A comparative test of work-family conflict models and critical examination of work-family linkages

This paper is a comprehensive meta-analysis of over 20 years of work-family conflict research. A series of path analyses were conducted to compare and contrast existing work-family conflict models, as well as a new model we developed which integrates and synthesizes current work-family theory and research. This new model accounted for 40% of the variance in job satisfaction, 38% of the variance in family satisfaction, and 35% of the variance in life satisfaction. In a critical examination of work-family linkages, a series of analyses excluding work-family conflict constructs and pathways resulted in a well-fitting and more parsimonious model that still accounted for 39% of the variance in job satisfaction, 37% of the variance in family satisfaction, and 33% of the variance in life satisfaction. Results indicate that direct effects drive work-family conflict models while indirect effects provide little incremental explanation in regards to satisfaction outcomes.     

Approximate quantification in young,healthy older adults’, and Alzheimer patients

Forty young adults, 40 healthy older adults, and 39 probable AD patients were asked to estimate small (e.g., 25) and large (e.g., 60) collections of dots in a choice condition and in two no-choice conditions. Participants could choose between benchmark and anchoring strategies on each collection of dots in the choice condition and were required to use either benchmark or anchoring on all configurations in the no-choice conditions (one per strategy). The benchmark strategy involves visual estimation processes whereas the anchoring strategy involves both enumeration and estimation processes. Results showed that strategy use was influenced by collection, participant, and strategy characteristics. Age-related and dementia-related differences were found in both strategy use and strategy execution. The findings have implications for our understanding of aging effects in approximate quantification, strategic variations in Alzheimer’s patients, and sources of cognitive decline during early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.     

Why does placing the question before an arithmetic word problem improve performance? A situation model account

The aim of this paper is to investigate the controversial issue of the nature of the representation constructed by individuals to solve arithmetic word problems. More precisely, we consider the relevance of two different theories: the situation or mental model theory (Johnson-Laird, 1983; Reusser, 1989) and the schema theory (Kintsch & Greeno, 1985; Riley, Greeno, & Heller, 1983). Fourth-graders who differed in their mathematical skills were presented with problems that varied in difficulty and with the question either before or after the text. We obtained the classic effect of the position of the question, with better performance when the question was presented prior to the text. In addition, this effect was more marked in the case of children who had poorer mathematical skills and in the case of more difficult problems. We argue that this pattern of results is compatible only with the situation or mental model theory, and not with the schema theory.     

Associations of Maternal Prenatal Smoking with Early Childhood Physical Aggression,Hyperactivity-Impulsivity,and Their Co-Occurrence

This study investigated associations between maternal prenatal smoking and physical aggression (PA), hyperactivity-impulsivity (HI) and co-occurring PA and HI between ages 17 and 42 months in a population sample of children born in Québec (Canada) in 1997/1998 (N=1745). Trajectory model estimation showed three distinct developmental patterns for PA and four for HI. Multinomial regression analyses showed that prenatal smoking significantly predicted children’s likelihood to follow different PA trajectories beyond the effects of other perinatal factors, parental psychopathology, family functioning and parenting, and socio-economic factors. However, prenatal smoking was not a significant predictor of HI in a model with the same control variables. Further multinomial regression analyses showed that, together with gender, presence of siblings and maternal hostile reactive parenting, prenatal smoking independently predicted co-occurring high PA and high HI compared to low levels of both behaviors, to high PA alone, and to high HI alone. These results show that maternal prenatal smoking predicts multiple behavior regulation problems in early childhood.     

The UN activities of the International Union of Psychological Science in 2001

The major thrust of the IUPsyS activities at the UN this year has been the establishment, in early 2001, of a permanent team of New York area psychologists willing to voluntarily represent the Union at the different meetings held throughout the year at the UN Secretariat in New York under the auspices of the UN Department of Public Information, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), as well as some of the other UN agencies also active in New York, such as UNICEF and UNESCO. With the help of the International Affairs Office of the American Psychological Association, which we would like to thank, we had access to the names of New York area psychologists who were interested in doing UN representation for psychology. Four of them were identified as prime candidates and were interviewed. Their nomination as UN/NGO representatives was approved by the Executive Committee of the Union. I am very happy to inform our national members and affiliate organizations that Dr. Fritz Galette, Dr. Margarita Garcia‐Estevez, Dr. Douglas Y Seiden and Ms. Carolee E. Iltis have generously accepted to act as the Union's NGO representatives in New York. The decision to appoint four representatives was determined by the workload associated with the activities of the UN Secretariat (e.g., Dept of Public Information ‐NGO Briefings every week, multiple meetings of numerous committees dealing with mental health, health, ageing, children, human rights, women issues), plus numerous Preparatory Committees for General Assembly Summits (presently, three upcoming summits on racism, children and women that we will briefly discuss later in this report). Therefore, we felt it was important to be realistic and to appoint several individuals who are ready to share the work to be done and provide 1–2 days per month of their time.     

Sous un même toit: Canada's Functional-Structural Approach to the Unity of Psychology

Among the factors which may be useful to an assessment of unity/diversity, several are germane to the historic and contemporary evolution of psychology in Canada. Culture-based variables, economic and political factors, and the emergence of clearly scientific and professional streams are all pertinent to Canadian psychology. Within this context, Rosenzweig's (this issue) conceptualization of internal/external unifying/diversifying forces facilitates a better understanding of the realities which confront Canadian psychologists. By adopting a collaborative, collegially oriented approach with diverse groups spawning the full spectrum of psychological science and practice, the groundwork has been laid for a confederal system of functionally based cooperation which may be sufficient to maintain cohesion within the Canadian context.