The World Health Organization WHOQOL-100: tests of the universality of Quality of Life in 15 different cultural groups worldwide.

The World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL-100) was developed simultaneously across 15 international field centers and includes 24 facets relating to quality of life, which are grouped into 4 larger domains: physical, psychological, social relationships, and environment. It also includes 1 facet examining overall quality of life and general health perceptions. This article examines the extent to which the WHOQOL-100 assesses quality of life perceptions in different cultures and whether it is structurally comparable in these cultures. Regression analysis showed all 4 domains to be important in assessing quality of life in each of the 15 centers. Structural equation modeling suggested further support for the proposal that there are universal facets and domains that are cross-culturally important in determining quality of life and suggested that the ordering of facets within domains is comparable across cultures.     

Genetic Testing Considerations in Breast Cancer Patients

Genetic testing is now feasible for a growing number of cancers. Although the implications for unaffected relatives have been widely described, the impact of the tests on affected individuals are often not recognized. We present and discuss four cases that highlight some of the issues—for example, feelings of guilt and anxiety, intrafamilial conflict, and support needs—that may arise in testing affected individuals. We offer some suggestions to aid in the approach to such testing.     

Overconfidence in estimation: Testing the anchoring-and-adjustment hypothesis

People are frequently overconfident in the accuracy of their estimates of uncertain quantities. The present study requested 50%- or 90%-confidence ranges. Overconfidence is shown when less than the target percentage of ranges include the true value. Tversky and Kahneman (1974) proposed that people use an anchoring-and-adjustment heuristic: They begin with a starting value, one supplied to them or generated by them, and insufficiently adjust their estimates around this anchor. The present data support the proposed anchoring process. If subjects receive another person's point estimates, their own implicit point estimates are correlated with these values. However, anchoring- and-adjustment processes do not invariably produce overconfidence. Subjects who receive anchors are no more overconfident than are those who do not receive anchors. If subjects are required to produce a point estimate first, overconfidence decreases; processes involved in explicitly displaying the point estimate are implicated. Overconfidence may occur because people do not realistically assess their estimation ability.     

Derivation and application of a unit scoring system for the strong vocational interest blank for women

Scoring keys, based upon unit weights, were made up for fourteen occupations of theStrong Vocational Interest Blank for Women. The study here presented of scores obtained in using these keys, in comparison with scores obtained from Dr. Strong's keys, indicates, for 551 women at the University of Rochester, that the new, unit-weighted keys are valid for all practical purposes and make possible a great saving in scoring time.     

The Peabody Individual Achievement Test

The relationship of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) to the California Achievement Tests (CAT) and to the Wechsler Intelligence measures was assessed on adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Correlations among all three tests were high, but differentially so with advancing levels of the CAT. Further, age and grade estimates derived from the PIA T more closely approximated the youngster's actual age and grade placement than did those derived from the CAT.     

Perceptions of Licensure: A Survey of Michigan Genetic Counselors

This study by the Michigan Genetic Counselor Licensure Committee is the first known published documentation of genetic counselors’ beliefs and attitudes about licensure. The response rate from genetic counselors in Michigan was 66% (41/62). Ninety-five percent of respondents were supportive of licensure. Respondents believed licensure would legitimize genetic counseling as a distinct allied healthcare profession (97.5%), increase the public’s protection (75%), and allow genetic counselors to practice independently (67%). While 45% felt licensure would increase counselor involvement in lawsuits, this did not impact licensure support (p?=?0.744). Opinions were split regarding physician supervision and ordering tests. Even though 28% favored physician supervision, there was overwhelming support for genetic counselors performing some components of genetic testing (95%) and ordering some types of genetic tests (82%) independent of a physician. Use of this survey may be helpful in other states to assess genetic counselors’ interest in licensure and for drafting legislation.     

What did Simon say? Revisiting the bilingual advantage

Bilingual children often outperform monolingual children in tasks of cognitive control. This advantage may be a consequence of the fact that bilinguals have more practice controlling attention due to an ongoing need to manage two languages. However, existing evidence is limited because possible differences in ethnicity and socioeconomic status have not been properly controlled. To address this issue, we administered the Simon task to bilingual and monolingual children of identical ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Bilingual and monolingual children performed identically, whereas children from higher SES families were advantaged relative to children from lower SES families. Controlling differences in SES and ethnicity may attenuate the bilingual advantage in cognitive control.     

Influences of Gender as a Basic-Level Category in Person Perception on the Gender Belief System

The use of gender as an organizing category in social perception and its influence on the gender belief systemwere investigated. A modified version of the Role Construct Repertory Test and selected self-report questionnaires were completed by 190 college students (165 women and 25 men). All the participants used gender to organize their person schemas, and using gender in this way related positively to gender stereotyping. Both sexist gender attitudes and use of gender as an organizing category predicted gender stereotyping. Components of the gender belief system were only correlated if they were conceptually similar. The findings are congruent with gender transcendent and multifactorial gender identity theories.     

Alexander Bain's Mind and Body (1872): An underappreciated contribution to early neuropsychology

Alexander Bain (1818–1903) is well known for his two influential textbooks, The senses and the intellect (1855) and The emotions and the will (1859). In comparison, Bain's Mind and body: The theories of their relation (1872) has been of limited interest to historians, and it is here where he presents one of the first neural network models. This paper addresses the historical foundations of Bain's neural network model and explores some of his primary influences. Additionally, this study addresses some of the reasons Bain's Mind and Body did not receive the historical notice his earlier works garnered.