The relationships among asymmetry in task dependence, perceived helping behavior, and trust.

Social relations analyses involving 132 working relationships among 60 individuals from 29 teams revealed that an increase in a team member's task dependence on another team member was associated with higher levels of perceived help from and interpersonal trust in that specific team member, provided the other member was highly task dependent on the focal member. The degree to which an actor perceived a relationship with a partner to be helpful partially mediated the relationship between task dependence and trust. These findings highlight the importance of attending to asymmetries in task dependence and provide valuable insights into mechanisms that can explain the development of trust in organizational work teams. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Embodiment, agency, and attitude change.

Attitude embodiment effects occur when the position or movement of a person’s physical body changes the way the person evaluates an object. The present research investigated whether attitude embodiment effects depend more on biomechanical factors or on inferential cues to causal agency. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that actual movements of the physical body are not necessary to create attitude embodiment effects when inferential cues imply agency for another person’s physical movements. Experiment 3 showed that actual movements of the physical body are not sufficient to create attitude embodiment effects when inferential cues imply nonagency for those movements. In all 3 experiments, inferential cues to agency played a more important role in attitude embodiment effects than did actual agency, suggesting that theories of embodiment and attitude embodiment need to consider inferential cues to agency alongside biomechanical mechanisms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Substance use and perceived AIDS exposure among homosexual men in Alaska.

Examined demographic factors, drug and alcohol use, and number of sex partners to predict perceived risk of AIDS exposure. Data came from a survey of 323 homosexual men (aged 14–60 yrs) in Alaska. Nitrite use was the most important predictor and accounted for 6.91% of the explained variance. Nitrite use, in combination with number of sex partners, explained 8.76% of the variance. Men who socialized at adult book stores used significantly more nitrites and had significantly more male sex partners in the preceding year than those who did not. In addition to nitrite use, alcohol and barbiturate use were also higher in the perceived-risk group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-esteem, communicator characteristics, and attitude change.

Characteristic defenses were predicted to cause different Ss to resist influence from different kinds of persuasive communications. In a 3-way factorial design, 88 Ss representing high and low self-esteem were exposed to optimistic and pessimistic communications from communicators who were portrayed as "copers" or "noncopers." Optimism-pessimism unexpectedly produced no effect. However, characteristics of the communicator interacted with characteristics of Ss in producing attitude change. High-esteem Ss were influenced more by the coper and low-esteem Ss by the noncoper, even though all Ss evaluated the noncoper unfavorably. Further investigation indicated that Ss high and low in self-esteem were themselves copers and noncopers, respectively. Ss appeared to accept persuasive influence from the communicator more comparable to themselves, regardless of how they consciously felt toward him. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The attitude polarization phenomenon: Role of response measure, attitude extremity, and behavioral consequences of reported attitude change.

Four studies examined the generality of attitude polarization (C. G. Lord et al, 1979). Biased assimilation of essays on 2 controversial issues was substantial and correlated with reported attitude change. Polarization was observed for reported attitude change on capital punishment and generally stronger in Ss with extreme than moderate attitudes. Polarization was not indicated in a pre–post measurement design. For affirmative action, reported polarization was not observed. The hypothesis that Ss reporting polarization would subsequently write particularly strong essays was not supported, although those reporting depolarization wrote relatively weak essays. The results suggest the relevance of individual differences in reported attitude change but do not confirm the powerful inferences frequently drawn regarding the pervasive, undesirable consequences of self-reported attitude polarization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Counselor helping model, participant ethnicity and acculturation level, and perceived counselor credibility.

An analogue research design was used to examine the relationships between participant ethnicity, acculturation level, counselor model of helping, and ratings of counselor credibility. A total of 199 community college students (109 Mexican Americans, 90 European Americans) evaluated counselor credibility after being exposed to 1 of 4 counseling vignettes. Evidence was found to support the hypothesis that ethnic background and adherence to cultural norms and behaviors are related to perceptions of counselor expertise and trustworthiness. Results also showed that loss of Mexican culture, rather than the acquisition of North American culture, is associated with less positive perceptions of counselor credibility. Contrary to the cultural barrier theory used to explain underutilization of mental health services among Mexican Americans, these results suggest that aspects of the Mexican culture support the use of counseling services among Mexican Americans. Implications for counselors and suggestions for future research are explored. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

十堰市大学生艾滋病知识行为与态度现状调查

世界卫生组织认为性健康教育包括性生理、性心理及性道德三方面内容,是指通过丰富和提高人格、人际交往和情爱方式达到性行为(广义的)在肉休、感情、理智和社会诸方面的圆满协调,从而达到人的全面发展和社会进步(1).     

Reference groups, membership groups, and attitude change.

"The present study is an examination of the attitude changes which occur over time when reference groups and membership groups are identical and when they are disparate… . The Ss were women students at a large private coeducational university… . In the social context of the lives of the subjects, and in a natural social experiment which provided randomization of the relevant condition effects, the influence of both membership and reference groups on attitude change was assessed. All subjects shared a common reference group at the start of the period of the study. When divergent membership groups with disparate attitude norms were socially imposed on the basis of a random event, attitude change in the subjects over time was a function of the normative attitudes of both imposed membership groups and the individuals' reference groups. The greatest attitude change occurred in subjects who came to take the imposed initially nonpreferred, membership group as their reference group." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual preference similarity, attitude similarity, and perceived counseling credibility and attractiveness.

84 17–66 yr old homosexual men identified as holding either an activist or a nonactivist stance on gay advocacy rated the counselor's credibility and attractiveness on the Counselor Rating Form after listening to an audiotape-recorded segment of a counseling interview between a male counselor and a male client expressing sexual preference concerns. Ss heard the same counseling interaction except for counselor responses to 2 client questions, one related to counselor sexual preference and one related to counselor stance on gay advocacy. The counselor was rated more Expert, Trustworthy, and Attractive when he stated a sexual preference for men than when he stated a sexual preference for women or refrained from stating a sexual preference. Attractiveness ratings were a function of attitude similarity between the counselor portrayed on the tape recording and Ss in the study. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A multiperspective comparison of satisfaction, symptomatic change, perceived change, and end-point functioning.

Measures of satisfaction have become increasingly popular as indications of psychotherapy outcome both in research and in practice. Several studies have explored the relationship between satisfaction and symptomatic change, with mixed results. The present study examines the relationship among satisfaction, symptomatic improvement, perceived change, and end-point functioning from multiple perspectives. Sixty-six clients from 2 Midwestern community mental health centers, 48 of their spouses and significant others, and their therapists participated in the study. Results indicated that satisfaction was not significantly related to symptomatic change. Satisfaction and perceived change were significantly related from all 3 perspectives. Satisfaction was also significantly related to end-point functioning from the client and significant other perspectives. The unique contribution of satisfaction data to a comprehensive outcome evaluation strategy is discussed. Researchers, administrators, and practitioners are encouraged to use satisfaction measures with a greater awareness of both their strengths and their limitations as outcome indicators. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sensory deprivation, attitude change, and defense against persuasion.

Used frequent toothbrushing as the target attitude with 120 college students in a study with the following independent variables: (a) sensory deprivation or nonconfinement for 12 hrs before an inoculation message and before a counterattitudinal message, and (b) the kind of inoculation (refutational, supportive, or none). Results show that refutational inoculation was most effective, was recalled best, and led to reduced recall of the subsequent attack. Postinoculation tests reduced later persuasibility, and in the supportive inoculation condition led to a more extreme adherence to the S's original position. Sensory deprivation before the inoculation message increased belief instability; before the counterattitudinal message, it increased persuasibility. Sensory deprivation functions as a cognitive disorganizer, whose effects on persuasibility are probably mediated by impaired processing of complex information and consequent belief instability. (French summary) (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Determinants of conformity and attitude change.

"College males varying in affiliative motivation were subjected to a group-influence situation where their previously measured attitudes toward divorce was either unanimously opposed, or opposed with the exception of one supporter. The subject's public reaction (conformity) was measured, and also his private response (attitude change). The results indicated conformity to be a joint function of affiliative motivation and conditions of social support, with roughly similar but less significant results for attitude change." 19 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Level of initial attitude, active rehearsal, and instructional set as factors in attitude change.

2experiments are reported in which Ss having extremely favorable, favorable, and neutral attitudes toward the church were induced to read an antichurch essay to 6 listeners of their choice outside the laboratory. ? of the Ss in each predisposition group were told that their own attitudes might be influenced as a result of the experience. Both those Ss who were "favorable" toward the church and those who were "neutral" became significantly less prochurch as measured by posttesting with the attitude scale. The extremely prochurch Ss were not significantly influenced by this mode of persuasion. Instructional set did not produce any significant differences in susceptibility of Ss in any of the groups to the compliance experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Disentangling role perceptions: How perceived role breadth, discretion, instrumentality, and efficacy relate to helping and taking charge.

The objective of this study was to empirically disentangle role perceptions related to organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) that have been confounded in past research, investigate their unique relationships with both an affiliative (helping) and a challenging (taking charge) form of OCB, and determine their relative importance in explaining these 2 forms of OCB. The authors also examined whether role discretion and role breadth independently moderate the procedural justice-to-OCB relationship. The authors surveyed 225 engineers in India and their direct supervisors. The results showed that 3 of the 4 facets of OCB role perception explain unique variance in either helping or taking charge, and that role breadth moderates the relationships between procedural justice and both helping and taking charge. The authors discuss implications of these findings for OCB theory and research, as well as for managerial practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Misattribution of dissonance and behaviour-consistent attitude change.

Examined the prediction that people who have misattributed dissonance arousal to an external source may come to question the appropriateness of this attribution and may then be motivated to alter their attitudes. This was tested by having an experimenter discredit the plausibility of an external source after misattribution had presumably occurred. 80 female undergraduates participated in the study, with 16 of these Ss serving as controls. 64 Ss were given a pill described as having either unpleasant side effects or no side effects and then were committed to write counterattitudinal essays under high-choice conditions. Some Ss were then told that a mistake had been made and that they had actually been given the other form of the pill. As predicted, Ss who had initially been led to believe that the pill had aversive side effects but were later told that it did not manifested behavior-consistent attitude change. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Overjustification, assumed consensus, and attitude change: Further investigation of the incentive-aroused ambivalence hypothesis.

We conducted two experiments to examine the influence on attitudes of an oversufficient payment for belief-consistent actions. In Experiment 1, subjects recorded a proattitudinal statement. Then the effects of attitudinal extremity, payment, and provision of a countercommunication were investigated. Dependent measures tapped attitude, assumed consensus, recall, and information processing efficiency. Attitude change was most evident among paid subjects exposed to the countercommunication. These subjects' estimates of consensus were also diminished. Covariation of the attitude and consensus measures was significant. Auxiliary analyses suggested that overpayment attenuated consensus, which heightened susceptibility to attitude change. Experiment 2 considered the effects of payment and timing of measures on attitudes, assumed consensus, and recall. Results disclosed that payment for proattitudinal advocacy attenuated consensus even before such advocacy was undertaken. Attitudes were not influenced in this condition. Consensus and attitude were diminished among paid subjects exposed to a countercommunication. Implications of these findings for the incentive-aroused ambivalence hypothesis (Crano & Sivacek, 1984) are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Thought-induced attitude change: The effects of schema structure and commitment.

Conducted 4 studies with 218 undergraduates in an attempt to integrate hypotheses about the effects of thought and schema complexity on attitude polarization proposed by P. W. Linville (see record 1982-25791-001) and the 2nd author and C. Leone (see record 1978-09847-001). Linville's work showed that more extreme attitudes were associated with simpler cognitive schemas for construing the attitude object. The 2nd author and Leone demonstrated that thought with a complex schema resulted in greater attitude polarization than thought with a simple schema. Study 1 validated the present author's schema complexity manipulation. Study 2 tested and found support for the hypothesis that 1 moderating variable was motivational: The 2nd author and Leone's effect was obtained in the presence of commitment to an initial evaluation, and there was a tendency toward the Linville effect in the absence of commitment to an initial evaluation. Study 3 tested and found support for the hypothesis that another moderating variable was structural: The Linville effect was obtained when there was little correlation among the dimensions of the cognitive schema, and the 2nd author and Leone's effect was obtained when there was substantial correlation among the dimensions; thought tended to increase the correlation among dimensions. Study 4 tested and found support for the hypothesis that commitment affects cognitive structures in a way that could account for its moderating effect on attitude polarization. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Congruity theory and linear models of attitude change.

Evaluated C. E. Osgood and P. H. Tannenbaum's (see record 1955-08361-001) congruity model of attitude change, a regression model derived from the Osgood and Tannenbaum model, and D. R. Heise's (see record 1969-08323-001) 3 general linear models of attitude change, using data obtained from 208 undergraduates. 104 Ss rated 8 3-word (subject, verb, object) sentences 1st, and then rated the individual words. The other Ss rated the individual words 1st. The mean ratings for the 2 groups were compared to obtain the attitude change for each element, and the models were used to predict the change which resulted from the combination of the words into a sentence. Sex differences were found in mean attitudinal evaluations, and the inclusion of higher-order interaction terms increased the predictability of attitude ratings for females more than for males. Heise's Model III was the best predictor of attitude change, followed by his Model II and the regression model derived from the Osgood and Tannenbaum model. The Osgood and Tannenbaum model gave poor prediction of the mean attitudinal changes obtained. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Repetition of highly similar messages and attitude change.

Predicted that message repetition would increase positive attitudes in a situation where highly similar communications are used. 5 similar advertisements (i.e., those using the same basic arguments but differing in the phrasing and order of points raised) served as stimulus messages and were sequentially presented with attitude being measured by a cognitive response analysis of thoughts recorded by 50 undergraduates. Results support the prediction of a positive relationship between the number of presentations and attitude. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

AIDS treatment advances and behavioral prevention setbacks: Preliminary assessment of reduced perceived threat of HIV–AIDS.

Recent advances in AIDS treatment have brought renewed optimism for prolonging the lives of those infected with HIV. This article examined beliefs about how new treatments may reduce HIV transmission risk among 298 HIV-negative gay and bisexual men attending a gay pride festival. Results from an anonymous survey showed that men who practiced unprotected anal intercourse as the receptive partner (UAR intercourse) were younger, less well educated, and more likely to believe that it is safe to have UAR intercourse with an HIV-positive man who has an undetectable viral load and that new treatments for HIV relieve their worries about unsafe sex. As HIV treatments continue to advance, new challenges for HIV prevention will likely emerge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)