When it matters how you pronounce it: the influence of regional accents on job interview outcome

The visual dimension has featured prominently in person perception in the last 25 years. Alone, this dimension cannot give the complete 'picture' of others because language and speech (i.e., the auditory dimension) are also highly informative. Social-cognition research investigates the role of auditory information for impression formation. In a series of experiments, we tested perceived competence, hirability, and socio-intellectual status of different targets based on their regional accents. Given identical content of statements in different conditions of an alleged job interview, regional German accents (Saxon, Bavarian, and Berlin) resulted in lower perceived competence and hirability than standard German, even though the Bavarian accent at the same time resulted in higher ratings of socio-intellectual status compared to other regional accents (Experiment 1). These findings were confirmed when using a broader population sample and a 'matched guise' technique (Experiment 2). Our findings indicate that regional accents, similar to faces, can be very powerful in creating differentiated pictures of individuals.     

Classroom emotional climate as a moderator of anxious solitary children's longitudinal risk for peer exclusion: a child × environment model

This study tests the ability of classroom emotional climate to moderate anxious solitary children's risk for peer exclusion over a 3-year period from 3rd through 5th grade. Six hundred eighty-eight children completed peer nominations for anxious solitude and peer exclusion in the fall and spring semesters of each grade, and observations of classroom emotional climate were conducted at the same time points. Results revealed a positive relation between anxious solitude and peer exclusion in the fall semester of each grade. However, in classrooms with supportive versus unsupportive emotional climates, this relation demonstrated a different pattern of change from fall to spring semesters. In classrooms with supportive emotional climates, children with high versus low levels of anxious solitude experienced relative elevation in fall peer exclusion, but this disappeared by the spring, such that spring peer exclusion levels were equalized among children who differed in anxious solitude. This result is consistent with hypotheses guided by the Child × Environment model. However, in classrooms with unsupportive emotional climates, results did not conform to expectations that children with high anxious solitude would experience stable or increased peer exclusion over time.     

Hangover sensitivity after controlled alcohol administration as predictor of post-college drinking

Predicting continued problematic levels of drinking after the early 20's could help with early identification of persons at risk. This study investigated whether hangover insensitivity could predict postcollege drinking and problems beyond the variance due to drinking patterns. In a preliminary study, 134 college seniors from a laboratory study of hangover (Time 1) were contacted and assessed 1-4 years (M = 2.3) later (Time 2). Hangover severity was studied after controlled alcohol administration to a specific dose while controlling sleep and environmental influences. Hangover severity at Time 1 was used to predict Time 2 drinking volume and problems while controlling for relevant demographics and Time 1 drinking volume. Hangover insensitivity at Time 1 tended to predict a clinical level of alcohol problems with a large statistical effect size. Hangover sensitivity also correlated positively with sensitivity to alcohol intoxication. Hangover severity did not predict future drinking volume. Hangover insensitivity correlates with insensitivity to intoxication and might predict more serious alcohol problems in the future, suggesting that a future larger study is warranted. Hangover insensitivity could result from physiological factors underlying low sensitivity to alcohol or risk for alcoholism.     

Urban African-American Girls’ Participation and Future Intentions Toward Physical Education

Despite the fact that physical education holds great promise for the promotion of public health, urban African American girls’ interest and participation in physical education tends to decline with age. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior and feminist poststructuralist theory, this study was designed to examine African American girls’ physical education participation and possible social, cognitive, and motivational factors that drive them away from future intentions toward physical education. Participants were 168 African American girls (age range?=?14–17?years, mean age?=?14.7?years) enrolled in three public high schools from a large urban inner-city school district in the Midwestern United States. Both quantitative and word-data were collected. Results revealed that participation in physical education played an important role in urban African-American girls’ overall physical activity engagement. However, unfavorable attitudes and lack of perceived support impeded their intentions toward future enrollment in physical education. Major factors related to their intentions were: anticipated short- and long-term outcomes, body image concerns, the influence of their mothers, and scheduling conflicts. The findings indicate opportunities for early intervention.     

Stepfamily Communication Strengths

This study used systems theory to examine the communication strategies that differentiate “strong” stepfamilies from stepfamilies having more difficulty, inductively deriving a composite of stepfamily “communication strengths.” A total of 90 in‐depth interviews were conducted with stepparents, parents, and stepchildren from 30 stepfamilies. The stepfamilies, regardless of their strength, faced 7 primary challenges in their development: “feeling caught,” regulating boundaries with a noncustodial family, ambiguity of parental roles, “traumatic bonding,” vying for resources, discrepancies in conflict management styles, and building solidarity as a family unit. However, the communicative tactics used to manage them differed according to the strength of the stepfamily. In general, strong stepfamilies reported using everyday talk, more openness, spending time together as a family, communicating clear rules and boundaries, engaging in family problem solving, promoting a positive image of the noncustodial parent, and more consistency in perceptions about the severity of their problems. Implications for appropriate boundary integration in stepfamilies are discussed.     

Couple Identity Gaps,the Management of Conflict,and Biological and Self‐Reported Stress in Romantic Relationships

This study investigates the role of couple identity gaps in romantic partners' communicative and physiological management of stress during a conflict‐inducing discussion task. A total of 118 couples participated in a laboratory study in which they engaged in a conflict‐inducing discussion. Perceptions of intra‐ and extrarelationship couple identity gaps were associated with greater self‐reported anxiety and stress for men and greater negativity for women during the conversation. Extrarelationship identity gaps were also significantly associated with heightened cortisol and (salivary alpha‐amylase) sAA reactivity and delayed recovery, especially for women. The study extends the research on couple identity by introducing the concept of identity gaps into relational contexts to help explain why couples vary in their ability to manage stress.