The dark triad traits and relationship satisfaction: Dyadic response surface analysis

OBJECTIVE

The current study investigated actor and partner effects and the effects of (dis)similarity in the dark triad traits on self-reported relationship satisfaction of both members of romantic couples. We examined these effects on actual similarity, similarity of perception, and men's and women's perceived similarity.

METHODS

On the sample of 205 heterosexual romantic couples, we administered questionnaires for measuring self-reported and partner-reported psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism, as well as self-reported relationship satisfaction. For analyzing data, we used dyadic response surface analysis.

RESULTS

The results corroborated our hypotheses that the dark triad traits exerted mainly negative actor and partner effects on both partners' relationship satisfaction. The effects of (dis)similarity were obtained for psychopathy and narcissism. Dissimilarity in psychopathy was related to lower men's relationship satisfaction. Dissimilarity in narcissism was related to lower, whereas similarity in this trait to higher relationship satisfaction of both partners. Generally, our findings were similar across methods and sources of assessment.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the DT traits of both members of a romantic couple matter for judgments of their relationship satisfaction and that along with actor and partner effects, the effects of (dis)similarity in psychopathy and narcissism also contribute to their relationship satisfaction.

Predicting Mate Poaching Experiences from Personality Traits Using a Dyadic Analysis

Mate poaching is "behavior intended to attract someone who is already in a romantic relationship." We investigated actor and partner effects of the five-factor personality traits and the dark triad traits on several mate poaching experiences. We used actor-partner interdependence modeling with data secured from both members of 187 heterosexual married, cohabiting and dating couples from Croatia. In a round-robin design, each participant rated their own and their partner's personality traits, and their own poaching experiences. The results showed that men's lower agreeableness had the most consistent relationship with poaching experiences in both men (actor effects) and women (partner effects). The role of other personality traits from the five-factor model was limited to specific aspects of poaching. Regarding the dark triad traits, men's psychopathy and Machiavellianism were the most consistently related to poaching experiences in both men and women, whereas narcissism did not demonstrate a consistent actor or partner effect on poaching. The results showed that men's poaching is associated with their own personality traits, whereas women's poaching with their own and their partner's personality traits. We interpret the results in the context of life history theory and mate switching hypothesis.

The effects of the Dark Triad personality traits on health protective behaviours: dyadic approach on self-reports and partner-reports

OBJECTIVE

The growing evidence show that romantic partners' personality traits mutually influence each other's health. The research on relationship between personality and health behaviours should include both partner's perspectives - relations between individuals' traits and their own outcomes (actor effects), and relations between individuals' traits and their partners' outcomes (partner effects). The objective of this study was to examine the actor and partner effects of the Dark Triad (DT) personality traits (psychopathy, Machiavellianism and narcissism) on the health protective behaviours (HPB) in romantic couples.

DESIGN

A convenience sample of 188 heterosexual romantic couples participated in a cross-sectional round-robin study. Three predictor measures were Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-III, Narcissistic Personality Inventory and MACH-IV inventory, whereas HPB inventory was used as criterion variable.

RESULTS

Data were analysed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). The results suggest that men's psychopathy, and to a lesser extent men's Machiavellianism exert deleterious effects on their own and their partner's HPB. The majority of these effects replicated across both self-reports and partner-reports. Women's DT traits exerted weaker actor and partner effects on the HPB than men's DT traits.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings show that men's psychopathy and Machiavellianism have detrimental effects on their own as well as their partner's HPB.

The Croatian version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire: Links with higher- and lower-level personality traits and mood

The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) measures habitual use of two emotion regulation strategies, cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. The present study tested the psychometric properties and validity of a newly developed Croatian adaptation of the ERQ. In a sample of 347 participants, we first sought to confirm the ERQ's original factor structure. Next, we tested its convergent, divergent and incremental validity. In the first subsample (N = 140), we linked the ERQ with a measure of the Five-Factor Model dimensions and their facets (Revised NEO Personality Inventory). In the second subsample (N = 207), we tested its ability to predict personality dimensions assessed by a different measure (Big Five Inventory) as well as the traits of positive and negative affect, including its incremental validity in predicting the latter. The results corroborated earlier findings, showing that the Croatian ERQ has equivalent psychometrics and predictive validity as ERQs in other languages. Crucially, the observed links between the ERQ and the facets of the Five-Factor Model dimensions enrich our understanding of the personality mechanisms behind the employment of these emotion regulation strategies.

The Relationship of Gender Roles and Beliefs to Crying in an International Sample

This study aimed to (1) investigate the variation in self ascription to gender roles and attitudes toward gender roles across countries and its associations with crying behaviors, emotion change, and beliefs about crying and (2) understand how the presence of others affects our evaluations of emotion following crying. This was a large international survey design study (N = 893) conducted in Australia, Croatia, the Netherlands, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Analyses revealed that, across countries, gender, self-ascribed gender roles, and gender role attitudes (GRA) were related to behavioral crying responses, but not related to emotion change following crying. How a person evaluates crying, instead, appeared to be highly related to one’s beliefs about the helpfulness of crying, irrespective of gender. Results regarding crying when others were present showed that people are more likely both to cry and to feel that they received help around a person that they know, compared to a stranger. Furthermore, closeness to persons present during crying did not affect whether help was provided. When a crier reported that they were helped, they also tended to report feeling better following crying than those who cried around others but did not receive help. Few cross-country differences emerged, suggesting that a person’s responses to crying are quite consistent among the countries investigated here, with regard to its relationship with a person’s gender role, crying beliefs, and reactions to the presence of others.

Dark Triad Traits and Mate Retention Behaviors in Romantic Couples: The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

By using actor-partner interdependence modeling (APIM), we examined the effects of the Dark Triad traits, psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism on two mate retention (MR) domains, cost-inflicting (C-I B) and benefit-provisioning behaviors (B-P B) as well as overall mate retention (OMR) on the sample of 100 heterosexual romantic couples. These effects were examined first without and then with the control of the overlap between the traits. The results show that actor effects of the Dark Triad traits on MR were stronger in men, and regarding partner effects, the Dark Triad traits in men exerted more frequent MR in women than women's Dark Triad traits in men. In line with our prediction, psychopathy had the strongest actor and partner effects on MR behaviors, both in men and women. Considering MR domains, we found actor effects on C-I B only in men, whereas actor effects on B-P B in both men and women. The Dark Triad traits, especially in men, exerted stronger partner effects on C-I B than on B-P B domain. Almost all actor and partner effects of psychopathy and narcissism remained significant after the control for the overlap between the traits, whereas all actor effects of Machiavellianism became nonsignificant. In both sets of analyses, without and with the control for the overlap between these traits, the most frequent plausible dyadic patterns were actor-only and couple pattern.

Facial emotion recognition in violent men

The goal of this study was to explore the ability of violent men to recognise facial affect. In contrast to traditional approaches to this research question, we took the effects of the models' sex and different types of violent behaviour into consideration. Data obtained from 71 violent men revealed that they recognised facial expressions of fear (p = .019) and disgust (p = .013) more accurately when displayed by female than male models. The opposite was found for angry faces (p = .006), while the models' sex did not affect the recognition of sad, happy and surprised facial expressions or neutral faces. Furthermore, sexual coercion perpetrators were more accurate than other violent men in the recognition of female facial disgust (p = .006). These results are discussed in the context of social learning theory, and the hypothesis that female facial expressions of disgust could be subtle cues to their sexual infidelity that motivate sexual coercion in some men.

Kama muta: Conceptualizing and measuring the experience often labelled being moved across 19 nations and 15 languages

English-speakers sometimes say that they feel "moved to tears," "emotionally touched," "stirred," or that something "warmed their heart;" other languages use similar passive contact metaphors to refer to an affective state. The authors propose and measure the concept of kama muta to understand experiences often given these and other labels. Do the same experiences evoke the same kama muta emotion across nations and languages? They conducted studies in 19 different countries, 5 continents, 15 languages, with a total of 3,542 participants. They tested the construct while validating a comprehensive scale to measure the appraisals, valence, bodily sensations, motivation, and lexical labels posited to characterize kama muta. The results are congruent with theory and previous findings showing that kama muta is a distinct positive social relational emotion that is evoked by experiencing or observing a sudden intensification of communal sharing. It is commonly accompanied by a warm feeling in the chest, moist eyes or tears, chills or piloerection, feeling choked up or having a lump in the throat, buoyancy, and exhilaration. It motivates affective devotion and moral commitment to communal sharing. Although the authors observed some variations across cultures, these 5 facets of kama muta are highly correlated in every sample, supporting the validity of the construct and the measure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Efekti crta ličnosti tamne trijade i emocionalne empatije na moralnu prosudbu

Klasične moralne dileme žrtvovanja, u kojima je potrebno žrtvovati život jedne osobe kako bi spasili nekoliko drugih života, često su definirane konfliktom između racionalnog odgovora maksimizacije ukupne dobrobiti (utilitaristička moralna prosudba) i emocionalne averzije na povredu (deontološka moralna prosudba). Novija su istraživanja moralnog prosuđivanja pokazala da su socijalno averzivni stilovi ličnosti povezani sa sklonosti utilitarističkom odgovaranju na moralne dileme. Cilj je ovoga istraživanja bio ispitati povezanosti crta ličnosti tamne trijade i odgovora na moralne dileme, kao i medijacijski efekt emocionalne empatije na tu povezanost. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 210 ispitanika u dobi od 18 do 68 godina, od toga 147 žena i 63 muškaraca. Dobiveni su rezultati pokazali da su viša psihopatija i viši makijavelizam povezani s većom sklonosti utilitarističkoj moralnoj prosudbi. Nije pronađena povezanost narcizma i moralne prosudbe. Žene iskazuju višu emocionalnu empatiju, a muškarci višu psihopatiju i veću sklonost utilitarističkoj moralnoj prosudbi. Viša je emocionalna empatija povezana s nižim narcizmom, nižim makijavelizmom i nižom psihopatijom te manjom sklonosti utilitarističkoj moralnoj prosudbi. Niska emocionalna empatija je značajan medijator povezanosti makijavelizma i psihopatije sa sklonosti utilitarističkoj moralnoj prosudbi. Raspravljeni su efekti crta tamne trijade i emocionalne empatije na moralnu prosudbu.

Parasympathetic Concomitants of Habitual, Spontaneous, and Instructed Emotional Suppression

Abstract. The neurovisceral integration model proposes that different forms of self-regulation, including the emotional suppression, are characterized by the activation of neural network whose workings are also reflected in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). However, most of the previous studies failed to observe theoretically expected increases in RSA during emotional suppression. Even when such effects were observed, it was not clear whether they resulted from specific task demands, a decrease in muscle activity, or they were the consequence of more specific self-control processes. We investigated the relation between habitual or trait-like suppression, spontaneous, and instructed suppression with changes in RSA during negative emotion experience. A modest positive correlation between spontaneous situational and habitual suppression was observed across two experimental tasks. Furthermore, the results showed greater RSA increase among participants who experienced higher negative affect (NA) increase and reported higher spontaneous suppression than among those with higher NA increase and lower spontaneous suppression. Importantly, this effect was independent from the habitual suppression and observable facial expressions. The results of the additional task based on experimental manipulation, rather than spontaneous use of situational suppression, indicated a similar relation between suppression and RSA. Our results consistently demonstrate that emotional suppression, especially its self-regulation component, is followed by the increase in parasympathetic activity.

Patterns and Universals of Adult Romantic Attachment Across 62 Cultural Regions

As part of the International Sexuality Description Project, a total of 17,804 participants from 62 cultural regions completedthe RelationshipQuestionnaire(RQ), a self-reportmeasure of adult romanticattachment. Correlational analyses within each culture suggested that the Model of Self and the Model of Other scales of the RQ were psychometrically valid within most cultures. Contrary to expectations, the Model of Self and Model of Other dimensions of the RQ did not underlie the four-category model of attachment in the same way across all cultures. Analyses of specific attachment styles revealed that secure romantic attachment was normative in 79% of cultures and that preoccupied romantic attachment was particularly prevalent in East Asian cultures. Finally, the romantic attachment profiles of individual nations were correlated with sociocultural indicators in ways that supported evolutionary theories of romantic attachment and basic human mating strategies.

The effects of facial expressions and tears on the speed of sex recognition

The goal of this research was to examine the effects of facial expressions on the speed of sex recognition. Prior research revealed that sex recognition of female angry faces was slower compared with male angry faces and that female happy faces are recognized faster than male happy faces. We aimed to replicate and extend the previous research by using different set of facial stimuli, different methodological approach and also by examining the effects of some other previously unexplored expressions (such as crying) on the speed of sex recognition. In the first experiment, we presented facial stimuli of men and women displaying anger, fear, happiness, sadness, crying and three control conditions expressing no emotion. Results showed that sex recognition of angry females was significantly slower compared with sex recognition in any other condition, while sad, crying, happy, frightened and neutral expressions did not impact the speed of sex recognition. In the second experiment, we presented angry, neutral and crying expressions in blocks and again only sex recognition of female angry expressions was slower compared with all other expressions. The results are discussed in a context of perceptive features of male and female facial configuration, evolutionary theory and social learning context.

Why crying does and sometimes does not seem to alleviate mood: a quasi-experimental study

Whereas retrospective studies suggest that crying can be beneficial in terms of mood enhancement, results of quasi-experimental laboratory studies consistently demonstrate its negative effects on mood. The present study was specifically designed to evaluate a parsimonious explanation for this paradox by assessing mood after crying in a laboratory, both immediately and at follow up. Mood ratings of 28 objectively established criers and 32 non-criers were compared before and immediately after the exposure to an emotional movie, as well as 20 and 90 min later. As expected, immediately after the film, negative mood significantly increased in criers, while it did not change in non-criers. This mood deterioration was followed by a recovery that resulted in return to the baseline mood levels at the third measurement. Criers subsequently reported mood enhancements at the final measurement compared to the pre-film measurement. Crying frequency did not predict mood changes above those predicted by the presence of crying. The observed relation between crying and more long-term mood recovery reconciles seemingly contrasting earlier results and provides a simple and obvious explanation. After the initial deterioration of mood following crying that was observed in laboratory studies, it apparently takes some time for the mood, not just to recover, but also to become even less negative than before the emotional event, which corresponds to the results of retrospective studies.

Interactive Effects of Personality and Emotional Suppression on Sympathetic Activation

The present research examined the moderating effects of four personality traits (Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Neuroticism) and their facets as measured by NEO-PI-R ( Costa & McCrae, 2005 ) on the relationship between emotion suppression and sympathetic activation. Peripheral pulse amplitude (PPA), spontaneous skin conductance response fluctuations (SCR), and skin conductance level (SCL) were recorded in 129 university students, who were given instruction to behave as usual or to suppress their emotions while watching neutral and emotional movie clips. The results show that only agreeableness and one of its facets, tendermindedness (A6), moderated the effects of suppression on changes in PPA and SCR. While participants were watching emotional movie clip under the instruction to suppress, the level of sympathetic arousal in high agreeable persons increased more compared to those with lower agreeableness. These results were explained by the mechanisms related to the arousability and trait-incongruence responses.

Diagnostic accuracy of heart fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) and glycogen phosphorylase isoenzyme BB (GPBB) in diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in patients with acute coronary syndrome

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to assess whether heart fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) and glycogen phosphorylase isoenzyme BB (GPBB) could be used for the accurate diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 108 ACS patients admitted to a coronary unit within 3 h after chest pain onset. AMI was distinguished from unstable angina (UA) using a classical cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assay. H-FABP and GPBB were measured by ELISA on admission (0 h) and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after admission; their accuracy to diagnose AMI was assessed using statistical methods.

RESULTS

From 92 patients with ACS; 71 had AMI. H-FABP and GPBB had higher peak value after 3 h from admission than cTnI (P = 0.001). Both markers normalized at 24 h. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves was significantly greater for both markers in AMI patients than in UA patients at all time points tested, including admission (P < 0.001). At admission, the H-FABP (37%) and GPBB (40%) sensitivities were relatively low. They increased at 3 and 6 h after admission for both markers and decreased again after 24 h. It was 40% for H-FABP and approximately 2-times lower for GPBB (P < 0.01). In AMI patients, both biomarkers had similar specificities, positive- and negative-predictive values, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and risk ratios for AIM.

CONCLUSION

H-FABP and GPBB can contribute to early AMI diagnosis and can distinguish AMI from UA.

Childhood and adulthood traumatic experiences in patients with psoriasis

It is well known that several psychiatric disorders may be related to childhood psychological trauma. Recent studies have associated childhood exposure to trauma to some skin diseases. Our study aimed at exploring whether psoriasis is related to the reported positive and negative traumatic life events in different age intervals beginning from early childhood to adulthood. Furthermore, we investigated differences between psoriatics with early and late onset according to traumatic experiences in different age intervals. Also, we investigated the possible correlation of traumatic experiences with the disease severity. One hundred patients with psoriasis and 101 controls (patients with skin conditions considered to be "non-psychosomatic") were enrolled in the study. All participants completed a specific questionnaire measuring traumatic life experiences (Traumatic Antecedents Questionnaire, TAQ). The TAQ assesses positive personal experiences (competence and safety) and negative personal experiences (neglect, separation, secrets, emotional, physical and sexual abuse, trauma witnessing, other traumas and exposure to alcohol/drugs) from early childhood to adulthood. The severity of psoriasis was estimated according to the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), a standardized measuring instrument. The amount of positive experiences did not differ significantly among groups, except for safety scores that were higher in controls compared with both psoriatic groups (early and late onset). On the other side, negative traumatic experiences appeared more frequently in patients with psoriasis during all developmental periods. We found no correlation between severity of psoriasis and traumatic experiences. The present study demonstrates an increased history of childhood and adulthood negative traumatic experiences in patients with psoriasis compared to the control group. Our findings suggest a relationship between retrospectively reported negative traumatic experiences and psoriasis.

Five-factor personality dimensions and 3 health-related personality constructs as predictors of health

AIM

To examine how 5-factor personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness) and 3 higher-order health-related personality constructs (negative experience, optimistic control, and passivity) are related to self-reports of subjective health outcomes (positive and negative mood, physical symptoms, and general health concern) and objective health conditions (chronic illnesses, serious illnesses, and physical injuries).

METHODS

The study was carried out on a sample of 822 healthy volunteers (438 women and 384 men, from 18 to 84 years). Data were analyzed by hierarchical regression analyses for measures of subjective health outcomes used as criterion variables and binary logistic regression analyses for objective health conditions used as criterion variables.

RESULTS

Three health-related personality constructs significantly predicted all subjective health measures above and beyond 5-factor personality dimensions. Out of the 5-factor personality dimensions, neuroticism was most consistently related to worse subjective health outcomes, while out of 3 health-related personality constructs, negative experience was related to worse and optimistic control to better subjective health outcomes. When objective health conditions were taken into account as criterion variables, both sets of variables were relatively weak predictors. Only 5-factor personality traits as a group of variables significantly predicted chronic illnesses (chi(2)(5)=15.06; P=0.012; Nagelkerke R(2)=0.032). Only neuroticism significantly predicted the presence of chronic illnesses (odds ratio [OR], 1.091; 95.0% confidence interval [CI], 1.040-1.144), whereas only optimistic control was related to more frequent physical injuries caused by accidents (OR, 1.285; 95.0% CI, 1.002-1.648).

CONCLUSION

Five-factor personality traits and 3 health-related personality constructs may be useful factors in a multidisciplinary approach to understanding personality-health relationship.

Decreased peak bone mass is associated with a 3-bp deletion/insertion of the CYP19 intron 4 polymorphism: preliminary data from the GOOS study

Finding that estrogen plays an important role in bone homeostasis in men prompted research on relationship of polymorphism at the CYP19 gene and the bone mass. Therefore, influence of 3-bp deletion/insertion polymorphism of CYP19 (TTTA)7 allele on the peak bone mass attainment in males was studied. Fifty-eight unrelated male participants, aged 21-35, were selected depending on the presence of (TTTA)7 (no.=19) or (TTTA)7-3 (no.=39) alleles from the initial cohort of 92 young males. Heterozygotes (TTTA)7/(TTTA)7-3 (no.=13) were not included in the analysis. Serum levels of estradiol, free testosterone, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, bone alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and beta-crosslaps were measured. Bone mass was measured by DXA at the hip and at the spine. (TTTA)7-3 allele was associated with significantly lower femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) (p=0.02). Logistic regression model indicated strong association of (TTTA)7-3 allele with low BMD in the range of osteopenia/osteoporosis (p=0.014, odds ratio 12.36, confidence intervals 1.65-92.46). In the present study association of 3-bp deletion polymorphism of the (TTTA)7 allele with decreased peak bone mass in males is reported for the first time. However, further studies are necessary to elucidate the functional relevance of this polymorphism.

Calcaneus ultrasound in males: normative data in the Croatian population (ECUM study)

Limited number of dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) devices in Croatia makes this diagnostic technique unavailable to the majority of the population. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneus could be an alternative tool for assessing fracture risk. However, age-specific normative data should be obtained before using the QUS in everyday clinical practice. The aim of our Epidemiology of Calcaneus Ultrasound in Males (ECUM) study is to establish the normative QUS data in a healthy sample of Croatian males. A total of 1002 male participants, aged 20-99, recruited in different Croatian counties, were included in the study. In each subject broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), speed of sound (SOS) and quantitative ultrasound index (QUI) of the left calcaneus were measured using the Sahara ultrasound device (Hologic). The coefficients of variation were 2.85 for BUA, 0.37 for SOS and 2.49 for QUI. Significant declining with age was found for all three parameters, BUA (p<0.001), SOS (p<0.001) and QUI (p<0.001), with respective r values 0.14, 0.27 and 0.23. The peak SOS (1,562.8+/-28.5 m/sec) and QUI (103.6+/-16.5) values were observed in the third decade, whereas the peak BUA value (86.2+/-19.2 db/MHz) was observed in the fourth decade. A subgroup of 103 participants, aged 20-29, was used to estimate young adult mean and SD for QUI and calculate the T-scores. Using the World Health Organization diagnostic criteria the rates of osteoporosis (T-score<-2.5) in the males aged 50 and older was 5.8%. However, when we used the cut-off value of the T-score<-1.8, as previously suggested, prevalence of osteoporosis in Croatian males >50 yr was 16.2%. Although further studies might improve our understanding of the QUS role in the fracture prediction, we hope that the results presented here will improve the clinical management of osteoporosis in males.

Patterns and universals of mate poaching across 53 nations: the effects of sex, culture, and personality on romantically attracting another person's partner

As part of the International Sexuality Description Project, 16,954 participants from 53 nations were administered an anonymous survey about experiences with romantic attraction. Mate poaching--romantically attracting someone who is already in a relationship--was most common in Southern Europe, South America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe and was relatively infrequent in Africa, South/Southeast Asia, and East Asia. Evolutionary and social-role hypotheses received empirical support. Men were more likely than women to report having made and succumbed to short-term poaching across all regions, but differences between men and women were often smaller in more gender-egalitarian regions. People who try to steal another's mate possess similar personality traits across all regions, as do those who frequently receive and succumb to the poaching attempts by others. The authors conclude that human mate-poaching experiences are universally linked to sex, culture, and the robust influence of personal dispositions.

Universal sex differences in the desire for sexual variety: tests from 52 nations, 6 continents, and 13 islands

Evolutionary psychologists have hypothesized that men and women possess both long-term and short-term mating strategies, with men's short-term strategy differentially rooted in the desire for sexual variety. In this article, findings from a cross-cultural survey of 16,288 people across 10 major world regions (including North America, South America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Oceania, South/Southeast Asia, and East Asia) demonstrate that sex differences in the desire for sexual variety are culturally universal throughout these world regions. Sex differences were evident regardless of whether mean, median, distributional, or categorical indexes of sexual differentiation were evaluated. Sex differences were evident regardless of the measures used to evaluate them. Among contemporary theories of human mating, pluralistic approaches that hypothesize sex differences in the evolved design of short-term mating provide the most compelling account of these robust empirical findings.

Universal sex differences in the desire for sexual variety: tests from 52 nations, 6 continents, and 13 islands

Evolutionary psychologists have hypothesized that men and women possess both long-term and short-term mating strategies, with men's short-term strategy differentially rooted in the desire for sexual variety. In this article, findings from a cross-cultural survey of 16,288 people across 10 major world regions (including North America, South America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Oceania, South/Southeast Asia, and East Asia) demonstrate that sex differences in the desire for sexual variety are culturally universal throughout these world regions. Sex differences were evident regardless of whether mean, median, distributional, or categorical indexes of sexual differentiation were evaluated. Sex differences were evident regardless of the measures used to evaluate them. Among contemporary theories of human mating, pluralistic approaches that hypothesize sex differences in the evolved design of short-term mating provide the most compelling account of these robust empirical findings.

Absolute and Relative Accuracy in the Retrospective Estimate of Positive and Negative Mood

Summary: In a research carried out on 69 subjects, we examined the absolute and relative accuracy in the retrospective estimate of positive and negative mood as well as specific factors within positive and negative mood. The absolute accuracy was defined as the difference between average daily estimates within a period of 35 to 42 days and retrospective mood estimates for the same period, which was examined one week after the end of the day-to-day estimates. The results show statistically significant differences between average daily and retrospective mood estimates, both for positive and negative mood, for all specific factors of positive mood and for sadness as a specific factor of negative mood. In all cases retrospective estimates are statistically higher in comparison to the average day-to-day estimates. The correlation coefficients, which reflect the relative accuracy, are statistically significant and high for all mood factors. The results obtained are discussed in the context of the cognitive and motivational processes that can be operative in the retrospective mood estimates and the main measurement implications of the results are indicated.

The Effects of Dispositional and Situational Coping, Perceived Social Support, and Cognitive Appraisal on Immediate Outcome

Summary: The effects of coping styles and strategies, perceived social support, and primary and secondary cognitive appraisal on immediate outcome were examined in this study. Two theoretical models were tested via linear structural equation modelling (LISREL VI) on a sample of 116 women. The first model was derived from the structural approach to stress and coping, while the second was based primarily on a theoretical position of the transactional approach to stress and coping process. Both models were tested twice, by taking into account appraisal of threat and appraisal of controllability. The results indicate the importance of cognitive appraisals and their effects on adaptational outcomes, situational coping efforts as well as their mediating role between some coping resources and adaptational outcomes. The main differences obtained in the models tested account for the type of cognitive appraisal included in the analyses. The appraisal of threat proved to be a more central component of stressful experience than appraisal of controllability. The results also show that dispositional as well as situational coping strategies exert relatively weak effects on immediate outcome.

Phenotypic analysis of receptor-ligand pairs on B-cells in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Whole-blood three-color immunofluorescence analysis was used to investigate the role of CD5/CD72 and CD21/CD23 receptor-ligand pair formation on B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells as well as sCD23 and bcl-2 oncoprotein expression in disease progression and activity and total tumor mass in B-cell chronic leukemia (B-CLL) patients. Thirty-four patients with B-CLL and 19 controls were included in the study. The majority of B-cells in B-CLL patients coexpressed CD5 and CD72 as well as the CD23 antigen. Unlike B-cells in B-CLL patients, B-cells in all healthy controls tested had high expression of CD21 antigen. We identified two groups of B-CLL patients according to high (n = 20) or low levels (n = 14) of CD21 expression on CD19+CD23+ B-cells. Only in the patients with high CD21 expression, were sCD23 levels positively correlated with factors known to have prognostic significance in B-CLL (Rai stage and TTM) and could, therefore, be used as a prognostic parameter for these B-CLL patients. Bcl-2 oncoprotein expression did not differ between these patient groups. We presumed that in patients with a lower expression of CD21 antigen, the contribution of the CD21 molecule to homotypic adhesion was lacking. Further studies are necessary to determine the possible association of higher expression of the CD21 antigen with disease progression and the aggressive character of the B-CLL.

Naloxone interferes with granulocytopoiesis in long-term cultures of mouse bone marrow; buffering by the stromal layer

Long-term cultures of mouse bone marrow cells were treated with naloxone, starting at the time of culture initiation or in the 2nd or 4th week of culture. Cell proliferation was suppressed and the ratio of immature and mature granulocytes to macrophages diminished by naloxone treatment. The effect depended on the timing of naloxone addition to the cultures and on its concentration, with a bell-shaped dose-response curve. High and low concentrations of naloxone (10(-4), 10(-6), 10(-14) M) interfered with hematopoiesis more strongly than the intermediate concentrations (10(-8) to 10(-12) M). Early cultures lacking the stromal layer were more sensitive to naloxone than the cultures with established stroma. The bell-shaped dose-response curve has been attributed to an interplay of specific (opioid-receptor-mediated) and nonspecific mechanisms. Opioidergic mechanisms apparently participate in the regulation of hematopoiesis.

Age-related changes in functions of peripheral blood phagocytes

Ingestion, digestion and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) of opsonized sheep red blood cells (SRBC), as effector functions of peripheral blood phagocytes, were studied in newborns, children, mature and aged adults. All tested functions changed non-synchronously during the lifetime. The ingestion was maximal in newborns, digestion in children and ADCC in mature adults. The ingestion was minimal in aged, but digestion was minimal both in newborns and aged. Such changes of phagocytes' functions could possibly contribute to differences in immune reactions of the age-groups studied. The study indicates the need for establishing age-adjusted normal values for major granulocyte and monocyte effector functions.