Biomedical subjects

B I Murstein

Publications and source records attributed to B I Murstein.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Gender differences in love, sex, and motivation for sex.

In 1989 Sprague and Quadagno reported a significant interaction between sex and age for "motive for sexual intercourse" (affection-closeness vs physical release). Young men exceeded women in physical release as primary motive for sex, but women exceeded men in this choice at an older age. We conducted a modified replication, and we also studied Rubin's Love Scale, sexual interest, frequency of sexual arousal, and sexual enjoyment. Analysis did not confirm the earlier findings. For 60 men and 60 women differences were found for sexual interest, frequency of sexual arousal, and sexual enjoyment, with men scoring higher. Scores on Rubin's Love Scale did not differentiate the sexes.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Projection on projective techniques = pathology: the problem that is not being addressed.

A replication of the "levels effect" and reported correlation of "projection" and "pathology" was undertaken using a selected set of Thematic Apperception Test (Murray, 1943) cards varied for ambiguity and scored for pathology and projection. The levels effect was not found for pathology in either a normal or psychiatric group, but was found for projection in the normal group. The correlation between projection and pathology was again clearly confirmed. It was concluded that failure to take into consideration the stimulus properties of the cards and the context in which the test was administered may lead to false attribution of pathology to normal test-takers.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Sex, drugs, relationships, contraception, and fears of disease on a college campus over 17 years.

Sexual behavior was surveyed in 1991 for the fourth time in 17 years at a northeastern college with 98 male and 148 female participants. Variables included virginity, religiosity, relationship to parents, relationship to last sex partner, sex philosophy, attractiveness, drug use, contraceptives used, fear of AIDS and effect of this fear on behavior. Results indicated a 91% nonvirginity rate for men, 76% for women. Both genders initiated sex at the same age. Men exhibited a more liberal sexual philosophy. Neither gender had a sexual double standard. Women's attractiveness, but not men's, related to nonvirginity. Relationship with parents was not associated with virginity, but religiosity was. Drug use was related to nonvirginity. Frequent drug users had less commitment to last sex partner than did infrequent users. Nondisease-protective contraceptive methods decreased. Despite fear of AIDS, only one-third of the students practiced "safe sex" consistently, and men were less concerned with practicing it than women. Commitment has not increased since the 1986 survey.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

The public's knowledge about psychologists and other mental health professionals.

A random sample of New London County, CT, residents received a questionnaire about nine mental health professions or professionals (MHPs): clergyperson, marriage and family counselor, nonpsychiatric physician, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse, psychologist, psychotherapist, social worker, and telephone crisis counselor. Respondents defined each MHP and reported their satisfaction with treatment, which MHP they would recommend, their referral source(s), licensure requirements, and fees. A mixed-design analysis of variance was computed, with comfortableness as the dependent variable; age, sex, saw an MHP, and education, the between-subjects variables; and the nine MHPs, the within-subjects variable. A significant MHP effect showed that physicians were perceived as slightly more comfortable than were psychologists (nonsignificant), who, nevertheless, were perceived as exceeding all other trained MHPs in the comfortableness experienced by their clients.

Attitude↗

PubMed1989

Sexual behavior, drugs, and relationship patterns on a college campus over thirteen years.

Three samples of college students at a small New England liberal arts college received questionnaires regarding their sexual philosophies, behavior, relationship with most recent partner, self-perceived attractiveness, relationship with parents, use of drugs and alcohol, attitudes toward marriage and abortion, and other subjects. The college was sampled in 1974, 1979, and 1986. Sexual behavior increased dramatically from 1974 to 1979 and then decreased in 1986 to approximately where it was in 1974. The reason for this change, and findings regarding the relationships between sexual behavior and many of the variables cited above are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1985

Humor and interpersonal attraction.

A humor test composed of cartoons, comic strips, and jokes was administered to 30 college couples (26 single, 4 married) who rated them for humor. Subjects also stated how much they loved and liked their partner, their probability of marrying the partner, and filled out Rubin's Liking and Love Scales. The hypotheses were that similarity of rating of the humorous stimuli would be associated with loving, liking, and predisposition to marry. Hypotheses were confirmed.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1977

Fingertip aura and interpersonal attraction.

Concluding from our survey of the literature that fingertip auras (Kirlian effect) might be associated with interpersonal attraction, four hypotheses were advanced to test this assertion. It was hypothesized that individuals would respond with bigger auras to (1) opposite-sex photographers as compared to same-sex photographers, (2) to seductive opposite-sex photographers as opposed to normally behaving opposite-sex photographers, (3) to opposite-sex unknown peers as opposed to same-sex unknown peers, and (4) to liked as opposed to disliked same-sex persons. All hypotheses except (2) were supported. The second hypothesis was significant in a direction contrary to hypothesis. Fingertip auras are seen as a promising measurement device in the study of interpersonal attraction.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1974