INCREMENTAL VALIDITY OF EMPIRICALLY KEYED BIODATA SCALES OVER GMA AND THE FIVE FACTOR PERSONALITY CONSTRUCTS

The major purpose of this study was to determine whether empirically keyed, cross-validated biodata scales accounted for incremental variance over that accounted for by the five factor model (FFM) of personality and GMA predictors. A concurrent validation study was employed using 376 employees in a clerical job (222 in the developmental sample and 154 in the cross-validation sample). Results for the cross-validation sample provided support for the hypothesis that biodata predictors accounted for substantial incremental variance beyond that accounted for by the FFM predictors and GMA for 3 of the 4 criteria. Support was also found for the hypothesized zero-order correlations between GMA, FFM, and biodata predictors and the 4 criteria. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Tonkens on the Irrationality of the Suicidally Mentally Ill

abstract   Ryan Tonkens proposes that my Kantian approach to suicide intervention with respect to the mentally ill (2002) wrongly assumes that the suicidally mentally ill are rational and are therefore rational agents to whom Kantian moral constraints ought to apply. Here I indicate how the empirical evidence concerning the suicidally mentally ill does not support Tonkens' criticism that the suicidally mentally ill are irrational. In particular, that evidence does not support the conclusion that such individuals are systemically practically irrational so as to undermine the attribution of at least minimal rational autonomy to them. A Kantian moral framework, albeit one developed in a non-ideal direction, remains applicable to such individuals.     

SEX DIFFERENCES IN STORY RECEIPT AND STORY SEQUENCING BEHAVIORS IN DYADIC CONVERSATIONS

Recordings of 30-minute dyadic conversations between strangers were coded for the frequency of occurrence of 11 story receipt and eight story sequencing variables, for the duration of all storytellings, and for the frequency of occurrence of story sequences. Analysis of the data indicated that (1) females spent significantly more time than males as the recipients of storytelling; (2) males and females differed significantly on a linear combination of five story receipt variables (displays interest tokens, appreciates, adds or predicts details, withholds sequential talk, and withholds all talk at story's end); (3) there were no significant differences between males and females in the number of sequential stories told; (4) females and males differed significantly on a linear combination of two story sequencing devices, embedded repeat and marked repeat.