Sexual Assertiveness Scale (SAS) for women: Development and validation.

Four studies were conducted to develop and validate the Sexual Assertiveness Scale (SAS), a measure of sexual assertiveness in women that consists of factors measuring initiation, refusal, and pregnancy-sexually transmitted disease prevention assertiveness. A total of 1,613 women from both university and community populations were studied. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the 3 factors remained stable across samples of university and community women. A structural model was tested in 2 samples, indicating that sexual experience, anticipated negative partner response, and self-efficacy are consistent predictors of sexual assertiveness. Sexual assertiveness was found to be somewhat related to relationship satisfaction, power, and length. The community sample was retested after 6 months and 1 year to establish test-retest reliability. The SAS provides a reliable instrument for assessing and understanding women's sexual assertiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The ingratiation construct: An assessment of the validity of the Measure of Ingratiatory Behaviors in Organizational Settings (MIBOS).

Independent samples were used to assess the construct validity of the Measure of Ingratiatory Behaviors in Organizational Settings (MIBOS) scale (K. Kumar & M. Beyerlein, 1991). The 4 samples included managerial personnel (n = 288), members of 2 professional organizations (n?=?144), clerical employees (n?=?110), and working students (n?=?279). Three distinct conceptualizations were examined using confirmatory factor analysis (LISREL 8). Alternative models included (a) a 4-factor conceptualization proposed by Kumar and Beyerlein; (b) a 4-factor, 2nd-order conceptualization; and (c) a unidimensional model. None of the models provided adequate support for the factor structure of the measure. Similarly, convergent and discriminant assessments failed to provide strong support for the validity of the scale. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patents intelligence from legal and commercial perspectives

Competitive intelligence using patents has two major focuses, commercial intelligence and legal intelligence. Where companies use the same technology to solve the same problem, both commercial and legal issues need to be explored with patent intelligence. Where the same technology is used to solve a different problem, issues lean toward the legal end of the spectrum. Where a different technology is used to solve the same problem, the main concerns are commercial. Commercial patent intelligence is best conducted by focusing on patents that a company publishes outside the home country. Legal patent intelligence requires that all patents in a considered technology be examined. Exceptions analysis is particularly useful in commercial patent intelligence and centres around learning a company's standard patenting practices so that patents treated differently can be isolated and examined for possible importance.     

Nepali children's ideas about emotional displays in hypothetical challenges.

Although culture plays an important role in specifying socially prescribed ways to communicate and act in emotional situations, few cultures have been studied. This study describes the ideas of 50 first-grade boys and girls (aged 6–9 years) from 2 different Nepali cultures (Tamang and Chhetri-Brahmin) regarding how they would feel and act in 6 emotionally challenging situations (e.g., peer conflict, family conflict). Significant cultural differences were found. Chhetri-Brahmin children were more likely than Tamang children to endorse negative emotions and to report masking negative emotion. These differences appeared to be related to socialization processes in the respective cultures. Chhetri-Brahmin mothers reported teaching their children about emotion, whereas Tamang mothers reported that children learned by themselves. The children's responses may reflect ideas about emotion regulation that emerge from the differing socioreligious contexts in which they live. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between circadian changes in spontaneous motor activity and dorsal versus ventral striatal dopamine neurotransmission assessed with on-line microdialysis.

The relationship between circadian changes in spontaneous motor activity in rats and dopamine (DA) neurotransmission in the dorsal or ventral striatum was assessed with on-line in vivo microdialysis. The concentration of DA and DA metabolites in the dorsolateral caudate nucleus increased significantly at night. In contrast, DA in the nucleus accumbens did not change significantly across the light–dark cycle. The concentration of DA metabolites in the nucleus accumbens did show circadian variation, however, which was comparable with that seen in the dorsolateral caudate nucleus. Although there was a significant positive correlation between the concentration of DA in both the dorsal and ventral striatum and spontaneous nocturnal motor activity, the relationship was very weak, especially for the accumbens. This suggests that regulating the level of spontaneous motor activity per se is not a primary function of the mesostriatal DA system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pediatric HIV disease: Effect on cognition, learning, and behavior.

Discusses the developmental and neuropsychological deficits and related educational problems associated with the pediatric HIV disease, medical therapies and their effects, and the role of the school psychologist. Children with symptomatic HIV infection may exhibit cognitive, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions associated with the direct or indirect effects of HIV on the CNS. Such problems result in learning and academic difficulties. Since HIV is progressive and its effects can be reversed by antiretroviral drug treatment, the psychoeducational status of infected children needs to be monitored longitudinally. Appropriate rehabilitation and support services are essential to ameliorate deficits and improve their quality of life. School psychologists can learn about the disease, assess children, develop interventions, educate others, assist with prevention efforts, and collaborate with the health care team. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The classroom as learning context: Changing rooms affects performance.

Studied the role of the classroom as a context that can affect memory, using a multiple time-series design. Two classes of 25 undergraduates each were given weekly quizzes in their regular classroom over a baseline period, were moved to a different room on separate target weeks, and finally were returned to their classroom. Moving had a significant deleterious effect, particularly on students doing well in the course. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex role identity, marital satisfaction, and response to behavioral marital therapy.

Explored the relationships among masculinity, femininity, marital satisfaction, and response to behavioral marital therapy (BMT) using 44 married nonclinic couples (mean ages of males and females 33.7 and 31 yrs, respectively), 54 maritally distressed clinic couples receiving BMT, and 18 maritally distressed clinic couples placed on a waiting list; the mean ages of males and females in both distressed clinic groups were 32.1 and 29.9 yrs, respectively. Ss completed the Marital Adjustment Scale and masculinity and femininity scales derived from the California Psychological Inventory. Results indicate that for each sex, both femininity and masculinity were significantly correlated with self-reported marital satisfaction; the magnitude of the correlations between femininity and marital satisfaction was higher than the correlations between masculinity and marital satisfaction. Among clinic couples, androgyny was the least frequent sex-role identity for either husbands or wives; conversely, among nonclinic couples, there were more androgynous husbands and wives than there was any other sex-role type. In the clinic group, both husbands and wives showed statistically significant but small increases in masculinity after receiving 10 wks of BMT. Masculinity and femininity level prior to treatment also significantly predicted response to BMT. The potential importance of both masculinity and femininity in successful marriages is highlighted, and treatment implications are discussed. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interaction of amylopectin with monoglycerides in model systems

The ability of glyceryl monomyristate (GMM), glyceryl monopalmitate (GMP) and glyceryl monostearate (GMS) to form insoluble complexes with amylopectin was studied in model systems. Amylopectin complexed to the greatest extent with GMP, followed by GMM and GMS, respectively. The degree of complex formation was statistically different (p<0.01) among monoglycerides. Iodimetric titrations of the complexes showed that the presence of GMP and GMM in the model systems significantly (p<0.01) decreased the iodine affinity of the amylopectin when compared with the control. The presence of GMS in the model systems decreased the iodine affinity of the amylopectin slightly but not with statistical significance. The decrease in iodine affinity caused by the three monoglycerides was statistically different (p<0.01) among treatments. There was a negative linear relationship between the yield of complex and the amount of monoglyceride (MG) and the iodine affinity of the complexes. No conclusion about the nature of the interaction between amylopectin and the MG could be made by doing infrared and NMR analyses of the model systems.     

Investigation of the Attitudes toward Women Scale in western Canada.

Administered the full version of the Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS) to 69 male and 81 female undergraduates to (a) compare the attitudes of male and females in terms of factor pattern and individual test items and (b) to further examine the strength of the relationship between scores on the full and short versions of the AWS. Factor structures revealed 1st-order factors which had considerable overlapping of items between the sexes, although the female Factor I had the additional elements of freedom and independence, dating, courtship, and etiquette. Both 2nd-order factors were sex-related; the female Factor II is described as a profeminist factor and the male Factor II as a male chivalry factor. Sexual behavior items had small factor loadings, indicating that sexual behavior was not considered important. This latter finding is at variance with that of the American samples, as reported by J. T. Spence and R. Helmreich. The high correlation between the full and short versions for both sexes and the retention of a significant sex difference on the short version support its use when only a summary scale is required and administration time is restricted. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)