Erik E. Filsinger

Religiosity, Socioeconomic Rewards, and Family Development: Predictors of Marital Adjustment.

The predictive effects of religiosity, socioeconomic rewards, andfamily development characteristics on marital adjustment were examined. Two-hundred eight couples from eight Protestant churches responded to a questionnaire containing measures of each research area. Religiosity was found to be the most predictive variable, even when controlling for social desirability. The results are discussed in terms of implications for theories of family functioning.

Religiosity and Marital Adjustment: Multidimensional Interrelationships.

Although previous research supports the existence of a relationship between religiosity and marital adjustment, relatively little is known about the relationship among various dimensions of the two variables. In this study, data from a sample of 190 married couples were analyzed to isolate aspects of religiosity that predicted each of four dimensions of marital adjustment. Religious ritual, experience, and, to a lesser extent, belief correlated significantly with the dimensions of marital adjustment, even when controlling for marital conventionality (social desirability). The consequential dimension correlated with marital adjustment for men, but not for women.

An examination of the effects of putative pheromones on human judgments

Abstract Recent research suggests possible pheromonal effects of alpha androstenone and alpha androstenol, two steroids secreted by human apocrine glands. Using a paradigm of rating self and pictures of a target male and female in the presence of an odor, potential effects of the putative pheromones and a synthetic musk were examined. Significant multivariate odor condition effects were noted. Compared to the no-odor condition, the musk odors decreased self-rated sexiness of male subjects. For males, androstenol increased the sexual attractiveness of the target male. For females, androstenone decreased the sexual attractiveness of the target male and female. Androstenone also decreased the rated strength of the target male for females. Few differences between the putative pheromones and a synthetic musk were noted. The results are discussed in terms of comparison to past literature and suggestions for future research.

Human (Homo sapiens) responses to the pig (Sus scrofa) sex pheromone 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3-one.

Previous studies have suggested that the pig sex pheromone 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3-one may function as a human sex pheromone. Two hundred male and female college students were assigned to one of four odor conditions (androstenone, methyl anthranilate, skatole, and a no-odor control) and were asked to rate photographs of a male stimulus and to rate their own mood in the presence of each odorant. There was a significant overall sex by treatment condition interaction. Men in the androstenone condition rated the stimulus male as more passive, and women in the androstenone condition rated themselves as less sexy; these effects were specific to the androstenone condition.

The Lineage Transmission of Interpersonal Competence.

Little research has investigated the lineage transmission of interpersonal relationship characteristics. It is suggested that interpersonal competence in both intimate and general social relationships is transmitted down generational lines. Using adjustment to intimate and to general social relationships as indicators of interpersonal competence, a sample of college students and their parents were studied for evidence of lineage effects. The strongest evidence of lineage transmission of characteristics was for interpersonal competence in general social situations. Mothers social avoidance and distress (Watson and Friend, 1969) was significantly related to her childs adjustment to intimate relationships and interpersonal competence in general social situations. Fathers social self-esteem (Helmreich and Stapp, 1974) was significantly related to childs social self-esteem. However, there was no lineage transmission of interpersonal competence in intimate relationships to the child by either parent. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the lineage transmission of marital stability/instability.

INTROVERSION-EXTRAVERSION AND DIMENSIONS OF OLFACTORY PERCEPTION

A possible relationship between odor perception and introversion-extraversion was explored. 195 subjects completed Eysencks Introversion-Extraversion Scale and rated strength, familiarity, and pleasantness of four odors. Zero-order correlations were examined and the data were factor analyzed. The introversion-extraversion items formed a factor separate from three olfactory factors.

Sex differences in response to the odor of alpha androstenone.

Additional analyses of ratings by 98 male and 102 female college students assigned to one of four odor conditions showed no significant correlations for the methyl anthranilate or skatole odor conditions, but the pattern of correlations for men and women was different in the alpha androstenone condition, e.g., if men found alpha androstenone pleasant they tended to rate the target male positively.

Odor Communication, Pheromones, and Human Families

Recent evidence suggests that human odor communication may have particular relevance for family scholars. This paper examines the role of odor communication in kin recognition, parental attachment, mate selection, and procreation. Evidence for odor communication in each of these areas is critically presented. Weaknesses in the current literature are addressed and the implications and potential research avenues for family scholars are outlined.

Olfaction and young children’s preferences: A comparison of odor and visual cues

This research compared the relative contributions of odor and visual cues in determining young children’s preferences. Thirty-two children were assigned randomly to one of four groups that differed in the order in which odorants and colors were presented. The children were tested in two sessions which differed in terms of the odorant concentrations (16 or 1,600 times threshold). On each occasion, the children were presented with four bottles which contained colored flowers (red, purple, orange, and yellow) and different odors (benzaldehyde, dimethyl disulfide, androstenone, and no odor). The children were asked to verbally indicate their odor preferences and then were asked to select the bottles they preferred. The results indicated that children failed to differen-tiate among the odors via self-report indices. At low concentrations, children’s behavioral preferences were significantly influenced by color (red and purple were most preferred, yellow and orange were least preferred), but not odor. At higher concentrations, children’s behavioral preferences were significantly influenced by odor (benzaldehyde most preferred, dimethyl disulfide least preferred), but not color. The results suggest that although there are general color preferences, children’s odor preferences depend on intensity. Issues relevant to future research are discussed.

A Machine-Aided Marital Observation Technique: The Dyadic Interaction Scoring Code.

The Dyadic Interaction Scoring Code (DISC) is presented as a marital observation system designed to be compatible with the Datamyte 900 Data Collector. Its derivation from existing coding systems and its contributions are discussed. Data on marital interaction provide a research example of its usage. Session rates of the behaviors are correlated with measures of session satisfaction and family cohesion. Sequential analyses of the coded behaviors offer a look at the process of marital interaction and also are correlated with the satisfaction and cohesion scores. The ability of the DISC to describe marital interaction in various research areas is discussed.