Perceptions of attitudinal similarity in ethnic groups in the U.S.: ingroup and outgroup homogeneity effects

The outgroup homogeneity phenomenon was examined by having majority group members (White Americans) judge the variability in attitudes about intergroup relations in their own group and one outgroup (African Americans). A preliminary study found the threat of the attitude statements to the group doing the judging seemed to affect whether or not participants showed outgroup or ingroup homogeneity. For the present study, statements about ethnic group relations were prerated to obtain two sets of items that aroused either high or low threat to White Americans. White students judged the homogeneity of these items for their own group and for African Americans. Outgroup homogeneity was found for the low threat items and ingroup homogeneity was found for the high threat items. This study demonstrates that the homogeneity effect depends on the threat of the attitude content to the group doing the judging. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Message Derogation and Self‐Distancing Denial: Situational and Dispositional Influences on the Use of Denial to Protect Against a Threatening Message1

Five types of denial to protect against the implications of a personal health threat message (cardiovascular disease or CVD) were examined. Undergraduates (N = 150) were randomly assigned to levels of threat and difficulty, read the message, and completed measures of objective risk for CVD, optimistic denial threat orientation, measures of 1 type of message‐oriented denial (message derogation) and 4 types of self‐oriented denial, and intentions to engage in protective action. High threat and difficulty both provoked message derogation, but low threat led to more self‐oriented denial. Individual differences were evident: Those higher in optimistic denial used more self‐oriented denial and had lower intention to engage in protective actions. Self‐oriented denial mediated the relationship between optimistic denial and behavioral intentions.     

Barth's 'Other' Doctrine of Election in the Church Dogmatics

Abstract:  In the Göttingen Dogmatics Barth gives an account of the doctrine of election which differs radically from that which he will go on to develop after 1936. This article contends that more consideration needs to be given to the presence of this earlier understanding of election in CD I/1 and 2, both with regard to its influence on the presentation of key loci within these volumes and to the tensions created in the unfolding of major themes before and after his christological reorientation of the doctrine.     

Boundaries as Distance Regulators in Personal Relationships

Received wisdom suggests that boundaries are, or should be, important in intimate relationships. In this essay, we focus primarily upon the beliefs and phenomenology relating to a variety of boundaries, and provide a discussion of some conceptual issues, in order to understand better the development, facilitation, and maintenance of, as well as restraints upon, intimacy. Although we attend mainly to dyadic relationships, we believe that our observations and suggestions have application to larger groups.     

The Ten Commandments for Community Mental Health Education

Ten guidelines for effective community mental health education were presented at a mental health center as a part of the staff training and development program.     

Intervention for Multipotentiality: Effects of a Career Counseling Laboratory for Gifted High School Students

Career counseling effectively enhanced high school students' desire to engage in discussion about their career development with counselors, parents, and peers. They also were somewhat more likely to plan to go to college. A total of 59% changed or confirmed their career plans.     

Behavioral-Systems Marital Therapy: Dealing With Resistance

Recently there has been a dramatic increase in attempts to integrate certain intervention components of behavioral and systems approaches with marital and family therapy. This paper elaborates on a previously described behavioral-systems approach by focusing primarily on the issue of resistance to therapeutic progress within the behavioral framework. First, potential reasons for major resistance phenomena are suggested. Then, in the context of a social learning theory model of assessment and intervention, specific clinical indications are discussed for departing from the basic behavioral approach in order to deal with resistance. Finally, a variety of interpretive and strategic intervention techniques are described and illustrated by clinical case materials     

Group aggression among school children in three schools

"Mobbing", i.e. school children repeatedly ganging up on the same victims, was studied among 434 12–16 years old children in three schools in Finland. A group of bullies and a group of victims were selected on basis of peer ratings. 13.7% of the boys and 5.4% of the girls were involved in mobbing behaviour. The children's personality variables were studied with questionnaires. The victims had low self-esteem, were subjectively maladjusted, and experienced their peer relations negatively. The victims were physically weaker than well-adjusted children, and obesity and handicaps were more common among them. The bullies were physically strong, and handicaps were also among them more frequent than among well-adjusted children. The bullies held positive attitudes towards aggression, experienced their peer relations negatively, and held negative attitudes towards teachers and peers. They were unpopular among their peers, though not so unpopular as the victims.