Subliminal Self-Help Tapes and Academic Achievement: An Evaluation

Marketing claims of effectiveness in improving academic achievement through the use of commercially prepared subliminal audiotapes were investigated. Students enrolled in a career development class were randomly assigned to an active treatment group (n=25), an inactive treatment group (n=26), or a control group (n=22). Participants in the treatment group listened to tapes with subliminal affirmations masked by ocean waves. The inactive treatment group listened to placebo tapes with ocean waves but no subliminal messages. Dependent variables used were final examination scores from the class and current semester grade point average. No treatment differences on either dependent measure were found. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Trainer–Trainee Bullying

This paper considers the abuse of the trainer–trainee relationship by the trainer. Such abuse occurs in the context of power and gender imbalances and is afforded little attention by professional organizations. A specific example of inappropriate behaviour between trainers and trainees, that of sexual contact, is discussed in detail. Research on positive and negative supervision is considered in terms of a model of objectionable supervisory styles, and it is suggested that trainer–trainee bullying is an area which requires further research attention. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Does a self management intervention lower distress in woman diagnosed with breast cancer?1

Psychological distress is particularly common with any cancer diagnosis. This paper examined the psychological distress in a cohort of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer and postulates on the underlying theory. A longitudinal study of a cohort of women (n = 147) diagnosed with breast cancer (within the past 1 year), was conducted at University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur. Data were collected at baseline and at post 4‐week intervention. Analysis of variance was conducted to examine for any significant differences in the change‐scores between the experimental group (n = 69) and the control group (n = 78). Using the change scores, analyses of variance showed significant differences between groups for stress, F(1, 140) = 13.68, p < .0001, anxiety F(1, 140) = 8.44, p < .004, and depression, F(1, 140) = 11.57, p < .0001. Levels of stress, anxiety and depression generally decreased significantly in the experimental groups, p < .05, but either maintained or increased in the control group. This study indicates that the level of psychological distress of women with breast cancer can be ameliorated with a 4‐week self‐management intervention. Lower stress levels were also found in women who reported engagement in higher physical activity than women with low physical activity.     

Exercise Is In! Implicit Exercise and Sedentary‐Lifestyle Bias Held by In‐Groups1

This research examined implicit exercise‐related bias between exercising groups. Participants (N = 53) completed an Implicit Association Test with neutrally valenced exerciser or couch potato exemplars. Participants who explicitly identified as exercisers had greater positive bias toward exercisers and against couch potatoes than did participants who identified as nonexercisers. Similarly, participants who reported greater exercise had significantly greater positive bias toward exercisers than did participants who reported less exercise. Our results expand on existing research on anti‐fat and exercise‐related stereotypes by providing evidence of implicit biases for exercisers and against couch potatoes among those who are already active.     

Animal fears in the Antipodes: normative data from an Australian sample

The present study investigated reported fear of snakes, spiders and mutilation in an Australian sample ( N =235). Standardized questionnaires were used, and scores from the Australian sample were compared with those obtained by other authors from North American and Swedish samples. The psychometric characteristics of test scores from the Australian sample were similar to those from the North American and Swedish samples. Although there were no differences in reported fear of snakes between the three samples, both the Australian and North American samples reported greater fear of spiders than did the Swedish sample. Females scored higher on all scales than did males, and Australian and North American females reported greater fear of mutilation than did Swedish females. Test-retest reliability in a non-clinical Australian subsample ( n =48) was low for all scales. The results are discussed in terms of the adaptation/habituation hypothesis and the preparedness account of the acquisition of fear.