Influence of Item Content and Stereotype Situation on Gender Differences in Mathematical Problem Solving

On standardized tests of mathematical problemsolving, the typical finding has been that women scorelower than men. Experiment 1 manipulated gender labeling(female character, male character, or gender neutral) within the problem question to seewhether this accounted for gender differences inmathematical problem solving. Sixty-four seventh andeighth graders were tested on modified versions of theCanadian Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) with the resultsshowing that although gender labeling affected studentsperformance, it did not account for gender differences.Experiment 2 manipulated both gender labeling and gender stereotype threat for 174 universitystudents writing modified versions of a modelStandardized Achievement Test (SAT). Again, genderlabeling within problem questions did not account forgender differences. However, women scored lower thanmen when they believed that the test had previouslyshown gender differences. There was no gender differencein the performance of the same women and men when they believed that the test was merelycomparing Canadian students with American students. Thissuggests that gender stereotype threat could be a keyfactor in explaining gender differences in mathematical problem solving.     

The Influence of Decision Makers' Goals on Their Concerns About Procedural Justice1

Two studies examine how decision makers' goals of enhancing organizational effectiveness and promoting positive interpersonal relations shape their decision making when they are allocating scarce resources among group members. Past research has conceptualized this problem as one of balancing between the use of two distributive justice principles: equity and equality. The studies reported examine the degree to which authorities are also concerned about issues of procedural justice. The results suggest that experienced decision makers—both managerial and administrative—believe that when trying to maintain positive interpersonal relations it is as important to use decision-making procedures that will be regarded as fair (procedural justice) as it is to allocate outcomes in ways which will be regarded as fair (distributive justice). Decision makers' definitions of procedural justice are also examined.     

Visual and auditory processing of common pattern class structure

Visual and auditory classification of equivalent class structured patterns were examined. Underlying patterns from two classes were translated into auditory tone sequences and visual polygons. All Ss classified 50 visual patterns and their direct auditory analogs. Visual classification accuracy exceeded auditory accuracy (p < .01); however, auditory accuracy improved when auditory classification was preceded by the visual task (p < .01). Based on group data, classification strategies appeared similar across modalities, with accuracy of classification of individual patterns predicted to the same degree by common measures of physical class structure across modalities. Ss’ drawings of the prototypes also suggested a common strategy across modalities. While group data suggest some consistency of classification strategy across modalities, individual Ss were not at all consistent in their visual and auditory classifications.     

For better or worse? Self-esteem and the contingencies of acceptance in marriage

A longitudinal daily diary study examined the origins and consequences of perceiving a partner's acceptance and love as contingent on professional success. Both members of 154 couples completed a diary for 21 days. Multilevel analyses revealed that low self-esteem men and women felt more accepted and loved by their partner on days when their professional lives were marked by success, and low self-esteem women felt less accepted and loved on days when their professional lives were marked by failure. No such spillover effects between people's professional and relationship lives emerged for people high in chronic selfesteem. A 1-year longitudinal follow-up revealed that people who initially felt less accepted across days reported decreased satisfaction. Men also became especially distressed when their wives felt less accepted initially and (incorrectly) perceived their husbands' regard as contingent.     

Suicide and African American teenagers: risk factors and coping mechanisms

In this study we investigated whether locus of control, hopelessness, and depression were primary risk factors for suicide ideation and attempts in African American youth, and whether congruency between locus of control and religious coping style reduced suicide risk. The sample consisted of 176 African American high school students (115 females; 61 males). Multiple and logistic regression were used to determine relationships among study variables. Depression was found to mediate the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal behaviors. External locus of control led to greater risk for hopelessness and depression, with a trend in the predicted direction for suicide attempts. Religious coping style alone was not always associated with reduction of risk of suicidal behaviors, yet some evidence suggests that congruency between locus of control and religious coping style reduces risk. Results provide additional support for suicide interventions to target depressive symptoms. Results also highlight the importance of examining the role of culturally salient variables such as fatalism and religious coping style when developing intervention programs for suicide.     

Perceptions of organizational change: a stress and coping perspective

Few organizational change studies identify the aspects of change that are salient to individuals and that influence well-being. The authors identified three distinct change characteristics: the frequency, impact and planning of change. R. S. Lazarus and S. Folkman's (1984) cognitive phenomenological model of stress and coping was used to propose ways that these change characteristics influence individuals' appraisal of the uncertainty associated with change, and, ultimately, job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Results of a repeated cross-sectional study that collected individuals' perceptions of change one month prior to employee attitudes in consecutive years indicated that while the three change perceptions were moderately to strongly intercorrelated, the change perceptions displayed differential relationships with outcomes. Discussion focuses on the importance of systematically considering individuals' subjective experience of change.     

Individual differences and cross-situational consistency of dyadic social behavior

A new theoretical analysis of individual differences and cross-situational consistency of behavior is proposed. The authors hypothesized that the social behavior of mice (Mus musculus) is determined by individual differences among animals in behavior emitted (i.e., actor effects), in behavior elicited from social partners (partner effects), and by unique responses of one animal to another (relationship effects). Each effect represents a distinct facet of individual differences with different psychological meaning; likewise, the cross-situational consistency of each effect has a distinct psychological meaning. Individual differences in behavior emitted were observed, and these actor effects were consistent longitudinally. Individual differences in behavior elicited from social partners were observed, and these partner effects were also consistent longitudinally. Unique responses to specific social partners also determined behavior but were inconsistent longitudinally. The theoretical importance of reconceptualizing the concepts of individual differences and cross-situational consistency in behavior is discussed. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).     

A further simplification of the multiple and partial correlation process

Formulas are derived for simplified computation of partial and multiple correlation coefficients, and generalized ton variables. Time required for computation is compared with other methods.     

“Battling something bigger than me”: A phenomenological investigation of generational trauma in African American women

The lived experiences of eight African American women college students were explored from an interpretive phenomenological analytic framework. The researchers identified six main themes about participants and their reported family dynamics: (a) collectivistic yet disconnected, (b) avoidance, (c) functioning in dysfunction, (d) gendered differences, (e) motivation to change the family's homeostasis, and (f) talking about generational trauma as a motivator to repair communication. Implications for culturally responsive counseling and generational trauma-informed counselor training are discussed.