Influence of family of origin and adult romantic partners on romantic attachment security.

According to attachment theory, attachment style derives from social experiences throughout the life span. The authors tested this expectation by examining associations between the quality of observed interaction patterns in the family of origin during adolescence and self-reported romantic attachment style and observed romantic relationship behaviors in adulthood (ages 25 and 27). Family and romantic relationship interactions were rated by trained observers from video recordings of structured conversation tasks. Attachment style was assessed with items from D. W. Griffin and K. Bartholomew's (1994a) Relationship Scales Questionnaire. Observational ratings of warmth and sensitivity in family interactions were positively related to similar behaviors by romantic partners and to attachment security. In addition, romantic interactions characterized by high warmth and low hostility at age 25 predicted greater attachment security at 27, after controlling for attachment security at age 25. However, attachment security at age 25 did not predict later romantic relationship interactions after controlling for earlier interactions. These findings underscore the importance of close relationships in the development of romantic attachment security but do not indicate that attachment security predicts the quality of interactions in romantic relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Discriminant analysis of risk factors for sexual victimization among a national sample of college women.

Examined the accuracy with which rape and lesser sexual assaults were predicted among a representative national sample of 2,723 college women. A total of 14 risk variables operationalized three vulnerability hypotheses: (a) vulnerability-creating traumatic experiences, (b) social-psychological vulnerability, and (c) vulnerability-enhancing situations. Each hypothesis was tested individually, and a composite model was developed via discriminant analysis. Only the traumatic experiences variables clearly improved over the base rates in identifying rape victims, but risk variables from each vulnerability hypothesis met criteria for inclusion in the composite model. A risk profile emerged that characterized only 10% of the women, but among them the risk of rape was twice the rate of women without the profile. The concept of traumatic sexualization was used to explain this finding. However, the vast majority of sexually victimized women (75–91%) could not be differentiated from nonvictims. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

R&D manager's performance expectations

Managers of professional employees from 18 companies were assessed to determine attributes associated with their most-preferred and least-preferred technical professional. It was found that managers of technical professionals have a clear cognitive set regarding behavior and characteristics associated with the most-preferred and least-preferred technical professional. A basic cognitive model for professional attributes emerges from the consistency of managerial perspective. This cognitive model encompasses technical expertise, ability to get along with coworkers and boss, a responsible attitude, ability to supervise their own work, self-motivation, and loyalty to the company as behavior associated with the most-preferred technical professional