PROMOTING LOW-FAT ENTREE CHOICES IN A PUBLIC CAFETERIA

Reductions in dietary fat have been recommended in the prevention of coronary heart disease. Because entrees contribute substantially to total meal fat content, we evaluated a cafeteria-based intervention for increasing the purchase rate of low-fat entrees (M = 6.83 g) relative to nonlowfat entrees (M = 25.59 g). The intervention included a poster listing the benefits of a LF diet and the daily LF entrees (i.e., broiled or baked chicken and fish dishes). During 6 days per phase, food selections (N = 3,264) were monitored by trained observers. The intervention, which cost $80.00, produced significant increases (i.e., from 20% to 35%) in the purchase rate of LF entrees.     

The Relative Contribution of Economic Valence to Contingency Management Efficacy: A Pilot Study

We investigated the extent to which a contingency management (CM) procedure that deducted money from a grand total available at the end of the study compared to a procedure in which money accumulated with continued abstinence from cigarette smoking. Results suggested that the procedure in which money increased contingent on abstinence resulted in a significantly greater likelihood of obtaining a clinically relevant (i.e., 48-hr) period of abstinence. In terms of attendance, participants in the condition in which monetary reinforcement accrued with consecutive instances of abstinence were significantly less likely to miss consecutive appointments than those in which money was deducted for failure to abstain.     

Cloninger's temperament dimensions and threat, stress, and performance appraisals during different challenges among young adults

ABSTRACT We examined the relationship of Cloninger's temperament factors—Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence, and Persistence—to perceived threat and stress and performance appraisals during different challenges, i.e., mental arithmetic, the reaction time task, and three public speaking tasks, among 97 young adult men and women. Temperament was measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory. The results showed that, although some of the predictions made by Cloninger's model were confirmed, some were unsupported. The results revealed also some associations between temperament and cognitive appraisals that were intelligible, but not predicted by Cloninger's model. There were considerable domain specificity and gender differences in the associations found. Cloninger's temperament dimensions are related to threat, stress, and performance appraisals, thereby influencing individual's stress vulnerability, adjustment, and personal functioning.     

Correspondence among observer ratings of Rorschach,Big Five Model,and DSM-IV personality disorder constructs

Observer ratings were collected using instruments designed to measure the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) personality disorders (Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+ [PDQ-4+]; Hyler, 1994), the Big Five model (B5M; Goldberg's [1999] International Personality Item Pool), and Rorschach-derived constructs. For the latter, we revised the Rorschach Rating Scale (Meyer, Bates, & Gacono, 1999) to lower its reading level and renamed it the Rorschach Construct Scale (RCS) to emphasize its reliance on rated constructs. The RCS consists of 6 factors. Joint factor analysis of RCS, PDQ-4+, and B5M items also resulted in 6 factors: Self-Centeredly Exploitative, Poor Ego Resiliency, Extraversion, Task Conscientiousness, Openness to Ideas, and Emotional and Expressive Constriction. The first 2 factors received high loadings from RCS, PDQ-4+, and B5M variables. The sixth factor received high loadings from just RCS variables.     

On Conducting Construct Validity Meta-Analyses for the Rorschach: A Reply to Tibon Czopp and Zeligman (2016)

We respond to Tibon Czopp and Zeligman's (2016) critique of our systematic reviews and meta-analyses of 65 Rorschach Comprehensive System (CS) variables published in Psychological Bulletin (2013). The authors endorsed our supportive findings but critiqued the same methodology when used for the 13 unsupported variables. Unfortunately, their commentary was based on significant misunderstandings of our meta-analytic method and results, such as thinking we used introspectively assessed criteria in classifying levels of support and reporting only a subset of our externally assessed criteria. We systematically address their arguments that our construct label and criterion variable choices were inaccurate and, therefore, meta-analytic validity for these 13 CS variables was artificially low. For example, the authors created new construct labels for these variables that they called “the customary CS interpretation,” but did not describe their methodology nor provide evidence that their labels would result in better validity than ours. They cite studies they believe we should have included; we explain how these studies did not fit our inclusion criteria and that including them would have actually reduced the relevant CS variables’ meta-analytic validity. Ultimately, criticisms alone cannot change meta-analytic support from negative to positive; Tibon Czopp and Zeligman would need to conduct their own construct validity meta-analyses.     

The Effect of CS Administration or an R-Optimized Alternative on R–PAS Variables: A Meta-Analysis of Findings From Six Studies

Controlling the number of Rorschach responses (R) as a method to reduce variability in the length of records has stimulated controversy among researchers for many years. Recently, the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R–PAS; Meyer, Viglione, Mihura, Erard, &; Erdberg, 2011 Meyer, G. J., Viglione, D. J., Mihura, J. L., Erard, R. E., &; Erdberg, P. (2011). Rorschach Performance Assessment System: Administration, coding, interpretation, and technical manual. Toledo, OH: Rorschach Performance Assessment System. [Google Scholar]) introduced an R-Optimized method to reduce variability in R. Using 4 published and 2 previously unpublished studies (N = 713), we examine the extent to which 51 Comprehensive System–based scores on the R–PAS profile pages are affected as a result of receiving Comprehensive System (CS; Exner, 2003 Exner, J. E. (2003). The Rorschach: A Comprehensive System. Vol. 1. Basic foundations (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. [Google Scholar]) administration versus a version of R-Optimized administration. As hypothesized, R—the intended target of R-Optimized administration—showed reliable weighted average differences across each method of administration. As expected, its mean modestly increased and its standard deviation notably decreased. Also as hypothesized, the next largest effects were decreases in the variability (SD) of 2 variables directly related to R, R8910% and Complexity. No other reliable differences were observed. Therefore, because R-Optimized administration does not notably modify the existing CS-based normative values for other profiled R–PAS variables, the data do not support concerns that R-Optimized administration notably modifies the Rorschach task or that existing CS research data would not generalize to R–PAS. However, because R-Optimized administration reduces variability in R, it allows a single set of norms to apply readily to more people.     

Disseminating a sun safety program to zoological parks: the effects of tailoring.

Previous research found that a sun safety program for visitors at 1 zoo increased sun safety behaviors. This randomized study compared the effects of tailored dissemination materials plus 2 brief follow-up phone calls (tailored group) versus generic materials (basic group) on implementation by other zoos of the previously evaluated sun safety program. Education directors of 126 zoos completed surveys several months following initial dissemination and 1 year later. During Summer 1, 40% of tailored group zoos and 24% of basic group zoos offered visitors at least 1 sun safety activity (odds ratio=2.2, 95% confidence interval=1.0-4.8). During Summer 2, these rates were 34% and 44%, respectively (ns). The pattern of findings suggests that tailoring had no incremental long-term impact and that the generic materials produced a good level of dissemination.     

Context modulation of US signal value

Context modulation of unconditioned stimulus (US) signal value was examined in two experiments. In Experiment 1, rats showed significantly more magazine entries after a single food pellet US in Context A (in which three additional pellets shortly followed) than in Context B (in which the delivery of three additional pellets was delayed). Experiment 2 replicated this effect and showed that any differences in contextual associative strength at the time the single food pellet was delivered did not importantly contribute to context modulation. Implications for theories of occasion setting and context modulation are considered.