An examination of the relation of individual difference variables to loneliness

This study investigated the relation of five individual difference variables (extroversion, depression, self-esteem, neuroticism, and attitude toward others) to loneliness. The relative contributions of two different models that might explain these relations were examined. One model suggests that individual difference variables are related to loneliness through the mediation of social network variables; that is, individual difference variables may reduce people's motivation and/or ability to build and maintain social relationships, which in turn leads to loneliness. The second model, the cognitive bias model, states that both the individual difference variables and loneliness are influenced by the same intrapersonal, cognitive processes. Some people are prone to negative affect and tend to evaluate themselves and their relationships negatively. The relations of self-esteem, neuroticism, and depression to loneliness were hypothesized to reflect the cognitive bias model, while extroversion and attitudes toward others were hypothesized to be related to loneliness through the mediation of social network variables. Eighty-two female and 42 male adults completed measures of loneliness and the five individual difference variables, as well as an instrument assessing their social networks. The results indicated partial support for both models for each of the individual difference variables. Together, the two models did a good job of explaining the correlations of the individual difference variables and loneliness. The implications of these findings, as well as their relation to previous research, are discussed.     

Interpreting children's reports of concern about parental drinking: Indicators of risk status?

Examined several self-report items traditionally used to identify children of alcoholics for their utility in identifying mental health risk status. The meaning of children's responses to these items was also examined. Collectively, these items reflected children's concern about their parents' drinking. Across multiple studies, children who reported concern about parental drinking reported higher levels of psychological and behavioral problems. This pattern existed whether or not children had a problem-drinking parent. Discriminant analyses with data from child and mother reports showed that children who reported concern were from homes with greater stress, lower income, and less supportive mother-child relationships.     

The Effect of the Physical Attractiveness and Role of the Helper on Help Seeking

The effects of a helper's physical attractiveness and role on help-seeking behavior were investigated here. Eighty randomly selected Smith College students were the subjects; the helpers were two confederates selected on the basis of a separately conducted photograph evaluation. The confederate was designated either as an experimenter (Role condition) or as a fellow subject (Nonrole condition). Subjects were reluctant to ask the attractive confederate for help when she was in the Nonrole condition; rather, most in this condition asked for information instead of assistance. When the confederate was unattractive, more subjects asked for help when she was in role than when she was not. Although there was a significant main effect, most of this effect appears to be accounted for by the low rate of seeking help in the Attractive, nonrole condition. Subjects took longer to communicate with the attractive confederate than with the unattractive one; further, they reported feeling more uncomfortable in the presence of the attractive helper regardless of role.     

Peripheral and central components in variants of the Mueller-Lyer illusion

Illusion decrement with prolonged inspection was used as a technique to assess the relative amount of central component in seven variants of the Mueller-Lyer illusion. Results indicate that all of the variant forms share a common, central component, while the peripheral components, such as lateral inhibition, vary as a function of the presence of converging lines in the illusion configurations.     

The effects of spontaneous and voluntary facial reactions on surprise and humor

Two investigations were conducted to determine the nature of the relationship between facial reactions and surprise and humor ratings as suggested by the facial feedback hypothesis. In the correlational investigation, individual subjects showed a positive correlation between their spontaneous facial reactions and funniness ratings over 36 cartoons (within subjects). Subjects who were facially more reactive to all the cartoons, however, did not rate them as funnier than did subjects who were less facially reactive (between subjects). In the experimental investigation, spontaneous facial reactions were evoked by a discrepant weight and also were inhibited or amplified on verbal demand. Surprise and funniness ratings varied with spontaneous facial reactions but were unaffected when those reactions were voluntarily inhibited or amplified. The results were interpreted as not supporting the facial feedback hypothesis and suggested that facial reactions may only correlate with emotional experience.These investigations were supported by Ball State University Research Grants.     

Contingency contracting with disadvantaged youths: Improving classroom performance

This study evaluated the effects of a student-teacher contracting procedure on adolescent students' academic productivity. Participants were 13 youths enrolled in a vocational training program for disadvantaged youth and their classroom teacher. During the baseline conditions students were paid contingent on attendance alone, the system operating in the program prior to this research. During contracting conditions students were paid contingent on contract fulfillment of academic productivity goals set by mutual agreement between the student and teacher. Contracting and contingent pay procedures were developed with, and implemented by, the classroom teacher. A reversal experimental design showed that student's productivity more than doubled during contracting conditions as compared with their productivity during baseline.