Prejudice in the police: On the processes underlying the effects of selection and group socialisation

The principal aim of this study is to determine why police officers are generally found to be more prejudiced towards disadvantaged groups than are the standard population. Two independent processes were expected to account for this effect: Selection and group socialisation. Using a cross‐sectional design (N = 170), firstly, we compared, newly recruited police officers with a control population (selection effect), and secondly, police officers with 1 year of training with the newly recruited ones (group socialisation effect). Results reveal a significant effect of both selection and group socialisation, the two being underlined by distinct processes; right‐wing authoritarianism (RWA) in the case of the former and internalisation of a prejudice norm in the case of the latter. Finally, the results show that group identification moderates the change in internalisation of the prejudice norm. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

GUIDELINES FOR THEORIZING ABOUT REALIZATION

Realization can be roughly understood as a kind of role‐playing, a relationship between a property that plays a role and a property characterized by that role. This rough sketch previously received only moderate elaboration; recently, however, several substantive theories of realization have been proposed. But are there any general constraints on a theory of realization? What is a theory of realization supposed to accomplish? I first argue that a view of realization is viable, in part, to the extent that physical realization under that view explains or accounts for why instances of realized properties are necessitated by how things are physically in a modally strong sense. In this sense, I claim that physical realization should explain physical supervenience. I then call into question two alternative desiderata and raise a challenge for attempts to explicate realization in terms of isomorphism or analogy. Finally, I explain how a causal‐functional account of realization, as well as less demanding accounts, can meet the preferred desideratum.     

The Effect of Non‐native Accents on the Evaluation of Applicants during an Employment Interview: The development of a path model

As the workplace becomes increasingly global, organizations are more likely to employ individuals with non‐native accents. The present study looked at the influence of accents on the evaluation of job applicants during an interview. In addition, a path model was developed to understand the accent condition–hiring recommendation relationship. Participants were asked to evaluate an applicant with one of three accents (Midwestern US, French, Mexican) at two understandability levels (low and high) by listening to an audiofile. The results showed that the applicant with the Midwestern US accent was seen as more hirable than the applicant with the French low understandability accent. The path model indicated that the accent condition–hiring recommendation relationship was mediated by similarity, interpersonal attraction, and understandability.     

On the sociohistorical context of creativity programs

What role does emotion play in helping youth reach their creative potential? Does it alter how they process ideas, and how many ideas they can generate? By varying the levels of arousal associated with low, medium, and high levels of exertion in the video game Dance Dance Revolution, and inducing a positive or negative mood, this study offers evidence that emotion significantly affects creativity through the interaction of arousal and valence. Faced with the cognitive demand of creativity, lower arousal levels resulted in higher creativity scores when coupled with a negative mood. At high arousal levels, a positive mood resulted in greater creative potential than a negative mood. These results are discussed here in light of theories of emotion as a prime, as information, and as a moderator of attention.     

Impact of Trained versus Spontaneous Reciprocal Peer Tutoring on Adolescent Students

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two different forms of reciprocal peer tutoring (RPT) on the motor and cognitive performance of adolescents in a physical education setting. We also explored the influence of gender. We assigned 72 ninth-graders (36 M, 36 F), all novices in a table tennis task, to a 2 × 3 (Gender × Learning Condition: physical practice with trained RPT [TRPT] vs. physical practice with spontaneous RPT [SRPT]vs. physical practice without any form of RPT [PP; individual control condition]) factorial design. Results indicated superior motor performance and cognitive skills for the TRPT condition and no difference between the SRPT and PP conditions. The peer-tutor training was thus a crucial organizational variable of the success of RPT. Interestingly, our results support the assumption that females particularly benefit from a highly structured peer tutoring framework.     

Correlates of Dispositional and State Flow in Tennis Competition

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between psychological correlates and flow in tennis competition. Using a cross-sectional design, the sample of 261 junior tennis athletes showed moderate-to-strong correlations between flow (dispositional and state) and confidence (r _disp = .59; r _state = .35), imagery use (r _disp = .58; r _state = .32), and action control (r _disp = .41; r _state = .40), whereas absorption was orthogonal to flow. Commonality analysis revealed that imagery and confidence accounted for 34.2% of the variance in dispositional flow. The results are discussed for the development of intervention studies in order to enhance flow in competition.     

The Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry by Harry Stack Sullivan

Charismatic relationships occur frequently in treatment of substance abusers because patients are regressed and have temporary needs for inspiration and guidance. The therapist who assesses patients' needs for charisma in the pregroup evaluation can avoid the twin pitfalls of placing patients in groups with insufficient or excessive charismatic leadership. Too little charismatic leadership is ineffective; patients remain regressed and the group does not come together. Too much charismatic leadership stifles patients' growth. As patients develop control over their addictive behavior, the need for charisma diminishes. A sensitive leader can recognize this from changes in patients' attitudes toward their addictions and from indicators of autonomy in the group process. The leader can then accept the need for adjustments in leadership style to avoid hindering patients' growth.     

The Love and Fear of Flying by Douglas D. Bond

A study of over 700 referrals for group therapy within a large university hospital setting revealed that such services were primarily provided for moderately to severely disturbed patients, mostly single white females from working and middle class backgrounds, university students, and unemployed, poorly educated minority group members. However, 41 percent of the patients initially referred never actually attended a therapy group. Among those who did begin group therapy, drop-outs occurred most frequently during early sessions. Over half the treated patients were seen for a total of twelve or fewer sessions. Data are interpreted as highlighting the importance of implementing careful referral and preparation procedures, and as underscoring the necessity for developing effective short-term group therapy approaches.