An Hebrew language version of the Stroop test.

We present normative data from a Hebrew language version of the Stroop color-word test. In this sample of college-educated Israeli young adults, 18 women and 28 men with a mean age of 28.4 yr. completed a Hebrew language Stroop test. When compared with 1978 English language norms of Golden, Hebrew speakers were slower on color-word reading and color naming, similar on naming the color of incongruently colored names of colors, and showed less interference. Slowed color-word reading and color-naming may reflect the two-syllable length of the Hebrew names for one-syllable length English language colors; reduced interference may reflect the exclusion of vowels in much Hebrew printing and subjects' ability to provide competing, nonconflicting words while naming the color of words in which the hue and the lexical content do not match.

Personality core dynamics and drug preference.

The aim of this study is to investigate the possible link between Shoham's personality-core theory [1] and addiction to hard drugs. Basing ourselves on Kleinean premises, that the oral stage is critical in the formation of behavioural patterns, which are influential throughout life, we hypothesize that in the oral stage two opposing vectors, 'separation' and 'participation' are initiated. By 'participation' we refer to the identification of ego with an external object or symbol, and continuous tendency to lose the personal identity by fusion with this object or symbol. 'Separation' is the opposite vector and expresses ego's tendency to incorporate the external object or symbol. These vectors form two multidimensional personality axes, on which the different personality types and behavioral patterns can be anchored. This study aims at investigating the connection between these two vectors and drug addiction. We view drug addiction as a functional behaviour pattern, which brings the individual to a state of internal balance. Shoham's personality theory hypothesizes the derivation of behavioural patterns of different personality 'types', according to the strength of the two vector - the 'separant' and 'participant' types. It is hypothesized that the drug use and the experience gained by using the specific drug by different personality types will vary according to the prominence of the core personality vector. The potency of these vectors is related to an early oral (participant) or a later oral (separant) fixation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Some parameters of the use of alcohol by Israeli youth and its relationship to their involvement with cannabis and tobacco.

This is the third report of an epidemiological study dealing with drugs, cigarettes, and now alcohol, amongst secondary school students in Israel. In the present report we describe general trends of alcohol use, draw socioeconomic profiles of alcohol drinkers, and investigate the relationship with cannabis use and cigarette smoking. Drinking patterns of the research population were studied during the 30 days prior to the administration of a questionnaire in order to devise a scale of their quantity of drinking in relation to a time sequence. Measures were also constructed for the drinking patterns of the family and friends of the research population. One of the overall conclusions is that a higher alcohol consumption is indicated amongst youngsters with a profile of delinquency, involvement with youth activities, personal problems and low parental control.