Adhesive Contact of a Membrane with a Hemispherical Indenter: Theoretical Analysis and Model Liquid System

The axisymmetric Laplace equation is solved numerically to extract contact-angle data for a flat liquid/vapor interface contacting a submerged hemispherical solid. The liquid/vapor interface is treated as a membrane, with a membrane tension equal to the surface energy of the liquid. By measuring the vertical displacement of the membrane and the projected contact area the membrane makes with the hemisphere, the contact angle and correspondingly the driving force for motion of the contact line can be measured. We show that characteristic receding and advancing contact angles can be obtained by measuring the contact radii formed upon initial contact between the interface and hemisphere and final contact just prior to detachment of the interface, respectively. Use of the technique is illustrated with a model experiment involving the contact of an air/water interface with a poly(methyl methacrylate) surface.     

Dyadic perfectionism as a predictor of relationship continuity and distress among college students.

This study examined the nature and impact of dyadic perfectionism over a 3-month interval within a sample of 116 college students who were currently involved in an intimate heterosexual relationship. Dyadic perfectionism scores were stable and correlated as expected with scores on concurrent measures of adult attachment orientations and relationship satisfaction. Logistic regression analyses revealed that, controlling for initial commitment status and adult attachment orientations, Time 1 dyadic perfectionism scores significantly and uniquely predicted relationship continuity 3 months later. Lastly, controlling for social desirability, relationship commitment status, and Time 1 adult attachment orientation scores, Time 1 dyadic perfectionism scores also uniquely predicted Time 2 relationship distress. Findings provide additional evidence that dyadic perfectionism is a risk factor for relationship dysfunction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of behavioral problems in dementia: The Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist.

The Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist (RMBPC), a 24-item, caregiver-report measure of observable behavioral problems in dementia patients, provides 1 total score and 3 subscale scores for S problems (memory-related, depression, and disruptive behaviors) and parallel scores for caregiver reaction. Data were obtained from 201 geriatric Ss and their caregivers. Factor analysis confirmed 3 1st-order factors, consistent with subscales just named, and 1 general factor of behavioral disturbance. Overall scale reliability was good, with alphas of .84 for S behavior and .90 for caregiver reaction. Subscale alphas ranged from .67 to .89. Validity was confirmed through comparison of RMBPC scores with well-established indexes of depression, cognitive impairment, and caregiver burden. The RMBPC is recommended as a reliable and valid tool for the clinical and empirical assessment of behavior problems in dementia Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Relational-Interdependent Self-Construal, Self-Concept Consistency, and Well-Being.

Examination of the assumptions underlying consistency perspectives in social and personality psychology reveals that they are based on an independent, individualistic view of the self. If the self is constructed as relational or interdependent with others, consistency may be less important in social behavior and well-being. Using a variety of measures of well-being, the studies showed that there is a weaker relation between consistency and well-being for individuals with a highly relational self-construal than for those with a low relational self-construal. Study 3 examined the association between the self-construal, consistency, authenticity, and well-being. These findings reveal the importance of a cultural analysis of theories of the self, personality, and well-being for further theory development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Recognizing, assessing, and intervening with problems of professional competence.

Working collaboratively, psychologist educators and trainers at the doctoral, internship, and postdoctoral levels; credentialers; practitioners; and students offer 8 proposals for psychologists to consider in recognizing, assessing, and intervening with problems of professional competence in students and practicing professionals. In the proposals, the authors address the following topics: definitions and categories; preparing the system; self-assessment; remediation; diversity; communication across various levels of the system; confidentiality; and ethical, regulatory, and legal underpinnings. They also propose future directions for the assessment of problems in professional competence in both students and practicing psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multisensory exploration and object individuation in infancy.

Recent research indicates that by 4.5 months, infants use shape and size information as the basis for individuating objects but that it is not until 11.5 months that they use color information for this purpose. The present experiments investigated the extent to which infants' sensitivity to color information could be increased through select experiences. Five experiments were conducted with 10.5- and 9.5-month-olds. The results revealed that multimodal (visual and tactile), but not unimodal (visual only), exploration of the objects prior to the individuation task increased 10.5-month-olds' sensitivity to color differences. These results suggest that multisensory experience with objects facilitates infants' use of color information when individuating objects. In contrast, 9.5-month-olds did not benefit from the multisensory procedure; possible explanations for this finding are explored. Together, these results reveal how an everyday experience--combined visual and tactile exploration of objects--can promote infants' use of color information as the basis for individuating objects. More broadly, these results shed light on the nature of infants' object representations and the cognitive mechanisms that support infants' changing sensitivity to color differences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cross-Border Migration of Hong Kong Residents Under the 'One Country, Two Systems' Policy

Hong Kong is known as a migrant city because its population was sourced from mainland China, and because there has always been outflows of people to overseas countries, especially from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. Emigration to mainland China has become a significant recent trend. This article discusses this phenomenon in the theoretical contexts of migration and trans-border residential development. It contends that the trend will intensify more quickly than other cross-border movements because the two systems are separated by a political border within one country, and because there are common cultural ties and rapid economic integration.     

Effects of linguistic structure on children's ability to isolate initial consonants.

In 4 experiments, preschoolers and kindergartners were asked to pronounce the initial consonants of spoken words. Children performed better on short words, such as bay, than on long words, such as bonus. Words with initial consonant clusters, such as brow, were more difficult for the children than words without initial consonant clusters, such as bar. A consonant cluster at the end of the word did not harm performance. Children did relatively well on words like suppose, for which the word's 1st syllable, /s/, constitutes a correct answer on the initial consonant isolation task. Children did more poorly on words like satin, for which this was not the case. Thus, the linguistic structure of a word affects children's ability to isolate the initial consonant. Implications for the design of phonemic awareness instruction are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

News: Titanium dioxide photocatalysis: Treatment hype or hope?

Technology.     

News: Canadian ecological research area faces major funding cuts

Science.