Facial Electromyography Associates With Taste Palatability
Senqi Hu
Department of Psychology
ABSTRACT
Twenty subjects' sensory hedonic reports and facial electromyographic
(EMG) activities at the zygomaticus major, corrugator supercilli,
and levator labii (superioris/alaeque nasi) regions were recorded
while they were tasting water or pickle juice. The results showed
that subjects reported significantly higher ratings of palatability
to water than to pickle juice (t = 9.382, p < 0.0001). The
EMG activities at the levator labii region generated significantly
higher power than those at the corrugator supercilli region while
tasting water (t = 2.9 1, p < 0.01). The EMG activities at
the levator labii region generated significantly higher power
than those at the corrugator supercilli region while tasting pickle
juice (t = 6.132, p < 0.0001), and than those at the zygomaticus
major region while tasting pickle juice (t = 4.725, p < 0.0001).
Also, tasting pickle juice generated significantly higher EMG
power than tasting water on EMG recordings at the zygomatic region
(t =3.12, p < 0.01) and at the levator labii region (t = 5.32,
p < 0.0001). It is concluded that the facial EMG activity at
the levator labii region is the most sensitive indicator of palatability.
SLOW SAND FILTRATION ENGINEERING
Karen Sautbine, Carlos Diaz, Arron Apperson and Jonah Burnim
The Sand Dollar Group
ABSTRACT
The display is part of a project intended to help a high school
teacher instruct a unit on slow sand filtration. The display consists
of three parts: 1) a brief description of the hydrological cycle,
2) a tactile diagram of the separate layers in a slow sand filter,
3) pictures of a local sand filter and a huge slow sand filter
facility in Germany. Included on the poster are answers to seven
FAQs about slow sand filtration, a brief description of the schmutzdecke
layer and five key terms: water quality standards, turbidity,
NTU, surface water, ground water. The display also states the
main purpose of a slow sand filter and how this system mimics
the natural process of filtration, as surface water becomes ground
water.
MARTIAN PLATE TECTONICS
Don Garlick, Geology
ABSTRACT
Evidence for limited-displacement plate tectonics is evident
in the Martian topography recently derived from orbital laser
altimetry. Gravity and magnetic anomaly maps support the interpretation
that a block of crust moved toward the southwest away from the
Valles Marineris grabens to form an arc of thrust mountains between
Arsia Mons and the Argyre impact basin.
A follow-up comparison of romantic love issues - 1976 to 1997.
Dupree, J.L. & Norris, W.D. (1999).
ABSTRACT
Until the early 1970's, romantic love received scant attention from research psychologists. Today, a computerized PsycLit search generates over 150 matches. However, almost no study has explored any measured changes in the general population over that 20 year span.
This study primarily replicates a study conducted in 1976 and compares the results with those received in 1997. The instrument used was a questionnaire designed to measure five cognitive issues in romantic love, each issue attempting to provide respondents with an answer to the question, "What do you think makes a person fall in love?" The five issues were culled from clinical and theoretical literature available in the 1970's.
The questionnaire was composed of twenty items, with four items representing one of the five love issues. Issues were: Sexual Attraction, Ego Need, Mutual Reward, Mutual Appreciation, and Magic Union. Non-demographic variables included "Times in love," "Satisfaction with experience," and "Self-rated Attraction." The test-retest reliability of the issues in the questionnaire, as measured by a portion of the 1997 respondents, ranged from correlation coefficients of .86 to.61. Construct validity was established by comparing results with the Love Attitude Scale of Hendrick and Hendrick.
Every attempt was made to replicate the sample characteristics originally found in 1976. This questionnaire was distributed in the same locations as 21 years ago and matched for age and gender. Both final samples contained 50 subjects, 62 males and 88 females, aged 18 through 66.
The results were assessed by using analysis of variance for most comparisons. Respondents were similar in many areas over the years. The original ranking of the five issues was almost identical, with Mutual Reward being replaced by Mutual Appreciation as the most popular issue. The raw score means of both Mutual Appreciation and Magic Union rose significantly over 1976 results, suggesting a more romantic populace. Sexual Attraction was an even less compelling explanation of romantic love now than in 1976. There were no significant differences between genders on any of the five love issues in the 1997 respondents. The 1976 results found women more attracted than men to only one issue: Mutual Reward. Few interesting results are related to the non-demographic variables, except 1997 men report falling in love more frequently than women. The most popular and least popular of the 20 individual items remained the same between the generations, despite 21 years of social influence.
Presented at the 1999 annual meeting of the Western Psychological
Association, Irvine, CA.
Sleep disturbance and menopausal status in mid-life women.
Ashurst, M.A. & Dupree, J.L. (1999).
ABSTRACT
Non-research medical literature and popular magazines have long noted that sleep disturbances are reported by women in their menopausal years. However, research that has some data-based support differ in conclusions, and most do not confirm a significant relationship between sleep disturbance and the menopausal status of their subjects.
This study investigated the prevalence of sleep disturbance in women between the ages of 40 to 60. Subjects were self-categorized as pre-, peri-, or post-menopausal. A questionnaire specifically designed for this study primarily measured Insomnia as defined by the DSM-IV. Other variables that had a potential relation to sleep disturbance included night sweats, Restless Leg Syndrome, nocturnal micturition, and depression. Instrument inter-item reliability ranged in correlation values from .82 to .74.
A total of 228 women were recruited from a university and the surrounding community of a northern California county. Seventy-three respondents were dropped from the final sample because they endorsed a variety of exclusionary criteria, as set forth in the DSM-IV, that might otherwise explain a sleep disturbance. Exclusionary criteria contained such items as other disorders, mental and physical, medications, and substance use such as alcohol or caffeine. A final sample of 155 women was used, 56 of whom used Hormone Replacement Therapy and 99 did not.
Analysis of variance revealed that peri-menopausal women reported significantly higher levels of sleep disturbance regarding insomnia and night sweats than did women who identified as pre- or post-menopausal. Consistent with the literature, nocturnal micturition, Restless Legs Syndrome, and mild depressive symptoms were not related to menopausal status. In further analysis, it was noted, with some surprise, that the use, or non-use, of Hormonal Replacement Therapy did not emerge as a significant variable.
This study adds to the understanding of the relationship between sleep and menopause and does so based on a more complete instrument and larger sample than most previous studies.
Presented at the 1999 annual meeting of the Western Psychological
Association, Irvine, CA.
Assessing Families in the Hospital: What Do Nurses and Parents Think?
Beverly Nachem, M.S., R.N.
Associate Professor, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA
ABSTRACT
This project was designed to help nurses perform a family assessment in the hospital setting in order to gather a clear picture of families and how they function. In the first phase of the project, nurses from community hospitals in Northern California were interviewed and tape recorded. They were asked what information about children's families they felt important to have during a hospital stay, why and how they would use the information, and what type of assessment they would find most useful.
In the second phase, families of children who had been hospitalized were interviewed. Parents were contacted while their child was hospitalized and their consent was obtained to call them at home when their child was discharged. Families were asked questions concerning how much they felt the staff knew about their family, what they felt nurses should know about their family during their child's stay, and whether family information given to nurses would allow nurses to give better care.
The nurses and parents felt the most important areas to assess
included who is in the family, roles of family members in relation
to the child, the family's level of stress, and their home routine
and environment.
Origin of Petroleum, Neogene Accretionary Margin, Cape Mendocino-Eel River Basin, Northwestern California
McLAUGHLIN, R.J., R.G. STANLEY, P.G. LILLIS, L.B. MAGOON, Z.C. VALIN, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA; M.B. UNDERWOOD, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO; K.R. AALTO, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA; and P.C. VAN de KAMP, Scio, OR
ABSTRACT
Oil and gas reservoirs and seeps in the Cape Mendocino-Eel River basin region are associated with Neogene melange and forearc deposits in an onshore extension of the accretionary margin. This seismically active region experiences high uplift rates, moderately high heat flow, and high fluid pressures.
Oil from seeps and wells in the Cape Mendocino-Petrolia oil field area, and condensate from the Tompkins Hill gas field, have stable carbon isotopic compositions similar to petroleum derived from Miocene source rocks elsewhere in California. Exposed potential source rocks of Miocene or younger age in the area include (1) melange and folded strata of the King Range and False Cape terranes of the Franciscan Complex; and (2) Miocene and younger forearc and marginal basin strata (including the Wildcat Group and Bear River beds) structurally interleaved with the Franciscan Complex.
Radiometric (K-Ar) and apatite fission track dating and vitrinite
reflectance (Ro>l.0), indicate that the King Range terrane
lost any petroleum generation potential during heating in the
middle Miocene. Low total organic carbon (TOC) values and hydrogen
indices (HI) from the False Cape terrane indicate that these rocks
also are not viable sources of petroleum. Fair to good petroleum
generative potential is indicated, however, for thermally immature
Miocene shale and mudstone in the upper Bear River and near Briceland,
with TOC values of 1.1-1.8 wt %, HI >200, and Tmax values of
about 420°C. These data and regional structure suggest petroleum
could have been generated from similar forearc source rocks interleaved
with the Franciscan Complex, that reached thermal maturity during
thrust burial to several kilometers.
STABLE DNA TRANSFORMATION OF C. ELEGANS USING ELECTROPORATION.
C. O'Brien and J. Varkey
Department of Biological Sciences, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA 95521
ABSTRACT
Electroporation can be successfully used as a technique for stable DNA transformation in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The technique currently used for transformation of C. elegans is microinjection. Though a successful technique, it is expensive to set up (approximately $30,000), and special training is required. Electroporation is a cost effective (approximately $4000) and simple alternative. Electroporation has been successfully used for transient expression of introduced DNA in Drosophila embryos. We performed electroporation on isolated embryos and young adult worms. A plasmid containing a mutant collagen gene (rol-6 (su1006), plasmid pRF4) which is extensively used as a C. elegans co-transformation vector was used in these experiments. Wild type worms transformed with this plasmid acquire a distinct roller phenotype that can be easily distinguished in the F1 generation. When 2 x 104 isolated embryos were electroporated, 0.04% expressed the rol-6 mutant phenotype. From these transformants we established a stable (11 generations) line which exhibits a non-Mendelian inheritance. Molecular analysis of this line is in progress. Electroporation of 2 x 104 worms produced .0 15 % rollers, none of which were stable. We are attempting to increase the efficiency of transformation by altering the conditions for electroporation.
(Cell Biology Conference 1995)
Genetic and Phenotypic Characterization Of The spe-25 Gene
of C. elegans
M. Walters, D. Devenport, A. Mathers, S. Young and J. Varkey
Department of Biological Sciences, Humboldt State University,
Arcata, CA 95521
(Spon. by J. Varkey.)
ABSTRACT
Mutations in the spe-25 gene result in sterility of both hermaphrodites and males. The sterile phenotype is due to the inability of the mutants to produce spermatids. In spe-25 mutants, defective spermatocytes fail to undergo meiosis. Even though the defective cells enter meiosis, they fail to complete prophase I. Temperature shift experiments using a temperature sensitive allele (hc132ts) have clearly shown the temperature sensitive period to be the late L3 early L4 stage of development. This is consistent with the observed phenotype of the defective spermatocytes. By two factor and deficiency mapping, the spe-25 gene has been located to the left arm of chromosome III, 0.3 mu from unc-36 between the nDf20 and nDf16 deficiency breakpoints. DNA transformation rescue analysis of the sterile phenotype is in progress. Using an F1 non-complementation screen, two new alleles of the spe-25 gene have been identified. Characterization of these alleles is in progress.
(Undergraduate research project supported by HHMI 71194-535001, NIH R15GN52679-01 and Institutional grants.)
(International Cell Biology Conference. 1996)
Genetic and Phenotypic Characterization of the C. elegans Gene, Spe-30.
Erin Jacks, Jeffrey Allen, Rosalle Louis, Kylee Seitz and Jacob Varkey
Biological Sciences, Humboldt State University
ABSTRACT
In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, mutations in the spe-30 gene cause sterility in both hermaphrodites and males. Phenotypic analysis of mutants showed that spermatocytes failed to divide. DAPI staining revealed that defective spermatocytes are multinucleate, indicating abnormal nuclear division. Preliminary tubulin immunolocalizations show normal spindle formation, although the resolution was not high enough to detect minute changes in the spindle. Preliminary EM analysis suggests the defect is linked to the lack of segregation of organelles during meiotic division. There is one known allele of spe-30 (it135). Isolation of new alleles is in progress using EMS mutagenesis and an F1 non-compelmentation screen. We have screened over two thousand chromosomes and isolated four potential spe30 alleles. The spe-30 gene lies on chromosome IV and has been mapped to approximately 0.8 map units from dpy-20 between dpy-20 (map position 5.18) and unc-24 (map position 3.55). Deficiency analysis has shown that Spe30 is under eDf18, which deletes chromosome IV from 3.88 to 4.30. Fine mapping is in progress using two factor analysis between unc-24 and spe-30 and elt-1 and spe-30. Further deficiency crosses are in progress using eDf19, which deletes chromosome IV from 3.73 to 4.56. Once the map position of spe-30 has been further refined to approximately 0.5 map units, we will begin microinjection transformation experiments to locate the cosmid which contains the spe-30 gene. The region has already been sequenced, and once we identify the cosmid that contains spe-30 we will be able to search for open reading frames within that sequence and eventually locate the exact position of spe-30 on the physical map.
Undergraduate research project supported by HHMI 71196-535002, NIH R15GN52679-01 and Institutional grants.
(National Cell Biology Meetings 1997)
Computationally-determined pre-adsorbate structures of simple
hydrocarbon molecules and their perfluorocarbon analogs
Byron Wanzong, Robert W. Zoellner, and William G. Golden
Humboldt State University
ABSTRACT
Perfluorocarbon molecules are of fundamental importance to
many industrial processes, and are commonly used as lubricants
under highly demanding conditions. The rigidity of a molecule
can strongly affect both the surface adsorption energetics and
the desorption energies. Thus, the rigidity will ultimately affect
the material's lubricant properties. However, the stiffness of
a molecule may not be related to the force constants of normal
mode vibrations, because rearrangements occurring during adsorption
are not limited by the symmetry of the isolated molecule. We report
the computational comparison of the non-equilibrium, non-normal
mode structures of simple hydrocarbon molecules (methane, CH4,
ethane, C2H6, propane, C3H8, etc.). These structures will be compared
to their perfluorocarbon analogs (tetrafluoromethane, CF4, hexafluoroethane,
C2F6, octafluoropropane, C3F8, etc.) to determine the relative
flexibility of these molecules during simulated adsorption. In
this computational investigation, the PC SPARTAN PlusÆ program
(Wavefunction, Inc.), employing the PM3 semiempirical method,
has been used extensively. The molecular deformation modes expected
to be important in the adsorption process will be defined, and
the deformation energetics in both the hydrocarbon and perfluorocarbon
series will be compared.
The relationship between self-efficacy and safer sex behaviors.
Lisa Anne McElligott & Lou Ann Wieand
ABSTRACT
Most people in the United States know about HIV transmission and infection. Yet many people do not use this knowledge to help them make safe sexual decisions. This research sought possible explanations for this gap between knowledge and action. It was proposed that belief in one's own effectiveness (perceived self-efficacy) to perform safer sex behaviors would have an impact on the outcome.
Students at HSU answered questions designed to measure their level of HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes towards condom use, and general self-efficacy. They also read nine scenarios depicting encounters leading to potential sexual interactions. For each situation, they were asked to state how they were most likely to react.
Results suggested that general measures of self efficacy were poorer predictors of safer sex behaviors than were specific measures of condom use self-efficacy. Additionally, greater past experience with condoms as well as comfort level in communicating about sexual behaviors predicted significantly fewer risky sexual behaviors. The importance of these results for HIV/AIDS prevention programs is discussed.
Youth, HIV Risk, and Condom Use: Testing Models of Prediction
and Intervention
Lou Ann Wieand, M. Kimberly Beal, Eden Opsahl, Jesse Brennan
ABSTRACT
HSU students were randomly assigned to one of five pilot intervention programs designed to reduce sexual risk-taking behaviors. These peer-led risk-reduction interventions varied the focus of critical variables in two theoretical models, the AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM) (Catania, et al, 1990) and the Information-Motivation-Behavior model (IMB)(Fisher and Fisher, 1992), as well as tested some experimental hypotheses of the authors. Pre and post-tests were analyzed for changes in HIV/AIDS knowledge, condom attitudes, as well as actual condom use. The results are compared with a wait list control group. Although the Ns were too small to analyze specific interventions for their unique ability to increase condom use, in all intervention groups, condom use significantly increases when compared with control group use.
Discussion focuses upon the necessity to empirically test and validate theoretical models of HIV prevention and to evaluate their relative efficacy in reducing sexual risk.
Microbial Diversity of Mojave Desert Microbiotic Soil Crusts
S. Edinger-Marshall (1), C.H. Yang (2), M. Reynolds (2), and D.E. Crowley (2)
(1) Humboldt State University, Department of Rangeland Resources
and Wildland Soils
(2) University of California, Riverside, Department of Environmental
Sciences
ABSTRACT
Few published studies have used molecular biological techniques in wildland soils, particularly those associated with microbiotic crusts in desert ecosystems. Soil surface crusts interest resource managers and scientists because of their influence on soil erosion, infiltration rates, seed germination and nutrient cycling. In this study, bacterial community diversity and structure were compared between crusted soils and adjacent disturbed souls from six geographically separated locations in the Mojave Desert of California using 16s rDNA fingerprints generated by PCR and denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis. Total bacterial DNA was aseptically extracted from the top 5 mm of soil. DNA fragments from the V3 region of 16s rDNA were amplified by PCR using eubacterial primers, these fragments were then subjected to a DGGE to investigate the community structure of each soil sample. From the DNA DGGE profiles of 16s rDNA, five to seven dominant bands were detected from different crusted soils. Based on banding pattern similarity, community structure and species composition appeated to be similar for several crusts, even for sample locations separated by 100 kilometers or more. Fewer and different bands were observed in disturbed soils when compared to crust soils, suggesting loss of structure and greater species evenness. Based on these initial findings, it may be concluded that microbial communities associated with microbiotic crusts are highly structured, and can be severely disrupted by disturbance. Long term studies will be required to examine resilience of these communities as a function od disturbance type and time elapsed since the disturbance event.
Presented at: 99th General Meeting, American Society for Microbiology, May 30 - June 3, 1999, Chicago, IL.
Partly supported by a "Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities" grant from Humboldt State University.
Early Socialization of Female versus Male Rescuers and Nonrescuers
of Jews during the
Holocaust
Mary B. Gruber, Jeanne Wielgus, Pearl M. Oliner, and Samuel
P. Oliner
Altruistic Personality and Prosocial Behavior Institute
Humboldt State University
This study investigated gender differences in early socialization of rescuers and nonrescuers of Jews, as an extension of the research reported in The Altruistic Personality by Oliner and Oliner (1988). Structured interviews were given to 510 respondents who had lived in Nazi-occupied Europe. The groups included: 186 female and 160 male rescuers, who were officially recognized by Yad Vashem as rescuing Jews; 31 female and 36 male helpers, who were not officially recognized by who stated that they had helped Jews; and 46 female and 51 male bystanders, who did not claim to have helped Jews. Survey questions were grouped into topics which included: family closeness, values taught by parents, parental comments about Jews, types of discipline, religiosity and values taught by the church, personal characteristics as a child, variety of childhood friendships, and perceived similarity to other groups. Factor analyses were conducted on items within each topic grouping, and factor scores were generated. A 2 x 3 analysis of covariance was then conducted on each of the factors, using gender (female and male) and group (rescuer, helper, and bystander) as quasi-independent variables, with age as a covariate. Several overall significant gender differences emerged. Females scored significantly higher than males on Personal Integrity as a Child and on Perceived Similarity to Other Groups. Males scored significantly higher on the factors of Family Closeness, Parental Talking about Jews, Parental Negative Stereotyping of Jews, Variety of Discipline Received, Personal Potency as a Child, and Variety of Childhood Friendships. Several overall significant group differences also emerged. Rescuers scored highest on the factors of Family Closeness, Parental Valuing of Care, Parental Talking about Jews, Parental Positive Comments about Jews, Personal Integrity as a Child, Variety of Friendships, Number of Jewish Friends, and Perceived Similarity to Other Groups. Bystanders scored highest on the factors of Parental Valuing of Obedience, Parental Negative Stereotyping of Jews, and Variety of Discipline Received. Two factors showed significant gender by group interactions. These were Parental Valuing of Obedience and Parental Negative Stereotyping of Jews, in which the male bystanders scored higher than the other five groups. Although there were a number of overall gender differences in early socialization experiences, many of the same variables contributed toward predicting rescue activity for both females and males. These socialization factors include the fostering of both elements which comprise the concept of extensivity: attachment, or caring for those who are close to oneself, along with inclusiveness, or extending that caring to those who are different.
Presented at the Western Psychological Association Annual Convention, San Francisco, April 27, 1991.
Personality Differences among Female versus Male Rescuers
and Nonrescuers of Jews during the
Holocaust
Jeanne Wielgus, Mary B. Gruber, Samuel P. Oliner, and Pearl M. Oliner
Altruistic Personality and Prosocial Behavior Institute
Humboldt State University
This study examined gender differences in personality characteristics of rescuers and nonrescuers of Jews, as an extension of the research reported in The Altruistic Person by Oliner and Oliner (1988). Structured interviews were given to 510 respondents who had lived in Nazi-occupied Europe. The groups included: 186 female and 160 male rescuers, who were officially recognized by Yad Vashem as rescuing Jews; 31 female and 36 male helpers, who were not officially recognized but who stated that they had helped Jews; and 46 female and 51 male bystanders, who did not claim to have helped Jews. Included in the interviews were 42 items from Berkowitz and Lutterman's Social Responsibility Scale, Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale, Mehrabian and Epstein's Empathy Scale, and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale. A 2 x 3 analysis of covariance was conducted on each personality measure, using gender (female and male) and group (rescuer, helper, and bystander) as quasi-independent variables, with age as a covariate. Social Responsibility Scale scores showed a significant group difference, with rescuers and helpers scoring higher than the bystanders. A significant gender by group interaction also occurred, with the male bystanders scoring lower in social responsibility than the other five groups. Internal-External Locus of Control Scale scores showed a significant group difference, with rescuers and helpers scoring more internally than the bystanders. Empathy Scale scores showed a significant gender difference, with females scoring higher on empathy than males. A significant gender by group interaction also occurred, with the male bystanders scoring lower on empathy than the other five groups. Self-Esteem Scale scores showed a significant gender difference, with males scoring higher on self-esteem than females. For females, the rescuers, helpers, and bystanders scored equally high on social responsibility and empathy and equally moderate on self-esteem. The personality trait that distinguished female rescuers and helpers from female bystanders was an internal locus of control, or the belief that she could make a difference through her actions. For males, the rescuers, helpers, and bystanders scored equally high on self-esteem. The personality traits that distinguished male rescuers and helpers from male bystanders were a stronger sense of social responsibility and empathy.
Presented at the Western Psychological Association Annual Convention, Los Angeles, April 27, 1990.
Evaluation of Character Attributes According to Physical Attractiveness of Children
Jill Montre and Mary B. Gruber
Humboldt State University
The purpose of this experiment was to examine whether children's attractiveness has a biasing effect of adults' ratings of their personalities. A pilot study pre-determined a set of photographs of attractive and unattractive male and female children to be used as visual stimuli in the study. The actual subjects consisted of 100 male and 100 female college students. Each subject received the same, identical written descriptive case history of a child. Along with the written case history was attached a photograph from one of four conditions: attractive boy, attractive girl, unattractive boy, unattractive girl. Each subject also received a questionnaire asking them to rate their perception of the child on a semantic differential scale for 20 personality attributes. Analysis of variance indicated that the attractive children were rated as significantly more intelligent, popular, carefree, happy, attractive, healthy, honest, powerful, hopeful, competent, independent, sociable, and loved than were the unattractive children. The attractive children were not rated as significantly more aggressive, serious, moral, carefree, normal, emotional, or funny than the unattractive children, however. In addition, the subjects' ratings of the children's attractiveness were significantly and positively correlated with the ratings of the children as intelligent, popular, moral, carefree, confident, happy, normal, healthy, honest, powerful, hopeful, competent, independent, emotional, sociable, and loved. Ratings of the children's attractiveness were not significantly correlated with ratings of the children as aggressive, serious, or funny. Factor analysis was used to condense the 20 adjective items into four factor scales. A 2x2x2 analysis of covariance for attractiveness of child, gender of child, and gender of subject, with age of subject as a covariate, was performed on each descriptive scale. Results indicated that the attractive children were rated higher than the unattractive children on the Popular-and-Successful factor, the Powerful-and-Confident factor, and the Honest-and-Wholesome factor. The attractive and unattractive children were not rated significantly differently on the Carefree-and-Fun factor, however. Those who work with children should be aware of the biasing effect of children's physical attractiveness on adults' ratings of their personalities, since this effect has implications for prejudicial treatment of children and for children's self-esteem.
Presented at the Western Psychological Association Annual Convention, Kona, Hawaii, April 28, 1994.
Effects of Fictitious Win-Lose Feedback on Self-Perception and Competitive Motor Performance
Lisa A. Carson and Mary B. Gruber
Humboldt State University
This experiment was conducted to evaluate the concept of psychological momentum, which sport psychologists view as an increase in self-confidence and subsequent performance which occurs as a result of perceived gains in a competitive situation. Forty college students were each placed in apparent competition with a same-sex confederate. Prior to each trial, subjects rated their degree of expectation of winning, confidence in their ability, and anxiety about their performance on the next trial. Three one-minute trials were given on a rotary pursuit task of tracking a moving light with a hand-held stylus, and time on target was recorded. After each trial, subjects were given fictitious feedback about whether they had won or lost that trial. Subjects were randomly assigned to four different feedback conditions, which were win-win, win-lose, lose-win, and lose-lose feedback, given after the first and second trials respectively. Subjects who were told they won showed significantly higher next-trial expectations of winning, confidence in their ability, and actual motor performance scores, compared to subjects who were told they lost, thereby supporting the concept of psychological momentum. The win-win group showed the greatest overall first-to-third trial increases in expectation of winning, confidence in ability, and actual motor performance, while the lose-lose group showed the least. The win-lose and lose-win groups were compared to test contrasting predictions of the primacy effect, which predicts that a series with an initial win followed by a loss provides more psychological momentum to a competitor than an initial loss followed by a win, versus the comeback effect, which predicts the reverse. While the lose-win group showed greater first-to-third trial increases in expectation of winning and decreases in anxiety, the win-lose group showed greater first-to-third trial improvements in actual motor performance. Thus the results favor the comeback effect with respect to confidence, but favor the primacy effect with respect to actual motor performance.
Presented at the Western Psychological Association Annual Convention, Los Angeles, April 28, 1990.
Effectiveness of the "Home-Team" Approach in a Children's Fitness Program
Mary B. Gruber, Kathy D. Munoz, Chris A. Hopper, and Robert
Herb
Humboldt State University
The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of including versus not including children's families in a six-week program to teach children about exercise and nutrition. Six classes of fifth and sixth graders were assigned to three different treatment conditions, with one fifth grade and one sixth grade class in each condition. The three conditions were a school-and-home treatment condition (n=50), a school-only condition (n=47), and a control condition (n=51). In the control condition, children were given no additional instruction in exercise or nutrition concepts beyond that provided in their regular school curriculum. In the school-and-home and school-only conditions, children were provided with additional in-class instruction and activities relating to healthy exercise and nutrition habits. In the school-and-home condition, the children's parents were also asked to participate by engaging in specific exercise and nutrition activities at home with their family as a "home team". Family teams received weekly points for completing exercise and nutrition activities. Stickers and other rewards were presented contingent upon family participation. Between-groups analysis of variance showed significant differences at posttest, with pairwise comparisons showing the school-and-home group scoring higher than the control group on tests of flexibility, exercise knowledge, and nutrition knowledge, and significantly lower than the control group on percent of calories obtained from fat. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed that the school-and-home group with family participation significantly increased their number of timed sit-ups and significantly decreased their time to run a mile, while the school-and-home children with no family participation did not. Repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated that only the control group showed a significant pretest to posttest increase in skinfolds, while the other groups showed no significant change. The participating parents showed significant pretest to posttest improvements on the flexibility and sit-ups tests, and a significant reduction in their intake of saturated fat. Parents showed no significant change in exercise and nutrition knowledge, but the individual parents' degree of change in knowledge scores did correlate significantly and positively with those of their children. The "home-team" approach was effective in improving some fitness components of children and their parents, indicating that the family unit can be effective in producing lifestyle changes.
Last modified 24 October 2000