Individual adaptations and structural change as solutions to social dilemmas.

80 undergraduates, in groups of 6, took "harvests" from a regenerating resource pool so as to maximize their harvests while maintaining the pool. False feedback was provided regarding the other Ss' harvest sizes. One-third of the Ss thought that the others were overusing the resource, one-third thought that the others were underusing it, and the remaining third were led to believe that the others were using the resource optimally. This "use" variable was crossed with a manipulation of the purported homogeneity of the others' behavior: Half the Ss thought that the others took relatively similar harvests (low variance), whereas the other half thought the others' harvests differed greatly (high variance). Results indicate that harvest size increased over time, especially in the underuse, high-variance condition. Ss in the overuse condition who expected that other group members would reciprocate self-restraint (high-trust Ss) decreased their harvest in comparison to low-trust Ss in this condition. As expected, more Ss in the overuse condition voted to give up free access to the resource in favor of a leader than did Ss in the other conditions. Data are also presented regarding the Ss' behavior as the elected leader. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interaction of tail-pressure stress and d-amphetamine in disruption of the rat's ability to ignore an irrelevant stimulus.

48 male Sprague-Dawley rats received either 0 or 30 preexposures to a tone that was later used as a warning stimulus in a 2-way active avoidance task. Consistent with previous data, tone preexposure resulted in retarded acquisition of the conditioned avoidance response (CAR) in saline-control Ss and in Ss that received chronic administration of dextroamphetamine (DAM; 1 mg/kg, sc). Ss that received tail-pressure stress prior to stimulus preexposure also showed retarded acquisition of the CAR. However, Ss that received a combination of tail pressure and DAM did not show retarded CAR acquisiton following stimulus preexposure. Results suggest an interaction between environmental stressors and DAM in producing attentional deficits. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychotherapy with HIV-infected clients: Factors influencing notification of third parties.

This article investigates psychologists' reactions to a hypothetical case involving an HIV-positive client who is involved in a monogamous relationship and whose behavior places his partner at risk. Results indicate that respondents attribute more responsibility to the client to protect his partner when the relationship is heterosexual rather than homosexual. Respondents attribute greater responsibility to the client's partner for self-protection when the relationship is a short-term, homosexual relationship. Regardless of relationship type, a majority of respondents feel an ethical responsibility to protect the partner and seem willing to break confidentiality to do so if necessary. There is not, however, clear agreement about this course of action. Alternative strategies for assisting client disclosure are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of the MMPI and the Mini-Mult with alcoholics.

Used both standard profiles and Mini-Mult grids to score the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) results of male inpatient alcoholics. Data on the number of instances in which the Mini-Mult accurately predicted the validity, high points, and elevated scales of its paired MMPI profile are presented. Results suggest caution in using the Mini-Mult in a given setting without local cross-validation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The body image of the postoperative female-to-male transsexual.

Examined the body image and self-esteem of 22 postsurgical female-to-male transsexuals (aged 24–50 yrs) who had undergone various stages of sex-reassignment surgery. A trend was found toward increased body satisfaction (Body Cathexis Scale) with increased surgical treatment (i.e., mastectomy, hysterectomy, phalloplasty). There were no significant differences between transsexual Ss and 22 nontranssexual male controls on a measure of self-esteem. In general, Ss were satisfied with their bodies, and level of surgical treatment seemed to be related to positive body image. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Responsiveness to affective stimuli by obese and normal individuals.

Conducted 2 experiments to test the hypothesis that the obese are more responsive than normals to both positive and negative affective stimuli. In Exp I, obese and normal high school males (N = 46) gave ratings of positively and negatively arousing slides. In Exp II, the behavior of obese and normal children 1 mo-6 yrs old (N = 79) in a positively and a negatively arousing situation was observed. Obese Ss in both experiments responded more strongly than normals to the positive affective stimuli; obese Ss in Exp I responded more strongly than normals to the negative emotional stimulus. A possible reason for the failure of obese Ss in Exp II to respond more strongly than normals to the negative affective stimulus is discussed. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Life stress, life-styles, depression, and illness in adult women.

Investigated the relationships between life stress and depression and physical illness in 96 33-yr-old normal White females who graduated from an elite women's college. Results indicate that life stress (measured by the modified Recent Life Changes Questionnaire) was associated with both illness and depression but that both type of stress and life-style were important moderators of these relationships. Thus, work stresses were associated with illness (not depression), and the relationship between life stress and illness was strongest among work-centered Ss. Family stresses were associated with depression (not illness), and the relationship between life stress and depression was strongest among housewives. Implications for sex-role definitions are discussed. (42 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical decision making: Diagnosis vs. treatment selection.

Attempted empirically to relate clusters of assessment information to 3 dimensions of treatment planning—severity of diagnosis, length of treatment, and treatment modality. A set of 50 predictor variables taken from standardized evaluation forms of a children's mental health agency were used for this purpose. 200 cases were analyzed. It was found that the majority of variables predicting case severity and length of treatment were those pertaining to categories of child dysfunction, whereas family characteristics and motivation best predicted treatment modality. Implications with regard to the clinical notion that children with "internalized" problems should be treated by individual therapy are discussed. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A critical comment on Kendall and Finch's cognitive-behavioral group comparison study.

Critically evaluates a recent report by P. C. Kendall and A. J. Finch (see record 1978-32185-001) on the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral treatment for decreasing the impulsive classroom behavior of cognitively impulsive children. Their data analysis is shown to be biased in favor of the treatment group. Reanalysis of the data by analysis of covariance did not support the treatment's utility for attaining generalization to the classroom. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)