Effects of delay, attack, and retaliation on state depression and hostility

43 male and 43 female undergraduates were placed in an arbitrary waiting situation, and then the E either verbally attacked or apologized to them. Half of the Ss in each group were given a chance to retaliate by negatively evaluating the E on a written form. State and trait hostility and depression measures (e.g., Costello and Comrey's Depression scale, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, and the Depression Adjective Check List) were given before the anger manipulation and again after the manipulation and retaliation. Both males and females became angry and depressed following the attack, and females tended to become more depressed than males (though not more angry). Although males reported more outward hostility than did females after attack, females retaliated more. Retaliation did not, however, reduce either anger or depression, as had been expected. Implications for clinical depression are discussed. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual selection as a side-effect of sexual conflict in the seaweed fly, Coelopa ursina (Diptera: Coelopidae)

The mating system of the seaweed fly involves a premating struggle. When mounted, females violently try to remove the male. In this study 48% of premating struggles resulted in successful rejection of the male, 46% in copulation and 6% were terminated by the male. Large males had a mating advantage. However, contrary to what would be predicted if this sexual selection occurred as a result of active female mate choice, we found a positive association between the duration of premating struggles and male size. A positive association was also found between the duration of premating struggles and male mating success, suggesting that large males may benefit through their superior ability to withstand female rejection. Large females rejected males more easily than small females, suggesting that the premating struggle has not evolved to allow mate assessment by females. We conclude that sexual selection is occurring as a side-effect of the female rejection response, which has probably evolved in order to avoid costs associated with copulation. Nevertheless, a sexual size dimorphism has evolved with males being larger and much more variable in size than females. (c) 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.     

Interpersonal consequences of depression: Responses to men and women enacting a depressed role.

To investigate interpersonal consequences of depressed behavior, telephone interactions were conducted between same- and opposite-sex pairs of 62 male and 64 female undergraduates. In each pair, one person enacted a depressed or nondepressed role. The content of the 2 roles differed only in the presence or absence of characteristically depressive affect and attitudes. Ratings of interest in further contact, personal rejection, and perceived impairment of role functioning all revealed a similar pattern: Depressed persons were more strongly rejected than nondepressed persons, especially by persons of the opposite sex. Interactions with depressed persons elicited significantly more depression in the listener than did interactions with nondepressed persons. Moreover, significantly more feminine traits were attributed to depressed than nondepressed persons. The responses of others to depressed individuals are discussed with respect to their implications for conceptualizing and treating depression. The results also have implications for the understanding of sex differences in the epidemiology of depression. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender and reporting differences in measures of depression.

135 female and 75 male undergraduates (aged 18–30 yrs) responded to the Beck Depression Inventory and to 9 items assessing depression from the Hopkins Symptom Checklist. The hypothesis was explored that males particularly would endorse test items in a less "depressed" direction when presented explicitly as constituting a test of depression, but would endorse more depressive content when items were presented in a context not portrayed as measuring depression. Some support was obtained for the view that males may approach and respond differently to depression inventories compared to females. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Illusion of control for self and others in depressed and nondepressed college students.

108 depressed or nondepressed undergraduates, as assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory and Multiple Affect Adjective Check List, judged either how much control they themselves had or how much control a male or female confederate (C) had over a noncontingent, but positive, outcome. Replicating past findings (i.e., L. B. Alloy et al, 1981) on depression and judgments of control, depressed Ss judged relatively accurately that they exerted little control over the experimental outcome, whereas nondepressed Ss overestimated their personal control. Ss' judgments of the C's control were a function of the S's mood state and sex as well as of the C's sex. With 1 exception (depressed males in the male other condition), depressed Ss tended to overestimate the C's (male or female) control over the noncontingent outcome. Nondepressed females also judged that the C (male or female) exerted a high degree of control, thus succumbing to the illusion of control both for themselves and others. Nondepressed males tended to judge more accurately that the C (particularly the female C) exerted little control and thus succumbed to the illusion of control for themselves but not for others. Findings imply that an adequate understanding of depressive and nondepressive cognition requires an interpersonal as well as an intrapsychic perspective. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interactive effects of sex and status on self-disclosure.

Rated the degree of self-disclosure of 40 male and 40 female undergraduates in interviews with either male or female interviewers of high or low status. A 2 * 2 * 2 analysis of variance revealed that (a) males disclosed more to females, while females disclosed more to males; (b) dyads containing a female resulted in more disclosure than all male dyads; (c) males revealed more to high-status interviewers, while females disclosed more to low-status interviewers; and (d) high- as opposed to low-status male interviewers elicited more disclosure from all Ss, while status of female interviewers resulted in no significant differences. The need for use of multiple measures in self-disclosure research and implications for client-therapist matching is noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Responses to depressed interpersonal behavior: Mixed reactions in a helping role.

We placed 144 female subjects in a helping role and randomly assigned them to interact with a confederate in a 3?×?3?×?2?×?2 (Psychopathology?×?Blaming?×?Advice Seeking?×?Sex of Confederate) factorial design. In order to study behaviors that mediate interpersonal responses to depression, male and female confederates enacted depressed, anxious, or normal roles and blamed themselves, others, or no one for their problems. The confederates requested advice in half of the conditions. Results indicated that depressed confederates were rejected more on questionnaire measures; however, depressed confederates received more conversational advice and support from subjects than did the equally disturbed anxious confederates. The self-blaming and advice-seeking manipulations did not interact with depression to produce more negative reactions in subjects. There was no evidence of a negative mood induction in subjects, nor did the sex of the confederate have important interpersonal consequences. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical and methodological issues in studies of interpersonal factors in depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Suicide attempters within a delinquent population.

Contrasted 30 13–15 yr old delinquents who had attempted suicide with 120 delinquent controls. Multiple regression analyses showed that suicidal ideation, depression, gender, a tendency to act out, conflict with parents, childhood hyperactivity, and the interactions of gender with depression and with acting out accounted for 49% of the variance in suicide attempts. Females were found to attempt suicide 2? times as often as males. Females were also more likely to attempt suicide when depressed than were similarly depressed males. Male and female delinquents who engaged in a high level of acting out were equally likely to attempt suicide, but females who did not act out were more likely to attempt suicide than males who did not act out. Similarities between these adolescent attempters and adult suicide attempters described in the literature are discussed. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Constraints on the effects of mood on memory.

In Study 1, pleasant and unpleasant personality trait words and abstract nouns were encoded in neutral mood and recalled in either induced depressed or induced happy mood, using 32 female and 32 male undergraduates assigned in equal numbers to 1 of the 4 conditions. Females recalled more pleasant than unpleasant words when in a happy mood and more unpleasant than pleasant words when in a depressed mood. Males failed to show this effect. Both sexes responded equally well to the induction procedures. There were no sex differences in pleasantness ratings of the words to be recalled. A prediction that differential effects of mood on recall would be greater for trait words than abstract nouns was not confirmed. In Study 2, everyday usage ratings by 36 Ss from Study 1 were obtained for the trait words from Study 1. Females gave higher usage ratings than males and, within the females, usage predicted the extent to which a word was preferentially recalled in a congruent mood state. Findings are discussed in relation to the associative network model of mood and memory, sex differences in depression, and cognitive vulnerability to depression. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Depression, psychological separation, and college adjustment: An investigation for sex differences.

18 male and 24 female undergraduates from intact families completed the Beck Depression Inventory, a psychological separation inventory, and a college adjustment inventory. Results indicate that males were significantly more independent of parents than were females and that significant negative correlations between psychological separation and both depression and college adjustment existed only for females. No significant relation between depression and college adjustment was observed for either males or females. Additional findings suggest that the relation of psychological separation to adjustment was affected by the type of independence and adjustment being measured as well as the sex of the S and the S's parent. Implications for developmental theory are discussed. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of counselor gender on reactivity to clients.

Explored the responses of 40 experienced counselors to videotaped clients. Five female and 5 male counselors saw 1 of 4 clients: angry female or male or depressed female or male. During 4 vignette stops, counselors explored their immediate subjective reaction to the clients. Their verbal material was taperecorded and rated by 2 judges on sympathy, identification, defensiveness, and anger. Counselors themselves rated 4 variables: liking, attractiveness for counseling, empathy, and comfort. Multivariate ANOVA produced 2 significant counselor/gender effects. Female counselors rated themselves as more empathic than did males, and females were rated as angrier than were males. Results are discussed in terms of the method developed for the study. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex differences in oxidative damage in ddY mouse kidney treated with a renal carcinogen, iron nitrilotriacetate

Iron-induced free radical injuries in male and female ddY mice, especially the sex difference and its mechanisms, were studied after an i.p. injection of a renal carcinogen, ferric nitrilotriacetate. Male mice were much more susceptible to iron-induced free radical injuries than female mice. Oxidative modification of proteins and DNA occurred more strongly in males than in females, as measured by protein carbonyl content and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, respectively. Histochemical detection of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-modified proteins using an antibody and DNA fragmentation as detected by the TUNEL method also showed that males are more severely damaged than females, especially in the proximal convoluted tubules. These results could not be explained by the difference in iron status between male and female mice. In fact, the toxic so-called 'free' iron in serum and kidney were not different between male and female mice and storage iron, such as ferritin and hemosiderin, was also comparable in both kidneys. In previous studies we proposed the glutathione cycling hypothesis to explain the sex differences. The half-life of glutathione in the kidney was significantly shorter in males (29 min) than in females (57 min), as determined by the glutathione decrease after buthionine sulfoximine treatment, a specific inhibitor of glutathione synthesis. The specific activity of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (EC 2.3.2.2) in female mice was 73% of that in male mice. These results suggest that the faster glutathione turnover in males could account for the higher susceptibility to oxidative injury by supplying the reducing equivalent that reduces Fe(III) to Fe(II), thereby facilitating iron-catalyzed free radical reactions.     

Effect of depression level and length of acquaintance on reaction of others to a request for help.

Examined an interpersonal-process view of depression by assessing 60 undergraduates' reactions to a request for help from a hypothetical depressed or nondepressed person with whom they had been acquainted for a relatively short (2 wks) or long (1 yr) period of time. Ss responded to each of the 4 hypothetical persons by indicating their probable affective reactions to the request, the number of minutes they would be willing to help, their desire for future social contact with the hypothetical person, and their expectations of future requests for help. Results indicate that Ss felt significantly more concern and were willing to provide significantly more time for long-term acquaintances. Requests from depressed persons elicited significantly more anger and social rejection but equal amounts of concern and willingness to help. This mixed response pattern was interpreted as providing partial support for an interpersonal-process view of depression. A path analysis provided limited support for J. C. Coyne's (see record 1979-01146-001) hypothesis that rejection of depressed persons results from the negative mood they induce in others. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex differences in subclinical depression: Administration of the Beck Depression Inventory in public and private disclosure situations.

To test the idea that the preponderance of female depressives is due to a masculine tendency to avoid negative social consequences by reporting fewer depressive symptoms, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administered to 106 male and 104 female undergraduates under conditions of public and private disclosure. It was hypothesized that males would score lower on the BDI than females in the public disclosure condition but not males in the private disclosure condition. Results of both studies fail to support the experimental hypothesis. However, ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between sex of S and sex of examiner. Results are discussed in terms of a willingness to admit more symptoms to a same-sex person due to fear of rejection by the opposite sex and in terms of gender-specific patterns of self-disclosure in first-encounter heterosexual situations. Results also suggest that BDI scores of college students can be interpreted without regard to type of administration. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Depression, pain, and pain behavior.

Examined the degree to which depression predicted pain and pain behavior by administering the Beck Depression Inventory to 114 male and 93 female low back pain patients (mean age 41.6 yrs). Observations of pain behaviors during physical examination, ratings of pain, and measures of activity level and medication intake were taken on each S. Regression analyses revealed that depression and physical findings were the most important predictors of pain and pain behavior. Although the proportion of variance attributed to depression was modest, it was significant even after controlling for demographic and medical status variables. Ratings of pain severity and use of sedatives/hypnotics were higher among females than males, and depressed Ss were more likely than others to be taking narcotic medications. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Regulation of sulfotransferase mRNA expression in male and female rats of various ages

Sulfotransferases (SULTs) are Phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes that catalyze the addition of a sulfuryl moiety to both endogenous compounds, including steroids and neurotransmitters, and certain xenobiotics, including N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminoflourine and phenolic compounds, like alpha-naphthol. In contrast to certain Phase I drug-metabolizing enzymes, little is known about the regulation of the sulfotransferases. These series of studies were designed to analyze SULT mRNA expression and hormonal regulation in male and female rats. The hepatic expression of six different SULT isoforms was examined including three phenol SULTs and three hydroxysteroid SULTs. SULT mRNA expression was examined in adult and developing rats, as well as, in hypophysectomized (HX) and growth hormone-supplemented HX animals. SULT1A1 is thought to be important for the sulfation of simple phenols and its mRNA expression is about twice as high in adult male as in female rats. This difference in SULT1A1 mRNA levels is largely due to a greater decrease in mRNA levels after puberty in female than in male rats. Hypophysectomy resulted in a decrease in expression of SULT1A1 mRNA in both male and female rats. Replacement of growth hormone (GH) by either intermittent injection (male pattern) or infusion (female pattern) failed to restore SULT1A1 expression. Sulfotransferase SULT1C1 has been implicated in activation of N-hydroxyacetylaminoflourine. In contrast to SULT1A1, SULT1C1 mRNA expression is about 10-fold higher in adult males than in adult female rats. This male-dominant expression pattern emerges at 40-50 days of age and is due to an increase in SULT1C1 mRNA in males. Hypophysectomy abolished SULT1C1 expression in male rats. Interestingly, replacement of GH by injection (male pattern) restored SULT1C1 mRNA expression in males and enhanced SULT1C1 expression in female rats to levels observed in adult male rats. GH infusion (female pattern) did not affect SULT1C1 mRNA expression in either male or female rats. Estrogen sulfotransferase (SULT1E2) may play a role in estrogen homeostasis. Adult male rats express SULTIE2 mRNA at levels 10-fold higher than those observed in adult females and similar to SULT1C1, this is due to an increase in SULT1E2 mRNA occurring during puberty in the male rat. Hypophysectomy did not appreciably affect SULT1E2 expression in male rats, however in contrast to males, hypophysectomy markedly enhanced SULT1E2 expression in female rats. GH infusion suppressed SULT1E2 levels in HX male rats. The expression of hydroxysteroid sulfotransferases was also examined. The SULT-20/21 isoform was expressed in both male and female rats. Male expression of this isoform peaked at 30 days of age and then declined to approximately 30% of the level observed in adult females. SULT-20/21 mRNA expression increased sharply at 45 days of age in female rats and remained elevated. Expression of SULT-20/21 mRNA was decreased markedly by hypophysectomy in both male and female rats. GH injection did not affect SULT-20/21 mRNA expression in HX males, however this treatment resulted in a 4-fold increase in SULT-20/21 mRNA in HX females. GH infusion restored SULT-20/21 expression in HX-male rats. GH infusion did elevate SULT-20/21 mRNA expression in female-HX rats, but not to the level observed in intact females. Hydroxysteroid SULT isoform SULT-40/41 was expressed in adult female but not adult male rats. SULT-40/41 expression peaked at 15 days of age in both male and female rats and decreased thereafter. The decrease in expression was more pronounced in male rats. SULT-60 mRNA, like SULT-40/41, was expressed only in adult female rats. Male rats express SULT-60 at 30 days of age, but SULT-60 mRNA is undetectable at 60 days. SULT-60 mRNA was expressed in females only after day 30 and female SULT-60 mRNA expression remains high thereafter. SULT-40/41 and SULT-60 mRNA expression was increased by HX in male rats and decreased by HX in female rats. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)     

Parental investment, reproductive success and polygyny in the lapwing, Vanellus vanellus

We studied the consequences of monogamy and polygyny for male and female lapwings at a site in northern England between 1993 and 1995. Males and females differed in breeding behaviour, and thus the pattern of reproductive investment: males contributed less time than females to the care of their offspring and more time to mating behaviour. We argue that this has resulted from sexual selection. Reproductive behaviour was similar in monogamous and polygynous individuals of both sexes. Male mating success was related to territory size, with males on the largest territories gaining more females. Polygynous male lapwings reared on average between 58 and 100% more chicks each year than monogamous males because of fewer complete breeding failures; between-year return rates of males to the area were similar. This would result in a strong advantage in terms of lifetime reproductive success for polygynous male lapwings. The seasonal breeding success of polygynous females was marginally, but not significantly, lower than that of monogamous females. Between-year return rates of monogamous and polygynous females were similar. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.     

Attitudes towards homosexuality and male and female reactions to homosexual and heterosexual slides.

Investigated the relationship between attitudes toward male and female homosexuality and Ss' reactions to slides of various explicit sexual activities (including homosexuality, lesbianism, heterosexual activity, and group sex). Attitudes toward homosexuality and lesbianism were highly correlated. Saskatchewan males were more antihomosexual than an Ontario sample, supporting the suggestion that there is greater concern with "machismo" among males on the Prairies. 34 male and 31 female undergraduates were divided into those opposed to homosexuality (anti-H) and those not opposed (H-neutral) on the basis of attitude scale scores. While the 4 groups substantially agreed in the relative rating of the slides, anti-H Ss of both sexes rated the slides as more pornographic and evaluated them more negatively than H-neutral Ss. Females rated them more negatively than males, while males rated all but the male themes (male nude, masturbation, homosexual) more sexually arousing than did females. Males reacted more negatively to the male themes than to the comparable female themes. Female Ss showed no such difference. (French summary) (1 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)