Richard A. Wunderlich

A semantic differential mood scale

A set of bipolar semantic differential type adjective scales were constructed to assess five mood states. The response format chosen serves to control for response bias, reduces the number of items by half, and measures both positive and negative affect. Each of the six bipolar mood states hypothesized was defined by seven five-point items. Two studies were conducted on samples of high school boys (N = 210); both confirmed the presence of five mood factors: Cheerful-Depressed, Energetic-Tired, Good natured-Grouchy, Confident-Unsure, and Relaxed-Anxious. The mood state factors isolated were compared with the scales in the Eight State Questionnaire and Bipolar POMS.

Self‐esteem and negative affect

It was hypothesized that the Profile of Mood States (bipolar form) measures two higher-order dimensions: Positive and Negative Affect. It also was conjectured that subjects low in self-esteem report more Negative Affect than those high in self-esteem. POMS and the Self-Attitude Inventory were administered to 102 high school students. A principal component analysis of the 12 half-scale scores of POMS isolated the two affect dimensions postulated. Tests also showed that subjects low in Confidence report significantly greater Negative Affect than subjects high in Confidence. Thus, the Watson-Tellegen theory of affect is supported, and Negative Affect is linked to self-esteem.

Mood States and Acquiescence

The study sought to evaluate the influence of extreme response style on mood state factors isolated. The factors obtained after partialling out response bias from intercorrelations of adjectives were compared with those obtained from the original set. A sample of the 349 high school students were administered a 63-adjective feeling-and-mood inventory. A principal axis analysis of the adjective intercorrelations disclosed seven mood states, all monopolar. After extreme response-bias score was partialled out of the intercorrelations the matrix of partial correlations was analyzed and seven factors were identified. Three of the mood states identified were bipolar and four were monopolar.

SOME PERSONALITY CORRELATES OF OBESE PERSONS

16 obese patients in a volunteer program of weight reduction were given the Adjective Check List (ACL) and the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) prior to beginning weight reduction. The patients were from 64.6% to 214.7% overweight. It was predicted that they would score lower than the normative group on the Achievement, Affiliation, Dominance, Endurance, Order, Personal adjustment, and Self-control scales, while higher scores were predicted for the Aggression, Exhibitionism, Heterosexuality, and Intraception scales. The predictions were upheld. In addition, the obese sample checked a significantly fewer number of Favorable Adjectives than did the normative group and more descriptive adjectives pertaining to Autonomy.

Stimulus, response, and reward contiguity in pattern discrimination by children.

Abstract Eighty fourth-grade children discriminated patterns when cues were located either on the periphery or center of stimulus cards and when spatial contiguity between stimulus and response, and stimulus and reward was systematically varied. Discrimination was easier when peripheral cues rather than center cues were relevant, and also when stimulus-response contiguity rather than discontiguity was presented. These results complemented those of younger children and lower primates and are discussed in the context of attention theory.

Dimensions of Delinquency.

While a number of studies on the Jesness Inventory (Jesness, 1972), an instrument developed to both predict and differentiate delinquency, have shown positive results, the utility of the instrument has been questioned by (1) negative findings of some research and (2) challenges of the reliability and validity of the instrument (Shark and Handal, 1977). Because of the limitations of the original analytic method used by Jesness, the present study sought to isolate, by factor analysis at the item level, personality dimensions of 422 adjudicated, noninstitutionalized adolescents. Results revealed three factors: Mistrust, Social Pessimism, and Hypersensitivity. Comparison of these factors with those scales derived in an earlier factor analytic study was made.

A Measure of Impulsiveness and its Relations to Extraversion

The study sought evidence for the construct validity of the Impulsive scale of the Interpersonal Style Inventory (ISI), and its relation to Eysencks extraversion. In study 1 a sample of 93 high-school boys completed the EPI, ISI measures of Impulsive and Sociable, and the Buss-Plomin Impulsive scale. Correlations of ISI Impulsive with the other two scales emerged as .50 or higher while relations with EPI extraversion was .36. In Study 2, 45 delinquent boys completed inventory measures of impulsiveness, orderliness, persistence, risk-taking, and tempo. The boys were also rated by counselors on an impulsive scale. The counselor ratings correlated at a significant level with self-report scores. The ISI Impulsive scale could be distinguished from the other four self-report scales.

Personality Characteristics of Super-Obese Persons as Measured by the California Psychological Inventory

23 super-obese males (M = 341 lb.) and females (M = 263 lb.) in a 6-mo. weight reduction program were compared with normative groups on the California Psychological Inventory. Females scored significantly different from the norm group on 6 of the 15 predicted scales, males on 9. A characteristic personality of the obese could not be described from the data.

Titration and double responding as techniques promoting proficient learning in retardates

Abstract Seventy-two retarded Ss were presented a color discrimination problem in which the spatial contiguity between the stimulus (S) and response (R) was varied. Two techniques were introduced which required Ss to make a double response or to achieve at minimal separations of S and R before an increase in discontiguity was instituted (titration); a third technique combined the latter two in an attempt to reduce or eliminate the notable inefficiency in learning found under discontiguous conditions. The most proficient learning took place when S and R were completely contiguous. Performance was severely impaired when S and R were discontiguous but was significantly improved when the experimental techniques were introduced to the discontiguous condition.

Humor Ratings as a Function of Weight and Food Deprivation

40 obese and 40 normal-weighted Ss rated 10 food-related, 10 neutral, and 10 hostile cartoons. Half of the Ss rated the cartoons before eating and half rated them after eating. The hypothesis that weight and the manipulation of hunger would differentially affect the food-cartoon ratings was not supported. The hypothesis that the obese would rate the hostile and neutral cartoons higher than would the normal-weighted Ss also did not receive support. A striking similarity of ratings on all cartoon groups was noted and discussed. Future research suggestions for stricter controls on deprivation time and amount eaten were made.