School psychology in Australia

The status of school psychology in Australia is reviewed. Information is presented on the education system, the role of the school psychologist, historical development, special problems, contributions, and future trends in Australian school psychology.     

Satisfaction with intimate exchange: Gender-role differences and the impact of equity,equality, and rewards

The relative effects of equity, equality, and reward level upon assessments of marital satisfaction are investigated. In doing so, the impact of gender-role orientation upon the relationship between the predictor variables and marital satisfaction is specified. The data indicate that reward level is the major variable affecting assessments of satisfaction for both moderns and traditionals. Further, the effect of reward level is more pronounced for those with modern gender-role orientations. Contrary to expectation, the effects of the exchange-related variables, equity and equality, are minimal for both moderns and traditionals. These findings suggest that intimates, regardless of gender-role orientation, tend to avoid the “bookkeeping” involved in global equity and equality comparisons and instead accentuate individual reward levels. It appears, however, that moderns are significantly more demanding than traditionals in their emphasis upon reward levels.     

Aggressive behavior inhibition by serotonin and quipazine injected into the amygdala in the rat

The effects on aggressive behavior, open-field activity, and pain threshold of bilateral microinjections of serotonin (20 micrograms) and quipazine (20 micrograms), the direct serotonergic receptor agonist, into the cortico-medial amygdala were investigated in Wistar rats. Both drugs significantly prolonged the attack latency in isolated killer rats (predatory aggression model), and suppressed the incidence of aggressive postures/attacks in shock-induced fighting test (affective aggression). The only difference in the open-field behavior was the lower number of central square entries in drug-treated compared to saline-injected rats. None of the substances produced any significant change in jump threshold. It is concluded that stimulation of serotonin receptors within the amygdala produces inhibition of affective and muricidal behavior in isolated rats. The effect does not seem to be dependent on changes in general activity and pain sensitivity.     

Values and personality: a survey of their relationship in the case of juvenile delinquece

Attempts to verify Eysenck's theory of criminality have usually been concerned with the proportion by which delinquents differ from non-delinguents on the dimensions of extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism. There are very few studies concerned with the proportion in which these dimensions are related to the acquisition of moral or social rules, the real core of this theory. The current study examines the theory from a new approach, trying to show in what measure the value priorities of a group of 113 juvenile delinquents are related to the personality dimensions stated by Eysenck.     

Frequency of neurologic-psychiatric findings in the late phase following minor and medium severe blunt craniocerebral injuries

The authors present a short review of the pertinent literature and report on their own neuropsychiatric findings following internal craniocerebral injuries, at the same time drawing attention to the necessity of psychological examination. Statistical comparisons with the international literature are complicated owing to the different classifications used for craniocerebral injuries.     

Compliance with homework to employ self-instructions in controlling ice water pain: an analogue to counseling

40 women were taught to use self-statements to cope with pain caused by ice water. The trainer used four different strategies for reassigning a homework task of using self-statements to cope with pain produced by immersing one hand in ice water. The strategies were equally effective in eliciting compliance with the homework assignment.