Feminine sex role and depression in middle-aged women

The present study was designed to investigate the relationship of sex-role orientation and depression in middle-aged women. It was hypothesized that middle-aged females who were clinically depressed would score higher in feminine characteristics on the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) than similar women who were not depressed. The subjects were two groups of women between the ages of 35 and 50. The clinical group consisted of 15 women who were currently diagnosed as depressive and who were undergoing treatment for depression at three local mental health centers. The nonclinical group consisted of 24 women who were not currently seeking treatment for depression and who had never undergone psychiatric treatment or therapy. All subjects were administered the BSRI and Beck's Depression Inventory.Results supported the hypothesis that depression in middle-aged females is related to their degree of acceptance of the traditional feminine role. For all subjects, depression scores were positively correlated with femininity scores. It was concluded that the woman who subscribes to a traditional feminine role stereotype has a greater vulnerability to depression in her middle years.     

A comparison of adult males' and females' interactions with girls and boys

The verbal interactions of adult males and females with trained girl and boy confederates were compared in an unstructured and an immediately following structured situation. Women did not respond differently based on the child's gender in either situation, while men spoke more and used longer mean length of utterances with the boys than with the girls in the unstructured situation. In the structured situation males did not respond differently to girls and boys, speaking more to both than did females. Correlations between the number of words spoken in female-child pairs were higher, suggesting a greater reciprocity of interaction, than for male-child pairs in both situations. The results are seen as reflecting the outcome of differential sex-role socialization for men and women, especially with respect to children, with females socialized to relate with others and men to need to dominate others.     

TEACHER-VERSUS PEER-MEDIATED INSTRUCTION: AN ECOBEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS OF ACHIEVEMENT OUTCOMES

In three experiments, we compared the effects of instructional arrangements that varied in: (a) teacher versus peer mediators, (b) methods used, (c) levels of student academic responding generated, and (d) content taught and tested. Instructional arrangements (i.e., tasks, structure, teacher position, teacher behavior) and students' levels of academic responding were measured by an observation system which served as an index of the independent variables. Students' accuracy on weekly spelling, arithmetic, and vocabulary tests and pre- and post-standardized achievement tests (Experiments 2 and 3 only) were the dependent variables. Results indicated that the classwide peer tutoring, compared to the teacher's procedure, produced more student academic responding and higher weekly test scores, regardless of treatment order or subject matter content (Experiment 1). The four lowest performing students in each class, in particular, benefited from peer tutoring, often performing as well as the other students. These findings were replicated in Experiments 2 and 3 wherein content taught/tested was also manipulated. Standardized test score gains were higher in those areas in which peer tutoring was used longest. Issues related to the functional analysis of instruction and achievement gain are discussed.     

Noncompliance: Medical and Psychological Aspects

Patient noncompliance to oral medication regimens was assessed by interview in a sample of 109 private practice patients at two pharmacies in an outer western suburb of Sydney. Patients were classified into one of the five following groups on the basis of their stated degree of noncompliance to all medications taken (perfect compliance on all medications, occasional noncompliance on all medications, frequent noncompliance on all medications, occasional noncompliance on only some of the medications taken, and frequent noncompliance on only some of the medications taken). Selected medical/phnrmacological, doctor-patient relationship, attitudinal and personality variables were measured and univariate and multivariate analyses of the data undertaken. Contrary to expectations, the total number of medications reportedly taken rind complexity of the regimen were inversely related to noncompliance. Respondents reported satisfaction with the doctor's consultations, skepticism of doctors, attitudes to medication and scores on Rotter's (1966) Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (IEC) did not distinguish the compliant group from the four noncompliant groups combined. The most noteworthy finding concerned the marked ditlerences between the noncompliant groups, especially in relation to the patient's opinion of having to take the medication and the Personal Control scores of the IEC.     

Patterns of regional cerebral blood flow during attempted reading aloud by stutterers both on and off haloperidol medication: Evidence for inadequate left frontal activation during stuttering

Two stutterers, both recent college graduates, were subjected to regional cerebral blood flow measurements while attempting to read aloud. Each one received two measurements, one of which was under the influence of haloperidol, 3 mg daily. Both subjects showed improvement on medication, allowing a stuttering versus essentially no stuttering comparisons for each subject. Both subjects showed higher Broca's area flow in the right compared to the left hemisphere, during stuttering. Both showed higher Wernicke's area flow in the left compared to the right hemisphere, however, during stuttering. During reading aloud without stuttering, however, the Brocas's area flows were reversed, now showing a left hemisphere advantage. The results were interpreted as consistent with H. M. Sussman and P. F. MacNeilage's (1975, Neuropsychologia, 13, 19–26) proposal that stutterers exhibit conventional left cerebral dominance for speech reception, but inadequate left cerebral dominance for speech production.     

From evolution to Larry P., or what shall we do about IQ tests?

IQ tests are a dilemma in that great morality play. “Who Shall Enjoy Society's Privileges?” Legal authorities battle over IQ tests as heroes or villians. The stages are courts around the nation jammed with plaintiffs whose test scores were used to reject them from desired educational and occupational positions or whose scores exceeded those of others who were selected for desired positions on nonintellective bases. Larry P. Bakke, and Griggs are but a few of the plaintiffs whose names may become household words in the late '70s. Judges know little about the technical construction of IQ tests, their appropriate use and interpretation, and about the underlying issues of inequality that bring the adversaries to court. But the judges will decide how, when, and for whom IQ tests may be used to make life decisions.     

Sex differences in perceptions of familial and occupational roles

Women's lower achievement level in the professions is explained by the Multiple Role Negotiation perspective as resulting from the difficulty in balancing the “active” or demanding roles of wife/mother and a high level professional role. The Value Difference perspective, on the other hand, explains this differential achievement as resulting from differences in degree to which women value professional roles and their familial role, with perceptions of “demand” serving only as “excuses” to mask values. To explore the assumptions of each position three research questions are posed and 33 first-year students in a professional program are surveyed. The findings reveal that neither males nor females perceive the female familial role as the “more active” one; females, however do anticipate less career advancement, value the higher level role less, and also perceive it as a more demanding role than the lower level role.     

Theory of learning mathematics with computer-assisted instruction: Hierarchical and nonhierarchical options

The learning of arithmetic problems is assumed to be a Markov process involving conditioning of a set of k subskills, each consisting of one or more productions. An axiom set is provided, with the choice between two options for one axiom controlling which of two models results. Model 1, which assumes that every subskill is attempted on every occurrence of a given problem, is a nonhierarchical model. Model 2, which assumes that every subskill in the temporal sequence for a problem is attempted until one is failed, is a somewhat unconventional hierarchical model: It is hierarchical in the sense that conditioningor chance success at one level is prerequisite to performance of the next subskill (next level) in the problem. As the value of the guessing parameter, g, declines, Model 2 leads to less efficient learning than Model 1.