A circle of traits: A perceptual mapping of the NEO-PI-R

The five factor model, a dominant model of personality today, is based on the pre-structuring of test-components and factor analytic (FA) interpretations. These procedures have been criticised, especially FA’s limitation to accurately identify the underlying structure of constructs. This paper examined whether the NEO-PI-R revealed the same trait structures when analysed through alternative statistical procedures. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was employed alongside FA techniques (N = 384). FA indicated the presence of five factors, but NMDS suggested a more parsimonious arrangement, comprising three (similar to Eysenck’s PEN model), or even two “super structures”. Furthermore, a circular trait arrangement was a reasonable alternative, suggesting that traits can be meaningfully (re)classified based on their kind and their integrative centrality. Over-reliance on FA models might not be the most appropriate approach for a better understanding of personality.     

When should clinicians switch treatments? An application of signal detection theory to two treatments for women with alcohol use disorders

Statistical application of signal detection theory has been used to study the clinical utility of early treatment response in a range of treatments and psychiatric disorders. The current study sought to examine the predictive value of weekly within-treatment drinking using receiver operator curves (ROCs) and zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression in 102 women with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) randomized to either alcohol behavioral individual treatment (ABIT; n = 52) or alcohol behavioral couples treatment (ABCT; n = 50). ROC analyses indicated that failure to achieve or sustain abstinence by the end-of-treatment and one-year follow-up was predicted with reasonable accuracy by week 4 percent days abstinent (PDA) in ABIT. ZIP models yielded similar results with evidence for within-treatment PDA with week 6 PDA predicting both the abstinence as well as percent days drinking at the end-of-treatment and one-year follow-up. Within-treatment PDA was a significantly better predictor of outcomes for ABIT than ABCT, despite a better overall treatment response for ABCT. Implications for stepped care models of alcohol treatment are discussed and recommendations for future research made. When Should Clinicians Switch Treatments: An Application of Signal Detection Theory to Two Treatments for Women with Alcohol Use Disorders.     

权力感对拟人化产品购买意愿的影响

从信息加工流畅性视角切入,探讨消费者权力感对不同类型拟人化产品购买意愿的影响及其作用机理。168名本科生参与分组实验。结果表明,对于高权力感的人来说,与热情型拟人化产品相比,他们对能力型拟人化产品的购买意愿更高;对于低权力感的人来说,与能力型拟人化产品相比,他们对热情型拟人化产品的购买意愿更高。信息加工流畅性在权力感与拟人化类型交互影响拟人化产品购买意愿关系中起完全中介作用。     

对物理概念图填图试题的应用研究

文章详细介绍了物理概念图填图试题的出题样式和评分的具体方法,并对物理概念图填图试题的难度、区分度、信度和效度进行了检验,计算了物理概念图填图试题与传统物理题型共同组成的期末物理测验的信度。研究表明物理概念图填图试题的得分与传统测验题型的得分呈显著正相关,物理概念图填图试题的得分对传统测验题型的得分有显著的预测力。     

线索呈现位置对概率类别学习的影响

当前概率类别学习中主要存在多系统和单系统两种观点之争, 而持不同观点的研究者在其实验中分别采用了不同的线索位置呈现方式, 因此本研究采用经典的天气预测任务通过操纵线索位置的呈现方式来进一步探讨其对概率类别学习的影响。本研究包括2个实验：实验1考察所有线索位置固定和随机对概率类别学习系统的影响; 实验2通过单线索模式下线索位置固定考察概率类别学习的策略。结果发现, 当所有线索的呈现位置固定时, 概率类别学习是外显学习; 而当所有线索的呈现位置随机时, 概率类别学习是内隐学习; 而当只在线索单独出现时固定其位置, 概率类别学习仍是内隐学习。结果表明, 线索位置的不同呈现方式会影响概率类别学习中外显和内隐学习系统的竞争, 研究支持了多系统观点, 且概率类别学习的主要策略可能是多线索策略而不是单模式策略。     

心理测验中的趋中回归与超常分数重现概率

研究了心理测验中的趋中回归及其性质,超常分数重现概率与真分数的分布、测验信度、超常分数界值的关系。结果表明,信度越低,趋中回归越大;超常分数界值越高,趋中回归越大。在正态分布下,超常分数重现概率与信度是指数关系;超常分数重现概率与界值是直线关系。初步讨论了如何在心理学研究中避免和减少趋中回归的误导。     

On psychoanalytic figures as transference objects

One of the tasks that analysts and therapists face at a certain stage in their career is how to develop a way of psychoanalytic thinking and practising of their own. To do this involves modifying or overcoming the transferences established during their training or early career. These transferences are to one's teachers or training analyst, investing them with authority and infallibility, and to received theory, which is treated as though it were dogma. The need to free oneself from such transferences has been discussed in the literature. There is, however, another kind of transference that the developing therapist also needs to resolve, which has received little attention. This is the transference made on to a key figure in the psychoanalytic tradition. Such a psychoanalytic figure will be seen as the originator of or embodiment of those theoretical ideas to which one becomes attached, and/or as standing behind one's training analyst or seminal teachers who become a representative of that figure. The value of an investigation of one's relationship to a psychoanalytic figure is that it is an excellent medium for revealing one's transference, as the figure in question is not a real person but only exists through his/her writings. The body of the paper consists of an extended example of such an analysis, that of my own transference on to the figure of Winnicott. In this example I illustrate how my evaluation of Winnicott's ideas changed from seeing them as providing answers to all my clinical questions to no longer satisfying me in some areas of my work. This change in my relationship to Winnicott's theory went hand in hand with a modification in my transference on to the figure of Winnicott, from seeing him as endowed with authority and goodness to an appreciation of him as a still sustaining figure but now with limits and flaws. In the final part of the paper several questions arising out of my analysis are posed. Can the pull of writing such an account in terms of dramatic rupture rather than gradual and partial change be avoided? Should my account be regarded purely as a form of self‐analysis or does it have anything to say about Winnicott himself and his theory? And do some psychoanalytic figures attract more intense or sticky transferences than others?     

Testing the significance of the successive components in redundancy analysis

In this paper we study the interrelationships between two sets of data measured on the same subjects via redundancy analysis. We consider redundancy analysis from an inferential point of view. Under the hypothesis of multinormality, tests of significance are obtained for each successive redundancy component so that only the significant factors are retained for prediction purposes. An example illustrates the method. The authors would like to thank the Editor and the referees for their helpful comments. This research has been partly financed by NSERC (Canada).     

VERB™ Summer Scorecard: Findings from a Multi-level Community-based Physical Activity Intervention for Tweens

The benefits of physical activity for adolescents are well established. Multi-level interventions may be especially effective in establishing and sustaining health-enhancing behaviors. This study explored the influences of a multi-level community intervention aimed at increasing physical activity among tweens (youth 9–13). Two Florida school districts far apart served as intervention and comparison sites in a quasi-experimental post-test design. Youth in grades 5 through 8 in the intervention community (n = 1,253) and comparison community (n = 866) completed an anonymous post-intervention survey. An intent-to-treat analysis did not show any statistically significant group differences for the physical activity outcomes examined. However, a subset analysis revealed that students who reported participating in the intervention were more likely to be physically active than youth in the comparison group, as well as youth in the intervention community who reported not participating. Participating in the intervention was significantly related to meeting recommendations for vigorous physical activity (OR = 2.08, P = 0.0259), being physically active on weekends (OR = 1.84, P = 0.0017), and reporting more days of trying a new game or sport (OR = 1.49, P = 0.046) after controlling for grade, gender, race/ethnicity, and SES. These findings support the efficacy of multi-level interventions to create effective health behavior change, especially when linkages among community, media, schools, and the home are present.