The saliency of gestural misinformation in the perception of a violent crime

Recent research has revealed that misinformation from gestures can influence eyewitness memory. However, it is still unclear whether gestural misinformation can emulate the effects of verbal misinformation on the reporting of major details in serious crimes. To investigate the salience of suggestions provided nonverbally, and how these compare to those made verbally, two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, participants watched footage of a crime scene and were presented with one of two types of gestures during questioning that suggested different interpretations of the crime. The results confirmed that the gestures influenced responses, with participants altering their interpretation of the crime according to the information gestured to them. Experiment 2 built on this to investigate how comparable gestural influence was to verbal influence. The results revealed that gestural misinformation caused participants to alter their interpretation of the crime and elicited the same effects as verbal misinformation. Across the two experiments, participants were unlikely to identify the misleading gestures or report feeling misled by them. These results reveal new insights into the strength of gestural misinformation and show that, despite their subtle nature in communication, gestures can exert a powerful influence in eyewitness interviews.     

The Reasons Behind Early Adolescents’ Responses to Peer Victimization

Victims of school-based peer harassment face a range of risks including psycho-social, physical, and academic harm. The aim of the present study was to examine the behavioral coping responses used by early adolescents when they face peer victimization. To meet this aim, 216 sixth grade students (55 % girls) from two urban middle schools and 254 students (50 % girls) from one suburban middle school completed structured open-ended questions about a recent peer victimization experience. In both school settings, the results supported both previously- and newly-identified coping responses that fit within the approach-avoidance coping framework, reasoning that maps on to social information processing models, and systematic associations between reasoning and the coping responses adopted by the adolescents. In both school settings, approach responses were associated with having the goal of defending oneself against the victimization whereas avoidance responses were associated with wanting to prevent the escalation of the peer victimization event. The discussion argues that knowledge about the link between reasoning and coping responses can be informative to understanding what coping responses are effective for victims.     

A Multi-Leveled and Integrated Approach to Assessment and Intervention of Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence is a serious issue deeply embedded in multiple contexts both internal and external making treatment and interventions difficult to implement. Although numerous models offer vital insight into aspects of intimate partner violence, in isolation they may be less effective in addressing the unique elements and complexity of the abusive situation. Therefore, in order to provide an integrated and effective method of treatment, a multi-leveled theoretical approach delineating the change process is needed. Boss’s contextual model of family stress provides a broad paradigm affording clarity and organization for assessment, intervention, and treatment. Each of the elements of the contextual model of family stress are presented and applied to a case study outlining one battered woman’s experience. Clinical implications addressing stressors, resources, perceptions, and contextual elements are discussed as well as treatment recommendations.