Cued activation of relational schemas: Self-evaluation and gender effects.

In two studies, men's and women's self-evaluative responses following presentation of rejection and acceptance cues were examined. Two different conditioning procedures were utilized to associate computer-generated tones with images of social rejection or acceptance. When these tones were played later in a self-evaluative situation, women tended to respond to rejection cues by becoming more self-critical, and to acceptance cues by becoming less self-critical. On some indicators, men responded in the opposite fashion. These findings are discussed in light of recent analyses of gender differences in the sources of self-esteem. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Separating trait effects from trait-specific method effects in multitrait-multimethod models: A multiple-indicator CT-C(M-1) model.

An overview of several models of confirmatory factor analysis for analyzing multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) data and a discussion of their advantages and limitations are provided. A new class of multi-indicator MTMM models combines several strengths and avoids a number of serious shortcomings inherent in previously developed MTMM models. The new models enable researchers to specify and to test trait-specific-method effects. The trait and method concepts composing these models are explained in detail and are contrasted with those of previously developed MTMM models for multiple indicators. The definitions of the models are explained step by step, and a practical empirical application of the models to the measurement of 3 traits x 3 methods is used to demonstrate their advantages and limitations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Guest Editor’s Introduction

Network design permeates every corner of modern communication research and continues to provide new algorithmic challenges. In this issue we present eight papers on designing the physical layout of new networks and designing protocols for efficient information delivery on existing networks. The contribution of these papers is not limited to the solutions they present, but also the new problems they introduce.     

The Hyatt Regency Decision: One View

The 442‐page administrative law judge's decision recommending suspension or revocation of the Kansas City Hyatt structural engineers' professional engineering licenses has been viewed differently by the various people who have read and commented upon it. This paper is one view regarding the appropriateness of the decision and the implications of the decision for professional practice. The cause of the pedestrian walkway collapse is discussed and the administrative hearing commission proceedings are reviewed. Recommendations for improved professional practices and attitudes are presented.     

Public information on research with nonhumans.

Examined public information provided by professional organizations concerned with research with nonhumans by sending standard letters of inquiry to 26 animal-rights and research organizations the authors thought would provide relevant information on both sides of the issue. Results show that after 2 mo, more than twice as many animal-rights as research organizations had responded to the inquiry and that much of the information received from research organizations was insubstantial or irrelevant. Animal-rights literature tended to be persuasive and encouraged readers to act to outlaw research with nonhumans, whereas research organizations' literature contained no arguments supporting their work. Findings suggest that research organizations should improve their information-dissemination practices and that the public and its policymakers should be able to acquire reliably disseminated, timely, and substantive information concerning research with nonhumans. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Working models of attachment and daily social interactions.

This study tested whether working models of attachment guide how people construe and respond to social interactions by examining immediate responses to a range of everyday interactions and to specific attachment-relevant interactions. Patterns for immediate reports were compared with those for more memory-based, global reports. Secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing participants provided immediate reports after their social interactions for 1 week and completed retrospective questionnaires. Attachment differences were accentuated in attachment-relevant, high-conflict interactions. Preoccupied participants responded more favorably after conflict than did secure or dismissing-avoidant participants. Immediate and retrospective patterns diverged in important ways. How working models contribute to perceptions may depend on the fit between attachment goals and the situation and on the extent of memory-based processing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Parenting Scale: A measure of dysfunctional parenting in discipline situations.

Designed a rating scale to measure dysfunctional discipline practices in parents of young children. Three stable factors of dysfunctional discipline style were identified: (1) Laxness, (2) Overreactivity, and (3) Verbosity. The Parenting Scale exhibited adequate internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Mothers of clinic children reported more dysfunctional parenting than did mothers of nonclinic children. Parenting Scale scores were related to maternal ratings of child behavior and marital discord. Most important, Parenting Scale scores correlated significantly with observational measures of dysfunctional discipline and child misbehavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Linking verbal transformations to their causes.

The verbal transformation effect (VTE) is a perceptual phenomenon in which listeners report hearing illusory utterances when a spoken word is rapidly repeated for an extended period of time. The cause of the illusion was investigated by identifying regularities across the transformations that listeners reported and then testing hypotheses about the cause of those regularities. Variants of the standard transformation paradigm were used across 3 experiments to demonstrate that perceptual regrouping of the elements in the repeating utterance is 1 cause of the VTE. Findings also suggest that regrouping is influenced by whether the stimulus is perceived as speech or as nonspeech. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The structure of emotional expressivity: Each emotion counts.

Several models of the dimensionality of emotional expressivity were examined in a multitrait-multimethod study. Targets and peer raters completed measures of the target's emotional expressivity (Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire, BEQ; J. J. Gross & O. P. John, 1995; and a measure of emotion-specific expression) and the Big 5 personality dimensions. The results of structural equation modeling and analysis of variance revealed that an emotion-specific model was superior to models of valence-specific or unidimensional expressivity. The distinct emotions differed in their relations with the dimensions of the 5-factor model. These results were corroborated by self- and other reports. Finally, the degree of convergence between self- and other ratings differed between emotions, demonstrating the multidimensional character of emotional expressivity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)