Reviews previous work in training observers for collecting observational counseling data. Outlines a nine-step Systematic Rater Training Model, which includes overview and contract, concept presentation, stimulation, modeling, passive discrimination, active discrimination, production, transfer of training to performance, and ongoing evaluation.…

Investigated helping as a function of empathic anxiety (anxiety in response to modeled distress) and individual differences in sociopathic tendencies. Results indicated modeled distress produces increases in anxiety which are positively associated with helping and sociopathic individuals are less likely to help than are nonsociopathic individuals.…

Examined a series of decisions made by 95 subjects over a period of 18 years. Results indicated that decisions made at earlier stages of development are more likely to be of an exploratory nature and decisions made at later stages are more likely to be of a terminal nature. (Author)

Used the Interpersonal Conflict Coding Scheme to examine the conflict expression episode and the conflict resolution episode and to evaluate utterances of six problem-solving groups. Developed interaction profiles of conflict expression and conflict resolution episodes and initial, middle, and final group stages. (RC)

Subject pairs (N=18) participated in an alternating question-and-answer session at one of two interactional distances utilizing questions which increased in their intimacy content. Results indicated topic intimacy, but not distance, affected the embarrassment potential of the situation. Increases in embarrassment caused changes in nonverbal and…

Couples (N=26) completed a daily event and mood checklist about husbands for 14 consecutive days. The group-averaging strategy generally used to describe event-mood correlations was compared to a tabulation of significant individual correlations. Observed correlations were consistent with previous studies. (Author/RC)

College freshmen responded to a questionnaire on alcohol use and sex roles. Results indicated a slight increase in number of students drinking and an increase in the quantity of alcohol consumed. No significant relationship was found between sex role and quantity of alcohol consumed. (RC)

Investigated the relationship between sex role orientations and performance in interpersonal situations. Males and females in each of four sex role categories role-played situations requiring the appropriate expression of assertiveness. Androgynous subjects were most effective in rated skills components while undifferentiated subjects were highly…

Investigated the effects of experimenter status and sex and instructional set on the size of "sexy" and "average" human figure drawings by students. Results showed no effects for experimenter status or sex. "Sexy" drawings were consistently drawn larger than "average" drawings and male figures were drawn…

Assessed correspondence between the Carkhuff and the Truax scales for empathy. Undergraduates responded to nine simulated client statements. An overall correlation of .89 was found. Interrater reliabilities for both scales were high. Degree of correspondence between scales varied with the content-affect characteristics of the simulated client…

Measured interviewee nonverbal behaviors, which included selected temporal speech behaviors, duration and frequency of interviewee adaptor and illustrator hand movements, and gaze at the interviewer. Normal conversation was related to positive self-descriptions. Interviewee interruptions were associated with measures of anxiety. (Author)

This research is based on data from the 1971 and 1976 Aging in Manitoba Needs Assessment surveys for a total of 6,100 randomly selected elderly Manitobans and the complete health service utilization data for these same individuals. Of 100 persons surveyed in 1971, 72 percent were alive, noninstitutionalized, and appeared in active status on the…

The mother's impact on her teenage daughter's sexual behavior has been conceptualized in terms of direct and indirect sources of influence. In this study, findings indicate indirect forms of sexual socialization have a greater impact on teenage sexual experience than direct forms. (Author)

Examined relative importance of three behavioral dimensions to reading and mathematics achievement of elementary school children. Levels of reading achievement were associated with behaviors defined by attributes of the adaptation dimension. Differences in measures of interpersonal and intrapersonal dimensions did not contribute appreciably to…

Reports a study of 341 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders in which amount of television viewing time, gathered from one-month diaries, was examined in relationship to achievement as measured by standardized test scores. Findings were inconclusive. Data on TV viewing amounts and patterns are included. (SJL)