Journal of Applied Social Psychology

Reisen, Carol A.; Poppen, Paul J.

doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb02018.xpmid: N/A

Two studies were conducted to test a new conceptualization of risk perception, focusing on the risk posed by a specific sexual partner at a specific time rather than a generalized perception of vulnerability to HIV or sexually transmitted diseases. Study 1 used a cross‐sectional design and found support for a model with the following domains as antecedents of partner‐specific risk perception (PSRP): generalized perception of HIV risk, partner's sexual history, and characteristics of relationship with the partner. However, PSRP was not associated with condom use in Study 1. Study 2, which used a longitudinal design, replicated the domains predictive of PSRP and also demonstrated the influence of PSRP on condom use 4 weeks later while controlling for past condom use. The findings support the utility of this conceptualization of risk perception.

Shewchuk, Richard M.; Elliott, Timothy R.; MacNair‐Semands, Rebecca R.; Harkins, Stephen

doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb02019.xpmid: N/A

According to contemporary trait models, personality variables influence the relation of certain social‐cognitive processes to coping and adjustment. Specifically, neuroticism may effect a greater perception of threat in a given stressor and thus effect a greater propensity for emotion‐focused coping efforts. Similarly, higher levels of conscientiousness may be related to a greater use of problem‐focused coping. We tested these presumed effects of personality traits on the association between stress appraisals and coping among 141 undergraduates. Resulting models indicated that certain personality characteristics are related to appraisal and coping activities, but these relations do not fully explain the association between stress appraisal and coping.

Fried, Carrie B.

doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb02020.xpmid: N/A

This research examines the recent public outcry against violent rap songs. It was hypothesized that rap music receives more negative criticism than do other types of music, regardless of the actual content of the lyrics. Participants read a violent lyrical passage and were led to believe that it was either a rap song or a country song. They then responded to how offensive and dangerous they thought the song was. The results support the hypothesis. When a violent lyrical passage was represented as a rap song, reactions to the lyrics were significantly more negative. Age, whether or not the participants had children, and the participants’ music tastes and buying habits were all significantly related to whether or not this biased judgment occurred. The findings are briefly discussed in terms of various models of racism and stereotyping.

Manne, Sharon; Alfieri, Tom; Taylor, Kathryn; Dougherty, James

doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb02021.xpmid: N/A

Although it is known that individuals have preferences for different forms or amounts of social support from others when dealing with life events, such preferences have not been subject to extensive empirical examination. We examined preferences for spousal emotional and instrumental support, as well as preferences for spousal control‐encouraging responses, among 151 individuals with cancer. Dispositional and situation‐specific factors were placed into a hypothetical model predicting support preferences. Results confirmed predictions: Preferences for emotional and instrumental aspects of support were related to dispositional (affiliative need), person (gender), and contextual (disease impairment) variables. As predicted, higher affiliative need predicted higher preference for emotional support. However, functional impairment did not predict preferences for more instrumental support, and this variable only predicted preferences for more emotional support among female patients. Individuals’ preferences for control encouragement from their spouses were associated with attributions of personal responsibility for solving general life problems and indirectly associated with internal locus of control. These results provide an initial conceptual model for understanding cancer patients’ preferences for support.

Nesler, Mitchell S.; Aguinis, Herman; Quigley, Brian M.; Lee, Suk‐Jae; Tedeschi, James T.

doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb02022.xpmid: N/A

A measure of global power was developed based on French and Raven's (1959) definition of social power as the potential of an agent to influence a target. A sample of 346 graduate students responded to a questionnaire assessing their perceptions of the power of their supervising professors in paid assistantship duties. Power was measured using established scales of the French and Raven 5 power bases in addition to the newly developed global power measure. Results indicate that the global power scale (a) has strong internal consistency, (b) is significantly related to each of the 5 individual power bases, and (c) significantly accounts for additional variance in compliance beyond the measures of the 5 power bases, beyond the sum of the bases, and beyond a measure of resistance and control.

Lavoie, Mireille; Blondeau, Danielle; Godin, Gaston

doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb02023.xpmid: 11658077

The aim of this study is to evaluate the level of care nurses intended to select in a potential situation of overly aggressive therapy, whether the patient had or did not have a living will. MANOVA revealed that the presence of a living will had a significant impact on nurses’ decision making when selecting a level of care (p < .0001); this impact was noted for each construct in the theoretical framework (p < .005). Multiple regression analysis indicated the 86% of the variance in nurses’ intention was determined by the cognitive component of their attitude and perceived professional norm (p < .0001). In summary, most of the nurses intended to respect the wishes expressed by the patient in a living will.

Stern, Steven E.

doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb02024.xpmid: N/A

This study examines the effects of technological automation on explanations of why a person failed or succeeded at a task, and on evaluations of the user of technology. Subjects were presented with scenarios involving a photographer on an assignment. The scenarios manipulated 3 variables: (a) whether the camera was automatic or required skill, (b) experience level, and (c) whether the picture was a success or a failure. Subjects rated the picture's success or failure on attributions of ability and the technology. They also evaluated the photographer. Internal attribution was associated with technological devices requiring a greater amount of skill, while external attribution was associated with technological devices requiring less skill. When the picture was a success, ratings of internal attributions correlated positively with evaluations. When the picture was a failure, ratings of internal attributions correlated negatively with evaluations.

Fischoff, Stuart P.

doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb02025.xpmid: N/A

The present study explores the biasing effects of gangsta’ rap lyrics on subject perceptions of a murder trial defendant's personality. The lyrics were those actually authored by a defendant in a murder trial on which the present author was a psychological consultant for the defense. Results strongly indicate that the defendant was seen as more likely to have committed a murder than had he not been presented as authoring such lyrics. Surprisingly, results also show that the writing of such rap lyrics was more damning in terms of adjudged personality characteristics than was the fact of being charged with murder.

Knippenberg, Barbara; Knippenberg, Daan; Blaauw, Eric; Vermunt, Rieul

doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb02026.xpmid: N/A

It is proposed that the existing relationship between the influencing agent and the target of influence plays a central role in the choice of using hard and soft influence tactics. In a field study, 3 key aspects of the relation between agent and target were examined, and the results generally supported our hypotheses. First, the more unfairly people felt they were treated, the more often they wielded influence, especially using harder influence tactics. Second, the better the influencing agent liked the target, the relatively less often he or she used hard tactics. Finally, the more the influencing agent felt dependent upon the target, the fewer influence tactics, both hard and soft, were used. The discussion focuses on both the practical and theoretical implications of these findings.

Kecharananta, Nattaphan; George Baker, Herbert

doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb02027.xpmid: N/A

This research was designed to identify entrepreneurial value orientations by comparing them with the value orientations of professional managers. The SYMLOG values measuring instrument was administered in Thailand to Thai entrepreneurs (n= 55) and Thai professional managers (n= 200). Results show that the value orientation of the entrepreneurs differed significantly from that of professional managers on several dimensions, particularly with regard to those elements that almost always contribute to teamwork effectiveness. Implications for training and staffing are discussed.