Inspiration and the promotion of well-being: Tests of causality and mediation.

The influence of inspiration on well-being was examined in 4 studies. In Study 1, experimental manipulation of exposure to extraordinary competence increased positive affect, and inspiration accounted for this effect. In Study 2, trait inspiration predicted an increase in positive hedonic and eudaimonic well-being variables (positive affect, life satisfaction, vitality, and self-actualization) across a 3-month period, even when the Big 5 traits, initial levels of all well-being variables, and social desirability biases were controlled. In Study 3, both trait inspiration and personal goals inspiration predicted increases in positive well-being variables across a 3-month period. In contrast, well-being did not predict longitudinal change in inspiration. Study 4, a diary study, extended the relation between inspiration and well-being to the within-person level of analysis. For given individuals, variations in inspiration across mornings predicted variations in evening levels of positive well-being variables. These effects were mediated by purpose in life and gratitude. These studies provide converging evidence that inspiration enhances well-being and document 2 parallel mediating processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Thine own self: True self-concept accessibility and meaning in life.

A number of philosophical and psychological theories suggest the true self is an important contributor to well-being. The present research examined whether the cognitive accessibility of the true self-concept would predict the experience of meaning in life. To ensure that any observed effects were due to the true self-concept rather than to the self-concept more generally, the authors used actual self-concept accessibility as a control variable in all studies. True and actual self-concepts were defined as including those traits that are enacted around close others vs. most others (Studies 1 through 3) or as traits that refer to "who you really are" vs. "who you are during most of your activities" (Studies 4 and 5), respectively. Studies 1, 2, and 4 showed that individual differences in true self-concept accessibility, but not differences in actual self-concept accessibility, predicted meaning in life. Studies 3 and 5 showed that priming traits related to the true self-concept enhanced perceptions of meaning in life. Implications for the study of the true self-concept and authenticity are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of construal processes in overconfident predictions about the self and others.

Overconfident behavioral predictions and trait inferences may occur because people make inadequate allowance for the uncertainties of situational construal. In Studies 1–3, Ss estimated how much time or money they would spend in various hypothetical, incompletely specified situations. Ss then offered associated "confidence limits" under different "construal conditions." In Study 4, Ss made trait inferences about someone they believed had responded "deviantly," again with situational details unspecified and construal conditions manipulated. In all 4 studies, Ss who made predictions or trait inferences without being able to assume the accuracy of their situational construals offered confidence limits no broader than those of Ss who made their responses contingent on such accuracy. Only in conditions where Ss were obliged to offer alternative construals did they appropriately broaden their confidence limits or weaken their trait inferences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Effects of optimism, pessimism, and trait anxiety on ambulatory blood pressure and mood during everyday life": Correction to R?ikk?nen et al. (1999).

Reports an error in the original article by K. R?ikk?nen et al (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1999, 76(1), 104–113). Table 4 on page 111 contained an error. The 4 sets of column heads ("Adjusted" and "Unadjusted") were inadvertently transposed. The corrected table is provided. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1999-00166-008): This study tested whether dispositional measures of optimism, pessimism, and anxiety affected ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and mood and whether any cardiovascular effects of dispositions were moderated by mood. Pessimistic and anxious adults had higher BP levels and felt more negative and less positive than did optimists or low anxious adults throughout the monitoring. The few times that optimists did feel negative were associated with levels of BP as high as those observed among pessimists or anxious individuals, regardless of their mood. To the extent that trait anxiety measures neuroticism, these findings suggest that neuroticism is directly related to health indicators rather than simply to illness behavior. Furthermore, the results suggest that pessimism has broad physiological and psychological consequences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal evaluations following threats to self: Role of self-esteem.

In 2 studies, the authors used dyadic interactions to assess the influence of ego threat on likability as a function of self-esteem. In both studies, 2 naive participants engaged in a structured conversation; in half of the dyads, 1 participant received an ego threat prior to the interaction. In the 1st study, threatened high self-esteem participants were rated as less likable than were threatened low self-esteem participants. The 2nd study confirmed that ego threats are associated with decreased liking for those with high self-esteem and with increased liking for those with low self-esteem. A mediational analysis demonstrated that decreased liking among high self-esteem participants was due to being perceived as antagonistic. Study 2 also indicated that the findings could not be explained by trait levels of narcissism. These patterns are interpreted in terms of differential sensitivity to potential interpersonal rejection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Guarding against hostile thoughts: Trait anger and the recruitment of cognitive control.

Trait anger is a robust predictor of the angry and aggressive response to hostile situational input, but it is important to better understand the mechanisms underlying this dimension of personality. The present two studies (total N = 106) examined the possibility that individuals low in trait anger systematically recruit cognitive control resources within hostile contexts. These resources would likely be useful in facilitating emotion regulation operations. In support of this cognitive control framework, Experiment 1 found that low (but not high) trait anger individuals exhibited superior response-switching abilities in a hostile stimulus context. Experiment 2 conceptually replicated this pattern using a different cognitive control measure related to flanker interference effects. The convergence of findings across studies provides one likely mechanism for the reduced levels of reactivity at low levels of trait anger. Findings are discussed in relation to broader theories of trait anger and emotion regulation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Development and validation of a brief form of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire": Correction to Patrick et al. (2002).

Reports an error in "Development and validation of a brief form of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire" by Christopher J. Patrick, John J. Curtin and Auke Tellegen (Psychological Assessment, 2002[Jun], Vol 14[2], 150-163). On page 154, in Table 1, the MPQ-BF column for the "Has a happy disposition" item (second row) under the Wellbeing scale incorrectly reads "26, 97, 31, 104." The correct numbers are 26, 97, 32, 104. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2002-13339-004.) The Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ; A. Tellegen, 1982, in press) provides for a comprehensive analysis of personality at both the lower order trait and broader structural levels. Its higher order dimensions of Positive Emotionality, Negative Emotionality, and Constraint embody affect and temperament constructs, which have been conceptualized in psychobiological terms. The MPQ thus holds considerable potential as a structural framework for investigating personality across varying levels of analysis, and this potential would be enhanced by the availability of an abbreviated version. This article describes efforts to develop and validate a brief (155-item) form, the MPQ-BF. Success was evidenced by uniformly high correlations between the brief- and full-form trait scales and consistency of higher order structures. The MPQ-BF is recommended as a tool for investigating the genetic, neurobiological, and psychological substrates of personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differences between children and adults in the recognition of enjoyment smiles.

The authors investigated the differences between 8-year-olds (n = 80) and adults (n = 80) in recognition of felt versus faked enjoyment smiles by using a newly developed picture set that is based on the Facial Action Coding System. The authors tested the effect of different facial action units (AUs) on judgments of smile authenticity. Multiple regression showed that children base their judgment on AU intensity of both mouth and eyes, with relatively little distinction between the Duchenne marker (AU6 or "cheek raiser") and a different voluntary muscle that has a similar effect on eye aperture (AU7 or "lid tightener"). Adults discriminate well between AU6 and AU7 and seem to use eye-mouth discrepancy as a major cue of authenticity. Bared-teeth smiles (involving AU25) are particularly salient to both groups. The authors propose and discuss an initial developmental model of the smile recognition process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and validation of a brief form of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 14(3) of Psychological Assessment (see record 2007-17094-001). On page 154, in Table 1, the MPQ-BF column for the "Has a happy disposition" item (second row) under the Wellbeing scale incorrectly reads "26, 97, 31, 104." The correct numbers are 26, 97, 32, 104.] The Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ; A. Tellegen, 1982, in press) provides for a comprehensive analysis of personality at both the lower order trait and broader structural levels. Its higher order dimensions of Positive Emotionality, Negative Emotionality, and Constraint embody affect and temperament constructs, which have been conceptualized in psychobiological terms. The MPQ thus holds considerable potential as a structural framework for investigating personality across varying levels of analysis, and this potential would be enhanced by the availability of an abbreviated version. This article describes efforts to develop and validate a brief (155-item) form, the MPQ-BF. Success was evidenced by uniformly high correlations between the brief- and full-form trait scales and consistency of higher order structures. The MPQ-BF is recommended as a tool for investigating the genetic, neurobiological, and psychological substrates of personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The divided self: Concurrent and longitudinal effects of psychological adjustment and social roles on self-concept differentiation.

The relation between self-concept differentiation (SCD), the tendency to see oneself as having different personality characteristics in different social roles, and psychological adjustment was examined in a sample of college students and a sample of middle-aged women. In both studies, Ss with high levels of SCD showed poor emotional adjustment (e.g., depression) and tended to reject social norms and conventions (e.g., low socialization). Longitudinal analyses demonstrated that these same characteristics measured at age 21 predicted SCD measured more than 30 yrs later in middle age. These findings provide strong evidence that SCD is a sign of fragmentation of the self rather than specialization of role identities. The social context was also an important determinant of SCD; both dissatisfaction with role performance and frequent role changes in relationships and jobs predicted SCD measured 9 yrs later. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-evaluation and assessments of performance by self and others.

Explored the relationship between self-esteem, the perception of competence, and actual competence when performance is attributed to oneself or to someone else. 44 male and 43 female undergraduates with high and low self-esteem performed a concept-formation task and evaluated their performance; 1 wk later they either rerated their own performance after watching a videotape of their previous session or rated the videotaped performance of "another S," actually a model who mimicked their previous performance. High-self-esteem Ss perceived themselves as doing better on the task than low-self-esteem Ss, although their performance was actually comparable. The 2 groups' evaluations differed only when they thought they were assessing themselves and not when they felt they were evaluating someone else. Potential mechanisms accounting for the differences in self-evaluations are explored. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The authentic personality: A theoretical and empirical conceptualization and the development of the Authenticity Scale.

This article describes the development of a measure of dispositional authenticity and tests whether authenticity is related to well-being, as predicted by several counseling psychology perspectives. Scales were designed to measure a tripartite conception of authenticity, comprising self-alienation, authentic living, and accepting external influence, which was supported with exploratory factor analysis. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis showed that the factor loadings were invariant across sample, ethnicity, and gender. The scale showed substantial discriminant validity from the Big Five personality traits, nonsignificant correlations with social desirability, and 2- and 4-week test-retest correlations ranging from r = .78 to .91. Each subscale was strongly related to self-esteem and aspects of both subjective and psychological well-being. This article provides the first direct test of several theoretical models that view authenticity as integral to well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What is being assessed and why it matters: The impact of transient error on trait research.

Temporal instability can reflect either true psychological change or transient measurement error, and it is important that trait psychologists be able to distinguish one from the other. The authors report results from large retest studies of Big Five, trait affectivity, and personality disorder measures across time frames (2 months and 2 weeks) over which these constructs should show little or no true change. On average, nearly 25% of the variance in the measures was a product of transient error rather than true change; however, the proportion of error varied widely—but consistently—across measures. In addition, a reexamination of long-term longitudinal data demonstrated that ignoring transient error can lead to inaccurate conclusions. Most notably, a substantial portion of the observed instability in the Big Five and trait affectivity is due to transient error; thus, these traits are even more stable than commonly thought. The present data further suggest that previous reports of differential stability between the Big Five and trait affectivity are due, in part, to differential levels of transient error in measures of these constructs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The development of bases for trait attribution: Children's understanding of traits as causal mechanisms based on desire.

Two studies investigated 4- to 7-year-old children's understanding that traits can be causal mechanisms based on desires, as well as mere summaries of behavioral regularities. In Experiment 1, children made predictions given trait information. Children from 5 years made different emotion predictions about the same situation for actors with different traits, thus appreciating traits as psychological causes. For behavior prediction, children over age 4 generalized across situations. In Experiment 2, accurate emotion prediction by 3- to 7-year-olds was linked to understanding desire as a subjective mental property. The results suggest that children change from viewing traits as behavioral regularities to understanding them as internal mediators, and that advances in understanding desire underlie this change. These changes in understanding traits extend research on theory of mind beyond the basic concepts of desire and belief. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Imaging herpes virus thymidine kinase gene transfer and expression by positron emission tomography

We report a series of studies that assess the feasibility and sensitivity of imaging of herpes virus type one thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) gene transfer and expression with [124I]-5-iodo-2'-fluoro-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil ([124I]-FIAU) and positron emission tomography (PET) and the ability of [124I]-FIAU-PET imaging to discriminate different levels of HSV1-tk gene expression. Studies were performed in rats bearing multiple s.c. tumors derived from W256 rat carcinoma and RG2 rat glioma cells. In the first set, we tested the sensitivity of [124I]-FIAU-PET imaging to detect low levels of HSV1-tk gene expression after retroviral-mediated gene transfer. HSV1-tk gene transduction of one of preestablished wild-type W256 tumor in each animal was accomplished by direct intratumoral injection of retroviral vector-producer cells (W256-->W256TK* tumors). Tumors produced from W256 and W256TK+ cells served as the negative and positive control in each animal. Highly specific images of [124I]-FIAU-derived radioactivity were obtained in W256TK* tumors (that were transduced in vivo) and in W256TK+ tumors but not in nontransduced wild-type W256 tumors. The level of "specific" incorporated radioactivity in transduced portions of both W256TK* and W256TK+ tumors was relatively constant between 4 and 50 h. In the second set, we tested whether [124I]-FIAU and PET imaging can measure and discriminate between different levels of HSV1-tk gene expression. Multiple s.c. tumors were produced from wild-type RG2 cells and stably transduced RG2TK cell lines that express different levels of HSV1-tk. A highly significant relationship between the level of [124I]-FIAU accumulation [% injected dose/g and incorporation constant (Ki)] and an independent measure of HSV1-tk expression (sensitivity of the transduced tumor cells to ganciclovir, IC50) was demonstrated, and the slope of this relationship was defined as a sensitivity index. We have demonstrated for the first time that highly specific noninvasive images of HSV1-tk expression in experimental animal tumors can be obtained using radiolabeled 2'-fluoro-nucleoside [124I]-FIAU and a clinical PET system. The ability to image the location (distribution) of gene expression and the level of expression over time provides new and useful information for monitoring clinical gene therapy protocols in the future.     

"The formation of psychological traits newly approached": Reply.

Responds to L. W. Brandt's (1971) comments on A. Anastasi's (1971) article on the formation of psychological traits. Brandt is incorrect in his implications that trait constructs are (1) independent of empirically observable facts or (2) are determined solely by the observer's cultural background. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)