Tracy B. Henley

The phenomenology of everyday life.

Preface Part I. Existential-Phenomenology and the Science of Psychology: 1. The nature of human experience 2. Dialogue as method: the phenomenological interview Part II. Grounding the World of Everyday Life: 3. The body as lived: themes in the human experience of the human body 4. Time in human life 5. The human experience of other people Part III. Selected Topics from Everyday Life: 6. Feeling alone 7. Making amends: the psychology of reparation 8. Love and loving 9. Falling apart 10. The meanings of death in the context of life Part IV. The Phenomenology of Everyday Life: 11. Toward an empirical existential-phenomenological psychology References Indexes.

Stressors of College: A Comparison of Traditional and Nontraditional Students

Perceived stress and stressors of nontraditional (returning-adult) and traditional college students were compared. Forty-seven nontraditional students 24-54 years old and 47 traditional students, matched for demographics, completed the Adolescent Perceived Events Scale (Compas, Davis, Forsythe, & Wagner, 1987) for college students. They rated 210 life events according to the desirability, impact, and frequency of the events. Significant differences were found between the nontraditional and traditional students for events in the following categories: academics, peer and social relations, family and network, autonomy and responsibility, and intimacy. Nontraditional students enjoyed going to classes and doing homework more, whereas traditional students worried more about school performance. Peer events, including social activities, had much more impact on traditional students, whereas nontraditional students reported much more responsibility in the home. The results suggest that there are significant differences between the groups in their perceptions of stressors.

The Phenomenology of Intimacy

Intimacy is a topic of importance with respect to many aspects of relationship theory and a variety of academic disciplines. A consideration of the literature reveals much research but little consensus on even such basic issues as a definition of intimacy. Given that, a phenomenological study was done to determine what ordinary people meant by, and experienced as, intimacy. Results of that study revealed seven major components to intimate experiences. These included: non-verbal communication, presence, time, boundary, body, destiny/surprise and transformation. The relationship between these results and previous research is discussed.

Cognitive and affective components of stimuli presented in three modes

This study was conducted to compare responses to stimuli presented in three different modalities: olfactory, visual, and lexical (the written name of the object). Cognitive aspects of these responses as well as affective components were examined. The subjects were placed at random into one of three experimental groups and were tested individually. Each subject was asked to smell, to view, or to see the name of six common items and to write whatever immediately came to mind after each stimulus presentation. The results indicate that the olfactory mode produced the shortest answers, with the largest amount of affect. The results are discussed in terms of their implications about the structure and nature of concepts and how such concepts interrelate with different sensory modalities.

Acculturation in relation to the acquisition of a second language

Abstract Learners who begin to acquire a second language (L2) in a naturalistic environment after puberty are thought to be constrained by biological age factors and to have greater difficulty obtaining native-like L2. However, the extant literature suggests that L2 acquisition may be positively affected by post-maturational factors, such as acculturation. This exploratory study examined the relationship between acculturation and L2 acquisition on Chinese–English late learners. Chinese students who arrived in the USA after puberty were examined to see whether the acculturation process towards US society was associated with higher speaking proficiency levels and more native-like pronunciation of English language. The results suggest that acculturation relates to speaking proficiency but not pronunciation.

Language Matters: Wording Considerations in Hazard Perception and Warning Comprehension

Abstract Research concerning warning labels has established a comprehensive set of components that generally lead to an effective means of communicating potential hazards. To explore and detail specific labeling effects, the authors tested prototypical warning labels (as found on a hypothetical household cleaner). Experiment 1 tested the effects on label believability of explicit vs. implicit mention of the products hazard-causing agent. Experiment 2 tested the effects on label believability of explicit vs. implicit mention of the worst possible outcome of interacting with the product. Experiment 3 tested the effects on label believability of probabilistic vs. definite statement of label instructions. Measures of perceived product dangerousness and likelihood of product use, and cued recall for label contents were also obtained. Results indicated that explicit statement of the hazard-causing agent and the worst possible consequences, and definite statement of consequences increased label believability. I...

The Relationship Between First Names and Teacher Expectations for Achievement Motivation

This study examines perceptions of achievement motivation as influenced by first name and student ethnicity. One hundred thirty elementary school teachers were given a vignette of a fifth-grade student and instructed to judge the behavior and characteristics of the student. Results showed that there was a significant main effect for an ethnic first name. Overall, significantly lower achievement scores were given by raters whose descriptions used an African American-sounding name rather than a Caucasian-sounding name.

Theory of mind, attention, and executive function in kindergarten boys

The present study explored the relationship between theory of mind (ToM), attention, and executive function in 66 kindergarten boys drawn from four rural school districts. Three stories designed to test understanding of first and second order mental states were administered. Executive function and attention were assessed, respectively, by scores on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and the Behavior Assessment Scales for Children, Second Edition (BASC‐2). Analyses indicated that children identified by teachers as evidencing attention difficulties scored lower on false belief measures and were more likely to be identified as exhibiting behavioral difficulties associated with executive dysfunction than children identified as evidencing fewer attention difficulties. Attention and executive function were predictive of total ToM scores.

Phenomenology and the Meaning of Aging for Young and Old Adults.

Qualitative methods were used to examine the similarities and differences in the meaning of aging for young and old adults. Nineteen young adults and seventeen older adults were asked to describe in detail a specific event or time in their lives that suggested to them that they were aging. Their responses were reduced to significant statements by two independent coders, until a thematic structure became apparent. Younger adults associated aging with major events in their lives, and even though these events tended to be positive, aging had a negative meaning for them. Young adults tended to associate aging with increased responsibility and lost freedom. By contrast, older adults associated aging with everyday events or no specific events at all, and they perceived aging positively. Both young and old adults mentioned themes of times, the body, and others.

Personality and Fantasy Game Character Preferences

The present study examined the relationship between personality and character preferences in fantasy computer role-playing games. Subjects were required to complete two measures: The Big Five Inventory and a survey designed to determine character preferences in fantasy computer role-playing games as well as relevant fantasy/gaming experiences. Several correlations were observed that generally support the hypothesis that individuals choose characters that are reflections of their own personalities. For example, individuals who scored high on extraversion tended to prefer characters that were described as charismatic. Likewise, agreeableness was correlated with preferences for characters with helping occupations and negatively correlated with more deviant occupations.