This article presents two investigations of the motivational inversion hypothesis derived from the motivation-hygiene theory. The major hypothesis of this article is that the higher the degree of mental disorder, the higher the degree of motivational inversion. (Author/EK)

Correlations were obtained between level of aspiration, gambling, and projective test variables. Achievement oriented behaviors in the level of aspiration task and in the gambling task were related to each other, and both were related to the adequacy of response to sexual stimuli in projective testing. Reprints from Herbert M. Lefcourt, Department…

The motive to avoid success has been conceptualized as an ambivalence in life-goal directions, particularly characteristic of white college women. The presence or absence of the motive to avoid success was found to interact significantly with two experimental sets of instructions: Difficult vs. Easy (Experiment 1) and Internal vs. External…

While certain forms of sex behavior may serve as a clue to the existence of mental illness, care must be taken not to view such behavior outside the overall context of a person's particular life situation, since sex behavior is a reflection of the totality of human existence. (Author)

The author outlines his 25-year attempt to understand the dynamics of humor. He views humor as the sine qua non of self actualization and maturity. The humorist has an adamant sense of his own significance without having to prove himself better than others or to prove his worth through some role performance. Connections with humankind--past,…

This study tests the hypothesis that persons will express relatively independent degrees of preference for ambiguity in different experiential domains. An original measure consisting of four subscales was developed to assess individual differences in the theoretical, social, economic and aesthetic domains, and was administered to a student sample.…

Outlines some of the psychological concepts important to students and applicable to literature and suggests resources--novels, plays, movies, art--that can be used in teaching about these concepts. (TO)

The effect of group composition on risk taking was investigated by having various 3-man groups discuss caution-oriented items. Results indicated: (1) only one of nine group types exhibited a significant shift to caution; (2) except for the homogeneous groups, in which there were no shifts, significant shifts in individual decisions did occur, at…

The use of self-monitoring and self-reported variability in cross-situational behavior to identify persons most likely to manifest covariation between their attitudes and behaviors was investigated. In the first session, subjects (N=102) completed Snyder's Self-Monitoring Scale, assessed their religious attitudes and indicated the extent to which…

If we define irrationality as thought, emotion, or behavior that leads to self-defeating consequences or that significantly interferes with the survival and happiness of the organism, we find that literally hundreds of major irrationalities exist in all societies and in virtually all humans in those societies. These irrationalities persist despite…

An inquiry was conducted into the question of the influence of Christmas and Easter on the occurrence of death. The authors hypothesized that dying might be postponed until after these two important events resulting in a significantly increased frequency of death after these holidays. Obituaries were read for 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after each…

Presents an image of the person as a sentient being to illustrate several problem areas in moral psychology: the theory of social action, gender differences, the nature of moral knowledge, and behavioral consistency. Describes the sentient being relative to three "levels" of psychic activity: conscious, preconscious, and unconscious.…

This study adds credence to the findings of others that leavers are less settled personalities who think deeply, act on feelings rather than on measured consequences, are anxious about their environment and about themselves, sense a need for independence and seek ways to test that need. (Author)

Studied relationships between depth of depression, anaclitic and introjective depressive experiences, and illness behavior in 37 chronic pain patients. Depth of depression and degree of introjective depressive experiences showed similar positive covariation with a broad range of illness behavior, hypochondriasis, disease conviction, affective…