Describes a weight loss program utilizing behavior modification techniques. The program, taught by extension home economists, emphasizes stimulus control to reduce environmental eating cues and nutrition education guidelines for developing new eating habits. (Author/MA)

Human performance on verbal and spatial matching tasks was assessed every 15 minutes for eight hours. Significant 90- to 100-minute oscillations were observed for each task. It was also found that increases in performance on one task are accompanied by decreases on the other. (HM)

Tested the hypothesis that psychological androgyny permits greater behavioral flexibility and leads to better adjustment. Contrary to expectations, findings indicated flexibility and adjustment were associated with masculinity. Subsequent experiments revealed that feminine subjects prefer to become more masculine if possible. Results suggest an…

Parents completed the Locke-Wallace Scale, the Interpersonal Checklist, and the Children's Behavior Checklist to assess marital satisfaction, congruence of perceptions, and agreement in perceptions of their child and child adjustment. Variables were positively intercorrelated. Similarity in partners' self-concepts and psychological empathy were…

Factor-analyzed objective measures of interpersonal behavior presumed to be tapping assertiveness. Most of the behavioral measures loaded highly on a general factor of assertiveness. The fifth behavioral measure loaded highly on a separate factor, response latency. All behavioral measures with the exception of response latency evidenced…

Examined the applicability of an expectancy/decison model to assertiveness in a nonclinical population. Results suggest that participants consider the consequences of being assertive when making a decision about how to behave. Training programs should take into account the participant's perceptions of the risks involved in being assertive.…

Compared self-concept scores from the Tennessee Self Concept Scale of alcohol- and drug-dependent men. Analysis yielded three significant results: true-false ratio, psychosis, and personality disorder. Data indicated similarity in all men regarding self-concept. A multivariate design in examining substance patterns and self-concept was…

Self-report data were examined to identify personality-attitudinal items that correlated with polydrug use. Analysis showed that 20 items, when treated as a scale, were reliable, diagnostically accurate, and applicable to either sex. This is an initial step in development of scale for indirect measurement of use of psychotropics. (Author/BEF)

Investigates the relationship between an observer's familiarity with the normal, truthful communicative behavior of an individual, and the observer's ability to detect deception on the part of that individual. Provides an experimental test of the degree of linearity between familiarity and judgmental accuracy in detecting deception. (JMF)

Challenging three common presuppositions concerning role orientations (the values, attitudes, and expectations associated with professional and organizational roles), a research study explores the dimensions of role orientations in five models and suggests three mechanisms generating associations among these dimensions. (WD)

Clinicians and nonclinicians made causal attributions to actor behaviors. Analysis showed clear observer attribution bias for both groups. A greater bias occurred with deviant actor behavior and in situations that featured actor actions over opinions over emotions. Results are discussed in terms of applicability to clinical practice. (Author/JAC)

This study analyzes adults authoritarian responses to vignettes of differing behaviors of preschool children. Single persons saw themselves as more authoritarian and were less child-oriented than parents. Males were less authoritative in a one-to-one relationship. (KMF)

Preadolescent emotionally disturbed (N=35), learning disabled (N=31), and normal boys (N=14) boys were compared on social perspective taking and behavioral measures to examine posible contributions of social cognitive deficits to children's adjustment problems. (Author)

Numerous studies describe dropping-out behavior, but few explain it. Examines the themes of retention literature within the context of a theoretical framework and seeks to identify research problems which may be encountered by investigators seeking to examine the phenomenon of persistence in higher education. Further work is suggested. (Author/BEF)

Examines college appreciation of sexual humor. Results show that as sexual content increases in explicitness male appreciation significantly increases in a linear type progression. Females demonstrate greatest appreciation for the most sexually explicit cartoons. Results reflect relaxation of traditional sex role restraints among college females.…