Transition of Adolescent Political Action Orientations to Voting Behavior in Early Adulthood in View of a Social-Cognitive Action Theory Model of Personality

The political activity and voting behavior of 136 young German adults in 1994 were predicted by their political action orientations measured 7 years before. Respondents belonging to cohorts born in 1971, 1972, and 1973 were surveyed in 1987, 1988, and 1994. The questionnaires measured variables relevant to the social-cognitive action theory model of personality: self-concept of political competence, beliefs about political locus of control, political knowledge, trust in politics, satisfaction with politics, and political activity in everyday life. The results are interpreted with respect to the correlative and absolute stability versus plasticity of the variables from 1987 to 1994, as well as the predictive value of the action theory personality variables for political activities and for voting behavior measured 7 years later. Longitudinal results indicate a high predictive value of self-concept of political competence and political knowledge for political activity and voting in early adulthood. Because only these two personality variables showed relatively high positional stability coefficients from adolescence to early adulthood, the discussion refers to the necessity of early developmental interventions to prevent extreme types of politically uninterested and passive adults. Therefore, the social-cognitive action theory personality model of political participation is extended to a social-cognitive action theory personality model of political socialization in the life span.     

Initial excitatory conditioning with the truly random control procedure in rats: The effects of density of the conditioned stimulus

The present experiments were designed to test whether initial excitatory conditioning to a stimulus was obtained, using a within-subject design of the truly random control (TRC) procedure, and to examine the effects of the density of the conditioned stimulus on it. In Experiment 1, the effect of the three levels of CS density (50%, 25%, 20%) was assessed at six different stages of training, using the conditioned suppression of licking in rats. Although all of the groups given the TRC procedure showed evidence of initial excitatory conditioning, it was more marked in the group with the highest CS density than in the other groups. Experiment 2 confirmed the results of Experiment 1, using a between-subject design. The findings are in line with predictions from the Rescorla-Wagner model, and are discussed with reference to other contemporary theories of associative learning.     

Determinants of Children's Primary Health Care Use

We review factors that influence children's use of primary health care services. Predictors of pediatric health care use include child health status, child mental health, parent and family functioning, demographic characteristics, and access to health care services. Health services research is marked by inconsistencies due to varying approaches to measurement, population sampling, and analysis, and models that do not incorporate situational factors. We present recommendations for practicing clinicians and discuss suggestions for future research to help identify additional factors that may influence a parent's decision to seek help from pediatric physicians. Health care use is determined by multiple factors, and complex models will lead to improved strategies for maximizing health status and establishing optimal pediatric care.     

电击信号应激对大鼠体液免疫及内分泌功能的影响

研究了足电击及以电击装置为信号刺激所诱发的情绪应激对大鼠原发性体液免疫反应及内分泌的影响。 结果表明每天１０分钟,共６天的足电击对大鼠抗特异性抗原ＯＶＡ的原发性体液免疫反应无明显作用,而此电击作 用结合每天１０分钟,共８天的情绪应激则可显著降低大鼠体液免疫反应及脾脏指数。同时该应激可显著提高大鼠 血儿茶酚胶和皮质酮水平。该研究证明了情绪应激对大鼠体液免疫功能的调节作用,并对交感神经系统和下丘脑－ 垂体－肾上腺（ＨＰＡ）轴在其中所起的作用进行了初步探讨。     

内外控个体差异与外显、内隐记忆关系的实验研究

以具体图形和抽象图形为材料,采用加工分离程序,考察了内外控个体差异与外显、内隐记忆的关系。结果表明：对于具体图形和抽象图形,内控被试的意识性提取成绩均优于外控被试;对于抽象图形,外控被试的自动提取成绩优于内控被试。说明不仅外显记忆对于内外控个体差异是敏感的,内隐记忆对于内外控个体差异同样是敏感的。实验结果还显示,记忆水平与材料特征密切相关。     

New Fathers’ Perceptions of Dyadic Adjustment: The Roles of Maternal Gatekeeping and Coparenting Closeness

Although the association between maternal gatekeeping and relationship functioning has been explored by a few studies, none of these have focused on fathers’ perceptions of these constructs. Given that today's new fathers are challenged by elevated expectations for active parenting and coparenting even as most new mothers remain primary caregivers of infant children, this is a critical omission. This study examined the associations between new fathers’ perceptions of maternal gatekeeping and change in dyadic adjustment as mediated through coparenting closeness. Maternal gatekeeping was reported by 182 fathers at 3 months postpartum, coparenting closeness was reported at 3 and 6 months postpartum, and dyadic adjustment was reported during the third trimester of pregnancy and at 9 months postpartum. Fathers’ perceptions of relative change in coparenting closeness from 3 to 6 months mediated associations between fathers’ perceptions of maternal gatekeeping at 3 months and relative change in dyadic adjustment from the third trimester to 9 months postpartum. In particular, findings indicate that greater perceived maternal gate opening was associated with higher levels of dyadic adjustment through higher levels of coparenting closeness, whereas greater perceived maternal gate closing was associated with lower levels of dyadic adjustment through lower levels of coparenting closeness. This study highlights the importance of studying fathers in the context of the family system and the role of the coparenting relationship at the transition to parenthood in couple relationship functioning.     

Combining whole-school and targeted programs for the reduction of bullying victimization: A randomized,effectiveness trial

Despite the extensive evaluation of school-based interventions for bullying, victimization remains a significant problem in schools. Bullying victimization is significantly predicted by contextual (school-related) factors. As a consequence whole-school programs have been commonly used to prevent and reduce bullying victimization. Evidence also points to individual risk factors (such as emotional distress) in predicting victimization, yet programs to prevent bullying victimization by changing these individual risks are far less developed. Few studies have approximated “real-world” implementation conditions in their trials. The current effectiveness trial evaluated the combination of a whole-school program designed to prevent bullying perpetration and victimization together with a targeted intervention for at-risk students, teaching them individual and dyadic strategies to reduce their anxiety and manage victimization, allowing schools some latitude to implement programs as they typically would. Students from Grades 3 and 4 (N = 8,732) across 135 schools were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: combined intervention; whole-school intervention only; individual intervention only; and care as usual. Victimization decreased significantly and similarly across all four conditions at 12 and 24 months following baseline. Similar reductions and failure to discriminate conditions were found on other key constructs: anxiety; bullying perpetration; and depression. Possible reasons for the failure to demonstrate victimization prevention differences and lessons learned from this large, effectiveness trial are considered.     

Investigating whether controlling and aggressive relationship behaviors are discriminant

Control is theorized as central to intimate partner aggression (IPA). Tools measuring nonphysical “controlling behaviors” in relationships have therefore been developed to identify the latent construct of control. However, the underlying assumption that “controlling behaviors” form a distinct subset of IPA has not been validated. This study investigates the divergent validity of acts considered as “controlling behaviors” against other aggressive acts used in relationships. The IPA and relationship literatures were reviewed to identify 1,397 items involving “controlling,” physical, sexual, and psychologically aggressive acts perpetrated and/or experienced by an intimate partner. In total, 101 item pairs were identified and used to measure IPA tactics across these categories. In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis in a community sample (N = 561) found no evidence of a distinct factor of “controlling behaviors.” Behaviors labeled as “controlling” in existing measures were distributed across other factors, including “eclectic aggression,” “direct psychological aggression,” and “monitoring acts.” In Study 2A (N = 424 students), confirmatory factor analysis replicated the results of Study 1 and established configural measurement invariance (Study 2B), indicating no evidence for psychometric differences between samples. These results indicate that behaviors described as “controlling” in existing measures were not statistically distinguishable from other forms of IPA, and suggest that future research should investigate motivational, rather than behavioral, differences in the use of IPA. The findings challenge research to confirm whether a set of discrete behaviors can be used to accurately identify control in relationships and question the validity of tools that adopt this methodology.     

Partial memory reinstatement while (lucid) dreaming to change the dream environment

Lucid dreams often coincide with having control over dream events in real-time, although the limitations of dream control are not completely understood. The current study probed the ability of lucid dreamers to reinstate waking scene memories while dreaming. After brief exposure to an experimental scene, participants were asked to reinstate the scene while lucid dreaming (i.e., change dream scenery to match real-world scene). Qualitative analysis revealed that successful dream scene reinstatements were overwhelmingly inaccurate with respect to the original experimental scene. Importantly, reinstatement inaccuracies held even when the dreamer was aware of them during the dream, suggesting a dissociation between memory access while dreaming and dream imagery. The ability to change the environment of a dream speaks to the high amount of lucid dream control, yet the inaccuracies speak to a lack of detailed control. Reinstating context during lucid sleep offers an experimental method to investigate sleep, dreams, and memory.     

Special Series Introduction: Confronting the Challenge of Clinical Decision Making in Evidence-Based Practice

This special series addresses the often ignored problem that many clients seen by practicing clinicians do not benefit from empirically-based practices as neatly as research may suggest. The authors in this series have considered the process of decision making in evidence-based practice, looking from differing viewpoints, and considering treatment setting and ethical issues. They present suggestions for clinicians to adapt treatment to the needs of clients while adhering to the robust research on psychotherapy processes and cognitive behavioral therapy.