Interactional structure of interviews conducted by counselors of differing levels of cognitive complexity.

Investigated (a) the probabilistic interactional structure of counseling interviews conducted by 2 groups of counselors of differing levels of cognitive complexity and (b) the consistency of that structure within each group across sequences of 2 interviews. 26 master's level counselor trainees served as Ss. Analysis of the counselor–client interaction patterns between the 2 groups of counselors and across the 2-interview sequences was done using chi-square tests of homogeneity on the sequential verbal response–response transitions of the counseling interviews. The results provide evidence of (a) interactional process differences between counselors of differing levels of cognitive complexity and (b) consistency of interactional response patterns across counseling interviews. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of general and specific abilities on student achievement: Similarities and differences across ethnic groups.

Compares the effects of specific and general abilities on the general and specific reading and mathematics achievement of students (grades 1–12) from three ethnic groups: African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian students. Data were drawn from the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery—Revised standardization sample. Multisample structural equation modeling was used to test whether the same specific abilities were important for all ethnic groups, and whether the magnitude of those influences was the same across groups. Results suggest that specific abilities are indeed important for understanding students' achievements, and that the same abilities are important for all ethnic groups. In most cases, the magnitude of those effects were indistinguishable across groups. However, there were differences in the influences for students in the elementary-, middle-, and high-school years; those differences may be related to the development of skills in reading and mathematics. The author argues that these findings demonstrate the importance of specific abilities for understanding specific achievements, and the importance of assessing such abilities to understand reading and mathematics achievement, regardless of a student's ethnicity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex differences in interpersonal problems: A circumplex analysis.

The structure and magnitude of sex differences in interpersonal problems across several data sets were examined, guided by the interpersonal circumplex model and the structural summary method. Data were self-reported interpersonal difficulties, assessed with the 64-item version of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP; L. M. Horowitz, S. E. Rosenberg, B. A. Baer, G. Ure?o, & V. S. Villase?or, 1988). In Study 1, the authors focused on sex differences at the level of specific interpersonal complaints (item level). In Study 2, the authors examined sex differences in octant scores of the IIP circumplex (scale level), in a reanalysis of archival data. The structural summary method was used to identify points of maximum difference between men and women in the interpersonal continuum and to estimate effect sizes. Results from the 2 studies converged in suggesting a dimension of difference involving problems in Hostile-Dominance vs. Friendly-Submission. The magnitude of effect size was consistent with previous reports in the personality literature. These sex differences appeared to be best explained by a one-dimensional model. Findings were generally consistent across 3 different types of samples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Delay discounting in current and never-before cigarette smokers: Similarities and differences across commodity, sign, and magnitude.

Research has found that nicotine-dependent individuals delay discount monetary gains at a higher rate than matched controls. Delay discount rates, however, have also been found to vary across within-subject variables such as the magnitude of the outcome (e.g., $10 or $1,000), whether the outcome constitutes a gain or a loss, and the commodity being evaluated (e.g., money or health). The present study comprehensively investigated the differences in delay discounting between current and never-before cigarette smokers and across these within-subject variables. Both groups exhibited a magnitude, sign, and commodity effect. Current smokers' delay discount rates for monetary outcomes, however, were higher than never-before smokers across all magnitudes and both signs. This trend was also found for delayed health outcomes, but failed to reach significance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The interpersonal structure of family interaction settings: Parent–adolescent relations in dyads and triads.

Observed parental interactive patterns in the presence (a triadic setting) and in the absence (a dyadic setting) of the spouse in 44 families with 16 female and 28 male early adolescents (approximately 13 yrs old). Findings indicate that in accordance with hypotheses, the presence of the father enhanced the quality of mother–son relations, whereas the presence of the mother reduced the quality of father–son relations. The presence of the spouse influenced the extent to which parents treated girls and boys differently: Mothers differentiated more between girls and boys in the presence of the spouse, whereas fathers differentiated more between girls and boys in the absence of the spouse. Relative to the dyad, parental role differentiation increased in the triad but only in families of boys. In demonstrating interdependencies among family relationships and the responsivity of parental behaviors to the interpersonal structure of interaction settings, the results support a systems model of family processes. Implications for the study of family relations and sex typing at early adolescence are discussed. (60 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relational self-worth: differences in perceived worth as a person across interpersonal contexts among adolescents

Between 1988 and 1991, 644 serum samples were collected from 480 grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) and 40 black bears (Ursus americanus) from Alaska, United States of America, and were tested for selected canine viral infections and zoonoses. Antibody prevalence in grizzly bears was 0% for parvovirus, 8.3% (40/480) for distemper, 14% (68/480) for infectious hepatitis, 16.5% (79/480) for brucellosis, 19% (93/480) for tularaemia and 47% (225/478) for trichinellosis. In black bears, prevalence ranged from 0% for distemper and parvovirus to 27.5% for trichinellosis and 32% for tularaemia. Antibody prevalence for brucellosis (2.5%) and tularaemia (32%) were identical for grizzly bears and black bears from the geographical area of interior Alaska. Links between differences in prevalence and the origin of the grizzly bears were observed. Antibodies to canine distemper virus and infectious hepatitis virus were mainly detected in grizzly bears from Kodiak Island and the Alaskan Peninsula. Brucellosis antibodies were prevalent in grizzly bears from western and northern Alaska, whereas tularaemia antibodies were detected in grizzly bears from interior Alaska and the Arctic. There was a strong gradient for antibodies to Trichinella spp. from southern to northern Alaska. For most diseases, antibody prevalence increased with age. However, for several infections, no antibodies were detected in grizzly bears aged from 0 to 2 years, in contrast to the presence of those infections in black bears. Grizzly bears served as excellent sentinels for surveillance of zoonotic infections in wildlife in Alaska.     

Sex differences in the appropriateness of supervisory styles: A nonmanagement view.

Three different supervisory styles (directive, rational, or friendly) portrayed by male vs female supervisors were rated by 30 male, average age 27.9 yrs, and 30 female, average age 27.2 yrs, nonmanagement personnel. Ss evaluated the effectiveness of, and their satisfaction with, the various styles portrayed as though they were the subordinates. The directive style was rated least favorably when it is displayed by female supervisors. Results indicate that nonmanagement employees' sex role stereotypes merit further investigation. Also, a contingency view of leadership should take into account that the sex of subordinate and of supervisor jointly suggest the appropriate supervisory style. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Similarities and differences in four views of David.

In this article, each author gives a brief comment on similarities he or she sees throughout the case formulations captured in the articles by Watson (2010a), Silberschatz (2010), Goldfried (2010), and Caspar (2010). A systematic comparison is added. Overall, the impression is confirmed and maintained that if authors are ready to renounce the use of the jargon of their specific approach, many similarities can be found. There are nevertheless differences that would lead us to expect a different course of therapy and different effects beyond the main effect of recovery in the case of David, pursuing the conceptualization and interventions proposed by Watson (2010b). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender differences across age in motor performance: A meta-analysis.

Conducted a meta-analysis of 64 studies that reported gender differences on motor performance during childhood and adolescence. Findings yielded 702 effect sizes based on data from 15,518 female and 15,926 male 3–20 yr olds. Age was regressed on effect size, and the relation was significant for 12 of 20 tasks (e.g., balance, catching, grip strength, shuttle run, throw velocity, tapping). Several types of age-related curves were found; the curve for a throwing task was the most distinctive. Five of the tasks followed a typical curve of gender differences across age. For 8 tasks, gender differences were not related to age, and effect sizes were small. Results are discussed in relation to the development of gender differences to biological and environmental sources. A bibliography of the 64 studies is appended. (47 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interdependence and the interpersonal sense of control: An analysis of family relationships.

Family members' beliefs about their ability to influence one another were investigated in 51 2-parent, 2-child families. Three reliable dimensions were identified: (a) effectance—a feeling of personal control in the relationship, (b) acquiescence—the belief that one is controlled by the partner, and (c) fate—the belief that relationship outcomes are due to fate, chance, or unknown factors. The existence of interdependence in these control dimensions was investigated using the Social Relations Model. The results demonstrate that the interpersonal sense of control is virtually never a function of the perceiver alone but depends also on characteristics of the partner and the relationship. The findings underscore the importance of basing theory on well-described data. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Similarities and differences in infant-mother and infant-father interaction in the strange situation: A component process analysis.

This study examined similarities and differences in infant–mother and infant–father interaction. Previously published data (Belsky, Garduque, & Hrncir, 1984) on infants observed in the Strange Situation with their mothers (N?=?60) and fathers (N?=?50) at 12 and 13 months were reanalyzed using a component process approach to investigate (a) whether the organization of social interactive behavior is relationally based, (b) the factor-analytic structure of social interaction with the two caregivers, (c) the predictive power of crying and social interactive behavior with each caregiver to subsequent behavior with a stranger, and (d) the relative cross-caregiver consistency of crying versus social interaction. Results indicated (a) that the organization of infant social interaction depends on the interactive partner and on the affective context, (b) that infant behavior with the father is more predictive of infant–stranger interaction than is infant–mother interaction, and (c) that crying is more consistent than social interaction across caregivers. Results are interpreted as being consistent with a view of attachment relationships as relationally based and as evidence for the usefulness of the finer-grained analysis provided by the component process approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Artistic creativity and interpersonal relationships across and within generations.

772 artists from diverse historical periods were assessed for achieved eminence, and their relationships with other artists were gauged in terms of both quantity and quality. These social relationships could concern predecessors (paragons, masters, and parents), contemporaries (rivals, collaborators, associates, friends, copupils, and siblings), and successors (apprentices and admirers). Aggregate measures of group artistic activity (zeitgeist) were also defined for both contemporary and preceding generations. Five relationships—paragons, rivals, associates, apprentices, and admirers—emerged as the most consistent correlates of artistic eminence, although the aggregate measures provided useful predictors over and above the individual-level effects. The impact of the various interpersonal relationships was often moderated by the mean age difference between the artist and the fellow artists entering a given social interaction. For example, artistic eminence is a curvilinear inverted backward –U function of the mean artist–paragon age gap, in which the optimum point varies as a negative monotonic function of the number of paragons emulated. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of gender in family evaluations: A comparison of trained and untrained observer perceptions of matriarchal and patriarchal family interviews.

Examined how training and experience, family roles, and gender of observed family leadership affect ratings of both family and individual parent functioning. Seventy experienced therapists and 70 clinically naive individuals rated 2 videotaped family interviews. One interview demonstrated a matriarchal style of family interaction and the other demonstrated a patriarchal style. Ratings from the 2 groups of observers were compared to determine the effects of training and experience. The effects of leader gender were determined by comparing ratings of the 2 family interviews. Ratings of the mother and the father from the 2 interviews were compared to determine the effects of family roles. Results suggest that experienced observers in assessments of family functioning are vulnerable to biased views of mother-led families. In assessments of parent functioning, results suggest that although training and experience may promote more critical ratings, vulnerability to biased views of women as family leaders is not significantly affected. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality structure across cultures: A multimethod evaluation.

Personality structure was assessed in 4 countries (Canada, Finland, Poland, and Germany) using both an established verbal personality inventory and a new nonverbal personality questionnaire. A 5-factor structure was found to be highly robust in that it was replicated across the 4 cultures and across the 2 personality assessment methods. The data are discussed in terms of (1) the failure to support a semantic similarity interpretation of personality item responses, (2) the factorial validity of the new nonverbal personality questionnaire, and (3) the viability of the popular 5-factor model of personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in masculinity and femininity across the family life cycle: A reexamination.

Rather than remaining fixed once adulthood is reached, such personality characteristics as masculinity and femininity have been shown to fluctuate systematically as a function of the individual's current family lifestage (i.e., cohabiting, married, expecting a first child, parenthood; Abrahams, Feldman, & Nash, 1978; Feldman, Biringen, & Nash, 1981). These workers concluded that the anticipation and presence of children have strong consequences for the masculinity and femininity of their parents. However, findings from 582 Australian survey respondents showed that the individual's involvement in the adult world of work and study has a greater impact on his or her masculinity and femininity scores than a nurturant role toward children. In a combined sample of dating, cohabiting, and married couples and divorced partners, employed women had lower femininity, and their male partners slightly lower masculinity, than nonemployed women and their partners, respectively. Women engaged in tertiary study had lower femininity scores than women who were not. It is concluded that previous studies in this area may have been too hasty in identifying the presence or absence of children as the key feature of the family life cycle affecting masculinity and femininity, instead of the employment or education of the female partner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MMPI studies of counselors: A review.

Presents a current, systematic review of published MMPI research on counselor characteristics and effectiveness and discussed the importance of continuing research in this area. Counselors appear different from the general norms on the L, K, Hy, Pd, Mf, Ma, Si, Es, Do, Re, St, and Pr scales but only the L, K, Ma, and Si scales distinguish between counselors and persons in other professions. Only the Ma and Sc scales show promise of discriminating between effective and ineffective counselors in training. Weaknesses of the existing research are indicated and 2 basic questions are raised regarding inventory research on counselor effectiveness. (22 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex differences in the interpersonal behavior of married couples.

Self- and observer reports were used to assess performance frequencies of 800 acts in a sample of 93 married couples over a 3-mo period. Although numerous sex differences were found with respect to each data source, only 69 acts showed significant sex differences across both data sources. Subsequently, these 69 acts were factor analyzed separately for the 2 data sources to identify the major dimensions of sex difference. Four clear and comparable factors emerged from the 2 analyses: Coercive-Manipulative, Communal, Flashy Attire, and Initiative. The California Psychological Inventory Femininity scale correlated highly with most composites for the total sample, suggesting considerable predictive power in identifying dimensions of sex difference. The Extended Personality Attribute Questionnaire scales correlated strongly with the factor composites within sex, but less so for the total sample. Results are discussed in terms of strategies for assessing sex differences in interpersonal behavior, alternative foci of convenience for different masculinity and femininity scales, and the use of multiple data sources to transcend single-source limitations. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The many faces of hyperactivity: Similarities and differences in diagnostic policies.

Used multiple regression methods to investigate the diagnostic policies for hyperactivity (hyperkinesis) used by 16 experienced clincial psychologists. Individual analyses were made on each S's set of diagnoses of children who had been described in terms of 19 cues, including reports of home and school behavior, clinical observation, and test results. Linear models accounted for a reasonably large amount of the diagnostic variance. Although Ss' diagnoses were all intercorrelated, there were substantial individual differences among them in terms of both the cues used and the number diagnosed hyperactive. Results cast doubt on the presumption of professional consensus on the behavioral symptoms of a hyperactivity syndrome and suggest that the diagnostician may be an important source of the observed symptom heterogeneity of hyperactive children. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)