Psychology Commons^™

Crisis Intervention Teams May Prevent Arrests Of People With Mental Illnesses, Randy Borum, Stephanie Franz

Randy Borum

Historically, as many as 7–10% of US police contacts have involved persons with mental illnesses, with a disproportionate amount of these encounters resulting in arrest, usually for minor offenses. Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) were created, and have proliferated, to ameliorate this problem by offering a specialized response and serving – at least informally – as a liaison between mental health services and police departments. Because preventing unnecessary arrests is one of CIT’s principal objectives, this study examined the arrest rates of persons with mental illnesses and the number of arrests that might have been prevented after the implementation of a …

What Can Be Done About School Shootings?: A Review Of The Evidence, Randy Borum, Dewey Cornell, William Modzeleski, Shane Jimerson

Randy Borum

School shootings have generated great public concern and fostered a widespread impression that schools are unsafe for many students; this article counters those misapprehensions by examining empirical evidence of school and community violence trends and reviewing evidence on best practices for preventing school shootings. Many of the school safety and security measures deployed in response to school shootings have little research support, and strategies such as zero tolerance discipline and student profiling have been widely criticized as unsound practices. Threat assessment is identified as a promising strategy for violence prevention that merits further study. The article concludes with an overview …

Teen Suicide & Suicide Clusters: A Community Health Problem, Terri A. Erbacher Phd

Terri A Erbacher PhD

No abstract provided.

Cyber-Bullying: Tips For Teachers, Terri A. Erbacher Phd

Terri A Erbacher PhD

No abstract provided.

Poverty Among Adults With Disabilities: Barriers To Promoting Asset Accumulation In Individual Development Accounts, Katherine Mcdonald, Michal Soffer, Peter Blanck

Katherine McDonald

Adults with disabilities disproportionally experience poverty. We examine one novel strategy to promote economic well-being among adults with disabilities living in or near poverty, namely Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). IDAs are designed to help individuals save money and subsequently accumulate assets. Although adults with disabilities account for the majority of IDA participants, scant attention has been paid to their IDA saving performance. We describe the significance of accumulating assets, particularly as it relates to adults with disabilities. We then map the nature of IDA programs and analyze barriers to participation in IDAs and asset accumulation related to conflicting federal policies …

Learning “From Nobody:” The Limited Role Of Teaching In Folk Models Of Children’S Development, David F. Lancy

David Lancy

Among the Western intelligentsia, parenting is synonymous with teaching. We are cajoled into beginning our child’s education in the womb and feel guilty whenever a ‘teaching moment’ is squandered. This paper will argue that this reliance on teaching generally, and especially on parents as teachers, is quite recent historically and localised culturally. The majority follow a laissez faire attitude towards development that relies heavily on children’s natural curiosity and motivation to emulate those who are more expert.

Children Learning In New Settings., David F. Lancy

David Lancy

This chapter uses a wide-angle lens to briefly examine the many new settings that village children find themselves adapting to. Those settings include schools that have barely taken root in the village, labor, urban streets, and the milieu of the insurgent band.

Correlates Of Weight Concern And Control In A Hispanic College Student Sample., J. Blow, T. Taylor, Theodore V. Cooper, C. K. Redfearn

Theodore V. Cooper

No abstract provided.

Perceptual Identification And The Cross-Race Effect, Jessica L. Marcon, Christian A. Meissner, Michael Frueh, Kyle J. Susa, Otto H. Maclin

Christian A. Meissner, Ph.D.

The current research examined whether the cross-race effect (CRE) was evident in perceptual identification tasks and the extent to which certain boundary conditions moderated the effect. Across two experiments, a significant CRE was observed in measures of accuracy and response latency. As predicted, Experiment 1 showed that the CRE was exacerbated when encoding time was brief and test set size was increased. Experiment 2 replicated the effect of set size, but also showed that the CRE was more pronounced when the retention interval was lengthened. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

The Importance Of A Laboratory Science For Improving The Diagnostic Value Of Confession Evidence, Christian A. Meissner, Melissa B. Russano, Fadia M. Narchet

Christian A. Meissner, Ph.D.

No abstract provided.

Criminal Versus Humint Interrogations: The Importance Of Psychological Science To Improving Interrogative Practice., Christian A. Meissner, Jacqueline R. Evans, Susan E. Brandon, Melissa B. Russano, Steven M. Kleinman

Christian A. Meissner, Ph.D.

The discovery of many cases of wrongful conviction in the criminal justice system involving admissions from innocent suspects has led psychologists to examine the factors contributing to false confessions. However, little systematic research has assessed the processes underlying Human Intelligence (HUMINT) interrogations relating to military and intelligence operations. The current article examines the similarities and differences between interrogations in criminal and HUMINT settings, and discusses the extent to which the current empirical literature can be applied to criminal and/or HUMINT interrogations. Finally, areas of future research are considered in light of the need for improving HUMINT interrogation.

Differential Effects And Rates Of Normal Aging In Cerebellum And Hippocampus, Michael R. Foy

Michael R. Foy

Cognitive functions show many alternative outcomes and great individual variation during normal aging. We examined learning over the adult life span in CBA mice, along with morphological and electrophysiological substrates. Our aim was to compare cerebellum-dependent delay eyeblink classical conditioning and hippocampus-dependent contextual fear conditioning in the same animals using the same conditioned and unconditioned stimuli for eyeblink and fear conditioning. In a subset of the behaviorally tested mice, we used unbiased stereology to estimate the total number of Purkinje neurons in cerebellar cortex and pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus. Several forms of synaptic plasticity were assessed at different ages …

Against The State Governance, Governance From Below & Governing Through Terrorism: Analytically Investigating The Technologies Of Power Within The Terrorist Arsenal., Allen Gnanam

Allen Gnanam

Terrorism as a violent and destabilizing act performed by terrorists, meaning loyal followers of political or religious agendas who hold resent and animosity toward a certain authority/ government (Lin, Liou, & Wu, 2007, pg. 149), will be explored and analyzed through the utilization of the governmentality perspective. For the purposes of this paper terrorism governance will refer to the governance/ control/ influence exerted by terrorists and terrorism. The focus of this explorative and analysis paper will be to identify diverse terrorism oriented technologies of governance, and analyze the ways in which these technologies enable terrorist to exert governance both indirectly …

Creating Supportive Clinical Learning Environments: An Intervention Study, Amanda Henderson, Michelle Twentyman, Emma Eaton, Debra Creedy, Peta Stapleton, Belinda Lloyd

Peta B. Stapleton

Aim. To assess the impact of an intervention aimed to build capacity of registered nurses to enhance the clinical learning environment for undergraduate nursing students. Workplace learning is vital for the development of skills, attributes and knowledge of student nurses. Registered nurses need to be appropriately prepared to maximise student learning during clinical placement.

Background. The quality of student learning during clinical practicum is largely dependent on interactions with ward staff.

Design. A quasi-experimental design.

Method. Measurement of students’ perceptions of the psycho social learning environment during and outside of the intervention period was used to evaluate the capacity building …

Lifting Without Seeing: The Role Of Vision In Perceiving And Acting Upon The Size Weight Illusion, Gavin Buckingham, Melvyn Goodale

Gavin Buckingham

BACKGROUND: Our expectations of an object's heaviness not only drive our fingertip forces, but also our perception of heaviness. This effect is highlighted by the classic size-weight illusion (SWI), where different-sized objects of identical mass feel different weights. Here, we examined whether these expectations are sufficient to induce the SWI in a single wooden cube when lifted without visual feedback, by varying the size of the object seen prior to the lift.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Participants, who believed that they were lifting the same object that they had just seen, reported that the weight of the single, standard-sized cube that they …

Saving Ourselves And Setting Boundaries: Part 3 Of 4 Part Series On Recovering From Infidelity, Tiffani Kisler

Tiffani S. Kisler

No abstract provided.

Virtual Instruction: A Qualitative Research Laboratory Course, Lee Stadtlander, Martha Giles

Lee Stadtlander

Online graduate programs in psychology are becoming common; however, a concern has been whether instructors in the programs provide adequate research mentoring. One issue surrounding research mentoring is the absence of research laboratories in the virtual university. Students attending online universities often do research without peer or lab support and without previous experience in supervised research projects. This paper describes a virtual qualitative research lab course at an online university that both mentored students and collected data through a virtual qualitative lab on a national scale. The authors also address logistics, problems and issues that arose, as well as suggestions …

Globalism, Postmodernism & The Dislocation Of The Self, Cecile Brennan

Cecile Brennan

No abstract provided.

What Can We Learn From The Affair: Part 4 Of 4 Part Series On Recovering From Infidelity, Tiffani Kisler

Tiffani S. Kisler

No abstract provided.

Damage Control: Part 2 Of 4 Part Series On Recovering From Infidelity, Tiffani Kisler

Tiffani S. Kisler

No abstract provided.

Improving Risk Assessment With Suicidal Patients: A Preliminary Evaluation Of The Clinical Utility Of The Scale For Impact Of Suicidality - Management, Assessment And Planning Of Care (Sis-Map), Charles Nelson, Megan Johnston, Amresh Srivastava

Amresh Srivastava

Although a number of suicide risk assessment tools are available to clinicians, the high levels of suicide still evident in society suggest a clear need for new strategies in order to facilitate the prevention of suicidal behaviors. The present study examined the utilization of a new structured clinical interview called the Scale for Impact of Suicidality Management, Assessment and Planning of Care (SIS-MAP). SIS-MAP ratings were obtained from a group of incoming psychiatric patients over a 6-month period at Regional Mental Health Care, St. Thomas, Ontario. A canonical discriminant function analysis resulted in a total 74.0% of original grouped cases …

Children's Intergroup Empathic Processing: The Roles Of Novel Ingroup Identification, Situational Distress, And Social Anxiety, C. Masten, Cari Gillen-O'Neel, C. Brown

Cari Gillen-O'Neel

No abstract provided.

The Relation Of Aerobic Fitness To Neuroelectric Indices Of Cognitive And Motor Task Preparation, Jason Themanson, Keita Kamijo, Kevin O'Leary, Matthew Pontifex, Charles Hillman

Jason R. Themanson, Ph.D

The relation of aerobic fitness to task preparation was examined in a sample of young adults separated into higher- and lower-fit groups according to their maximal oxygen consumption. Participants performed a modified Sternberg working memory task under speed and accuracy instructions while measures of task performance and contingent negative variation (CNV) were collected. Analyses revealed no significant fitness differences between groups on task performance measures. However, frontal CNVamplitude was significantly larger for lower-fit participants compared to higher-fit participants during the speed instructions, an effect not found for the accuracy instructions. These results suggest that lower-fit individuals may rely to a …

Lifting Without Seeing: The Role Of Vision In Perceiving And Acting Upon The Size‐Weight Illusion, Gavin Buckingham, Melvyn Goodale

Gavin Buckingham

Our expectations of an object’s heaviness not only drive our fingertip forces, but also our perception of heaviness. This effect is highlighted by the classic size-weight illusion (SWI), where different‐sized objects of identical mass feel different weights (Charpentier, 1891) long after any initial errors in the application of fingertip forces have been corrected (Flanagan & Beltzner, 2000).

Here, we examined whether our expectations about the weight of an upcoming lift are sufficient to induce the SWI in a single wooden cube when lifted without visual feedback, by varying the size of the object seen prior to the lift during a …

General Psychological Distress Symptoms And Help-Seeking Intentions In Young Australians, Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Epidemiological studies suggest that young people might have a tendency to avoid help when they experience symptoms of psychological distress. There is growing evidence that many young people prefer no help from anyone for their mental health problems. The current study examined the association between symptoms of general psychological distress and intentions to seek help from friends, family and professional mental health sources in a sample of 109 trade (TAFE) students from regional and rural Australia. Participants were 67% male and aged from 15-25 years. Higher levels of general psychological distress symptoms were associated with stronger intentions to not seek …

Adolescents' Suicidal Thinking And Reluctance To Consult General Medical Practitioners, Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Appropriate help-seeking is widely recognized as a protective factor, and vital for early treatment and prevention of mental health problems during adolescence. General medical practitioners (GPs), that is, family doctors, provide a vital role in the identification of adolescents with mental health problems and the provision of treatment as well as access to other specialists in mental health care services. The current study is part of a larger multi-cite study developed and led by the first author. It examines the association between suicidal ideation and intentions to seek help from a GP for suicidal thoughts, emotional problems and physical health …

A Best Practice Guide To Assessment And Intervention For Autism And Asperger Syndrome In Schools, Lee Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

Filling a critical void in the autism literature, this authoritative yet accessible book provides expert guidance to psychologists, advocates, consultants, support professionals, and parents. Grounded in the latest research, special features include an index to 50 evidence-based best practice recommendations and real world case examples to illustrate best practice in the field. This book is certain to become a widely used resource in the field of special education.

Diane Adreon, Associate Director of the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) comments that “Dr. Lee Wilkinson has produced a well-written, user-friendly, comprehensive guide to the …

Laterality, Perception, And Action During The Size-Weight Illusion, Gavin Buckingham, Nathalie Ranger, Melvyn Goodale

Gavin Buckingham

In the classic size-weight illusion (SWI), a small object will feel heavier than an larger object of equal weight (Charpentier, 1891). Individuals continue to perceive this illusory difference in weight long after their gripping and lifting forces have scaled to the actual, identical, mass of the illusion-inducing stimuli (Flanagan & Beltzner, 2000).

The independence of our weight perception and fingertip force application has only been quantified in the right hand of right-handers. The immunity to this perceptual illusion may be affected by manual asymmetries (e.g., Gonzalez, Ganel & Goodale, 2006).

We examined perception of heaviness and fingertip force scaling in …

Amygdala And Dorsomedial Prefrontal Cortex Responses To Appearance-Based And Behavior-Based Person Impressions., Sean Baron, M Gobinni, Andrew Engell, Alex Todorov

Andrew Engell

Does Ethical Leadership Make A Difference? Exploring Leader And Follower Consequences Of Ethical Leader Behavior., Robert Rubin, Erich Dierdorff, Michael Brown

Erich C. Dierdorff

Despite sustained attention to ethical leadership in organizations, scholarship remains largely descriptive. This study employs an empirical approach to examine the consequences of ethical leadership on leader promotability. From a sample of ninety-six managers from two independent organizations, we found that ethical leaders were increasingly likely to be rated by their superior as exhibiting potential to reach senior leadership positions. However, leaders who displayed increased ethical leadership were no more likely to be viewed as promotable in the near-term compared to those who displayed less ethical leadership. Our findings also show ethical culture and pressure to achieve results are important …