Unhealthy fear: Influence of general health on fear of crime

The current study proposed general health as a predictor of fear of crime with risk perception and general fear as mediating factors. Data were collected from a randomly selected household sample using face to face interviews (n = 300) and utilizing the following scales: general health, general fear, fear of crime, and perceived risk of victimization. Findings confirm hypothesis that persons with low general health will experience higher fear of crime, a relationship mediated by both general fear and perceived risk of victimization. A significant gender difference was observed with general fear significantly mediating relationship for females, and risk of perceived victimization mediating for males. Implications of findings are discussed in the context of previous and future research.     

Task-relevant perceptual features can define categories in visual memory too

Although Konkle, Brady, Alvarez, and Oliva (2010, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 139(3), 558) claim that visual long-term memory (VLTM) is organized on underlying conceptual, not perceptual, information, visual memory results from visual search tasks are not well explained by this theory. We hypothesized that when viewing an object, any task-relevant visual information is critical to the organizational structure of VLTM. In two experiments, we examined the organization of VLTM by measuring the amount of retroactive interference created by objects possessing different combinations of task-relevant features. Based on task instructions, only the conceptual category was task relevant or both the conceptual category and a perceptual object feature were task relevant. Findings indicated that when made task relevant, perceptual object feature information, along with conceptual category information, could affect memory organization for objects in VLTM. However, when perceptual object feature information was task irrelevant, it did not contribute to memory organization; instead, memory defaulted to being organized around conceptual category information. These findings support the theory that a task-defined organizational structure is created in VLTM based on the relevance of particular object features and information.     

Objectification leads to depersonalization: The denial of mind and moral concern to objectified others

Philosophers have argued that when people are objectified they are treated as if they lack the mental states and moral status associated with personhood. These aspects of objectification have been neglected by psychologists. This research investigates the role of depersonalization in objectification. In Study 1, objectified women were attributed less mind and were accorded lesser moral status than non‐objectified women. In Study 2, we replicated this effect with male and female targets and extended it to include perceptions of competence and pain attribution. Further, we explored whether target and perceiver gender qualify depersonalization. Overall, this research indicates that when people are objectified they are denied personhood. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The moderating role of extrinsic contingency focus on reactions to threat

Over the last decade a number of theorists have advanced a multifaceted conceptualization of self‐esteem. Central to this idea is the notion that self‐esteem is less secure and more defensive when individuals are more focused on extrinsic contingencies. To test the hypothesis that individuals with high dispositional levels of extrinsic contingency focus (ECF) are insecure and respond defensively to threat, we developed a measure of ECF and conducted two validation studies. Study 1 showed that the extrinsic contingency focus scale (ECFS) was positively correlated with measures of defensiveness and was negatively correlated with measures of security and well‐being. Study 2 showed that people with a high (vs. low) focus on extrinsic contingencies were more likely to defensively distance from a socially insensitive person following negative feedback about their own social sensitivity. Study 3 showed that when mortality (vs. dental pain) was salient, high ECF individuals responded more defensively toward a worldview violator than low ECF individuals. Discussion is focused on theoretical issues related to ECF and defensiveness. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Proactively performing teams: The role of work design,transformational leadership,and team composition

This study investigated the determinants of team proactive performance amongst 43 shift teams from a UK chemical processing plant. Using external ratings of team proactive performance, the study found that the most proactive teams were those with higher levels of self‐management, transformational team leaders, and a higher‐than‐average level of proactive personality. The relationship between transformational leadership and team proactive performance was mediated by favourable interpersonal norms. In addition, lower diversity of proactive personality amongst team members had an indirect association with team proactive performance via its negative effect on favourable interpersonal norms.     

Sex Differences in Math-Intensive Fields

Despite impressive employment gains in many fields of science, women remain underrepresented in fields requiring intensive use of mathematics. Here we discuss three potential explanations for women's underrepresentation: (a) male-female mathematical and spatial ability gaps, (b) sex discrimination, and (c) sex differences in career preferences and lifestyle choices. Synthesizing findings from psychology, endocrinology, sociology, economics, and education leads to the conclusion that, among a combination of interrelated factors, preferences and choices-both freely made and constrained-are the most significant cause of women's underrepresentation.     

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Teletherapy in Depressed Adults

Telephone psychotherapy is an emerging form of delivery of care that has recently demonstrated utility and efficacy for adult depression when provided as an adjunct to antidepressant treatment in primary care trials. This study constitutes one of the initial evaluations of cognitive behavioral therapy-telephone treatment (CBT-TT) as a stand-alone treatment for adult depression in specialty care. Thirty adults initiating psychotherapy for depression at a mental health clinic participated in the trial. The majority of participants (69%) were very satisfied with the 8-session CBT-TT, reduction in depression severity was significant over 3 and 6 months, and 42% of participants were considered recovered at termination. These outcomes closely parallel the findings from an earlier primary care trial, despite specialty care participants beginning treatment with more severe depression and without adjunctive antidepressant medication. These findings suggest that CBT-TT for adult depression is feasible and has potential as a stand-alone treatment. Implementation of this telephone-based delivery approach in primary and specialty care settings is discussed.