Self-with-other representations and a taxonomy of motives: two approaches to studying persons.

This article discusses two approaches to studying persons. Part 1 describes data gathering procedures that lead to an integrated visual display of particular self-representations of an individual in various spheres of life. "Self-with-other representation" is introduced as a central unit of analysis in this research. This concept is integrated into a method that is exemplified in this article by a description of how life can be injected into static trait characterization of a person. In the context of a case study, it is shown that the method provides information about how traits are organized in terms of self-with-other working models and the conditions under which a particular working model is likely to prevail. Part 2 presents a new taxonomy of motives. This taxonomy is a product of having dipped into the area of operant conditioning and reformulating behavioral consequences into motivational causes. This intrusion into reinforcement theory has resulted in a two-dimensional classification system (referred to as PACK) that accounts for motives to keep or acquire positive experiences, and to cure or prevent negative experiences. After the taxonomy is described, it is used to organize motivational concepts in the area of goal-directed behaviors, and it is applied to purpose statements of individuals in different age groups.

Life satisfaction and identity structure in late middle-aged men and women.

A total of 32 retirement-age subjects (17 men and 15 women) provided information about their lives by rating each of their identities in terms of a list of self-generated features. They also rank-ordered their currently enacted identities in terms of time spent in each and completed a life-satisfaction questionnaire. The Identities X Features matrices were analyzed by algorithms that generated a hierarchical model of identity structure for each subject based on feature ratings. The hierarchical levels of identities were combined with time-spent rankings to obtain an index of personal style, a measure that reflected the unique organization of identities for each subject. Personal style indices were then correlated with life-satisfaction scores. Results confirmed the prediction that life satisfaction in this age group is a function of the amount of time spent in identities that give expression to multiple aspects of the self.

Aggression and open-field activity of lead-exposed mice.

Blood lead levels were increased 11 to 18 times in mice that ingested a 5 mg/ml solution of lead acetate for 2 or 4 weeks, with no effect on weight gain. Although the lead treatment produced neither mortality nor obvious abnormalities, it nevertheless inhibited the development of isolation-induced aggression which was characteristic on the basis of changes in motor activity.

Alteration of thermoregulatory behavior in fish by 5-hydroxytryptamine.

Guppies were exposed for 30 min to doses of 5-HT ranging from 20 to 120 mg/l, and then tested in a horizontal temperature gradient. Atlantic salmon injected with 2 microgram/g of 5-HT were similarly tested. The guppies exhibited a biphasic relationship between 5-HT dose and mean selected temperature, i.e., the lowest dose significantly decreased the selected temperature, while the highest dose significantly increased it. In the salmon, injection of 5-HT initially decreased the selected temperature by about 4 degrees C. With time, however, the selected temperature gradually increased until by three hours after injection it exceeded the control value by about 1.5 degrees C. This pattern of temperature change is similar to that observed with rabbits subjected to both systemic and central injection of 5-HT.