Psychosocial predictors of gay men's AIDS risk-reduction behavior.

Used psychosocial variables derived from the health belief model (Rosenstock, 1974), Bandura's (1986) self-efficacy framework, and protection motivation theory (Rogers, 1984) to predict self-reported AIDS risk-reduction behaviors in a sample of 389 homosexual men who participated in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study in Los Angeles and who knew their HIV antibody status. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that self-efficacy, perceived risk, response efficacy, and prior sexual behavior accounted for approximately 70% of the variance in the total number of sexual partners and the number of anonymous partners over a 6-month interval, controlling for demographic variables, HIV antibody status, and presence of a primary partner. A logistic regression analysis showed that barriers to change predicted increased unprotected anal receptive intercourse over a 6-month interval, controlling for prior behavior. The relation of health beliefs to risk-reduction behavior was substantially different for HIV-seropositive men without primary partners than for other groups of gay men. Implications for interventions are discussed.     

Goal-setting attributes,personality variables,and job satisfaction

The relationships between four goal-setting attributes identified by factor analytic procedures and job satisfaction were investigated among 271 scientists and engineers at a nuclear research and development center. Positive relationships between the goal-setting attributes and satisfaction were found. Further, it was found that need for achievement, need for autonomy, and need for affiliation as measured by the Gough Adjective Checklist did not significantly moderate the goal-setting attribute-job satisfaction relationships.     

Rationalism and empiricism: A new perspective

Though classical and twentieth-century versions of empiricism and rationalism fail in their aims, as does the Kantian attempt at a compromise between those views, there are residues of those views that play important roles in the scientific enterprise. Those residue, and their scientific roles, are examined in this paper.     

Reasoning, emotions, and delusional conviction in psychosis

The aim of the study was to elucidate the factors contributing to the severity and persistence of delusional conviction. One hundred participants with current delusions, recruited for a treatment trial of psychological therapy (PRP trial), were assessed at baseline on measures of reasoning, emotions, and dimensions of delusional experience. Reasoning biases (belief inflexibility, jumping to conclusions, and extreme responding) were found to be present in one half of the sample. The hypothesis was confirmed that reasoning biases would be related to delusional conviction. There was evidence that belief inflexibility mediated the relationship between jumping to conclusions and delusional conviction. Emotional states were not associated with the reasoning processes investigated. Anxiety, but not depression, made an independent contribution to delusional conviction.     

Conflict-Resolution Training and Middle School Students' Integrative Negotiation Behavior

This study examined the impact of conflict-resolution training on students' use of distributive and integrative negotiating procedures. In a midwestern, suburban middle school, 176 students (grades 6 through 9) participated in the study. Students were placed in a negotiation situation involving the buying and selling of commodities in which they could adopt a distributive (maximize own outcomes) or an integrative (maximize joint outcomes) negotiation approach. There were no significant differences between males and females or among students in the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. The results of this study indicated that conflict-resolution and peer-mediation training resulted in the middle school students increasing their use of integrative negotiations and the positiveness of students' attitudes toward conflict.     

Effects of age and a divided attention task presented during encoding and retrieval on memory

The present studies were designed to examine age differences in memory when attention was divided during encoding, retrieval, or at both times. In Experiment 1, Ss studied categorized words while performing a number-monitoring task during encoding, retrieval, or at both times. Older Ss' free recall and clustering performance declined more than that of young Ss when attention was divided at encoding, but there was no similar age interaction when divided attention occurred at retrieval. In Experiment 2, the task demands at retrieval were increased by using a fast-paced, cued-recall task. The results remained unchanged from Experiment 1. Again, an age interaction occurred with divided attention at encoding but not at retrieval. These results were unexpected, given the emphasis in the memory-aging literature on increased difficulty of retrieval by older adults. The findings pose difficulties for limited processing resource views of age differences in memory.     

Do Positive Psychology Interventions Impact on the Subjective Wellbeing and Depression of Clients? A Systematic Methodological Review

Mental health services are placing a greater emphasis on wellbeing and recovery. The current research investigated if positive psychology interventions (PPIs) increase peoples’ subjective wellbeing and reduce clinical depression. A systematic methodological review was conducted on randomized-control-trials with people attending clinical services. Five databases were searched. A hand search was then completed on the reference lists of the identified articles and the associated journals. Eleven research interventions were reviewed. PPIs were found to significantly increase wellbeing, relative to controls and there were fewer studies indicating a difference in decreasing depression. However, subsequent analysis revealed that the interventions were heterogeneous which limits the drawing of definitive systematic conclusions. A methodological evaluation also found that there were recurring issues: in delivering the interventions, measuring subjective wellbeing, and applying the design. Thus, the methodological quality of the research interventions, as measured by the current review was low. There is emerging evidence that PPIs improve peoples’ mental health. However, there is scope to standardize and to improve the quality of the research interventions.

     

Incremental Validity of Interactive Multimedia Simulations in Two Organizations

Interactive multimedia simulations are conceptually distinct from other simulations commonly used as selection tools, such as assessment centers and situational judgment tests, and represent a potentially cost‐effective and job‐related candidate assessment tool. This study investigated the predictive validity of these simulations with a combined sample of call center employees from two organizations. Results indicate that customized interactive multimedia simulations demonstrate substantial criterion‐related validity and significant incremental validity over other noncognitive measures such as biodata and personality.