The relationship of hostility to authoritarianism.

A manifest hostility scale, consisting of items drawn from the MMPI, and the Elizur Rorschach Content Test were given to groups differing in degree of authoritarianism. Statistical analysis of the relationship between the manifest hostility scale and authoritarianism indicated that groups high on the dimension of authoritarianism have greater overt hostility than groups lower on this dimension. Results relevant to the relationship between the Rorschach Content Test and authoritarianism indicated a less certain tendency for groups low on the dimension of authoritarianism to have greater covert hostility than groups higher on this dimension. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Combat performance: Measurement and prediction.

"This investigation has shown first, that ratings of combat performance and adjustment made in the field by peers, superiors, and psychologists are related to each other and to objective data collected at the same time; second, that combat criterion measures are predictable by precombat criteria of adjustment and performance; and finally, that a complex personality dimension called likability seems to be one of the most enduring characteristics of individuals." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Operation Babel: A survey of the effectiveness of the foreign language requirements for the PhD degree in psychology.

681 usable questionnaire returns were received from PhD psychologist respondents. Since completing the language requirements 65% or almost ? of the cases had not read a single item (article or book). "The median number of items read in French, German, Spanish, and Russian was 0." 70% made no oral use of the languages. There is an "extreme incongruity between input and output" in the study of foreign languages at the PhD level. Alternative solutions are proposed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A transvaluation of psychotherapy: a reply to Hans Eysenck.

In an attempt to answer Eysenck's contention that "the figures fail to support the hypothesis that psychotherapy facilitates recovery from neurotic disorder," the author re-examines three vital questions: What is psychoneurosis? What is psychotherapy? and What is improvement or recovery? (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ontogeny of meal patterning in rats and its recapitulation during recovery from lateral hypothalamic lesions.

Investigated the development of feeding patterns in weanling rats and in rats with lateral hypothalamic lesions. 2 experiments were conducted with a total of 39 male albino Sprague-Dawley rats. From 16 to 25 days of age, the weanlings demonstrated a preprandial intake pattern (i.e., a positive correlation between meal size and time since the preceding meal). This subsequently declined while the postprandial relationship (correlation with time until subsequent meal) such that by 30-35 days of age a full adult pattern was observed. Ss recovering from lateral hypothalamic lesions, for a brief period, also demonstrated a preprandial intake pattern. The postprandial relationship was abolished by the lesion. Results suggest that the development of adult meal patterning results from maturation of lateral hypothalamic mechanisms governing meal initiation. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cesium ions influence cultured cell behavior by modifying specific subcellular components: the role of membranes and of the cytoskeleton

The exposure of the epidermoid cell line A431 to different concentrations of CsCl was assessed using different methodological approaches. Two different effects were detected depending upon the concentration of the agent: at low concentrations, cell modification was represented mainly by a very pronounced cell flattening and an alteration of the cell-to-cell contacts, interpreted as an increase in cell adhesion. At higher concentrations, a clear pathogenic effect was observed that allowed the formulation of the hypothesis that specific mechanisms of toxicity at the subcellular level involving mitochondrial and cytoskeletal function can exist. In addition, membrane order parameters, as detected by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, displayed a dose-dependent increase in membrane rigidity. Results reported here seem to suggest that cesium ions can enter the cell, modify plasma membrane integrity and alter some specific cytoplasmic components, e.g. the cytoskeleton. Considering that environmental contamination by cesium as a result of radioactive fallout is of major importance and that few data are available thus far on this matter, this study provides evidence for the possible mechanisms of action of the non-radioactive form of this ion in cells.     

Individual differences in intraperson variability in mood.

The experience sampling method and palm-top computers were used to obtain 75–200 randomly timed in situ assessments of 11 mood-related items from 54 Ss over 12–24 days. The variability in the distribution of an S's responses to each item was used as an estimate of intrasubject mood variability. Mood variability was stable across time and across situations. The intercorrelations among the individual item variabilities were also substantial; when the items were combined into a mood variability scale, the coefficient alpha was .84. The stability and internal consistency of mood variability could not be reasonably attributed to similarity in item valences, differences among the Ss in the situations they encountered, response biases, or response errors. It was concluded that mood variability is a stable personal characteristic, but additional analyses suggested that it may be independent from other kinds of intraperson variability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)