Modulation of the rod and frame effect: Retinal angle vs apparent size

Summary Two rod and frame displays, constructed in a 3:1 linear ratio, were used to assess the apparent vertical. When viewed at the common distance of 1.5 m, the larger-appearing frame also produced the greater retinal angle. With the small frame at .5 m and the large one at 4.5 m, the smaller-appearing frame produced the greater retinal angle. In both cases the rod and frame effect increased with increasing retinal size, rather than with the apparent size of the frame.This research was supported by NIH Grant EY 02264 from the National Eye Institute to the first author.     

A motivational perspective on risky behaviors: the role of personality and affect regulatory processes

The present study tested a motivational model in which personality influences on risky behaviors were hypothesized to be primarily indirectly mediated, by shaping the nature and quality of emotional experience as well as characteristic styles of coping with these emotions. This model was tested in a representative community sample of 1,666 young adults, aged 18 to 25 years old. Results revealed strong support for the model, indicating that broad traits related to neuroticism and extraversion promote involvement in alcohol use and risky sex via distinct pathways. Neurotic individuals were prone to engage in risky behaviors as a way to cope with aversive mood states, whereas extraverted individuals were more likely to engage in risky behaviors as a way to enhance positive affective experience. In contrast, impulsivity directly predicted some forms of risk taking, and interacted with extraversion and neuroticism to predict motives for risky behaviors. The model provides a highly general though not complete account of risky behaviors.     

Gender Differences in Preferences for Singles Ads that Proclaim Extrinsic Versus Intrinsic Values

Two studies (Ns = 1,113 and 98) examined University men and womens’ differing preferences for singles ads as a function of the values declared by ad-writers, using Kasser and colleagues’ distinction between extrinsic values (financial success, status/fame, and image/attractiveness) and intrinsic values (emotional intimacy, community contribution, and personal growth). In general, participants preferred writers espousing intrinsic values. Women, compared to men, especially preferred partners espousing intrinsic values. They also expressed less interest in partners espousing extrinsic values, with one exception: compared to men, they were more interested in partners espousing financial success values. Implications for debates regarding the evolved versus sociological origins of gender differences are discussed, as well as implications for theories of attraction based on the matching hypothesis.     

Anxiety symptom interpretation in high-anxious, defensive high-anxious, low-anxious and repressor sport performers

For the first time in a sport setting this study examined the intensity and direction of the competitive state anxiety response in collegiate athletes as a function of four different coping styles: high-anxious, defensive high-anxious, low-anxious and repressors. Specifically, the study predicted that repressors would interpret competitive state anxiety symptoms as more facilitative compared to high-anxious, defensive high-anxious, and low-anxious performers. Separate Multivariate Analyses of Variance (MANOVA) were performed on the intensity and direction subscales of the modified Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2). A significant main effect was identified for trait worry revealing that low trait anxious athletes reported lower intensities of cognitive and somatic anxiety and higher self-confidence and interpreted these as more facilitative than high trait anxious athletes. The prediction that performers with a repressive coping style would interpret state anxiety symptoms as more facilitative than performers with non-repressive coping styles was not supported.     

The effects of a motivational general-arousal imagery intervention upon preperformance symptoms in male rugby union players

ObjectivesTo investigate the efficacy of a motivational general-arousal based imagery strategy in modifying precompetitive symptom interpretations.MethodA staggered multiple baseline single-subject design was employed with five male collegiate rugby union players (M = 24.5; SD = 3.05). The dependent variable was monitored over a full competitive season via measures of precompetitive anxiety and affect together with follow-up social validation procedures.ResultsMore facilitative interpretations of symptoms associated with competitive anxiety, and greater self-confidence levels were reported postintervention, together with changes in positive and negative affect.ConclusionsThe findings highlight the importance of employing individualized imagery with motivational general-arousal content to modify performers' perceptions of their precompetitive experiences. This effect is proposed to occur directly through adaptive changes in individuals' psychological response systems and indirectly via the protection mechanisms associated with enhanced efficacy expectations.     

Can We Improve Our Physical Health by Altering Our Social Networks?

ABSTRACT— Persons with more types of social relationships live longer and have less cognitive decline with aging, greater resistance to infectious disease, and better prognoses when facing chronic life-threatening illnesses. We have known about the importance of social integration (engaging in diverse types of relationships) for health and longevity for 30 years. Yet, we still do not know why having a more diverse social network would have a positive influence on our health, and we have yet to design effective interventions that influence key components of the network and in turn physical health. Better understanding of the role of social integration in health will require research on how integrated social networks influence health relevant behaviors, regulate emotions and biological responses, and contribute to our expectations and worldviews.     

Gender Stereotypes in Educational Software for Young Children

Children are increasingly being exposed to educational technology at school. In response to this, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) drafted a set of technology standards for teachers (ISTE, 2002) that specifically states that teachers should empower all students and support diversity. This content analysis of educational software for preschoolers was designed to look at gender representations and stereotyping. The results demonstrated significantly more male characters than female characters in preschool educational software, which makes it difficult for teachers to address gender diversity and suggests that girls are not as valued as boys are. Male characters were also more likely than female characters to exhibit several masculine-stereotypical traits. In addition, female characters more than male characters exhibited counterstereotypical behaviors, yet were more gender stereotyped in appearance.     

Age and Gender Differences in the Sources of Self-Evaluation Valued by Adult Athletes

Researchers have demonstrated that competency judgments can vary depending on the source of self-evaluation used. This study investigated age and gender differences in 459 adult tennis players' importance ratings for ten different competence information sources. As predicted, younger adults were more likely than older adults to value temporal comparisons, both past-to-present (i.e., personal improvement) and present-to-future (i.e., comparisons with future selves). Younger adults were more likely to value feedback from family for self-evaluation. Older adults were slightly more likely to rate comparisons with agemates as important. Women more than men valued feedback from tennis others, effort, and liking for the sport. The findings are consistent with theoretical models and point to new areas of investigation.     

Chinese adolescents with higher social dominance orientation are less prosocial and less happy: A value‐environment fit analysis

This study aims to investigate the relationship between social dominance orientation (SDO) and subjective well‐being among Chinese adolescents (N = 4246), and to examine the mediating role of prosocial behaviour in this relationship. The structural equation model's results showed that SDO was negatively associated with prosocial behaviour and subjective well‐being, that prosocial behaviour was positively associated with subjective well‐being, and also that (low) prosocial behaviour partially mediated the negative relationship between SDO and subjective well‐being. Multi‐group analyses showed that the mediation model was generally similar between boys and girls, but that the negative relationship between SDO and prosocial behaviour was somewhat stronger among girls than boys. This study sheds light on how SDO is associated with positive outcomes among Chinese adolescents and highlights the mediating role of prosocial behaviour as an underlying mechanism between SDO and subjective well‐being. Future studies are needed to further discover the role of culture values in the association between SDO and subjective well‐being.     

Reliability and validity of the Fear of Intimacy Scale in China

Participants in China (n = 343) and the United States (n = 283) completed measures to assess the reliability and validity of the Fear of Intimacy Scale (Descutner & Thelen, 1991) with a Chinese population. Internal consistency was strong in both cultures, and the factor structure was also similar between cultures, with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) identifying three-factor models in both samples. As evidence of convergent validity, the scale was positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with social support and self-esteem. There were gender differences between cultures, but low levels of femininity were predictive of fear of intimacy in both cultures. The influence of individualism and collectivism varied, with high levels of individualism more predictive of a fear of intimacy in China than in the United States.