Gloria Leventhal

Female criminality: is "women's lib" to blame?

This study examined the idea that the rise in female criminality in America may be a function of recent changes in womens roles and attitudes, as influenced by the Womens Liberation Movement. 25 female criminals and 25 non-criminals were given the Attitude Towards Women Scale, Open Subordination to Women Scale, and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Mf Scale. Analysis indicated that female criminals perceived themselves as being less than traditionally feminine in a world where women should conform to their stereotypically defined roles and behaviors in opposition to what “Womens Lib” would suggest. The opposite was true for the non-criminal females. That it is possible the increase in criminality among females may be accounted for by the increase in arrests and convictions of women was discussed.

Self-Perceived Transformation of Negro-to-Black Identity

To examine changes in self-perceptions, 25 male and 25 female low-income, black college students rated personal statements in accordance with how they (a) retrospectively viewed themselves (4 and 2 yr. ago), (b) presently view themselves, and (c) projectively will view themselves. Responses showed a significant transition away from a past Negro to a present and future black identity (χ2 = 97.89, df = 9, p < .001). Social and cultural forces over time probably led to changes in racial identity more than changes in personal identity.

CORRELATIONS AMONG FIELD DEPENDENCE/INDEPENDENCE, LOCUS OF CONTROL AND SELF-MONITORING

72 college students completed the Witkin Rod and Frame Test and the Group Embedded Figures Test as measures of Field Dependence/Independence, the Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Locus of Control Scale, and the Snyder Self-monitoring Scale. Analysis indicated a small but significant relationship between scores on the first two tests but none between the second two. A significant correlation between scores on locus of control with the Group Embedded Figures Test and none with the Rod and Frame test, and a small but significant relationship between scores on self-monitoring with those on both measures of field dependence.

A Descriptive Demographic and Personality Study of Second-Generation Jewish Holocaust Survivors

This descriptive study was done to identify critical demographic and personality descriptors associated with second generation Jewish Holocaust survivors. Subjects rated Self, Mother, and Father on 34 adjectives from the Adjective Check List deemed relevant for this population. Findings were discussed in terms of developing realistic psychological intervention programs.

Physical, social, and personal factors in the perception of crowding

This study investigated the effects of density, posters, sex of subject, and group composition on anagram solving and also the perception of oneself and the physical and social environment. There were four major findings: (1) The addition of posters to a room in a high density nonsocial situation led to enhanced perceptions of crowding for males but not for females. These results were interpreted in terms of sensory overload. (2) Females rated themselves more positively in high density while males rated themselves more positively in low density. (3) Subjects rated the physical environment more negatively in high density than in low density. (4) There was no density effect on anagram solving.

EFFECTS OF ATTITUDE, SEX, AND APPROACH ON NONVERBAL, VERBAL AND PROJECTIVE MEASURES OF PERSONAL SPACE

This study investigated the effects of attitude, sex of subject, sex of invader, plane of approach, and approach trial on personal space using nonverbal, verbal, and projective measures. 10 male and 10 female subjects were approached from the front and side by a male and female invader who projected one of three attitudes: a positive, affable manner; a neutral, impartial manner; or a negative hostile manner. The factorial analysis indicated effects of sex of invader, plane of approach, and several interactions of these factors with sex of subject. These results were interpreted in terms of societal norms and potential physical and psychological threat. The observed effects of attitude were hypothesized to be a function of the different socialization processes for males and females.

Cerebral dominance and attentional bias in word recognition.

This study investigated the role of cerebral dominance, functional localization, and attentional bias on the recognition of neutral and emotionally charged words presented unilaterally and bilaterally by a tachistoscope to the left and right visual fields of 42 left and 42 right handers. The major findings were: (1) Over-all, right handers perceived more words than left handers; (2) Although more neutral words were perceived, there were no interactive effects for type of word; (3) Unilateral presentation: LVF = RVF for left and right handers; Bilateral presentation: left handers evidenced a left visual-field advantage, right handers evidenced a right visual-field advantage; (4) Directional cuing did not magnify the existing visual field advantage but increased efficiency of recognition for words presented to the correctly cued nondominant visual field and decreased efficiency of recognition for words presented to the incorrectly cued dominant visual field. It was concluded that, although each hemisphere was equally capable of processing single words, cerebral dominance and functional localization interact with attentional bias to produce the observed differential in word recognition of the left and right visual fields.

Body Image of Drug and Alcohol Abusers

This study attempted to determine whether male and female drug and alcohol abusers evidenced more body image distortions than nonabusers. Body image was measured by magnitude estimations of 22 two-dimensional body parts. Results indicated a differential sex effect for the drug and alcohol abusers: Male abusers manifested body image distortions related to heightened need for control and power; female abusers manifested body image distortions related to feelings of insecurity and inferiority.

EFFECT OF PRIOR PERFORMANCE ON SUBSEQUENT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION BY FIELD INDEPENDENT-DEPENDENT RATERS '

The importance of accurate performance appraisals is central to many aspects of personnel activities in organizations. This study examined threats due to past performance to accuracy of evaluation of subsequent performance by raters differing in scores on field dependence. 162 college students were classified as Field-dependent (n = 81) or Field-independent (n = 81), using a median split on the Group Embedded Figures Test. Past performance (a lecture) was good or poor, presented directly via a videotape or indirectly via a written evaluation to the Field-independent or Field-dependent groups. Analysis indicated the hypothesized contrast effect (ratings in the opposite direction from that of prior ratings) in the Direct condition and an unexpected, albeit smaller, contrast effect in the Indirect condition. There were also differential effects of performance, presentation, and field dependency on rating of lecturers style and ability.

Differential effects of spatial crowding and sex on behavior.

This study examined the nature of the interaction of the spatial variables, number of people in a group and density, with sex of subject as it affects the experience of crowding and behavior. A 3 × 2 factorial design was employed; the independent variables were spatial crowding and sex, and the dependent variables, measures of performance on a memory task, perceived comfort, and perception of the environment. 90 males and 90 females were tested in homogeneous sex groups in one of three conditions: (a) 30 subjects per group, (b) 6 subjects to a group sitting as close together as (a), and (c) 6 subjects per group sitting far apart. The major finding was the differential effect of the spatial variables on males and females for accuracy of perception of some aspects of the environment; for males, number of people in the group was the critical factor, for females density was the critical factor. Other results indicated that all subjects, regardless of sex, felt less comfortable in large groups than in small ones but that density influenced the judgment of how many people could fit comfortably in the room. There was no significant effect of the spatial variables on memory. One implication of this study is that future research on crowding should concentrate more on interactive effects rather than single factors.