Effect of different motivational instructions on detection of deception with the psychological stress evaluator and the galvanic skin response.

Determined the effect of increased motivation on detection of concealed cards using the psychological stress evaluator (PSE) and the GSR. One group of 16 female and 16 male college students tried to have their card detected; the other group of 32 Ss tried to avoid detection. Two trained evaluators analyzed the PSE and GSR responses. Interrater agreement in PSE analysis averaged .65; there was significantly greater detection of cards of Ss trying to avoid detection (26.6%), but hit rates did not significantly exceed chance levels of .20 in either group. Interrater agreement in GSR analysis averaged .76; hit rates in GSR analysis were higher for Ss trying to be detected, and in both groups evaluators' hit rates significantly exceeded chance expectancy. Ss attempts to "beat the test" appeared to account for differential detection between the 2 groups. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual preference biases in counseling: An information processing approach.

Used an illusory correlation paradigm to measure the effect of stereotyping by mental health professionals on processing information about individuals identified according to sex and sexual preference (SP). 34 23–58 yr old mental health professionals (17 males and 17 females) rated themselves on an SP scale, were presented a series of cards that identified hypothetical persons according to sex and SP, and ascribed to these persons 2 randomly selected stereotypic characteristics associated with 1 of the SP groups. After studying the cards, Ss were asked to make judgments about the relationship between SP and sex and the stereotypic characteristics. Fewer errors were made on those items for which a stereotypic response was congruent with prevailing stereotypes than on those items for which the stereotypic response was incongruent, indicating that stereotyping did affect the processing of information relative to the sex and SP group. Ss had more difficulty correctly processing information attributed to gay men and lesbian women than information attributed to heterosexual men and women. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of attention, as indexed by subsequent memory, on electrodermal detection of information.

Three closely related experiments tested the effects of attention, as indexed by subsequent memory, on electrodermal detection of information. A total of 62 male college students attempted to conceal 6 critical items of information from a polygraph examiner recording their electrodermal response (EDR). In the polygraph test the S was asked if any of a list of 24 words, 1 every 10–25 sec, were critical items he was concealing. The list was comprised of 3 semantically similar control words along with each critical word. Afterward, without forewarning, a 2nd experimenter asked the S to remember all the words he had been asked about on the test. Deceptive Ss who gave a larger EDR to critical than to control words more often than could be expected by chance (i.e., were correctly detected as deceptive) remembered more control words than did other deceptive Ss who escaped detection. Results are interpreted to mean that the less thoroughly an S processes the test words, as indexed by later memory, the less likely he is to be detected. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Serial learning with wild card items by monkeys (Cebus apella): Implications for knowledge of ordinal position.

We investigated monkeys' knowledge of the ordinal positions of stimuli that formed a 5-item serial list, {abcde}, with wild card items ({w}) that could substitute for items in the original series. In Experiment 1, training with wild cards was given on 3-, 4-, and 5-item series. In the last of these series, the wild card substitutions created five wild card sequences, {wbcde} through {abcdw}. During the final 10 sessions of training with each of 2 different wild cards (Items {x} and {y}), the 3 Ss were able to successfully complete almost 60% of the wild card sequences. In Experiment 2, the 2 wild cards were presented on the same trial in 10 different double wild card sequences (e.g., {axcdy}). The 2 monkey Ss correctly completed about 59% of the double wild card sequences during the final 2 training sessions. The performance levels achieved on single and on double wild card sequences, although well below that observed on the baseline sequence {abcde} (90% or better), support the view that the monkeys possessed some knowledge regarding the ordinal position of each baseline item. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of perceived dependency relationships upon conformity to group expectations.

The study was designed to test the hypothesis that "group members perceiving themselves as interdependent for their reward attainment become highly motivated toward the group task." Results generally are in accord with several predictions, one of which is that: "Members of groups who are instrumentally interdependent become more highly motivated toward the group task than Ss who can achieve their goals independently of the others in the group." Another prediction supported by results is that: "Under conditions of instrumental independence, Ss who are told that both they and their teammates can attain a valued goal through the group activity become more highly task motivated than Ss who are told either that only S or Ss partner can attain this goal." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cross-modal physiological effects of electrodermal lability in the detection of deception.

Examined the effects of individual differences in electrodermal lability on cardiovascular, respiratory, and electrodermal responses (EDRs) in the detection of deception in 74 18–28 yr old male undergraduates. On Day 1, each S rested quietly for 3 min while skin conductance was recorded. Electrodermal lability was scored for each S, those giving frequent nonspecific EDRs being labiles and those giving few being stabiles. On Day 2 (usually 1 wk later), 40 Ss attempted to deceive a professional polygraph examiner in a field-type test. The remaining Ss attempted to convince the examiner, who was blind as to each S's condition, that they were being truthful. Deception by stabiles was detected less frequently than was deception by labiles. Among truthful Ss, the more labile were falsely detected as deceptive on more questions than were their stabile counterparts. Although accuracy of detection was greatest with the EDR, the effects of lability on detection were similar for electrodermal, cardiovascular, and respiratory measures. Labiles also had a higher heart rate during the polygraph test than did stabiles. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maternal permissiveness toward aggression and subsequent TAT aggression.

To test the hypothesis that the effect of permissiveness towards the expression of aggression in childhood extends into adulthood, 2 groups of Ss (100 college girls), distinguished by the degree of maternal permissiveness towards the expression of aggression (derived from questionnaires answered by the mothers), were placed in an aggression-arousing situation (inducted by making highly insulting and deprecating comments to them). Subsequently, Ss were asked to respond to TAT cards (selected on the basis of being high or low in aggressiveness and presented on a screen for 20 sec.). Ss reared under conditions of high maternal permissiveness responded more frequently with aggressive responses to the "aggressive" cards than did the low permissive group. The low permissive group felt more uncomfortable and dysphoric than Ss reared under conditions of greater permissiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of group consensus and social support on stimulus meaning: Mediation of conformity by cognitive restructuring.

Three experiments with a total of 163 undergraduates tested the hypothesis that a person reinterprets the meaning of the stimulus object when facing unpopular responses from a unanimous group and that this change in meaning leads to a shift in response toward the group's position. In Exp I, several opinion items were presented, and either Ss observed unpopular responses, supposedly made earlier by a unanimous group (UG) or by a group having 1 dissenter (social support), or they observed no response at all (control). Ss merely gave their interpretation of the meaning of a key word or phrase in each opinion statement—they did not give their own opinions. Results show that UG Ss gave more uncommon meanings to the stimuli than did Ss in the other 2 conditions. Exp II ruled out the possibility that the shift in meaning was due to Ss' adhering to the interpretation they assumed to be held by the majority. In Exp III, Ss were exposed to scores representing the meanings that were produced by the unanimous group and control conditions in Exp I. Results show that after observing the consensually produced meanings for these items, the Ss shifted their own opinions toward the position held by the UG in Exp I. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Serial learning with a wild card by pigeons (Columba livia): Effect of list length.

Pigeons (Columba livia) learned 3-, 4- or 5-item lists prior to subset and wild card tests. On the latter, a novel item replaced 1 of the list items. Pigeons who learned 3-item lists responded accurately on all subset pairs (AB, BC, and AC) and on all types of 3-item wild card trials (WBC, AWC, & ABW). Pigeons who learned 4- and 5-item lists responded at chance levels of accuracy on all subsets that did not contain a start or an end item (BC, BD, & CD, respectively, on 4- and 5-item subset tests). On wild card trials, they exceeded chance levels of performance only when the wild card replaced the last item (ABCW & ABCDW trials). Monkeys (Cebus apella) trained to produce a 5-item list perform accurately on all subsets and wild cards. (M. R. D'Amato & M. Colombo; see PA Vols 75:19198 and 77:9086). These differences provide strong evidence that pigeons and monkeys form qualitatively different representations of lists containing four or more items. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of anxiety on timed and untimed intelligence tests: Another look.

Administered the timed subtests of the WAIS to 48 undergraduates, only 1/2 of whom were aware of being timed. Ss were divided into 4 groups on the basis of their response to 15 worry items and 15 emotionality items taken from the Taylor MA scale. Low-worry Ss who were timed were superior to those who were untimed, whereas high-worry Ss tended to perform more poorly under the timed than the untimed condition. This Worry * Timing interaction closely parallels the "Anxiety" * Timing interactions found by others. Emotionality was not found to interact with the task variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Plans to resist distraction.

Conducted 2 experiments with a total of 71 preschoolers to investigate the effects of giving such Ss plans to resist distraction on their actual resistance in a subsequent work situation. A paradigm was developed in which the S, while motivated to work on a repetitive task, was exposed to a "Clown Box" which went through a standardized routine designed to distract the S from his work. The dependent variable assessed the amount of time the S worked in the E's absence. In Exp I, it was found, whether or not the Ss had rehearsed the actions called for in the plans, those who were given 3 plans for resistance worked longer than those who were not given plans. In Exp II it was found that Ss who were given only 1 plan worked as much as Ss who were given 3 plans, and more than Ss who were not given plans. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stimulus condition self-selection by males in the interaction of locus of control and skill–chance situations.

Divided 218 undergraduates into 3 groups on the basis of their scores on Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale. Ss completed 2 achievement-type tests (the stimulus conditions), the 1st described as a test of skill, the 2nd as a test of chance. Ss then selected which type of test they would prefer for their 3rd test (stimulus condition self-selection). Thereafter, Ss had an opportunity to cheat by changing test answers. As predicted, Ss with an external locus of control were more likely to select a test of chance, whereas middles and internals were more likely to select a test of skill. Ss who selected a test of skill were more likely to cheat on a test of skill, whereas Ss who selected a test of chance were more likely to cheat on a test of chance. Results imply that behavior is both a function of self-selecting stimulus conditions and a function of personal factors. A distinction is drawn between the fundamental attributionist error (failure to consider stimulus condition self-selection) and the complementary fundamental attribution error. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social desirability, item-response time, and item significance.

Pathological personality item responses have been shown to relate to the social desirability scale values of test items. It was hypothesized that both social desirability and pathological item-response frequency might vary as a function of the time permitted to answer test items. Two groups of Ss were administered the items of the Maslow, Birch, Honigman, McGrath, Plason, and Stein Security-Insecurity Inventory. Social desirability scale values for the items were established. Maximal reading time required for each item was also determined, and both groups were permitted to view each item for the same established length of time. 1 group was allowed 2 sec., the other group 10 sec. for each response. It was observed that time pressure reduced the number of pathological item responses, and that items scaled either high or low in social desirability tended to be answered in the socially desirable direction under time pressure. Females generally provided more critical or pathological item responses than did males. (24 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Need for stimulation as a source of stress response to perceptual isolation.

The study was undertaken to see if Ss who had shown a greater stress reaction to perceptual isolation could be shown to have a greater "need" for stimulation than those who were not so stressed by isolation. Ss selected on the basis of their high or low reactions to the prior isolation experiment were tested in a second 3-hr perceptual isolation situation, only this time they were given the opportunity to make an operant response which would produce random visual or auditory stimulation depending on their choice. Those previously stressed by isolation made significantly more responses for visual and auditory reinforcement than the low-stress group. All Ss responded more for visual than for auditory reinforcement. (29 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal affect and conformity behavior in schizophrenics.

A group of 28 schizophrenics Ss was equated with a group of 28 normal Ss on the factors of age and education. Each S was then tested as to the number of affectual relationships he produced on 4 Thematic Apperception Test cards. A measure of his conformity to social influence was obtained by a measure of his behavior in a group situation in which he was asked to compare the length of lines in an optical illusion study. An analysis of the data by means of multiple X2 design showed a significant interaction among all 3 factors: mental health, conformity, and affect. The factors of mental health and conformity interacted to a greater extent than did any other 2 factors taken together. Conformity and affect were more closely related to the factor of mental health than they were to each other. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparability of personal attitude scale administration with mail administration with and without incentive.

A sample of 127 Ss were interviewed with a 19-item Likert-type attitude scale, and a slightly abridged form of the scale was mailed to 148 Ss, half of whom were sent 25 as incentive to respond. For 8 most discriminating items, the average scale score of the mail Ss was slightly higher than the average score of the interviewed Ss. Correlations among the three groups over the 19 items were calculated for the percent of 'undecided' responses and the percent of non-favorable responses. The correlation between the two mail groups was .9 for both types of responses. The correlations between the mail groups and the interview group were slightly over .8. A higher proportion of incentive-mail respondents replied than of Ss who did not receive money. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of task and method of stimulus presentation on the detection of deception.

In a detection of deception experiment comparisons were made of the effects of 2 methods of stimulus presentation and 2 different subject tasks. The relevant-irrelevant method of stimulus presentation proved equally effective for both tasks, but the peak-of-tension method was significantly less effective where the S's task was to deceive as to the nature of guilty information possessed (guilty information paradigm) than it was where the task was to deceive as to the possession of any information (guilty person paradigm). In general, Ss found it easier to deceive in the guilty information paradigm, where they could attempt to "appear guilty" on a noncritical item and especially when they could anticipate the order of presentation of items (peak-of-tension method). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multidimensional locus of control in psychiatric patients.

At 1-mo intervals, functionally psychotic and neurotic inpatients (N = 165) were given 3 Likert scales to measure different aspects of locus of control: internality, control by powerful others, and control by chance forces. Initial testing within 5 days of hospitalization indicated that Ss perceived significantly more control by powerful others and chance forces than normal samples, and psychotics scored higher than neurotics. Committed Ss believed that powerful others controlled their lives, and readmitted Ss had higher perceptions of control by powerful others and chance forces than new Ss. Factor analysis indicated that the dimensions of control by powerful others and control by chance forces were consistent factors, while only 1/2 of the internality scale items were responded to as a single factor. During the 1st mo of hospitalization, Ss gained in their belief in internal control. However, initial scale scores were not significantly different from those obtained before discharge. Possible reasons for the lack of change are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Schizophrenic cognitive deficit as a function of scoring standards.

Describes 3 experiments in which the responses of normal Ss (mostly prison inmates and firefighters) and of schizophrenics to the Stanford Binet Test Vocabulary items, the WAIS Vocabulary items, and the WAIS Similarities items were scored by 2 methods, one relatively strict and the other relatively lenient. Subtests of strictly and leniently scored items from each of the 3 sources were matched for normal Ss on psychometric characteristics that determine power of the test to distinguish the more able from the less able Ss. A greater deficit on the strictly scored than on the leniently scored items was found for chronic schizophrenics on the Stanford-Binet Vocabulary, for newly admitted schizophrenics but not for chronic schizophrenics on the WAIS Vocabulary, and for neither group on the WAIS Similarities. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Situational approach to the assessment of social competence in children.

Generated and evaluated a taxonomy of the situations and tasks most likely to lead deviant children to experience social difficulties. In Study 1, elementary school teachers and clinicians were asked to notice such situations as they occurred. The outcome was a 44-item taxonomy of problematic social situations for children. This survey was administered to teachers of 45 socially rejected children (79% male) from Grades 3–5 and 39 adaptive children of the opposite sociometric criteria who were matched by sex and age to the rejected Ss. The survey was found to have high internal consistency and high test–retest reliability. Six situation types emerged as factors in analyses: Peer Group Entry, Response to Peer Provocations, Response to Failure, Response to Success, Social Expectations, and Teacher Expectations. Teachers rated the rejected group as having more problems than the adaptive group in each situation, but particularly in Response to Peer Provocations and Teacher Expectations. In Study 2, 15 items within the 6 factors were presented in a hypothetical format to 39 clinic-referred rejected aggressive children (77% males) from Grades 3–5 and 34 adaptive children selected by opposite criteria and matched by sex and age to the rejected aggressive Ss, who were asked to role play their responses. The items, in particular the provocation items, again differentiated the 2 groups. Sex and age differences were also found. The usefulness of this taxonomy in a 3-step model of clinical assessment is proposed. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)