A procedural note on the measurement of broad dispositions

This article deals with the selection of items in a self-report test that measures a broad trait. There is an inherent conflict between selecting items that maximize internal consistency and ones that contribute to breadth. Alternative procedures, including criterion keying, combining homogeneous subscales, and construction of scales with divergent items with modest relations to the whole scale scores, were discussed. Although not included among recommended procedures by modern test theory, the latter approach has much to recommend it under appropriate circumstances. The discussion of psychometric principles was generalized to the person-situation debate.     

A technique for rapid,reliable assessment of thermal-pain threshold in humans

A simple and reliable method of assessing pain threshold in humans may be useful in a number of research areas, such as in examining acute antinociceptive effects of drugs. We have developed a low-cost, computer-controlled method to reliably assess thermal-pain threshold using radiant heat focused from a slide projector and applied to a small area of skin. An electronic shutter is attached to the projector opening to provide precise onset and offset of heat. A computer keypad allows for subject response at the point of pain onset (i.e., threshold), with latency to threshold determined by computer timer. The details of the apparatus setup, subject preparation, and instructions to subjects are presented. The development of the method is described, and sources of unreliability are identified. Coefficients of variation (CVs) are calculated to provide a measure of variability within subjects across trial exposures and across sessions. Results indicate that the method is reliable for determining pain threshold, especially within sessions, and can be employed with relatively minimal expense and subject preparation.     

THE EFFECTS OF TARGETING IMPROVEMENTS IN URINE GLUCOSE ON METABOLIC CONTROL IN CHILDREN WITH INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES

A treatment program designed to increase the percentage of negative urine tests was implemented using a multiple-baseline across groups design in a sample of 19 families of children with insulin dependent diabetes. The treatment involved instructions in insulin adjustment, decrease in intake of simple sugars and saturated fats, and increase in exercise, along with teaching the parents to support improvements in children's self-regulatory behaviors using a point economy and praise. New proocedures designed to measure and reinforce adherence to the urine testing regimen were developed. Results showed significant increases in percentage of negative urines consistent with implementation of treatment across the three treatment groups, which were maintained over the follow-up period. Metabolic measures of control, including glycosylated hemoglobin and serum glucose did not show improvements even though the relationship between the percentage of negative urine tests and glycosylated hemoglobin was very high during treatment.     

A study of satisfactions and stresses of single women in midlife

Sixty single women 35 to 65 years old, previously married or never married, were interviewed about the satisfactions and stresses of the single status. Respondents were categorized as having high, medium, or low life satisfaction. Life satisfaction was found to be significantly correlated to such factors as good health, not being lonely, living with a female housemate, having many casual friends, and being invested in work. Half the women mentioned having sexual needs, which were or were not fulfilled. The other half stated that they did not have sexual needs. These two groups did not differ in life satisfaction. Regrets about not having had children occurred in one-quarter of the childless women, without necessarily implying low life satisfaction. Only 15% of the entire sample had low life satisfaction, a percentage similar to that found in the general population.The authors wish to express sincere appreciation to George Loewenstein for his aid with the computer analysis of the data.     

Left-handedness and achievements in foreign language studies

Studies of brain lateralization lend support to the hypothesis that language-motor functions in left-handers are differently organized from those in right-handers. However, the implications of these differences regarding cognitive functioning are as yet subject to controversy. This concerns all hypotheses raised and empirical data collected over the years. Although it was suggested that left-handers are at higher risk of having language and reading deficits, empirical data from clinical and nonclinical populations are inconclusive at the present time. No effort, however, has been invested in examining possible differences in academic studies of foreign languages according to handedness. Here we report data indicating inferior achievements of left-handed native Hebrew speakers in studies of English as a foreign language. Left-handed pupils significantly more than right-handers were placed in lower level English classes and had more difficulties in applying orthographic-phonological mapping rules in reading English words and pseudowords. However, left-handers' difficulties in this task were not correlated with their performance in a word recognition task. It is thus suggested that the "common symptom" of poor word reading in left-handers indicates different processing failures in different left-handers, some of which impede the buildup of an internal representational system of mapping orthography to phonology and some of which concern mainly the precision of word production.     

The relation of rational and experiential information processing styles to personality, basic beliefs, and the ratio-bias phenomenon.

A new version of the Rational-Experiential Inventory (REI), which measures rational and experiential thinking styles and includes subscales of self-reported ability and engagement, was examined in two studies. In Study 1, the two main scales were independent, and they and their subscales exhibited discriminant validity and contributed to the prediction of a variety of measures beyond the contribution of the Big Five scales. A rational thinking style was most strongly and directly related to Ego Strength, Openness, Conscientiousness, and favorable basic beliefs about the self and the world, and it was most strongly inversely related to Neuroticism and Conservatism. An experiential thinking style was most strongly directly related to Extraversion, Agreeableness, Favorable Relationships Beliefs, and Emotional Expressivity, and it was most strongly inversely related to Categorical Thinking, Distrust of Others, and Intolerance. In Study 2, a rational thinking style was inversely related and an experiential thinking style was unrelated to nonoptimal responses in a game of chance. It was concluded that the new REI is a significant improvement over the previous version and measures unique aspects of personality.     

Behavioral economic analysis of activity choice in obese children

Evaluated children's choice for sedentary versus vigorous activity. Experiment 1 assessed the influence of percent overweight (less than 20%, 20% to 80%, greater than 80%) on choice of a moderately liked vigorous activity at a constant variable ratio (VR) 2 reinforcement schedule versus a highly liked sedentary activity with the schedule varied from VR2 to VR32. All children chose the sedentary choice when the schedules were VR2. As the cost for sedentary activity increased, lean and moderately obese children switched to the vigorous activity, but the very obese children still chose the sedentary activity. Experiment 2 compared moderately obese children's choice between easily accessible, highly or least liked vigorous activities (VR2) and highly liked sedentary activity with the schedule varied from VR2 through VR16. When the reinforcement schedules were equal, and sedentary activity and vigorous activity were rated as equally linked, children chose the sedentary activity. All subjects switched from the sedentary to the vigorous activity, but there were no differences in choice as a function of liking for vigorous activities.     

Effects of Acute Experimental Crowding1

Recent concern with population growth has begun to stimulate interest in the effect of crowding on humans. This report presents a model of crowding based on the concept of normative expectations concerning appropriate interaction distances. A study of acute experimental crowding was then conducted. Contrary to findings of prior research, the present study found that crowding produced arousal. Subsequent social behavior, however, was mediated by different sex-specific group processes. In general, crowded male groups displayed a competitive, fragmented orientation, whereas crowded women formed cohesive, cooperative groups. Contrary to preliminary expectations, subjects were differentially effected by crowding based on their seating position in the crowded room.