Love preferences and ideals: A comparison of homosexual,bisexual, and heterosexual groups

Homosexuals, bisexuals, and heterosexuals were compared on self-reported love preferences and ideals. In general, the three groups tended to agree on ideal characteristics of love objects, love relationships, and love related beliefs. Nevertheless, the groups differed significantly on preferences and beliefs related to love-object sex, residential proximity, ethnic background, physical intimacy, freedom from feelings of jealousy, sexual fidelity, emotional intimacy, and the importance of religious or legal acknowledgment.An early version of this paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council on Family Relations, in San Francisco, October 1984, Journal Series No. 2973 of the Hawaii Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.     

Personality characteristics of Divorce-Prone individuals: A preliminary clinical study

This study focuses on Divorce-Prone individuals and the question of why some persons fail in one marriage after another. The authors studied 12 individuals who had each been divorced two or more times. They found that the cases fell into one of three broad and overlapping groups. The groups have been called the Self-Involved Narcissists, the Compliant Depressed, and the Casualties of Life's Vicissitudes. The individuals and the groups demonstrate a different etiology, different treatment problems, and a very different prognosis.     

Essential computing skills needed by psychology students seeking careers in business

This article describes some essential computer skills needed by psychology students seeking careers in business. It is suggested that students become familiar with computer software packages in the following areas: statistical analyses, wordprocessing, spreadsheets, data base managers, and graphics. Discussion is provided.Paper presented at the 57th Annual Convention of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, Illinois, May 1–3, 1985.     

Book reviews

Current Psychology -     

A simple infrared photocell device and its interface to an Apple computer

This paper describes a simple infrared photocell circuit that is inexpensive and easy to construct. The light source and detector are housed inexpensively and are focused so the light and detector may be separated over significant distances. The circuit may be used in a variety of conditions, including total darkness and bright fluorescent lighting, without having to readjust or recalibrate the circuitry. Output from the circuit may be used to drive other transistors or electromechanical relays. With minimal additional circuitry and hardware the signal may be interfaced with an Apple computer.     

A model for courseware development in psychology

Many behavioral scientists are aware of the advantages of a systematic approach to research and the development of software used in research. However, coordinated and systematic efforts to develop instructional materials in the behavioral sciences are relatively rare. This paper and the symposium of which it is a part describe a systematic effort funded by FIPSE to assess the needs for microcomputer tools and courseware in the undergraduate curriculum in psychology and to stimulate the development of high-quality materials. The conceptual bases for development of materials are vertical and horizontal integration-the development of courseware that spans the curriculum from introductory to advanced, specialized, courses, and the systematic use of materials within a course and across courses and subject areas. The activities of the project, as well as implications for other computer-based development projects, are discussed.     

Survey on present and potential instructional use of computers in psychology

A survey of academic psychologists was taken to determine present use of computers in instruction, willingness to use good education software, and kinds of potential uses of computers in psychology courses. A majority of the respondents reported using computers in instruction. Respondents indicated substantial willingness to adopt computer-based courseware. Respondents believed that a variety of uses, including classroom demonstrations and student experiments, would facilitate student learning. The results of the survey are compared with the instructional modules the task force is developing.     

Variations on active learning

Although current theories of memory emphasize the fact that learning is an active process, there is little consensus on the role of active learning. This paper attempts to provide a more precise characterization of active learning in the acquisition of computer skills. The analysis of verbal protocols suggests that active learning varies on at least two dimensions: schema orientation and learning strategy. Schema orientation refers to the type of information the learner is acquiring and varies from relational information to procedural information. Learning strategy describes how the information is acquired. Some people prefer to be internally driven and form their own plans for learning. Others are externally driven and allow the instructional materials to guide their learning. These differences need to be taken into account in describing learning and in designing instructional materials.