Some effects of audio and visual stimulation on multiple forms of stereotypy

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of audio and visual stimulation, alone or in combination, on the behavior of three children who displayed multiple forms of stereotypy (e.g., hand mouthing, body rocking). The results of experiment 1 showed that all three participants displayed different forms of stereotypy when audio and visual stimulation were provided versus when no stimulation was provided. The results of experiments 2 and 3 showed that the form of one participant's stereotypy, but not the other two, changed when visual stimulation and audio stimulation were presented separately. Overall, the results suggest that ambient stimulation may influence both the form of and time allocation to stereotypy. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tolerance of Sexual Harassment: An Examination of Gender Differences,Ambivalent Sexism,Social Dominance,and Gender Roles

In this study we examined the effects of gender, gender roles (masculinity and femininity), ambivalent sexism, and social dominance orientation with regard to tolerance of sexual harassment. It was predicted that women would be less tolerant than men of sexual harassment, however, men and women who were tolerant of sexual harassment would share ambivalence and hostility toward women, and they would exhibit higher levels of social dominance and masculinity. Results partially supported the hypotheses. Women were significantly less tolerant of harassment than men were, however, regression analyses showed that ambivalent sexism and hostility toward women accounted for the majority of total variance (35%), followed by gender (5%), social dominance (1%), femininity (0.7%), and nonsexism (0.6%). Masculinity and benevolent sexism were not significant predictors. Results suggest that ambivalence and hostility toward women are much greater predictors of tolerance of sexual harassment than is gender alone.     

Wanting a body that's better than average: the effect of manipulated body norms on ideal body size perception

We examined the effect of body norms on ideal and current body size perception. In Study One, female participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: (1) a thinner body norm, (2) a heavier body norm, or (3) no body norm. Body norms were manipulated by indicating a bogus "population average," and current and ideal body size perception were subsequently measured using a body silhouettes measure. Women had a thinner ideal body size in the thinner norm condition than in the heavier norm condition. Study Two replicated these results, but in a sample of young men and with regards to muscularity rather than thinness. Men had a more muscular ideal body size in the more muscular norm condition than in the less muscular norm condition. Current body size perception was also influenced by body norms, but only for women and after controlling for BMI.     

Parental Strategies for Knowledge of Adolescents’ Friends: Distinct from Monitoring?

Parental monitoring is defined as a set of behaviors used to gain knowledge about an adolescent’s whereabouts, friends and associates, and activities. However, can knowledge of adolescents’ whereabouts/activities, and friends all be attained through the same strategies? Or do they require their own strategies? This study used qualitative interviews with 173 parents of older adolescents from 100 families. Emergent themes described strategies by which parents gain information about their adolescents’ friends and the substance use of those friends. The strategies included direct interaction with the friend, gaining information from the teen, using second-hand sources, and making assumptions. Some of these strategies were consistent with previous research, while others raise new questions and provide interesting new directions to pursue. Primarily, additional consideration needs to be given to assessments of parental monitoring that include strategies for gaining knowledge of adolescents’ friends and their substance use.     

The use of response cost to treat spitting by a child with autism

We evaluated the extent to which noncontingent access to one or multiple items and the contingent removal of a specific item decreased a young boy's spitting. Results indicated that the boy's spitting did not decrease when he was given noncontingent access to multiple, alternative stimuli or to a toy radio. By contrast, when the toy radio was removed contingent on spitting, the rate of the boy's spitting decreased to zero or near‐zero levels. Similar results were produced in the boy's special education classroom. Follow‐up sessions conducted 2 and 4 months later indicated that the reduction in the boy's spitting persisted across time. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sibling jealousy in early childhood: longitudinal links to sibling relationship quality

The current investigation examined the long‐term prediction of sibling jealousy assessed in a laboratory‐based paradigm on sibling relationship quality 2 1/2 years later. This multi‐method longitudinal study included mothers, fathers, and two children from 35 families. Younger siblings were 16 months and older siblings were, on average, 4 years at Time 1. Positive longitudinal associations were found between older siblings' jealousy reactions when interacting with the father at Time 1 and sibling conflict at Time 2. These associations continued to exist even when older siblings' behaviour during the mother sessions was considered. Children's inability to regulate their jealous reactions may be indicative of lower levels of emotion regulation skills, which may, in turn, translate to poorer sibling interactions years later. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of the immediate and subsequent effects of response interruption and redirection on vocal stereotypy

We evaluated 2 3-component multiple-schedule sequences-a response interruption and redirection (RIRD) treatment sequence and a no-interaction control sequence-using a multielement design. With this design, we were able to evaluate the immediate and subsequent effects of RIRD on 2 participants' vocal stereotypy. For both participants, RIRD produced an immediate decrease in vocal stereotypy and did not result in a subsequent increase.