A critique of Bem's "Exotic Becomes Erotic" theory of sexual orientation.

Two critiques of D. J. Bem's (see record 1996-01742-006) "Exotic Becomes Erotic" (EBE) theory of sexual orientation are presented. First, the core proposition of EBE theory is considered; that is, the idea that adults are erotically attracted to the gender-based class of peers (males or females) who were dissimilar or unfamiliar to them in childhood. Studies cited by Bem and additional research show that EBE theory is not supported by scientific evidence. Second, Bem's claim that his theory applies equally to both sexes is questioned; instead the argument that it neglects and misrepresents women's experiences is made. Bem's conceptualization of erotic desire and his analysis of gender nonconformity illustrate this problem. It is suggested that different theories may be needed to explain the development of men's and women's sexual orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Manitoba's Rural and Northern Community-Based Training Program for Psychology Interns and Residents.

This article describes a unique internship training experience developed by the Department of Clinical Health Psychology of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Manitoba. Interns live in and provide services to remote northern communities for half of the internship year and receive supervision from a psychologist in the community, supplemented by telehealth. The department also offers a full-year, postdoctoral rural residency. Ten interns and 4 residents have been trained so far. The community-based generalist training model and responses to the challenges, for both supervisors and trainees, of working in small underserved communities are described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acquisition of word–object associations by 14-month-old infants.

The following experiments were designed to determine the age at which infants can first readily learn word–object pairings with only minimal exposure and without social or contextual support. To address this question, 8- to 14-month-old infants were tested on their ability to form word–object associations in a "switch" design. Infants were habituated to 2 word–object pairings and then tested with 1 trial that maintained a familiar word–object pairing and 1 that involved a familiar word and object in a new combination. Across 6 experiments, only 14-month-old infants formed word–object associations under these controlled testing conditions but appeared to do so only when the objects were moving. Although 8- to 12-month-olds did not form the associations, they appeared to process both the word and the object information. These studies provide strong evidence that 14-month-old infants can rapidly learn arbitrary associations between words and objects, that this ability appears to develop at about 14 months of age, and that the Switch design is a useful method for assessing word–object learning in infancy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rule‐base coverage analysis applied to test case selection

In this paper we discuss ways in which coverage analysis, obtained during execution of test cases over a rule‐base, can be used to highlight problems in both the test suite and the rule‐base, thereby pointing to areas in which we cannot guarantee or predict the system’s performance. In particular, we present a series of heuristics which use coverage information and meta‐knowledge about the larger population to select additional test cases from the population, in the event that the initial test set is incomplete. This forms the basis of an incremental approach to rule‐base testing which allows us to both increase completeness of the test set and improve coverage of the rule‐base, thereby increasing the kinds of cases for which the rule‐base has been executed during testing. We demonstrate this heuristic approach to test data selection using information generated by TRUBAC, a tool which implements the coverage analysis methods, applied to analyze a prototype system for diagnosis of rheumatological diseases.     

The prediction of the three-dimensional turbulent flow field in a flow-splitting tee-junction

Coarse-grid predictions of the steady turbulent flow in a right-angled tee-junction are presented, attention being confined to the cylindrical “horizontal” portion of the tee.The finite-difference forms of the conservation equations of mass and momentum governing the flow in a tee-junction are solved by using a three-dimensional version of the SIMPLE algorithm of Patankar and Spalding. The kinetic-energy and dissipation-rate equations of a model of turbulence are also solved.The predictions show that the calculation procedure is capable of producing physically realistic predictions.     

Evidence for chemical defense in tropical green algaCaulerpa ashmeadii (Caulerpaceae: Chlorophyta): Isolation of new bioactive sesquiterpenoids

Results of field feeding preference studies with 12 species of tropical green algae of the genusCaulerpa showed thatC. ashmeadii was preferred least by herbivorous fishes. Chemical investigations ofC. ashmeadii demonstrated the presence of high concentrations of sesquiterpenoid metabolites. The chemical isolation and structural elucidation of five majorC. ashmeadii metabolites, as well as the results of field feeding preference, antimicrobial, and ichthyotoxicity assays demonstrating the biological activities of these metabolites are reported here.     

Perceived parental social support and academic achievement: An attachment theory perspective.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 66(4) of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (see record 2008-10478-001). This article, which appeared in the Personality and Individual Differences section was accepted for publication by Guest Editor Irwin Sarason. We wish to thank Professor Sarason for his help and to apologize for our oversight in not acknowledging this contribution.] Tested the extent to which parental social support predicted college GPA among undergraduates. A sample of 418 undergraduates completed the Social Provisions Scale—Parent Form (C. E. Cutrona; see record 1990-01422-001) and measures of family conflict and achievement orientation. American College Testing (ACT) Assessment Program college entrance exam scores (American College Testing Program, 1986) and GPA were obtained from the university registrar. Parental social support, especially reassurance of worth, predicted college GPA when controlling for academic aptitude (ACT scores), family achievement orientation, and family conflict. Support from parents, but not from friends or romantic partners, significantly predicted GPA. Results are interpreted in the context of adult attachment theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Inventory of interpersonal problems: Psychometric properties and clinical applications.

Describes a new instrument, the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP), which measures distress arising from interpersonal sources. The IIP meets the need for an easily administered self-report inventory that describes the types of interpersonal problems that people experience and the level of distress associated with them before, during, and after psychotherapy. In Study 1, psychometric data are presented for 103 patients who were tested at the beginning and end of a waiting period before they began brief dynamic psychotherapy. On both occasions, a factor analysis yielded the same six subscales; these scales showed high internal consistency and high test–retest reliability. Study 2 demonstrated the instrument's sensitivity to clinical change. In this study, a subset of patients was tested before, during, and after 20 sessions of psychotherapy. Their improvement on the IIP agreed well with all other measures of their improvement, including those generated by the therapist and by an independent evaluator. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Testing models of school learning: Effects of quality of instruction, motivation, academic coursework, and homework on academic achievement.

Tested the influence of ability, time, quality of instruction, motivation, and academic coursework on students' achievement, controlling for relevant background variables. Structural equation models were analyzed with longitudinal data from a national sample of 25,875 high school students. Intellectual ability and academic coursework had direct effects on achievement, and homework had a smaller direct effect. The indirect effects of quality of instruction and motivation were stronger than their direct effects; quality affected motivation, which affected coursework. Supplemental analyses were consistent with the initial findings. Results support these variables as influences on school learning, and support the theories from which the variables were derived. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)