Socioemotional functioning of creative preschoolers

This study investigated the relationship between original thinking and socioemotional characteristics of 40 preschoolers, ranging in age from 44 to 68 mo. (M = 56.2 mo.). Socioemotional behavior was assessed by teachers on two ratings, the Kohn Social Competency and the Child's Behavior Traits scales. Creative potential was assessed by the Multidimensional Stimulus Fluency Measure which measures ideational fluency. Contrary to expectations, no statistically significant differences in psychosocial adjustment were found between the more and less creative preschoolers on a median split. A significant effect for sex was detected on six of seven socioemotional variables examined, with girls scoring higher than boys on over-all adjustment. Similarly, more positive attributes of preschool girls are indicated in areas of functioning that traditionally have been reported to be characteristic of boys.     

When a kiss is not just a kiss: Relating violations of consent in kissing to rape myth acceptance

This study examined the relationship rape attitudes have to violations of consent in kissing. We found that the association between rape myth acceptance and responses to violations of consent in kissing was significant regardless of whether these violations took place within the context of a first date, long-term dating, or marriage. We also found that male subjects had higher rape myth acceptance than females and were more supportive of a man's right to violate a woman's consent in kissing. Finally, the association between gender and responses to forced kissing was significant independent of the context in which the forced kiss occurred.     

Effects of material rewards on inkblot perception and organization

To explore further the potential relationship between material rewards and developmental regression, this research examined the effects of material rewards on perceptual organization as measured by Holtzman inkblot responses. Forty introductory psychology students (20 males and 20 females) were assigned to either a reward or nonreward group initially matched on sex and IQ. Reward subjects had lower scores on form definiteness, form appropriateness, integration, human, movement, color, and shading; faster response time; and higher scores on location and on pathognomic verbalization. Although reward/nonreward differences reached significance only for form definiteness, form appropriateness, shading, and response time, the differences on all 10 Holtzman Inkblot Technique variables that are sensitive to developmental change were in the predicted direction of a lower level of functioning under reward.     

关于负启动机制的研究

本世纪８０年代中期以来,关于负启动的研究现已成为注意研究的一个热点,并积累了丰富的实验成果,提出了许多新的研究课题。本文是在此基础上,对负启动现象作一个简单的介绍,概述了有关负启动产生机制的各种假说,并探讨了负启动机制的未来研究方向。     

Husserl’s transcendental philosophy and the critique of naturalism

Throughout his career, Husserl identifies naturalism as the greatest threat to both the sciences and philosophy. In this paper, I explicate Husserl’s overall diagnosis and critique of naturalism and then examine the specific transcendental aspect of his critique. Husserl agreed with the Neo-Kantians in rejecting naturalism. He has three major critiques of naturalism: First, it (like psychologism and for the same reasons) is ‘countersensical’ in that it denies the very ideal laws that it needs for its own justification. Second, naturalism essentially misconstrues consciousness by treating it as a part of the world. Third, naturalism is the inevitable consequence of a certain rigidification of the ‘natural attitude’ into what Husserl calls the ‘naturalistic attitude’. This naturalistic attitude ‘reifies’ and it ‘absolutizes’ the world such that it is treated as taken-for-granted and ‘obvious’. Husserl’s transcendental phenomenological analysis, however, discloses that the natural attitude is, despite its omnipresence in everyday life, not primary, but in fact is relative to the ‘absolute’ transcendental attitude. The mature Husserl’s critique of naturalism is therefore based on his acceptance of the absolute priority of the transcendental attitude. The paradox remains that we must start from and, in a sense, return to the natural attitude, while, at the same time, restricting this attitude through the on-going transcendental vigilance of the universal epoché.

The Unique Effects of Fathers’ Warmth on Adolescents’ Positive Beliefs and Behaviors: Pathways to Resilience in Low-Income Families

The aim of the present study was to investigate the pathways through which fathers’ warmth influences adolescents’ grades. We investigated the positive beliefs of optimism and academic self-efficacy, and the motivational construct of determination, as possible mediators. Questionnaire data were collected from a sample of 183 sixth-graders (78 male, 105 female) from low-income families: 133 Mexican Americans, 36 African Americans, 11 European Americans, and 3 other ethnicity. Multigroup SEM path analysis was used to test two path models and investigate variations in these models by adolescents’ gender. Results revealed that, controlling for mothers’ warmth, fathers’ warmth predicts adolescents’ positive beliefs and that these relations vary by adolescents’ gender. For male adolescents, relations between fathers’ warmth and English language arts grades are mediated by academic self-efficacy and determination to persist on challenging schoolwork. For female adolescents, relations between fathers’ warmth and math grades are mediated by optimism and determination. These results demonstrate the unique contributions of fathers’ warmth to their sons’ and daughters’ emotional and academic development. Our study suggests that counselors and educators may positively influence adolescents’ well-being by encouraging fathers to communicate warmth and acceptance to their adolescents.     

Posttraumatic play in young children exposed to terrorism: An empirical study

The phenomenon of “posttraumatic play” (PTP) has received much clinical recognition and little empirical support. The objective of this study was to examine various aspects of PTP in young children exposed to terror events and their relation to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Individual play sessions, conducted with 29 young Israeli children directly exposed to terrorism (M age = 5.47, SD = 1.34) and 25 matched unexposed children (M age = 5.62, SD = 0.87), were coded using the Children's Play Therapy Instrument–Adaptation for Terror Research (CPTI‐ATR; S.E. Chazan & E. Cohen, 2003). Analyses using these ratings showed (a) significant differences between the two groups, (b) significant associations with the caregiver's reports on child's exposure, and (c) significant associations with the caregiver's reports on the child's PTSD symptoms. Play activity ratings of predominant negative affects, frequent acting‐out/morbid themes, lowered developmental level, and reduced awareness of the child of him‐ or herself as a player significantly predicted more PTSD symptoms. PTP which included more coping strategies classified as “overwhelmed reexperiencing” and less “reenactment with soothing” was associated with a higher level of PTSD. Play analysis with the CPTI‐ATR may be helpful in identifying PTSD in children and also guide the selection of therapeutic techniques.