Robert M. Tipton

Attitudes towards women's roles in society and vocational interests

Abstract Differences in vocational interests, as measured by the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory, between undergraduates having traditional, conservative attitudes towards the roles of women and those having contemporary, liberal attitudes were examined. Separate comparisons were made for male and female subjects. Both men and women with traditional attitudes were found to score higher on the conventional personality-occupational theme. Women with traditional attitudes scored higher on stereotypically female occupational scales. Women with contemporary attitudes scored higher on verbal-linguistic oriented occupational scales. Men with traditional attitudes scored higher on stereotypically male occupational scales. Men with contemporary attitudes scored higher on verbal-linguistic and creative-esthetic oriented occupational scales. A strong relationship between homemaker versus career orientation and the masculinity-femininity dimension in women was argued against. Implications for future employment patterns were made.

Faith and Locus of Control

A total of four dimensions emerged from a factor analytic study of faith. They were titled Faith in God, Faith in People, Faith in Self, and Faith in Technology. Comparisons of religious and secular groups and of liberal and conservative religious groups strongly supported the construct validity of the Faith in God subscale. A moderately low correlation obtained between the Faith in Self subscale and internal locus of control suggested conceptual similarity. Inspection of the item content on the two scales indicates that the internal subscale assesses ones perception that an individual can affect what happens to him, whereas items on the Faith in Self subscale concern more the perception that the individual will control his life in a positive direction.

Beliefs about smoking and health: their measurement and relationship to smoking behavior.

A scale was constructed to measure four types of beliefs about smoking and health. According to Krietler and Krietlers (Cognitive Orientation and Behavior, New York, Springer, 1976) cognitive orientation model these four types of beliefs--general beliefs, goal beliefs, self beliefs, and norm beliefs--direct an individuals molar behavior. Four subscales, representing each of the four belief types were found to have moderately high levels of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Factor analysis indicated a relatively high independence for the two subscales measuring self and goal beliefs, but found some overlap between the two subscales measuring norm and general beliefs. Smokers, former smokers, and nonsmokers were found to differ in predictable ways on the four subscales and the combined scale. Also the length of time that former smokers had been abstinent as well as length of smoking habit and number of cigarettes smoked per day by smokers were found to be related to some of these beliefs. Implications of these findings for smoking cessation intervention programs are discussed.

The effects of mandatory seat belt legislation on self-reported seat belt use among male and female college students

The effect of seat belt legislation on self-reported seat belt use among male and female college students was investigated. Questionnaires inquiring about seat belt use were administered to college students on three separate occasions: (i) two months prior to the time a mandatory seat belt law went into effect, (ii) two months after the law went into effect, and (iii) 16 months after the law went into effect. Reported seat belt use increased significantly for male and female college students two months after the law took effect. At 16 months postlaw, reported seat belt use remained high for female students but declined almost to the prelaw level for males. Possible reasons offered for these findings are that male college students may be more resistant to having their behavior regulated and, therefore, less likely to internalize changes forced on them, and college-age males may be more inclined to engage in risk-taking behavior than college-age females. The importance of considering males and females separately with respect to seat belt use and interventions designed to increase seat belt use is discussed.

DEVELOPMENT OF A SCALE FOR ASSESSMENT OF JEALOUSY

Based on a review of the literature on jealousy and depth interviews with 25 adults, a pool of items was developed for a preliminary study of the measurement of jealousy. A total of 141 college students completed the 92-item inventory. The data were factor analyzed, yielding 5 dimensions; need for loyalty, need for intimacy, moodiness, self-confidence, and envy. An intensified 31-item inventory was administered to 94 additional students. Factor analysis of the data yielded essentially identical factors.

INVASION OF MALES' PERSONAL SPACE BY FEMINISTS AND NON-FEMINISTS

This research investigated the relationship between attitudes toward the feminine role and personal space in 72 college women (19.5 yr.). Subjects were classified as either feminists or traditionals according to their measured attitudes. Traditional women did not differ from feminists in their approach behavior to other females but remained a greater distance from males than did the feminists. Feminists saw themselves as more aggressive and more potent than the traditionals rated themselves.

Altruism as a Function of Response Cost to the Benefactor

Summary This study investigated the effects of response cost on the acquisition of instrumentally conditioned helping behavior. One group of Ss were placed in the position of being able to help a confederate (C), by delivering him from electric shock, at the same time risking the possibility of being penalized (cost to benefactor) for this helping behavior. A second group of Ss were also placed in the position of being able to help a C, but without any risk of penalty. A third group, which was not in a position of helping anyone, served as a control group. Results supported previous research indicating that helping responses have inherent reinforcing value. When a cost variable is introduced into a situation inviting an altruistic response, however, altruistic behavior tends to be suppressed, and the likelihood of learning the particular response is decreased.

Effects on Test Performance of Test Apparatus Boards Made of Different Material.

Ss were administered Parts 9 and 10 of the GATB routinely as part of the test battery. 111 Ss used plastic apparatus boards and plastic pegs, while 128 used wooden apparatus boards and wooden pegs. Ss using wooden boards performed significantly better than Ss using plastic boards. Differences in performance were attributed to coarser texture of wooden pegs, heavier, more stable wooden boards, and a slight wearing at the edges of the wooden pegs and holes in contrast to the sharp edges on the plastic pegs.

Behavioral Adjustment of Psychiatric Hospital Patients and Helping Behavior

This study investigated the relationship between behavioral adjustment of mental hospital patients and helping behavior in two distinctly different controlled situations. Forty hospitalized male patients between the ages of 20 and 45 were assigned to two groups of equal size according to ratings they received on the MACC Behavioral Adjustment Scale. Each subject was exposed to two separate and independent experimental situations calling for helping behavior. Helping in the first situation was defined as offering a confederate the use of an extra pencil, while in the second it was defined as offering to help a confederate in the hallway to pick up a box of pencils that had just been dropped. The results of both experiments confirmed the hypothesis that persons suffering more severe levels of disturbance and maladjustment perform significantly fewer helpful acts. Results were discussed in terms of empathy, self-concern, and response cost. Also some implications for treatment were discussed.

The Most Unpleasant Concept Test: A Validity Study

Summary Four groups of Ss at different levels of psychological distress were asked to draw the most unpleasant thing they could think of. The resulting Unpleasant Concept drawings were rated on a six point continuum of objectivity. On the basis of these drawings, a significant difference was obtained between all groups, with the exception of one comparison.