Accuracy of judgments of sexual orientation from thin slices of behavior.

In this research the authors examined the accuracy of judging sexual orientation on the basis of brief observations or "thin slices" of nonverbal behavior. In Study 1, sexual orientation was judged more accurately than chance, with judgments being more accurate when based on dynamic nonverbal behavior (10-s and 1-s silent video segments) than on static information (a series of 8 still photographs). Gay men and lesbians were more accurate than heterosexuals in judging still photographs and 1-s clips but not in 10-s clips. In Study 2, judgments based on 10-s dynamic figural outline displays containing primarily gestural information were more accurate than chance.     

Expected benefits of alcohol use on sexual behavior: Native American adolescents.

A study of self-reported drinking and beliefs about alcohol and sex was conducted during an Intertribal Pow Wow. 42 American Indian adolescents in attendance volunteered for the survey. Those adolescents who reported heavy drinking during the pow wow were more likely to report the belief that drinking alcohol makes sexual experiences more enjoyable. Results are discussed in terms of the limitations of the study, the implications for increases in sexually transmitted diseases among this population, and the need to modify preventive efforts about "safe" sex.     

Computer control for operant oriented laboratories

A process control procedure using base rate polling within interrupt driven routines, segmentation of time dependent events, and a branch table execution structure was developed for an operant oriented behavioral pharmacology laboratory. Efficient independent control and analysis for eight experimental chambers was obtained utilizing the similarities between various operant techniques.     

Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Review and Avenues for Further Research

This paper describes and reviews the theory of planned behavior (TPB). The focus is on evidence supporting the further extension of the TPB in various ways. Empirical and theoretical evidence to support the addition of 6 variables to the TPB is reviewed: belief salience measures, past behavior/habit, perceived behavioral control (PBC) vs. self-efficacy, moral norms, self-identity, and affective beliefs. In each case there appears to be growing empirical evidence to support their addition to the TPB and some understanding of the processes by which they may be related to other TPB variables, intentions, and behavior. Two avenues for expansion of the TPB are presented. First, the possibility of incorporating the TPB into a dual-process model of attitude–behavior relationships is reviewed. Second, the expansion of the TPB to include consideration of the volitional processes determining how goal intentions may lead to goal achievement is discussed.     

The Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and event-specific drinking: The relationship between FoMO and alcohol use,harm, and breath alcohol concentration during orientation week

Current Psychology - The Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is the feeling that one is missing out on rewarding experiences. FoMO research has largely focused on the link between FoMO and unhealthy social...     

Social influence processes on adolescents’ food likes and consumption: the role of parental authoritativeness and individual self‐monitoring

This cross‐sectional study investigated how parents and friends influence adolescents’ food likes and consumption. 709 adolescent‐parent and 638 adolescent‐friend dyads completed a questionnaire, allowing us to compare target‐parent and target‐friend resemblances both on food likes and consumption, while distinguishing between cultural influence and dyadic unique influence. In addition, we identified two psychosocial predictors of resemblance, namely parenting style and adolescents' self‐monitoring. As expected, results indicated that authoritative parenting style increased target‐parent resemblance in food likes (directly) and consumption (indirectly), and self‐monitoring orientation increased target‐friend resemblance in food likes (directly) and consumption (indirectly). We also showed that target‐friend resemblance was more culture‐based than target‐parent resemblance, suggesting that parental influence is more specific to the dyadic relation than is peer influence.     

Changing self-reported physical activity using different types of affectively and cognitively framed health messages,in a student population

The present research focused upon the power of different messages to increase self-reported physical activity (PA). Five hundered and ninety six participants were randomised to one of five conditions that varied in the content of message: short-term affective, short-term cognitive, long-term affective, long-term cognitive and a no message control. PA was measured at baseline and follow-up (seven days later) was done using the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire over the subsequent seven day period. The affective short-term message (ASM) was shown to be equally effective at increasing self-reported PA as a cognitive long-term message. Furthermore, when controlling for baseline activity levels, the ASM emerged as being the message that produced the highest levels of self-reported PA at follow-up. The findings point to the value of distinguishing between health messages in terms of the focus on affective and cognitive outcomes and the temporal nature of the outcomes (short-term or long-term).     

Examining normative pressure in the theory of planned behaviour: Impact of gender and passengers on intentions to break the speed limit

This research examined the impact of passenger-type on young people’s responses to a driving scenario about speeding. In the scenarios, the presence, and gender of the passenger were systematically varied. A total of 162 respondents (83 females, 79 males) completed questionnaires containing measures from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and additional variables after reading each of two scenarios. The TPB provided good predictions of intention to speed (45% explained variance) with all TPB variables plus moral norms and past behaviour significant. Males compared to females reported significantly greater normative pressure to speed, less control over not speeding, and less moral norms not to speed. Normative pressure was a stronger predictor of intentions for men compared to women when driving alone. Normative pressure was a stronger predictor of intentions when the passenger was male.     

Feel good now or regret it later? The respective roles of affective attitudes and anticipated affective reactions for explaining health‐promoting and health risk behavioral intentions

Evidence supporting the incorporation of affective constructs, such as affective attitudes and anticipated regret, into theoretical models of health behavior has been mounting in recent years; however, the role of positive anticipated affective reactions (e.g., pride) has been largely unexplored. The purpose of the present investigation was to assess how affective attitudes and anticipated affective reactions (both pride and regret for performing a behavior or not) may provide distinct utility for understanding intentions to perform health‐promoting and health risk behaviors over and above cognitive attitudes and other established theoretical constructs from the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Participants (N = 210) were recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk to complete a one‐time online battery assessing TPB and affective constructs. Self‐reported intentions served as the main outcome measure, and hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the effects of TPB and affective constructs across behaviors. Controlling for TPB constructs, more positive affective attitudes and greater anticipated regret, but not anticipated pride, predicted intentions to engage in future health behaviors. Anticipated affective reactions contributed explanatory variance for intentions to perform health risk behaviors, but anticipated pride and regret were not associated with intentions to perform health risk behaviors. Contributions made via the inclusion of both positively and negatively valence anticipated affective reactions for both action and inaction (performing a behavior or not) across a range of health promoting and health risk behaviors are discussed, as well as implications for future intervention work.     

Asking questions changes behavior: mere measurement effects on frequency of blood donation.

OBJECTIVE: This research examined the impact of completing a questionnaire about blood donation on subsequent donation behavior among a large sample of experienced blood donors. DESIGN: Participants (N=4672) were randomly assigned to an experimental condition that received a postal questionnaire measuring cognitions about donation or a control condition that did not receive a questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of registrations at blood drives and number of successful blood donations were assessed using objective records both 6 months and 12 months later. RESULTS: Findings indicated that, compared to control participants, the mean frequency of number of registrations at blood drives among participants in the experimental group was 8.6% greater at 6 months (p<.0.007), and was 6.4% greater at 12 months (p<.035). Significant effects were also observed for successful blood donations at 6 months (p<.001) and 12 months (p<.004). CONCLUSION: These findings provide the first evidence that the mere measurement is relevant to promoting consequential health behaviors. Implications of the research for intervention evaluation are discussed.