A multivariate comparison of the intellectual performance of black and white children matched on four demographic variables

This study investigated the performance of 285 matched pairs of Black and White children from the standardization sample on the 12 subtests and 3 IQ scales of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised (WISC-R). The children were matched on four demographic variables found in a previous (Reynolds and Gutkin, 1979) study to be significantly related to WISC-R performance: sex, socioeconomic status as determined by the occupation of the head of household, region of residence in the U.S. and urban vs rural residence. Multivariate analysis of variance comparing performance across race on the 15 dependent variables revealed that Whites exceeded Blacks on all tasks except Digit Span—a test of rote memory. Results were also related to the evaluation of the Spearman hypothesis.     

Book reviews

Naturalism in Mathematics PENELOPE MADDY, 1997 Oxford, Oxford University Press viii + 254 pp., $CAN91, ISBN 0–19–823573–9

Bohmian Mechanics and Quantum Theory: an Appraisal JAMES T. CUSHING, ARTHUR FINE & SHELDON GOLDSTEIN (Eds), 1996 Dordrecht, Kluwer viii + 403, pp., US$159.00, ISBN 0–7923–4028–0 (hardback)

Pragmatism as a Principle and Method of Right Thinking: the 1903 Harvard Lectures on Pragmatism CHARLES SANDERS PEIRCE, 1997 Edited and introduced, with a commentary, by PATRICIA ANN TURRISI Albany, State University of New York Press xi + 305 pp., $26.53 (paperback) ISBN 0–7914–3265–3 (alk. paper) ISBN 0–7914–3266–1 (paperback: alk. paper)     

Distress and coping with hot flushes at work: Implications for counsellors in occupational settings

This study explored whether mid-life women regard hot flushes at work as a substantial stressor. A sample of 29 working women reporting hot flushes for at least 12 months rated the degree to which each of ten work situations influenced flush distress or discomfort. Ratings were compared with qualitative accounts of coping with flushes at work. Results showed that women differed markedly in the work situations that they regarded as most problematic, but flush distress was commonly magnified during formal meetings, in hot enclosed spaces and in the presence of male colleagues. A substantial minority viewed colleagues as conveying negative attitudes towards menopausal problems, which jeopardised general confidence at work as well as creating specific difficulties during frush episodes. Flush distress was higher among those reporting embarrassment and dificulties disclosing menopausal status to others. Respondents made suggestions for ways in which the working environment could be improved to assist women in managing hot flushes. Coping with flushes was largely seen as an individual rather than organisational responsibility. Other stigmatising health problems may present similar subjective problems at work, and this needs further study. Some implications for counsellors working in organisational settings are explored.     

Using a self-evaluation system as a group contingency

The efficacy of a group-evaluation system was examined, with a reversal design, in two classes of students with disabilities. The results suggested that a group-evaluation system was effective in decreasing the inappropriate verbalizations of both groups. Student satisfaction data revealed that the students in both groups had positive reactions to the system. Factors contributing to the success of the intervention as well as suggestions for its implementation are discussed.     

Note on adolescents' time-use and scientific literacy

This study investigated the relative influence of self-reported, out-of-school experiences on 13-yr.-olds' scientific literacy, including the often studied variables of homework time and television time. Results, based on a national probability sample of 3,116 students, indicated that time spent doing homework, reading, and viewing television programs with an educational focus had significant and positive independent influences on scientific literacy net of home environment and students' background factors. Viewing television programs that emphasized entertainment negatively contributed to scientific literacy. The number of hours of television viewed was unrelated to literacy. Factors associated with the transition to adolescence, dating, and peer relations, were negatively related to scientific literacy. Findings were discussed in regard to improving students' performances in science.     

On the division of attention: A disproof of the single channel hypothesis

In dichotic listening, subjects are apparently unable to attend simultaneously to two concurrent, auditory speech messages. However, in two experiments reported here, it is shown that people can attend to and repeat back continuous speech at the same time as taking in complex, unrelated visual scenes, or even while sight-reading piano music. In both cases performance with divided attention was very good, and in the case of sight-reading was as good as with undivided attention. There was little or no effect of the dual task on the accuracy of speech shadowing. These results are incompatible with the hypothesis that human attention is limited by the capacity of a general-purpose central processor in the nervous system. An alternative, “multi-channel”, hypothesis is outlined.     

Visual-motor problems of adolescents who attempt suicide.

Using the Canter Background Interference Procedure with the Bender-Gestalt Test, a group of 18 adolescent suicide attempters earned test scores indicating they had significantly more problems with visual-motor coordination than did a control group of 21 adolescents. There were also a greater number of school failures and behavior problems among these suicide attempters. The findings suggest that learning disabilities may be an unrecognized factor which increases the risk of suicide attempts by adolescents.     

Factorial similarity of the WISC-R for Anglos and Chicanos referred for psychological services

Two- and three-factor principal factor solutions to the WISC-R (Wechsler, 1974) were compared across race for referred Anglo and Chicano children. Additional comparisons of these factor solutions were made with those for normal Anglo, Chicano, Black, and Papago students (Reschly, 1978, Note 1) and the WISC-R standardization sample (Wechsler, 1974). Substantial congruence occurred across race for both the two- and three-factor solutions, though the two-factor solution was clearly most appropriate for the present sample.     

Risky assessments: participant suicidality and distress associated with research assessments in a treatment study of suicidal behavior

The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of self-reported suicidality and distress during research assessments in a sample of 63 women meeting criteria for borderline personality disorder and current and chronic suicidality. The risk management protocol we used during the two-year study period (University of Washington Risk Assessment Protocol; UWRAP) is described. Results indicated that changes in suicidality following assessments were small and relatively infrequent, and were just as likely to reflect decreases in suicidality as increases (17.5% versus 16.4% of sessions, respectively). Further, longitudinal analyses indicated that changes in suicidality became increasingly rare over the course of the 2-year study. Ratings of distress were more changeable than suicidality, underscoring the need for separate measurement of these constructs when assessing risk. With the aid of the UWRAP, our assessors judged 15 participants as high-risk status in 28 assessment sessions (3.7% of all sessions). In comparison to the rest of the sample, these individuals were of significantly greater clinical severity as measured by the HRSD 17-item, GAF scores, number and severity of previous suicide attempts, and number of previous psychiatric hospitalizations. Low-intensity risk intervention strategies (e.g., validating participant's feelings) were typically sufficient to reduce risk in these participants. Overall, our findings indicate that research with highly suicidal individuals can be done safely with the use of well-trained assessors and an appropriate crisis management protocol.     

A neurocognitive model of the ethical decision-making process: implications for study and practice

The field of business ethics is entrenched in a cognitive approach that portrays the ethical decision-making process as a completely deliberate and reasoned exercise. In light of growing concerns about the veracity of this approach, I build upon current knowledge of how the brain functions to present a neurocognitive model of ethical decision making. The model suggests that ethical decision making involves 2 interrelated yet functionally distinct cycles, a reflexive pattern matching cycle and a higher order conscious reasoning cycle, and thereby describes not only reasoned analysis, but also the intuitive and retrospective aspects of ethical decision making. The model sparks research in new areas, holds significant implications for the study of ethical decision making, and provides suggestions for improving ethical behavior in organizations.