Chris L. Kleinke

Sex differences in coping with depression

A Depression Coping Questionnaire (DCQ) was devised to compare strategies for coping with depression reported by male and female college students. Discriminant analysis showed that females were significantly more likely than males to report crying, eating, smoking cigarettes, becoming irritable, and confronting their feelings when depressed. Males were significantly more likely than females to report becoming aggressive and engaging in sexual behavior when depressed. Discriminant analysis data from students in Massachusetts showed significant cross-validation with discriminant analysis data from students in California. Comparison of depressed males and females indicated that depressed males reported behaviors of withdrawal such as spending time alone and using stimulating and tranquilizing drugs. Depressed females reported self-blame. Significant multiple correlations between DCQ questions and depression scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) showed that high BDI scores were associated with isolation and escape in males, and with self-blame and acting out in females. It is concluded that depressed females might benefit most from alleviation of self-blame and adaptive relabeling of depressive symptoms, and depressed males might benefit most from increased self-awareness and active coping.

Effects of gaze, touch, and use of name on evaluation of “Engaged” couples☆

Abstract Videotapes were made of actors playing the role of engaged couples in an ostensible interview with a research psychologist. Couples either gazed at each other or did not gaze, used each others name five times or not at all, and touched each other or did not touch. The videotaped interviews were shown to groups of introductory psychology students for ratings on ten polar adjective scales. Gaze proved to be the most important variable, with gazing couples rated significantly more positively than non-gazing couples on all dimensions. Touching couples were rated more favorably than non-touching couples and name using couples received less favorable ratings than non-name using couples. Results of the study were related to equilibrium theory and discussed within the framework of other research relating nonverbal variables to interpersonal attraction.

Effects of self-attributed and other-attributed gaze on interpersonal evaluations between males and females ☆

Abstract Male and female subjects were placed together in pairs for 10 min to get to know each other and talk about anything they wished. After the conversation, an experimenter gave the participants false feedback about the amount of gaze between them during the conversation. One subject (designated Self ) was reported by the experimenter to have gazed at the Other at a higher level than usual for most people, at an average level, or at a lower level than usual for most people. After the conversation and the false feedback manipulation, subjects evaluated each other on a rating form. Results of the experiment showed that females gave males the most favorable ratings when they had ostensibly gazed at the males at a high level. Males were most favorable toward females when they thought they had given the females low levels of gaze. When considering the gaze of the other person, both male and female subjects rated a low gazing partner as least attentive and a high gazing partner as most sincere. Males rated low gazing females as least attractive. Females rated males with high reported gaze as least attractive. The research was discussed in terms of Bems theory that attitudes are a function rather than a cause of behavior. Results were integrated with past research and suggestions for further study were made.

Attributions for smoking behavior: Comparing smokers with nonsmokers and predicting smokers' cigarette consumption☆

Abstract A revised version of J. H. Coans (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1973 , 26, 86–104) Smoking Survey was completed by smokers and nonsmokers in two studies. The Revised Smoking Survey was factor analyzed and discriminant function analysis was used to compare smokers and nonsmokers on the resulting nine smoking motives. Nonsmokers gave significantly more agreement to items on the Revised Smoking Survey comprising the following smoking motives: Sophistication, Health-Nuisance, Addiction, Stimulation, Sensorimotor Pleasure. Smokers gave significantly more agreement than nonsmokers to only one smoking motive: Relaxation. Multiple correlations between smoking motives and selfreported cigarette consumption were .754 (Study 1) and .670 (Study 2). The most important motives predicting cigarette consumption were Addiction and Affective Smoking. Results were related to attributional theories of arousal and to research measuring peoples (in)ability to accurately explain their behaviors. It was recommended that cigarette smoking cessation programs should provide smokers with skills for relaxation and for coping with withdrawal.

Effects of Dress on Compliance to Requests in a Field Setting

Summary Neatly and sloppily dressed female confederates (Cs) approached 62 male and 62 female Ss at Bostons Logan Airport and made the following request: “Excuse me. Could you lend me a dime?” Significantly more Ss gave dimes to neatly rather than sloppily dressed Cs (81% vs. 32%) and significantly more males gave dimes than females (64% vs. 50%).

Effects of False Feedback about Response Lengths on Subjects' Perception of an Interview

Summary Sixty-four female freshmen were interviewed about various attitudes toward their college. Halfway through the interview, three groups of subjects were told falsely by the experimenter that their responses to the questions had been significantly longer than average, of about average length, or significantly shorter than average. A fourth group of subjects was given no false feedback. Subjects with longer than average false feedback increased their response lengths significantly during the last half of the interview and rated the interview questions significantly more favorably than other subjects. Subjects with shorter than average false feedback also gave significantly longer responses during the second half of the interview, but did not differ from average false feedback and no feedback subjects in their favorability toward the interview questions. Results of the study were discussed in terms of Bems self-perception theory.

Interpersonal Attraction and Visual Behavior as a Function of Perceived Arousal and Evaluation by an Opposite Sex Person

Summary Forty female college students were interviewed by male interviewers (Is) and led to believe that the Is had given them either favorable, neutral, or unfavorable evaluations. Half of the Ss were given false heart-rate feedback indicating that their arousal was significantly higher than that of other people being interviewed. The remaining Ss were given false heart-rate feedback that their arousal was average. It was predicted according to Berscheid and Walsters love theory that perceived arousal in the presence of a favorable I would be labeled as positive affection and perceived arousal in the presence of an unfavorable I would be labeled as negative affection. This prediction was supported by the finding that “aroused” Ss expressed greatest willingness to return for a second interview with a favorable I and least willingness to return for a second interview with an unfavorable I. For “nonaroused” Ss, I evaluations had no influence on expressed willingness to return. Evaluations given by Ss to Is...

Assignment of Responsibility for Marital Conflict to Husbands and Wives: Sex Stereotypes or a Double Standard?

Male and female students from three universities were asked to rate how much conflict in six areas of marriage is caused by the husband and how much conflict is caused by the wife. It was concluded that both males and females still hold to the stereotype of assigning responsibility for conflict in housekeeping to wives and responsibility for conflict in family finances to husbands. Males in one sample showed a double standard by blaming wives more than husbands for over-all conflict in marriage. Females were equal in over-all attribution of marital conflict to husbands and wives.