The Circumplex of Identity Formation Modes (CIFM) is the latest approach designed to integrate the various concepts describing identity formation in the Erikson--Marcia tradition. The CIFM assumes the relationships between identity modes and personality traits. The process of identity formation emerges as a result of the interaction between…

The hypothesis was tested that some children develop a defensive mindset that subsumes individual social information processing (SIP) steps, grows from early experiences, and guides long-term outcomes. In Study 1 (Fast Track [FT]), 463 age-5 children (45% girls; 43% Black) were first assessed in 1991 and followed through age 32 (83% retention). In…

Feedback is an emotional business in which personal disposition influences what is attended to, encoded, consolidated and eventually retrieved. Here, we examine the extent to which students' perceptions of feedback and their personal dispositions can be used to predict whether they appreciate, engage with and act on the feedback that they receive.…

According to the compensation model of aggression (Staub, 1989), some people bully to defend against their own feelings of weakness and vulnerability. Classmates and teachers rated a sample of American sixth graders in terms of trait: defensiveness (i.e., defensive egotism), self-esteem, bullying, and related behaviors. Consistent with the model,…

This study examined the contributions of gender, adult romantic attachment orientations (i.e., avoidance, anxiety), defense mechanisms (i.e., narcissism, other-splitting), and stressors to college student psychological abuse perpetration (dominance). Men with higher levels of attachment avoidance, narcissistic entitlement, and stressful problems…

The phenomenon of spiritual bypass has received limited attention in the transpersonal psychology and counseling literature and has not been subjected to empirical inquiry. This study examines the phenomenon of spiritual bypass by considering how spirituality, mindfulness, alexithymia (emotional restrictiveness), and narcissism work together to…

Resilience researchers are intrigued with the challenge of understanding how people overcome risk or adversity to succeed in life. The study of resilience emerged about 40 years ago when a group of scientists studying the origins of behaviour problems and mental illness were surprised to find that many children in "high risk" groups were…

Managing chronic excuse-making behaviors of faculty can be difficult and challenging for college administrators. In this article, Schlenker's responsibility triangle is applied in the higher education forum to better understand the underpinnings of responsibility and accountability in faculty jobs. Using this framework, attention is given to…

Some adults and children exhibit defensive behaviors to tactile or auditory stimulation. These symptoms occur not only in subsets of children with ADHD, autism, and Fragile X syndrome, but also in the apparent absence of accompanying disorders. Relatively little research explores the correlates and antecedents of sensory defensiveness. Using a…

Three studies, involving 100, 202, and 254 college students, respectively, examined the effects of positive self-presentational set on the revised edition of the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R). Findings suggest that the NEO PI-R is clearly vulnerable to faking and support the condition that profiles derived under socially desirable…

Ways in which organizations can break free from counterproductive reactions are outlined. The text is divided into four parts and opens with a discussion on how to deal with a new reality. It details ways in which groups strive for cohesion, introducing a model that outlines the differences people have in their capacity for changing and their…

Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate 11 Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) indicators of response distortion using 343 college students, some of whom simulated malingering or defensive responding, 181 forensic psychiatric patients, and 95 other psychiatric patients. Results show the usefulness…

The emotional cognitive relationship was examined in 136 heart transplant candidates undergoing psychosocial and cognitive assessment as part of evaluation for transplantation. Results show increased emotional distress was reliably associated with decreased cognitive functioning in patients who scored as nondefensive on the Minnesota Multiphasic…

Attachment theory asserts that human beings are innately programmed to seek and form attachments with others. The assumption that the quality of early attachment relationships will be functionally related to subsequent attachment styles and competencies provides the theoretical basis for extending the theory of attachment to the study of adult…

Examined whether hostile and defensive personality characteristics contribute to conflict and withdrawal within marriage. Analysis of 90 newly wed couples' discussions showed that, among husbands, high levels of hostility combined with low levels of defensiveness accompanied increased conflict. This same personality pattern led to an increase in…