Leonard I. Jacobson

A multidimensional social desirability inventory

The hypothesis that the need for social approval may be viewed most adequately as a multidimensional construct consisting of at least partially independent dimensions was evaluated. An inventory was created and tested that measured independently each of four factors identified as operative in previous research in this area. Based on a conception of the importance of attribution and denial as central elements in self-descriptive statements differing in social desirability value, four scales were created measuring the frequency of endorsement of statements comprising each of the following: the attribution of positive traits, the attribution of negative traits, the denial of positive traits, and the denial of negative traits. The inventory was designed also to control for the possible operation of both agreement and acceptance acquiescence. The data obtained provided strong support for the conceptualization delineated and for the inventory constructed.

Implicit and incorrect assumptions concerning the assessment of the Latino in the United States.

Most of the research on the assessment of the intelligence of Latinos in the United States has shown that they score significantly lower than Anglo-Americans on a variety of standard measures of intellectual functioning. Before taking such data at face value and drawing premature generalizations, a number of erroneous often implicitly made assumptions are reviewed in this paper. An evaluation of the evidence for each of the assumptions indicates that much of the data gathered about Latinos, as well as many of the instruments used to gather it, have grown out of a tradition frought with problems, both moral and methodoligical. Suggestions are given on ways to restructure assessment procedures so that data collected are more germane to the development of programming for the Latino population.

Construction and Initial Validation of a Scale Measuring Beliefs About Equal Rights for Men and Women.

A scale was constructed measuring beliefs about equal rights for men and women. The scale had high internal consistency and reliability. Scores on the scale were significantly related to subject, sex, age, and ethnic group in the directions predicted. Further evidence of the validity of the scale was evidenced by the finding that members of a womens rights organization (NOW) attained the highest score on the scale of any group. In addition, scores for this group varied directly with degree of involvement in the organization. The findings confirmed also the initial hypothesis that beliefs about sex roles are multidimensional and subject to measurement and quantification.

Effects of behavioral training on the functioning of a profoundly retarded microcephalic teenager with cerebral palsy and without language or verbal comprehension: A case study

Abstract I n previous investigations (Jacobson, Berger, Bergman, Millham and Greeson, 1971; Jacobson and Greeson, 1972), it was reported that as a result of the use of a behavior modification program, preschool children from poverty backgrounds demonstrated rapid conceptual acquisition. In addition, the Ss increased from the dull-normal to the normal range of intellectual functioning within approximately 20 hr of program participation. Since the increases in IQ found were most pronounced for children of lowest IQ (IQs = 46–83), the investigators hypothesized that the program would prove to be useful with Ss of greater cognitive and behavioral deficits than the initial population investigated. The present study reports the use of a variant of the conceptual acquisition program with an institutionalized, profoundly retarded microcephalic teenager with chronic brain syndrome and cerebral palsy. Prior to the study the boy demonstrated neither language nor an ability to comprehend and follow verbal directions.

Information processing using number systems with bases higher than ten

Three groups of S s were given extended training with artificial number systems on bases of 15, 20, and 25, respectively. It was expected that the increased information load per symbol in these higher-than-10 systems would increase memory span efficiency and speed for comparable addition problems as a function of increases in the number base. The results indicated that base-20 S s were significantly superior, in memory span, with base-15 S s about equal to their base-10 performance. Addition tests showed better performance (speed) for base-20 than for base-15 S s. Resignation of S s prevented evaluation of the base-25 condition. It was concluded that an optimal number base for the tasks studied is at least higher than 15.

Individual differences in information processing during concept learning

Information processing strategies of Ss differing in intelligence were evaluated. Ss of lowest intelligence were found to use the same processes in learning both mediated and nonmediated concepts, whereas, high-intelligence Ss used symbolic processes in learning mediated concepts which they did not employ in learning nonmediated concepts. These findings suggest that mediation effects may not operate across all Ss as is often assumed.

Scale translation from source to target language as the creation of psychometrically equivalent parallel forms

An investigation was conducted in order to test the hypothesis that scale translation may be conceptualized productively as a process in which psychometrically equivalent or parallel forms of a source scale are generated in desired target languages. The 190 subjects were administered the Anderson-Jacobson Beliefs about Equal Rights for Men and Women Scale, in either English or Spanish. The latter scale was constructed according to exacting standards, so as to create a parallel form of the English version. All of the subjects were native speakers of the language in which they participated. It was found that women demonstrated greater belief in equal rights than men did, in both languages. Analyses of differences in language of administration, point biserial correlations between items and total score, and patterns of endorsement among equivalent items were made for both languages. These analyses fully confirmed the original hypothesis.

Intellectual and conceptual acquisition in retarded children: A follow-up study

Institutionalized retarded children participated in a follow-up study 13 months after their participation in a behavior modification program. The objective of the original experimental program was to provide training in the acquisition of conceptual and intellectual skills. The program employed the use of modeling, information feedback, and social and material reinforcement. A control condition was evaluated also, in which Ss received 10 h of social interaction but no experimental training. It was found that Ss who participated previously in the experimental program functioned at a high level on the concept attainment task. In addition, the original gains in IQ reported for the Ss in the experimental condition were retained, and the initially severely retarded Ss continued to increase their IQ scores during the 13-month interval.

The relationship between rote learning and mediated and nonmediated concept learning

In order to assess the hypothesis that the “response method” of concept learning is a rote learning task, performance on mediated and nonmediated variants of the response method were compared with each other and with performance on paired associate tasks. A low but significant relationship was found between mediated and nonmediated concept learning but little relationship was found between paired associate learning and performance on either concept learning task.

Genetic correlations, squared or unsquared: Can they be accurately computed?

Jensen has suggested that the problem of genetic correlations may be understood as analogous to a problem in traditional test theory. In the present paper, the problem of conceptualizing phenotypes, genotypes, and environmental events in this manner was explored. Analysis indicated that when these factors are viewed in this context, many of the assumptions of traditional test theory are found to be grossly violated. Therefore, if the problem is understood in terms of traditional test theory, it may be concluded that the use of heritability coefficients such as Jensen’s may be expected to yield results in error to a substantial but unknown degree.