Naturally occurring language as a source of evidence in suicide prevention

We discuss computational language analysis as it pertains to suicide prevention research, with an emphasis on providing non‐technologists with an understanding of key issues and, equally important, considering its relation to the broader enterprise of suicide prevention. Our emphasis here is on naturally occurring language in social media, motivated by its non‐intrusive ability to yield high‐value information that in the past has been largely unavailable to clinicians.     

Body image,dieting tendencies,and sex role traits in urban black women

The present study examined body image satisfaction, dieting tendencies, and sex role traits among a sample of black urban women. While women who felt “too fat” were more likely than other women to engage in both restrictive and nonrestrictive dieting tendencies, in general, the women's body weight and body image did not compel them to utilize extremely restrictive dieting practices. A sizable proportion of the sample reported body image dissatisfaction and weight concerns, yet this did not appear to exert an overwhelmingly negative influence over other aspects of their lives, such as participation in sports, exercise, and sexual activity. Body image satisfaction and sex role traits were related. Dieting tendencies were also related with body image satisfaction. These findings and implications for further research are discussed.     

Constructing the exact significance level for a person fit statistic

This paper uses an extension of the network algorithm originally introduced by Mehta and Patel to construct exact tail probabilities for testing the general hypothesis that item responses are distributed according to the Rasch model. By assuming that item difficulties are known, the algorithm is applicable to the statistical tests either given the maximum likelihood ability estimate or conditioned on the total score. A simulation study indicates that the network algorithm is an efficient tool for computing the significance level of a person fit statistic based on test lengths of 30 items or less.     

The role of physical attractiveness in adjustment.

This article presents a model of how attractiveness influences adjustment and reviews the relevant evidence. The model suggests that attractiveness influences adjustment through a three-stage process. Varying levels of physical attractiveness create differential responses in other people (Stage 1). These differential responses in others as a function of a person's appearance then result in differential treatment of the person (Stage 2), with such differential treatment eventually resulting in differential adjustment (Stage 3). These three stages are considered to occur in a reciprocal manner across the life span. Empirical support is found for each stage from early childhood to adulthood. Attractiveness accounts for 6% to 16% of the variance in measures of subjective adjustment as well as sociometric and behavioral measures of interpersonal adjustment.     

Perceptual and motor factors in the imitation of simple temporal patterns

Summary This study investigated the relative importance of perceptual and motor factors in the imitation of simple temporal patterns. Previous research in which subjects tap out interval sequences using one finger has suggested that perceptual factors play an important role in response timing. Studies of bimanual tapping, in contrast, stress the importance of motor interactions between the two hands. In this experiment we compared the ability of subjects to tap out two-interval sequences using one finger, two fingers on one hand, and two fingers on opposite hands. The results showed almost identical performance under the three response conditions. It is suggested that the perceptual relations between intervals in a pattern were the main determinant of performance in this experiment.     

Explanatory style across the life span: evidence for stability over 52 years

Analyzed explanatory style across the life span. 30 Ss whose average age was 72 responded to questions about their current life and provided diaries or letters written in their youth, an average of 52 years earlier. A blind content analysis of explanatory style derived from these 2 sources revealed that explanatory style for negative events was stable throughout adult life (r = .54, p less than .002). In contrast, there appeared to be no stability of explanatory style for positive events between the same 2 time periods. These results suggest that explanatory style for negative events may persist across the life span and may constitute an enduring risk factor for depression, low achievement, and physical illness.