Drug preferences of multiple drug abusers.

Attempted to develop a reliable measure of preferences among types of controlled drugs, and examined the correspondence between the most preferred drug and the drug most frequently used. 130 17–29 yr old active multiple drug abusers rated their preferences among 11 combinations of controlled drugs and common methods of administration (e.g., smoking marihuana, snorting cocaine, shooting cocaine, injesting amphetamines, shooting amphetamines) using the method of paired comparisons. Edwards' coefficient of consistency indicated that preferences were highly consistent (.92) and therefore internally reliable. Nearly half of the Ss most preferred drugs other than the type that they most frequently used, and their preferences were related to the method of administration. Results suggest that preference is one of several determinants of drug use. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of actual and preferred Classroom Environment Scales in person–environment fit research.

Used the Classroom Environment Scale (CES) to aid in investigating the person–environment fit hypotheses of whether the relationship between achievement and actual classroom environment varies with the environment preferences of the class. Students in 116 8th and 9th grade science classes were the Ss. Achievement on several cognitive and affective outcome measures was related to interactions between the actual classroom environment and that preferred by the class. Regression surface analyses revealed numerous cases in which the actual–preferred interaction on a CES scale accounted for a significant amount of criterion variance beyond that attributable to corresponding pretest, general ability, and actual environment. In each case, the person–environment interaction was supported in that the relationship between achievement and an actual environment dimension was more positive for classes whose students had a higher preference for that dimension than in classes whose students had a lower preference. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Classroom seating and hypnotic susceptibility.

Conducted 2 experiments to investigate the relations among hypnotic susceptibility (Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale), lateralization of actual seating behavior, and seating preference. In Exp I, it was found that females who sat on the right side of a classroom were more hypnotically susceptible than females who sat on the left. Males who preferred right-side seating were more susceptible than males with left-side preferences. In Exp II, 55 Ss were randomly assigned to seats to determine whether seating location itself affected responsiveness to hypnosis. No association between lateralization of actual seating and hypnotic susceptibility was found. Replicating Exp I, males who preferred right-side seating were more hypnotically susceptible than males with left-side preferences. Lateralization of seating behavior has been found previously to be a function of hemisphericity. The results of both experiments indicate that lateralization of seating behavior may be used to investigate the relation between hemisphericity and hypnotic susceptibility. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Inequities in access to and use of shared resources in social dilemmas.

Investigated the effects of inequities in access to and use of shared resources on harvest decisions and preferences for structural change in resource dilemmas. 70 undergraduates, in groups of approximately 6, harvested resource units from a common resource pool over 10 trials. Following the harvest trials, Ss were asked to vote on how to conduct the session. The variables were (a) access to the resource pool, (b) perceived resource use, and (c) perceived inequity in other group members' harvests. It was hypothesized that high-variance Ss, when placed in a situation where harvest inequities could be attributed to access differences, would demonstrate a stronger preference for equality-restoring decision structures than would low-variance Ss. Results offer little support for this prediction; the variance manipulation had the predicted effect only among high-access Ss in the overuse condition. The access and use variables had independent effects on preferences for structural change. Harvest decisions were mediated by the 3 design variables in the manner predicted by a 3-factor model that assumes that harvest size will be governed by self-interest, a desire to use the common resource responsibly, and conformity to implicit group norms. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual and family therapy in the treatment of children.

Surveyed 144 clinicians (mean age 42.7 yrs) who evaluate and treat child referral cases to examine whether Ss who define themselves primarily as individually vs family oriented actually differ significantly in their therapeutic practices. 18 Ss were identified as advocating the individual child-oriented approach over the family-oriented approach, 74 Ss advocated the use of both approaches, and 52 Ss advocated a family-oriented approach. It was found that Ss who preferred the individual and combined approaches showed a preference to approach evaluation by first seeing the parents and then shifting to the identified child. Family-oriented Ss preferred an approach that focused on seeing all family members conjointly throughout treatment. Also, individual-oriented Ss showed a greater use of tools that are more closely associated with psychodynamic theory and allow for individual play: projective testing, doll or puppet play, and craft projects. The family-oriented group used more action-oriented, interpersonally focused tools, such as behavioral contracting and assigning tasks. The individual-oriented group rated psychodynamic models as significantly more useful, while the family-oriented group rated family systems models as significantly more useful. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Afro-American preferences for counselor characteristics.

Examined 128 Black college students' (aged 17–52 yrs) preferences for salient counselor characteristics. Ss were asked to express their preference for counselors similar or dissimilar to them across 8 counselor characteristics (ethnicity, sex, religion, educational background, socioeconomic background, attitudes and values, personality, and age) identified from previous research. A total of 120 paired comparisons were generated to compare preferences for the 16 similar and dissimilar counselor characteristics. Results reveal that Ss expressed preferences for counselors who, in comparison to themselves, were more educated, had similar attitudes and values, were older, and had similar personalities; these characteristics were more important to the Ss than the counselor's race and ethnicity. Additional analysis of within-group preference profiles revealed no consistent difference by commitment to Afro-American culture, sex, or previous counseling experience. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dimensions of the Rorschach: A matter of preference.

Obtained similarity judgments among all possible pairs of the 10 Rorschach inkblots from a normative group of 15 psychiatric patients. A multidimensional scaling analysis was then performed for 2 groups of Ss: 20 clinical psychologists, and 49 state hospital psychiatric patients. 4 dimensions emerged for each group, and these were related to independently obtained preferences for the 10 inkblots by various S groups (psychotics, neurotics, normals) and to various stimulus calibrations (e.g., evaluation and meaningfulness) of the blots. Both S groups perceived a dimension that correlated with preference ratings made by both a psychotic and neurotic group; the patients split this dimension into psychotic and neurotic preference. The psychologists' judgments reflected a dimension not present in the patient group involving the difficulty of an inkblot in eliciting a response. It is argued that a multidimensional scaling analysis of the Rorschach provides a possible alternative method for the development of new scoring categories that would be based on Ss' own psychophysical perceptions of the blots. (33 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reversal of innate aversions: Attempts to induce a preference for chili peppers in rats.

Although humans frequently develop preferences for innately unpalatable bitter or irritant substances, such preferences are extremely rare in animals. An attempt was made to understand the nature of this difference by 5 experiments with Charles River albino rats, using chili pepper as the unpalatable substance. In parallel with major aspects of the human experience with chili pepper, Ss were exposed to it as a flavoring in all their food for periods up to 11 mo from birth without significant preference enhancement. Gradual introduction of chili into the diet also had no effect, nor did poisoning and safety experiences designed to teach Ss that only chili-flavored foods were safe to eat. Seven pairings of chili-flavored diet with prompt recovery from thiamine deficiency did significantly attenuate the innate aversion and may have induced a chili preference in at least 1 case. Extensive experience with chili did not reliably make Ss much less sensitive to its oral effects. The only reliable way to eliminate chili aversion in rats is to destroy their chemical irritant sense, which was accomplished in 1 group. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Developmental features of exploration.

Developmentally analyzed the exploratory patterns of 112 4–12 yr olds. Ss were presented with groups of visual patterns, songs, and toys and asked about their preference for 1 item in each group. Analysis of the Ss' preferences for both visual and auditory stimuli revealed a significant increase in preference for complexity with age. Ss' preference for a unknown toy over a known toy was influenced by the novelty of the known toy. Ss were less likely to surrender a more novel known toy; this relation became stronger with age. Analysis of Ss' exploration of novel, concealed toys indicated that older Ss were more likely to systematically examine all the toys first before returning for a in-depth appraisal of particular toys of interest. The younger Ss were more likely to be captivated by a novel toy and not to finish examining the rest of the environment. There was some evidence of a qualitative jump in development between these 2 strategies. Younger Ss were also more likely to ask an adult questions as a means of acquiring information, and Ss of all ages asked most of their questions at the beginning of the exploratory task. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Heredity and experience: Their relative importance in the development of taste preference in man.

Heritability estimates for sucrose, lactose, and sodium chloride taste preferences were uniformly low in a total of 311 pairs of monozygotic and like-sex dizygotic twins between 9 and 15 yrs of age. Black Ss preferred more concentrated solutions of all 3 tastants than did Caucasian Ss. This effect was independent of socioeconomic status in the total sample. Males preferred more concentrated solutions of sucrose and lactose than did females, but there were no sex differences in sodium chloride preference. The possibility that early intake experiences may play a role in the determination of enduring taste preferences in humans is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chick (Gallus domesticus) approach preferences for natural and artificial sound stimuli.

Found that 2-day-old White Leghorn and New Hampshire chicks showed an unlearned preference for an ancestral maternal call over a brief, repetitive pure tone burst when choice preference tests were between stationary models emitting maternal call and tone burst sounds. However, other Ss of both breeds showed an unlearned preference for tone burst over maternal call when choice preference tests were between moving models emitting tone burst and call sounds. These same preferences were found in Ss that had been imprinted (exposed) to moving call and tone burst sounds on their 1st posthatch day. The tone bursts were briefer than the call note duration (25 vs 80 msec). Since very brief sound bursts are easier to localize, it is concluded that Ss preferred tone bursts over calls when sound sources were moving because of the greater ease of localizing tone bursts. Along with other recent data, the failure to find imprinting to a maternal call or to tone bursts (i.e., the call and tone burst preferences found were uninfluenced by a brief prior exposure to either sound) suggests the need to question whether or not auditory imprinting occurs in the domestic chick. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Subject characteristics and preferences for different approaches to psychotherapy: A multivariate study.

Examined selected personality variables, sex, age, interpersonal values, and educational level, as antecedents to preferences for a nondirective (Carl Rogers) or directive (Albert Ellis) therapist. Ss were 77 hospitalized psychiatric patients and 77 normal undergraduates. Individual films of the same patient being separately interviewed by the therapists were shown to the Ss on separate days. The Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory and an expression of preference for therapists were dependent measures. Ss who preferred the Ellis presentation proved to be more dogmatic (Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, Form E) and externalized (Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale) than Ss preferring the Rogers presentation. Trait anxiety (Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale) was only related to therapy preference for the patients. The variables differed in discriminability between preferences, although patients and students were similar in their relative preferences for the 2 therapist orientations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chick (Gallus domesticus) Approach Preferences for Natural and Artificial Sound Stimuli: Erratum.

Reports an error in the original article by Gloria J. Fischer (Developmental Psychology, 1976[Jan], Vol 12[1], 39-46). On page 41, the 1-sec designation was inadvertently cropped from Figure 1; .5 sec should be plotted 6.5 cm from 0 along the abscissa. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1979-25318-001.) Found that 2-day-old White Leghorn and New Hampshire chicks showed an unlearned preference for an ancestral maternal call over a brief, repetitive pure tone burst when choice preference tests were between stationary models emitting maternal call and tone burst sounds. However, other Ss of both breeds showed an unlearned preference for tone burst over maternal call when choice preference tests were between moving models emitting tone burst and call sounds. These same preferences were found in Ss that had been imprinted (exposed) to moving call and tone burst sounds on their 1st posthatch day. The tone bursts were briefer than the call note duration (25 vs 80 msec). Since very brief sound bursts are easier to localize, it is concluded that Ss preferred tone bursts over calls when sound sources were moving because of the greater ease of localizing tone bursts. Along with other recent data, the failure to find imprinting to a maternal call or to tone bursts (i.e., the call and tone burst preferences found were uninfluenced by a brief prior exposure to either sound) suggests the need to question whether or not auditory imprinting occurs in the domestic chick. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation of type of problem and expectations of counselor knowledge and understanding to students' gender preferences for counselors.

131 female and 57 male undergraduates rated, for each of 11 vocational and 22 personal problems, whether they expected a male or female counseling psychologist to be more understanding and more knowledgeable in dealing with a problem. Most Ss expressed no preference for psychologist gender for dealing with vocational problems, although males with a preference preferred a male psychologist to a slight degree. For personal-social problems, females expressing a preference showed a consistent pattern of preference for a female psychologist. However, the number of women expressing some degree of preference and the strength of preference varied across problems. Males expressed generally weaker but more varied preferences than females did. The expectancy for psychologist's understanding generally was a stronger and more consistent correlate of preferences than expectations of knowledgeability. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reversal shift preferences in process and reactive schizophrenic, brain-damaged, and control group patients.

Compared process and reactive schizophrenic, brain-damaged, and normal control groups (n = 34 each) in frequency of reversal shifts in discrimination learning using the optional-shift paradigm. The main hypothesis that reactive schizophrenics, like normal adults, would show a stronger preference for reversal shifts than would process Ss was supported. Results show that significantly more reactive (68%) than process (44%) Ss made reversal shifts. Significantly more brain-damaged and reactive schizophrenic Ss showed reversal shift preferences when color was learned initially rather than form, while such initial concept preferences were not found in the process schizophrenic or normal control Ss. Previous findings in discrimination learning with pathological groups are discussed in the context of these findings. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Client preferences and anticipations about counselor self-disclosure.

120 female undergraduates were preselected according to high or low preference for counselor disclosure. Ss were then given 1 of 2 forms of instructions about the likelihood of counselors using self-disclosure (high or low anticipation). Finally, Ss viewed a brief videotape of a counseling session in which counselor disclosure was either present or absent. As predicted, Ss gave higher ratings on the Counselor Rating Form to self-disclosing counselors than to nondisclosing ones. Ss whose high preferences and anticipations were confirmed gave higher ratings to disclosing counselors. For Ss who had low preference and anticipation, disconfirmation led to higher ratings of disclosing counselors. Implications for distinguishing between preference and anticipation in research on expectancy are discussed. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the acquisition of dimensional stimulus control by the pigeon.

Trained 80 domestic pigeons to peck a white illuminated key for variable interval (VI) reinforcement. Ss were tested for angularity generalization following 0, 5, 10, or 20 min. of VI-reinforced exposure to a given line angle. For 40 Ss, the line angle was 90–; for the others, 30–. The 0-min Ss showed a systematic preference for 90–; however, 5 min. of training (with either SD value) produced nondifferential responding during generalization testing. Both 10 and 20 min. of training produced reliable gradients peaking at the SD values, with the 20-min gradient sharper but not reliably so. Furthermore, the 2 20-min gradients, peaking at 90– and 30–, were equal in slope. The various groups did not differ reliably in absolute level of responding during generalization testing, suggesting that response strength was fully established prior to the introduction of line training. Under this condition, dimensional stimulus control was acquired very rapidly and initial stimulus preferences were as rapidly overcome. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex stereotypes and preferences in the toy choices of 20-month-old boys and girls.

Examined the toy preferences of 20-mo-old Ss under free play and modeling conditions. The relationship between toy familiarity and preference was also studied. The interaction between sex of child and sex-type of toy was significant. The hypothesis that toy contacts or imitation would be associated with toy familiarity was not supported. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)