Discrimination of loudness similarity

Interval and ratio scale values were derived from measures of variability in the discrimination of loudness similarity. The interval values are linearly related to interval values based on equisection judgments (Garner, 1954), cumulating jnds (Riesz, 1933), and the dispersion of absolute judgments (Gamer, 1952). Scale values based on three diverse discriminability procedures and on the method of equisection are thus in good agreement. The ratio lvalues, however, are at variance with ratio values determined by direct ratio estimations (Stevens, 1955).     

Using the family life cycle with later life families

The development of a family clinic for later life families within an Old Age Psychiatry service is briefly described. An extended life cycle model has been found useful in understanding and working with such families and is also described, together with two cases which illustrate the practical application of the model.     

Psychiatric risk in children with speech and language disorders

Based on an initial community sample of 1,655 5-year-old children, this report utilized the risk statistic to estimate a child's risk for developing a psychiatric disturbance depending on his or her status as speech/language-impaired. Results showed that risk estimates varied as a function of gender and source of information (teacher, parent, psychiatric reports). Overall, speech- and language-impaired children had a higher risk for developing a psychiatric disturbance compared with normal language controls, with speech/language-impaired girls being at greater risk than boys.     

The dimensionality of charisma

The lack of conceptual and operational definitions has proved to be a stumbling block to empirical research on charismatic leadership. In this study, a scale is created measuring House's (1977) nine charismatic effects. Factor analysis of the scale yields three dimensions analogous to expert power, referent power, and job involvement. These three constructs are then used to predict subordinate ratings of leaders' charisma.The author would like to acknowledge the assistance of Mr. Philip Koek in the collection of data and Ms. Dawn Voigt for help with data analysis.     

Statistical power analysis for one-way analysis of variance: A computer program

To facilitate the computation of statistical power for analysis of variance, Cohen developed the index of effect sizef, defined as theSD between groups divided by theSD within groups. A microcomputer program for statistical power allows the user to compute the value off in any of several ways: by specifying the mean andSD for every cell in the ANOVA; by specifying the mean value for the two extreme cells and the pattern of dispersion for the remaining cells; by estimating the proportion of variance in the dependent variable that will be explained by group membership; and/or with reference to conventions for small, medium, and large effects. The program will compute power for any single set of parameters; it will also allow the user to generate tables and graphs showing how power will vary as a function of effect size, sample size, andα.     

Development of Component Skills in Reading Chinese

Development of three component skills in reading Chinese was examined in primary school children in Hong Kong. Feature analysis skills, syntax knowledge, and semantic analysis skills were found to differ in their contribution to reading proficiency at different grades. Visual processing skill was not at all a good predictor for reading proficiency, but the phonological access skill was important in predicting children's reading proficiency before grade three. It was an ineffective predictor beyond grade three. Skill in semantic analysis, on the other hand, was insignificant as a predictor at younger grades but it became an important predictor after grade two. Syntax knowledge was an important predictor of reading proficiency in the first grade and remained a significant predictor of reading proficiency right up to grade six. The present data support the idea that some preliminary component processes of reading may become automatic with increasing experience in reading and that this automatization of component processes will leave more resource capacity for higher-order analyses. Chinese reading shares much in common with English reading in terms of the component processes involved at different stages of reading proficiency.     

The Effect of Punishment Probability on Overconsumption and Stealing in a Simulated Commons1

In laboratory simulations of the commons dilemma, overconsumption depletes the shared resource, whereas allowing the players to steal from each other helps preserve the resource since players take from each other rather than from the central supply. In this study, we factorially crossed three levels of punishment probability for overconsumption (0%, 25%, 75%) with three levels of probability of punishment for stealing (0%, 25%, 75%). Subjects (n= 270) in three-person groups harvested points from a slowly regenerating central pool. Results indicated that punishment of overconsumption decreased overconsumption, increased stealing, and helped preserve the commons, whereas punishment of stealing decreased stealing, increased overconsumption, and facilitated depletion of the commons. Rather than punishment of one selfish behavior suppressing the other selfish behavior, a compensatory effect occurred: Punishment of one behavior increased the occurrence of the selfish alternative.     

The voices in children's literature: The impact of gender on the moral decisions of storybook characters

The study examined the moral and self orientations of 212 male and female characters in 50 works of fiction for school-aged children. A modified version of Lyons' coding scheme was used for differentiating between Justice and Care moral orientations, and Separate/Objective and Connected self orientations. It was hypothesized that male characters would demonstrate Justice morality and a Separate/Objective self, whereas female characters would demonstrate Care morality and a Connected self, regardless of sex of author. The results confirmed the hypotheses. The importance of literature in providing symbolic models of moral decisioning and the need to expand children's moral orientations beyond gender-linked stereotypes was discussed.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, April 1988, New Orleans, Louisiana.     

The relationship between sex role identity and marital adjustment

One hundred forty-four maritally distressed clinic couples and 138 nonclinic couples participated in a study investigating the relationship between individual sex role identity and marital adjustment. Subjects completed Baucom's (1976) masculinity (MSC) and femininity (FMN) scales, and either the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS; Spanier, 1976) or the Marital Adjustment Scale (MAS; Locke & Wallace, 1959). As predicted, femininity was related to positive marital adjustment; masculinity was related as well, but perhaps to a lesser degree. Androgyny within a relationship was found to be highly desirable, whereas marriages involving undifferentiated individuals were more likely to be distressed.