Sibling Set Configuration and Family Dysfunction

The relationships between sex and birth order of the sibling set, number of parents in the primary family unit, and family dysfunction were assessed. The sample was restricted to two-child and three-child families, all of school age, and all living with one or both natural parents only, i.e., no one else was in the household. Chi-square analyses indicated that the likelihood of a family seeking treatment for one of their children was lowest with all girl sibling sets, intermediate with all boy sibling sets and with sibling sets in which all the girls were older than all the boys, and highest with sibling sets in which at least one boy was older than one girl. The patterns were stronger for two-parent than single-parent families. The results were interpreted in terms of two factors: (a) the relative commitment of boys and girls to supporting family norms, and (b) the relative stability of a family culture in same gender versus mixed gender sibling sets.     

EXPLORING BLACK-WHITE SUBGROUP DIFFERENCES OF MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES

This study investigates whether different job-relevant competencies vary in terms of Black-White subgroup differences exhibited. There were 633 participants (545 Whites, 88 Blacks) who completed a managerial assessment center that evaluated 13 competency dimensions across 8 assessment exercises. Participants also completed a cognitive ability test. The results suggest that subgroup differences vary by the content domain of the competency. As predicted, significant subgroup differences emerged for a majority of the more cognitively loaded competencies (e.g., judgment) while nonsignificant differences were associated with a majority of the less cognitively loaded competencies (e.g., human relations). Furthermore, when cognitive ability was controlled, 12 of 13 competency scores demonstrated incremental validity in predicting supervisory job performance ratings. In addition, competencies with greater cognitive load tended to more strongly predict cognitive aspects of job performance as compared to noncognitive aspects. However, competencies with less cognitive load did not differentially predict cognitive and noncognitive aspects of job performance.     

MORE ABOUT JUDGMENT AND REASON

Abstract: This paper is a response to Siegel 2004 . I take Siegel's remarks as a basis for clarifying, defending, and further developing my account of the role of judgment in a theory of rationality.     

Process and Change — A Markov Model for Interaction

The finite Markov chain suggests a relatively atheoretical model of analyzing and evaluating a complex multi-determined relation as it evolves through time. The model encompasses both stability and change, and it yields implications for personal, interpersonal, and environmental modifications. The approach suggests five forms of change. Three of these derive from the spinning out of inherent forces represented in the structures of systems; the other two forms are more fundamental. Some hypothetical and empirical examples illustrate these process considerations in dyadic and group relationships, and some limitations of the model are noted.     

The Enhancement of Creativity*

Upon submission of this article, Dr. Hughes wrote the following acknowledgement: “With gratitude, I wish to record my debt to the Director of the Creative Science Program at New York University and my longtime friend, Myron A. Coler, who first made me aware of the importance of creativity.”     

Dyadic Adjustment Processes in Divorce Counseling

This article reviews nine stage models of divorce adjustment, all but one of which define adjustment to divorce in terms of the individual experience. As an alternative to these models, the authors describe the Dyadic Divorce Adjustment Processes Model, which depicts the divorce process as a journey traveled by two persons, experiencing parallel, but not necessarily simultaneous progression, and which presents the transition from married to divorced as both a linear and dynamic phenomenon. In addition, the authors introduce the concept of experiential levels or states in the adjustment process, accounting for the dynamic aspect of divorce. Four different levels and concomitant therapeutic issues for each level are presented and described in relation to divorce adjustment counseling.     

Psychometric properties of the Type D scale (DS14) in Norwegian cardiac patients

Bergvik, S., Sørlie, T., Wynn, R. & Sexton, H. (2010). Psychometric properties of the Type D scale (DS14) in Norwegian cardiac patients. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. The combination of negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI) – the Type D Personality – is associated with poor outcomes in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. A Norwegian translation of the standard instrument measuring Type D (DS14) was tested on 432 CAD patients receiving coronary revascularization treatment. Factor analysis produced two factors with high inter‐item reliability, indicating that the Norwegian DS14 has acceptable psychometric properties. Eighteen percent were classified as Type D, lower than has been reported elsewhere. Type D was associated with anxiety, depression, and passive coping. NA correlated positively with depression, anxiety, and passive coping. SI correlated positively with depression and anxiety, and negatively with active coping. The prevalence of Type D was higher among women, and negatively correlated with time since treatment. The variation in Type D prevalence among studies needs further elucidation as does the predictive power of continuous scoring of the Type D trait.     

A multiple-objective linear programming model for the citrus rootstock selection problem in Florida

Citrus is one of Florida's key agricultural crops, with annual production accounting for over 70% of all U.S. production. During the 1970s and 1980s, citrus blight, tristeza and freezes caused citrus rootstock selection to become a critical issue in Florida, and it remains so today. This paper describes a multiple-objective linear programming model that we have developed for solving the citrus roostock selection problem in Florida. The model has four objective functions. These functions, together with the constraints of the model, capture the main factors that Florida citrus growers use in choosing portfolios of rootstocks for planting in their groves. We tested the usefulness of this model by solving an experimental application for the Fort Pierce area with the interactive STEM algorithm. From our research we conclude that, when properly solved with the aid of STEM, the multiple-objective linear programming model has the potential to serve Florida citrus growers as a useful decision aid in formulating rootstock selection plans. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.