Sentence repetition in preschoolers: Effects of length,complexity, and word familiarity

Seventy-two sentences presented to ten preschool children for repetition were designed so that three sentence construction factors varied independently. The factors were (1) length in number of words, (2) complexity of personal pronouns and main verbs as scaled by Lee (1974), and (3) word familiarity, defined as common vocabulary or the substitution of a nonsense word in place of a typical noun or verb in the model sentence. Three methods were employed for scoring the children's responses: (1) number of retained words, (2) Developmental Sentence Scoring (Lee, 1974), and (3) Stephens's Categories (Stephens, 1974). Eighteen sentences were re-presented for the assessment of reliability. The results of multiple regression analyses indicated that length was the important contributing factor in the children's responses to the model sentences and that Stephens's Category Scale of response scoring was the most sensitive method for detecting the influence of the three sentence factors on the children's responses.     

A Field Study of Sex-role Attitude Change in College Women

Two field studies are presented which examine to what extent women's studies courses are effective in changing sex-role attitudes in college women. Factor analyses were performed on the questionnaire data to produce summary variables for the change analysis and to examine the structure of sex-role ideology. The results, consistent in both studies, showed the women's sex-role beliefs are comprised of definable areas and that awareness of sex discrimination and traditional beliefs regarding the proper roles for men and women are more susceptible to influence than are other types of variables.     

A Mind of Her Own: Effects of Need for Closure and Gender on Reactions to Nonconformity

Research on opinion deviance suggests thatconformity and agreement with the established majorityis generally valued in groups. The present studyexamines how motivations for cognitive closure mayinfluence reactions to conforming and deviating membersbased on accessible gender role expectations. Caucasianmales and females participated in a group discussionwith confederates who either conformed or deviated from the majority opinion. Results showed thatgroup members motivated to reach cognitive closurenegatively evaluated female opinion deviants relative toconformists. However, contrary to previous research findings, they did not derogate male deviants.Motivation to avoid closure led to different evaluativepatterns by male and female evaluators. In addition toimportantly modifying results obtained by Kruglanski and Webster (1991) regarding closure motivationand conformity versus deviance, the current results arealso informative regarding gender role expectations andintra-group interactions. Limitations and implications of these results are alsodiscussed.     

The Predictive Validity of Parent and Teacher Reports of ADHD Symptoms

The objectives were to evaluate the ability of the Inattention and Hyperactivity–Impulsivity factors of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV to differentiate children with ADHD from a control group and to discriminate children with different subtypes of ADHD. Also, we sought to determine optimal cutoff scores on the teacher and parent versions of this scale for making diagnostic decisions about ADHD. In a sample of 92 boys and girls 6 to 14 years of age referred to a regional ADHD program, we assessed ADHD diagnostic status using categorical and dimensional approaches as well as parent- and teacher-report measures. Logistic regression analyses showed that the Inattention and Hyperactivity–Impulsivity factors of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV were effective in discriminating children with ADHD from a control group and differentiating children with ADHD, Combined Type from ADHD, Inattentive Type. Although both teacher and parent ratings were significantly predictive of diagnostic status, teacher ratings made a stronger contribution to the prediction of subtype membership. Using symptom utility estimates, optimal cutoff scores on the Inattention and Hyperactivity–Impulsivity scales for predicting subtypes of ADHD were determined.     

Emotional processing following cortical and subcortical brain damage: contribution of the fronto-striatal circuitry

The present study examined the differential contribution of cortical and subcortical brain structures in emotional processing by comparing patients with focal cortical lesions (n = 32) to those with primarily subcortical dysregulation of the basal ganglia (Parkinson's disease n = 14). A standardized measure of emotional perception (Tübingen Affect Battery) was used. Only patients in the more advanced stages of Parkinson's disease and patients with focal damage to the (right) frontal lobe differed significantly from controls in both facial expression and affective prosody recognition. The findings imply involvement of the fronto-striatal circuitry in emotional processing.     

Obtaining Systematic Teacher Reports of Disruptive Behavior Disorders Utilizing DSM-IV

This study examines the psychometric properties of the Vanderbilt AD/HD Diagnostic Teacher Rating Scale (VADTRS) and provides preliminary normative data from a large, geographically defined population. The VADTRS consists of the complete list of DSM-IV AD/HD symptoms, a screen for other disruptive behavior disorders, anxiety and depression, and ratings of academic and classroom behavior performance. Teachers in one suburban county completed the scale for their students during 2 consecutive years. Statistical methods included (a) exploratory and confirmatory latent variable analyses of item data, (b) evaluation of the internal consistency of the latent dimensions, (c) evaluation of latent structure concordance between school year samples, and (d) preliminary evaluation of criterion-related validity. The instrument comprises four behavioral dimensions and two performance dimensions. The behavioral dimensions were concordant between school years and were consistent with a priori DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Correlations between latent dimensions and relevant, known disorders or problems varied from .25 to .66.     

Spatial problem solving by rats: Exploration and cognitive maps

Two experiments were performed in an attempt to examine the contribution of the exploratory experience to performance on Maier's 3-table spatial problem-solving task. In the first experiment, the runway configurations were altered between exploration and testing. It was found that following an initial impairment animals exposed to the altered runway configurations could perform as well as animals not confronted with an altered runway configuration on the test trial. In the second experiment, animals were allowed to explore only elements of the problem space. Exploration of either the runways only or the tables only led to unsuccessful performance on the 3-table task. The results of both experiments were related to current theory of cognitive mapping.     

Attributions and sex differences in achievement: Problems and new perspectives

The status of research on sex differences in attribution is reviewed in light of the articles published in this issue. The authors conclude that several widely held beliefs about sex differences in attributions may be unwarranted. Various explanations for the lack of consistent results in studies exploring situational and dispositional effects on sex differences in attributions are offered. The authors conclude that alternative attributional questions need to be raised and investigated in order to understand sex differences in achievement.     

Assessing the theoretical models for sex differences in causal attributions for success and failure

Three basic models of attributional sex differences are reviewed: General Externality, Self-Derogation, and Low Expectancy. Although all of the models predict that women are unlikely to attribute their successes to ability, the models were quite different in other predictions. A meta-analysis of 21 studies examining sex differences in success-failure attributions was done to determine which of these three models had the most empirical support. Wording of attribution questions was also assessed. Results indicated only two consistent sex differences: Men make stronger ability attributions than women regardless of the outcome when informational attributional wording is used; and men attribute their successes and failures less to luck. Empirically, none of the models was well supported.     

Sex and sycophancy: Communication strategies for ascendance in same-sex and mixed-sex superior-subordinate dyads

The purpose of this study was to examine communication strategies for ascendance in same-sex and mixed-sex superior-subordinate dyads. The strategies, operationalized in terms of task and social facilitation, were derived from Bales' Interaction Process Analysis categories. Corollary data were collected relative to the subordinate's expected job satisfaction under male versus female supervision. Results indicated that (1) the perceived importance of task versus social facilitative strategies varied both within and across the four types of dyads, and (2) female subordinates expected to be more satisfied working under female supervision than did male subordinates.The authors would like to thank Ralph Kilmann and John Grant, Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh, for their assistance in providing subjects for this study.