Need for approval, guilt, and sexual stimulation and their relationship to sexual responsivity.

Describes an experiment in which 111 male undergraduates were given the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability scale and the Mosher Forced-Choice Guilt Scale prior to reading a series of either sexual or neutral passages. Ss rated the extent to which they were sexually aroused, anxious, bored, angry, disgusted, and entertained, and then responded to a sexual double-entendre word association test. Responses indicate that Ss were significantly more sexually aroused after reading the sexual as opposed to the neutral passages. Need approval and guilt scores were not significantly related to stated degree of arousal or any of the other dimensions. Low need-approval Ss showed greater sexual responsivity to the entendres than highs, especially subsequent to reading the sexual passages. For the guilt variable, Ss with low sex guilt demonstrated greater sexual responsivity on the entendres regardless of whether they read neutral or sexual passages. Results suggest that these personality variables affect responding rather than affect arousal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Biographical and self-report correlates of female guilt responses to visual erotic stimuli.

Divided 60 female undergraduates into high- and low-sex guilt groups on the basis of their responses to D. L. Mosher's True-False Guilt Inventory. All Ss reported an increase in state of sexual arousal after viewing erotic stimuli. None of the Ss reported any significant difference in state of guilt after viewing the stimuli. Low-sex guilt Ss rated the masturbation, coitus, and petting stimuli as more sexually arousing, better, more pleasant, safer, and more appealing than did high-sex-guilt Ss. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between symbolic and manifest projections of sexuality with some incidental correlates

TAT stories were taken from Ss under four conditions: after Ss were sexually stimulated, after Ss were sexually stimulated under the influence of alcohol, after no stimulation, and after no alcohol (control conditions). The results show that under nonalcoholic conditions the aroused group expressed significantly more symbolism than the control group. Under conditions of alcohol, the groups gave very little symbolism. The results are interpreted as in line with the Freudian hypothesis that inhibited sexuality finds an outlet symbolically in fantasy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of sex guilt on word association responses to double-entendre sexual words.

Hypothesized that high-sex-guilt and low-sex-guilt male undergraduates would not differ in their knowledge of the sexual meaning of double-entendre words but rather in their respective orders of associative response production. Data support the hypothesis and show that high-sex-guilt Ss produce sexual responses later in the response hierarchy than low-sex-guilt Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interaction of fear and guilt in inhibiting unacceptable behavior.

80 male college students completed the Mosher Incomplete Sentences Test which was scored for sex guilt. The Ss were assigned by alternation to a fear-reduction or fear-induction experimental condition which preceded a perceptual defense task. The results supported the prediction derived from social learning theory that the inhibitory behavior of Ss who score low on a measure of sex guilt is more influenced by situational cues relevant to the probability of external punishment for sex-related behavior than is the inhibitory behavior of the high-sex-guilt group. The results suggested that the high-sex-guilt S is relatively insensitive to situational cues concerning the probability of external punishment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Approach and avoidance of social information.

Examined how an approach or avoidance tendency to information influences the perception of related social behaviors. The sexual attitudes of 50 male and 54 female undergraduates were assessed prior to viewing either a birth control, conservative social values, or educational issues lecture. Ss indicated the number of meaningful actions in the sequence by pressing a thumb switch. It was hypothesized that more units would be indicated when the topic was consistent with the S's sexual attitudes, due to an attempt to gain more informational content. Ss with positive sexual attitudes (erotophiles) indicated more units in the birth control condition, whereas Ss with negative sexual attitudes (erotophobes) indicated more units in the social values condition. Results suggest that there are chronic differences in the segmentation patterns of individuals, reflecting affective orientations toward social information. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual Experiences Survey: Reliability and validity.

Explored the veracity of self-reported sexual experiences as relayed by university students (242 females and 144 males) on a sexual experience survey that was completed once privately and a 2nd time in the presence of an interviewer. The Ss were selected from a group of 4,000 students to represent all degrees of exposure to sexual aggression and sexual victimization. Of the female Ss (mean age 21.3 yrs), 86% were single, 92% were White, and 25% were in each year of college study. Of the male Ss (mean age 21.7 yrs), 89% were single, 87% were White, and 25% were in each year of college study. Female Ss were classified as nonvictimized, sexually coerced, sexually abused, or sexually assaulted. Male Ss were classified as nonsexually aggressive, sexually aggressive, sexually abusive, or sexually assaultive. The Pearson correlation between female Ss' level of victimization (LOV) based on self-report and her LOV based on responses as related to the interviewer was .73. Among the 62 females whose self-reports suggested that they were rape victims, only 2 changed their responses. The LOV correlation between male Ss' responses was .61. Results reveal a tendency for males to deny behaviors during interviews that had been revealed on self-reports. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of oscillating waterbeds and rhythmic sounds for premature infant stimulation.

22 healthy infants born at gestational ages of 28–32 wks were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups within the 1st 4 days following birth. Experimental Ss were placed in incubators equipped with oscillating waterbeds and rhythmic sounds; control Ss were placed in traditional incubators. Results indicate that general developmental progress was enhanced in the experimental group by the stimulation procedure. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual attraction to clients: The human therapist and the (sometimes) inhuman training system.

585 Division 42 (Psychologists in Private Practice) members responded to a 17-item questionnaire designed to gather initial information about the attraction therapists feel for their clients. 286 Ss were aged 45 yrs and under, while 299 Ss were aged 46 yrs and over. Results show that 508 Ss were attracted to clients; significantly more males than females reported such an attraction. Younger Ss were significantly more attracted to clients than were the older Ss. 104 Ss (primarily male) had considered sexual involvement, 91 more than once. Approximately 37 Ss had acted out sexually with clients. 488 Ss indicated feeling uncomfortable, guilty, or anxious about their attraction to clients. 55% of Ss indicated that they had received no education or training about sexual attraction to clients. (65 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Galvanic skin response and the secondary revision of dreams: A partial disconfirmation of Freud's dream theory.

Monitored the GSRs of 15 female undergraduates while they tape-recorded accounts of their dreams. After 5 min. Ss were asked to rerecord accounts of the same dreams. Passages from the 1st dream accounts that were told simultaneously with the occurrence of GSRs were significantly less likely than non-GSR control passages to be omitted from the 2nd accounts. GSR and control passages were equally likely to undergo substitutions in the 2nd accounts. Results are interpreted as being in partial disagreement with Freudian dream theory, which asserts that 1st-account passages that arouse anxiety are more likely than emotionally "indifferent" passages to undergo changes in the 2nd dream accounts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of previous performance on evaluations of present performance.

In Study 1, 82 undergraduates viewed 3 videotaped lectures presented by the same lecturer. Ss in the good-performance condition viewed 2 good lectures, followed by a lecture of average quality. Ss in the poor-performance condition viewed 2 poor lectures, followed by the same average lecture. Results show significant contrast effects both for ratings of the frequency of several critical behaviors and for performance evaluations. Ss in the poor-performance condition assigned more favorable behavior ratings and higher performance evaluation ratings to the 3rd (average) lecture than did Ss in the good-performance condition. In Study 2, 71 Ss were used to test the hypothesis that memory biases were responsible for the contrast effects observed in Study 1. Ss viewed the same videotapes but rated the 3rd tape from memory the day after viewing the tape. Results show weak, nonsignificant contrast effects, suggesting that memory biases were not sufficient to explain the results of Study 1. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Note-taking, individual differences, and memory for lecture information.

Investigated the encoding function of note taking and processing differences between successful and less successful students in lecture situations in 2 experiments. In Exp I, 48 undergraduates either took notes or listened during a lecture. Different memory patterns were found for these 2 groups, with note-takers recalling many more high- than low-importance propositions and listeners recalling an equal number of high- and low-importance propositions. Results suggest that note taking enhanced organizational processing of lecture information. In Exp II, the notes and recall of 80 successful and less successful students were compared. Successful Ss recalled more of the most important propositions, but these 2 groups of Ss did not differ in their recall of less important propositions. For both groups of Ss, recall content was closely related to the content of the notes, with successful Ss recording more high-importance propositions in their notes. Also, successful and less successful Ss were similar in their note-taking styles and the degree to which they benefited from reviewing their notes. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improving the performance of college freshmen with attributional techniques.

Reports 2 replications of the authors' (see record 1982-26799-001) study in which college freshmen were given information suggesting that the causes of low grades are unstable. Compared with a control group, these Ss did better on both short-term and long-term performance measures. The long-term results, however, tended to be weak or open to alternative explanations. In the 1st replication, 39 2nd-semester freshmen with low GPAs who worried about their academic performance were assigned to control or treatment conditions. Ss in the treatment conditions received information that grades are low in the freshman year; some Ss were also told that grades improve thereafter. In the 2nd replication, 41 1st-semester freshmen who worried about their low GPAs received grade information, completed questionnaires, and completed some items from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Considered together, these 3 studies found that attributional interventions improved the performance of Ss on both short-term and long-term measures. Presenting Ss with information indicating that the causes of low grades in the 1st yr are temporary led to (a) improvement on sample items from the GRE and (b) increases in actual grades in the semester after the studies were conducted. Results were stronger for males than for females. This may have been due to the fact that females were more likely to find out on their own that the causes of poor grades are unstable. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Processing of information in iconic memory: Differences between nonretarded and retarded subjects.

Compared iconic memory processes of 17 undergraduates and 18 retarded Ss (primarily aged 18–28 yrs; IQ 56–77) in 4 experiments. In Exp I, a partial report paradigm was used in which 6 retarded and 6 undergraduate Ss were presented 6 pictures under 4 intervals (0–500 msec). In Exp II, using 5 Ss in each group the same procedure as in Exp I was used but letters as well as pictures were included. Results show that although overall performance for retarded Ss was poor, they did better with letters than with pictures—a reverse of the finding with undergraduate Ss. In Exp III, 2 retarded Ss were given extended practice and incentive to perform well. Asymptote was reached in 10 days but never equaled performance of unpracticed undergraduates. In Exp IV, using 5 Ss in each group, information load was varied from 1 to 4 items, and a masking stimulus was used to interrupt processing following 6 intervals that lasted up to 250 msec. Results show that (1) there are quantitative differences between intelligence groups in iconic capacity; (2) retarded Ss process information more slowly, a difference that increases with increasing information load; and (3) there are substantive structural differences in iconic memory of retarded and nonretarded Ss. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evidence of proceptive without receptive defeminization in male ferrets.

The latencies of 71 gonadectomized male and female ferrets to approach and interact with a sexually active stimulus male were measured after subcutaneous (sc) administration of estradiol benzoate ([EB] 0, 5, 10, or 15 μg/kg) in adulthood. Receptive responsiveness to stud males was also assessed during additional tests. Control females gonadectomized on Postnatal Day 35 displayed a dose-dependent reduction in approach latencies to the stud male that did not occur in control males castrated on Day 35. The approach latencies of males castrated on Day 20 or Day 5 were intermediate between these 2 extremes. Equivalent dose-dependent reductions in approach latencies were observed in Ss ovariectomized on Day 5 and implanted sc with silastic capsules containing either no hormone or different doses of testosterone over Days 5–20 or 20–35. Equivalent dose-dependent increments in acceptance quotients were obtained in all groups following EB treatment. Results suggest that the capacity to display the proceptive, or appetitive, components of feminine sexual behavior is normally reduced in male ferrets as a consequence of the perinatal action of testicular hormones, whereas receptive behavioral capacity is retained in males of this species. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Writing from sources: A structure-mapping model.

Tested assumptions of a structure-mapping model of writing from sources based on D. Gentner's (see record 1984-14564-001) structure-mapping model of analogical reasoning. Ss read 2 passages organized either similarly or dissimilarly and presented in 1 of 2 orders. Ss then wrote a comparison–contrast essay about the passages. Results showed that Ss used the 1st passage as a base. This base influenced both the global and local structure of the essays. Results also showed that Ss reading similarly organized passages wrote essays with better organization but inferior linguistic quality as compared with Ss reading dissimilarly organized passages. Results suggest that this adaptation of Gentner's model is useful in conceptualizing how writers use multiple sources in some writing tasks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Short-term memory: A comparison between frontal and nonfrontal right- and left-hemisphere brain-damaged patients.

Tested 2 groups of brain-damaged patients (n = 60 and 17) and 2 groups of controls (n = 28 and 7) on 4 different short-term memory tasks, each designed to measure the amount of information registered (0-sec delay recall) and retained after a delay of 10 sec. in 1 of 3 (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) sensory modalities, using a variety of stimulus materials. Differences between the brain-damaged and control groups were largely due to the reduced capacity of the brain damaged to register information. Ss with anterior cerebral damage did more poorly than Ss with posterior damage on both visual and auditory short-term memory tasks. No significant differences were found between right- and left-hemisphere-damaged Ss. (26 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Male-female differences and the influence of neonatal and adult testosterone on intraspecies aggression in rats.

Tested Sprague-Dawley male and female albino rats for intraspecies aggression without the use of shock. In the 1st experiment, 6 male pairs showed more biting attacks, offensive sideways movements, and self-grooming than did 6 female pairs; male pairs also showed more stereotyped defensive/submissive behaviors and were wounded more frequently. The 2nd experiment with 103 Ss examined the effects of neonatal castration and testosterone propionate (TP) on fighting. Males castrated at birth attacked other males less frequently than did controls when tested with TP treatment as adults. The TP given at birth to neonatally castrated males restored attacks to control levels. Females given TP as neonates did not differ from either male or female controls. Other aggressive/defensive behaviors, however, did not show this pattern. Results suggest that while the presence of testosterone during a brief postnatal period and during adulthood is necessary for attack behavior to occur, other related behaviors may not be affected in a similar manner. (11/2 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Birth order and personality.

Investigated 6 personality variables for birth order differences in 339 male and 447 female and 210 male and 266 female undergraduates. Ss in the former were studied for dogmatism, ambiguity tolerance, and rigidity. Measures of (a) internal-external locus of control, and (b) social responsibility were administered to the latter. Both samples were given the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Data were analyzed in 2 * 3 factorial analysis of variance design: 2 levels of sex and 3 levels of birth order (only child, 1st born, and later born). It was found that (a) later borns from 2-child families were more external than those from larger families; (b) later borns from 2-child families were more external than only children or 1st borns from 2-child families; (c) only children and 1st borns were more socially responsible than later borns; (d) 1st borns were more rigid than only-child and later-born Ss; and (e) only-female Ss manifested higher need for approval than only males. (26 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)