Nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts in adolescents

To determine the frequency and correlates of nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts in 12–14 year olds, a two stage epidemiologic survey with a self-administered questionnaire (N=3283) followed by a psychiatric interview of a subsample of the adolescents and their parents (N=444) was used. Prevalence estimates of interview validated nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts were 2.46% in males and 2.79% in females. Significant relationships were found between nonsuicidal physically self-damaging acts and suicidal ideation, major depression and undesirable life events. Data suggest that physically self-damaging acts occur at substantial rates during early adolescence. The strong correlation between nonsuicidal self-destructive acts and both suicidal ideation and major depression clarifies prior conflicting reports in the literature and suggests that a history of self-damaging acts should be taken into consideration when evaluating for possible depression and suicide risk.     

Dynamic spatial performance and general intelligence

A computerized video-game-like dynamic spatial ability measure and a paper-and-pencil group test of intelligence were administered to 94 university students. The purpose of the study was threefold: (a) to evaluate the reliability of the dynamic spatial measure; (b) to investigate the extent to which the dynamic spatial measure is saturated with variance associated with traditional measures of fluid and crystallized intellectual ability; and (c) to explore the possibility that dynamic computer based performance measures define factors that are distinct from those associated with traditional paper-and-pencil measures. The number of times the participant hit a moving target served as the dependent variable for the dynamic spatial measure. Number of hits proved to be correlated with Performance IQ, but was not significantly correlated with Verbal IQ. Maximum likelihood factor analysis revealed that the dynamic spatial measure did not load substantially on a factor of general intellectual ability but provided additional evidence that it is related to a performance component.     

Psychological androgyny: A black female perspective

The focus of the present study is the relationship between Masculine and Feminine personality attributes (as measured by the PAQ), sex role attitudes, and socialization antecedents among a sample of Black women. The majority of the Black women in this study report Androgynous sexual identities, but have traditional beliefs about the female role in the family. Androgynous women are more likely to be positively identified with both mother and father. Women who are college graduates have more liberal views about the female role and are more likely to identify themselves as Masculine and Undifferentiated. Regardless of sexual identity category, the subjects are all heavily invested in the mothering role. Racial comparisons indicate more Black women are in the Androgynous category and more White women in the Undifferentiated category. White respondents have more liberal sex role attitudes than the Black respondents.     

Gender, object, and humor

Male and female respondents rated jokes with either a female initiator/male target of joke or vice versa. For male respondents, the gender of the joke target made no difference. For female respondents, however, jokes with males as the target received significantly higher ratings than jokes with females as the target.     

Developing local lifelong guidance strategies

The background, rationale, methodology and outcomes of a project on developing local lifelong guidance strategies in four areas are outlined. The main components of the strategies developed in the four areas are analysed, and a number of issues relating to the process of strategy development are addressed. Much of the lack of coherence at local level stems from lack of coherence at national policy level: implications for national policy are examined. Finally, implications for parallel work in other localities are explored.     

The numbers game: Gender and attention to numerical information

Research suggests that males outperform females on standardized tests of math ability from early adolescence onward. Several explanations for this difference focus on the different experiences of females and males with numerical information. We reasoned that males have more experience with numerical information than females because typical male interests (e.g., sports) are more likely to involve numerical information than typical female interests (e.g., physical appearance). Thus, we predicted that males would attend more to numerical information than would females, at least when the information was presented in a male-related or gender-neutral context. Females were expected to attend more than males when the context was female-related. Results using White/Caucasian subjects provided some support for these predictions. Implications for future research on the relationship between the gender-linkage of math materials and gender differences in math performance are discussed.     

Body type preferences and body characteristics associated with attractive and unattractive bodies by african Americans and Anglo Americans

Body type preferences, body characteristics associated with body attractiveness, and personal characteristics associated with unattractive body types (e.g., obese bodies) were examined in African American and Anglo American female and male respondents. African American males preferred larger body types for females, and associated more favorable and fewer unfavorable characteristics with obese females than did Anglo American males. Females of both races preferred a slightly thin body type for males, although African American females associated fewer unfavorable characteristics with obese males than did Anglo American females. Difference between the races in body characteristics associated with attractiveness suggest race-specific prototypes of body attractiveness that correspond to physical differences between the races. Race-specific standards of attractiveness within cultures are discussed.     

Book reviews

The Awakening of the West: the encounter of Buddhism and Western culture Stephen Batchelor (Foreword by The Dalai Lama), 1994 London, Aquarian xvi + 416 pp., £12.99, US $20.00

A Comparative Study of Early Buddhism and Kantian Philosophy S. G. M. Weerasinghe, 1993 Colombo, S. Godage and Brothers xxii+ 104 pp., pb Rs. 150.00; US$7.50

New Light on Early Buddhism Balkrishna Govind Gokhale, 1994 London, Sangam x + 208 pp., hb £22.95

Vedic Hermeneutics K. Satchidananda Murty, 1993 New Delhi, Shri Lai Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, in association with Motilal Banarsidass xxvi + 106 pp., hb Rs.150     

Gender, Physical Attractiveness, and Sex Role in Occupational Treatment Discrimination: The Influence of Trait and Role Assumptions

A field experiment was designed to examine the role of gender trait assumptions in occupational treatment discrimination. Professional personnel consultants evaluated male or female employees who were physically attractive or unattractive and masculine, feminine, or androgynous. Consultants made decisions about promotion, opportunity for special training, delegation of work assignments, and a child care leave of absence request in masculine, feminine, and sex-neutral occupations. Decisions about career development were strongly influenced by gender trait information, rather than by gender or attractiveness. In contrast, females were more likely than males to be granted a child care leave without pay, regardless of sex role. The results supported the assumption that the congruence between gender traits and the occupational requirements mediates occupational sex discrimination. Only for decisions involving competing role demands stemming from faily circumstances was there evidence that beliefs about appropriate roles for the sexes mediate discrimination. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of new approaches for reducing sex discrimination in the treatment of employees.