Psychological mediators of the effects of opposing expert testimony on juror decisions.

This study examined the effectiveness of the opposing expert safeguard against unreliable expert testimony and whether beliefs about experts as hired guns and general acceptance mediate the effect of opposing expert testimony on juror decisions. We found strong evidence that the presence, but not the content, of opposing expert testimony affected jurors’ trial judgments and that these effects were mediated by mock jurors’ beliefs about general acceptance. The presence of an opposing expert affected jurors’ ratings of the general acceptance of research investigating sexual harassment in the workplace. Jurors’ beliefs about general acceptance then affected jurors’ ratings of plaintiff expert competence and research, which affected juror ratings of the probability that the plaintiff experienced a hostile work environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapist-aided exposure for women with lifelong vaginismus: A replicated single-case design.

Vaginismus is commonly described as a persistent difficulty in allowing vaginal entry of a penis or other object. Lifelong vaginismus occurs when a woman has never been able to have intercourse. A replicated single-case A-B-phase design was used to investigate the effectiveness of therapist-aided exposure for lifelong vaginismus. A baseline period (Phase A) was contrasted with exposure + follow-up (Phase B), using random switching between phases. The main outcome measure (intercourse ability) was assessed daily for 24 weeks. Ten women participated. The exposure consisted of a maximum of three 2-hr sessions during 1 week at a university hospital. The participant performed vaginal penetration exercises on herself, in the presence of a female therapist. Two follow-up sessions were scheduled over a 5-week period. Nine of the 10 participants reported having intercourse after treatment, and in 5 of the 9, intercourse was possible within the 1st week of treatment. The results remained at 1-year follow-up. Furthermore, exposure was successful in decreasing fear and negative penetration beliefs posttreatment and at 3-month and 1-year follow-ups. Therapist-aided exposure appears to be an effective treatment for lifelong vaginismus. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative evolutionary psychology of sperm competition.

A comparative evolutionary psychological perspective predicts that species that recurrently faced similar adaptive problems may have evolved similar psychological mechanisms to solve these problems. Sperm competition provides an arena in which to assess the heuristic value of such a comparative evolutionary perspective. The sperm competition that results from female infidelity and polyandry presents a similar class of adaptive problems for individuals across many species. The authors first describe mechanisms of sperm competition in insects and in birds. They suggest that the adaptive problems and evolved solutions in these species provide insight into human anatomy, physiology, psychology, and behavior. The authors then review recent theoretical and empirical arguments for the existence of sperm competition in humans and discuss proposed adaptations in humans that have analogs in insects or birds. The authors conclude by highlighting the heuristic value of a comparative evolutionary psychological approach in this field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex similarities and differences in preferences for short-term mates: What, whether, and why.

Are there sex differences in criteria for sexual relationships? The answer depends on what question a researcher asks. Data suggest that, whereas the sexes differ in whether they will enter short-term sexual relationships, they are more similar in what they prioritize in partners for such relationships. However, additional data and context of other findings and theory suggest different underlying reasons. In Studies 1 and 2, men and women were given varying "mate budgets" to design short-term mates and were asked whether they would actually mate with constructed partners. Study 3 used a mate-screening paradigm. Whereas women have been found to prioritize status in long-term mates, they instead (like men) prioritize physical attractiveness much like an economic necessity in short-term mates. Both sexes also show evidence of favoring well-rounded long- and short-term mates when given the chance. In Studies 4 and 5, participants report reasons for having casual sex and what they find physically attractive. For women, results generally support a good genes account of short-term mating, as per strategic pluralism theory (S. W. Gangestad & J. A. Simpson, 2000). Discussion addresses broader theoretical implications for mate preference, and the link between method and theory in examining social decision processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Legal recognition of same-sex relationships in the United States: A social science perspective.

Whether and how civil society should recognize committed relationships between same-sex partners has become a prominent, often divisive, policy issue. The present article reviews relevant behavioral and social science research to assess the validity of key factual claims in this debate. The data indicate that same-sex and heterosexual relationships do not differ in their essential psychosocial dimensions; that a parent's sexual orientation is unrelated to her or his ability to provide a healthy and nurturing family environment; and that marriage bestows substantial psychological, social, and health benefits. It is concluded that same-sex couples and their children are likely to benefit in numerous ways from legal recognition of their families, and providing such recognition through marriage will bestow greater benefit than civil unions or domestic partnerships. Trends in public opinion toward greater support for legal recognition of same-sex couples are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Body and sexual esteem as mediators of the physical disability-interpersonal competencies relation.

Objectives: To examine whether body and sexual esteem mediated the associations between sexual satisfaction, perceived disability severity, and social perceptions of the disability and interpersonal competencies. Research Method/Design: Web-based survey with 326 adults with a range of physical disabilities. Main Outcome Measures: Perceived interpersonal competence in initiating relationships and being assertive in negative situations. Results: For men, sexual satisfaction, social perceptions of the disability, and perceived severity of the disability significantly predicted competence with relationship initiation. Sexual satisfaction and social perceptions of the disability predicted competence with negative assertion. For women, social perceptions of the disability predicted both interpersonal competencies, and sexual satisfaction predicted competence with negative assertion. Aspects of body esteem mediated the relations between the predictor variables and the interpersonal competencies. Conclusions: Findings indicate the importance of perceived attractiveness to others in mediating the negative relations between impact of the disability and interpersonal competencies. Findings also suggest important gender differences in variables predictive of interpersonal competencies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Science, public policy, and legal recognition of same-sex relationships.

In their comments on my article discussing the social science data relevant to societal recognition of same-sex committed relationships (see record 2006-11202-004), Rosik and Byrd (see record 2007-14606-024) and Schiller (see record 2007-14606-025) criticized aspects of my analysis and raised questions about the role of psychology in policy debates concerning sexual orientation. In the limited space available here, I first respond to their specific criticisms and then briefly consider the broader policy question. Both comments raised questions about whether and how psychologists should address policy issues related to sexual orientation. Rosik and Byrd advocated what they called a "measured approach" that "would distinguish the social scientist from the social activist" (p. 712). In practice, however, their measured approach apparently allows for vague constructs (e.g., men's "uncivilized" sexual nature), accepts conservative social activists' assumptions (e.g., about the necessity of marital "gender complementarity"), and ignores data that contradict their predictions (e.g., Badgett, 2004). Thus, it clearly is inadequate as a source for guidance. As for Tyler's fourth criterion (see record 200714606-026), it is difficult to know if and how psychologists' efforts in this arena will be effective. Regardless of the ultimate policy outcome, however, to the extent that we successfully communicate accurate information about the current state of scientific knowledge on sexual orientation and same-sex relationships, we will have remained true to our commitment to take a leading role in removing the stigma associated with homosexuality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neural correlates of sexual arousal in homosexual and heterosexual men.

Men exhibit much higher levels of genital and subjective arousal to sexual stimuli containing their preferred sex than they do to stimuli containing only the nonpreferred sex. This study used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate how this category-specific pattern would be reflected in the brains of homosexual (n = 11) and heterosexual (n = 11) men. Comparisons of activation to preferred sexual stimuli, nonpreferred sexual stimuli, and sports stimuli revealed large networks correlated with sexual arousal, spanning multiple cortical and subcortical areas. Both homosexual and heterosexual men exhibited category-specific arousal in brain activity. Within the amygdala, greater preference-related activity was observed in homosexual men, but it is unclear whether this is a cause or a consequence of their sexuality. In a subsequent analysis of regions hypothesized to support arousal, both participant groups demonstrated widespread increases in evoked activity for preferred stimuli. Aggregate data from these regions produced significant differences between stimulus types in 16 out of 22 participants. Significant activational differences matched reported sexual orientation in 15 of these 16 participants, representing an advance in psychophysiological measures of arousal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

From mate retention to murder: Evolutionary psychological perspectives on men’s partner-directed violence.

In response to the tragically high incidence and negative consequences of female-directed violence in intimate relationships, a large literature has been dedicated to the investigation of the proximate and the ultimate or evolutionary predictors of men’s partner-directed violence. Evolutionary psychology offers a framework for investigating the design of evolved information-processing mechanisms that motivate costly behaviors such as men’s partner-directed violence. We review several forms of men’s partner-directed violence, including insults, sexual coercion, physical violence, and homicide, from an evolutionary psychological perspective and with a particular focus on the adaptive problem of paternity uncertainty. The problem of paternity uncertainty is hypothesized to have selected for the emotion of male sexual jealousy, which in turn motivates men’s nonviolent and violent mate retention behaviors. We review empirical evidence for the relationships among paternity uncertainty, male sexual jealousy, and men’s partner-directed violence. We propose that a comprehensive understanding of men’s partner-directed violence will be achieved only by careful consideration of both proximate and ultimate causes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Payment and audit mechanisms for non private‐funded PPP‐based infrastructure maintenance projects

The introduction of a non private‐funded public–private partnerships (PPP) approach to the maintenance and operation of infrastructure facilities necessitates an equitable performance standard, a sensible penalty mechanism and a credible auditing system. Yet, with limited research on this type of scheme, it is not clear whether the payment and audit mechanisms can adequately gauge the performance of private partners and truly reflect the quality of service provided in their payment. The question is whether the reliability of the payment reduction and auditing mechanisms pertinent to the non‐private funded PPP infrastructure maintenance can be systematically verified. With reference to a case study in Hong Kong, field data have been collected and tested according to the sensitivity analysis and level of confidence. The results indicate that the level of payment reduction due to poor performance is fair and the audit frequency is adequate to reflect the overall performance of the service provider. The approaches adopted in this research should provide an objective basis for public and private partners to formulate a mutually acceptable and effective mechanism for non private‐funded PPP infrastructure maintenance contracts.