Reliability and construct validity of the Dutch psychopathy checklist: youth version: findings from a sample of male adolescents in a juvenile justice treatment institution

The present study examines the reliability and construct validity of the Dutch version of the Psychopathy Check List: Youth Version (PCL:YV) in a sample of male adolescents admitted to a secure juvenile justice treatment institution (N = 98). Hare's four-factor model is used to examine reliability and validity of the separate dimensions of psychopathy. Interrater reliabilities are good to excellent for the PCL:YV total score and most factor scores, except for the affective factor. Several suggestions are offered for optimizing reliability of this factor. Finally, meaningful associations between PCL:YV scores and scores on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent and the Interpersonal Checklist-Revised support the construct validity of the PCL:YV total score as well as the four factors in the Dutch context.     

Unity and diversity of views on intelligence and consciousness: Where the East meets the West

Intelligence is a cognitive function. Cognitive processing is a common base for cognitive theories of intelligence in both the East (India) and in the West (Europe and America). I first review the Eastern view of intelligence and its relation to consciousness. I argue that the study of consciousness has been accepted in Western psychology as a legitimate topic since William James, then present further discussion on the topic from Hindu and Buddhist philosophies. In essence, it is about awareness and the means of achieving a pure state of awareness through self-directed attention to internal thoughts, rather than external objects. The validity of a first-person observation of consciousness then becomes an important issue as well as the question of a non-physical mind. The paper concludes that using introspective reflection as a tool to explore consciousness is supported by both views.     

Heart rate, recall, and reaction-time measures of levels of processing

A problem of circularity emerges in any attempt to index depth by retention alone. In the present study, reaction time (RT), and heart-rate response were used to index the three qualitatively distinct levels of physical, phonemic, and semantic processing. An additional objective was to distinguish between the three levels under incidental vs intentional learning conditions. Subjects were 46 male undergraduates who were given 30 trials. A trial consisted of the presentation of an orienting question and an imperative word-stimulus separated by a 6-sec. interval. There were three types of questions in order to induce processing to one of the three target levels. The results indicated that recall as well as heart-rate acceleration distinguished between two (physical vs phonemic and semantic) rather than three levels of processing in the incidental condition. Heart-rate change differentiated between incidental and intentional, the intentional condition showing a smaller change. Semantic and phonemic RTs were faster than physical RT, but there were no differences between semantic and phonemic RTs. Intentional recall was superior to incidental recall. It is suggested that psychophysiological indices can provide independent evidence for 'levels of processing.'     

Fragment difficulty in priming on word-completion tests

Word-fragment completion is a frequently used test in implicit memory research. In this test priming is the relevant variable. Priming is obtained by subtracting the proportion of nonstudied word fragments correctly completed (called "completion difficulty baseline") from the studied word fragments correctly completed. Since completion difficulty can spuriously vary greatly between experimental conditions, its effect on magnitude of priming is studied. Normative frequency of occurrence of target words was considered because their influence over performance is known. In an experiment using a word-fragment completion test, participants' completion of fragments at three levels of completion difficulty and two levels of frequency was tested. Analysis showed that completion difficulty had a significant effect on global priming. The priming magnitude was higher for Difficult and Moderately Difficult fragments than for Easy ones. An interaction between fragment difficulty and normative word frequency was observed. When the fragments were easy to complete, the expected effect of higher priming for low-frequency words than for high-frequency words was not observed.     

Gender Roles and Cultural Continuity in the Asian Indian Immigrant Community in the U.S.

Ethnic identity is a part of positive self-concept that consciously anchors an individual to a particular ethnic group. Central to this identity is a sense of belonging, as well as a commitment to the group's values, beliefs, behaviors, conventions, and customs. This study focuses on the Asian Indian community in the U.S. to investigate their concerns with the continuity of ethnic identity via maintenance of traditional culture. Intergenerational synchrony in two specific values, attitudes toward women and dating, were examined as indicators of successful transmission of culture and identity. Forty-sixeducated, middle class Indian immigrant families, the majority of whom were foreign born and Hindus,participated in this study by responding to three questionnaires: Attitude Toward Women Scale, Dating Scale, and IPAT Anxiety Scale. Although the results show a strong similarity between parents and children on target attitudes, distinct intergenerational and gender asymmetries emerged. The conscious attempt to preserve certain critical attitudes, values, and behaviors characteristic of the group was labeled “judicious biculturalism,” an expression of active involvement on the immigrants' part to control the course of their own acculturation. The study has implications for women's status within the Asian Indian community.     

Has Industrialization Benefited No One? Climate Change and the Non-Identity Problem

Within the climate justice debate, the ‘beneficiary pays’ principle holds that those who benefit from greenhouse emissions associated with industrialization ought to pay for the costs of mitigating and adapting to their adverse effects. This principle constitutes a claim of inter-generational justice, and it is widely believed that the non-identity problem raises serious difficulties for any such claim. After briefly sketching the rationale behind ‘beneficiary pays,’ this paper offers a new way of understanding the claim that persons in developed societies have benefited from industrialization. It argues that when we think of the claim in this new way, it evades the non-identity problem entirely. Some objections to this approach are then considered and rebutted. The paper concludes by comparing the present, relatively modest solution to the nonidentity problem with a much more ambitious attempt from the recent literature.     

Disclosure of Genetic Research Results to Members of a Founder Population

There is currently extensive discussion and debate in the literature on how, when, and to whom genetic research results should be returned (see Genetics in Medicine, April 2012 issue). Here, we describe our experience in disclosing genetic information on Mendelian disorders discovered during the course of our research in the Hutterites. We first assessed attitudes toward the disclosure of carrier results, which revealed that many individuals wanted carrier information and that many intended to use the information in family planning. Based on this information, we developed a pilot study to test and disclose cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier status. Next, a larger scale project was developed in order to disclose genetic research results for 14 diseases to those interested in receiving the information. We developed brochures, offered a live interactive educational program, conducted a consent process, and disclosed results in letters mailed to the consented individuals. Overall, ~80 % of individuals who participated in the educational program signed consent forms for the release of their results for 14 diseases. We describe our experience with returning individual genetic research results to participants in a population-based research study.     

Effect of Sn on microstructure and mechanical properties of (Ti–Cu)-based bulk metallic glasses

A Ti₄₃Zr₇Cu₄₃Ni₇ bulk metallic glass (BMG) exhibits a plastic strain of less than 0.2% under room-temperature compression. However, a Ti₄₅Zr₅Cu₄₀Ni_7.5Sn_2.5 BMG developed by addition of Sn to Ti₄₃Zr₇Cu₄₃Ni₇ shows a significant improvement of ～14.8% to the plastic strain with work hardening. Microstructural comparison of these BMGs reveals that the addition of Sn leads to formation of nano-scale chemical heterogeneities throughout the material. These nano-scale chemical fluctuations play an important role in enhancing the plastic strain of (Ti–Cu)-based BMGs.     

Don't derogate this message! Self-affirmation promotes online type 2 diabetes risk test taking

The aim of the present study was to examine whether self-affirmation promotes acceptance of threatening type 2 diabetes information and risk-testing behaviour. In an experimental study (N = 84), we manipulated self-affirmation by allowing participants to affirm a value that was either personally important or unimportant to them, and measured participants' risk level prior to reading threatening type 2 diabetes information. As dependent variables, we measured message derogation, intentions to do an online type 2 diabetes risk test and online risk-testing behaviour. Findings showed that self-affirmation decreased message derogation, increased intentions to do an online risk test and promoted online risk test taking among at-risk participants. Among participants not at-risk, self-affirmation decreased intentions and online risk test taking. Therefore, it is concluded, that for an at-risk population self-affirmation can decrease defensive responses to threatening health information and promote (online) risk test taking for diseases.