Psychological Reports

This study of an hierarchical characteristic of associative strength was concerned with an associative factor of relative distance (RD) measured as distance from a primary associate to the secondary as referred to communality. Different stimulus lists varied RD by making the communality of primaries homogeneous and varying that of secondaries. The method of independent repetitions for successive trials of presentation of a stimulus was adopted, and the repetitive probability of associations and the latencies were measured. The RD directly reflected repetitions of associations, while among the lists of corresponding RD there was no difference in latency. Implications of the RD were discussed.

This experiment examined accessibility of an item to recall by varying an associative hierarchy factor of relative distance (RD) which was defined as distance of communality of primary associate to secondary one. Two lists of R (remote distance) vs N (near distance) words were randomized and verbally presented. Ss' immediate free recall showed that amount of correct recall and extraneous intrusion was significantly more frequent in the N list than in the R list. As the stimulus words were controlled for possible associative indices except RD, associative function in recall was discussed.

Student responses to generalized and “bona fide” personality interpretations were explored in 2 experiments. The “fake” generalized interpretation was significantly preferred and more highly rated than interpretations based on 120 Ss' actual test scores. Explanations and consequences of these findings were discussed.

Intercorrelations were calculated among CRPBI dimension scores attributed by 147 fifth and 113 sixth graders to their mothers and fathers. Although the dimensions are hypothetically orthogonal, consistent patterns of negative correlations were found between the extent of parental control and both the degree of parental acceptance and the laxness of parental discipline. Consistently high positive correlations were found between parent pairs' scores on each of the separate dimensions. Characteristics of the subject population and method of questionnaire administration were discussed; it was suggested that young children's reports of parental behavior may not be sufficiently differentiated to support a three-dimensional model appropriate for the views of older children and adults.

A questionnaire study of sexual differences in the importance of physical attractiveness to heterosexual liking disclosed that 177 men ranked physical attractiveness significantly (but only slightly) higher than 177 women. Different degrees of intimacy and permanency in the relationship also affected the importance of physical attractiveness in partners. There was no significant interaction between sex and type of relationship.

17 statements representing 17 positions favored (positive) by 119 students at a midwestern university were located. To demonstrate that Ss with extreme positions are resistant to change, communications opposing the two most positive statements were presented to 40 university students. To demonstrate that moderately held positions are likely to change in the same direction, communications supporting the two least positive statements were presented to 40 other students. The replication was performed by presenting Ss with a two-sided communication concerning a statement which was a priori in between most and least positive. Although some exceptions were noted, the replication and demonstrations were successful.

In order to identify the similarities and differences among different measures of group interaction rate, seven indices were examined. Inspection of the indices illustrates that the findings differ as a function of the measure used and conclusions drawn on the basis of only one may be completely reversed by the other. Two variables, a psychological Gestalt and a measure of the actual amount of overt behavior displayed, have been identified as dimensions in measures of interaction rate.

Correlations were obtained between Mosher's forced-choice measure of hostility guilt and the subscales of the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory. For 58 men, Mosher guilt was related to the assault (-.27) and verbal (-.35) subscales and with assault (-.44), negativism (-.43) and verbal (-.40) sub-scales for 72 women. As anticipated, no significant relationship was found between the Buss-Durkee guilt scale (a measure of guilt as a feeling or state) and Mosher guilt (a disposition to inhibit aggression).

15 rats were trained to run in a straight runway for rewarding brain stimulation (ESB). A consistent color of goal box—ESB reward pairing existed during runway training. When subsequently rested in a T-maze where the goal box associated with ESB was placed on the initially nonpreferred side, Ss learned to run to that side with only the goal-box color as the reward. The results are held to conclusively demonstrate that secondary reward can be based on ESB as a primary reward. Also, results appear to challenge the view that drive is necessary for the demonstration of secondary reward.

Recent papers have concluded that attempted suicides and completed suicides were two different but overlapping populations. The present paper has suggested that this view is not the only one possible. It was concluded that available data indicate that suicidal behaviors fall on a continuum of seriousness and that one can extrapolate on the basis of this continuum.

The stereotyping of 10 ethnic groups by American college students over a 30-yr. period was examined by comparing data from 1932, 1950, and 1961. There was much variation among the time periods but persisting, “core” stereotypes were found for 8 of the groups. Evaluative stereotyping was highly related to preferences for association with ethnic group members in both 1932 and 1961. Subdivision of evaluative stereotyping into its positive and negative components showed that associative preferences were virtually completely predicted by the negative component. The positive component was unrelated to association preferences and served to weaken the predictive power of the negative component when combined with it. The interpretation is offered that substantial stereotyping and prejudice remain among college students but that students are becoming increasingly sophisticated and subtle in their manifestations of them.

In view of the frequent use of Janis and Field's (1959) “Feelings of Inadequacy” scale, an inter-item correlation matrix and correlation of each item with the total test score were obtained. Two items correlated poorly with other items and with the total test score. It is suggested that future researchers might eliminate these items from the scale.

Body-weight curves based on 4 fixed-amount and 4 fixed-time maintenance schedules are reported. An examination of the literature, using those curves as criteria, suggests an unequivocal “no” to the question posed in the title of this paper. The same curves can serve as one basis for more knowledgably designed experiments in which fixed-deprivation schedules are deemed necessary or convenient.

119 unsuspecting college students were given a personality drawing test and weeks later received 12 faked interpretive statements. The majority of the returned statements were written to imply social adjustment which, depending upon random assignment, was either favorable, unfavorable, or neutral. Ss in the favorable and neutral groups endorsed the credibility of the interpretations in general with greater intensity than those in the unfavorable group and were more convinced of the veracity of each individual statement, including two uncomplimentarily-worded statements which were contained in the profiles of all three groups.

Correlations between the extent of interdependent contacts and the adequacy of organizational coordination were examined in a nationwide sample of hospitals. No direct relationship was found, although an indirect positive relationship mediated by organizational strain was found as expected. It is suggested that further work be carried out on the apparent strain-reducing effects of interdependent contacts.

A Sexual Attitude Survey was administered to 79 black and 118 white college students. Reported sexual attitudes and behavior among black males were significantly more liberal than those of black females, white females, and white males.

Electrogastric waveforms of human Ss were examined in relation to conditions of response contingent avoidance of a noxious tone, altered feedback of successful and unsuccessful avoidance, non-response contingent aversive stimulation and somatization scores on the Mini-Mult Test. Significant differences were observed in electrogastric waveform frequency measures between baseline and tone periods. There was a significant difference for amplitude measures between trials based on presence and absence of tone, and in the interaction between presence and absence of tones and the personality characteristic of somatization. A trend was observed for amplitude in an interaction effect of successful vs unsuccessful avoidance and high vs low somatization.

48 chronic alcoholic patients in an in-patient facility completed both forms of the Eysenck Personality Inventory. All were sober at the time of testing but they were instructed to complete the inventory, first, as they felt while sober, and second, as they felt while drinking. Neuroticism scores did not change across the two instructions, but Extraversion scores averaged significantly higher under the drinking instruction.

To ascertain whether or not inhibition of curiosity is related to overt homosexuality, a 13-item questionnaire designed to measure level of general curiosity was given to 10 male and 10 female homosexuals, and 10 male and 10 female heterosexuals. The female homosexuals demonstrated a significantly lower measured curiosity score than any of the other three groups, but the male homosexuals did not differ from the heterosexuals.

The hypothesis that suicide is common where external frustrations and restraints are minimal was discussed. The hypothesis was used to account for several phenomena, such as the high suicide rate on the West Coast, the high rate in Spring, and the low rate during war, and to predict other cases where suicidal behavior might be more common, such as after restoration of sight to those blind from birth.

The same list of 84 adjectives used by college students to assign traits to Americans in 1932 (Katz & Braly, 1933) and in 1950 (Gilbert, 1951) was used again in 1970. Striking differences in willingness to stereotype are noted, and the often-contradictory traits chosen by Ss generally changed in a “negative” direction from those of earlier studies. Findings support the general notion that today's youth view their country and its people very differently from Ss tested a few decades ago. This suggests not only the need for new approaches to educating students but also has methodological implications for research design in studies of social attitudes.

A distinction is made between desensitization techniques carried out in vivo and other modes of desensitization therapy (flooding, implosion, and systematic desensitization) which rely upon mental operations or processes. Research is reviewed and points are discussed which support a position supporting a relationship between variables and phenomena found in the desensitization therapies and those found in hypnosis. This relationship appears to be greatest in those desensitization therapies basing treatment upon the utilization of mental operations. Some new lines of research are then proposed.

15 suicide attempters and 33 threateners were compared with each other and with 276 control male psychiatric patients on a Psychological Problem Inventory. Results indicated that suicide attempters were characterized by patterns of self-rejection and aggressive tendencies. Threateners were characterized by suicidal sexual anxiety, self-directed aggression, and a trend toward inadequacy. Implications were drawn relative to the motivational goals of attempters and threateners.

A visual discrimination task was used to determine the effectiveness of verbal reward alone (Verbal group) vs a combination of candy and verbal reward (Combined group) with 16 middle-class 5-yr.-olds and 16 5-yr.-olds from a Head Start class. Social class proved to be the only significant variable, the performance of the higher status group being superior to that of the lower status group. Only a tendency for the verbally rewarded Ss to be superior to combined reward Ss was noted.

40 college Ss learned a discrimination task under conditions of verbal and non-verbal feedback. Prior information on meaning of overt and covert feedback cues was given half of the Ss. Generally, Ss who had pre-experimental information on the nature of feedback were superior to those who did not receive prior information. However, college Ss do appear to make significantly better use of verbal than non-verbal feedback regardless of the instructional condition.

A study was made of MMPI profiles of 22 girls who have stayed in the convent and 12 who have left. The results indicated no significant differences between two groups who have remained in the convent differing lengths of time. Significant differences were obtained on Scales L, Pd, Sc, Ma, and Si, with the group who left scoring higher on Pd, Sc, and Ma and lower on L and Si. The results suggest that those who left were more immature, rebellious, and impulsive. These data are consistent with those obtained with male seminarians.

A principal components analysis was performed on the self-ratings obtained from the Personality Adjective List (PAL-1) for a sample of 202 male and female college students. The obtained components were then rotated according to the varimax procedure. The varimax factors obtained were: Congeniality, Ingenuity, Striving, Vivacity, Articulateness, Curiosity, Meditativeness, Individuality, and Open-mindedness.

IQs obtained on a group intelligence test (Lorge-Thorndike Intelligence Test) were compared with those obtained on an individual intelligence test (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) for 20 disturbed children. While the correlation between the scores was .81, the mean IQs were significantly different (93 vs 108), group test tending to give much lower IQs.

This study investigated the relationship between the voting behavior of naive white Ss toward a Negro or white individual in a small group discussion when the Negro or white individual talked more than anyone else in the group or did not speak. 64 white female college students were divided into 32 experimental groups engaging in one of two experimental conditions. Groups in one condition consisted of two Ss and one Negro confederate (unknown to Ss). The other condition contained groups composed of two Ss and one white confederate (also unknown to Ss). They solved 20 relatively unstructured concept-formation problems, discussed their solutions, and then voted for the person that they thought had the most insight into the problem. 32 other female college students served in a control condition in which 16 groups, consisting of two Ss and a Negro confederate each, solved concept-formation problems; but no talking was permitted. Results showed that, in the silent control condition, there was no significant difference in Ss' voting behavior where each S voted between the Negro confederate and the other white S. In the high-talk experimental condition, however, the Negro confederates received significantly fewer votes than did the white confederates in their respective groups. It was concluded that the number of votes obtained by an individual depends, to a large extent, on that individual's race when engaged in high verbal interaction but not when engaged in a non-speaking situation.

12 male alcoholism counsellors and 12 male late stage alcoholic patients responded to a 5-item questionnaire consisting of 3 items chosen from the Wallach and Kogan Choice Dilemmas questionnaire and 2 items constructed to represent dilemmas concerning alcohol. Ss indicated the lowest probability of success they would accept to take the risky alternative, which was clearly the more desirable choice. Results of a 2 × 5 analysis of variance indicated that alcoholics were more conservative in the probabilities they would accept to take the risky alternative, than were the counsellors. Furthermore, the items differed significantly from each other.

128 Ss were given the task of estimating the IQs of 10 women whose photographs they viewed. 4 Es were assigned to each of 4 conditions, 3 of which were of expectancy inducement and one of which was of no-expectancy inducement. No expectancy effects were observed.

In order to evaluate the effects of bias among psychologists, two virtually identical abstracts of presumably empirical research in the area of astrology were prepared, one with positive findings and the other with negative findings. The data collected by mail from a random selection of professional psychologists indicated that those Ss receiving the negative abstract rated the study as better designed, more valid, and as having more adequate conclusions than those receiving the positive abstract. The many emotionally charged spontaneous comments included with the responses suggests that strong affective reactions are involved, as well as prejudgments.

Acquisition of noncorrective simultaneous matching by 11 rhesus monkeys varied a good deal, especially in the number of trials spent on position preference. When monkeys were required to transfer from color matching to form matching, there was a decrement in performance with only 2 of 10 subjects performing above chance during the first day of transfer, although most of the remaining animals performed above chance during the second day. The acquisition curves for form were more gradual than for color and the monkeys did not revert to a position preference during transfer. After 14 days of form matching the monkeys were retested on color matching and showed very high savings.

Item-analysis procedures were used to reduce a 51-item hostility scale to a 20-item version with equivalent reliability and convergent validity, yet freer of desirability variance. Evidence presented in a multitrait-multimethod matrix (8 traits by self-ratings of trait adjectives and by item endorsements) indicated an enhancement of discriminant validity in the shorter form. The technique is presented as a means for improving the validity of scales developed by other earlier scale construction methods.

Revision of the Black Power Sentiment Scale as a measure of black separatism is described. Reliability of the 24-item scale was .80 (Cronbach's alpha). A study based on responses of 257 Negro students supported the validity of the scale in identifying black separatist extremism of the Black Panther variety.

The short-term organized recall (category clustering) of 756 Ss was measured with the repetition ratio for 40-word stimulus lists. Each list, which was presented once to each S, contained 10 nouns from each of the animal, articles of dress, occupation, and persons' names categories. Three independent variables were combined in a 3 × 2 × 2 arrangement: three levels of the frequencies of occurrence of the words, .22 < 1, 1–4 and 5–100 + words per million; two levels of familiarity scale values of the words, low or high familiarity; and two levels of administration of retrieval cues in the form of category name instructions, instructions or no instructions. The frequency of occurrence and familiarity variables produced clearly separable effects on the category clustering of the nouns; the repetition ratio was an increasing function of each variable. The greatest effects of frequency variations were found at the highest frequency level. Retrieval cues did not influence category clustering. Comparison with previous work suggests that the inclusion of categorical intrusions in the repetition ratio inflates that ratio when words have low familiarity and are of low- and intermediate-frequencies of occurrence.

The hypothesis of decreased self-confidence in later life was tested by comparing self-ratings of 18 elderly and young adult Ss (Ns = 40, 18) with two questionnaires. When specific information was involved, old and young were similar with respect to confidence in the correctness of response. When judgments about oneself were involved, the older Ss indicated more self-confidence than the young, not less. The relation between age and confidence seems to be a matter of context.

48 Ss learned a list of PAs, at either a 2-sec. or 7-sec. presentation rate (PR), in which the stimulus terms were assessed on the bases of associative reaction time (RT) and meaningfulness (M). In forward anticipation learning, the effect of RT of stimulus terms was not significant but M was, with the greatest effect at the 2-sec. PR. In a backward recall test, the short-latency RT stimulus terms were recalled more frequently than the long-latency RT terms and high-M terms were recalled more frequently than low-M terms. The results were interpreted in terms of a two-stage analysis in which the effects of M were related to stimulus recognition and the effects of RT to stimulus recall.

40 albino rats were assigned randomly to the cells of a 2 × 2 factorial design consisting of per cent reinforcement (50% and 100%) by deprivation (high and low). Speed measures were obtained from two segments of a straight-alley runway for 80 acquisition and 56 extinction trials with 4 trials given per day. Deprivation effects were found over the closely spaced trials within daily sessions for both acquisition and extinction. In extinction the interaction of drive and per cent reinforcement within daily sessions lends support to a frustration-theory explanation of extinction behavior. The lack of deprivation-produced differences in the size of the partial reinforcement effect over days is also consistent with this explanation.

Sociometric ratings by sorority women were used reliably to nominate women who were altruistic and nonaltruistic. Evidence for convergent validity was found through high correlations between sociometric altruism and sociometric friendliness and trust while evidence for discriminate validity was inferred when sociometric altruism was unrelated to sociometric independence and physical attractiveness. The top and bottom 20% of the 207 sorority women were individually interviewed. The women responded to five altruism situations and to questions in 12 areas relevant to altruism. Sociometric altruism was strongly correlated with interview altruism measures. However, the responses of the altruistic women in the interview did not correspond completely to the ideal-type definition of altruism used in the nominating procedure. Rather than being motivated to help another through intrinsic satisfaction experienced when aiding another, the altruistic women appear to be motivated by conceptions of reciprocity and mutuality in friendly interpersonal relations. Less altruistic women are more concerned with a contractual reciprocity.

Female Ss in a free-operant avoidance procedure had a 100-db white noise of either .5, 3 or 6 sec. duration as a stimulus to be avoided. The noise-noise interval was 7.5 sec., and the response-noise interval was 22.5 sec. Ss were given either minimal or more detailed instructions concerning the key-pressing response to be made. Ss getting the more detailed instructions avoided more of the programmed noises. One effect of receiving only minimal instructions was that such Ss made a number of “odd” non-key-pressing responses such as attempting to or actually breaking the apparatus.

Detailed analyses of “subgroups” of Ss, defined by lesion size and locus, for Lashley's (1929) retention data suggested that parietal neo-cortical damage resulted in deficits that were relatively independent of total lesion size. It was suggested that Lashley's retention data provided questionable support for the principles of equipotentiality and mass function as he presented them and he did not include enough Ss to assess the validity of these principles for measures of acquisition following brain damage.

5 boys attending a therapeutic summer camp were exposed to 1 ½ hr. of programmed instruction in mathematics per day for 28 days. Following an 8-day baseline period during which no tokens were given, the awarding of tokens was made contingent upon classroom productivity. After 10 days of contingent reinforcement, Ss received noncontingent tokens for 3 days after which for 7 days tokens were again contingent upon classroom performance. The token-incentive program was effective in controlling classroom productivity. A standard achievement test indicated concurrent academic gains in arithmetic but no gains (actually, a loss) in a subject (language) in which no instruction was received.

This study investigated the relationship between the standard MMPI and the 71-item Mini-Mult in male and female applicants for a psychiatric attendant position. Four significant differences were found. It appears that the Mini-Mult is reliably related to the MMPI and might be used to screen certain populations.

The Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values and four scales accounting for possible trait confounding variance, Edwards' SD, Wiggins' Sd, Marlowe-Crowne, and Welsh's R, were administered to 171 female and 116 male college students. The resultant factor structure and coefficients of determination (all less than .07) between the two sets of scales supported the discriminant validity of the Study of Values scales for the four stylistic sources measured and their continued use as trait indicants unconfounded by stylistic variance.

A validation study of the Hooper Visual Organization Test using a New Zealand psychiatric hospital population is reported. The results indicate that the test should not be used with patients having IQs less than 75 and that excluding these patients there is a 14.5% false positive result for nonorganic patients and a 25% false negative result for organic patients.

The Modified Bennett Test (MBT) is briefly described and preliminary reliability and validity data are provided by a report of the results of a study in which it was used to test the effects of role-inducing instructions on creative thinking. Ss came for 2 sessions in which they were given an instructional set to assume the role of either an unregulated character or a regulated character. Subsequent to the role-inducing instructions, Ss responded to half of the items of the MBT. The role-inducing instructions and the items of the MBT were counterbalanced in a repeated measures design with each S serving as his own control. It was hypothesized that the responses given in the unregulated condition would, in general, be more creative than those given in the regulated condition. The hypothesis was confirmed.

4 groups of 10 rats were trained in a runway for 0, 5, 10, or 15 small rewarded (2 pellets) trials prior to being shifted to large reward (24 pellets) for the remainder of 45 trials. Acquisition performance was slower for small than for large reward during the early trials but the groups were not different by the end of acquisition. Resistance to extinction was an increasing linear function of the number of small rewarded trials.

The primary findings of a study to establish certain relationships between 10-yr.-old children and their parents with respect to the Machiavellian (Mach) scales and the children's manipulative interpersonal behavior were: (1) the parents' scores on both the Mach IV and Mach V are, individually, unrelated to their children's Mach scores; (2) although various combinations of the Mach scales (category patterns) are inversely related for mothers to the children's Mach scores, there is no relationship between these two variables for fathers; (3) these combinations for each parent, separately, are inversely related to the children's success at manipulative behavior.

The experimental design was 2 × 2 factorial, with 2 levels of prior list (one or none), 2 of response term inter-item associative strength (high or low), and a 15-min. retention interval. The expectation was that high inter-item associative strength would reduce proactive inhibition. The hypothesis failed; the proportion of function words per list had no effect on recall.

12 “uncooperative” diabetic patients were interviewed and tested in the hospital, using a structured interview, behavior and attitude rating schedule, and the Rorschach. A general descriptive picture was derived, but subgroups also appeared, based upon the dynamics of the patient in relation to the illness. In one subgroup, the illness plays no meaningful role; in the second, the illness has been integrated into defensive patterns deliberately manipulated for personal satisfaction. Different treatment procedures are suggested.

The Eysenck Personality Inventory was used as a mood indicator instead of as a trait test with a group of manic-depressive patients associated with a research ward. Some patients completed the EPI while in a normal state, some while in a depressed or manic state, and some in two or more clinically defined states. Results showed that depression was associated with a significant decrease in extraversion and a significant increase in neuroticism. The manic state however, was not clearly differentiated from the normal one. It appears that the inventory may be a useful indicator of depressive mood.

A study has been undertaken to assess the effects of hypnotic suggestions for longevity. 50 volunteer college students are receiving suggestions that they will live to be at least 120 years old, without loss of physical or mental capacities. A control group, randomly selected from the same pool of volunteers, are receiving no such suggestions. An account of the results will appear in about 100 yr.

A principal components analysis was performed on the self-ratings (for a combined sample) obtained from the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values (N = 150 combined sample of 102 male and 48 female college students). The obtained principal components were then rotated according to the varimax procedure. The varimax factors obtained were: esthetic, social, and religious.

The influences on simulated personnel selection decisions of a job applicant's intellectual ability and the degree to which his opinions agreed with those of an evaluator were investigated in a factorial experiment using 78 undergraduates. Both variables significantly (p < .01) influenced recommendations to hire or not hire the applicant. The results were discussed with respect to the influence of valid and invalid job-success predictors on selection decisions.

60 college students were required to learn a serial list of 13 three-letter nouns either with the middle item (E₁) or the three middle items (E₂) isolated, or without any isolates (C), to a learning criterion of two perfect trials. Employing the perceptual enhancement of isolation, it was found that there was a significant facilitation of the learning of the isolated item in E₁. This facilitation did not occur when three items were isolated nor was the learning of the list as a whole facilitated in either E₁ or E₂.

Scores on Mosher's forced-choice Hostility Guilt Scale for females were related to a projective and an objective measure of hostility. The projective measure was the extent to which 70 female undergraduates used the hostile alternative in making up sentences to a list of homonyms with hostile and neutral meanings. The objective measure was the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory. Hostility guilt correlated negatively and significantly with the projective measure and with the following Buss-Durkee scales: Assault, Negativism, Resentment, Suspicion, Verbal and Total Hostility, summing over all subscales except Guilt. The projective measure correlated positively and significantly with the Assault and Suspicion Scales, as well as the Total Hostility Score.

The Situational Attitude Scale (SAS) was developed to measure the attitudes of whites toward blacks. Each of two forms contained the same situations, bipolar scales and instructions, except that the word “black” was inserted into each situation in Form B and Form A made no reference to race. The SAS was administered to 405 white students at the University of Maryland. Forms were distributed randomly and Ss were unaware that two forms were administered. The validity of the SAS was determined by the mean response difference between Form A and Form B, using t tests. Fifty-five of the 100 items were significant beyond the .05 level. Thus, there was strong evidence that the insertion of the word “black” into each situation caused Ss to respond differently.

17 Goldeneye ducklings were exposed to traditional audiovisual and auditory training stimuli 12 to 20 hr. after hatching. None of the ducklings followed the stimuli, which suggests differences in the mechanisms mediating species-identification between this species and the earlier studied Wood duck (Aix sponsa). The differences are ascribed to the emotional development of Goldeneyes, since all individuals showed a high level of fear responding during testing.

Four experiments (ns = 40, 20, 46, 40) comparing the absolute and relative interpretations of the incentive magnitude effect utterly failed to show the effect with normal, community-dwelling, adult female Ss. Money was the incentive commodity used in both card-sorting and digit-symbol tasks, and it was paid both to the individual S and to S's women's club, and it was paid on both a per-task and per-unit-of-accomplishment basis. The limitations of both the incentive magnitude effect and of the methodology of these experiments are discussed.

Approach toward a squealing, distressed animal was not observed in 10 laboratory rats. These results indicate there is no basis to conclude that altruistic behavior exists in rats.

Two experiments were done on the effects of the race of an examiner and objective probability of success (P_a) on southern Negro college students' performance at cognitive tasks that were defined as mental tests with white norms. The tasks were arithmetic and digit-symbol substitution. The hypothesis was that Ss would perform better with a Negro tester when P_a was low or medium but as well or better with a white tester when P_a was high. The prediction was confirmed in Exp. I, which was carried out at an academically nonselective institution. Exp. II was a replication at an academically more selective institution. Here S's responded more favorably to the white tester in all P_a conditions. Individual differences in general success-failure orientation were not related to performance.

Stauffacher and Navran (1968) gave the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) to student nurses and found that personality factors are related to the type of nursing area chosen. George and Stephens (1968) found public health nurses showing greater need for Autonomy and Abasement in the EPPS, whereas, psychiatric nurses placed greater emphasis on Deference and Aggression. The present study assessed the personality of student nurses as measured by Jackson's (1967) Personality Research Form (PRF) with respect to possible differences with a more general student population.

2 previously supported hypotheses were tested with 30 Ss showing conversion reactions. Relations between their symptoms and personality traits as identified by the Personality Assessment System (PAS) were studied. The results support the hypotheses and provide further evidence of the usefulness of the PAS in studying patient groups.

182 white and Negro high school students were surveyed with a forced-choice questionnaire to ascertain whether one group favored interracial marriage more than the other. Chi-square was applied to a 2 × 2 factorial design. Negroes were significantly more favorable toward interracial marriage than whites (p < .001). Males tended to favor interracial marriage slightly more than females. Interaction between the groups was unrelated to social or economic position, but the factors involved in the process were not identified. Further research is needed to explain the differential sex attitudes and longitudinal studies should be carried out to determine what other factors might be involved in determining Negro and white attitudes toward interracial marriage.