Sex differences in the encoding and decoding of negative facial emotions

To study the effects of gender on ability to recognize facial expressions of emotion, two separate samples of male and female undergraduates (727 in Study 1, 399 in Study 2) judged 120 color photographs of people posing one of four negative emotions: anger, disgust, fear, and sadness. Overall, females exceeded males in their ability to recognize emotions whether expressed by males or by females. As an exception, males were superior to females in recognizing male anger. The findings are discussed in terms of social sex-roles.Portions of this paper were presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, New York: August, 1987.     

Authentic/Inauthentic Identities in the Prison Visiting Room

The observations reported here demonstrate ways in which some incarcerated prison convicts use available materials, i.e., people, objects, and the physical setting of the prison visiting room to (a) violate rules, in order to (b) construct a situated identity based on self-autonomy and freedom from constraints. Sometimes the actions of guards and staff are to allow, within the context of the visiting room and within limits, for these situated social identities to be objectified even though these identities may have little currency in other prison contexts, and this situated self contradicts the intention of the prison regimen. The situated self found in the visiting room is considered to have beneficial influences on the inmate and is important for achieving desired, future outcomes related to treatment. When certain limits are breached, there will be attempts to suppress these identities. Several symbolic interactionist concepts, including awareness contexts and authentic/inauthentic identities, are employed to explain the behaviors of inmates, guards, and visitors and to point to treatment programs that would be most effective.     

A note on the population of seventeenth century London

A least-squares analysis of the various estimates of the population of London during the seventeenth century discloses the probable degree of error in the work of William Petty and other early demographers. A new “average” population is calculated and the regression equation given which best satisfies the contemporary estimates.     

Race differences in depressive symptoms: a dynamic perspective on stress exposure and vulnerability

The existence, nature, and strength of race differences in mental health remain unclear after several decades of research. In this research, we examine black-white differences in the relationship between acute stressors and depressive symptoms. We reframe the stress exposure and differential vulnerability hypotheses in the context of long-term trajectories of stress and depression, and we hypothesize that trajectories of stress growth will be associated with trajectories of depressive symptom growth. Using latent growth curve analysis of a sample of 1,972 older persons interviewed three times at three-year intervals, we test the hypotheses that (1) growth in exposure to loss-related events will predict growth in depressive symptoms, and (2) African Americans will experience greater stress growth than whites. Results support the hypotheses. Stress growth exhibited a linear increase for blacks but not for whites, and predicted depression growth for both races, but explained more variance for blacks than for whites.     

Correlates of ecstasy use among students surveyed through the 1997 College Alcohol Study

Anecdotal reports have suggested that the use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") is a growing problem across the United States, primarily among college students and rave attendees. To assess this contention, the drug-using behaviors of 14,520 college students were examined with data collected through the 1997 College Alcohol Study (CAS). Prevalence estimates of ecstasy use were generated and associations between ecstasy use, demographic characteristics, and alcohol and other drug (AOD) use were explored. Six percent of the sample reported lifetime ecstasy use, 3 percent reported use within the past 12 months, and 1 percent reported use within the past 30 days. Compared to non-users, 12-month ecstasy users were significantly more likely to be white, to be a member of a fraternity/sorority, and to have used all other drugs of abuse during the past 12 months. Implications for these findings are discussed.     

Tracking ecstasy trends in the United States with data from three national drug surveillance systems

Anecdotal reports have suggested that the use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") is a prodigious problem across the United States. Unfortunately, no longitudinal evidence exists to support this contention. In the current study, data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), Monitoring the Future (MTF), and National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) are used to explore ecstasy use trends in the United States during the 1990s. While the use of ecstasy has increased over time, its prevalence is significantly less than other drugs of abuse. These findings suggest that anecdotal reports of an ecstasy epidemic is premature and that a less frenzied approach to ecstasy control and education may be warranted.     

Community attitudes toward physician assisted suicide

Attitudes toward physician-assisted suicide (PAS) were assessed in a sample of 400 community adults, stratified as to gender and socioeconomic class, using a 12-item psychometric scale rather than the more typical survey question. The results indicate that the Domino scale, currently the only psychometric instrument of attitudes toward PAS, is factorially homogeneous and shows considerable internal stability. There were no gender differences, but significant socioeconomic class differences were obtained with better educated, upper class individuals more favorable in attitude than semi-skilled and unskilled poorly educated lower social class individuals. The majority of respondents support physician assisted suicide, but such support is inversely related to age.