Psychological Distress and Help Seeking in Rural America

The implications of exposure to acute and chronic stressors, and seeking mental health care, for increased psychological distress are examined. Research on economic stress, psychological distress, and rural agrarian values each point to increasing variability within rural areas. Using data from a panel study of 1,487 adults, a model predicting changes in depressive symptoms was specified and tested. Results show effects by size of place for men but not for women. Men living in rural villages of under 2,500 or in small towns of 2,500 to 9,999 people had significantly greater increases in depressive symptoms than men living in the country or in larger towns or cities. Size of place was also related to level of stigma toward mental health care. Persons living in the most rural environments were more likely to hold stigmatized attitudes toward mental health care and these views were strongly predictive of willingness to seek care. The combination of increased risk and less willingness to seek assistance places men living in small towns and villages in particular jeopardy for continuing problems involving depressed mood.     

CHANGES IN REPEATED REPRODUCTION OF PITCH AS A FUNCTION OF INTERPOLATED STIMULI

The retention of memorized pitches was tested repeatedly by systematically changing pitches being interpolated between the successive reproduction tests. The reproductions changed regularly in the direction of the interpolated stimuli. The relationship between the reproduction scores and the cps-means of the interpolated pitch-series could be described fairly accurately by power functions. Some connections between the present results and the results of previous experiments on memory and scaling are discussed.     

CHANGES IN TEST CHARACTERISTICS AS A FUNCTION OF LEARNING OF THE OBJECT-TASK

M ikkonen V. Changes in test characteristics as a function of learning of the object-task. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1972, 13 , 306–313.—Two verbal learning experiments, one consisting of six free recall trials, the other of six recognitions, are analysed as performance tests in order to follow the changes in test characteristics with increasing mean performance. In general, the items in the tasks form more consistent tests with greater degree of learning; coefficient alpha as a measure of reliability improves from the level of 0.02–0.50 to that of 0.70–0.85. Internal consistency can further be increased by item selection especially at low levels of performance. Practical implications of the results are discussed and a few recommendations presented.     

Gender Differences in Perceptions of Women’s Sexual Interest during Cross-Sex Interactions: An Application and Extension of Cognitive Valence Theory

Researchers have consistently found that men report that women display more sexual interest than women report they actually do in cross-sex interactions (e.g., Abbey, 1982). Cognitive Valence Theory is employed to provide a theoretical framework to help understand these findings (Andersen, 1989). A series of perceptual and cognitive processes consistent with Cognitive Valence Theory were examined as possible explanations for the gender difference. Gender differences emerge for both perceptual and cognitive variables. In addition, perceptions of sexually motivated behaviors and variables associated with appropriateness judgments and personal receptivity were found to predict perceptions of women’s sexual interest.     

Identity Closure: A Fifth Identity Status

This study examined identity status and self-actualization of young adults (N = 41), who were administered a revised identity interview (based on Marcia's interview) and a measure of self-actualization (the Personal Orientation Inventory). A fifth status, identity closure, was added to account for status regression and re-foreclosure, found in previous studies. This addition prompted a revision of the operational definition of identity achievement to include three criteria: exploration, tentative commitment, and openness to alternatives. Open achieved individuals scored higher than closed individuals on the measure of self-actualization, suggesting some validity for the revised operational definition of identity achievement and providing support for Eriksonian theory. Theoretical implications and the development of a revised paradigm are discussed.     

THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL ON THE DETECTION OF LIGHT SIGNALS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE VISUAL FIELD

6 subjects performed 12 times each a signal detection task lasting 40 minutes in parallel with a simple tracking task. They reported every 2nd second whether or not a signal was given in any one of 10 widely spaced locations. 0.5 or 1.0 ml alcohol/kg body weight (or no alcohol) was given 35–25 minutes prior to the task. Hit rate ( HR ) covaried with tracking efficiency; FAR was uniformly low. Variation in signal probability had no effect. Alcohol had a strong and uniform effect on 3 "experienced" subjects, reducing HR for all signals and producing a funneling effect, but had little effect on the performance of 3 "inexperienced" subjects. Motivational variables which may account for the individual differences are discussed.     

ACQUISITION AND FORGETTING IN FREE-RECALL LEARNING

M ikkonen V. Acquisition and forgetting in free-recall learning. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1972, 13 , 109–120.—Formulae are defined for absolute and proportional acquisition and forgetting in the course of free recall experiments, and also for total net gain and gains per trial. By applying these formulae to a set of experimental results, scores are generated which demonstrate: (1) that the diminishing gains of the typical learning curve are mainly governed by variation in forgetting, and (2) that inter-subject and inter-item differences in recall are caused jointly by acquisition and forgetting. Subjects who learn well forget little and vice versa. Similarly, items most likely to be acquired are best retained, and vice versa. As no single score can describe all the phenomena of a typical experiment, the use of several scores in combination is indicated.