Interactive effects of generalized and situational expectancies on the arousal of cognitive and emotional components of social anxiety

This study examined the arousal of social anxiety in an interview setting as a function of anticipated self-disclosure. Of 88 college students who completed the Social Avoidance and Distress (SAD) scale and other measures of social anxiety, self-disclosure, need to affiliate, and interpersonal trust, 24 volunteered for the interview. During the interview, both components of anxiety (worry and emotionality) were affected by expectancy conditions, and emotionality was higher for high- than for low-SAD subjects. The prediction of an interaction between SAD level and expectancy condition on worry was confirmed: only high-SAD subjects exposed to the negative-expectancy condition experienced significant elevations in worry. Though social anxiety and self-disclosure measures correlated negatively, anxiety did not affect self-disclosure during the interview.     

Behavioral assessment of imipramine effects in a depressed child

A 7-year-old boy was diagnosed as suffering from childhood depression by two independent psychiatric evaluators who employed the Research Diagnostic Criteria. Multifaceted behavioral observations were performed on target behaviors which were identified as major problematic areas of functioning related to the child's depression. The behavioral assessment strategy included daily monitoring of on-task and disruptive behavior in the classroom, enuresis, and overall hygienic, social, and compliance behaviors as a means of identifying the specific drug-induced effects of an anti-depressant, imipramine. The assimilation and application of behavioral assessment strategies within child psychiatry have been slow and tenuous. Reasons for the resistance include theoretical differences and misconceptions among psychiatric personnel, who, although open to objective evaluations, may wish to employ nonbehavioral treatments such as pharmacologic agents. The primary purpose of this study was to demonstrate the viability of behavioral assessment as an integral adjunct to pharmacologic treatment in a psychiatric setting as a means of gauging the efficacy of a psychiatric intervention. Issues regarding the role of behavioral assessment in psychiatry and, in particular, pharmacologic interventions with depressed children are examined and discussed.This study was supported, in part, by NIMH Grant MH 30915.     

Emotional expressivity and sex-role perceptions of repressors and sensitizers

Two studies were conducted examining the contributions of repression-sensitization (R-S) status, sex-role perceptions, and sex of the target of expressivity to assess the expression of emotional discomfort by males, in Experiment I verbal and nonverbal measures of emotional expressiveness were obtained for male repressors and sensitizers exposed to neutral or moderately negative arousal situations with sex of the target of the expressiveness controlled. In Experiment 2 repressors were found to be sex-typed masculine and male sensitizers sex-reversed in their sex-role perceptions. The usefulness of R-S status and sex, role perceptions to predicting emotional expressivity by males is discussed.     

On the conflict between logic and belief in syllogistic reasoning

Three experiments are reported that investigate the weighting attached to logic and belief in syllogistic reasoning. Substantial belief biases were observed despite controls for possible conversions of the premises. Equally substantial effects of logic were observed despite controls for two possible response biases. A consistent interaction between belief and logic was also recorded; belief bias was more marked on invalid than on valid syllogisms. In all experiments, verbal protocols were recorded and analyzed. These protocols are interpreted in some cases as providing rationalizations for prejudiced decisions and, in other cases, as reflecting a genuine process of premise to conclusion reasoning. In the latter cases, belief bias was minimal but still present. Similarly, even subjects who focus primarily on the conclusion are influenced to an extent by the logic. Thus a conflict between logic and belief is observed throughout, but at several levels of extent.     

Control of CRT intensity via Apple II software

An inexpensive, easy-to-build device for the Apple II microprocessor is described. The modification permits software control of four levels of relative screen intensity (contrast) settings for any video monitor. The relationship of the technology to choice reaction time and perception research is briefly indicated. Principles governing operation of the modification are also discussed. Finally, a set of step-by-step instructions for building the device is provided.     

Recognition and Ratings of Television Music Videos: Age, Gender, and Sociocultural Effects

High school, younger college, and older college subjects rated explicit, neutral, or Christian television music videos according to theme clarity/recognition and whether the respective videos were liked/disliked. Subjects of each age group were able to recognize the themes of each music-video category with a high degree of accuracy. Younger subjects and males were found to rate the music videos, especially those selected for explicitness, more favorably than older or female subjects. Sociocultural background factors were also found to be related to recognition and ratings of the television music videos. In particular, working class background subjects. subjects who watched music videos regularly, and those that seldom or never attended church rated the music videos, especially the explicit ones, more favorably than subjects from a college town background, subjects who seldom or never watched music videos, and subjects who regularly attended church. These findings were interpreted in terms of media-based social influence processes and reciprocal determinism.