Competitiveness among Japanese, Chinese, and American undergraduate students

Although research indicates that competitiveness, defined as the desire to win in interpersonal situations, is an important individual difference that influences a range of social interactions, little research has focused on competitiveness in cultures outside the United States. This study investigated competitiveness in three cultures by comparing Chinese (n=61), Japanese (n=232), and American (n=161) undergraduate college students. Nationality and sex were compared on two scales of the revised Competitiveness Index. Analysis indicated that American students scored higher on Enjoyment of Competitiveness than Chinese and Japanese students, but no difference was found on Contentiousness. Men scored higher than women on Enjoyment of Competition but not on Contentiousness. The findings indicate that sex and cultural patterns influence some but not all aspects of competitiveness.     

Dissociative experience and mood-dependent memory

Amnesia is the main phenomenon in dissociative experiences. The present study investigated whether amnesia in participants with frequent dissociative experiences depended on state-dependent memory. Undergraduates scoring high (n=32) or low (n=32) on the Dissociative Experiences Scale Version-II (DES-II) participated in this experiment. Mood induction and a remember/know task were used in a typical mood-independent memory design. In the inconsistent mood state condition, participants in the high DES group showed decreased memory performance compared to the low DES group. These results were attributed to the recollection components of recognition and not to the familiarity component. Therefore we concluded that the normal population with highly frequent dissociative experiences showed strong state-dependent memory and had a memory bias in the recollection component of memory.     

Effects of Voluntary and Automatic Control of Center of Pressure Sway During Quiet Standing

The authors investigated the effects of voluntary and automatic control on the spatial variables (envelope area, maximal amplitude, and root mean square [RMS]) of center of pressure (COP) displacement during quiet standing and identified differences in their postural control strategies (mean velocity [MV], mean power frequency [MPF], and power density). COP data were recorded under relaxed (experimental control), still (voluntary control), and dual (automatic control) conditions. RMS was significantly lower in the still and dual conditions than in the relaxed condition. MV, MPF, and power density were significantly higher in the still condition than in the dual condition. These results indicate that both voluntary and automatic control decrease the spatial variables of COP displacement; however, their postural control strategies are different.     

The Initial Interview with Asian American Clients

When grouped with Pacific Islanders, Asian Americans constitute the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. In this article, the authors provide background information for understanding the diversity and commonalities within Asian American populations and discuss the challenges of initial assessment with clients who identify as Asian Americans. We conclude this article with guidelines for conducting an effective initial interview with Asian American clients.