Social comparisons in cancer patients

La comparación social se refiere a la tendencia a relacionar sus propias características con las de otros individuos. A causa de la incertidumbre, el distrés físico y la depresión que experimentan muchos pacientes que sufren de cancer, la comparación social es muy prevalente en estos pacientes. Esta comparación ocurre especialmente en pacientes que ya tienen una alta tendencia disposiciónal a compararse con otros. La comparación descendente, es decir la comparación con otros en peores circunstancias, puede mejorar el bienestar de pacientes con cáncer, especialmente cuando es interpretada como un contraste y cuando, por eso, deriva en un afecto positivo. No obstante, pacientes con cáncer tendren a buscar información de otros pacientes que afrontan mejor la situación y este tipo de comparación ascendente puede tambien contribuir al afrontamiento y al bienestar. Social comparison refers to relating one ́s own characteristics to those of other individuals. Due to the enhanced degree of physical distress, depression, and uncertainty, cancer patients tend to compare themselves often with other patients, especially when they are high in social comparison orientation, i.e. in the dispositional tendency to compare themselves with others. Downward comparison, i.e. with others who are worse- off, may contribute to the well-being of cancer patients when it is interpreted as a contrast, i.e. when it is emphased how much better-off one is oneself. Nevertheless, cancer patients tend to prefer information about other patients who are better-off, and such upward comparison may improve coping and contribute to well-being.

Preferred Parental Control of Mate Choice, Opposition to Out-Group Mating, and Ethnic Identification in Surinam

This study examined the attitude toward parental control of mate choice, and two potential factors related to this, that is, opposition to out-group mating and ethnic identification, in the five major ethnic groups from the Republic of Surinam (n = 500), that is, Hindustani, Creoles, Maroons, Javanese, and people of Mixed descent. Some of the main differences between groups were the following: Hindustani and Maroons had a more positive attitude toward parental control than all other groups, Hindustani were more opposed to out-group mating than all other groups, and Maroons expressed more identification with their ethnic group than any other group. Women, as compared with men, valued parental control of mate choice more and expressed more opposition to out-group mating. All effects of ethnic group and gender were independent of the demographic variables on which the groups differed significantly. A positive attitude toward parental control of mate choice was associated with more opposition to interethnic mating and with more ethnic identification. The results are discussed in the context of research on the persistence and independence of cultural differences

Out-Group Mating Threat and Disease Threat Increase Implicit Negative Attitudes Toward the Out-Group Among Men

We investigated if perceiving an out-group as a threat to one's mating opportunities enhanced the implicit negative attitudes toward that out-group. In addition, we examined the moderating effect of disease threat on the relationship between an out-group mating threat and implicit negative attitudes toward that out-group. In Experiment 1, an out-group mating threat led to stronger implicit negative out-group attitudes as measured by the Implicit Association Test, but only for men with high chronic perceived vulnerability to disease. No such effects were found among women. In Experiment 2, men in the out-group mating threat condition who were primed with disease prevalence showed significantly stronger implicit negative attitudes toward the out-group than controls. Findings are discussed with reference to the functional approach to prejudice and sex-specific motivational reactions to different out-group threats

Effect of Self-reported Height on Occupational Rank Among Police Officers:Especially for Women it Pays to be Tall

This study among 725 male and 247 female police officers from The Netherlands examined the association between self-reported height and occupational rank from the perspective of sexual selection. Male and female police officers were taller than the average population. A larger percentage of women than of men was found in the lowest ranks, but in the leadership positions, there was a similar percentage of women as of men. Overall, but especially among women, height was linearly associated with occupational rank: the taller one was, the higher one's rank. These effects were independent of educational level and age. The implications for evolutionary theorizing from the perspective of sexual selection on the effect of tallness on status and dominance among women are discussed

High intrasexual competition is related to inflated height reports in male junior soccer players

Intrasexual competition refers to the rivalry between same-sex individuals over access to potential mates. Because in many animal species larger males are more likely to defeat smaller opponents over access to potential mates and additional resources, it has been suggested that intrasexual competition was a major driver in the emergence of male-biased sexual size dimorphism. In the same vein, human male height has been related to aggressive behavior, status and dominance. Given the value of body size in agonistic interactions, body inflation strategies are likely to have evolved in many animal species. In this study, we explored the relationship of the bias in reporting one's own height-a phenomenon reminiscent of animal self-inflation mechanisms-with intrasexual competition, and sociable and aggressive dominance, in the highly competitive context of Uruguayan pre-professional soccer. We also considered the bias in reporting additional operationalizations of body size, i.e., weight, and body mass index (BMI). We showed that intrasexual competition is positively correlated with height over-report. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to relate intrasexual competition and the bias in reporting one's own height, a putative indicator or power and status. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Mobbing in schools and hospitals in Uruguay:Prevalence and relation to loss of status

In the present study in secondary schools and hospitals in Uruguay (N = 187), we examined the relationship between feeling the victim of mobbing and a perceived loss of status. Nearly all forms of mobbing were more prevalent among hospital employees than among school employees. Among hospital employees, 40.4%, and among school employees, 23.9% reported being the victim of mobbing at least once a week. Being the victim of mobbing was, in both hospitals and schools, more prevalent among older employees, and in hospitals, among employees who were more highly educated and who had been employed for a longer time. Men and women did not differ in reporting that one was a victim of mobbing, but men reported more perceived loss of status than women. However, among women, being the victim of mobbing was much more strongly related to experiencing a loss of status than among men. Several explanations for this gender difference and the practical and theoretical implications of the results are discusse

Changes in Social Comparison Orientation over the Life-span

Background: Social comparison is a basic human process, which may change dependent of one’s age. The purpose of this study was to examine how Social Comparison Orientation (SCO), i.e., the tendency to engage in social comparisons, varied across the lifespan. Method: A representative sample of 1613 adults from the Netherlands filled out the widely used 11-item scale for Social Comparison Orientation (SCO). Age was categorized in terms of decades, including both 19 years or younger and 80 years or older as categories. Results: The results showed a strong curvilinear effect of age: SCO was highest among people 19 years or younger, decreased substantially with increasing age until the age of 60, after which it increased moderately. Women were somewhat higher in SCO than men. Conclusion: The tendency to engage in social comparisons changes considerably over the life span, which may be due to the different challenges and insecurities that people may face in different stages of the life span

Demographic Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence in the Rio San Juan Department in Nicaragua

Given the strong involvement of policy makers in Nicaragua with the prevention of intimate partner violence, we examined the demographic correlates of intimate partner violence in the Department of the Rio San Juan in Nicaragua, using an adapted version of the Conflict Tactics Scale. The sample consisted of 199 men and 201 women. Results showed that 35% of men and 33% of women had committed at least one act of violence. More men than women had committed serious forms violence on their partner. Overall, intimate partner violence occurred more often in urban areas than in rural areas, and most among single people, followed by cohabiting people, and next by married people. Men with a low or medium income showed of all groups the highest levels of intimate partner violence. Participants with the lowest educational level reported the highest occurrence of intimate partner violence. Results are line with those found in previous studies. Implications for policies are discussed within the article