Psychology Faculty Publications

Perception in a taboo situation

Fred J. Wertz — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:43:34 PST

A Profile Approach to Child Care Quality, Quantity, and Type of Setting: Parent Selection of Infant Child Care Arrangements

Laura S. Sosinsky et al. — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:43:32 PST

Building on prior variable-oriented research which demonstrates the independence of the associations of child care quality, quantity, and type of setting with family factors and child outcomes, the current study identifies four profiles of child care dimensions from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Profiles accounted for 73% of total variance in 10 child care variables measured for 489 6-month-olds in nonparental child care including type of setting, quantity of care, and structural/process quality indicators. Dominant marker variables were used to label the four profiles which revealed complex patterns. Lower family risk, especially higher maternal education, was associated with profiles marked by features associated with better child outcomes, but only maternal belief in the harm of maternal employment protected against child care profiles with features associated with poorer child outcomes. By allowing child care characteristics to correlate freely with dimension profiles using a person-oriented approach, results facilitate examination of the contributions of each individual characteristic to each profile, suggesting ways to improve child care provision and to examine child care selection.

An fMRI examination of developmental differences in the neural correlates of uncertainty and decision-making

Amy Krain Roy et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:19 PST

Background: Maturation of prefrontal circuits during adolescence contributes to the development of cognitive processes such as decision-making. Recent theories suggest that these neural changes also play a role in the shift from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to depression that often occurs during this developmental period. Cognitive models of the development of GAD highlight the role of intolerance of uncertainty (IU), which can be characterized behaviorally by impairments in decision-making. The present study examines potential developmental differences in frontal regions associated with uncertain decision-making, and tests the impact of IU on these circuits. Methods: Twelve healthy adults (ages 19–36) and 12 healthy adolescents (ages 13–17) completed a decision-making task with conditions of varied uncertainty while fMRI scans were acquired. They also completed measures of worry and IU, and a questionnaire about their levels of anxiety and certainty during the task. Results: Combined group analyses demonstrated significant linear effects of uncertainty on activity within anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Region of interest (ROI)-based analysis found a significant interaction of group and IU ratings in ACC. Increased IU was associated with robust linear increases in ACC activity only in adolescents. An ROI analysis of feedback-related processing found that adolescents demonstrated greater activation during incorrect trials relative to correct trials, while the adults showed no difference in neural activity associated with incorrect and correct feedback. Conclusions: This decision-making task was shown to be effective at eliciting uncertainty-related ACC activity in adults and adolescents. Further, IU impacts ACC activity in adolescents during uncertain decision-making, providing preliminary support for a developmental model of GAD.Abbreviations: IU: intolerance of uncertainty; IUS: Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale;PSWQ: Penn State Worry Questionnaire.

Distinct neural mechanisms of risk and ambiguity: A meta-analysis of decision-making

Amy Krain Roy et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:17 PST

Converging evidence from human and animal studies suggests that decision-making relies upon a distributed neural network based in the frontal lobes. In particular, models of decision-making emphasize the involvement of orbitofrontal cortices (OFC) and the medial wall. While decision-making has been studied broadly as a class of executive function, recent models have suggested the differentiation between risky and ambiguous decision-making. Given recent emphasis on the role of OFC in affectively laden ‘‘hot’’ executive function and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in more purely cognitive ‘‘cool’’ executive function, we hypothesize that the neural substrates of decision-making may differ depending on the nature of the decision required. To test this hypothesis, we used recently developed metaanalytic techniques to examine the existent functional neuroimaging literature. An initial meta-analysis of decision-making, both risky and ambiguous, found significantly elevated probabilities of activation in frontal and parietal regions, thalamus, and caudate. Ambiguous decision-making was associated with activity in DLPFC, regions of dorsal and subcallosal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and parietal cortex. Risky decision-making was associated with activity in OFC, rostral portions of the ACC, and parietal cortex. Direct statistical comparisons revealed significant differences between risky and ambiguous decision-making in frontal regions, including OFC, DLPFC, and ACC, that were consistent with study hypotheses. These findings provide evidence for the dissociation of neural circuits underlying risky and ambiguous decision-making, reflecting differential involvement of affective ‘‘hot’’ and cognitive ‘‘cool’’ processes.

Brain development and ADHD

Amy Krain Roy et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:16 PST

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by excessive inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, either alone or in combination. Neuropsychological findings suggest that these behaviors result from underlying deficits in response inhibition, delay aversion, and executive functioning which, in turn, are presumed to be linked to dysfunction of frontal– striatal–cerebellar circuits. Over the past decade, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used to examine anatomic differences in these regions between ADHD and control children. In addition to quantifying differences in total cerebral volume, specific areas of interest have been prefrontal regions, basal ganglia, the corpus callosum, and cerebellum. Differences in gray and white matter have also been examined. The ultimate goal of this research is to determine the underlying neurophysiology of ADHD and how specific phenotypes may be related to alterations in brain structure.

The role of treatment acceptability in the initiation of treatment for ADHD

Amy Krain Roy et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:13 PST

Approximately 50 percent of families of children with ADHD fail to pursue, or adhere to, recommended treatments. The present study examines parent ratings of the acceptability of pharmacological and behavioral treatments for ADHD and the relationships between these ratings and subsequent pursuit of treatment. Fifty-five families whose children received an evaluation for ADHD completed questionnaires and were contacted 3 to 4 months later to assess their pursuit of treatment. Consistent with previous research, parents rated behavior therapy as more acceptable than medication. Parent ratings of medication acceptability significantly predict pursuit of pharmacological treatment, whereas ratings of the acceptability of behavior therapy do not predict pursuit of this treatment. Preliminary analyses found that Caucasian parents’ ratings of medication are significantly higher than those of non-Caucasian parents. Furthermore, Caucasian families were more likely to pursue a recommendation for pharmacological treatment than non-Caucasian families. The clinical and research implications of these results are considered.

The case of Molly L.: Use of a family cognitive-behavioral treatment for childhood anxiety

Amy Krain Roy et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:11 PST

The present case study illustrates how a family cognitive-behavioral therapy (FCBT) was used to treat a 9-year-old girl diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder and agoraphobia without panic. The first half of treatment focused on teaching specific coping skills, whereas the second half consisted of exposure tasks that provided opportunities for Molly to practice what she had learned. The therapy also addressed issues of family communication and emotional expression. Through flexible application of the manual, the therapist helped Molly with her own self-image and expectations for coping. Following treatment, Molly and her parents reported that her anxiety had decreased and that her coping skills had improved. Overall, this case illustrates the successful and application of FCBT and highlights the importance of applying a treatment manual flexibly to address client needs.

Your resting brain CAREs about your risky behavior

Christine Cox et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:10 PST

Background: Research on the neural correlates of risk-related behaviors and personality traits has provided insight into mechanisms underlying both normal and pathological decision-making. Task-based neuroimaging studies implicate a distributed network of brain regions in risky decision-making. What remains to be understood are the interactions between these regions and their relation to individual differences in personality variables associated with real-world risk-taking. Methodology/Principal Findings: We employed resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) and resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) methods to investigate differences in the brain’s intrinsic functional architecture associated with beliefs about the consequences of risky behavior. We obtained an individual measure of expected benefit from engaging in risky behavior, indicating a risk seeking or risk-averse personality, for each of 21 participants from whom we also collected a series of R-fMRI scans. The expected benefit scores were entered in statistical models assessing the RSFC of brain regions consistently implicated in both the evaluation of risk and reward, and cognitive control (i.e., orbitofrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, lateral prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate). We specifically focused on significant brainbehavior relationships that were stable across R-fMRI scans collected one year apart. Two stable expected benefit-RSFC relationships were observed: decreased expected benefit (increased risk-aversion) was associated with 1) stronger positive functional connectivity between right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and right insula, and 2) weaker negative functional connectivity between left nucleus accumbens and right parieto-occipital cortex. Conclusions/Significance: Task-based activation in the IFG and insula has been associated with risk-aversion, while activation in the nucleus accumbens and parietal cortex has been associated with both risk seeking and risk-averse tendencies. Our results suggest that individual differences in attitudes toward risk-taking are reflected in the brain’s functional architecture and may have implications for engaging in real-world risky behaviors.

The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale for Children: A psychometric evaluation

Jonathan Comer et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:08 PST

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has contributed to our understanding of excessive worry and adult anxiety disorders, but there is a paucity of research on IU in child samples. This gap is due to the absence of a psychometrically sound measure of IU in youth. The present study adapted parallel child- and parent-report forms of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS) and examined the internal consistency, convergent validity, and classification properties of these forms in youth aged 7–17 (M=11.6 years, SD=2.6). Participating youth (N=197; 100 girls, 97 boys) either met diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder (n=73) or were nonreferred community participants (n=124). The child-report form (i.e., IUS for Children, orIUSC), and to a lesser extent the parent-report form, demonstrated strong internal consistency and convergentvalidity, evidenced by significant associations with anxiety and worry (and reassurance-seeking in the case ofthe child-report form). Children diagnosed with anxiety disorders scored higher than nonreferred communityyouth on both forms. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated acceptable overall utility in distinguishing the 2 groups of youth. Findings provide preliminary support for use of the IUSC for continuous measurement of children’s ability to tolerate uncertainty.

White matter hyperintensities and cognition: Testing the reserve hypothesis

Adam Brickman et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:06 PST

Objective: White matter hyperintensities (WMH), visualized on T2-weighted MRI, are thought to reflect small vessel vascular disease. Much like other markers of brain disease, the association between WMH and cognition is imperfect. The concept of reserve may account for this imperfect relationship. The purpose of this study was to test the reserve hypothesis in the association between WMH severity and cognition. We hypothesized that individuals with higher amounts of reserve would be able to tolerate greater amounts of pathology than those with lower reserve.

Methods: Neurologically healthy older adults (n=717) from a community-based study received structural MRI, neuropsychological assessment, and evaluation of reserve. WMH volume was quantified algorithmically. We derived latent constructs representing four neuropsychological domains, a measure of cognitive reserve, and a measure of brain reserve. Measures of cognitive and brain reserve consisted of psychosocial (e.g., education) and anthropometric (e.g., craniometry) variables, respectively.

Results: Increased WMH volume was associated with poorer cognition and higher cognitive and brain reserve were associated with better cognition. Controlling for speed/executive function or for language function, those with higher estimates of cognitive reserve had significantly greater degrees of WMH volume, particularly among women. Controlling for cognitive functioning across all domains, individuals with higher estimates of brain reserve had significantly greater WMH volume.

Conclusions: For any given level of cognitive function, those with higher reserve had more pathology in the form of WMH, suggesting that they are better able to cope with pathology than those with lower reserve. Both brain reserve and cognitive reserve appear to mitigate the impact of pathology on cognition.

Reliability and validity of the divided attention questionnaire

Timothy Salthouse et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:04 PST

This study investigated the relations of the Divided Attention Questionnaire (DAQ) developed by Tun and Wingfield (1995) to age, and to measures of divided attention performance. With increased age activities assumed to require divided attention were rated as more difficult, were perceived as becoming more difficult over time, and were performed less frequently. However, no significant relations were found between DAQ ratings and performance on divided attention tasks administered in the laboratory. This suggests that the DAQ may not be a valid measure of divided attention ability as that construct is measured with laboratory tasks. Possible explanations for the lack of relations between the DAQ ratings and measures of divided attention performance are discussed.

Remembering Catherine "Kitty" Genovese: A public forum

Harold Takooshian et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:02 PST

To mark the fortieth anniversary of the tragic death of Catherine "Kitty" Genovese on March 13, 1964 in NewYork City, a public forum hosted by Fordham University brought together an interdisciplinary group of experts to look back on this sad event. What follows is a summary of this forum, joined by 100 New Yorkers and the mass media. Even four decades after this tragedy was brought to world-wide attention by the book Thirty-eight witnesses (Rosenthal, 1965), new facts continue to surface about this haunting crime and its aftermath (DeMay, 2004). This forum addressed some timely questions, such as: (1) Were Genovese-type situations rare or common in the past, or even today? (2) How did mass media coverage of Ms. Genovese' 1964 tragedy impact society? (3) Why does this woman’s tragedy continue to move us so deeply today, even those of us who were not yet born in 1964? (4) Should U.S. duty-to-aid laws encourage or even oblige citizens to come to each other’s aid in crises if they can safely do so--as is typically the law in other nations? The forum benefited from the expertise of 10 panelists who review diverse aspects of this topic

Social psychology of city life. [Special issue]

Harold Takooshian — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:14:00 PST

"What impact has city life on the individual--our behavior, personality, values, relationships?" George Simmel's 1905 publication of "The metropolis and mental life" remains a seminal essay on this central yet neglected question which we now term "urban psychology." The centenary of Simmel's essay in 2005 is an apt time to take stock of the history and current status of urban psychology, with a special issue of this journal gathering data-based articles on diverse aspects of urban psychology. This four-part article (a) summarizes Simmel's 1905 essay, (b) comments on the dramatic population trends since 1905, (c) elaborates on 10 remarkable points about urban psychology, past and present, and (d) previews the five urban pychology reports in this special issue.

Masculinity ideology, income disparity, and romantic relationship quality among men with higher earning partners

Patrick Coughlin et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:13:59 PST

This research assessed factors that may affect men’s heterosexual romantic relationships in which their partner earns a greater income. Forty-seven men from the United States completed measures that assessed masculinity ideology, the importance of the partner’s greater income, and romantic relationship quality. We examined whether the perceived importance of the income disparity mediated the relationship between men’s masculinity ideology and the quality of their romantic relationships. Using multiple regression analyses to test for mediation, results showed the relationship between masculinity ideology and romantic relationship quality was due in part to the importance one placed on the difference in income. Specifically, men who were more traditional in their masculinity ideology and have higher earning female partners were more likely to have poor quality romantic relationships in part because such men view the disparity in income as having importance. Conversely, results showed men who were more nontraditional in their masculinity were more likely to perceive the disparity in income as having little or no importance and have high romantic relationship quality.

Male reference group identity dependence, masculinity ideology, and relationship satisfaction in men’s heterosexual romantic relationships

Jay C. Wade et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:13:57 PST

This research assessed factors that may affect men’s satisfaction with their romantic relationships. Ninety men completed measures that assessed male reference group identity dependence, masculinity ideology, and relationship satisfaction. Masculinity was examined as a mediator in the relationship between male identity and romantic relationship satisfaction. The results indicate masculinity ideology mediated the relationship between male identity and romantic relationship satisfaction such that masculinity ideology explains this relationship. We conclude with implications for future research and for counseling men who may have difficulties in their heterosexual romantic relationships.

The introduction of a qualitative perspective in advanced psychological research training: Narrative of a mixed methods doctoral dissertation

Kimber Bogard et al. — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:13:55 PST

The first mixed methods dissertation in the Department of Psychology in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Fordham University is described. In research on pre-kindergarten through 3rd-grade school programs, the interplay of quantitative hypothesis testing and qualitative discovery was used to gain knowledge of how different educational outcomes are achieved. A narrative addresses such contemporary disciplinary issues as the growing interest in qualitative research methods; the effort to employ holistic, contextually sensitive investigations of complex social problems;and the need in graduate training to facilitate the learning of and an identity formation that includes multiple methods. This study highlights the value of dissertation research for learning qualitative methods and melding multiple methods into a unified research identity and stresses graduate students’ need for coursework on qualitative research methodology and philosophy of science. The pragmatic approach (Fishman, 1999) is suggested as one methodological framework capable of successfully synthesizing multiple methods.

Phenomenological research methods for counseling psychology

Fred J. Wertz — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:13:53 PST

This article familiarizes counseling psychologists with qualitative research methods in psychology developed in the tradition of European phenomenology. A brief history includes some of Edmund Husserl’s basic methods and concepts, the adoption of existential-phenomenology among psychologists, and the development and formalization of qualitative research procedures in North America. The choice points and alternatives in phenomenological research in psychology are delineated. The approach is illustrated by a study of a recovery program for persons repeatedly hospitalized for chronic mental illness. Phenomenological research is compared with other qualitative methods, and some of its benefits for counseling psychology are identified.

Multiple methods in psychology: Epistemological grounding and the possibility of unity

Fred J. Wertz — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:13:51 PST

The problem of methodological pluralism in psychology is addressed. The dominant paradigm, in which experimental methods are assigned top priority and quantification is preferred over qualitative methods, is no longer tenable in light of criticisms by philosophers of science and psychologists. The emergence of a panoply of alternative methods is reviewed and the problems of constuctionism, eclecticism, and fragmentation are delineated. Solutions based on an indigenous epistemological foundation for psychology are sought in Continental philosophy. The commensurability of experimental, psychoanalytic, and phenomenological psychologies is explored in an effort to secure unity among diverse methods. Educational requirements for a new kind of scientific research in the twenty-first century are discussed.

The role of the humanistic movement in the history of psychology

Fred J. Wertz — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:13:50 PST

A review of history of psychology textbooks shows that humanistic psychology is in crisis. Although well understood and respected by some, it is inadequately understood and dismissed by many. The value of the movement is shown to hinge on whether it faithfully embodies the historical tradition of humanism, provides an appropriate philosophical foundation for psychology, asserts relevant critiques of contemporary psychology, affords the discipline theoretical unity, offers rigorous research methodologies, bridges the gap between psychology and the humanities, and assumes leadership in socially reforming the depersonalizing tendencies of modern culture. It is argued that the best work in humanistic psychology has achieved these virtues, and that the major criticisms of the movement do not apply to this work. The contemporary crisis is attributed to sociological factors-inadequate institutional establishments necessary to gain historical impact.

Toward a phenomenological consumer psychology

Fred J. Wertz — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:13:48 PST

An empirical investigation of “buying” is presented in order to demonstrate the potential contribution of phenomenological research methods in consumer psychology. The methods used illustrate the principles delineated by Giorgi (1997). Raw data is presented with an invitation for readers to carry out their own analyses in order to compare different researchers’ results and procedures. One individual psychological structure and on General Psychological Structure of “buying” are presented. The findings highlight the meanings of such essential constituents as temporality, desire, cognition, social relations, the buying act, and ownership.