Prediction of infant-father and infant-mother attachment.

The 1st-yr correlations of infant–father and infant–mother attachment were investigated in a longitudinal study of early family development. Mothers and fathers were observed interacting with their 1st-born, 3-mo-old infants. Parents also were interviewed individually at 3 mo child age concerning their time with the infant and their attitudes and reports about the infant and their parental role. Mothers and fathers were seen in the strange situation with their infant at 12 mo. For infants and fathers, security of attachment was predicted from the qualities of interaction at 3 mo, the father's attitudes and reports about the infant and the paternal role, and the father's time with the infant. For infants and mothers, security of attachment was predicted from the qualities of interaction at 3 mo and the mother's time with the infant. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sibling attachment relationships: Child–infant interaction in the strange situation.

Observed the interpersonal behavior of 54 mothers and their preschoolers (aged 30–58 mo) and infants (aged 10–20 mo) using a multi-element baseline design to explore the older siblings' potential to act as subsidiary attachment figures for the infant. Female adults were employed as strangers. All possible dyadic and triadic combinations of mother, child, infant, and stranger were observed. Interpersonal exchanges of attachment, affiliation, fear/wariness, and coordinated play were recorded. Incidences of solitary and parallel play were also coded. Results indicate that (a) 52% of older siblings reassured and comforted their younger siblings in the absence of the mother; (b) older brothers were most active in caring for younger sisters, and older sisters in caring for younger brothers; (c) older brothers tended to match equitably the infants' requests for care, whereas older sisters tended to give far more care than was sought; thus boys seemed to use a strategy that previous researchers found to be common for fathers, and girls used one common for mothers. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Similarities and differences in block design performance between older normal and brain-injured persons: A task analysis.

Developed an objective scoring system to determine whether right and left hemiplegics differ from normal controls, and from one another, in terms of competence levels, style of performance, constructional deviations, and various rates of activity while attempting to solve block designs. A microanalysis of the wais block design performances of 40 normals, 56 right hemiplegics, and 49 left hemiplegics was conducted. Results indicate that (a) brain-injured ss were inferior to normals in competence, (b) brain-injured ss did not differ from normals in style of performance and in partial competence, (c) right hemiplegic ss differed from left hemiplegic ss on all parameters of performance but competence level. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. (29 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Are infant attachment patterns continuously or categorically distributed? A taxometric analysis of strange situation behavior.

Contemporary attachment research is based on the assumption that at least three types of infant attachment patterns exist: secure, avoidant, and resistant. It is not known, however, whether individual differences in attachment organization are more consistent with a continuous or a categorical model. The authors addressed this issue by applying P. E. Meehl's (1973, 1992) taxometric techniques for distinguishing latent types (i.e., classes, natural kinds) from latent continua (i.e., dimensions) to Strange Situation data on 1,139 fifteen-month-old children from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. The results indicate that variation in attachment patterns is largely continuous, not categorical. The discussion focuses on the implications of dimensional models of individual differences for attachment theory and research. (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 in adult readers: A process perspective.

Explored the underlying structure of the reading scores of 235 men and 163 women (aged 17–64 yrs) using separate speed and accuracy measures from tests of reading comprehension and vocabulary. Gender differences were then examined with respect to both overall reading measures and the underlying basic processes. Speed and accuracy measures of basic processes involved in the reading of single words revealed reading differences which support the findings from the general reading tests. It was concluded that the female advantage in verbal tasks relates primarily to faster and more accurate use of lexical and orthographic knowledge, but that this accuracy advantage disappears when the reading task requires higher order processing skills. This work suggests that exploration of the speed and accuracy components of basic processing tasks is a fruitful approach to understanding individual differences, such as those related to gender. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A spatial view of the interpersonal structure of family interviews: Similarities and differences across counselors.

Compared the interpersonal structure in interviews conducted by 4 founders of the family therapy movement—N. Ackerman, M. Bowen, D. Jackson, and C. Whitaker—with the same family to determine the extent of similarity and identify common features across counselors. Multidimensional scaling provided a spatial representation of the hidden structure in the communication patterns of these interviews. Each of the 4 analyses showed 2 dimensions that explained most of the variance, 72–85%. Correlations among the 4 2-dimensional solutions were high, especially between Ackerman and Whitaker (.75) and Bowen and Jackson (.99), indicating that these counselors' interactions with the family were remarkably similar. The therapists' postinterview impressions of the family suggested a basis for understanding the similarities and variability in the 4 spatial configurations. Interpretation suggested that all the counselors joined the family from a position of power, respecting the parents' distress and the established hierarchy by interacting more with them than with the children. Bowen and Jackson aligned themselves closely with the parents, whereas Ackerman and Whitaker were at the edge of the family. Discussion focuses on common features in counselors' work with families and how multidimensional scaling can chart changes in family structure over the course of counseling. (51 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)     

On sex differences in self-disclosure during the acquaintance process: The role of anticipated future interaction.

In Exp I, 48 female and 48 male undergraduates who either anticipated or did not anticipate further interaction with a same-sex confederate, alternated with that person in disclosing private information on 4 personal topics. The confederate spoke first on each topic, presenting either highly intimate or nonintimate information in response to all 4 issues. Content analyses revealed that as hypothesized, males became more intimate and emotionally invested in their disclosures when they expected to interact with their partners in the future. By contrast, females showed an unexpected decline in the intimacy and emotional investment of their self-presentations when expecting further interaction with their partners, and they were actually somewhat less self-revealing under this circumstance than were males. Supplementary data suggest that females' reluctance to disclose intimately to a partner with whom they expected further interaction did not stem from problems in their contemporaneous interpersonal relationships with this individual. The avoidance of intimacy and an evaluation hypothesis received support as proposed explanations for the dampening effect of anticipated future interaction on female self-disclosure in a 2nd experiment involving 26 female and 20 male undergraduates. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual differences in situation–behavior profiles: A triple typology model.

A model is proposed to represent individual differences in situation–behavior profiles. The model consists of 3 components: (a) Typologies of person, situation, and behavior classes; (b) hierarchical relations between the classes of each typology; and (c) a characterization of the person types in terms of different sets of if (situation class) then (behavior class) rules by which the 3 typologies are linked to one another. A data analysis technique (INDCLAS) is available to induce a triple typology model from empirical data. To reveal the psychological mechanisms behind such a model, the classes of the model can be related to situation, behavior, and person features. As a result, person types can be interpreted in terms of systems of cognitive–affective variables that mediate between active situation features and behavioral manifestations. This is illustrated with a study on self-reported hostile behavior in frustrating situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internship placements: Similarities and differences between clinical and counseling psychology programs.

Internship matches among students within clinical (n = 2,130) and counseling (n = 450) psychology doctoral training programs were examined for a complete cohort of intern applicants. The overall rates of successful internship matching, as well as the rankings of those matches, were similar for the 2 specialties. The settings of those internship matches revealed significant differences, however. Clinical psychology students matched at higher rates to a range of medical facilities, for example, whereas counseling psychology students matched at higher rates to counseling center settings. These and other differences were examined in relation to the historical and enduring differences between the 2 specialties and their implications for education, training, and practice within the field of professional psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Zen meditation and behavior self-control: Similarities, differences, and clinical applications.

Studies the behaviors involved in 2 self-control strategies: Zen meditation and behavioral self-management. The first technique is derived from the Eastern "religious-philosophical" tradition of Zen Buddhism; the other is derived from Western laboratory and field settings and is based on social learning theory. Using naturalistic observation and experimental analysis, Zen breath meditation is conceptualized as a sequence of behaviors involving certain cues and consequences, and thereby under explicit contingency arrangements. Behavioral self-management techniques are similarly analyzed, and results of these analyses are compared and contrasted. After briefly reviewing the clinical outcome literature for both strategies, it is concluded that rehabilitative and preventive benefits may be gained from a combination of the 2 techniques. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In-group bias in the minimal intergroup situation: A cognitive-motivational analysis.

Experimental research on intergroup discrimination in favor of one's own group is reviewed in terms of the basis of differentiation between in-group and out-group and in terms of the response measure on which in-group bias is assessed. Results of the research reviewed suggest that (a) factors such as intergroup competition, similarity, and status differentials affect in-group bias indirectly by influencing the salience of distinctions between in-group and out-group, (b) the degree of intergroup differentiation on a particular response dimension is a joint function of the relevance of intergroup distinctions and the favorableness of the in-group's position on that dimension, and (c) the enhancement of in-group bias is more related to increased favoritism toward in-group members than to increased hostility toward out-group members. Implications of these results for positive applications of group identification (e.g., a shift of in-group bias research from inter- to intragroup contexts) are discussed. (67 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age differences in the acculturation process.

Age differences were assessed in a conceptual model that seeks to explain how acculturation affects psychological well-being among Mexican-Americans. The data were from a national probability sample of 859 persons of Mexican descent. It was hypothesized that low acculturation creates financial stress. Moreover, low acculturation and financial stress were in turn predicted to erode feelings of personal control and self-esteem. Finally, diminished feelings of control and low self-esteem were hypothesized to exert a negative impact on psychological well-being. When data from respondents of all ages were assessed, empirical support was found for all of the hypotheses except the linkage between acculturation and financial stress. However, few age differences emerged in the model. The authors conclude that older Mexican-Americans may not be more vulnerable to the stressors associated with acculturation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

WISC-IV profiles in children with traumatic brain injury: Similarities to and differences from the WISC-III.

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Fourth Edition (WISC–IV; D. Wechsler, 2003a) is often utilized to assess children with traumatic brain injury (TBI), although little information is available regarding its psychometric properties in these children. The current study examined WISC–IV performance in a sample of 61 children with TBI. As compared to the standardization sample, results indicated that the TBI group exhibited relative deficits on all subtest and index scores, with the greatest deficits on the Processing Speed Index (PSI) and Coding subtest scores. However, the Perceptual Reasoning Index score was not uniquely sensitive to brain injury, and the Cognitive Processing Index score was less sensitive to TBI than the PSI score. Also, the PSI did not uniquely predict learning and memory abilities, as had been reported in previous studies of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Third Edition (WISC–III; D. Wechsler, 1991). The present findings indicate substantive differences between the WISC–III and WISC–IV profiles of children with TBI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Groupthink and uncertainty orientation: Personality differences in reactivity to the group situation.

Groupthink theory explains how situational conditions influence group decision making. The authors predict that certainty-oriented (CO) groups show more groupthink than do uncertainty-oriented (UO) groups under closed- rather than open-leadership conditions, this difference being greater under high- rather than low-cohesion conditions. Groupthink can be diminished by avoiding their leader's biased information. The authors asked 68 groups of 4 to decide the fate of a legal case. They found that CO groups are more influenced by situational conditions than are UO groups and that COs make fewer biased decisions with open- rather than closed-leadership conditions and discuss more facts and take more time under high rather than low cohesion. Cohesion interacts with personality to affect group processes but not the decision outcome. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relaxation treatment for insomnia: A component analysis.

Compared 4 relaxation treatments—progressive relaxation, progressive relaxation without tension release, imagery with tension release, and imagery without tension release—for sleep onset insomnia with a waiting-list control (no treatment). Analysis of data from 44 19–71 yr old insomniacs recruited from the community showed all treatment conditions to be superior to no treatment in reducing latency of sleep onset and ratings of fatigue. The presence of muscle-tension release was unrelated to outcome. There was a nonsignificant trend for visual imagery treatments to be superior to somatic-focusing treatments in reducing sleep onset latencies. Treatments using visual focusing were superior to somatic-focusing treatments in reducing the number of nocturnal awakenings. At 6 mo follow-up, only the imagery treatments showed significant improvement over pretreatment levels on latency of sleep onset. Visual-focusing treatments produced significantly greater reductions in sleep onset latency at follow-up than did the somatic-focusing treatments. (20 ref) (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)     

Two tails of the normal curve: Similarities and differences in the study of mental retardation and giftedness.

Professionals in the fields of mental retardation and giftedness have much to teach each other as well as the field of human development in general. Examining the commonalities and differences between the fields in social issues, definitions, developmental differences from the norm, values and policy issues, and educational and long-term implications deepens insights about both normal and deviant development. The authors stress the importance of individual differences in the differential design of educational strategies and the application of approaches developed with specialized populations to normally developing children. Current social inequalities affect both of these fields in particular ways. Finally, numerous research agendas can be enhanced by including representatives of both ends of the normal curve. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bales' interaction process analysis of personnel selection interviews.

What are the sources of interview unreliability? This is the 2nd of a series of 3 studies of the interview. 276 interviews were used. "Samples of interview conversation (personnel selection interviews) were analyzed according to Bales' interaction process analysis. Scores obtained were correlated with decisions made by interviewers about whether applicants were recommended for acceptance or rejection… . specific interaction score variance accounts for interviewer error to a significant degree." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)