Performances on Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and Rey Complex Figure Test in a healthy, elderly Danish sample--reference data and validity issues

This study presents Danish data for Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT) from 100 subjects aged 60-87 years. Education and estimated verbal intelligence (DART score) had a significant impact on the RAVLT trial 1-5 score but not on other RAVLT measures. The RCFT copy score was significantly related to age and the DART score. On RCFT recall a highly significant difference was found between persons who could make a faultless copy and persons with incomplete copy performance. Thus, this study presents separate data for RCFT recall scores according to the subjects' copying performance (in separate tables for age and education groups). For all measures on both RAVLT and RCFT wide distributions of scores were found and the impact of this broad score range on the tests' discriminative validity is discussed. RAVLT performances for elderly were similar to previous published meta-norms, but the included sample of elderly Danes performed better on RCFT (copy and recall) than elderly from the United States.     

Normative indications for Xhosa speaking unskilled workers on the Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Test

The aim of this study was to establish normative indications for the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (RCF) copy, incidental recall and delayed recall tasks, administered in English on a non-clinical population of Xhosa, unskilled workers (N?=?33) (females n?=?21; males n?=?12), with a background of relatively disadvantaged quality of education up to Grades 11 and 12. The sample was stratified into two age groupings (18 – 29 years, n?=?17; 30 – 40 years, n?=?16), equally distributed for sex and level of education. Within group statistical analyses compared subgroup test performances for sex and age within the total sample. Between group analyses were used to compare the performance of the present sample with age equivalent data derived from a meta-analysis of US normative data on the RCF task. There was an age effect in favour of the younger group for both the immediate and delayed recall tasks. The local data for all RCF tasks were significantly lower than the US normative data, with the indication that higher levels and/or quality of formal school education might advantage performance on this complex visuoperceptual copy and recall task.     

Body dissatisfaction assessed by the Photographic Figure Rating Scale is associated with sociocultural,personality, and media influences

Swami, V., Taylor, R. & Carvalho, C. (2011). Body dissatisfaction assessed by the Photographic Figure Rating Scale is associated with sociocultural, personality, and media influences. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 57–53. This study sought to investigate the convergent validity of a new measure of body dissatisfaction, namely the Photographic Figure Rating Scale (PFRS), in relation to media influence, celebrity worship, the Big Five personality factors, and respondent weight status. A total of 401 female undergraduates completed a battery of scales consisting of the PFRS, the third revision of the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Scale (SATAQ‐3), a measure of celebrity worship, a measure of the Big Five personality factors, and provided their demographic details. Results of a multiple regression showed that body dissatisfaction was most strongly predicted by two of the SATAQ‐3 subscales and participant body mass index, although celebrity worship and Emotional Stability added incremental variance. Limitations of the current study are discussed in conclusion.     

More evidence on size modification in spatial axes systems of varying complexity

Pictorial space can be conceptualized as aggregate space (where figures compete for limited available space) or as axial space (where space is infinite and exists independently of figures). That these two kinds of space concepts follow a developmental sequence was tested by investigating size regulation mechanisms in 7- to 12-year-old children's figure drawings. An earlier longitudinal study had shown that the more figures were drawn and the more complex the spatial axes system, the smaller the figures. Two studies confirmed that object-driven size reduction was the size regulation mechanism in younger children, whereas axes-driven size reduction was the only factor regulating figure size in 12-year-old children. Size reduction occurred in a gradual fashion in younger children, whereas size reduction was more pronounced in crossed axes systems in older children. In addition, 7-year-old children showed a dynamic and fluid interaction between internal and external task demands for size regulation.     

消费时代大众文化的审美伦理与哲学省思

随着经济全球化的发展,以消费主义为标志的后现代文化思潮对中国当代社会的全方位浸染已是在所难免,以情感制作与“快适伦理”为表征的“后情感主义”审美趋向日渐明朗。然而,大众文化承诺给人们的欢乐神话与身体解放,却往往陷入娱乐透支后的身心疲乏和性感聚焦后的精神空幻,形象的欲望满足取代了文化的意义追索,审美正义与文化伦理成为亟待解决的现实问题。消费时代的大众文化完全无视生命中的“痛苦”、“严肃”、“庄严”与“意志”一端,沉溺于“人生幻觉”“瞬间的快感”,在世俗娱乐中丧失起码的自知与清明,不但以“媚俗”为荣甚至以“恶俗”为乐,踏越了文化伦理的底线,使中国文化道统愈陷困境。     

Muscularity concerns among men: development of attitudinal and perceptual measures

The current study reports the development and psychometrics of a figure rating scale with leanness and muscularity dimensions and a 13-item questionnaire assessing symptoms associated with muscle dysmorphia (MD). Three separate samples of men and women completed the muscle dysmorphic disorder inventory (MDDI), the bodybuilder image grid (BIG) or both to measure 1-week test–retest reliability, internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity and valid placement of BIG figures along interval scales of body fat and lean muscle mass. The MDDI and MDDI subscales (drive for size, appearance intolerance, and functional impairment) had good reliability, internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity. The BIG had good to excellent test–retest reliability, good convergent and divergent validity and validity as an interval scale. Implications for characterizing body image disturbance in men and benefits and limitations of the measures are discussed.     

基于认知诊断的动态评估—以儿童图形推理能力为例

以认知诊断和动态评估两者基本的心理计量模型:MLTM for MS和MRMLC相结合作为切入点,提出了基于认知诊断的动态评估方案及数据统计分析方法。为探讨该方案和数据分析方法的可行性,以儿童图形推理能力为例展开实证研究。研究结果显示:(1)基于认知诊断的动态评估方案是可以实现的、其数据分析方法也是可行的;(2)该方案不仅可以测量潜在水平,还可以测量其涉及的认知成分和策略的变化;(3)无论是当前水平还是潜在水平,高年级儿童都更擅长采用较复杂、有效的认知加工成分和策略。     

Test-retest reliability and construct validity of Contour Drawing Rating Scale scores in a sample of early adolescent girls

Test–retest and construct validity of Contour Drawing Rating Scale (CDRS) scores were examined in 1056 Grades 7 and 8 girls. Questionnaires were completed four times, including retests at 2, 6 and 14 weeks. Test–retest reliability for current size, ideal size and current–ideal discrepancy mostly exceeded 0.70 (0.65–0.87, for the full sample, with higher rs for shorter retest periods). Ideal and current size ratings increased slightly over time. High correlations between perceived current figure and measured body mass index; moderate rs between current–ideal discrepancy and body dissatisfaction and restrained eating; and very low or no significant correlations with social desirability supported construct validity in this group. The study supported the use of the CDRS in early adolescent girls.     

Size of drawings influences body size estimates by women with and without eating concerns

Research has inconsistently shown that women, particularly those with eating concerns, inaccurately estimate their body size. In the present study, drawings of female bodies, ranging from emaciated to obese, were presented to women with and without eating concerns. Drawings approximated the women's actual height or were reduced (15.7 cm). Women selected the drawing that represented how they thought they looked (cognitive rating), felt they looked (affective rating), and would like to look (desired rating). Women tended to select larger drawings when reduced-size drawings were used. Participants with eating concerns overestimated their body size and were more dissatisfied with their body size than participants without eating concerns. Size of drawings and the presence of eating concerns did not affect ratings of the size of a neutral object. Women did not demonstrate a generalized problem in estimating size. Overestimation of body size may be exaggerated in research that used reduced-size drawings.     

Evidence that ideal and attractive figures represent different constructs: A replication and extension of Fingeret, Gleaves, and Pearson (2004)

Figure rating scales are commonly used to measure body dissatisfaction through discrepancy indexes (e.g., difference between current and ideal body) and recent methodological work by Fingeret, Gleaves, and Pearson suggests that distinctions between referent bodies (e.g., ideal or most attractive) are unnecessary. The purpose of the current study was to replicate these findings using both male and female figure rating scales and an opposite-sex comparison group. We examined the relationship between three referent figures (Ideal, Most Attractive to the Opposite Sex, and Most Attractive) and attractiveness attributions in 365 undergraduate men (n = 164) and women (n = 201). Results suggested that referent figures were associated with different attractiveness attributions for both male and female figures, but physical characteristics differed only in male figures. The impact of referent bodies on discrepancy indexes was also explored. Considerations for future research using figure rating scales are discussed.