C. Abraham Fenster

The Use of Chance Corrected Percentage of Agreement to Interpret the Results of a Discriminant Analysis

Most programs for performing discriminant analysis provide a summary table of hits and misses in predicting group membership by using the discriminant function. The interpretation of such tables can be enhanced greatly by computing Cohens kappa, κ, the chance corrected percentage of agreement between actual and predicted group membership. The standard error of kappa can be used to set confidence limits for the accuracy of the discriminant prediction and to test the difference in predictive accuracy for two independent samples. This was demonstrated in this article, using data previously published in a more preliminary form.

Accuracy of vocal emotional communications among children and adults and the power of negative emotions

Two tapes of six emotions (anger, fear, sadness, contentment, happiness, love) recorded by child and adult speakers were played to child and adult listeners to determine whether (a) each group of listeners responds more accurately to positive or negative emotions; (b) each group of speakers communicates positive or negative emotions more accurately; (c-g) there were specific ways in which children adn adults differ in accuracy of perceiving and communicating the six emotions studied. Two hundred and ten white, male, middle-class Ss were used. It was found that (a) all listener groups perceived negative emotions more accurately; (b) all speaker groups communicated negative emotions more accurately; (c) there was a developmental trend in the ability to accurately perceive vocal communication; (d) children and adults did not differ significantly in the ability to express emotions; (e) adults perceived fear more accurately; (f) children communicated fear more accurately; (g) adults communicated sadness more accurately than children.

Employer Attitudes Toward Work-Release Programs and the Hiring of Offenders:

Previous studies on attitudes toward work-release programs have indicated that employers, and sheriffs with experience in those programs, respond positively, while sheriffs without such experience are about evenly divided. This paper assessed the attitudes of potential employers towards various aspects of work-release programs in order to identify the most likely participants and the viability of expanding such work-release programs. Analysis of the results of a group-administered questionnaire-given to a group of potential employers who were members of service organizations, the Lions Club and the Rotary Club-revealed that a clear majority of this group of potential employers were sympathetic though with some reservations noted. While employers of ex-offenders and victims of crime were less responsive, about 40% of these groups were also willing to hire work-releasees. The need for effective planning, administration, research, and publicity was underscored.

A Model for a Doctor of Psychology Program in Forensic Psychology: Curriculum and Rationale

Being a proposal for a new doctoral training program in an applied field and a curriculum which has been developed in some detail.

The “Dumb Cop”: Myth or Reality? An Examination of Police Intelligence

Summary Previous research on police intelligence has largely been confined to the study of new recruits who are just entering police work. Conflicting results have frequently been reported since police selection procedures appear to vary substantially from year to year as a result of criminal, economic, social, and other factors. Using policemen of varying experience, this study found both college and non-college police to be of higher IQ than the general population. Also, college educated police (IQ=115) obtained scores only slightly (though significantly) higher than non-college police (IQ=110). The findings do not support the stereotyped notion of the “dumb cop.”