Defensive Reactions to Masculinity Threat: More Negative Affect Toward Effeminate (but not Masculine) Gay Men

We examined whether, due to men’s desire to reject stereotypically feminine traits in themselves, a masculinity threat would elicit negative affect toward effeminate, but not masculine gay men. Fifty-three male undergraduates from the United States received bogus feedback that they had either a “masculine” or “feminine” personality before rating affect toward two “types” of gay men: effeminate and masculine. Results were consistent with the notion that defensive reactions target groups stereotyped as having the specific traits perceivers wish to deny in themselves: masculinity threat selectively increased negative affect toward effeminate, but not masculine, gay men. Thus, gay men who exhibit feminine traits may be at particular risk from men whose masculinity is threatened.     

The changing nature of motorcycling: Patterns of use and rider characteristics

Notable increases in motorcycling activities since the mid-1990s have been reported in a number of countries worldwide. Governments and enforcement agencies have begun to recognise that not only has this mode of transport been neglected in terms of safety interventions, but also that the reasons behind the increase in popularity are poorly understood. This paper reports the results of a survey distributed to a sample of the UK motorcycling population in order to discover the types of motorcycles they ride and the trips they engage in. From the data, three groups of riders were identified – new, long-term and returning riders. They were additionally stratified by the type of riding they engaged in (leisure or commuting). The results indicated that long-term and returning riders dominated ownership of the higher capacity motorcycles whilst new riders favoured low powered mopeds and scooters. Those riders who used their motorcycles for leisure trips were more likely to be long-term and returning motorcyclists. Using retrospective data, it was found that those motorcyclists who had taken up the activity in recent years, increased the engine size of their machines more quickly, compared to earlier cohorts. Motorcycles purchased today are much more likely to be purchased for reasons of styling and image compared to previous cohorts who relied on them as a form of transport. The overall conclusion is that there is evidence of a shift in the nature of motorcycling in that it has, for some, become a leisure activity, with the motorcycle being more of accessory than a means of transport.     

Does expertise and thinking mode matter for accuracy in judgments of job applicants’ cognitive ability?

The present research examined the role of thinking mode for accuracy in recruiters and laypeople’s judgments of applicants’ cognitive ability. In Study 1, students who relied on their intuition were somewhat less accurate. In Study 2, an experimental manipulation of thinking mode (intuitive vs analytical) revealed no apparent differences in accuracy. Moreover, there were no differences in accuracy or agreement between recruiters and laypeople. Examination of the use of specific resume content suggested that intuitive thinking corresponds to basing one’s judgments more on the way that applicants present themselves in their personal letter and less on diagnostic biographical information such as SAT scores. The findings point to the possibility that professional recruiters may not possess intuitive expertise in this context.     

Do they want contact with us? The role of intergroup contact meta‐perceptions on positive contact and attitudes

This research examined the role of contact meta‐perceptions on positive intergroup contact and outgroup attitudes. Specifically, perceptions of the ingroup's and outgroup's desire for intergroup contact were simultaneously tested as predictors of intergroup contact and outgroup attitudes. Three correlational studies were conducted in three distinct contexts, international students' view of British students, general public views of people with schizophrenia, and both Muslims' and non‐Muslims' views of one another. Among these three intergroup relationships, the role of outgroup contact meta‐perceptions was consistently highlighted as predictor of intergroup contact. In stark contrast, ingroup contact meta‐perceptions did not emerge as a significant predictor of contact. Intergroup contact then predicted outgroup attitudes (Studies 1, 2, and 3) and stereotyping (Studies 2 and 3) via reduced anxiety (Studies 2 and 3). The results demonstrate the importance of explicitly highlighting outgroups' openness for intergroup interactions and are discussed in the context of intergroup relations literature.     

Telling and detecting lies in a high‐stake situation: the case of a convicted murderer

All deception studies published to date have been laboratory studies. In such studies people lied only for the sake of the experiment, consequently the stakes were usually low. Although research has shown that most spontaneous lies told in real life are trivial, such studies tell us little about lies where the stakes are high (such as police/suspect interviews). In Study 1, we discuss the behaviour of an actual suspect while he was interviewed by the police in a murder case. Although the man initially denied knowing and killing the victim, substantial evidence obtained by the police showed that he was lying. On the basis of this evidence, the man confessed to killing the victim and was later convicted for murder. To our knowledge there has been no other study published that has analysed the behaviour of a liar in such a high‐stake realistic setting. The analysis revealed several cues to deception. In Study 2, we exposed 65 police officers to six fragments (three truthful and three deceptive) of the interview with the murderer and asked them to indicate after each fragment whether the man was lying or not. The findings revealed that the participants were better at detecting truths (70% accuracy) than lies (57% accuracy). We also found individual differences among observers, with those holding popular stereotypical views on deceptive behaviour, such as ‘liars look away’ and ‘liars fidget’ performing least effectively as lie catchers. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shared minds: How mothers and infants co-construct early patterns of choice within intentional communication partnerships

The qualitative research method of case study inquiry is employed to investigate different patterns observed in early communicative interactions between two infants and their mothers. These mothers and babies were similar in significant ways: Both mothers were observed to be competent, well-functioning adults and reported no communicative or parenting dysfunction: both infants were evaluated as developing normally in terms of their cognitive level and acquisition of communication behaviors. However, a difference was observed between the dyads in their effectiveness in contributing to the infants' development as intentional communicators. The extent to which an infant and mother “share minds” is proposed as accounting for the observed difference. This phenomenon of “shared minds” is examined by observing the process of choice co-construction engaged in by mothers and infants during communication. It is concluded that characteristics of these early co-constructions influence the way in which the young child begins to act with intention and to interpret him- or herself and others as intentional communicative beings. © 1997 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health     

Childhood maltreatment and college students' current suicidal ideation: a test of the hopelessness theory.

Few studies have examined the relation between childhood maltreatment and adult suicidality within the context of a coherent theoretical model. The current study evaluates the ability of the hopelessness theory of depression's (Abramson, Metalsky, & Alloy, 1989) etiological chain to account for this relation in a sample of 297 undergraduates. Supporting the model, emotional, but not physical or sexual, maltreatment was uniquely related to average levels of suicidal ideation across a 2.5-year follow-up. Further, students' cognitive styles and average levels of hopelessness partially mediated this relation. Although these results cannot speak to causality, they support the developmental model evaluated.     

Aggression among older adults: The relationship of interaction networks and gender role to direct and indirect responses

This study examined interpersonally aggressive strategies among older adults and the social and personal context in which these strategies are likely to be employed. Specifically we assessed the relationship of social interaction networks and gender roles to the use of direct and indirect aggression. We predicted that older adults would be more likely to employ indirect than direct strategies and that the use of such strategies would be associated with network structure (i.e., size, density, and knowingness) and gender roles. One hundred ten older adults (mean age, 71 years; range, 55–89 years) completed questionnaires and interviews designed to measure aggressive strategies; gender roles; and network size, density, and knowingness. Respondents reported using more indirect than direct strategies. Those who reported using indirect aggression also reported being relatively masculine and having larger but less connected interaction networks. Use of direct aggression was associated with lower femininity scores but was not related to network structure. Aggr. Behav. 26:145–154, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.