Anorexia nervosa and body dysmorphic disorder: A comparison of body image concerns and explicit and implicit attractiveness beliefs.

Although body image is central to the etiological models of anorexia nervosa and body dysmorphic disorder, studies comparing body image and beliefs about attractiveness between the disorders are rare. Sixty-nine individuals (anorexia nervosa: n=24, body dysmorphic disorder: n=23, healthy controls: n=22) completed self-report measures (body image and general psychopathology), diagnostic interviews, and Go/No-Go Association tasks measuring implicit associations. Compared to controls, both clinical groups exhibited greater negative body image, a more negative attitude toward their physical selves, and more dysfunctional coping strategies (ps<.001). Also, both clinical groups shared greater explicit beliefs about the importance of attractiveness (ps<.001). In addition to supporting previous research with regard to comparable body image disturbance, this study also showed that beliefs regarding the importance of appearance (e.g., "one must be attractive to be successful") might be a fruitful target for therapy across both disorders.

Overlapping addictions and self-esteem among college men and women.

To examine whether there is a tendency for individuals to be multiply addicted, overlapping addictions to common substances (alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, cigarettes) and activities (exercise, gambling, Internet use, television, video games) were studied in 129 college men and women. Contrary to previous research, moderate to large correlations were found, both within and between substances and activities. Self-esteem was positively related to exercise but unrelated to the remaining addictions. Several gender differences in addictive tendencies were also revealed: Men scored higher than women on addiction to alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, television, and Internet use, but women scored higher on caffeine and chocolate. The results have implications for theories of addiction and suggest new directions for the study of addiction among normally functioning young adults.

Theodore von karman and applied mathematics in america.

The emergence of applied mathematics as a discipline in the United States is traditionally associated with World War II. Hungarian-born Theodore von Kármán was among those who had waged a long and vigorous campaign well before the war to make applied mathematics respectable to engineers and mathematicians. While advocating the use of mathematics and physics to solve applied problems, he challenged the prevailing philosophy of engineering programs, locked horns with recalcitrant journal editors, and generally encountered the obstacles to building a discipline that cuts across conventional boundaries.

Effect of Transcendental Meditation versus resting on physiological and subjective arousal.

On four successive days, 10 highly trained and experienced meditators were asked to relax for 5 minutes, meditate for 20 minutes, and then relax for 5 minutes. In contrast, 10 other subjects who had no training or experience with meditation were asked to relax for 5 minutes, rest for 20 minutes, and then relax for 5 minutes. Physiological arousal (heart rate, skin resistance, respiration rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure) and subjective arousal (cognitive, somatic, relaxation) were measured throughout the experiment. Results indicated that (a) prior to meditating or resting, meditators tended to have higher heart rates and diastolic blood pressure than did nonmeditators, (b) meditation was associated with generally reduced arousal, but (c) while meditating, meditators did not evidence lower levels of arousal than nonmeditators did while resting. This investigation employed controls, which were not used in previous investigations, and the results place qualifications on previously reported results. The results have implications for the study of personality functioning, stress management, and psychotherapy.

Early changes in the forearm circulation following transient increase of local external pressure.

1. The pressure at the surface of a segment of forearm enclosed in a plethysmograph was abruptly raised from atmospheric level to +40 mm Hg, held at the new level for 4 sec, and abruptly dropped to atmospheric level.2. Forearm circumference (V(f)) equivalent to the volume of a small segment of forearm, was monitored with a mercury-in-rubber strain gauge. Pressure was measured in the cylinder (P(p)) in veins exposed to external compression (P(v, e)), and in the radial artery exposed to compression (P(ra)).3. Forearm blood flow was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography before, and after, release of external compression. There was, on average, over the 3rd and 4th second after release of pressure, a 2.4-fold increase of inflow, as compared with resting level.4. By the 15th second after release of compression, forearm blood flow had returned to its previous resting level.5. The increase in blood flow after compression appears to be due to active reduction in vascular resistance, for refilling of the arteries and arterioles would be completed before the increased flow was recorded; venous backflow can be excluded, and the pressure difference for flow (arterial minus venous) is virtually unchanged.