate between the high and low response categories. In this study, we tested this assumption in the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire, Version 5 (16PF5) by fitting Bock's nominal response model in the U.S. and UK standardization samples of the 16PF5. We found that in many cases, the middle option was indicative of higher levels of the latent trait than the ostensibly highest response option. In certain other cases, it was indicative of lower levels of the latent trait than the ostensibly lowest response option. This undermines the use of a simple successive integer scoring scheme where responses in adjacent response categories are assigned scores of 0, 1, and 2. Recommendations for alternative scoring schemes are provided. Results also suggested that certain personality traits, especially neurotic traits, are associated with a tendency toward selecting the middle option.