Memory span: Sources of individual and developmental differences.

Examines 10 possible sources of individual and developmental differences in memory span (rehearsal, grouping, chunking, retrieval strategies, item identification, item ordering, capacity, susceptibility to interference, search rate, and the output buffer) by drawing on existing research. Considerable evidence suggests that the speed with which presented items can be identified is a major source of both individual and developmental differences in span. By contrast, there is no conclusive evidence that the other possibilities examined, including those traditionally associated with span differences (rehearsal, grouping, chunking, and overall information-processing capacity), contribute to variations in span. Speed of item identification differences is discussed in terms of processing efficiency or the capacity needed to activate appropriate perceptual/cognitive units and linguistic programs. (4 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Knowledge of text coherence and expository writing: A developmental study.

Attempted to relate coherence in the expository writing of 4th graders, 8th graders, and college students to their knowledge of the requirements of global coherence in expository texts. Ss performed a sentence-identification task designed to assess such knowledge and wrote 2 expository essays. Significant positive correlations were found between sentence identification and 3 measures of the rated coherence of the Ss' essays. With 1 exception, these correlations remained significant when grade was partialed out. Morever, performance on the sentence-identification and essay tasks improved from 4th to 8th grade. Scores on a holistic measure of essay coherence also improved through college age. Thus, it is likely that over a wide age range, knowledge of the requirements of global coherence in expository essays is a factor in one's ability to produce a coherent essay. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The malleability of behavior inhibition: A study of individual developmental functions.

A longitudinal study of children's individual developmental functions in observed inhibited behavior toward strangers and in teacher judgments of inhibition in school showed that IQ and teacher judgments of social competence predicted a decrease in both measures of inhibition over a 6-yr period from ages 4 through 10 yrs. These findings suggest that, with increasing age, more intelligent or socially competent children can overcome inhibition in laboratory and school settings better than less competent children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predictive implications of individual differences in attachment.

The "strange situation" is widely used as a procedure for assessing individual differences in the quality of infant–parent attachments. Strange-situation behavior is believed to reflect individual differences in the quality of early parental behavior. The popularity of the procedure rests, in part, on claims concerning the association between strange-situation behavior around 12–20 months of age and subsequent child performance. It is shown here that the empirical support for these claims is quite weak and inconsistent. Studies have been designed in such a way that causal inferences about the direction and nature of effects have been precluded. Furthermore, associations have been found only when the quality of care received (whether good or poor) was likely to have been stable, thus precluding inferences about the formative significance of early (as opposed to contemporaneous) parent–child interaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The developmental roots of narrative expression in therapy: Contributions from attachment theory and research.

A central element in many forms of psychotherapy is the narrative articulation of client experience. From both theory, training, and practice, clinicians learn that structural aspects of client narratives may reveal important information about the client, but there is still limited research-based knowledge on this topic. This article explores and discusses the relevance of attachment theory and research to understanding structural and stylistic aspects of client narration in adult psychotherapy. Research into patterns of narrative expression identified by the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) suggests that the emotional tone and structural organization of narratives are related to patterns of information processing and affect regulation originating in experiences in attachment relationships. Attachment research thus holds the potential of linking client in-session narration to findings in developmental psychology. Clinical implications of the AAI-related research are discussed in terms of the therapeutic significance of narrative coherence and the possible meaning of different kinds of narrative incoherence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The developmental psychometrics of big five self-reports: Acquiescence, factor structure, coherence, and differentiation from ages 10 to 20.

How do youths' personality reports differ from those of adults? To identify the year-by-year timing of developmental trends from late childhood (age 10) to early adulthood (age 20), the authors examined Big Five self-report data from a large and diverse Internet sample. At younger ages within this range, there were large individual differences in acquiescent responding, and acquiescence variability had pronounced effects on psychometric characteristics. Beyond the effects of acquiescence, self-reports generally became more coherent within domains, and better differentiated across domains, at older ages. Importantly, however, different Big Five domains showed different developmental trends. Extraversion showed especially pronounced age gains in coherence but no gains in differentiation. In contrast, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness showed large age gains in differentiation but only trivial gains in coherence. Neuroticism and Openness showed moderate gains in both coherence and differentiation. Comparisons of items that were relatively easy versus difficult to comprehend indicated that these patterns were not simply due to verbal comprehension. These findings have important implications for the study of personality characteristics and other psychological attributes in childhood and adolescence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescents and sexually transmitted diseases: diagnosis, developmental issues, and prevention

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) continue to be a public health priority; adolescents are the highest risk group for nearly all STDs. Health care providers play an important role in addressing the problem of STDs among teenagers. This article reviews diagnostic approaches, developmental aspects of adolescents, and prevention efforts. Findings related to the STD epidemic in adolescents and the theoretic and pragmatic issues regarding prevention efforts, are presented.     

The development of global coherence in life narratives across adolescence: Temporal, causal, and thematic aspects.

Extending the study of autobiographical narratives to entire life narratives, we tested the emergence of globally coherent life narratives in adolescence, as hypothesized by McAdams (1985). Participants were 102 children and young adults (ages 8, 12, 16, and 20 years) who narrated their lives twice. Between narrations, half of each age group participated in tasks designed to train autobiographical reasoning; the other half participated in control tasks. Coherence was measured by the relative frequency of local temporal, causal, and thematic linguistic indicators identified qualitatively at the level of propositions, as well as by quantitative global rating scales measuring the impressions of the listeners. Coherence increased across the age span. Overall, repeated narrating and training did not increase coherence. Crystallized and fluid intelligence, number of negative life events, and frequency of biographical practices and confiding in others did not contribute substantially to the prediction of coherence beyond age. Results are interpreted in the context of adolescent identity development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social support, life stress, and subsequent medical care utilization.

246 men and 191 women (aged 40–72 yrs) were monitored for medical care utilization in a health maintenance organization (HMO) over a 5-yr period. Rates of utilization were related to initially obtained indicators of life stress and social support and to interactions between life stress, social support, and age. Predictors of male and female HMO use are discussed. Multiple regression permitted a distinction between immediate and delayed effects of stresses on HMO visits. Implications regarding the buffering hypothesis for the mitigating effects of social support on the likelihood of health breakdown are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Affective forecasting and individual differences: Accuracy for relational events and anxious attachment.

We examined whether accuracy of affective forecasting for significant life events was moderated by a theoretically relevant individual difference (anxious attachment), with different expected relations to predicted and actual happiness. In 3 studies (2 cross-sectional, 1 longitudinal), participants predicted what their happiness would be after entering or ending a romantic relationship. Consistent with previous research, people were generally inaccurate forecasters. However, inaccuracy for entering a relationship was significantly moderated by anxious attachment. Predictions were largely unrelated to anxious attachment, but actual happiness was negatively related to attachment anxiety. Moderation for breaking up showed a similar but less consistent pattern. These results suggest a failure to account for one's degree of anxious attachment when making affective forecasts and show how affective forecasting accuracy in important life domains may be moderated by a focally relevant individual difference, with systematically different associations between predicted and actual happiness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between adult attachment style and therapeutic alliance in individual psychotherapy: A meta-analytic review.

The present study examined the relationship between adult attachment style and therapeutic alliance in individual psychotherapy. Search procedures yielded 17 independent samples (total N = 886, average n = 52, standard deviation = 24) for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Results indicated that greater attachment security was associated with stronger therapeutic alliances, whereas greater attachment insecurity was associated with weaker therapeutic alliances, with an overall weighted effect size of r = .17, p .10) with the exception of the source of alliance ratings; results indicated that patient-rated alliance demonstrated a significantly larger relationship with attachment compared with therapist-rated alliance (Qbetween = 3.95, df = 1, p = .047). Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The secure-base hypothesis: Global attachment, attachment to counselor, and session exploration in psychotherapy.

This study explored J. Bowlby's (1988) secure-base hypothesis, which predicts that a client's secure attachment to the therapist, as well as the client's and the therapist's global attachment security, will facilitate in-session exploration. Volunteer clients (N = 59) and trainee counselors (N = 59) in short-term therapy completed the Experiences in Close Relationship Scale (K. A. Brennan, C. L. Clark, & P. R. Shaver, 1998) as a measure of adult global romantic and peer attachment orientations; the Client Attachment to Therapist Scale (B. Mallinckrodt, D. L. Gantt, & H. M. Coble, 1995) as a measure of attachment to counselor; the Working Alliance Inventory (A. O. Horvath & L. Greenberg, 1989) as a measure of working alliance; and the Session Evaluation Questionnaire-Depth Subscale (W. B. Stiles & J. S. Snow, 1984) as a measure of session depth. In line with Bowlby's hypothesis, the findings suggest that session depth is related to the client's experience of attachment security with the counselor and that counselor global attachment moderates the relationship between client global attachment and session exploration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adult romantic attachments: A developmental perspective on individual differences.

Attachment theory has, since its inception, contained the proposition that long-term adult romantic relationships (i.e., relationships described by ethologists as "pair bond") are generally attachments. In this article, the possibility that individual differences in adult romantic attachments may emerge, in part, from individual differences in childhood attachments is discussed. The article begins with an examination of the developmental precursors of individual differences in two of the behavioral systems prominent in adult romantic relationships: the attachment system and the caregiving system. For each of these behavioral systems, theory is discussed and the empirical literature is reviewed. The remainder of the article addresses the mechanisms of both continuity across development (i.e., factors that may account for the influences of early attachments on later romantic relationships) and discontinuity (i.e., factors that may account for change in the quality of attachments from childhood to adulthood). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Trauma and dismissing (avoidant) attachment: Intervention strategies in individual psychotherapy.

Intrafamilial trauma is known to be associated with mental health-related challenges that place the individual at risk for the development of psychopathology. Yet, those trauma patients who are primarily dismissing (avoidant) of attachment also demonstrate significant defensiveness, along with a tendency to view themselves as independent, strong, and self-sufficient. Paradoxically, such patients present as highly help rejecting, despite concurrent expressions of need for treatment and high levels of symptomatic distress. Consequently, working with such individuals in psychotherapy can present a number of challenges. Prior theory and research has suggested that therapeutic change may be facilitated through direct activation of the attachment system and challenging defensive avoidance. Treatment strategies for working with this population are presented along with illustrative case examples. Such strategies include addressing the “I'm-no-victim” identity, using symptoms as motivators, noticing and using ambivalence, and, finally, asking activating questions around themes of caregiving and protection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Worker equality and adult development: The kibbutz as a developmental model.

Adults' social status, particularly their occupations, is a powerful predictor of their level of moral and ego development. This association's inevitability was tested by examining the relationship of personal development with social status among 3 groups of workers. Results showed that kibbutz workers' moral and ego development were not significantly associated with educational, occupational, or social class standing, but that Israeli city and North American worker's moral and ego development were significantly associated with all measures of social status. In further contrast, work complexity was significantly associated with both moral and ego development only for kibbutz workers, suggesting that they engage in jobs that are appropriate to their psychological development without creating social inequality. Implications for developmental theory and workplace research are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parental attachment, parental control, and early development of alcohol use: A longitudinal study.

The authors explored the predictive influence of both parental attachment and parental control on early onset of alcohol consumption in adolescence by use of a longitudinal sample of 1,012 young adolescents. Whether the relationship between parental control and adolescents' drinking is moderated by parental attachment was also examined. Consistent with other studies, attachment and strict control were cross-sectionally related to adolescents' alcohol use at all 3 measurements. However, the longitudinal results of structural equation modeling analyses suggest that a good attachment relationship between parent and child does not prevent adolescents from drinking. In addition, strict control was related to lower engagement in alcohol use. Furthermore, with regard to the moderating effect, parental attachment did not moderate longitudinally the association between parental control and an early development of alcohol use. Implications for further research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical issues regarding individual data collection and utilization in community health care programs]

Response of a nerve fiber of low excitability to periodic stimulus pulses is studied with computer simulation of the Hodgkin-Huxley model. The excitability of the Hodgkin-Huxley model is reduced by decreasing the equilibrium potential for the sodium ion and by increasing the temperature, so that the decremental propagation of spikes occurs in the refractory period. It is shown that, as the period of stimulus pulses is decreased, the propagation length of the spikes is continuously changed, and period-doubling bifurcations occur. The response of a nerve fiber of low excitability is then qualitatively different from that of a normal fiber.     

Further issues in the psychology of affect and motivation: A developmental perspective.

Affect has always occupied a place of central importance in psychoanalysis, from Freud's early writings and revisions, to more recent contributions of many others, and into the current era of theoretical pluralism. Following Darwin and Freud, Silvan Tomkins (1911-1991) explored clinical and theoretical aspects of affect and motivation for over four decades; however, Tomkins' work is often misunderstood and rarely discussed comprehensively, particularly his more recent and posthumous elaborations. Tomkins is best viewed as presenting a developmental psychology of affect, and the theoretical and clinical aspects of Tomkins' work relevant to psychoanalysis are examined here with particular emphasis on his more recent revisions and additions. Tomkins and his colleagues described in detail the nature of affects and their triggering mechanisms; the development and transformations of the affect system; the potential for virtually unlimited ideo-affective structures resulting from this system; the relationships between affects, motivation, and other mental functions (e.g., drives and cognition); and various clinical implications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of group and family day care on infant attachment behaviours.

Examined attachment behavior towards mother in 39 toddlers (mean age 22 mo) from 3 different child-care environments: a group day care center, family day care homes, and home with mother. Frequency of attachment behavior and security of attachment were assessed in laboratory separation episodes. The 2 substitute care groups behaved similarly; both played significantly more and cried less than did the home-reared group when left alone. No intellectual differences were found. Findings are interpreted as showing that children in group and family day care do not necessarily differ from home-reared children in strength or security of attachment, but that children in both forms of substitute care find brief maternal separations less novel and anxiety-provoking than do home-reared children. (French abstract) (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)