Unique associations between anxiety,depression and motives for approach and avoidance goal pursuit

This study investigated the shared and distinct associations between depressive and anxious symptoms and motives for pursuing personal goals. One hundred and thirty-six undergraduates generated approach and avoidance goals and rated each on intrinsic, identified, introjected and external motives. Anxious and depressive symptoms showed significant unique associations with distinct motives. Specifically, depressive symptoms predicted significant unique variance in intrinsic motivation for approach goals (but not avoidance goals), whereas anxious symptoms predicted significant unique variance in introjected regulation for approach and avoidance goals. Some of these findings were moderated by gender. The findings broadly support the notion that depression is uniquely characterised by reduced enjoyment of approach goal pursuit whereas anxiety is uniquely characterised by pursuit of goals in order to avoid negative outcomes. We suggest that these findings are compatible with regulatory focus theory and suggest that motives for goal pursuit are important in understanding the relation between goals and specific mood disorder symptoms.     

Psychological Interventions and Genetic Testing: Facilitating Informed Decisions About BRCA1/2 Cancer Susceptibility

Genetic testing for inherited cancer susceptibility, based on the recently identified. BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, will soon be available on a large scale. However, at present, genetic test results do not lead to clearly indicated diagnostic or preventive measures, and the nature of the psychological impact of BRCA1/2 testing is still largely unknown. This uncertainty, combined with preliminary evidence suggesting significant individual differences in reactions to genetic susceptibility feedback, constitutes a unique challenge for any individual contemplating such testing. We outline the nature of this challenge and then propose an intervention strategy designed to help individuals make deeply processed and psychologically well-informed decisions with regard to their genetic susceptibility. The intervention is guided by recent research findings and theory on the cognitive–emotional processing of cancer-risk information. Specifically, the goal is to prepare the individual for genetic testing by (1) cognitively and emotionally activating, or preliving, the individual's potential reactions to testing feedback; (2) facilitating accurate appraisal of the individual's cognitive–emotional reactions; and (3) enabling the individual to process these reactions through the use of well-established clinical techniques.     

Heidegger im Gespr?ch mit Hegel: Zur Negativit?t bei Hegel

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit freundlicher Genehmigung von Dr. Hermann Heidegger konnte hierbei ein unveröffentlichtes Manuskript als Grundlage dienen. Die Seitenangaben beziehen sich auf die Abschrift dieses Textes, der sich im Heidegger-Archiv unter der Signature A 37 befindet.     

Information processing and human sequential predictive behaviour

Human sequential predictive behaviour is analysed in relation to information theory and information processing theory. The problem consists of the sequential prediction of stochastic-ergodic series of symbols. These sequences are described in terms of information theory (objective structure of the task) and the problem solving process in terms of information processing theory (problem space). The predictions of the behaviour of Ss, deduced from task environment and problem space, are confirmed by statistical analyses of the observed experimental behaviour of Ss. The necessity of further research on this and related problems is emphasized.     

Failure of familiar size to determine a metric for visually perceived distance

The use of knowledge of the familiar sizes of objects in determining the apparent distances of those objects is known as the familiar size cue to distance. If effective, this cue might be one of the factors responsible for supplying the metric (scalar) characteristics of perceptions of spatial extent within a visual display in which other information concerning scalar extents has been reduced to a minimum. Two groups of observers were presented with realistic objects of the same angular, but different assumed, sizes presented in such a cue-restricted display. Perceptions of size and distance within the display did not differ significantly as a function of the type of object initially presented. This result was consistent with the notion that scalar perceptions under these conditions probably are determined by a factor known as the specific distance tendency, rather than by the experiential factor of familiar size.     

Testing a linear relation between true scores of two measures

We concern ourselves with the hypothesis that two variables have a perfect disattenuated correlation, hence measure the same trait except for errors of measurement. This hypothesis is equivalent to saying, within the adopted model, that true scores of two psychological tests satisfy a perfect linear relation. Statistical tests of this hypothesis are derived when the relation is specified with the exception of the additive constant. Two approaches are presented and various assumptions concerning the error parameters are used. Then the results are reinterpreted in terms of the possible existence of an unspecified perfect linear relation between true scores of two psychological tests. A numerical example is appended by way of illustration. Research reported in this paper has been supported by grant GB-18230 from National Science Foundation.     

On the theory of a set of tests which differ only in length

This paper presents a contribution to the sampling theory of a set of homogeneous tests which differ only in length, test length being regarded as an essential test parameter. Observed variance-covariance matrices of such measurements are taken to follow a Wishart distribution. The familiar true score-and-error concept of classical test theory is employed. Upon formulation of the basic model it is shown that in a combination of such tests forming a “total” test, the singal-to-noise ratio of the components is additive and that the inverse of the population variance-covariance matrix of the component measures has all of its off-diagonal elements equal, regardless of distributional assumptions. This fact facilitates the subsequent derivation of a statistical sampling theory, there being at mostm + 1 free parameters whenm is the number of component tests. In developing the theory, the cases of known and unknown test lengths are treated separately. For both cases maximum-likelihood estimators of the relevant parameters are derived. It is argued that the resulting formulas will remain resonable even if the distributional assumptions are too narrow. Under these assumptions, however, maximum-likelihood ratio tests of the validity of the model and of hypotheses concerning reliability and standard error of measurement of the total test are given. It is shown in each case that the maximum-likelihood equations possess precisely one acceptable solution under rather natural conditions. Application of the methods can be effected without the use of a computer. Two numerical examples are appended by way of illustration. This research was supported in part by The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, under Research Grant 1 PO1 HDO1762.