Social network predictors of bullying and victimization

This study examined whether bullies, victims, and aggressive victims (those who are both bullies and victims) differed on classroom social network variables, gender, and ethnicity. Survey data were collected from a primarily Latino and Asian sample of 1,368 Southern California 6th graders (mean age = 11.3 years). Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether network characteristics and ethnicity were associated with each of the outcome variables. Consistent with social cognitive theory, friends' participation in aggressive behaviors was positively associated with being a bully or an aggressive victim, and negatively associated with being a victim. Consistent with social dominance theory, the number of friendship nominations received was negatively associated with being a victim. Female bullies received fewer friendship nominations, but had a higher proportion of reciprocated friendships. Victims were disproportionately Asian. The findings suggest that bullying prevention efforts targeting highly aggressive students may also diffuse to their friends, and that assertiveness training in handling aggressive situations may successfully combat bullying and aggression.     

What plausibly affects plausibility? Concept coherence and distributional word coherence as factors influencing plausibility judgments

Our goal was to investigate the basis of human plausibility judgements. Previous research had suggested that plausibility is affected by two factors: concept coherence (the inferences made between parts of a discourse) and word coherence (the distributional properties of the words used). In two experiments, participants were asked to rate the plausibility of sentence pairs describing events. In the first, we manipulated concept coherence by using different inference types to link the sentences in a pair (e.g., causal or temporal). In the second, we manipulated word coherence by using latent semantic analysis, so two sentence pairs describing the same event had different distributional properties. The results showed that inference type affects plausibility; sentence pairs linked by causal inferences were rated highest, followed by attributal, temporal, and unrelated inferences. The distributional manipulations had no reliable effect on plausibility ratings. We conclude that the processes involved in rating plausibility are based on evaluating concept coherence, not word coherence.     

Sexual harassment and social justice: reflections on the distance yet to go

Despite progress, protections remain inadequate for victims who bring legal claims of sexual harassment. The process for damages determination frequently increases harm and undercuts the policy initiatives enshrined in Title VII. The author critiques this process, focusing on misuse of psychological examinations and failure of the federal "rape shield" law to adequately protect plaintiffs. The author suggests possible reforms, including removing caps on Title VII damages, minimum awards (i.e., liquidated damages) upon proof of liability, and strategies for educating juries on the harms of harassment that do not exacerbate them, and concludes with a call for professional guidelines for conducting forensic evaluations in sexual harassment cases, thus advancing the policy goal of combating discrimination by encouraging victims to come forward.     

Learning- and grade-orientation,sex, and prediction of self-reported academic performance

148 undergraduate students completed the LOGO-II scale, a measure of educational orientation, i.e., learning-oriented and grade-oriented attitudes and behaviors, and were asked to report their current and expected grades, as well as their self-assessed academic skill. Generally, learning orientation was positively correlated with academic performance, but grade orientation was negatively correlated with performance. Learning orientation and grade orientation predicted academic performance for men but not women. Implications of these findings, including the possibility of encouraging students to assume a more learning-oriented approach to their education, are discussed.     

LY354740, an mGlu2/3 receptor agonist as a novel approach to treat anxiety/stress

Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors, which include mGlu1-8 receptors, are a heterogeneous family of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that function to modulate neuronal excitation and plasticity via pre-synaptic, post-synaptic and glial mechanisms. Agonists for group II mGlu receptors (mGlu2 and mGlu3), such as LY354740, have been shown to suppress enhanced glutamatergic excitations in brain synapses known to be involved in the expression of fear/anxiety in animals and humans. Systemic administration of LY354740 increases open-arm time in the elevated plus maze in mice under conditions of moderate to severe stress, blocks the expression but not development of fear-potentiated startle in rats, prevents lactate-induced panic-like responses in panic-prone rats, and attenuates certain physiological, behavioral, and neurochemical consequences of acute stress in rodents. In these preclinical models, LY354740 does not produce the side-effects (e.g. sedation) that are associated with other anxiolytic agents such as benzodiazepines. Early clinical results with LY354740 have demonstrated safety and efficacy in a human anxiety model (panic provocation induced by CO2 challenge). Collectively, these data indicate mGlu2/3 receptor agonists such as LY354740 represent a promising new approach for treatment of anxiety and stress-related disorders in humans.     

Psychometric properties of the eating disorders inventory-2 among women seeking treatment for binge eating disorder

Psychometric properties of the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2) when used for women with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) are assessed. The EDI-2 was administered to 144 outpatients seeking treatment for BED and 152 outpatients seeking treatment for Bulimia Nervosa (BN). Most EDI-2 scales had acceptable internal consistence for both the BED and BN samples. EDI-2 scales demonstrated adequate stability within a subsample of those with BED who were retested. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a hypothesized second-order two-factor structure for the original EDI scales for the BED group but not for those with BN. When the provisional EDI-2 scales were included, a two-factor structure was not supported for any group. Some scales differentiated the BED from the BN sample, and the second-order factors correlated with measures of similar constructs. The original EDI scales can be used reliably for those with BED.     

Loneliness as a specific risk factor for depressive symptoms: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses

The extent to which loneliness is a unique risk factor for depressive symptoms was determined in 2 population-based studies of middle-aged to older adults, and the possible causal influences between loneliness and depressive symptoms were examined longitudinally in the 2nd study. In Study 1, a nationally representative sample of persons aged 54 and older completed a telephone interview as part of a study of health and aging. Higher levels of loneliness were associated with more depressive symptoms, net of the effects of age, gender, ethnicity, education, income, marital status, social support, and perceived stress. In Study 2, detailed measures of loneliness, social support, perceived stress, hostility, and demographic characteristics were collected over a 3-year period from a population-based sample of adults ages 50-67 years from Cook County, Illinois. Loneliness was again associated with more depressive symptoms, net of demographic covariates, marital status, social support, hostility, and perceived stress. Latent variable growth models revealed reciprocal influences over time between loneliness and depressive symptomatology. These data suggest that loneliness and depressive symptomatology can act in a synergistic effect to diminish well-being in middle-aged and older adults.     

Loneliness is a unique predictor of age-related differences in systolic blood pressure

A population-based sample of Caucasians, African Americans, and Latino Americans, 50-68 years of age (M = 57.5), from Cook County, Illinois (N = 229), was tested to examine how loneliness and co-occurring psychosocial factors (depressive symptoms, perceived stress, social support, and hostility) were related to indices of cardiovascular and endocrine functioning. Extending prior research, the authors found that loneliness was associated with elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) and age-related increases in SBP, net of demographic variables, health behavior variables, and the remaining psychosocial factors. Loneliness was not associated with differences in autonomic or endocrine functioning. Although the results are limited by the cross-sectional methods used, they are consistent with the hypothesis that cardiovascular disease contributes to increased morbidity and mortality among lonely individuals.     

Covariates of production and perseveration on tests of phonemic, semantic and alternating fluency in normal aging

Standard measures of phonemic and semantic fluency, as well as fluency measures that impose additional demands upon set-switching were administered to younger and older adults. No age effect was found for total output on semantic fluency, while older participants generated significantly more responses relative to their younger counterparts on the phonemic measure. However, older adults made significantly more perseverative errors on both these measures. For tests of alternating fluency, only where participants were required to switch between two semantic dimensions, was an age deficit observed. Although the correlation between phonemic repetitions and age remained significant when performance on the Digit Symbol Test or a measure of fluid intelligence was partialled out, age effects for semantic repetitions and semantic alternating fluency were substantially reduced. The age benefit for number of correct responses upon phonemic fluency was significantly attenuated when a measure of crystallized intelligence was entered as a control variable. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.