Identity development and perceived parental behavior as sources of adolescent egocentrism

Adolescent egocentrism involves heightened self-consciousness and feelings of uniqueness (O. Elkind [1967], Egocentrism in Adolescence, Child Development, Vol. 38, pp. 1025–1034). Some studies have found that adolescent egocentrism is associated with identity development, and other studies have found that egocentrism is associated with perceptions of parental behavior. The purposes of this investigation were to simultaneously examine the associations between these variables (1) to determine whether identity development and perceived parental behavior display separate or overlapping associations with adolescent egocentrism, and (2) to clarify the directions of the relationships between these variables. Four hundred eighteen subjects from 12 to 21 years of age completed established measures of identity development, perceived parental behavior, and egocentrism. Identity development was more strongly and consistently related to egocentrism (egocentric adolescents tended to be identity achieved or to be experiencing an identity crisis), whereas perceived parental behavior accounted for little additional variance. The results also clarify differences between the two primary measures of adolescent egocentrism (the Adolescent Egocentrism Scale and Imaginary Audience Scale).Received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Victoria. His main interests are in personality, and social and developmental psychology.     

Rethinking the admissibility of medical treatises as evidence.

This Article examines the issues and questions which underlie the debate over the admission of "medical treatises" into evidence. The admissibility of this type of evidence is at issue most often in litigation involving complex medico-legal issues. This article outlines the evidentiary basis for admission of medical treatises and discusses the quality of medical treatises in an effort to determine what value to the fact-finder these treatises actually hold. The authors contend that there is an inherent untrustworthiness associated with medical treatises, but do not go so far as to suggest that medical treatises should never be admitted. The Article concludes that there is a need for greater caution in determining admissibility and recommends safeguards to better guarantee trustworthiness and reliability.     

Identity development and formal operations as sources of adolescent egocentrism

The self-concerns and social expectations that are part of the identity development process may lead adolescents to think that others survey them for signs of individuality. The novelty of identity development may also lead to feelings of uniqueness and invulnerability. The imaginary audience and personal fable may therefore stem from identity development and not from the emergence of formal operations. In this study high school and first-year university students (N=255) completed measures of adolescent egocentrism, identity development, and formal operations. Egocentrism was moderately associated with higher scores on identity crisis and identity achievement, and with lower scores on identity diffusion. There was no significant relationship between egocentrism and the emergence of formal operations.Received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Victoria. His main interests are in personality, social and developmental psychology.Currently completing a master's degree at Lakehead University. Interests are in social and clinical psychology.     

The Interpretation of Matching Trace Evidence: A Legal Perspective

本文描述了用于规范法庭科学证言的英美证据法,这些法庭科学证言主要是解释微量物证之匹配的重要性。本文根据即将出版的维基百科全书法庭科学卷部分改编。     

Mock-juror belief of accurate and inaccurate eyewitnesses

In response to lawyers' critiques of earlier staged-crime, mock-jury studies, 16 eyewitnesses to a staged crime were videotaped while being questioned by lawyers in a real courthouse. Accurate and inaccurate eyewitnesses were questioned by experienced or inexperienced lawyers for the prosecution and defense. Subsequently, 178 University of Alberta undergraduates served as mock-jurors and attempted to detect the accuracy of the witnesses based on their taped testimony. As in the previous research, the overall rate of belief was quite high (69%), and the subjects believed the testimony of accurate and inaccurate eyewitnesses at about the same rate (68% vs. 70%, respectively). Lawyers' experience failed to influence verdict. Confidence of the eyewitness was significantly related to belief of their testimony. The data replicate the previous findings and demonstrate that lack of expertise of the questioners does not account for the failure to detect eyewitness accuracy in this paradigm.The authors wish to thank 36 lawyers and senior law students from the Kingston area who donated their time. The research was supported by a grant to the first author from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.     

A prospective study of predictors of violence in adult male mental health admissions

Studies of violence prediction have typically involved long-range follow-up of institutionalized persons and have shown poor predictive accuracy. In the present study a sample of adult males at risk for violent behavior admitted as inpatients at a community mental health center was followed for six months after their release. Data collected at admission (which included demographics, family back-ground, criminal justice and mental health systems contacts, past violent behavior, life stress, family, friendship, and work environment measures, psychiatric diagnosis, and alcohol and drug use) were used to predict subsequent violent arrests or readmissions using stepwise discriminant analysis. Results yielded 85% of the total sample correctly classified. Of those predicted to be nonviolent 94% were actually nonviolent and of those predicted to be violen 59% were actually violent. Seventy-six percent of the violent subjects were identified. Implications of the findings for clinical predictions of violence are discussed.