Predictors of Condom Use Among African American Males at High Risk for HIV1

This study compared the influence of HIV risk behaviors and condom use attitudes on condom use among heterosexual African American males. Three models were tested: (a) HIV risk, (b) condom use attitudes, and (c) a model combining the previous two. Brief street intercept interviews were administered to African American males in 2 matched pairs of census tracts. Results are based on 589 males reporting vaginal sex in the last 30 days. The General Linear Test (GLT) was used to test the ability of regression models to reduce error variance. The condom use, attitude model was sufficient to predict frequency of condom use regardless of partner type. The strongest predictors of condom use were condom use enjoyment, social norms, self-efficacy, and social influence.     

Some Facts from the Biography of A. R. Luria

The biographical sketches from Luria's life reveal the capricious political changes and their effect on the development of Soviet neuropsychology. The picture that emerges is of an individual who survived several ideological reprisals. He introduced Vygotsky into the mainstream of psychology, and continued to advance the study of cognitive functions within the context of neuroanatomy of the brain. And yet, he had an open mind judged by his interest in Freud, and welcoming to his clinic pioneers of psychology such as Piaget, Bruner and Pribram. Also included are intimate impressions of a daughter of her father, who like his young mentor, Vygotsky was a near-genius. He was unvanquished by adversities, doggedly working away to extend the frontiers of the science of human mind.     

Autonomic arousal as a cognitive cue in stressful situations1

The need for further investigation and integration in a real world situation is demonstrated in a critical review of the literature on autonomic feedback and attribution of arousal in stressful situations. In the present study, actual autonomic arousal, arbitrary feedback of arousal, and attributions for arousal were manipulated in a dental clinic where the subjects were awaiting oral surgery. The main prediction was that cognized arousal (due either to perception of actual arousal or to arbitrary feedback about arousal level) in the absence of a nonemotional attribution for that cognized arousal would lead to higher subjective report of anxiety and to greater avoidance than would be found with either of these conditions unmet. The results on the subjective report measure generally supported this hypothesis. In addition, arbitrary feedback about arousal level did not interact with the actual arousal manipulation; nor did it produce changes in pulse rate or blood pressure, further supporting a cognitive interpretation of the effects of autonomic arousal on subjective report. However, the study illustrates difficulties in inducing beneficial beliefs in the real world. And the manipulations generally did not affect the behavioral measure, probably due to the expected consequences of that behavior.     

Old and new controversies in the alternative treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become widespread in both referral and primary care populations. We review the purported mechanism of action and available evidence for selected CAM therapies for ADHD. Enduring controversies, such as elimination of artificial food additives, colors, and/or preservatives; the effect of sugar on behavior in children; and the use of EEG biofeedback, have been well studied but lack support as effective sole treatments for ADHD. The initial evidence for some emerging CAM therapies, such as essential fatty acid supplementation, yoga, massage, homeopathy, and green outdoor spaces, suggests potential benefits as part of an overall ADHD treatment plan. More rigorously designed studies are needed to evaluate their effectiveness as single therapy for ADHD.     

Depression in the African American Christian Community: Examining Denominational and Gender Differences

Journal of Religion and Health - Depression among African American adults can diminish their daily functioning and quality of life. African American communities commonly uses religion and...     

Believing in the Supernatural through the ‘Evil Eye’: Perception and Science in the Modern Greek Cosmos

Drawing on recent anthropological research in Crete and northern Greece, this article describes the various attitudes and conceptualisations of the ‘supernatural’ in the context of an everyday Greek belief, namely the belief in the ‘evil eye’. The usual pre-determined representation that there are two antithetical segments of our cosmos—the perceivable, embodied, and natural on the one hand and the spiritual, immaterial, and supernatural on the other hand—is challenged. Ultimately, it is shown how the sense of belonging to the Greek cosmos calls for a re-location of the boundaries between ‘naturalism’ and ‘supernaturalism’, rendering the bipolarity between scientific and supernaturalistic ideas obsolete via perceptual experience.     

Male leaders with paternity leaves: effects of work norms on effectiveness evaluations

ABSTRACT

With the growing relevance of work–family balance and gender equality at work, researchers have extensively recognized the importance of men’s greater home involvement. Yet, little is known about how people evaluate men and particularly male leaders with involved fathering behaviours, such as taking a long paternity leave. Using a social normative perspective, we explore whether cultural standards providing social approval for work–life balance influence competence evaluations of male leaders who request a paternity leave. Results from three experimental and field studies suggest that perceptions of a supportive work-family culture favour more positive evaluations of male leaders with a paternity leave. Associations were stronger for people with leadership aspirations and roles. Several main effects emerged too: male leaders taking a leave beyond the standard (from 2 weeks to 3 months) received more negative evaluations than male leaders with a shorter, statutory leave (from 2 days to 2 weeks), and employees’ sexism predicted negative evaluations. Also, slightly lower status was attributed to male compared to female leaders who requested a leave. Findings are discussed in terms of how male managers’ domestic behaviour should be further reinforced with organizational discourses and practices.     

Impact of Family Efficacy Beliefs on Quality of Family Functioning and Satisfaction with Family Life

The present study tested with 142 families a structural model of the interplay of perceived dyadic and collective forms of efficacy within the interdependent family system, and how these different forms of efficacy are structurally related to quality of family functioning and satisfaction with family life. Dyadic parent–child efficacy, dyadic spousal efficacy, and filial efficacy were linked to family satisfaction through the mediating impact of collective family efficacy. A high sense of collective family efficacy was accompanied by open family communication and candid disclosure by adolescents of their activities outside the home. Collective family efficacy contributed to parents' and adolescents' satisfaction with their family life both directly and through its impact on quality of family functioning. An alternative structural model in which quality of family functioning affects the different forms of perceived family efficacy and family satisfaction provided a poorer fit to the data.