Kevin J. Corcoran

Social physique anxiety, body esteem, and social anxiety in bodybuilders and self-reported anabolic steroid users

Social physique anxiety, upper body esteem, social anxiety, and body dissatisfaction were examined among self-reported anabolic steroid (AS)-using bodybuilders, non-using bodybuilders, athletically active exercisers, and non-exercising individuals. Results indicate that: (a) the AS-using bodybuilder group had significantly lower levels of social physique anxiety than non-user groups, (b) AS-using bodybuilders have significantly higher upper body strength ratings than do non-users (non-using bodybuilders, athletically active exercisers, and non-exercisers), and (c) no differences among groups on a measure of social anxiety. Implications for further research and intervention are discussed in terms of the differences between anabolic steroids and other substances of abuse.

If You Post It, Will They Come? Lecture Availability in Introductory Psychology:

Web-enhanced educational programs such as Blackboard (2003; http://www.blackboard.com/) provide opportunities for instructors to make supplemental course materials available to students. However, little research has investigated the effects of unlimited access to course lectures on achievement and attendance in traditional postsecondary classroom settings. Thus, we investigated the effect of lecture presentation availability on class attendance and academic performance in 2 sections of introductory psychology courses. Students with unlimited access to lecture presentations earned significantly higher grades than students who did not have similar access. Although we did not find significant differences in attendance between classes, attendance moderated the relation between class format and course grade. We discuss further implications and future research.

Target Acquisition with UAVS: Vigilance Displays and Advanced Cuing Interfaces

Vigilance and threat detection are critical human factors considerations in the control of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Utilizing a vigilance task in which threat detections (critical signals) led observers to perform a subsequent manual target acquisition task, this study provides information that might have important implications for both of these considerations in the design of future UAV systems. A sensory display format resulted in more threat detections, fewer false alarms, and faster target acquisition times and imposed a lighter workload than did a cognitive display format. Additionally, advanced visual, spatial-audio, and haptic cuing interfaces enhanced acquisition performance over no cuing in the target acquisition phase of the task, and they did so to a similar degree. Thus, in terms of potential applications, this research suggests that a sensory format may be the best display format for threat detection by future UAV operators, that advanced cuing interfaces may prove useful in future UAV systems, and that these interfaces are functionally interchangeable.

Ecstasy (MDMA) exposure and neuropsychological functioning: A polydrug perspective

Ecstasy (MDMA) is a popular drug that can act as a selective serotonin neurotoxin in several species. The goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between ecstasy exposure and cognitive functioning after controlling for other drug use and demographic variables. Furthermore, we assessed whether gender was a moderator of the relationship between cognitive functioning and ecstasy use. Data were collected from 31 men and 34 women with a wide range of ecstasy use (17 marijuana users with no ecstasy use and 48 ecstasy users ranging from low to heavy use). Participants were interviewed and administered a battery of neuropsychological tests. The primary finding was that ecstasy exposure was significantly related to poorer verbal learning and memory ability in a dose-dependent manner, while no such relationship was observed between ecstasy exposure and executive functioning or attentional ability. Gender was found to significantly moderate the relationship between ecstasy consumption and design fluency. These results suggest primary memory dysfunction among abstinent recreational ecstasy users. This finding is consistent with reports of hippocampal vulnerability, particularly among heavy users.

Incidence of chaotic eating Behaviors in binge-eating disorder: Contributing factors

Abstract Because dieting is not as common in patients with binge-eating disorder (BED) as among patients with bulimia or anorexia nervosa, the authors assessed the incidence, frequency, and contributing factors of semistarvation-like eating patterns in BED patients in this study, the first to explore such behaviors in a clinical population. They administered the Semistarvation-Associated Behaviors Scale (SSABS) to 54 women seeking BED treatment and to 29 controls. The aberrant eating behaviors among BED clients were associated with current dieting and certain BED criteria, (p < .05). The strongest contributor to chaotic eating patterns was negative affect preceding BED (r - .45, p < .001). This finding highlights the behavioral psychopathology of BED and strengthens the role of negative affect in precipitating binge episodes associated with the disorder. These behaviors may help maintain BED by creating a binge-negative affect cycle. The SSABS is a tool that may help break this cycle.

Alcohol expectancy questionnaire tension reduction scale as a predictor of alcohol consumption in a stressful situation

This study was designed as an experimental investigation of the validity of the tension reduction subscale of the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ) (Brown, Goldman, Inn, & Anderson, 1980). Subjects completed the AEQ in group testing. At a later time, they were placed in a moderate-stress or nonstress control situation, and given the opportunity to consume alcohol or a nonalcoholic beverage. The tension reduction scale did not predict whether they drank or not, nor did it predict the amount of alcohol consumed. Results suggest caution in interpreting the tension reduction scale scores, and that further study of the validity of the tension reduction and other AEQ scales is necessary.

Further Tests of an Abbreviated Vigilance Task: Effects of Signal Salience and Jet Aircraft Noise on Performance and Stress

The effects of signal salience and jet-aircraft noise on performance and self-reports of stress were examined in an abbreviated vigilance task (12 min) that duplicates many of the findings with longer duration vigilance tasks (Temple et al., 2000). As is the case with longer vigils, signal detection in the abbreviated task was poorer for low salience than for high salience signals and stress scores, as indexed by the Dundee Stress State Questionnaire (Matthews, Joiner, Gilliland, Campbell, & Falconer, 1999), were generally greater when observers were required to detect low as compared to high salience signals. Unlike longer vigils, however, signal detection in the abbreviated task was superior in the presence of noise than in quiet, and noise generally attenuated self-reports of stress. The beneficial effect of jet-aircraft noise for the abbreviated task differentiates it from longer vigilance tasks and suggests that noise may have short-term positive value in vigilance.

Disagreement about the occurrence of male-to-female intimate partner violence: a qualitative study.

This work explored the reasons underlying interpartner disagreement about the occurrence of intimate partner violence (IPV). Research indicates that partners often do not agree about episodes of conflict in their relationship. We conducted interviews with 48 women and men with and without histories of IPV to investigate this lack of agreement. Participant responses were analyzed and themes were identified about why men and women disagree about episodes of conflict. The main results indicate that participants think women and men remember differently; women remember more than men, both choose what they want to remember, and both remember that they were right in the conflict. This work contributes to understanding the disagreement that occurs between partners. Many of these findings have never been suggested by other IPV researchers. The broad-reaching implications of this study include improvement in the accuracy of measuring IPV.

Educational Technologies: Impact on Learning and Frustration

Educators are increasingly using educational technologies at the postsecondary level although little research has investigated the effects of such technologies on learning. Our research explored the effects of traditional lecture, slide-show-supplemented lecture, and virtual learning environment (VLE) on learning and frustration among college students. Participants in slide-show-supplemented lecture and VLE conditions demonstrated more learning than participants in the traditional lecture conditions. However, participants in the VLE conditions reported significantly higher levels of frustration relative to those in the traditional lecture and slide-show-supplemented conditions. Our findings may be particularly relevant in light of the increasing numbers of online college degree programs that use VLE platforms. We discuss additional implications and future research.

Bulimic symptoms and mood predict food relevant Stroop interference in women with troubled eating patterns

Cognitive processing differences based on attentional biases of words pertaining to eating disorders were investigated to assess peoples pathological thoughts. Participants were 165 undergraduate women (mean age=19.2) at a large Midwestern university. This Stroop task that included color identification of three word groups (food-related words, neutral words, and color words) was administered to measure differential speed in cognitive processing of salient words in individuals with and without troubled eating patterns. As predicted by the moderator hypothesis, a statistically significant interaction effect between bulimic symptoms and negative mood was found on food-related reaction time. Post hoc analysis of the interaction showed that women endorsing more bulimic symptoms responded slower to food-related cues than women with fewer bulimic symptoms among individuals who reported negative mood. The study results indicate that women who have problematic eating patterns and experience negative mood are hyperattentive to food-related cues.