• This article reviews the evidence for differing rates of depression between the sexes in the United States and elsewhere during the last 40 years, and then critically analyzes the various explanations offered. These explanations include the possibility that the trends are spurious because of artifacts produced by methods of reporting symptoms, or that they are real because of biological susceptibility (possibly genetic or female endocrine), psychosocial factors such as social discrimination, or female-learned helplessness.

Sex differences and the epidemiology of depression.

Evidence for a three-factor theory of emotions

Evidence bearing on the Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance (PAD) Emotional State Model was reviewed and showed that its three nearly orthogonal dimensions provided a sufficiently comprehensive description of emotional states. Temperament was defined as average emotional state across a representative sample of life situations. The Pleasure-Arousability-Dominance (PAD) Temperament Model was described. Evidence relating the PAD Temperament Model to 59 individual difference measures was reviewed. Formulas were offered for use of P, A, and D temperament scores to compute and predict a variety of personality scores (e.g., Anxiety, Depression, Panic, Somatization, Empathy, Affiliation, Achievement, Extroversion, Arousal Seeking, Loneliness, Neuroticism, Suicide Proneness, Binge Eating, Substance Abuse, Emotional Stability, Dependency, Aggressiveness, and Fidgeting).

Pleasure-arousal-dominance: A general framework for describing and measuring individual differences in Temperament

Emotional reactions to color hue, saturation, and brightness (Munsell color system and color chips) were investigated using the Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance emotion model. Saturation (S) and brightness (B) evidenced strong and consistent effects on emotions. Regression equations for standardized variables were; Pleasure = .69B + .22S, Arousal = -.31B + .60S, Dominance = -.76B + .32S. Brightness effects were nearly the same for chromatic and achromatic colors. Blue, blue-green, green, red-purple, purple, and purple-blue were the most pleasant hues, whereas yellow and green-yellow were the least pleasant. Green-yellow, blue-green, and green were the most arousing, whereas purple-blue and yellow-red were the least arousing. Green-yellow induced greater dominance than red-purple.

Effects of color on emotions

In this article we attempt to distinguish empirically between psycho-social variables that are concomitants of depression, and variables that may serve as antecedents or sequelae of this disorder. We review studies that investigated the relationship between depression and any of six psychosocial variables after controlling for the effects of concurrent depression. The six variables examined are attributional style, dysfunctional attitudes, personality, social support, marital distress, and coping style. The review suggests that whereas there is little evidence in adults of a cognitive vulnerability to clinical depression, disturbances in interpersonal functioning may be antecedents or sequelae of this disorder. Specifically, marital distress and low social integration appear to be involved in the etiology of depression, and introversion and interpersonal dependency are identified as enduring abnormalities in the functioning of remitted depressives. We attempt to integrate what is known about the relationships among these latter variables, suggest ways in which they may influence the development of depression, and outline specific issues to be addressed in future research.

https://psych.unl.edu/psyc451_2015/ashby/barnett_gotlib.pdf

Douglas Hooper

Papers

Book reviewSemantic differential technique: by James G. Snider and Charles E. Osgood Aldine Publishing Company, Chicago, 1969. xiii + 681. $12.50

Wives' mental health and children's behaviour problems in contrasting residential areas.

The melancholy marriage: An inquiry into the interaction of depression II. Expressiveness

The melancholy marriage : depression in marriage and psychosocial approaches to therapy

Menopause, ageing and family