Who is to blame? Pointing fingers at the parents of juvenile deliquents

            I have had the amazing opportunity to be an intern at the Lancaster’s District Attorney Office this semester. I was placed in the juvenile department where I have been able to attend juvenile court hearings. During this experience I have been truly shocked to learn of the severity of the children’s crimes at ages as young as 11! This makes me wonder, who is to blame if a child is displaying criminal behavior? Most people are quick to put this blame on the parents, including law enforcement. But should parents be held accountable by law for their children’s delinquent behavior? 

            In Wilmington, Delaware parents are held responsible for their children’s actions when they are out past the city’s curfew. In Jacksonville, Florida parents have to pay for any graffiti damage done by their minor son or daughter. And in Detroit, Michigan parents have the “continuous duty” to prevent their child from committing any delinquent act.

            Brank, Greene, and Hochevar did a series of studies to examine what situational factors or individual temperament factors impacts the public’s opinion on parental responsibility.

            One of the factors that the researchers studied was how views on parental responsibility changed when the parents committed acts of commission versus acts of omission. For example, an act of commission would be actively giving their children hazardous materials, while acts of omission would be accidently leaving dangerous materials where their children could access them. As you may expect, parents who committed acts of omission were seen by participants as less responsible then the parents who actively gave their children materials that led to a crime. The study also showed that participants saw that parents were more responsible for their child’s actions if they committed a personal injury crime than a property crime.

            Participants found parents of 9 year olds more responsible for their child’s actions then older youths. This is probably because older teens are usually seen in the public eye as being more rebellious and influenced by their older peers more so then their parents.

            So what did the participant’s think the parents should have to do if found responsible for their child’s actions? Most participants thought that parents shouldn’t be imprisoned when found responsible for their child’s crimes. They proposed that a better approach which would be to have the parent receive counseling with their child, and have them be more involved with their child’s life. I would have to agree with this. Enforcing counseling sessions with their child would be far more beneficial then slapping the parents with some fines and community service.

            Overall, this study did find that most participants thought more of the responsibility of a crime should lay with the juvenile, but the parents are in part to blame. The participants had to take into account both the situational factors and the age of the juvenile before they decided how much responsibility lies on the shoulders of the parents. 

            All of these factors make the concept of parental responsibility in the legal system very complicated. That is why I think each situation of parental responsibility should be treated differently, and that broad laws, such as the ones in Wilmington, Detroit, and Jacksonville should be re-examined. If the parent’s actions were not the primary cause of the offense and if they could not have been foreseen the juvenile’s delinquent behaviors occurring, how can we automatically hold these parents responsible?

            This study is very important because it examines how the public supports and views these laws. Public support of social issues can motivate the government to make new laws and revise existing laws.  If the legal system knows how the public views laws, it can influence how they enforce them. If the public widely supports a law then it is more likely to be enforced by police. On the other hand, if the public does not perceive a law as legitimate and fair then they are less likely to obey the law. This is very important in the case of parental responsibility. If the parent’s view this law as unfair then they may be more unlikely to want to have control over their children.

            Let your State and City representatives know what you think of parental responsibility laws! It is important for them to gage the public’s opinions, especially on laws that are viewed as potentially unfair. If you think your children may be up to no good keep an eye on them so you don’t end up being the one punished! 

 Anna Teeter

Brank, E.M., Greene, E., & Hochevar,L. (2011). Holding parents responsible: Is vicarious responsibility    the public’s answer to juvenile crime? Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 17 (4), 507-509.

Texting while studying? You're probably not focusing as well as you could

Think about the most recent time that you were trying to get some sort of academic work done, whether it was studying for an exam, writing a paper, or something else requiring a lot of focus and brain power.

Now think about where your cell phone was in relation to your work.  If you’re anything like me, it was a few inches away and face up so that a text could be easily spotted and replied to.  Or maybe you’re the type that keeps it face down or out of sight so that you won’t be distracted…but then you check it every minute just in case you get a text.

A 2011 study by Harman and Sato went about trying to prove what many of us have told ourselves isn’t true: texting while you work may impact your GPA, and not in a good way.

Now, when I say it may impact your GPA, that isn’t because they’re getting questionable results; it’s simply because the factors involved (GPA and the frequency of sending/receiving texts) are correlated, meaning they are related to each other and a change in one factor will produce an effect on the other.  In this case, the two factors are negatively correlated, meaning GPA will increase as the number of texts sent/received decreases, and vice versa.

The fact that the two are correlated is relevant because it doesn’t necessarily indicate which one causes the other (sometimes it’s even possible for a third, unknown factor to be the cause).  What this means is that one possible, but unlikely, interpretation of the data is that having a low GPA will lead you to text more often.

Personally, that’s not the interpretation I would make.  Mostly because I’ve never thought to myself, “If I had a low GPA, I’d have so much free time to text people.”

A far more likely interpretation of the data is that the distraction caused by sending and receiving text messages leads people to focus less on their work. Skeptical? See if this sounds familiar: You sit down to do some reading and you make it halfway down the first page when you get a text.  Naturally, you reply immediately and when you go back to reading, you’ve forgotten what the page was about.  So you go back a few sentences and continue reading, and when you get halfway down the page, you get another text. Naturally, you reply immediately and when you go back to reading, you’ve forgotten what the page was about. So you go back a few sentences… you get the idea.

So what can you do to combat this ever-present distraction?  Simple – turn off your phone or leave it in your room and study elsewhere.  Of course by “simple” I mean, “Simple to say and nearly impossible to actually do.”  As evidenced by the average number of texts sent (103) and received (113) in a day, and the average number of times one’s cell phone was checked in a day (60), it’s clear that, for some, cell phones are a constant distraction.

I think most would agree that turning off your phone is the most effective way to prevent further distraction, but it has the drawback of completely cutting off communication.  So what are some other options available to you?  Well, you could try setting a timer on your phone and only reply to messages once that timer goes off.  Of course, if you have the will power to do that, you might already have the will power to ignore your phone without a timer.

Another option is hinted at by an additional measurement in the Harman and Sato study: the average number of people that were text messaged by participants.  Despite the high volume of texts sent and received, participants only communicated with an average of 7 people.  This means you could try studying with those people instead of texting them, if they go to the same college.  Obviously, this could produce an even bigger distraction, so I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone. 

Cell phones are a relatively recent distraction in our era of constant communication. Because of this, not much research has been done on how to eliminate the distraction without eliminating the communication.  If you’re like me, you find this to be less and less of a problem because you seem to have more work to do with every passing year, “fortunately” giving you less time to text people. 

Cell phone-related research is expanding rapidly and it’s likely that someone will soon find an effective solution to help regulate excessive phone usage.

 If you’re that person, or you come across that solution, please…text me and let me know about it.

- Billy Fisher

Harman, B. A. & Sato, T. (2011). Cell phone use and grade point average among undergraduate university students. College Student Journal, 45, 544-549.

Taking the Leap: Decision Making in Young Adult Romantic Relationships

            As teens progress through their high school years into their collegiate years, this is undoubtedly a period of hormonal changes, anxiety and stress, and a phase for experimental behavior.  It goes without saying that most parents of growing teens criticize their offspring for their inability to make informed, responsible decisions at this point in their lives.  In a study conducted by Amber Vennuum and Frank Fincham of Florida State University, they assessed decision-making in young adult romantic relationships.  Young adults in romantic relationships often face adversity in the realm of decision-making, as there may be miscommunication or a lack of communication entirely on specific subjects.  When analyzing the relationships of many young adult couples, the researchers discovered that some couples ‘gradually slide’ into life-changing events, such that things ‘just happen’, which reflects an absence of decision making in this transition.  “The lack of conscious decision making around important relationship transitions, such as sex, cohabitation, marriage, and pregnancy has been hypothesized to put relationships at greater risk of adverse outcomes” (Stanley, Rhoades, & Markman, 2006).  Personally, through reading romantic novels, hearing celebrity gossip, and watching romantic comedies, I’ve learned thus far that communication is key.  Although the results from this study may not be astoundingly surprising, they are alarming and worth attention. 

If couples are ‘sliding’ through decision-making, partners could develop a gradual increase in lack of understanding for one another because opinions and values are not being voiced.  In a negative light, the act of sliding past important decisions could morph into the act of sliding past warning signs of a bad relationship.  If couples are skipping over warning signs of a relationship on the brink of going sour, it may lead the individuals into staying in a relationship that is potentially destructive – both physically and mentally in behavior.  Overall, couples who aren’t open with one another about key aspects of their relationship are ultimately cheating themselves and their partners.  The very nature of a relationship is founded on having a relation with someone; if individuals aren’t relating in a vocal fashion, the foundation of such a relationship is bound to crumble at some point. So, ladies and gentlemen, how are we to go about preventing this problem entirely? Thankfully, the researchers have devised what is known as a RDS – Relationship Deciding Scale, a questionnaire reflecting on thoughtfulness regarding relationship decisions, awareness of and ability to deal with warning signs in a relationship, and confidence in being able to maintain a relationship.

The RDS exposes characteristics of a couple’s relationship by providing questions about 13 different values of a relationship, such as conflict resolution, negotiation, relationship satisfaction, positive interaction, dedication, alcohol consumption, hookups, and others as well.  The RDS is especially analytical, allowing individuals to answer straightforward questions on a 5-point scale and write reflections on their perceived relationship skills. Quite honestly, if I were in a position where I was unsure of the stability and commitment of my relationship with someone, I would hope that a questionnaire evaluating my decision-making would analyze multiple facets of my life and how I make regular decisions.  More specifically, the researchers not only assessed individuals’ awareness but also their ability to deal with relationship risk factors.  When sifting through this study, it is evident to me that one’s ability or lack of ability to make important decisions in one’s romantic relations can stem other negative characteristics into an individual’s collective personality – such as trouble with confidence and self-efficacy.  Ultimately, although the RDS analysis offers a unique, and seemingly, significant way to interpret an individual’s personality within a romantic relationship, I think that the biggest influence to change such a quality of someone comes from parental engagement.  If parents can teach their children early on the importance of being responsible, self-assured and motivated, as teenagers, they can carry themselves more confidently and act more appropriately in romantic commitments. As opposed to ‘sliding’ into big decisions, young adults will pay more attention to their comfort zones and hopefully, take initiative in discussing big decisions with their significant other. 

So, what can we take from this? Well, as we know young adults to be naïve and consumed in the process of learning through their teens and into their early twentys, it is apparent that they need knowledge on how to assess whether they are making smart, informed decisions (or any decisions at all) about their committed relationships.  Here, the RDS evaluation can take a definitive role in providing young adults with a quick way to assess the quality of their relationship – if they found themselves in a position of uncertainty or doubt.  Inadvertently, the RDS can assist young adults in becoming more ambitious, independent, and self-confident individuals. This evaluative questionnaire can take an impactful stance in a young adult’s life; at least, if nothing else, have the potential power to allow young individuals to take a step back and assess the quality of their current relationship – a source of potential change in one’s life.

Vennum, A., & Fincham, F. (2011). Assessing decision making in young adult romantic relationships . American Psychological Association, 23(3), 739-751.

If at first you don't succeed...You should probably take a break

             If at first you don’t succeed try try again.  There are always more fish in the sea.  These are two common phrases that are usually associated with failure of some type.  One area in which we are particularly susceptible to disappointment is in social relationships.  It is not often that one marries the first person they ask on a date, more likely than not one will have many failed relationships throughout life.  As psychologists we are interested in how rejection affects the social and psychological processes of people who go through rejection.   Kavanagh, Robins, and Ellis looked into how rejection might lead to changes in social motivation.  They posited that we tend to base our social aspirations based on the likelihood that we fulfill these aspirations.  As such, past experiences of failure and success lead to changes of the likelihood of success for any given aspiration.  For instance, if a student is taking organic chemistry and they fail most of the tests managing a final grade of a D- than they are less likely to take organic chemistry II because their past experience has informed them that they are not likely to succeed.  Conversely, if that student had done very well in organic chemistry than they are likely to continue onto organic chemistry II and believe that they will do well.   The researchers applied this way of thinking about potential success to perspective romantic relationships. 

                Participants in the first study were asked to talk to three other participants and answer personal questions that would presumably be used to match the participant with another person through a dating service.  The interviewers were not actually participants but researchers who were playing the part of the participant.  These researchers gave the participant fake feedback that was either positive or negative regarding the interview questions.  Some of the feedback questions were, “Would you want to continue a conversation with this person? Or would you want to introduce this person to a friend?”  These false feedback questions served to manipulate the participant’s self-esteem and their perceived likelihood of succeeding in future social endeavors.  Finally, participants were asked to scroll through profiles of potential romantic interests on a dating site.  The profiles were manipulated in their social and physical desirability.  The participants rated the profiles on several 7 scale questions regarding how interested they would be in that person and how interested that person would be in them.  The researchers found some interesting results from this study.

                    First self-esteem was greatly affected by the feedback from the participants.  Rejected participates had significant decreases in self-esteem, this decrease was greater in women than men.  For male participants acceptance also lead to a decreases in self-esteem but this decrease was minor in comparison to the rejection condition.  Women experienced an increase in self-esteem following acceptance.  More interesting though was that participants who were accepted believed that they would make a good match with the highly attractive profiles while the rejected participants believed they would be the best match for the less attractive profiles.  A second study found further support for this trend.

                The second study replicated the results of the first study with a more personal form of acceptance or rejection.  Participants again answered interview questions and received feedback, but instead of talking over an intercom were presented with a “live video chat”, the chat was actually a pre-recorded DVD.  Following the positive or negative feedback participants again recorded self-esteem and completed the same interest task as in the first study.  Rejection again lead to a decrease in self-esteem and lead to matching with less attractive profiles while acceptance increased self-esteem and lead to matching with higher attraction profiles.   So what do these findings mean and why should I care?

                We all face rejection on a regular basis.  Understanding how rejection may affect our behavioral processes is then very important.  It is not likely that one will always be successful in seeking companionship, therefore one should be equipped to handle disappointment and manage expectations.  One of the take always from this study is that following rejection self-esteem takes a dive and the perception of who one should be with changes.  As such, it would not be a good idea to seek companionship following an instance of rejection.  For example, if a significant other decides to call it quits, than the individual being dumped will have greatly reduced self-esteem and be more likely to sell themselves short when seeking new relationships.  It would seem then that a better strategy would be to maximize one’s self-esteem when seeking companionship.  Another important take away is to manage expectations.  Being rejected can lead to a downward spiral where the rejection leads to decreased self-esteem which may lead to choosing an disappointing partner which will likely lead to further decreases in self-esteem.  Instead, it would be better to be patient and pursue opportunities that are likely to pan out and to do all that one can to maximize self-esteem.  So in conclusion it appears that it would be better to focus on their being more fish in the sea and maximizing one’s fishing gear to snag one of those whoppers than to try try again when trying might just hurt more than taking a break. 

-Dan Miller

 

Kavanagh, P. S., Robins, S. C., & Ellis, B. J. (2010). The mating sociometer: A regulatory mechanism for mating aspirations. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 99(1), 120-132. doi:10.1037/a0018188 

Barbie, Our Beautiful Anorexic Cultural Beauty Icon...

The Barbie obsession started with her introduction to the United States toy market in 1959. From then on, Barbie became a cultural icon of female beauty. Most young girls growing up have on average between eight and 10 Barbie dolls. In 1999 only 1% of girls did not own any Barbie dolls.

             Barbie’s popularity with young girls is extraordinary, which is good for Mattel, her creator. In 2003, Barbie products grossed $1.5 billion in annual sales. Barbie is a staple play toy for most young girls, but is she merely just a play toy? Or is Barbie actually causing a negative body image and potentially priming these young girls for eating disorders in their future?

             As your child is playing with their doll, think about this. If Barbie were a real person her waist would be 39% smaller than that of an anorexic women. Her body weight would be so low, that she would be unable to menstruate. Barbie’s body proportions are extremely unrealistic, virtually unattainable, and most importantly unhealthy.

            Now you maybe thinking, so what? My young child does not think about body image, she is too young! I would urge you to think again, studies have shown that children as young as age 4 to favor a thin body.

            A recent study in 2006, by Dittmar, Halliwell, and Ive explored the immediate effects that Barbie dolls have on young girls. The study also explored the potential effects that the Emme doll, a doll based on full figured proportions, also has on girls. Young girls between ages 5 ½ to 7 ½ were exposed to either a Barbie or Emme doll. The study found that, Barbie dolls specifically had a direct impact on young girls’ body image. Exposure to Barbie lowered the girl’s body esteem and lowered their satisfaction with their own body size causing them to desire a thinner body. Unfortunately, a solution could not be found with exposure to the Emme doll. Girls that were exposed to the Emme doll did not prevent body dissatisfaction. In older girls (6 ½ - 7 ½ ) it actually had the opposite impact and a caused higher body dissatisfaction. This led the researchers to believe that older girls already had a thin body ideal and the Emme doll was became a figure of someone they hoped to not look like.

            These results are extremely shocking. Barbie has become a role model for young girls at a terrible cost. Playing with Barbie could potentially lead to consequences such as depression, unhealthy eating habits and in the future an eating disorder. Girls learn to desire a thin body ideal at a young age and this stays with them until they are older. TV and other media are constantly bombarding girls with unhealthy body images and ideals, that there is no way they could unlearn what they learned as normal, when they were playing with Barbie at age five. Barbie is what they are supposed to look like when they grow up, and this is only further perpetuated by exposure to the extremely thin actresses and models that become their role models when they are older.

            How can we change this? Barbie has been around for over 50 years and is an extremely successful product for Mattel. I would say there is a definite need for change. Does this change lie in the hands of the parents not buying the product or is it Mattel’s responsibility to make Barbie more realistic? Would this even help? I can honestly say, I am not sure, but someone needs to do something. Girls need to learn what a healthy body looks like, not an unhealthy one.

- Allison Rooney

Dittmar, H., Halliwell, E., & Ive, S. (2006). Does Barbie make girls want to be thin? The effect of experimental exposure to images of dolls on the body image of 5- to 8-year-old girls. Developmental Psychology, 42(2), 283-292. 

Growing Pains

Growing Pains

Eleanna Antoniou

            Being an adolescent girl is hard, and it takes someone who has been through the trauma of changing bodies, emotions and general life upheaval to understand just how bad it really is. Although it is hard on the child, it is possible that puberty is equally as hard on the parent. With almost nothing that can be done to help their child through these changes, parents are stuck with emotional and confused teenage daughters. I was not an easy teenager so my parents were no exception.

During my search to understand this, I stumbled upon an article by Hélène Baril, Danielle Julien, Élise Chartrand and Monique Dubé which investigated the relationship between quality of relationships in adolescence and how that affects their friendships in adulthood. These authors were trying to look at “the contributions of family and friendship relationships amongst daughters in adolescence and adulthood t their friendship support in adulthood” (p161).

            Through a series of experiments, they were able to show that a positive relationship during adolescences between mother and father showed positive effects on the daughters’ friendship outcomes later in life, and that a negative relationship would have the opposite effect. Similarly, positive communications between mother and adolescent daughters predicted the daughter’s quality of friendship later in life. When adults discussed their friendships, the presences communication between adult best friends was associated with the quality of friendship.

            So what? How does this help a 13 year old feel like she will make it through puberty alive? This study shows that when the relationships around her, such as between her parents and with her mother, are positive she will learn the skills during adolescents to have positive relationships later in life. This gives parents all the control. In order to help their adolescent daughter through this rough time, they can focus their attention not on nit picking what the daughter is wearing or the way she is growing, but rather on how their relationships can help give her positive relationship examples later in life. Although this does not dull the awkwardness of growing up for their daughter, it gives parents a tool that they can eventually make a large positive impact on the future of their teenage girls life.

Baril, H., Julien, D., Chartrand, É., & Dubé, M. (2009). Females’ quality of relationships in adolescence and friendship support in adulthood. Canadian Journal Of Behavioural Science/Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement, 41(3), 161-168

He's Out of My League

      You walk into a dimly lit room and see a gorgeous, light haired, blue-eyed man standing on the other side of the room with his buddies at his side. Do you go over to him and spark up a conversation? Do you wait to make eye contact with him and entice him over to you? Or maybe he is just way too attractive and you know there is no way he would ever go for someone like you…but would he?

      A recent study by Greitemeyer (2010) looked at reciprocal desire and if it had an influence on people’s desire for a potential partner the more the partner was physically attractive. Conversely, a fear of social rejection holds a person back from potential contact with someone who may be more attractive than the other person. We all know that physical attractiveness is one of the most important characteristics for romantic attraction. Why else would you approach someone who you didn't know? With this being known we can easily infer that mating preferences are a compromise between the desire one has towards an attractive partner and their concerns about rejection by that partner, considering their high level of attractiveness.

      Think about a time you romantically fell for someone. Did you know that the person felt a desire towards you too before you fully took the plunge in showing them how you really felt? Most people would answer yes to this question, so if you are among them then right on, you are on the right track for romance!

      The research from this study suggests that demonstrating the expectations of desire have a greater impact on partner preference (if the person is considered to be highly attractive). Greitemeyer used a two-part study, the first of which examined only the impact of expectations of desire on the participant, and the second part that looked at if this desire would change based on if the participant was made aware of the other highly attractive persons desire. For both studies, an equal amount of men and women were used and as expected, it was determined that participants reported a greater desire for a potential partner who reported reciprocity.

      Can you believe that this reciprocal desire is actually more important than a person’s level of attractiveness? So if you are looking for that special someone, here is some advice. 

Remember:

Your ideal partner would be of the highest attractiveness level that is possible for you to obtain, so try to see what this level is. If you never try then you will never know.

Don't be shy! If you are into someone, let them know because it can pay off in the long run.

Have some self esteem, because that gorgeous person across the room might be thinking the same thing you are.

- Rae Wohl

Greitemeyer, T. (2010). Effects of reciprocity on attraction: The role of a partner's physical attractiveness. Personal Relationships, 17(2), 317-330.

Childhood Trauma and Future Relationships

           After having studied trauma in many psychology classes, I wanted to explore it further, as this will be my last time as an undergraduate to explore this topic. Thinking back to all the discussions I have had with the children I worked with during the Manheim Mentoring Program this past summer, I came to the realization that a few of them have experienced something that would qualify as a traumatic experience. While they have received help from others regarding their situations, I thought it would be important to find out some information regarding how these traumas might affect their future relationships. This led me to a study by Busby, Walker and Holman, which explores the idea of childhood trauma and it’s affect on adult relationships. After reading this article, I felt that is was extremely informative and had results that I would love to share with my mentees from this past summer. I think that it might be something that would help them in their future relationships.

            While it may seem obvious that childhood trauma would negatively affect future relationships of the victims, these researchers take their study to the next level. They want to find out if the perceptions of one’s self and partner are associated with the childhood trauma they experienced. If these perceptions are associated with the trauma, were they also associated with the selection of the partner? This was the most interesting question that the researchers strived to answer.

            In order to find out if victims of these traumatic situations applies their experiences in choosing their partner, the researchers used a 271-item questionnaire called the RELATE test. The purpose of this test was to evaluate the relationship of the victim and the partner. In most cases, this test helped to make partners more aware of each other’s experiences and feelings. The questionnaire illustrated that the victims were experiencing perceptual effects rather than selection-based effects; this means that victims were not selecting more neurotic or anxious partners than the non-abused individuals, though they thought that they were. However, if both partners were abused, they both saw each other and their own self as being significantly more neurotic.

            This article really opened my eyes to understanding the issues that victims of traumatic situations experience. Thinking back to all the conversations I had with my mentees this past summer, I realized that sharing this information with them in subtle ways might be helpful for them later on in life. They might be able to take some of what this article is saying and apply it to situations they face in ten or twenty years. The authors did list some benefits of the questionnaire, which included:

·      Couples will be able to better understand each other’s issues and hang-ups.

·      Helps keep the influence of trauma in one’s life in perspective: significant effect on one’s life, but only moderately significant.

·      Suggests appropriate intervention strategies in order to help the victim and the partner increase positive perceptions of self, partner, and relationship.

            So couples, if you would like to help increase the positivity of your partner perecptions on you relationship, be more open and talk about the past. As you can see in the picture above, it is possible to have that happy and close relationship you're your partner, just as long as open minds and hearts are involved. Although it can hurt and be uncomfortable, sharing and talking about past experiences and making everyone in the relationship aware of perceptions and feelings can only lead to improvments in closeness. As this article suggests, the RELATE questionnaire helps to make both partners more aware of their neurosis and anxieties; this can help improve the understanding of each person in the relationship, and in the end, it will yield a more healthy and positive relationship. So- be open with each otherl; you never know what might happen!

-Nicole Pagnoni

Busby, D. M., Walker, E. C., & Holman, T. B. (2011). The association of childhood trauma with perceptions of self and the partner  in adult romantic relationships. Personal Relationships,18(1), 547-561.

Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Openness, and Your Career: Where will you end up?

As a senior graduating this May, I’ve been fixated on finding that perfect job to kick off my career. Applying to jobs and graduate programs has required me to do some soul searching to find out what kind of person I am – Am I extraverted? Do I enjoy working in groups or alone? And the list goes on. As it turns out, answering these questions may be more important than I previously thought.

A recent longitudinal study conducted by George, Helson, and John (2011) studied a sample of 123 women, who, at 21, were all college students given personality tests to determine levels of Extraversion, Openness, and Conscientiousness. Researchers followed up with the women at ages 27, 43, 52, and 61 to examine how measures of personality at age 21 could predict the timing of work, the kinds of jobs chosen, the status and satisfaction with work, and continued work and financial status later in life. This study was embedded within a unique social and historical context. In the mid-60s, when these women were entering the workforce, there were rigid gender stereotypes that rendered many women unable to live up to their full potential in the workforce and instead were expect to marry young, have children, and work in the home. Therefore, in early adulthood, effects of personality on work variables were not seen. However, by the time women were 43, times had changed a bit and the personality predictors followed theory, for the most part.  

The results (below) from the study suggest that women with high degrees of the respective personality measures predict some interesting characteristics of work life and career choices:

Extraversion: Work in pursuit of rewards.

• Predicted the choice of enterprising and social work.
•     Predicted high occupational creativity, likely through ambition, assertiveness, and interest in external rewards.
•   Often rewarded by attaining higher status levels and greater work satisfaction.
• More likely to be self-employed and rate work as part of their identity.

Openness: Work as self-actualization.

• Related negatively to traditional female role commitments of wife and mother.
• Predicted nontraditional relationships, such as living with a female partners.
• The only significant predictor of graduate education obtained by age 43.
• Predicted the choice of artistic and investigative work, and self-employment.
• Positively related to status level at 52 (unexpected result), most likely through creativity.

Conscientiousness: Work as a duty.

•    Later start in the work force, probably because of the social context and the encouragement of women as housewives. 
• Higher rates of staying in the home and lower rates of divorce.
• Likely to rate work as part of their identity and maintain career.
• Negatively correlated with leadership roles and potential for advancement.
• More likely to marry partners who work more and are more financially secure.

Where we stand at 21 personality-wise is predictive of the types of jobs we pursue, our satisfaction from work, and our characteristics of our family lives. If you’re planning to enter the working world soon, I encourage you to take some time for self-reflection and see where others with your personality most often end up. For example, I’d identify myself as very extraverted and open, which turns out to be good news because the joint presence of extraversion and openness seems to predispose individuals to high levels of achievement in creative occupations. Knowing this now encourages me to seek jobs that will allow me to develop personally, achieve success, and find satisfaction with work even into retirement. For those of you who find yourselves unhappy with what this study discovered, you should continue to aspire to achieve your goals regardless of personality, but it may be important to recognize the importance of becoming more open or displaying more characteristics of extraversion in the workplace if you're interested in gaining positions typically acquired by extroverted and open individuals. 


A caveat: these results demonstrate only a relationship between personality traits and workplace characteristics- there is no causal relationship. This means that there is no 100% guarantee that conscientious women will end up in repetitive jobs with no opportunity for leadership, or that extraverted women will end up in high-status, high paying positions. Our values, morals, motivations, and even luck, also greatly weigh into our career choices and opportunities. 

- Amelia Russo

George, L. G., Helson, R., John, O. P. (2011). The "CEO" of women's work lives: How big five conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness predict 50 years of work experiences in a changing sociocultural context. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101, 812-830.

The Role of Parents in Child's Romantic Relationships

           As my time at F&M comes to a close, I find myself looking back and reflecting on how much I have grown in the past four years. Without trying to sound too corny, I realize the important role my parents have played throughout my life, although this was not always appreciated by me, especially in my teenage years, and how our relationship has shaped the choices I have made in college, specifically my romantic choices. This led me to do research on how parent-child relationships affect romantic attachment as a young adult.

            Since Bowlby’s work in 1969, attachment styles or emotional connections between child and parent have been a hot topic in the field of psychology. Research has found evidence of the importance of healthy, secure attachment relationships between child and parent on the child’s life. Recently, research went further to examine how the quality of parent relationships during adolescence influence later romantic attachment styles and quality of romantic interactions in early adulthood. Researchers found that positive parent-child interactions around the ages of 15 and 16 years old predicted secure romantic attachment at age 25. Secure romantic attachment included the ability and desire to maintain close and intimate relationships.

            This finding implies that parents have a tremendous influence on their child’s life even after the child has left the house to go out into the world. The relationship between child and parent in youth and adolescence creates a foundation for the child. It is crucial to establish this relationship during this time because parental influence decreases as the child enters adulthood. In addition, research has found that positive romantic interactions at age 25 contributed to healthy attachment at age 27. This fact places even more emphasis on healthy relationships between child and parent because a positive relationship will lead to strong romantic relationships, which will help the child develop a secure romantic attachment in general. For example, research has suggested that poor marital adjustment is associated with earlier difficulties in relationships with parents. Poor romantic relationships lead to the development of an insecure or negative attachment style, which may create a pattern for entering into bad romantic relationships.

            So parents, if you would like to see your child or teenager in a great romantic relationship in the future, then it is time to start building a positive, healthy relationship with your child. Communication will be key to building this relationship – you both need to understand where the other is coming from. Every child is different so understanding his or her differences and special quirks will be beneficial. Adolescence is a difficult time with plenty of development and inner struggles, not to mention a surge of hormones racing through the body. Teens will try your patience, but love and understanding will go a long way in trying to battle through this time. However, structure and guidance will still play an important role in teaching teens about decision-making and relationships.

            Not only are healthy parent-child relationships beneficial for the child’s future romantic relationships, but it will also make life more pleasant for both sides if you enjoy one another in life. However, even the best relationships will have their moments. My mother’s new favorite phrase now is “you were a great kid but I sure do love having adult children”. So next time your child asks why you have to bond and talk about life together, simply tell her that you are saving her from a life of bad boyfriends.

            ~ Ellen Fonte

Dinero, R. E., Conger, R. D., Shaver, P. R., Widaman, K. F., & Larsen-Rife, D. (2011). Influence of family of origin and adult romantic partners on romantic attachment security. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 1, 16-30.

Exercise Getting you Down? Not Any More!

             Do you have a hard time motivating yourself to get to the gym? Does the thought of getting on the treadmill make you want to curl back up into bed? If yes, have no fear, you’re not alone in your exercise angst. A recent study by Ruby, Dunn, Perrino, Gillis, & Viel (2011) found that people tend to only think about their enjoyment of the beginning of an event when considering how much they enjoy the event as a whole, especially if the event requires mental or physical effort. If an individual is thinking back on their exercise experiences or thinking towards exercising and the initial aspect of an exercise workout is not enjoyable then the entire idea of exercising produces no thoughts of enjoyment, and an individual will be less motivated to exercise.

          

 Underestimation of exercise enjoyment is a problem because obesity is a quickly growing issue in the United States and Canada due to lack of exercise. Obesity is the cause of many other physiological issues and requires billions of dollars in health care. Although lack of enjoyment is not the only reason for not exercising it is something that can easily be changed, unlike other reasons, such as lack of time or money. Studies like the one by Ruby et al. (2011) are important for understanding why people harbor negative feelings towards exercise and can help us figure out how to overcome these issues and alter our attitude towards working out.                                   

           

The solutions offered by Ruby et al. (2011) are easy and effective and do not even involve changing the actual content of your workout. Basically, they found that many people incorrectly predict how much they actually enjoy exercising because they place their feelings of the entire workout on the initial part of the exercise experience.  With that in mind, Ruby et al. suggest moving your favorite part of the workout to the beginning and least favorite part to the end, so that you are excited to begin the workout, and by the end you are almost done anyway. In fact, I have attempted using their advice the past couple of days, and it has definitely worked! For example, when I go to the gym I use the treadmill, elliptical, and bike. My favorite portion of the workout is the elliptical and my least favorite is the bike, so I have altered the order of my routine so that I do the elliptical, then the treadmill, and end with the bike. By moving the favorite part of the workout to the beginning the focus of enjoyment becomes the favorite part and exercise is viewed in a more positive light. It was also suggested to consider each aspect of the workout separately rather than as a whole in order to highlight the aspects that are enjoyable.

                     

            By taking these suggestions into consideration people will have a more positive view of exercise and will therefore be more likely to enjoy it and engage in it. Engaging in exercise is vital to both physical and mental health. Understanding how we think about events and our enjoyment of them can not only be applied to exercise, but all aspects of life, including quitting smoking and eating healthy.

            Happy Exercising!

-Julia Vogel

Ruby, M.B., Dunn, E.W., Perrino, A., Gillis, R., & Viel, S. (2011). “The invisible benefits of exercise”. Health Psychology, 30, 67-74.