Violence in Ideological and Non‐Ideological Groups: A Quantitative Analysis of Qualitative Data1

Multiple models have been proposed to account for violence among ideological groups. To identify critical variables contributing to violent behavior in these groups, violent ideological groups were compared to relevant comparison groups. A historically based content analysis was conducted to assess these groups with respect to a number of variables examining leader, group, organizational, and environmental attributes held to influence violence. Discriminant analyses revealed that violent ideological groups differed from comparison groups with respect to leader extremism, group righteousness, organizational indoctrination, and environmental conflict and disruption. Regression analyses revealed that these discriminant functions predicted a number of notable violent and ideological criteria. The implications of these findings for understanding the origins of violence in ideological groups are discussed.     

Relations Among Dimensions of Feminism and Internalized Heterosexism in Lesbians and Bisexual Women

This study was designed to examine the relations among dimensions of feminism and internalized heterosexism in 227 lesbian and bisexual women. In addition, psychometric support for 2 newly created multiple-item scales, Self-Identification as a Feminist (SIF) and Involvement in Feminist Activities Scale (IFAS), is provided. Results indicate that internalized heterosexism is correlated significantly with most of the feminist dimensions assessed in this study (i.e., self-identification as a feminist, involvement in feminist activities, attitudes toward feminism, feminist identity development, and various feminist ideologies). Interesting relations among feminist identity development and feminist ideologies were found. In addition, involvement in feminist activities was uniquely predicted by self-identification as a feminist and the Embeddedness-Emanation and Active Commitment dimensions of feminist identity development. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

VIZ: the visualization assessment and training web site.

The VIZ Website (http://viz.bd.psu.edu/viz/) was developed as a free and open portal for assessment and training of spatial skills. Using Macromedia Authorware, it allows the collection of response times and accuracies from four spatial tasks: mental rotation, paper folding, water level judgments, and spatial working memory. Additional tasks are under development. The site has been used for a variety of teaching and research purposes. For example, incoming engineering students have completed the tasks to assess their spatial skills before beginning their graphics courses. Those with poorer skills can then receive the appropriate remedial instruction. The VIZ site has also been used to teach about spatial cognition and to do research outside the laboratory setting. Finally, we are using the site to conduct basic research on spatial cognition, including an examination of the factors that may reduce gender differences in performance.     

Can we still be friends? Resources and barriers to friendship quality after romantic relationship dissolution

Using a social exchange framework, this study examined the influence of resources, satisfaction with resources, and barriers on friendship quality between former dating partners. Three hundred and eighty‐six college students were surveyed regarding their current relationship with their most recent former romantic partner. Results indicated that participants who received more resources reported higher levels of friendship quality with their former partner. Satisfaction with resources moderated the relationship between receipt of resources and friendship quality. Lack of family or friends’ support, involvement in a new romantic relationship, and the use of neglect as a disengagement strategy were all found to be barriers to friendship quality.     

A Collaborative Approach to Genetic Testing: A Community Hospital’s Experience

The field of cancer genetics is evolving rapidly, and much has changed over the past ten years in the way services are being provided and by whom they are being provided. We recount here our experience with the evolution of cancer genetic services in a community setting, focusing on collaboration with non-genetics providers to offer genetic testing for hereditary cancer. This approach allows for the most effective use of genetic counselors’ expertise for challenging cases, and enables the patient to remain within their community to allow for better access to resources for long-term follow-up.     

Everything you always wanted to know about SEM (structural equations modeling) but were afraid to ask

This article is intended to serve as a primer for structural equations models for the behavioral researcher. The technique is not mysterious—it is a natural extension of factor analysis and regression. The measurement part of a structural equations model is essentially a confirmatory factor analysis, and the structural part of the model is like a regression but vastly more flexible in the types of theoretical models that may be tested. The models and notation are introduced and the syntax is provided to replicate the analyses in the paper. Part II of this article will appear in the next issue of the Journal of Consumer Psychology, and it covers advanced issues, including fit indices, sample size, moderators, longitudinal data, mediation, and so forth.     

Adaptive Visual Analog Scales (AVAS): A modifiable software program for the creation,administration, and scoring of visual analog scales

The Adaptive Visual Analog Scales is a freely available computer software package designed to be a flexible tool for the creation, administration, and automated scoring of both continuous and discrete visual analog scale formats. The continuous format is a series of individual items that are rated along a solid line and scored as a percentage of distance from one of the two anchors of the rating line. The discrete format is a series of individual items that use a specific number of ordinal choices for rating each item. This software offers separate options for the creation and use of standardized instructions, practice sessions, and rating administration, all of which can be customized by the investigator. A unique participant/patient ID is used to store scores for each item, and individual data from each administration are automatically appended to that scale’s data storage file. This software provides flexible, time-saving access for data management and/or importing data into statistical packages. This tool can be adapted so as to gather ratings for a wide range of clinical and research uses and is freely available at www.nrlc-group.net.