Developmental Foundations and Clinical Applications of Social Information Processing: A Review

Social information processing has emerged as an important construct in understanding children's interpersonal functioning. This article reviews (a) the theoretical models guiding research, (b) the development of normative and atypical social problem solving, and (c) the connection between social information processing and individual differences in functioning. Finally, this review ends with a summary of efficacy of programs aimed at preventing social information processing biases or intervening with youth who display dysfunctional social information processing skills.     

中国农民的公平观念:基于村委会选举调查的实证研究

改革开放以来,中国弥漫着一种以结果,特别是经济发展结果论是非定成败的倾向,民意调查也表明公众认为经济发展优先于政治改革。那么,在于己有利的结果、达到分配公平的结果与程序的公平之间,究竟何者对中国人的公平观更具解释力?本文通过对我们关于农村居民对村委会选举公平性的情景实验调查数据的分析来回答这个问题,发现程序特征和分配公平对公平观的影响力,数倍于于己有利的结果的影响力。这些发现表明,中国的基层政治民主化具有公民政治文化基础。     

Expression and ambivalence over expression of negative emotion: cross-sectional associations with psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life in postmenopausal women

Inhibition of emotional expression has been associated with the incidence and progression of breast cancer and other chronic illnesses. The important health-related factor, however, may be ambivalence about the expression of emotions rather than repression itself. This cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 159,557 participants in the Women's Health Initiative examined the influence of expression of negative emotion and ambivalence about expression of emotion on psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-form 36 (SF-36). Overall, observed correlations were modest but in the expected direction; that is, greater ambivalence about negative emotional expression was associated with worse general health and poorer psychosocial risk profile. Ambivalence about expressing negative emotion was more highly correlated with psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life than emotional expression. In general, our analysis supports prior studies suggesting that ambivalence may be more important to consider in studies of health-related outcomes than expression.     

Correlates of Voluntary vs. Involuntary Part‐time Employment among US Women

This article presents a study of the extent to which type and duration of labour force attachment add to the explanatory power of psychological, demographic, and family household characteristics to predict voluntary (n=166) vs. involuntary part‐time (n=160) employment of women in the United States. We use the terms ‘voluntary’ and ‘involuntary’ to reflect the woman's choice in accepting to work in paid part‐time employment. In this context, voluntary part‐time work is not meant to be construed as charitable, non‐paid activities, but rather is construed as individuals who are working part‐time but who would prefer to be working full‐time, if a suitable job were available. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience (NLSLME), we found that labour market attachment characteristics added little to predict part‐time employment status (involuntary vs. voluntary) and had virtually no effect on the odds of any other correlates on employment status. The major exception was number of years of unemployment. The longer working women were previously unemployed, the greater the likelihood they were involuntarily employed in part‐time jobs. In addition, we found that marriage and private sector employment decreased the likelihood of involuntary part‐time employment. Findings suggest that involuntarily part‐time employed women appear to be ‘settling’ for what they can get, namely, part‐time rather than full‐time jobs and that unmarried part‐timers may be viewed as a stigmatized or marginal group more likely to be employed in the public rather than private sector. Policy implications and future research are discussed.     

Correspondence Between Gonadal Steroid Hormone Concentrations and Secondary Sexual Characteristics Assessed by Clinicians,Adolescents, and Parents

Adolescent sexual maturation is staged using Tanner criteria assessed by clinicians, parents, or adolescents. The physiology of sexual maturation is driven by gonadal hormones. We investigate Tanner stage progression as a function of increasing gonadal hormone concentration and compare performances of different raters. Fifty‐six boys (mean age, 12.7 ± 1.3 years) and 52 girls (mean age, 12.0 ± 1.6 years) were seen at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Estradiol and testosterone concentrations were determined from three morning serum samples and Tanner stage by three different raters (clinician, parent, and adolescent). Results confirm that Tanner criteria reflect gonadal hormone concentrations, and clinician rating provides optimal assessment. Detailed insight about the strengths and limitations of different raters is provided, augmenting the scientific understanding of pubertal development.     

Effects of financial insecurity on social interactions

Little is known about the effects of financial insecurity on social interactions despite consistently observed income effects on social capital and a growing recognition of the potential importance of income volatility in affecting hardships, distress, and other aspects of well-being. We use data on women participating in a longitudinal study in the U.S. to investigate the effects of financial insecurity measured along two dimensions (safety nets and hardships) on two types of social interactions (participating in community organizations and having close friends). In auxiliary analyses we explore the potential mediating effects of mental health. We find that safety nets in the form of bank accounts, credit cards, and ability to borrow money increase both participation in organizations and friendships, whereas material hardships decrease friendships but increase participation in organizations. We find no evidence that mental health, as we have measured it, mediates the observed effects of financial insecurity on social interactions, although it has strong and negative independent associations with having close friends.     

Short-term positive and negative consequences of sex based on daily reports among college students

Because sexual behavior may be associated with a broader range of outcomes than physical consequences like sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, it is important to understand consequences of sex that may influence mental and social well-being in emerging adulthood. This article describes the short-term intrapersonal and interpersonal consequences reported by college students on days they engage in vaginal sex and what factors predict experiencing particular consequences. Data are from first-year college students who reported vaginal sex on at least one of 28 sampled days (mean age = 18.5 years; 53% female; 30% Hispanic/Latino [HL]; of non-HL participants, 30% were African American, 22% were Asian American, 35% were European American, and 12% were multiracial; N = 209 people and N = 679 person days). Participants reported positive consequences more frequently than negative consequences. Non-use of contraception and sex with a non-dating partner were associated with greater odds of reporting negative consequences. These findings have implications for messages about casual sex and use of contraception in sex education and sexual health programming.     

An evaluation of Midwifery Group Practice. Part II: women's satisfaction

BACKGROUND: Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) is a continuity of midwifery care model for women of all levels of pregnancy risk available at a tertiary metropolitan hospital in Australia. This paper presents Part II of the demonstration study exploring the effectiveness of MGP, and reports on women's satisfaction with the model of care. METHODS: A Maternal Satisfaction Questionnaire was developed and sent to all women (n=120) enrolled in MGP over a three-month period. The questionnaire comprised two open-ended questions asking women to list up to three things they liked and did not like about MGP, and a structured section exploring levels of satisfaction through a five-point Likert response format. The open-ended questions were analysed using qualitative content analysis, and analysis of the structured part of the questionnaire was undertaken by comparing mean scores of satisfaction ranging from -2 (very negative attitudes) to +2 (very positive attitudes). RESULTS: Of the 120 women who were sent a Maternal Satisfaction Questionnaire, 84 returned their questionnaire (70% response rate). Three overarching themes were identified in the content analysis of open-ended questions, namely: Continuity of care; Accessibility; and Personal and professional attributes of the midwife. Analysis of the structured part of the questionnaire showed that women were satisfied with the care they received in MGP, as indicated by positive scores on all questions. CONCLUSIONS: Women being cared for in MGP are satisfied with their care.     

Happily ever after? Fates of translocated nuisance woodchucks in the Chicago metropolitan area

Urban Ecosystems - Human-wildlife conflict is increasing as urbanization expands and wildlife species adjust to living near people. Translocation is often used to manage human-wildlife conflict...