Human affection exchange: II. Affectionate communication in father-son relationships

The father-son dyad might be the most socially significant male-male relationship in the life course, yet its negative qualities have been the sole focus in most research on the relationship. One communicative aspect that has received little scholarly attention is the expression of affection between fathers and sons, despite the strong correlation of affectionate communication with positive involvement, closeness, and relational satisfaction for fathers and sons. In 2 studies, the authors tested hypotheses about father-son affection that were derived from affection exchange theory (K. Floyd, in press). Results indicated that U.S. men are more affectionate with biological sons than with stepsons or adopted sons and that they are more affectionate with their biological sons than their biological sons are with them.     

The hard and soft of health care

For several decades, the American system of health care delivery has trusted scientific modalities to bring healing. This article points out the limitations of scientific medicine, the timelessness of spiritual components of healing, and the ongoing need for hospital personnel who are sensitive to the healing properties of faith, hope, and love.This article was delivered as the keynote address when Dr. Willis received the Wayne E. Oates Award on September 1, 1994.     

THE FUNCTIONS OF SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR: AN EXPERIMENTAL-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Data are summarized from 152 single-subject analyses of the reinforcing functions of self-injurious behavior (SIB). Individuals with developmental disabilities referred for assessment and/or treatment over an 11-year period were exposed to a series of conditions in which the effects of antecedent and consequent events on SIB were examined systematically by way of multielement, reversal, or combined designs. Data were collected during approximately 4,000 experimental sessions (1,000 hr), with the length of assessment for individuals ranging from 8 to 66 sessions (M = 26.2) conducted over 2 to 16.5 hr (M = 6.5). Differential or uniformly high responding was observed in 145 (95.4%) of the cases. Social-negative reinforcement (escape from task demands or other sources of aversive stimulation) accounted for 58 cases, which was the largest proportion of the sample (38.1%). Social-positive reinforcement (either attention or access to food or materials) accounted for 40 (26.3%) of the cases, automatic (sensory) reinforcement accounted for 39 (25.7%), and multiple controlling variables accounted for 8 (5.3%). Seven sets of data (4.6%) showed either cyclical or inconsistent patterns of responding that were uninterpretable. Overall results indicated that functional analysis methodologies are extremely effective in identifying the environmental determinants of SIB on an individual basis and, subsequently, in guiding the process of treatment selection. Furthermore, an accumulation of assessment data from such analyses across a large number of individuals provides perhaps the most rigorous approach to an epidemiological study of behavioral function.     

Norwegian short-form of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale

A tutorial example demonstrates the effects of social desirability bias on fictional multiculturalism and mental health data and how bias can be moderated by parital correlations using social desirabiliry measures of different degrees of validity. The 33-item Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability scale was translated from English to Norwegian and presented to 117 university students and 124 non-students. Using psychometric criteria, and a "seed-crystal" method accretion, a 10-item Norwegian short-form of the Marlowe-Crowne scale was produced.     

Managing Attitudes Toward High Achievers: The Influence 0f Group Discussion

For a variety of cultural, contextual, and interpersonal reasons, individual achievement often meets with potentially demotivating resistance from the group. In groups of between three and seven members, 397 psychology and social work students, in East and Northern Australian cities (Newcastle and Darwin), indicated their attitudes toward high achievers before, during, and after a group consensus task. In each location, and at both individual and group levels of analysis, initially slightly pro-achiever attitudes, following discussion of the issues, became polarized. Such changes, across diverse settings and groups, indicate that group discussion may be a robust tool, both for empowering teams and encouraging support for individual initiative.     

The double standard of aging and the social situation: Judgments of attractiveness of the middle-aged woman

Two hundred male and 200 female undergraduates judged pictures of middle-aged women and middle-aged men for their immediate emotional appeal. Pictures had been selected to be of middle attractiveness and to represent individuals who appeared to be between 35 and 55 years old. Subjects made judgments under one of the following social conditions: in private, or in small groups which were all male, all female, or half male and half female. Social condition and subjects' sex affected judgments significantly, and there were some significant complex interactions between these two variables and the sex of the stimulus picture. Male and female subjects privately judged middle-aged women to be more attractive than middle-aged men, but the effect was reversed when judgments were made publicly in groups. As predicted, members of all-male groups judged middle-aged women to be considerably less attractive than middle-aged men. Members of all-female groups, and both the men and the women in mixed-sex groups, judged middle-aged women to be only slightly less attractive than middle-aged men.The authors wish to thank Linda Andrews, Dayna Buskirk, Anne Grealy and Lori Monda for their assistance.     

Crisis intervention and the prevention of institutionalization: An interrupted time series analysis

In the context of the community mental health movement in Illinois, the evolution and development of a crisis intervention program aimed at avoiding state hospitalization and bringing more appropriate and efficacious resources to bear on the difficulties of the individual and/or family is described. This intervention program is characterized by a more active-seeking style of delivering mental health services. With the novel application of interrupted time series analysis to both the targeted and matched nonequivalent control communities the efficacy of this more active intervention in reducing the number of state hospital administrations diagnosed as "mentally ill" is highlighted. The cost/benefit to the taxpayer is also discussed.     

Philosophy in religious health care facilities

Why formulate a philosophy statement? How may this statement influence organizational life? Answers to these questions affirm the practical utility of a philosophy within a health care facility. In addressing the first question, consideration is given to the philosophical questions by whom, to whom, and for what purpose is the organization sent. Also considered are its purpose in relating to and mode of relating to its patients. The practical place of a philosophy is illustrated through the difference between for-profit and non-profit corporations. A close analysis of organizational structure, systems, and strategies details this difference.     

“I Love You,Man”: Overt Expressions of Affection in Male Male Interaction

Despite the importance of affectionatecommunication for relational development andmaintenance, individuals expressing affection incur anumber of risks, including possible misinterpretation ofthe expressions as sexual overtures. These risks appear to bemagnified in the male-male relationship, where overtexpressions of affection may be all but prohibited bynormative expectancies. The present study examines expectancies for appropriate male-maleaffection. Although empirical research supports the ideathat overt affection is considered less appropriate inmale-male relationships than in relationships with women, it also suggests that three variablesmay moderate this expectancy: relationship type,emotional intensity of the context, and privacy level ofthe context. An experimental procedure with 140 men (approximately 95% caucasian) confirmed themoderating effects of these variables.