The unique and combined benefits of accuracy and positive bias in relationships

An experiment investigated the independent and combined effects of receiving feedback from romantic partners that varied in both accuracy (i.e., profile agreement) and positive bias, as compared with one's self‐perceptions. Both members of 55 romantically involved couples were randomly assigned to receive either high or low levels of accurate or positively biased feedback ostensibly created from a comparison between their self‐ratings and their partner's appraisals. After receiving this feedback, participants rated how positive and intimate they felt in their relationships. As expected, both accuracy and positive bias in partner feedback had independent positive effects. Importantly, positive bias and accuracy were found to operate additively; participants who received feedback that was simultaneously positively biased and accurate rated their relationships particularly positively.     

The role of sexual attitude similarity in romantic heterosexual relationships

This investigation explored the role of sexual attitude similarity in sexually involved romantic couples. Findings indicate that sexual attitudes of partners are positively correlated, and that partners exhibit significantly greater levels of similarity than randomly generated couples. Similarity in sexual attitudes did not vary as a function of length of relationship or length of sexual involvement. Gender differences were evident in the correlations between certain types of sexual attitudes and the four indicators of relationship quality: sexual satisfaction, relational satisfaction, commitment, and sexual communication satisfaction. In addition, sexual communication satisfaction mediated the effect of sexual attitude similarity on both males' and females' sexual satisfaction.     

Psychoeducational Assessment of Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups: Professional Implications

The authors address the consumer's need for more information by describing a framework for integrating test data when it applies to minority children and their families. Test bias has a long history; the progression to nonbiased assessment includes legal decisions and guidelines, further training and education for professionals who test, and greater awareness of issues for all consumers of test data.     

Selected Trends in the Economic Status of American Women (1900–1986): Implications for Employment Counselors

The author compares selected data since the turn of the century to identify trends that affect the economic status of women in a changing world economy and the implications for counselors.