MedWorm: Psychology

Kellerman reply to Dr. Vee on Fort Hood violence

Psychology Today Personality Center — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:25:58 +0100

Yes, this is a good comment. I've referred to it directly in my blog entry in analyzing the issue of how anger and ideology is linked to acting-out and violence, to wit: "If the strength of the anger is stronger than the strength of the resilience of the person, then the anger is likely to be acted out. This is true even under the rationalized or intellectualized condition of seeing oneself as a messenger of goodness or justice. In such a case the acting-out is given 'permission' and the consicousness of the anger, although felt, is rather held in virtual state while an intellectualized ideological rational takes over that okays the acting-out." The key idea that the Dr. Vee and I both share is what he states in his comment: "Yes the rage is all too real, but the ideology gave him justific...

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Darling, Should I Cry Over Spilled Milk?

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:29:21 +0100

"There is no sense in crying over spilt milk. Why bewail what is done and cannot be recalled?" (Sophocles) "Never cry over spilt milk, because it may have been poisoned." (W. C. Fields) "It doesn't matter how much milk you spill, just so long as you don't lose the cow." (Mark Guilbeau) Are emotional attitudes such as love liable to harbor regrets or dwell on past alternatives or what might have been? Intellectual considerations assume that this would constitute a waste of time and resources, but lovers quite often do experience regret or mourn lost romantic opportunities. Is there any sense in doing this? Should we sometimes cry over spilled milk? In a goal-oriented society, which is more typical of an intellectual than an emotional society, the past is of little concern: our gaze is direc...

Spree Shooting and Emotions

Psychology Today Personality Center — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:18:20 +0100

Why did Nidal Malik Hasan and other spree shooters murder their victims? One approach would concern the cybernetics of emotion involving recursive loops of shame and anger.Self-generated loops of shame alone are commonplace among those who blush easily. They report that the awareness of their blushing generates embarrassment, that in turn generates further blushing, and around and around, sometimes leading even to paralysis.Since normal emotions are extremely brief in duration, a few seconds, the idea of a feeling loop opens up a new area of exploration. Emotions that persist over time have been a puzzle for researchers, since most emotions function only as brief signals. Yet emotion feedback loops, whether, anger, fear, or shame, can go on for a long time, and in doing so, gather incredib...

Lonely Men Commit Mass Murders

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:04:02 +0100

A mass murderer has been discovered each of the last three days. When we examine the men's lives, we are struck by their loneliness and yearning for intimacy, which leads some to strike out in bizarre and violent ways.November 4, 2009. The home of Anthony Sowell, 50, a convicted sex offender, was searched, revealing 10 bodies, along with one skull. Mr. Sowell had served 15 years for sexual assault. Since 2005, he had lived alone in the top floor of a duplex in a shabby Cleveland neighborhood. Police had come to Mr. Sowell's house because a 21-year-old woman reported that he had assaulted and raped her after luring her to his home. Other reports of women whom he either lured, or else dragged, into his house suggest that this was his modus operandi. It was a strange, violent, let...

Murder, Malice, and Hope

Psychology Today Personality Center — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:22:01 +0100

We are made uncomfortable by the radomness in our lives. When something terrible happens we search for explanations in the same way that primitive people did when puzzled by the complexity of the universe. Why does one person kill another, or 13 others? The fact that murder has always been a routine phenomenon of human existence does not dispel the horror that it implies or our desire to reassure ourselves that we are less likely to die this way if only we can understand the "motive" for such acts. We can better grasp the idea of murder in certain contexts. We accept that jealousy, or greed, or hatred drives some people to kill. We expect a certain amount of killing on the streets of the inner city perpetrated by by those with cr...

Training comparison among three professions prescribing psychoactive medications: psychiatric nurse practitioners, physicians, and pharmacologically trained psychologists

Journal of Clinical Psychology — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Academic training leading to prescriptive authority is compared among psychiatric nurse practitioners, physicians, and pharmacologically trained psychologists. Statistics are presented on the relative emphasis that programs serving each discipline place on the preparation of their respective students in academic and clinical content areas that are relevant to the prescribing of psychoactive medication for the mental health population. An analysis of these statistics substantiates the assertion that pharmacologically trained psychologists are well prepared academically to incorporate prescriptive authority within their competencies. Indeed, the statistics point to multiple content areas in which the other professions are relatively deficient in comparison to pharmacologically trained psycho...

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Breeding Babies

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:25:28 +0100

Can it be that we are finally realizing that humans aren't created to make litters? In the beginning--that is in the early days of reproductive technology--we were wowed with the amazing feats of medical science. One day a woman is infertile, the next day, she's bred five at a time, a full house. These families became proud diaper sponsors and could be guaranteed a photo op in women's magazines. Nowadays, they can get their own reality TV show, which will certainly help defray the costs of baby food and baby wipes.Ever since British scientist Robert Edwards made little Louise Brown in a straw (yes, he used a straw to suck up the embryos), there seems to be a drive to deliver a woman's dream of babies as quickly as possibly with super-human results. Funny thing is that we rarely heard ...

On Crazy Shrinks

Psychology Today Work Center — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:38:41 +0100

Our patients. Clients. Call them what you will. They suspect us all the time anyway. That we are secretly the crazy ones; they the stolid norm. They come for our help and often we heal, but still that resentful suspicion lingers. They may sit in the patient chair, but always slightly the doctor is devalued as much as he is idealized.We live our professional and social lives turning the jabs to plowshares. The anxious jokes acquaintances make about whether they are being analyzed. (They are not, not unless they are paying customers. But we cannot help how much they reveal without our making the slightest effort. Quit showing me so much, I often think. I'd really rather not know.)And they make snide asides about how our children are worse than most (could it be that they are?) or how i...

"A Room of One's Own" - I'll be Happy with the Bathroom!

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:01:39 +0100

Virginia Woolf in "A Room of One's Own" wrote passionately about the need for women to have a place of their own to write and to be creative.Eighty years later, women across the country still have the same lament! Mother's whether they live in mansions or apartments eventually all will get driven to the smallest room in the house, the bathroom.From the privacy of their bathrooms, women run multi million dollar businesses, have heartfelt conversations with their best friends and conduct interviews. Hampers can serve as a desk for your laptop and the inside a file cabinet. In times of exhaustion, the top of the hamper can be used as a headrest while sitting on the commode. You may have to work long hours; so make sure you have several large Egyptian towels on hand. These will come in hand...

The Shrink Who Cracked

Psychology Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:31:32 +0100

What we can learn from Fort Hood. (Source: Psychology Today)

The Case of Nidal Malik Hasan's Shooting at Fort Hood

Psychology Today Personality Center — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:17 +0100

I've been blogging about anger and repression for several weeks now, and the shooting at Fort Hood can figure into this discussion. My take on it is that Hasan was furious and he could not automatically repress this rage. The repression wasn't working because he was especially conscious of who he felt was tampering with his inner narrative. And this inner narrative was a confirming one most likely concerning something about his pride in being a Muslim and how he felt that this image of his identity-group was being attacked (and most likely in his mind, unjustly attacked). It was a rage that was born out of a need to protect himself as well as protect or affirm those with whom he shared his pride. All of it was naturally reinforced by his confirming narrative. There are various criteria use...

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The Career Path of a Shooter

Psychology Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:09:38 +0100

The frustrated rage behind the rampage. (Source: Psychology Today)

Thank You to our Volume 19 Reviewers

Feminism — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:16 +0100

(Source: Feminism)

Heterocentric Practices in Health Research and Health Care: Implications for Mental Health and Subjectivity of LGBTQ Individuals

Feminism — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:16 +0100

(Source: Feminism)

How Does an Emergent LGBTQ Health Psychology Reconstruct its Subject?

Feminism — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:16 +0100

(Source: Feminism)

Understandings of Cervical Screening in Sexual Minority Women: A Q-Methodological Study

Feminism — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:16 +0100

Discursive perspectives argue that cervical screening carries social and moral meaning. Overlooked by research into the health needs of sexual minority women, previous literature that has examined uptake of cervical screening has instead targeted increasing attendance via information and service provision. In order to explore the diversity of meanings that British sexual minority women have about cervical screening, the Q-sorts of 34 sexual minority women were factor analysed by-person and rotated to simple structure using Varimax. The five factors are interpreted and discussed relative to competing discourses on information provision within cervical screening. The five accounts are labelled ‘cervical screening is’: an essential health check that women have the right to refuse;...

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The Health and Well-being Implications of Emotion Work Undertaken by Gay Sperm Donors

Feminism — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:16 +0100

This article suggests that this is at least in part caused by the considerable ‘emotion work’ involved in sperm donation. Drawing on 21 interviews conducted with gay Australian sperm donors, the article provides a thematic analysis of instances of such emotion work and explores the implications of this for the health and well-being of gay men who donate sperm both to clinics and in private arrangements. (Source: Feminism)

Discharged for Homosexuality from the Canadian Military: Health Implications for Lesbians

Feminism — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:16 +0100

This study examines the short- and long-term psychological, physical and social health implications associated with pre-1992 investigations and eventual discharge of Canadian military servicewomen for reasons of homosexuality. Theoretically, it sheds light on the impact of the intersection between sexism and heterosexism. The feminist psycho-social ethnography of the commonplace methodology was utilized. The study draws on in-depth semi-structured interviews with 13 former military personnel who self-identified as lesbian. While in the military, study participants were persecuted and forced to adopt various cognitive and behavioural coping strategies to avoid being found out and discharged by the military’s Special Investigative Unit. Women reported that the relentless military surve...

Transgender People in Australia and New Zealand: Health, Well-being and Access to Health Services

Feminism — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:16 +0100

This study set out to recruit the broadest possible community sample by using a range of recruitment techniques and an online survey. In total, 253 respondents completed the survey. Of these, 229 were from Australia (90.5%) and 24 (9.5%) were from New Zealand. Respondents rated their health on a five-point scale; the majority of the sample rated their health as ‘good’ or ‘very good’. On the SF36 scale, respondents had poorer health ratings than the general population in Australia and New Zealand. Respondents reported rates of depression much higher than those found in the general Australian population, with assigned males being twice as likely to experience depression as assigned females. Respondents who had experienced greater discrimination were more likely to rep...

Chronic Illness in Non-heterosexual Contexts: An Online Survey of Experiences

Feminism — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:16 +0100

In this article we contribute to the expansion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) health psychology beyond the confines of sexual health by examining the experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual people living with non-HIV related chronic illness. Using a (predominantly) qualitative online survey, the perspectives of 190 LGB people with 52 different chronic illnesses from eight countries were collected. The five most commonly reported physical conditions were arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, asthma and chronic fatigue syndrome. Our analysis focuses on four themes within participants’ written comments: (1) ableism within LGBT communities; (2) isolation from LGBT communities and other LGB people living with chronic illness; (3) heteronormativity within sources of...

Our Health, Our Say: Towards a Feminist Perspective of Lesbian Health Psychology

Feminism — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:16 +0100

Although women’s health has been a central concern of feminist psychology, lesbian health has been largely overlooked. Adopting a feminist approach, this article considers the distinctiveness of lesbian health psychology by examining the contexts for lesbian health. Notions of disease and risk have underpinned the endeavour of constituting lesbians’ health as a research discipline. Dominant traditions have established lesbian health psychology along key dimensions of difference from heterosexual women: differences in risk and preventive health behaviours, in healthy behaviours, in experiences of healthcare, in mental health and in experiences of discrimination. In this article, I propose an agenda for a critically informed perspective of lesbian health psychology and for explan...

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Editorial Introduction: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Health Psychology: Historical Development and Future Possibilities

Feminism — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:24:15 +0100

(Source: Feminism)

Redbank House

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:06:06 +0100

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) 30(4): ii-ii (Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT))

A Moment of Body "Thanksgiving"

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:07:59 +0100

Last week, I wrote about my struggle to help my 13-year-old daughter find a Halloween costume that was fun, but not too sexy. It was no easy task. But in the end, it was a non-issue: The kid never went trick or treating. Instead, she spent Halloween on the couch, with a fever and an awful case of the flu. It was a scary six days in our house. At 13 -- and sometimes, sadly, at 30 and 40 -- we're so busy thinking about all the ways our bodies don't measure up to whatever standard we hold in our heads as "perfect" that we sometimes fail to appreciate the simple pleasure and value of good health. Normally, I'm the kind of mom who'll talk about anything, and I don't typically shy away from tough or embarrassing topics when talking to my kids. I'm a firm believer that knowledge is...

Workplace Stress - Examine The Causes Says UNISON, UK

Anxiety News From Medical News Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0100

UNISON, the UK's largest public sector union, has accused employers of "burying their heads in the sand," instead of tackling stress, anxiety and depression in the workplace. The latest statistics from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence show that 13.7 million working days are lost each year as a result of work-related illness, costing employers a massive Â£28.3bn a year. (Source: Anxiety News From Medical News Today)

Pressure On To Tackle Stress As Business Loses Out, UK

Anxiety News From Medical News Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0100

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is supporting National Stress Awareness Day as statistics reveal more than 11 million working days were lost to work related stress last year. This startling figure translates as a Â£4 billion cost to society and HSE wants companies to be made aware of the real cost, not only to people but also to business. (Source: Anxiety News From Medical News Today)

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Addictive Love

Psychology Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Romeo and Juliet are not good role models. (Source: Psychology Today)

Male Virginity Myths

Psychology Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Don't assume boys have only one thing on their minds. (Source: Psychology Today)

Sex Talk

Psychology Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

How can we help our teenagers take control? (Source: Psychology Today)

First Love

Psychology Today — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

The romances of youth stay with us forever. (Source: Psychology Today)

What Is The Value Of A Life?

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:16:53 +0100

I was once told that I shouldn't have kids, because the child could be born with Asperger's, like me. I answered with a question - "Would you have given the same advice to my parents?""Well," came the answer, "look at all the difficulties you've had, and the pain you've had to endure...surely you wouldn't wish that on a child." Well, it's true that living my life with Asperger's has often been difficult. Yes, I have dealt with my fair share of pain and rejection... In a perfect world I wouldn't want a child to go through the same issues. But I also had to wonder...is life just about avoiding pain? Or is there something more? Looking back on my life, I find that the most painful experiences taught me the most valuable lessons. But, you n...

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Resisting the urge to gossip

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:43:41 +0100

It's easy to get caught up in gossip. A friend or colleague starts talking about someone you both know. She lays out some juicy information you haven't heard before, almost baiting you to chime in. Whether it's true or not, you reflexively up the ante by spilling a rumor you recently heard about that person, too. Later, you wonder why you responded that way or even regret that you got sucked into the conversation.To some extent, it's human nature to talk about mutual acquaintances and most chitchat is innocuous. When two friends pass along information about other people within the context of a confidential, trusting relationship, it gives them a chance to vent and, perhaps, even to avoid and work out problems.However, pleasant chitchat morphs into nasty gossip when it's characterized by cr...

What is smart?

Psychology Today Personality Center — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:07:53 +0100

"He's such a bright little boy!" My mother and her friends said things like that all the time, as they pointed to me when they thought I wasn't paying attention. Now that I'm grown, I can let them in on a secret: There was never a time when I didn't pay attention to grownups as a kid. I watched them really close, all the time. I may not have understood everything I heard, but I surely took it all in. But what did it mean? I got a new bike, and my mother said, "What a pretty red bicycle!" Everyone who saw it said the same thing. It was a nice, red bike. The attributes didn't change. It was always a bike, and always red. No one ever called it blue or green, because colors were absolute. Something was either red or green; it didn't change at your whim or mine. Unfortunately, phrases like, "Br...

Room for a new standard? response to comments by Heiby

Journal of Clinical Psychology — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Heiby's (this issue, pp. XXX-XXX) claim that psychologists' training in psychopharmacology is substandard is predicated on the assumption that existing training models offer the only acceptable approach to achieving competence. This assumption both prohibits innovation and is demonstrably false. Our comparison of training models must be judged from the perspective of a reasoned analysis of the competencies most important to prescribing, not the claims of other professions. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 66:1-4, 2010. (Source: Journal of Clinical Psychology)

Interesting practitioners in training in empirically supported treatments: research reviews versus case studies

Journal of Clinical Psychology — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that clinicians rely more on clinical judgment than on research findings. We hypothesized that psychologists in practice might be more open to adopting empirically supported treatments (ESTs) if outcome results were presented with a case study. Psychologists in private practice (N=742) were randomly assigned to receive a research review of data from randomized controlled trials of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) and medication for bulimia, a case study of CBT for a fictional patient with bulimia, or both. Results indicated that the inclusion of case examples renders ESTs more compelling and interests clinicians in gaining training. Despite these participants' training in statistics, the inclusion of the statistical information had no influence on at...

Psychological mindedness in relation to personality and coping in a sample of young adult psychiatric patients

Journal of Clinical Psychology — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Psychological mindedness (PM) is a relevant but rarely studied construct in clinical psychology. The aim was to examine the relationships among PM, personality, and coping in young adults with psychological difficulties. Sixty-three young women and 32 young men who were admitted for intake at a Dutch mental health institute completed relevant questionnaires. PM showed positive associations with the putatively adaptive personality characteristics of extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness and a negative correlation with neuroticism. In addition, PM was associated with problem-focused coping independently of the effect of personality characteristics. PM seems to be related to adaptive person characteristics in young adults with psychological difficulties. Longitudinal st...

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Reviews

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) 30(4): 315-317 Abstract Healing with Stories: Your Casebook Collection for Using Therapeutic Metaphors. George W. Burns (Ed.), Hoboken, NJ, Wiley, 2007. Soft cover. pp. 277 inc. index and references, ISBN 9780471789024. A$61.95. What is This Thing Called Love? A Guide to Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy with Couples. Sarah Fels Usher. London/NY, Routledge, 2008. Pp. 162. Paperback. ISBN: 978-0-415-43384-6. $58.00. (Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT))

Family of Origin Supervision in the Workplace: Impacts on Therapist and Team Functioning

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This article will describe how this trial came about, the process adaptations required to make it possible and how some of the ethical dilemmas raised by this approach were addressed. Personal reflections from the team members will be shared, and our observations in terms of impact of this form of supervision on clinical functioning, team cohesion and service provision will then be discussed. In essence, we aim to provide an anecdotal account of our experience and ask the question, `Is supervision that focuses on the therapist's individual functioning as a product of their intergenerational patterns a valid use of resources in a clinical setting?' (Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT))

`Putting Humpty Together Again': Working With Parents to Help Children Who Have Experienced Early Trauma

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This article outlines the diverse effects of trauma and how they might present in school or childcare settings. It considers the role of the family in the development of children's emotion regulation, especially if trauma occurs in the context of the family, and how trauma affects family dynamics. A therapeutic approach is then outlined to help address the multiple areas of difficulty. Work with parents and the whole family is aimed at maintaining physical and emotional safety and building trust between parent and child. Work with the parents, teachers and the child individually is directed at helping the child develop emotion regulation and competence physically, cognitively and interpersonally. (Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT))

Is There a Place for Biopsychosocial Formulation in a Systemic Practice?

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This article proposes that a biopsychosocial formulation can enhance systemic practice by: (1) holding clinicians accountable for their thinking; (2) facilitating a rigour and attention to detail that may prove useful when therapy falters; (3) opening up other possibilities for intervention; and (4) providing a way to engage with the dominant medical paradigm and support clients in negotiating their way through this system. Potential problems nevertheless arise when integrating a biopsychosocial formulation into a systemic framework. This article identifies these problems and presents ideas for how they can be managed in practice. (Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT))

Interactive Family Music Therapy: Untangling the System

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This article will illustrate the role Interactive Family Music Therapy has at Redbank House and includes case material. (Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT))

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Family Therapy for Kids Without Families: Working Systemically With Children and Young People in Residential Care

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This article examines the systemic therapeutic model the clinic has developed in the last two years. In particular, the article seeks to explore the importance of `meaning making' in a diffuse parental system, particularly with regards to the term `family'. The complexities of working in this area and possible ways forward are illustrated with a closely worked case study. (Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT))

Nothing is as Practical as a Good Theory: Bowen Theory and the Workplace -- a Personal Application

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) 30(4): 235-246 Abstract Bowen Family Systems Theory is most commonly used to understand and predict family process. It is also applied to other potentially intense relationship systems, especially the workplace. It has been used by workplace consultants and by individuals to understand, and to manage, their own workplace functioning. This paper will draw from several key Bowen concepts to analyse common workplace dilemmas and to suggest responses that may assist the functioning of the individual and the system. The author's own experience as a manager in a child and adolescent mental health programme will be used as the case study to illustrate the theory's application. (Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Thera...

Introducing Redbank

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT) 30(4): 233-234 (Source: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (ANZJFT))

Stress-related growth: pre-intervention correlates and change following a resilience intervention

Stress and Health — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Correlates of stress-related growth and the effectiveness of a resilience intervention to enhance stress-related growth were examined. College students were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 31) and waiting list control (n = 33) groups. The intervention group received the psychoeducational intervention, Transforming Lives Through Resilience Education, in four weekly 2-hour sessions. Measures of personal, environmental and stressor characteristics, coping strategies, adjustment and stress-related growth were assessed. Multiple regressions revealed that pre-intervention self-esteem, self-leadership, hopeful coping and depressive symptoms significantly related to pre-intervention growth. A repeated measures analysis of variance yielded a significant group by time interaction for total gr...

Sleep consistency and sufficiency: are both necessary for less psychological strain?

Stress and Health — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study provided preliminary evidence that sleep as a technique for resource replenishment alone may not be enough to reduce psychological strain. Continued exploration of the potential resource-enhancement aspect of consistent sleep may be a fruitful avenue of stress management research. Much like other routine activities that have shown to increase self-regulatory strength, consistent sleep may serve as an effective strain intervention, thereby preventing negative acute and chronic health effects. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: Stress and Health)

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Changes in teacher stress through participation in pre-referral intervention teams

Psychology in the Schools — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study followed 33 elementary education teachers prospectively through their participation in a pre-referral intervention team (PIT) program. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that, across the pre-referral process, teachers felt less distress related to referred students' needs, termed "dyadic stress." Teachers' dyadic stress was partially accounted for by student progress on referral concerns. Teachers' experience of PIT support was also linked to reductions in stress and lower dyadic stress after pre-referral interventions were implemented. The findings have implications for how school practitioners consult with teachers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: Psychology in the Schools)

Exploring social capital in rural settlements of an islander region in Greece

Journal of Community — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study has two aims: First to provide an account of rural residents' perceptions of village life in terms of interpersonal support, mutual aid, trust, social cohesion and community competence, and second to examine the suitability of the social capital notion within the specific cultural context. A combination of data collection procedures and a range of sources were employed, such as key informants, rural residents and researchers' field observations. The findings indicate that small farming communities of high devotion with deep roots and strong sense of belonging face severe demographic imbalance and experience low civic power given the limited links with external agents. The mainstream notion of social capital as an unconditionally beneficial factor is thus questioned. The findings...

Depressive symptoms and unmitigated communion in support providers

European Journal of Personality — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

In this research, we argue and demonstrate that the association between enacted (un)supportive behaviour and depressive symptoms is a function of the providers' levels of unmitigated communion (UC). UC is characterized by overinvolvement in others' problems, self-neglect and externalized self-evaluation. These characteristics appear to predispose individuals high in UC to experience depressive symptoms. As anticipated, we show that enacted supportive behaviour was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (Study 1 and 2), and enacted unsupportive behaviour was positively associated with depressive symptoms (Study 2), but only among individuals low in UC. Our findings are consistent with the idea that for high UC individuals, enacting supportive behaviour, or not enacting unsupportive ...

Index

Perspectives on Psychological Science — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Perspectives on Psychological Science)

Speculation to Inform and Speculation to Explore: Response to Craig et al. (2009) and Turkheimer & Halpern (2009)

Perspectives on Psychological Science — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This article, a follow-up to an empirical article on the same subject, was written with both of these purposes in mind. Many researchers are interested in uncovering the genetic mechanisms underlying general intelligence, so no doubt the roles of genes on the X chromosome will one day be understood. Psychologists can contribute best to these developments by being informed about the genetic issues involved. (Source: Perspectives on Psychological Science)

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Commentary on "A Role for the X Chromosome in Sex Differences in Variability in General Intelligence?" (Johnson et al., 2009)

Perspectives on Psychological Science — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

ABSTRACT[mdash]Johnson et al.'s (2009) article highlights the role of X-chromosomal genes in general intelligence and draws attention to their potential role in explaining the observed greater variance for this trait in males and their excess at both extremes of the distribution. We note that this would result from a simple additive effect of X-linked intelligence genes and also discuss the potentially important contribution of recessive deleterious loci. The buffering effect of heterozygosity in females will be partly constrained by the skewing of X-inactivation patterns increasing the variance of females beyond what is expected. Furthermore, escape of some X-linked genes from inactivation may also be relevant to male[ndash]female variance comparisons. We also comment on the difficulty of...

Sex Differences in Variability for Cognitive Measures: Do the Ends Justify the Genes? (Commentary on Johnson et al., 2009)

Perspectives on Psychological Science — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

ABSTRACT[mdash]Theories about the origin of cognitive sex differences must address differences in three portions of ability distributions: low-tail variability, high-tail variability, and mean values. In addition, genetic theories must provide evidence that these three types of differences are (at least in large part) caused by alleles that are located on the X chromosome. It is well established that there are more mentally retarded males than females, and this disparity is attributable to genes located on the X chromosome. By contrast, there are no known "intelligence genes" that can provide a parallel explanation for differences in variability in the high ability tail of distributions. Mean differences between males and females also defy any X-linked hypothesis about average intelligence...

A Role for the X Chromosome in Sex Differences in Variability in General Intelligence?

Perspectives on Psychological Science — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

ABSTRACT[mdash]There is substantial evidence that males are more variable than females in general intelligence. In recent years, researchers have presented this as a reason that, although there is little, if any, mean sex difference in general intelligence, males tend to be overrepresented at both ends of its overall distribution. Part of the explanation could be the presence of genes on the X chromosome related both to syndromal disorders involving mental retardation and to population variation in general intelligence occurring normally. Genes on the X chromosome appear overrepresented among genes with known involvement in mental retardation, which is consistent with a model we developed of the population distribution of general intelligence as a mixture of two normal distributions. Using...

Ten Statisticians and Their Impacts for Psychologists

Perspectives on Psychological Science — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

ABSTRACT[mdash]Although psychologists frequently use statistical procedures, they are often unaware of the statisticians most associated with these procedures. Learning more about the people will aid understanding of the techniques. In this article, I present a list of 10 prominent statisticians: David Cox, Bradley Efron, Ronald Fisher, Leo Goodman, John Nelder, Jerzy Neyman, Karl Pearson, Donald Rubin, Robert Tibshirani, and John Tukey. I then discuss their key contributions and impact for psychology, as well as some aspects of their nonacademic lives. (Source: Perspectives on Psychological Science)

Monitoring Matters: Meta-Analytic Review Reveals the Reliable Linkage of Parental Monitoring With Adolescent Marijuana Use

Perspectives on Psychological Science — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

ABSTRACT[mdash]Parental monitoring is commonly accredited as an important protective factor against risky adolescent behaviors. In this meta-analytic review, associations of adolescents' perceptions of parental monitoring with adolescent marijuana use were collected and quantified across 25 independent samples from 17 empirical studies involving 35,367 unique participants. Applying a random-effects model, the average magnitude of effect was r=[minus].21. The association was significantly stronger in female-only samples (r=[minus].31 vs. r=[minus].19, p < .001) and when parental monitoring was defined purely in terms of parental knowledge of the child's whereabouts, activities, and relations (r=[minus].24 vs. r=[minus].19, p < .05). Cross-sectional (r=[minus].23) and longitudinal studies (r...

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Educational Policy and Country Outcomes in International Cognitive Competence Studies

Perspectives on Psychological Science — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

ABSTRACT[mdash]Prior studies of students' and adults' cognitive competence have shown large differences between nations, equivalent to a difference of 5 to 10 years of schooling. These differences seem to be relevant because studies using different research paradigms have demonstrated that population-level cognitive abilities are related to a number of important societal outcomes, including productivity, democratization, and health. In this overview of transnational differences, we document a number of positive predictors of international differences in student competence, including the amount of preschool education, student discipline, quantity of education, attendance at additional schools, early tracking, the use of centralized exams and high-stakes tests, and adult educational attainme...

Business: President Obama and Transformative Leadership

Psychology Today Work Center — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:01:06 +0100

Over the past two years, we have seen what some have called a transformative demonstration of leadership. This process culminated on January 20th with the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Whether or not you agree with his politics (and Prime Business Alert! is decidedly nonpartisan), you have to respect his journey and appreciate his leadership capabilities. You can also learn a great deal about effective leadership and sustained, high-level performance by studying his improbable and meteoric rise.From humble beginnings, having to prevail over the dual "handicaps" of race and fatherlessness, and overcome two of the most formidable political forces in history (the Clintons and the Republican Party), President Obama showed us that a person with imagina...

Relationship break-ups: truths, distortions, and negative emotions

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:51:25 +0100

Break-ups feel bad for a very good reason: it is in our nature to form attachment bonds with our partners - bonds that resemble in intensity those we made with our parents. When those bonds break, it hurts.One particular kind of breakup is the subject of this post: the breakup in which one person wants to end the relationship, but the other person doesn't. This kind of break-up has a special painfulness to it, because one person gets their heart broken and the other has to live with hurting someone they really care about, in addition to being in pain from the separation themselves.Breakups raise primal negative feelings: guilt, sadness, anger, and fear. It can be hard anyone to experience these feelings without wanting to stop them or control them or manage them in some way. When people tr...

Teens Can Drive You Nuts--Especially When They're Not Yours!

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:39:11 +0100

Special Guest Post by Susan Wisdom, LPCauthor of StepcouplingSusan uses the terms "biological child" and "biological parent," terms I prefer not to use in my own writing about stepfamilies, since many parents are adoptive parents. However, I think you will find Susan's piece and suggestions helpful to your step/family, regardless of how you came by your kids and stepkids.PARENTING BIOLOGICAL TEENS VS STEPTEENSWe all know that parenting teenagers is no piece of cake, but I have to say it's harder with a stepchild than your own flesh and blood. It's especially hard for stepmothers. The hardest time for a stepfamily to form is when there are teenagers in the mix.Hanging in there with your own flesh and blood as they grow into adolescence, and express themselves in their own "unique" ways, is ...

Disproving Myself

Psychology Today Work Center — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:39:11 +0100

This is my first blog post for Psychology Today and I will jump right in. The already-active bloggers were asked for this month's print issue to describe one psychological finding that they have used to change their own behavior. My answer comes from an old study showing that people usually seek information that confirms their own theories rather than more helpfully seeking information that could disprove their theories. P.C. Wason examined this in 1960 in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. Suppose I ask you to suggest the next item in the number series 2, 4, 6... I will tell you whether that number fits the rule I am using to generate the series, and you can keep asking different possible numbers. When you feel ready, you propose the rule - but your goal is to get the rule ...

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It's Time to Be SAD

Psychology Today Depression Center — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:07:48 +0100

There's no mistaking that our lovely planet has now wobbled its seasonal wobble and tilted those of us in the northern hemisphere away from the sun until the winter solstice passes, and we wobble back again.All that to say, it is DANG DARK OUTSIDE!For most people, the shortening of days is an annoying but normal part of winter, and they light a little candle and just deal. But for some of us, the lack of light leads to decreased serotonin production, a slowing of bodily functions and a steady descent into a state of depression. This condition is called Seasonal Affective Disorder, bittersweetly acronymed SAD.The Psychology Today website states:Seasonal affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that follows the seasons. The most common type of SAD is called winter depress...

A five-year review of psychology of women quarterly

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:15:07 +0100

(Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

The Anti-Leader: How Bad Leaders Get Everything Wrong

Psychology Today Work Center — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:06:53 +0100

I'm coaching a professional colleague who is encountering the very worst sort of leadership imaginable. The tales of this leader's bad and vicious behavior are truly remarkable. In an effort to better understand how such bad leadership operates, I thought of this: Let's take a theory of good leadership - transformational leadership - and flip it around. If bad leadership is the opposite of good leadership, then we should be able to take the components of transformational leadership and see how this exceptionally bad leader does the opposite.So, here goes. The first component of transformational leadership is idealized influence. The good leader is a positive role model and deals fairly with followers. The good leader "walks the talk," and would never put personal gain over the needs of the...

Use Of Cannabinoids (Marijuana) Could Help Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Patients

Anxiety News From Medical News Today — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0100

Use of cannabinoids (marijuana) could assist in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder patients. This is exposed in a recent study carried out at the Learning and Memory Lab in the University of Haifa's Department of Psychology. The study, carried out by research student Eti Ganon-Elazar under the supervision of Dr. Irit Akirav, was published in the prestigious Journal of Neuroscience. (Source: Anxiety News From Medical News Today)

Chasing His Potential "'Til Death Do You Part"

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:06:58 +0100

Leanne is sure her fiance will grow up once their baby is born (she's eight and a half months pregnant and he's still out snorting cocaine until the wee hours of the morning); Beth thought that her husband would have found work by now, but, nine years later, she is beginning to realize that despite his MBA and JD degrees, he has no intention of finding work - even when it means they will have to sell the house because they can't afford the mortgage.These are just two of the many stories i hear about how women chase their man's potential. They are willing to look past the facts, and instead, focus on "who they know he could be."Women, far more than men, marry a partner "for their potential." When these women marry someone who is not who they want them to be today, it's almost as if they are...

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Hibernate for Health

Psychology Today — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

To prevent a cold, get a good night's sleep (Source: Psychology Today)

Flu Season Ahead

Psychology Today — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Should I give my kid the swine flu vaccine? (Source: Psychology Today)

An Early Start on Winter Blues

Psychology Today — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Assessing and treating seasonal sensitivity (Source: Psychology Today)

Listening to Autumn

Psychology Today — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Achieve your goals by harnessing the season's energy (Source: Psychology Today)

Public involvement in social and political participation processes: A gender perspective

Journal of Community — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

One interesting perspective from which to investigate participation processes is that of gender (Angelique & Culley, 2007). The disparity between male and female participation is evident, in particular when dealing with politics. The research reported here examines any differences between men and women in three different groups: non-participants (N = 201), social participants (N = 167) and political participants (N = 184). Two specific aspects were considered: (a) the perception of sociopolitical control, that is leadership competence and policy control, and (b) the perception of costs and benefits derived from participation. In focusing on such perceptions, if any difference could be evidenced, we aimed to investigate if this difference was determined by gender, by the type of participati...

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Contributions of the Life Course Perspective to Research on Food Decision Making.

Annals of Behavioral Medicine — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: Illustrative findings are presented on dietary behavior in a diverse sample of lower-income working parents. This paper also offers ideas on increasing the contributions of the LCP to nutritional research. PMID: 19890684 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Annals of Behavioral Medicine)

Generational differences in cultural life scripts and life story memories of younger and older adults

Applied Cognitive Psychology — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Groups of younger and older participants produced cultural life scripts by listing the seven most important life events and the expected timing of these events for a hypothetical person. They also produced the seven most important life story memories from their own lives. Cultural life scripts and life story memories were rated on valence. Scales on depression, satisfaction with life, and the centrality of an event for identity and the life story were administered. A stable cultural life script was found across the two generations, with a clear bump for positive events in adolescence and early adulthood. However, older adults produced a more realistic, less idealized life script than younger adults. The overlap between life script events and life story memories increased with age. Having a...

Thinking Matters: Remembering

Psychology Today Personality Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:22:53 +0100

This is my 3rd blog entry. In each of the previous two, I've spelled out the relation of the appearance of psychological symptoms to a person's repression of anger. In this blog entry I will focus more on repression, but in this case it's about the issue simply of remembering. So, please remember that repression is always about how memory or remembering is conquered and rendered as erased. When you've got repression, you've got amnesia for the remembering. WARNING: The anecdote described here is real, and for children it may be a bit X rated, although I believe, essentially harmless. Introduction: The Innocence Project has shown that eye-witness reports do not always have first level validity. Many people can witness the same event and report what they saw in disparate ways. That is to say...

Preface

Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuropsychobiology 2009;60:117-118 (DOI:10.1159/000253547) (Source: Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles)

On the Mechanisms Underlying 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Toxicity: The Dilemma of the Chicken and the Egg

Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuropsychobiology 2009;60:119-129 (DOI:10.1159/000253548) (Source: Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles)

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MDMA Self-Administration in Laboratory Animals: A Summary of the Literature and Proposal for Future Research

Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuropsychobiology 2009;60:130-136 (DOI:10.1159/000253549) (Source: Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles)

Can the Severity of Dependence Scale Be Usefully Applied to 'Ecstasy'?

Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuropsychobiology 2009;60:137-147 (DOI:10.1159/000253550) (Source: Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles)

Cortisol and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: Neurohormonal Aspects of Bioenergetic Stress in Ecstasy Users

Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuropsychobiology 2009;60:148-158 (DOI:10.1159/000253551) (Source: Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles)

Healthy Success: Create a Successful Life Without Killing Yourself

Psychology Today Work Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:23:25 +0100

From the first time I met Maria, she awed me with her careless beauty, impeccable style, and spontaneous hilarity. I secretly hoped that when I reached my 50's, I'd manage to be a little bit like her. It wasn't until she became a client that she told me a secret that few others know: Maria has multiple sclerosis. Before you start feeling sorry for her, you need to know one more thing: she got diagnosed almost thirty years ago. In her early 30's when the disease hit, she had a high-level corporate job, a business on the side, and was raising four kids in her spare time. She wanted it all and was determined to get it, until MS suddenly knocked her flat. For two years she battled it with one medical therapy after another, without any improvement. "It was so depressing," she told me, "and I ...

Constraint propagation: A completely new take on souls

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:35:58 +0100

It's not true about the 21 grams. That was an error in measurement back in 1907 when Duncan McDougall claimed to have weighed a soul. There's no weight loss with death, which is fine with most people because we've long assumed the soul was a weightless, sizeless, timeless substance anyway. Still, weightless, size-less, timeless substances are scientific dead ends. If there's no way to detect a thing, then there's no way for science to get a grip on it. That's fine with most fans of the soul. Science should keep its hands off souls. But it's not OK with scientists. The dead end forces them to look for another explanation for why living bodies act so differently from dead ones.They have a new explanation, but it's not a thing. It is, in fact weightless and sizeless, but not...

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Words of Wisdom Wednesday: A Parent's Perspective

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:36:39 +0100

Editor's Note: From the moment I began reading Ellen's To The Max, a blog about life and love with her son, Max, who had a stroke at birth. I immediately found myself captivated by her honesty, something that is sometimes lacking in the disability world. Read on for her thoughts on raising a child with a disability and the importance of the mother-child bond. And, of course, I couldn't resist asking Max a few questions, too...Describe a bit of the emotional journey you found yourself on after Max's birth? After Max was born, I was pretty devastated. Obviously, you're never prepared to have something go wrong during a birth, but what happened to me was beyond shocking: my baby had a stroke. I hadn't even known babies could have strokes. And we were told the worst: That Max might never walk ...

What rates in different nations might tell us about suicide

Psychology Today Depression Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:42:25 +0100

Discussions I've been involved in recently have made it clear how important it is to be specific about risk and protective factors. For example, religious community involvement is considered a protective factor. But, what is it about being involved in a religious community that is protective? Are there instances where being involved in a religious community is not protective? From a public health perspective, figuring out what risk factors are modifiable and which protective factors should be promoted is done on a large scale. Rather than considering what, in each individual, adds to risk or protection, public health looks at the big picture of environments that increase risk or protection. In the U.S., access to firearms increases risk, and certainly contributes to this country's high sui...

Reality as a Horror Movie: The Case of the Deadly Sweat Lodge (Part 2)

Psychology Today Personality Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:25:41 +0100

Self-Transformation . . . or Self-Delusion? The notion of instantaneous transformation can be enormously seductive to Westerners, almost always in a hurry to finish things and see results. Ray actually encourages such impatience by advertising his short-term retreats as experiences that will alter participants' lives forever. All they need do is pay an (exorbitant) fee and do exactly what he tells them to. But to realize our most cherished goals, can we successfully move beyond our assorted physical ailments and psychological dysfunctions merely through "transformative" thinking, positive visualizations, and boundary-breaking behaviors? The short answer here is, simply, no. We all have our particular limits, and it's essential that we learn both to recognize--and respect--them. Not that th...

Introverts and Friendship

Psychology Today Personality Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:18:27 +0100

My friend and fellow PT blogger Dr. Irene Levine, author of the excellent Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend, invited me to contribute a guest post to her blog, The Friendship Doctor. Please take a look at "The inside scoop on your introvert friends."I was interested to note that the subhead suggests that being friends with introverts is difficult. (Or at least not easy.) Ah, we are so misunderstood... Do you consider yourself difficult? I'd say it all depends on the standards by which we are judged. (Source: Psychology Today Personality Center)

Keeping The Ball Rolling

Psychology Today Personality Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:39:19 +0100

I know an advertising agency owner who never fully takes a vacation. He takes his family to fairly exotic locations, but never so alien that they are outside the reach of modern communication. In other words, he is never further than a cell phone call or email away. He checks in with the office several times a day – much to the chagrin of his family who want him to be fully engaged in the holiday at hand. So, he ends up sneaking off under the guise of visiting the restroom, or going to the bar for a cocktail, in order to connect with his staff, a client or a prospect. His wife and kids aren’t fooled; they just sigh and accept the inevitable. I used to think he was a control freak – someone who couldn’t let go and let some...

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Spilling our Guts to Our Female Friends

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:37:11 +0100

The kinship among women these past forty years, since the woman's movement, has created stronger, more intimate bonds than ever before. If we compare what female friendship entailed in the 1950's and early 1960's to today, women were more guarded and less comfortable discussing their innermost feelings. As single working women or as wives -- the only two options available to women during this time period -- friendships were kept on a superficial level and few women were willing to share their troubles or deepest yearnings. Instead, single women discussed dating and the possibility of marriage, while married women discussed their husband's jobs, their latest appliances, their children's schedules. Not only were women separated by their roles, i.e., single secretaries weren't friendly with m...

How To Cure Boredom!

CounsellingResource.com News and Features — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:55:03 +0100

Sarah Luczaj takes a look at How to Cure Boredom, an upcoming e-book by fellow contributor Evan Hadkins.Tags: anxiety and stress, book, mindful awareness, news and research, parenting and children, reviews, therapy (Source: CounsellingResource.com News and Features)

A Fundamental Secret to Happiness? Get Enough Sleep.

Psychology Today Depression Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:42:26 +0100

I’m working on my Happiness Project, and you could have one, too! Everyone’s project will look different, but it’s the rare person who can’t benefit. Join in -- no need to catch up, just jump in right now. I’ve written before about my resolution to Get more sleep, and I’m bringing it up again, because I’m truly convinced that this is one of the first aspects of life to tackle when you start a happiness project. It’s easy to become accustomed to being sleep-deprived, but it’s not good for you. Many researchers argue that not getting enough sleep has broad health consequences, such as raising your risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and even obesity, but in addition to those, it has a profound effect on your happiness. One study showed that a bad night’s sleep was o...

Medicare Mental Health Parity: A High Potential Change that is Long Overdue

The Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:06:05 +0100

Abstract Recent changes in legislation regarding mental health parity in Medicare will revolutionize payment for mental health care and delivery systems. This commentary discusses why this policy change was essential to promote adequate care for populations served by Medicare and to address expected changes in beneficiary, provider, and plan behavior as more equitable payments by Medicare are implemented. Content Type Journal ArticleDOI 10.1007/s11414-009-9197-8Authors Laysha Ostrow, Human Services Research Institute 2336 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge MA 02140 USARonald Manderscheid, Global Health Sector, SRA International Mental Health and Substance Abuse Programs 6003 Executive Boulevard, Suite 400 Rockville MD 20852 USA Journal The Journal of Behavioral Health...

Startup Love

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:27:01 +0100

Why is starting a relationship like launching a business?Let me count the ways...As someone who teaches innovation and entrepreneurship at Stanford, I know a great deal about what it takes to start a new venture. And, based on the years when I changed my boyfriends like my socks, I now realize that these are the same tools that are required to launch a new relationship.First, you need to be passionate about both a new partner and a new business. Passion allows you to weather the inevitable storms that will blow through your company or your relationship. It will enable you to have the willpower to find creative solutions for the problems that will certainly arise. Without passion, we bail out when the going gets tough, as opposed to being fully committed.Second, both a new venture and a new...

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Inspired by Athletes

Psychology Today — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Sportsthink in the workplace (Source: Psychology Today)

Should Little League Baseball Be Nationally Televised?

Psychology Today — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Kids might not benefit from the scrutiny (Source: Psychology Today)

The Mystery of the Gyroball

Psychology Today — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Does "The Demon Miracle Pitch" really exist? (Source: Psychology Today)

Winners and Losers

Psychology Today — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Real champions elevate everyone in their midst. (Source: Psychology Today)

The inside scoop on your introvert friends

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:45:25 +0100

I've never met my fellow PT blogger Sophia Dembling in person but consider her a friend of sorts. We met as members of one or another online writer communities that we both frequent because we have so many overlapping interests. She lives in Texas but her roots are pure New York. I love her sense of humor and her refreshing candor.When I surveyed more than 1500 women for my book, Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend, women described what it was like to meet a close friend. "We just clicked," was the most common phrase they used. You can say that Sophia and I clicked, both literally and figuratively. Another thing we seem to have in common is that we consider ourselves introverts.I asked Sophia to write a guest post on the topic of friendship among introverts. Fee...

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Everything You Lose Makes Room for Something New

Psychology Today Personality Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:56:49 +0100

Everything you lose makes room for something new.The flimsy postcard, bought at least twenty years ago and faded from its original pink, is taped to the edge of a metal bookshelf in my office. The simple hand-drawn image depicts a Victorian woman whose old-fashioned bonnet is being lifted off her head by the wind; it is about to fly away and she's trying to keep a grasp on the ribbons.I suppose the caption could easily have read "hold onto your hat" and that line would have resonated with someone else the way "Everything you lose makes room for something new" trumpeted its message to me.But out of everything I have ever lost, I have kept hold of that card. The message is too important and my memory is too short for me to have allowed it out of my sight for very long. I look at the postcard...

Unrequited Love and Lust: When The One You Want Doesn’t Want You Back

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:01:39 +0100

Love, desire and sexual attraction weave stories of bliss when they're reciprocated, but what happens when they're not? As much as we may wish it to be otherwise so, some people may not want to "play" with us in the way we want them to: as a date, a boyfriend, a partner, a wife. What do we do when the person we want doesn't want us back?Early on, children have to endure the sad, frustrating lesson that certain children may not want to play with them. They may not get invited to a classmate's party and the child who they have a crush on may not like them back. In fact, the crush may even be convinced that the child in question has the cooties.As we grow up, we continue to learn this difficult lesson. We may not get a Valentine's card shoved in our desk from the one person we hoped would sen...

Index

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

Reviewer acknowledgment

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

Modern day slavery: the hidden and unspoken horror for girls and women

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

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HESTER'S NEW SCARLET LETTER—WOMEN WITH HPV

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

Feminist activism around the globe

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

Why gender is different: an intergroup relationship shaped by power and attraction

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

Seeking justice for sexual assault victims

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

The price of love is sacrifice, often the wrong kind

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

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In harm's way: factors related to psychological distress following sexual harassment

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This article examines the relative contribution of these influences on psychological distress following sexual harassment. Two studies were conducted. First, we examined approximately 1,200 women in a financial industry class-action lawsuit. A series of hierarchical regressions and subsequent dominance analysis revealed that the severity of the experiences and attributions made about them were the most important influences on symptoms of psychological distress. Study 2 examined 85 female plaintiffs in sexual harassment litigation. Dominance analysis again showed that the magnitude of their experiences had the strongest relationship with distress. Implications of these findings are discussed. (Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

More than numbers: individual and contextual factors in how gender diversity affects women's well-being

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study examined factors related to workplace gender diversity in a sample of 87 college-educated White women. Specifically, we investigated the moderating effects of one individual difference variable (sensitivity to sexism) and one contextual variable (perceptions of the workplace climate) in the relationship between the gender composition at the hierarchical level above the woman and her well-being (job satisfaction and general health). Results indicated that more negative well-being was associated with having more women working at the level above when women worked in a perceived negative climate whereas more positive well-being was associated with having more women working at the level above when women worked in a perceived positive climate. For general health, these findings were s...

Who is to blame? rape of hindu-muslim women in interethnic violence in india

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study is among the first to provide empirical support that ethnic prejudice and specific misogynistic attitudes are important predictors of rape victim blame in ethnic violence contexts. Findings indicate that attitudes that exploit women's positions across categories of gender and religious community predict higher victim blame attributions. Findings are relevant to current intercommunity relationships and provide insights for community-based responses and primary interventions. (Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

Referees' decision making about transgressions: the influence of player gender at the highest national level

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Prior research has found that referees are harsher toward sporting offenses in regional-level matches between women than in regional-level matches between men. We tested whether this bias also occurs at a higher, national level of competition, despite the greater pressures for objectivity and fairness at this level. Referees' decisions were examined in 15 national-level handball matches between women and 15 national-level handball matches between men after transgressions that varied in severity. The results suggest that referees made harsher decisions in female than in male matches. Although more research is needed, this study supported the hypothesis that referees may use the gender of players as a powerful judgmental heuristic for deciding how to respond to aggression. (Source: Psycholog...

Stereotype threat and gender differences in performance on a novel visuospatial task

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study investigated whether stereotype threat influences gender differences in performance on a novel test of visuospatial ability. Undergraduates (N = 194) were told that men outperform women on the test (explicit threat), were given no gender-relevant information (implicit threat), or were told that men and women do not differ (nullified stereotype). Although men outperformed women in the explicit and implicit stereotype threat groups, women's performance did not differ significantly from men's when told there is no gender difference. The effect was most pronounced for difficult line judgments. Although stereotypes regarding visuospatial ability may be less culturally salient than those of other cognitive abilities, these findings suggest that they influence performance nonetheless. ...

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Evidence that gender differences in social dominance orientation result from gendered self-stereotyping and group-interested responses to patriarchy

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Numerous studies have found that, compared to women, men express higher levels of social dominance orientation (SDO), an individual difference variable reflecting support for unequal, hierarchical relationships between groups. Recent research suggests that the often-observed gender difference in SDO results from processes related to gender group identity. We hypothesized that two aspects of gender group identity could account for men's higher SDO relative to women's: responses to patriarchy that reflect the interests of the gender ingroup (as measured by hostile and benevolent sexism) and self-stereotyping in gendered terms. We found the gender difference in SDO was fully mediated by gender differences in feminine self-stereotyping, hostile sexism, and benevolent sexism. The discussion add...

The evolving manager stereotype: the effects of industry gender typing on performance expectations for leaders and their teams

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study examined how external evaluators' assessments of a management team and its leader are impacted by congruence between the leader's gender and the gender typing of the industry in which the team works. We experimentally tested our theory using industries that are either male typed or gender neutral, with teams led by male and female leaders. Results indicate that performance expectations for the team were more favorable when the leader's gender was congruent with the industry's gender typing, but expectations for the leader were not affected by gender congruence. These findings paradoxically suggest that evaluators form performance expectations for teams based upon individual characteristics of their leaders, even when these characteristics have no effect on the conscious assessme...

Tracking the gender pay gap: a case study

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This article provides a short introduction to standard considerations in the formal study of wages and illustrates the use of multiple regression and resampling simulation approaches in a case study of faculty salaries at one university. Multiple regression is especially beneficial where it provides information on strength of association, specific dollar estimates, and the option to identify outliers by gender. Resampling simulation allows for analysis at the department level and is beneficial where distributions depart substantially from normal, particularly where there are unequal error variances. Results indicate that both regression and simulation methods provided evidence of a sizable pay gap associated with gender, even after controlling for rank, academic field, and years of service...

Appearance self-attitudes of african american and european american women: media comparisons and internalization of beauty ideals

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study examined differences in the body image of 80 AA women and 89 EA women with an improved methodology that controlled for body size, distinguished between satisfaction with and importance of body features, and included nonweight (e.g., hair texture, skin color) as well as weight-related features. Results provide evidence that, in contrast to AA women, EA women (a) were more dissatisfied with both weight and specific appearance features, (b) compared themselves more often to media beauty figures and internalized Western beauty standards more, and (c) showed a significant relation between media comparisons and body dissatisfaction. Internalization of Western beauty ideals was related to body dissatisfaction in both groups of women. (Source: Psychology of Women Quarterly:)

Evaluation of a structural model of objectification theory and eating disorder symptomatology among european american and african american undergraduate women

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study evaluated a structural equation model of objectification theory among European American (EA; n = 408) and African American women (AA; n = 233). Modeling results indicated a particularly strong association between thin-ideal internalization/body monitoring and eating disorder symptoms, with weaker relationships among body dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, and eating disorder symptoms. The measurement model was not equivalent for EAs and AAs; however, the structural model was invariant, suggesting that the relationships among these variables may be similar for both groups. Thus, objectification theory does appear to be applicable to AA women, although specification of relevant constructs and refinement of assessment instruments is warranted. (Source: Psychology of Women Quarte...

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Gender-related discourses as mediators in the association between internalization of the thin-body ideal and indicants of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating

Psychology of Women Quarterly: — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study examined whether the gender-related discourses of self-objectification, self-silencing, and anger suppression mediated the association between internalization of the thin-body ideal and body dissatisfaction and eating pathology. We employed a cross-sectional design to study both university (n = 140) and community (n = 76) samples of women from Ireland ranging from 17 to 30 years of age (M = 21.48, SD = 3.05). Structural equation modeling was used to test for mediation, with the final model suggesting that gender-related discourses (silencing the self/anger suppression and body surveillance) mediated the association between thin-body ideal internalization and attitudes and behaviors characteristic of disordered eating. Limitations of the current study and directions for future re...

Alcohol-related violence defined by ultimate goals: a qualitative analysis of the features of three different types of violence by intoxicated young male offenders

Aggressive Behavior — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Based upon a functional approach to understanding aggression, we aimed to identify the occurrence of and to describe the features of three types of alcohol-related violence defined a priori by ultimate goals: (1) violence in pursuit of nonsocial profit-based goals, (2) violence in pursuit of social dominance goals, and (3) violence as defence in response to threat. A sample of 149 young men with offences of violence that were alcohol related was interviewed. Cases were classified and detailed information from the first ten cases in each class (N=30) was subjected to thematic analysis. Intoxicated violence in pursuit of nonsocial profit-based goals was opportunistic and motivated by the desire for more alcohol or drugs. Violence, in these cases, although serious, appeared to be brief. Intox...

Acknowledgement to Reviewers

Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuropsychobiology 2009;60:224-225 (DOI:10.1159/000257409) (Source: Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles)

Author Index Vol. 60, 2009

Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuropsychobiology 2009;60:226-227 (DOI:10.1159/000257410) (Source: Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles)

Subject Index Vol. 60, 2009

Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuropsychobiology 2009;60:228 (DOI:10.1159/000257411) (Source: Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles)

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Title Page / Table of Contents

Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuropsychobiology 2009;60:113-115 (DOI:10.1159/000257412) (Source: Neuropsychobiology : Last 20 articles)

The Sneaky Ways Your Mother Shaped You

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:28:33 +0100

Everybody has a nickname for their mother. Maybe they're not comfortable with the traditional Mom label. Case in point: In one of my favorite movies, "Mermaids," Winona Ryder's character calls her mother Mrs. Flax. She takes the professional-relationship route. My sister, Janelle, and I call our mother Ms. Bear. She's always been Ms. Bear. I'm not even sure when the nickname came into existence. I suppose it morphed out of the childhood image of my mother rising from her bed chambers. Every morning since I was 10 years old, the scene played out the same way. I'd hear a faint creak of a bed, hear loud footsteps on the carpet (my mother wears a size 12 shoe, of course!) and see the bedroom door fling open. And out would step Ms. Bear. Her hair standing up in all directions ...

The Wild Side of Love in the Style of Kabir

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:13:07 +0100

There's a marvelous body of ecstatic poems by the Indian poet Kabir from the 15th century. The translations by Robert Bly are especially beautiful. It's in that style that I'd like to continue my dialog [click here and here] about how wildness exists not just "out there" but through relation.曳.Suppose you fasted and slapped your head, and stuckthorns in your lips, Slept next to a skull and then yelled at dawnof your love bottom to top to the Holy One, so that he would hear.That would be like telling a tick not to bite. If you imprison the Guest in a synagogue, church, or mosque,What do you expect?Friend, listen! When our bodies are close that heat comes from another world. 曳.The Church-men askhow is it possible that there is a field out beyond all ideasof rightdoing and wrongdoing...

Comparing Children and Adolescents Engaged in Cyberbullying to Matched Peers

CyberPsychology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:46:35 +0100

CyberPsychology & Behavior , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: CyberPsychology)

Does It Really Matter That People Zip through Ads? Testing the Effectiveness of Simultaneous Presentation Advertising in an IDTV Environment

CyberPsychology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:44:03 +0100

CyberPsychology & Behavior , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: CyberPsychology)

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Going to Other Worlds: The Relationships between Videogaming, Psychological Absorption, and Daydreaming Styles

CyberPsychology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:43:57 +0100

CyberPsychology & Behavior , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: CyberPsychology)

Psychological Predictors of Young Adults' Use of Social Networking Sites

CyberPsychology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:43:41 +0100

CyberPsychology & Behavior , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: CyberPsychology)

Emotional Response to Virtual Reality Exposure across Different Cultures: The Role of the Attribution Process

CyberPsychology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:43:28 +0100

CyberPsychology & Behavior , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: CyberPsychology)

Internet Usage Purposes and Gender Differences in the Effects of Perceived Utilitarian and Hedonic Value

CyberPsychology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:43:26 +0100

CyberPsychology & Behavior , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: CyberPsychology)

Psychiatric Symptoms in Adolescents with Internet Use: Comparison without Internet Use

CyberPsychology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:43:05 +0100

CyberPsychology & Behavior , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: CyberPsychology)

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The Impact of National Cultural Distance on the Number of Foreign Web Site Visits by U.S. Households

CyberPsychology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:42:45 +0100

CyberPsychology & Behavior , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: CyberPsychology)

Know any foolish women? 10 Reasons to Not Date a Married Man

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:54:37 +0100

a.k.a He'll NEVER stay that into youThere are no positive reasons for dating a married man. Even the good reasons don't stand the test of time and turn out to be bad ideas in good ideas' clothing. If you find yourself on the brink of temptation, look at these 10 truths before you leap: 1. He won't commit to a future with you. A man who is in a very unhappy or unsatisfying marriage can feel swept away by how wonderful you make him feel. He may even blurt out, "I've never felt this way before and I can see spending the rest of my life with you." This may sound like a commitment to a future with you. It's not. Don't confuse his loving the way you make him feel with his loving you and making a commitment to you. 2. Cheating on his wife tells you how he deals with any situation he d...

Know any foolish women? - 10 Reasons to Not Date a Married Man

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:54:37 +0100

Drug Use and Criminal Activity Among Rural Probationers With DUI Histories

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:48:46 +0100

The present study examined whether ever being arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) was associated with higher levels of substance use and criminal activity in a sample of 800 probationers. Lifetime and 30-day histories of substance use and criminal activity were compared across three groups of probationers from rural Kentucky: those with a single DUI arrest, those with two or more DUI arrests, and those with no DUI arrests. A larger percentage of probationers with a DUI arrest reported lifetime and 30-day substance use than non-DUI offenders in almost all drug and alcohol categories. Higher prevalence of criminal activity was limited primarily to the multiple DUI arrest group. Findings add to the literature on rural substance abusers and indicate that DUI may be used as a marker ...

Racial Differences in Desistance From Substance Abuse: The Impact of Religious Involvement on Recovery

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:48:46 +0100

This study examines variations by race in the relationship between religiosity and desistance from substance abuse. Although most studies have included race as a control variable, only a few studies compared the equivalence of associations among religiosity, delinquency, recovery from substance abuse, and other variables between Black and White samples. Using data from the intake and 12-month follow-up survey of the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study, this study examines levels of religious involvement of Black and White drug treatment clients. In addition, it empirically tests whether religious involvement exerts differential effects on Black and White clients’ recovery from substance abuse. It was found that Black clients reported higher levels of religious involvement (measured by...

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Public Perception of Sex Offender Social Policies and the Impact on Sex Offenders

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:48:46 +0100

This study examines the public perception of sex offender policies and the perceived impact of sex offender policies on the sex offenders themselves. Specifically, this study explores how the community feels about the effectiveness of policies such as registration and community notification (Megan’s Law), and housing restrictions in reducing sexual recidivism. Data are collected from 115 participants from a nationwide online community message board. Results suggest that although most individuals support Megan’s Law, they do not feel the policy reduces recidivism. Furthermore, the majority of the participants also do not believe that housing restriction statutes are effective in reducing sexual recidivism. When questioned about the policy impact on sex offenders, the majority of...

Effect of a Longer Versus Shorter Test-Release Interval on Recidivism Prediction With the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS)

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:48:46 +0100

The General Criminal Thinking (GCT) score of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) was correlated with recidivism data obtained on 284 released male federal prisoners. The sample was divided into those inmates who had been released within 24 months of having completed the PICTS (shorter test-release interval; n = 138) and those inmates who had been released more than 24 months after having completed the PICTS (longer test-release interval; n = 146), and recidivism was measured by subsequent arrests and convictions accrued during a 6- to 78-month follow-up. Although the GCT score successfully predicted release outcome in the shorter test-release interval group, it failed to predict release outcome in the longer test-release interval group. The theoretical and pract...

Inmate Harassment and Rape: An Exploratory Study of Seven Maximum- and Medium-Security Male Prisons in Israel

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:48:46 +0100

This study, based on 760 hours of phenomenological semi-structured interviews undertaken in a random sample of 1.5% of the male prisoner population in Israel, analyzes the neglected issue of homosexual rape in Israeli prisons. The study finds that (a) sexual harassment or homosexual rapes rarely take place in Israeli prisons and (b) Israeli inmates view homosexual rape in prison as disgusting and disgraceful and conceptualize it in highly negative emotional terms. (Source: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology)

Mental Health Performance Measurement in Corrections

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:48:46 +0100

This article describes the product of a consensus panel of correctional health care experts, charged to develop performance measures, based on nationally accepted standards, for selected elements of psychiatric treatment behind bars, aimed to improve the quality of care. Performance measures were developed for medication adherence, suicide prevention, mental health treatment planning, and sleep medication usage. (Source: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology)

The Role of Violence in Street Crime: A Qualitative Study of Violent Offenders

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:48:46 +0100

This study explores the extent to which violence on the street can be explained by rational factors associated with the successful commission of the offence or social factors related to street culture. The study is based on qualitative interviews with 55 violent street offenders who were serving sentences for street robbery and assault in six prisons in the United Kingdom. The findings, based on accounts of 101 incidents of street violence, identified four main explanations for street violence: (a) successful offence enactment, (b) buzz and excitement, (c) status and honor, and (d) informal justice. The article concludes that there might be benefits in combining the insights of both perspectives by generating an integrated theory that would properly explain both the rational and the seemin...

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Carpe Diem Antisocial Behaviors: Street Robbery and Assault

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:48:46 +0100

(Source: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology)

Good Girls and Alpha Guys

Psychology Today Work Center — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:05:49 +0100

"I cannot stand to disappoint him. It goes way beyond doing my best. It's doing my best with a claw in my chest." -- Third year associate, speaking of the law partner to whom she is assigned. "He's my profile: talented, arrogant, picky. Married of course, and I'm not going that route. But I'm smiling up at him like I'm Princess Diana, and the thing is, I don't even like him. I can't seem to help myself." -- Vice-President for Global Sales, referring to one of her fast track direct reports.It's an invisible emotional puppet string. When a certain kind of man yanks it, a certain woman responds. It might well be for better - assuming she's on to her own quick response and can make it work for her. More frequently though, it's for worse - making her an anxious, overeager, puppy of a good girl....

What Makes Stepmothering a Feminist Issue?

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:13:54 +0100

In a word, power.Over the last months of promoting my book Stepmonster, I've tried to spread the word that, in spite of our image of them, the majority of women with stepchildren are anything but empowered, evil excluders and victimizers. Indeed, numerous studies and anecdotal reports from mental health professionals who work with stepfamilies paint a picture that may startle us: stepmothers are often the most powerless and vulnerable members of the stepfamily system.Experts including Jamie Kelem Keshet have found that when a woman marries or partners with a man with children-particularly if she has no children or "mini-family" of her own-she must struggle to find her place, often feeling like an interloper. Her partner and his children may not be much help here. He may feel too guilty to ...

Mistaking Passion For Love

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:03:02 +0100

PASSION is admittedly an important component of love. This can be witnessed in any long-standing relationship where the passion has been trampled to death by habituation, indifference, and neglect as people repeatedly take each other for granted over time. Same old / same old will do that to you. As one woman told me, “He used to juggle everything in his life so that he could make time to be with me. Now he juggles me so that I don’t interfere with the stuff in his life that he really cares about --- ESPN, golf, work.” Passion is obviously important. But contrary to common sentiment, passion alone does not love make. In fact, those who are vulnerable to this common cultural faux pas --- mistaking passion for love --- frequently end up loving passion rath...

25 years of Psychology & Marketing: a multidimensional review

Psychology and Marketing — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:06:55 +0100

The first issue of Psychology & Marketing was published in 1984. The journal was conceived as a forum for academics and practitioners in psychology, marketing, and related fields to engage in an exchange of scholarly information. The raison d'être of the journal was to bring psychologically sophisticated information and methodologies to bear on all aspects of marketing theory and practice. This review analyzes the performance of Psychology & Marketing from several perspectives, and includes data comparing its performance to the performance of other journals. Looking back over the last 25 years of its history, it seems fair to conclude that Psychology & Marketing has clearly delivered on its tacit promise of effectively building the knowledge base of marketing through psychology-based insi...

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Attention as inference: Selection is probabilistic; responses are all-or-none samples.

Journal of Experimental Psychology: General — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:04:02 +0100

Theories of probabilistic cognition postulate that internal representations are made up of multiple simultaneously held hypotheses, each with its own probability of being correct (henceforth, “probability distributions”). However, subjects make discrete responses and report the phenomenal contents of their mind to be all-or-none states rather than graded probabilities. How can these 2 positions be reconciled? Selective attention tasks, such as those used to study crowding, the attentional blink, rapid serial visual presentation, and so forth, were recast as probabilistic inference problems and used to assess how graded, probabilistic representations may produce discrete subjective states. The authors asked subjects to make multiple guesses per trial and used 2nd-order statistics to sho...

Negativity bias in attribution of external agency.

Journal of Experimental Psychology: General — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:04:02 +0100

This research investigated whether people are more likely to attribute events to external agents when events are negative rather than neutral or positive. Participants more often believed that ultimatum game partners were humans rather than computers when the partners offered unusually unfavorable divisions than unusually favorable divisions (Experiment 1A), even when their human partners had no financial stake in the game (Experiment 1B). In subsequent experiments, participants were most likely to infer that gambles were influenced by an impartial participant when the outcomes of those gambles were losses rather than wins (Experiments 2 and 3), despite their explicitly equal probability. The results suggest a negative agency bias—negative events are more often attributed to the influenc...

Linda is not a bearded lady: Configural weighting and adding as the cause of extension errors.

Journal of Experimental Psychology: General — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:04:01 +0100

This article explores the configural weighted average (CWA) hypothesis suggesting that extension biases, like conjunction and disjunction errors, occur because people estimate compound probabilities by taking a CWA of the constituent probabilities. The hypothesis suggests a process consistent with well-known cognitive constraints, which nonetheless achieves high robustness and bounded rationality in noisy real-life environments. Predictions by the CWA hypothesis are that in error-free data, conjunction and disjunction errors should be the rule rather than the exception when pairs of statements are randomly sampled from an environment, the rate of extension errors should increase when noise in data is decreased, and that adding a likely component should increase the probability of a conjunc...

Seeing meaning in action: A bidirectional link between visual perspective and action identification level.

Journal of Experimental Psychology: General — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:04:01 +0100

Actions do not have inherent meaning but rather can be interpreted in many ways. The interpretation a person adopts has important effects on a range of higher order cognitive processes. One dimension on which interpretations can vary is the extent to which actions are identified abstractly—in relation to broader goals, personal characteristics, or consequences—versus concretely, in terms of component processes. The present research investigated how visual perspective (own 1st-person vs. observer’s 3rd-person) in action imagery is related to action identification level. A series of experiments measured and manipulated visual perspective in mental and photographic images to test the connection with action identification level. Results revealed a bidirectional causal relationship linkin...