Psychology Commons^™

Popularity, Social Acceptance, And Aggression In Adolescent Peer Groups: Links With Academic Performance And School Attendance, David Schwartz, Andrea Hopmeyer Gorman, Jonathan Nakamoto, Tara Mckay

Andrea Hopmeyer Gorman

This article reports a short-term longitudinal study focusing on popularity and social acceptance as predictors of academic engagement for a sample of 342 adolescents (approximate average age of 14). These youths were followed for 4 consecutive semesters. Popularity, social acceptance, and aggression were assessed with a peer nomination inventory, and data on academic engagement were obtained from school records. For adolescents who were highly aggressive, increases in popularity were associated with increases in unexplained absences and decreases in grade point average. Conversely, changes in social acceptance were not predictive of changes in grade point average or unexplained absences. These results …

Visual Adaptation To Masculine And Feminine Faces Influences Generalized Preferences And Perceptions Of Trustworthiness, Gavin Buckingham, Lisa Debruine, Anthony Little, Lisa Welling, Claire Conway, Bernard Tiddeman, Benedict Jones

Gavin Buckingham

Although previous studies of individual differences in preferences for masculinity in male faces have typically emphasized the importance of factors such as changes in levels of sex hormones during the menstrual cycle, other research has demonstrated that recent visual experience with faces also influences preferences for sexual dimorphism in faces. Adaptation to either masculine or feminine faces increases preferences for novel faces that are similar to those that were recently seen. Here, we replicate this effect and demonstrate that adaptation to masculine or feminine faces also influences the extent to which masculine faces are perceived as trustworthy. These adaptation effects …

Age And Physical Activity Influences On Action Monitoring During Task Switching, Jason R. Themanson, Charles H. Hillman, John J. Curtin

Jason R. Themanson, Ph.D

Behavioral and neuroelectric indices of action monitoring were compared for 53 high and low physically active older (60–71 years) and younger (18–21 years) adults during a task-switching paradigm in which they performed a task repeatedly or switched between two different tasks. The error-related negativity (ERN) of a response-locked event-related brain potential (ERP) and behavioral measures of response speed and accuracy were measured during the heterogeneous condition (switching randomly between two tasks) of the switch task. Results indicated that older adults exhibited a greater relative slowing in RT during heterogeneous blocks and smaller ERN amplitude compared to younger adults. Additionally, physical …

Inflation Monitor, Muhammad Arby, Fida Hussain, Safdar Khan

Safdar Khan

Extract:
Although inflationary pressures persisted in the economy for the second year in a row, the headline inflation fell to 7.6 percent year-on-year in June 2006 that was 1 percentage point less than inflation in corresponding month last year.1 The inflation containment was more visible in the last six months of FY06 as compared to first six months (Jul 05 to Dec 05): the average CPI inflation during the first half of the year was 8.4 percent which declined to 7.4 percent in the second half primarily due to fall in food inflation. Inflation measured by sensitive price indicator also …

Pursuing Goals For Us: Relationally Autonomous Reasons In Long-Term Goal Pursuit, Jonathan Gore, Susan Cross

Jonathan Gore

People pursue goals for a variety of reasons, including reasons that take into account close relationships (termed relationally autonomous reasons, or RARs). Two longitudinal studies examined the degree to which relational self-construal, RARs, and personally autonomous reasons (PARs) predicted goal attainment. In Study 1, 166 participants rated 7 goals on several goal outcomes at 2 sessions. Results revealed that self-construal was positively associated with RARs and that RARs predicted goal attainment, controlling for PARs. Study 2 (N = 177) added a 3rd follow-up to the Study 1 design, and results showed perceived progress toward one's goals predicted enhanced RARs but …

Phenotypic And Genetic Relationships Between Vocational Interests And Personality, Julie Harris, Philip Vernon, Andrew Johnson, Kerry Jang

Andrew M. Johnson

Relationships between personality and vocational interest factors were examined at the phenotypic and genetic levels. Twins and siblings (N = 516) completed self-report personality and vocational interest scales. Following factor analyses of each scale, five personality and six vocational interest factors were extracted. At the phenotypic level, correlations between personality and vocational interests ranged from zero to .33. Heritability estimates of the scales showed that genetic components accounted for 0–56% of the variance for the vocational interest factors and 44–65% for the personality factors. Genetic correlations between the two areas ranged from zero to .50. The results suggest that personality …

Using Learning Outcomes Assessment In Honors As A Defense Against Proposed Standardized Testing, Steffen Wilson

Steffen Wilson

Learning outcomes assessment (LOA) is the self-assessment of self-created learning goals for students at the class, department, college, and university level. In higher education, LOA is being imposed upon us by our accrediting bodies (Eaton, Fryshman, Hope, Scanlon, & Crow, 2005; Lingenfelter & Lenth, 2005; Nichols, 1991, 1995; Wergin, 2005). This is difficult for us because LOA is not a part of the university culture, and there are very few people on most campuses skilled in the implementation of LOA. There is also very little in the way of release time and other resources that are being provided to implement …

Let's Be Friends: Relational Self-Construal And The Development Of Intimacy, Jonathan Gore, Susan Cross, Michael Morris

Jonathan Gore

Two studies examined the role of relational self-construal in the development and maintenance of intimacy in roommate relationships. In Study 1, 98 roommate pairs completed questionnaires assessing attitudes toward their relationship. Results showed that high relationals disclosed more personal information than lows, which was then associated with their roommates’ perceptions of relationship quality. In Study 2, 142 roommate pairs followed the Study 1 procedure with a 1-month follow-up session for the participants (86% returned). Results replicated the findings of Study 1 and showed reciprocated disclosure from the roommates, followed by increased disclosure by the participants at Time 2. These findings …

O*Net Tools And Technology: A Synopsis Of Data Development Procedures, Erich Dierdorff, Donald Drewes, Jennifer Norton

Erich C. Dierdorff

Learn about the "tools and technology" (T2) now included in O*NET Online and as supplemental files in the O*NET database. T2 development focuses on collecting machines, equipment, tools, information technology, and software that are important to occupational performance. Emphasis is placed on cutting-edge technologies and emerging workplace practices. T2 data will be valuable for O*NET applications such as workforce development, employee training, and vocational and career guidance.

Construct Validity Of The Bender-Gestalt Ii: Comparison With Wechlser Intelligence Scale For Children-Iii, Ryan Allen, Scott Decker, James Choca

Ryan A. Allen

This study investigated the relationships of visuomotor constructs as measured by the Bender-Gestalt II with the subtests of the WISC-III. A factor analysis included the standardized Copy and Recall scores of the Bender-Gestalt II and subtest scores of the WISC-III. The Copy score was predicted to load on measures of visual and spatial thinking and the Recall score on a short-term memory factor. The results of a principal components analysis suggest a four-factor solution with the Bender-Gestalt II Copy score loading on a visual and spatial thinking factor primarily with WISC-III Perceptual Organization subtests. The Recall score loaded on a …

Dynamics Of Energy Consumption, Safdar Khan

Safdar Khan

Extract:
Dynamics of Energy Consumption Pakistan has been facing severe imbalances in energy demand and supply for the last couple of decades. During early 1980s domestic supply of energy was fulfilling almost 86 percent of total domestic energy demand; a gap of 14 percent was being filled by imports. However, the demand – supply gap started increasing since then and reached to almost 47 percent by the year 2000 (see Figure S2.1).

Management Of A Diverse Workforce: Meanings And Practices, Grace Lemmon

Grace Lemmon

No abstract provided.

A History Of Political Experience, Leslie Marsh

Leslie Marsh

This book survives superficial but fails deeper scrutiny. A facile, undiscerning criticism of Lectures in the History of Political Thought (LHPT) is that on Oakeshott’s own account these are lectures on a non-subject: ‘I cannot detect anything which could properly correspond to the expression “the history of political thought”’ (p. 32). This is an entirely typical Oakeshottian swipe – elegant and oblique – at the title of the lecture course he inherited from Harold Laski. If title and quotation sit awkwardly we should remember that Oakeshott never prepared the text for publication – a fortiori he did not prepare it …

Teaching Large Classes, Steffen Wilson, Katherine Kipp

Steffen Wilson

The Handbook of the Teaching of Psychology is a state-of-the-art volume that provides readers with comprehensive coverage and analysis of current trends and issues, basic mechanics, and important contextual variables related to effective teaching in psychology.

Using concise and targeted chapters, written by leading scholars in the field, the volume explores a myriad of challenges in the teaching of psychology and employs a prescriptive approach to offer strategies and solutions to frequently occurring dilemmas. This book is a lively and informative volume that covers the gamut of current topics of interest to all current and future teachers of psychology.

Keeping It "All In The Family:" Does Nepotism In The Hiring Process Really Benefit The Beneficiary?, M. Padgett, Kathryn Morris

Kathryn A. Morris

Cardiorespiratory Fitness And Acute Aerobic Exercise Effects On Neuroelectric And Behavioral Measures Of Action Monitoring, Jason R. Themanson, Charles H. Hillman

Jason R. Themanson, Ph.D

Cardiorespiratory fitness and acute aerobic exercise effects on cognitive function were assessed for 28 higher- and lower-fit adults during a flanker task by comparing behavioral and neuroelectric indices of action monitoring. The error-related negativity, error positivity, and N2 components, as well as behavioral measures of response speed, accuracy, and post-error slowing were measured following a 30-minute acute bout of treadmill exercise or following 30-minutes of rest. A graded maximal exercise test was used to measure cardiorespiratory fitness by assessing maximal oxygen uptake. Results indicated that higher-fit adults exhibited reduced error-related negativity amplitude, increased error positivity amplitude, and increased post-error response …