The Effect of Gender Role Orientation on Same- and Cross-Sex Friendship Formation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of gender role orientation on factors related to same- and cross-sex friendship formation. Participants (N = 278) completed a version of the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Each participant listed their closest friends, the sex of each friend, and the closeness level of each relationship. They also indicated whether they prefer same- or cross-sex friendship. The results suggest that gender role orientation affects inclination for cross-sex friendship, particularly the relative frequency of cross-sex friendship. Feminine men had a significantly higher proportion of cross-sex friendships than did masculine men, and masculine women had a significantly higher proportion of cross-sex friendships than did feminine women. A significant number of participants indicated that they did not prefer one sex or the other for friendship. Gender role orientation had no impact on levels of closeness in either same- or cross-sex friendship.     

FROM KNOWLEDGE TO COMPETENCE: REFLECTIONS ON THEORETICAL WORK

In this paper, the author maintains that the language of the clinical situation is and should be that of common-sense psychology. The author argues that the languages of clinical theory and metapsychology are at a distinctive distance from clinical language. In fact, no theory could be produced, should this distance not be upheld. The function of clinical theory is to act as a corrective to the tendency of common-sense psychology to fall back into the banalities and prejudices of general ideology. In addition, the function of metapsychology is said to be that of scrutinising clinical theory and defining its range of operation. Due to the claimed distance between the common-sensical language of the clinical situation and the language of theory, the analyst must utilise specific 'techniques' to appropriate the theoretical material and make it part of his competence and capacity for psychoanalytic action. This aspect of theoretical work is given the name 'assimilation' and, in turn, relies upon a process where theoretical concepts are 'deconstructed' as to their knowledge content.     

Genetic Modulation of Neurocognitive Development in Cancer Patients throughout the Lifespan: a Systematic Review

Neuropsychology Review - The rise in cancer survival rates has raised concerns about the long-term adverse effects of cancer treatment, including neurocognitive impairment. Neurocognitive deficits...     

Narrative as a hermeneutical relationship to the unconscious

In this article, what seems to have been two central tenets in contemporary psychoanalytic narrative theory are challenged. The one—propounded by Roy Schafer—is that the goal of psychoanalytic work is to furnish the analysand with an alternative narrative. The other—propounded by Donald Spence—is that any story will do, if only it is coherent, consistent, persuasive and encompasses the known “facts”. Basing his critique of the mentioned standpoints on an intersubjective understanding of psychoanalytic work and a concept of interpreting inspired by the existential hermeneutics of Martin Heidegger, the author discusses the nature of the analytic dialogue and the role of transference together with the ethical basis of truth in the analytic project. Finally, it is indicated that there is a limit to analytic working-through, where the analysand's narrative activity must come to a halt and room be left for a resolve, where the analysand may undergo a fundamental transformation.     

A Commentary on 'Planning and Allocating: Strategies for Managing Priorities in Complex Jobs"

Due to their excessive drive to work hard, workaholics may face difficulties with recovering from work. The present study examines the role of negative emotions in recovery from work among a selected group of workaholics and nonworkaholics. Data were collected among 118 employees who completed a survey and participated in a 5-day diary study. Based on Effort-Recovery theory, we expected and found that negative emotions at the end of the workday hamper employees' recovery during the evening. Interestingly, this effect was stronger for workaholics than for nonworkaholics. It was also found that workaholics spend more time on work-related activities during the evening than nonworkaholics when feeling negative emotions at the end of the workday. Finally, it was expected and found that a lack of recovery experiences during the evening influences negative and positive emotions the next morning. Together, these findings suggest that, especially for workaholics, negative emotions play a crucial role in recovery from work. This insight may contribute to the design of interventions that stimulate recovery from work for workaholics.     

The Role of Person Characteristics in Perceptions of the Validity of Cognitive Ability Testing

Individuals vary in how they perceive cognitive ability tests; thus, it is useful for organizations to consider how individual differences influence applicant perceptions of selection tools. The present study examined the influence of implicit theories of ability and locus of control on perceptions of face validity and predictive validity for two cognitive ability tests. Relationships between perceptions and test experience, job‐relevant experience, and job familiarity were also examined. Interactions between implicit theories and self‐assessed performance in predicting perceptions were found, although not of the form hypothesized. Furthermore, job familiarity and prior success in selection contexts were related to perceptions. Finally, sample type interacted with test type to influence perceptions. Implications for selection system design and research on applicant perceptions are discussed.     

The Instrumental and Symbolic Functions of Attitudes toward Persons with AIDS1

Five studies explored the psychological bases of attitudes toward persons afflicted with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). These studies examined both instrumental and symbolic bases of these attitudes. In Studies 1, 2, and 3, both instrumental factors (e.g., beliefs about the probability of one's own child contracting AIDS) and symbolic factors (general attitudes toward homosexuality) independently contributed to the prediction of attitudes toward having one's child attend classes with a nonhomosexual person having AIDS. In Study 4, only attitudes toward homosexuality (symbolic factors) and not beliefs about contagiousness related to students' expressing a desire to transfer from a class with an AIDS-infected professor. In Study 5, subjects role played the situation experienced by subjects in Study 4. A wider array of instrumental concerns was assessed. While both instrumental and symbolic factors were related to attitudes of role-playing subjects, the specific instrumental concerns of importance were related to beliefs about subjects' feeling comfortable with the professor and not the contagiousness of AIDS. Thus, these results paralleled those of Study 4. These findings are discussed with regard to their relevance for understanding the varying functions of attitudes and for understanding the stigmatization of disease victims.