Ethnicity, Acculturation, and Religiosity as Predictors of Female College Students' Role Expectations

The present study was designed to examine ethnicity, acculturation, and religiosity as predictors of European American and Korean American evangelical female college students' role expectations. Fifty-seven European American and 37 Korean American single women, who ranged in age from 17 to 24 years, completed a demographic questionnaire, a role expectation measure, three religiosity measures, and an acculturation measure. The results indicated a significant negative correlation between fundamentalism and role-sharing expectations for European American women and a significant positive correlation between level of acculturation and role-sharing expectations for Korean American women. The results suggest that fundamentalism is a stronger predictor of role expectations than religious commitment in European American women and that acculturation is a more accurate predictor of role expectations than generation in the United States among Korean American women.     

The Influence of Hero and Villain Labels on the Perception of Vice and Virtue Products

The placement of heroes and villains is ubiquitous on labels and packages in the marketplace. In this research, we examine the influence of a hero versus a villain label on the preference for virtue versus vice products. Across seven laboratory and field studies, we find that consumers derive higher utility for a hero (villain) label with a vice (virtue) food than from a hero (villain) label with a virtue (vice) food. Relying on a coherence‐based explanation, we propose that a hero label adds a beneficial aspect to vice foods, making them appear less harmful, whereas a villain label adds an edgy aspect to virtue foods, making them appear more fun. This research provides insights into the effect of hero and villain branding and offers implications for marketing strategy and public policy.     

The approach–avoidance dilemma at the heart of group-based support: Evidence that group identification increases willingness to seek support at the same time that identity-based support threat reduces it

Despite the benefits of shared group membership, group members often experience an approach–avoidance dilemma when seeking support. At the same time that group members’ willingness to seek support is increased by the positive implications of group identification (the approach hypothesis), it is reduced by negative implications, including the capacity for support to threaten their standing in the group (the avoidance hypothesis). As this dilemma predicts, we find evidence that as participants’ group identification increases, their willingness to seek support increases, but that this willingness is simultaneously reduced by increased identity-based support threat (Study 1, N = 125; Study 2, N = 161). Furthermore, manipulated support threat decreases willingness to seek support. In a team-based game (Study 3, N = 117), support threat is reduced when group norms encourage support-seeking, leading to increases in support-seeking behavior through increases in willingness to seek support, as predicted by the avoidance-reduction hypothesis. Implications for strategies to promote effective social support in intragroup contexts are discussed.     

When we feel good and bad about ourselves: self-esteem memories across cultures

Young adults in the United States, Croatia, and China described personal episodes of times when they felt especially good or bad about themselves. These self-esteem memories were either recent (episodes that occurred during the previous 4 weeks) or remote (episodes that occurred between the ages of 10 and 15). Systematic content differences between memories of positive and negative self-worth were apparent primarily for remote rather than for recent memories. Across cultures, long-lasting positive memories frequently represented achievement themes, whereas negative memories frequently represented social themes. Links between achievement success and positive self-regard, and between social distress and negative self-regard, are explained using theories of self-esteem and autobiographical memory.     

Technical Considerations When Handling Questions in the Initial Phase of Psychotherapy

Responding to patients' questions throughout the therapeutic process can be challenging. Questions posed at the beginning of treatment have unique features which make them especially difficult to negotiate. When handled skillfully and tactfully, questions asked during this phase can provide the therapist with important opportunities to foster engagement in treatment. Questions can provide valuable information about the patient's internal world, afford the opportunity to socialize the patient to the therapeutic process, and aid in rapport-building. This article will focus on ways to understand and handle questions patients ask during the initial phase of treatment. Vignettes will be presented and specific responses therapists can offer to patients will be discussed.     

The Psychometric Properties of the Orthogonal Cultural Identification Scale in Asian Americans

Reliability (internal consistency and test‐retest) and validity (construct and factorial) of the Orthogonal Cultural Identification Scale (OCIS; E. R. Oetting & F. Beauvais, 1990–1991) were evaluated in a sample of Asian American university students. Ethnic identification, measured using the OCIS, and acculturation, measured using the Suinn‐Lew Asian Self‐Identity Acculturation Scale (R. M. Suinn, K. Rickard‐Fugueroa, S. Lew, & P. Vigil, 1987), are hypothesized to measure related but separate constructs. Análisis de fiabilidad (consistencia interna y estabilidad temporal), y de validez (conceptual y factorial) de la Escala Ortagonal de Identificación Cultural (OCIS; E. R. Oetting & F. Beauvais, 1990–1991) fueron evaluados en un grupo de estudiantes universitarios Asiáticos Americanos. La identificación étnica fue medida usando la OCIS, y la aculturación fue medida usando la Escala de Identidad de Ser y Aculturación Asiática de Suinn‐Lew (R. M. Suinn, K. Rickard‐Figueroa, S. Lew, & P. Vigil, 1987). Se presenta la hipótesis que la identificación étnica y la aculturación miden conceptos separados que estan relacionados.     

Reducing depressive intrusions via a computerized cognitive bias modification of appraisals task: Developing a cognitive vaccine

A feature of depression is the distressing experience of intrusive, negative memories. The maladaptive appraisals of such intrusions have been associated with symptom persistence. This study aimed to experimentally manipulate appraisals about depressive intrusions via a novel computerized cognitive bias modification (CBM) of appraisals paradigm, and to test the impact on depressive intrusion frequency for a standardized event (a depressive film). Forty-eight participants were randomly assigned to either a session of positive or negative CBM. Participants then watched a depressing film (including scenes of bereavement and bullying) and subsequently monitored the occurrence of depressive intrusions related to the film in a diary for one week. At one-week follow-up, participants completed additional measures of intrusions – the Impact of Event Scale (IES) and an intrusion provocation task. As predicted, compared to the negative condition, participants who underwent positive CBM showed a more positive appraisal bias. Further, one week later, positive CBM participants reported fewer intrusions of the film and had lower IES scores. Our findings demonstrate that it is possible to manipulate maladaptive appraisals about depressive intrusions via a computerized CBM task. Further, this effect transfers to reducing intrusive symptomatology related to a standardized event (a depressive film) over one week, suggesting novel clinical implications.     

Hierarchical forms processing in adults and children

Two experiments examined child and adult processing of hierarchical stimuli composed of geometric forms. Adults (ages 18-23 years) and children (ages 7-10 years) performed a forced-choice task gauging similarity between visual stimuli consisting of large geometric objects (global level) composed of small geometric objects (local level). The stimuli spatial arrangement was manipulated to assess child and adult reaction times and predisposition toward local or global form categorization under two distinct trial conditions, with varied density of the local forms comprising the global forms. In Experiment 1, children and adults were presented with common, simple geometric shape hierarchical forms composed of ovals and rectangles. In Experiment 2, adults were presented with hierarchical forms composed of the simple geometric shapes, ovals and rectangles, and additional novel complex geometric shapes, “posts” and “arches.” Results show a clear increase of global processing bias across the age ranges of the individuals in the study, with children at 10 years performing similarly to adults on the simple stimuli. In addition, adults presented with the novel complex geometric shapes showed a significant reduction in global processing bias, indicating that form novelty and complexity lead to additional attention to local features in categorization tasks.     

Mindfulness, Big Five personality, and affect: A meta-analysis

Mindfulness is purposefully and nonjudgmentally paying attention to the present moment. The primary purpose of this study is to provide a more precise empirical estimate of the relationship between mindfulness and the Big Five personality traits as well as trait affect. Current research results present inconsistent or highly variable estimates of these relationships. Meta-analysis was used to synthesize findings from 32 samples in 29 studies. Results indicate that, although all of the traits display appreciable relationships with mindfulness, the strongest relationships are found with neuroticism, negative affect, and conscientiousness. Conscientiousness, in particular, is often ignored by mindfulness researchers; results here indicate it deserves stronger consideration. Although the results provide a clearer picture of how mindfulness relates to these traits, they also highlight the need to ensure an appropriate conceptualization and measurement of mindfulness.