Showing papers in "Psychological Bulletin in 1990"

Comparative fit indexes in structural models

Abstract: Normed and nonnormed fit indexes are frequently used as adjuncts to chi-square statistics for evaluating the fit of a structural model A drawback of existing indexes is that they estimate no known population parameters A new coefficient is proposed to summarize the relative reduction in the noncentrality parameters of two nested models Two estimators of the coefficient yield new normed (CFI) and nonnormed (FI) fit indexes CFI avoids the underestimation of fit often noted in small samples for Bentler and Bonett's (1980) normed fit index (NFI) FI is a linear function of Bentler and Bonett's non-normed fit index (NNFI) that avoids the extreme underestimation and overestimation often found in NNFI Asymptotically, CFI, FI, NFI, and a new index developed by Bollen are equivalent measures of comparative fit, whereas NNFI measures relative fit by comparing noncentrality per degree of freedom All of the indexes are generalized to permit use of Wald and Lagrange multiplier statistics An example illustrates the behavior of these indexes under conditions of correct specification and misspecification The new fit indexes perform very well at all sample sizes

The case for motivated reasoning.

Abstract: It is proposed that motivation may affect reasoning through reliance on a biased set of cognitive processes—that is, strategies for accessing, constructing, and evaluating beliefs. The motivation to be accurate enhances use of those beliefs and strategies that are considered most appropriate, whereas the motivation to arrive at particular conclusions enhances use of those that are considered most likely to yield the desired conclusion. There is considerable evidence that people are more likely to arrive at conclusions that they want to arrive at, but their ability to do so is constrained by their ability to construct seemingly reasonable justifications for these conclusions. These ideas can account for a wide variety of research concerned with motivated reasoning. The notion that goals or motives affect reasoning has a long and controversial history in social psychology. The propositions that motives may affect perceptions (Erdelyi, 1974), attitudes (Festinger, 1957), and attributions (Heider, 1958) have been put forth by some psychologists and challenged by others. Although early researchers and theorists took it for granted that motivation may cause people to make self-serving attributions and permit them to believe what they want to believe because they want to believe it, this view, and the research used to uphold it, came under concentrated criticism in the 1970s. The major and most damaging criticism of the motivational view was that all research purported to demonstrate motivated reasoning could be reinterpreted in entirely cognitive, nonmotivational terms (Miller & Ross, 1975; Nisbett & Ross, 1980). Thus people could draw self-serving conclusions not because they wanted to but because these conclusions seemed more plausible, given their prior beliefs and expectancies. Because both cognitive and motivational accounts could be generated for any empirical study, some theorists argued that the hot versus cold cognition controversy could not be solved, at least in the attribution paradigm (Ross & Fletcher, 1985; Tetlock & Levi, 1982). One reason for the persistence of this controversy lies in the failure of researchers to explore the mechanisms underlying motivated reasoning. Recently, several authors have attempted to rectify this neglect (Kruglanski & Freund, 1983; Kunda, 1987; Pyszczynski & Greenberg, 1987; Sorrentino & Higgins, 1986). All these authors share a view of motivation as having its effects through cognitive processes: People rely on cognitive processes and representations to arrive at their desired conclusions, but motivation plays a role in determining which of these will be used on a given occasion.

A review and meta-analysis of the antecedents, correlates, and consequences of organizational commitment

Abstract: In this article, we summarize previous empirical studies that examined antecedents, correlates, and/or consequences of organizational commitment using meta-analysis. In total, 48 meta-analyses were conducted, including 26 variables classified as antecedents, 8 as consequences, and 14 as correlates.

Ethnic identity in adolescents and adults: Review of research.

Abstract: Ethnic identity is central to the psychological functioning of members of ethnic and racial minority groups, but research on the topic is fragmentary and inconclusive. This article is a review of 70 studies of ethnic identity published in refereed journals since 1972. The author discusses the ways in which ethnic identity has been defined and conceptualized, the components that have been measured, and empirical findings. The task of understanding ethnic identity is complicated because the uniqueness that distinguishes each group makes it difficult to draw general conclusions. A focus on the common elements that apply across groups could lead to a better understanding of ethnic identity.

Impression management: A literature review and two-component model.

Abstract: Impression management, the process by which people control the impressions others form of them, plays an important role in interpersonal behavior. This article presents a 2-component model within which the literature regarding impression management is reviewed. This model conceptualizes impression management as being composed of 2 discrete processes. The 1st involves impression motivation ― the degree to which people are motivated to control how others see them. The 2nd component involves impression construction. The 2-component model provides coherence to the literature in the area, address controversial issues, and supplies a framework for future research regarding impression management

Gender and Leadership Style: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract: Research comparing the leadership styles of women and men is reviewed, and evidence is found for both the presence and the absence of differences between the sexes. In contrast to the gender-stereotypic expectation that women lead in an interpersonaily oriented style and men in a task-oriented style, female and male leaders did not differ in these two styles in organizational studies. However, these aspects of leadership style were somewhat gender stereotypic in the two other classes of leadership studies investigated, namely (a) laboratory experiments and (b) assessment studies, which were denned as research that assessed the leadership styles of people not selected for occupancy of leadership roles. Consistent with stereotypic expectations about a different aspect of leadership style, the tendency to lead democratically or autocratically, women tended to adopt a more democratic or participative style and a less autocratic or directive style than did men. This sex difference appeared in all three classes of leadership studies, including those conducted in organizations. These and other findings are interpreted in terms of a social role theory of sex differences in social behavior.

Children of depressed parents: an integrative review.

Abstract: This article reviews the various literatures on the adjustment of children of depressed parents, difficulties in parenting and parent-child interaction in these families, and contextual factors that may play a role in child adjustment and parent depression. First, issues arising from the recurrent, episodic, heterogeneous nature of depression are discussed. Second, studies on the adjustment of children with a depressed parent are summarized. Early studies that used depressed parents as controls for schizophrenic parents found equivalent risk for child disturbance. Subsequent studies using better-defined samples of depressed parents found that these children were at risk for a full range of adjustment problems and at specific risk for clinical depression. Third, the parenting difficulties of depressed parents are described and explanatory models of child adjustment problems are outlined. Contextual factors, particularly marital distress, remain viable alternative explanations for both child and parenting problems. Fourth, important gaps in the literature are identified, and a consistent, if unintentional, "mother-bashing" quality in the existing literature is noted. Given the limitations in knowledge, large-scale, long-term, longitudinal studies would be premature at this time.

Marital conflict and children's adjustment: a cognitive-contextual framework.

Abstract: Marital problems have been related to numerous indexes of maladjustment in children. Although several parameters of this association have been identified, the process by which exposure to interparental conflict gives rise to adjustment problems in children is largely unexplored. Research on the link between marital conflict and child maladjustment therefore is critically evaluated, and a framework is presented that organizes existing studies and suggests directions for future research on processes that may account for the association. According to the framework, the impact of marital conflict is mediated by children's understanding of the conflict, which is shaped by contextual, cognitive, and developmental factors. The implications of the framework for children's adjustment are discussed. Marital discord has been associated with a number of indexes of maladjustment in children, including aggression, conduct disorders, and anxiety (Emery, 1982, 1988). Research on the effect of divorce on children similarly indicates that the conflict associated with divorce, rather than the breakup of the family, is primarily responsible for many of the problems seen

Gender differences in mathematics performance: A meta-analysis.

Abstract: Reviewers have consistently concluded that males perform better on mathematics tests than females do. To make a refined assessment of the magnitude of gender differences in mathematics performance, we performed a meta-analysis of 100 studies. They yielded 254 independent effect sizes, representing the testing of 3,175,188 Ss. Averaged over all effect sizes based on samples of the general population, d was -0.05, indicating that females outperformed males by only a negligible amount. For computation, d was -0.14 (the negative value indicating superior performance by females). For understanding of mathematical concepts, d was -0.03; for complex problem solving, d was 0.08. An examination of age trends indicated that girls showed a slight superiority in computation in elementary school and middle school. There were no gender differences in problem solving in elementary or middle school; differences favoring men emerged in high school (d = 0.29) and in college (d = 0.32). Gender differences were smallest and actually favored females in samples of the general population, grew larger with increasingly selective samples, and were largest for highly selected samples and samples of highly precocious persons. The magnitude of the gender difference has declined over the years; for studies published in 1973 or earlier d was 0.31, whereas it was 0.14 for studies published in 1974 or later. We conclude that gender differences in mathematics performance are small. Nonetheless, the lower performance of women in problem solving that is evident in high school requires attention.

Choosing a multivariate model: Noncentrality and goodness of fit.

Abstract: It is suggested that Akaike's information criterion cannot be used for model selection in real applications and that there are problems attending the definition of parsimonious fit indices. A normed function of the noncentrality parameter is recommended as an unbiased absolute goodness-of-fit index, and the Tucker-Lewis index and a new unbiased counterpart of the Bentler-Bonett index are recommended for those investigators who might wish to evaluate fit relative to a null model

Methodological problems in AIDS behavioral research: influences on measurement error and participation bias in studies of sexual behavior.

Abstract: An unprecedented number of human sexuality studies have been initiated in response to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic. Unfortunately, methodological developments in the field of sex research have been slow in meeting the demands of AIDS investigations focusing on the diverse populations at risk for infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (e.g., adolescents, gay men, intravenous-drug users, ethnic minorities, elderly transfusees). In this article, we review and integrate current literature on measurement error and participation bias in sex research, with an emphasis on collecting sexual information in the context of AIDS. The relevance of these findings for AIDS-related sex research is discussed, and recommendations are made to guide future investigations.

Self-focused attention in clinical disorders: review and a conceptual model.

Abstract: Working largely independently, numerous investigators have explored the role of self-focused attention in various clinical disorders. This article reviews research examining increased self-focused attention in these disorders. Results indicate that regardless of the particular disorder under investigation, a heightened degree of self-focused attention is found. Hence, as ordinarily conceptualized, self-focused attention has little discriminatory power among different psychological disorders. Using information processing constructs, a somewhat different model of self-focused attention is proposed, and it is suggested that certain deviations in this process constitute a psychopathological kind of attention. A meta-construct model of descriptive psychopathology is then outlined to examine how certain aspects of attention can be considered specific to certain disorders and others common to different disorders.

Attributions in marriage: Review and critique.

Abstract: The prevailing behavioral account of marriage must be expanded to include covert processes. This article therefore examines the attributions or explanations that spouses make for marital events. A review indicates that dissatisfied spouses, compared with satisfied spouses, make attributions for the partner's behavior that cast it in a negative light. Experimental, clinical outcome, and longitudinal data suggest further that attributions may influence marital satisfaction. Rival hypotheses for these findings are examined. Because continued empirical development in this domain depends on conceptual progress, a framework is presented that integrates attributions, behavior, and marital satisfaction. This framework points to several topics that require systematic study, and specific hypotheses are offered for research on these topics. It is concluded that the promising start made toward understanding marital attributions holds considerable potential for enriching behavioral conceptions of marriage.

Overall Fit in Covariance Structure Models: Two Types of Sample Size Effects

Abstract: A controversial area in covariance structure models is the assessment of overall model fit. Researchers have expressed concern over the influence of sample size on measures of fit. Many contradictory claims have been made regarding which fit statistics are affected by N. Part of the confusion is due to there being two types of sample size effects that are confounded. The first is whether N directly enters the calculation of a fit measure. The second is whether the means of the sampling distributions of a fit index are associated with sample size. I explain these types of sample size effects and illustrate them with the major structural equation fit indices. In addition, I examine the current debate on sample size influences in light of this distinction. Structural equation models, including confirmatory factor analyses, are becoming increasingly popular in psychology. Key to these procedures is the hypothesis that the population covariance matrix of observed variables is a function of the unknown free parameters of a model. Many measures of overall model fit have been proposed to assess the degree to which this hypothesis holds (e.g., Rentier B Bollen, 1986;Hoelter, 1983; Joreskog & Sorbom, 1986; Tucker & Lewis, 1973).

Effects of alcohol on human aggression: an integrative research review

Abstract: This review used quantitative and qualitative techniques to integrate the alcohol and aggression literature. The primary purpose of the review was to determine if a causal relation exists between alcohol and aggression. The main meta-analysis included 30 experimental studies that used between-subjects designs, male confederates, and male subjects who were social drinkers. Studies using other designs or subject populations were integrated with meta-analytic procedures when possible and summarized descriptively when not. The results of the review indicate that alcohol does indeed cause aggression. However, alcohol effects were moderated by certain methodological parameters.

Psychotherapy for the treatment of depression: a comprehensive review of controlled outcome research.

Abstract: Previous quantitative reviews of research on the efficacy of psychotherapy for depression have included only a subset of the available research or limited their focus to a single outcome measure. The present review offers a more comprehensive quantitative integration of this literature. Using studies that compared psychotherapy with either no treatment or another form of treatment, this article assesses (a) the overall effectiveness of psychotherapy for depressed clients, (b) its effectiveness relative to pharmacotherapy, and (c) the clinical significance of treatment outcomes. Findings from the review confirm that depressed clients benefit substantially from psychotherapy, and these gains appear comparable to those observed with pharmacotherapy. Initial analysis suggested some differences in the efficacy of various types of treatment; however, once the influence of investigator allegiance was removed, there remained no evidence for the relative superiority of any 1 approach. In view of these results, the focus of future research should be less on differentiating among psychotherapies for depression than on identifying the factors responsible for improvement.

The illusion of reality: A review and integration of psychological research on hallucinations.

Abstract: Hallucinations are among the most severe and puzzling forms of psychopathology. Although usually regarded as first-rank symptoms of schizophrenia, they are found in a wide range of medical and psychiatric conditions. Moreover, a substantial minority of otherwise normal individuals report hallucinatory experiences. The purpose of this article is to review the considerable research into the cognitive mechanisms underlying (particularly psychotic) hallucinations that has been carried out and to integrate this research within a general framework. The available evidence suggests that hallucinations result from a failure of the metacognitive skills involved in discriminating between self-generated and external sources of information. It is likely that different aspects of these skills are implicated in different types of hallucinatory experiences. Further research should focus on specific metacognitive deficits associated with different types of hallucinations and on treatment strategies designed to train hallucinators to reattribute thoughts to themselves.

Negotiation behavior and outcomes: Empirical evidence and theoretical issues.

Abstract: This article examines the ability of the individual differences, motivational, and cognitive approaches of negotiation to account for empirical research on dyadic negotiation. Investigators have typically focused on objective, economic measures of performance. However, social-psychological measures are important because negotiators often do not have the information necessary to make accurate judgments of the bargaining situation. Negotiators' judgments are biased, and biases are associated with inefficient performance. Personality and individual differences appear to play a minimal role in determining bargaining behavior; their impact may be dampened by several factors, such as homogeneity of subject samples, situational constraints, and self-selection processes. Motivational and cognitive models provide compelling accounts of negotiation behavior. A psychological theory of negotiation should begin at the level of the individual negotiator and should integrate features of motivational and cognitive models. Negotiation is a pervasive and important form of social interaction. Negotiation is necessary whenever conflict erupts and there are no fixed or established rules or procedures to resolve conflict and whenever people want to search for agreement without resorting to aggression or open fighting (Lewicki & Litterer, 1985). Negotiation occurs in business and academic environments and in informal social interactions such as deciding with a friend or spouse where to dine or vacation. Clearly, negotiation is essential for anyone who must interact with other people to accomplish their objectives. There is broad interest in the study of negotiation behavior. This interest is evident in the interdisciplinary history of the study of negotiation in the fields of psychology, economics, industrial relations, organization behavior, sociology, and law. The theoretical goal is to predict the processes and outcomes of negotiation. The practical or applied goal is to help people negotiate more effectively (Bazerman, 1986; Raiffa, 1982). The fundamental and enduring questions raised by the growing body of research on negotiation behavior include the following: What factors lead to negotiation success or failure? Which theoretical perspective provides the best account of negotiation behavior? What empirical findings must a theoretical approach to negotiation explain? The purpose of this article is to address these theoretical and empirical issues. A variety of theoretical analyses of negotiation behavior have been developed. An important theoretical distinction is that between normative and descriptive approaches (Neale & Northcraft, in press; Raiffa, 1982). Normative models are based on axioms of individual rationality (cf. von Neumann &

Applications of Covariance Structure Modeling in Psychology: Cause for Concern?

Abstract: Methods of covariance structure modeling are frequently applied in psychological research. These methods merge the logic of confirmatory factor analysis, multiple regression, and path analysis within a single data analytic framework. Among the many applications are estimation of disattenuated correlation and regression coefficients, evaluation of multitrait-multimethod matrices, and assessment of hypothesized causal structures. Shortcomings of these methods are commonly acknowledged in the mathematical literature and in textbooks. Nevertheless, serious flaws remain in many published applications. For example, it is rarely noted that the fit of a favored model is identical for a potentially large number of equivalent models. A review of the personality and social psychology literature illustrates the nature of this and other problems in reported applications of covariance structure models.

Stress, emotion, and human immune function.

Abstract: This article provides a review of empirical evidence linking emotional processes to immune function in humans. Acute stressors have produced mixed effects on immunity, presumably through differential activation of physiological stress systems. Chronic stress has been associated with suppression of immune function, and there is evidence that the immune system may not adapt over time. Effects of stress accompanying social disruption and psychological depression, when demonstrated, have been consistently adverse. Certain personality styles may enhance or degrade immune response. Relationships between psychosocial factors and immunity have been identified for several diseases, including cancer, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and autoimmune diseases; psychosocial interventions have been tested with variable results. Theoretical and methodological considerations are summarized and directions for future research suggested.

Alcohol challenge with sons of alcoholics: a critical review and analysis.

Abstract: Studies are reviewed in which response to acute administration of alcohol was compared between individuals with and without family histories of alcoholism (FH+, FH-). This research represents a search for a psychobiological marker for alcoholism. A methodological critique of the procedures reported in this literature is then presented. Finally, a conceptual model is suggested in which differences in the response to alcohol between FH+ individuals and FH- individuals must be understood in relation to time after drinking alcohol. This Newtonian differentiator model proposes that sons of alcoholics exhibit acute sensitization as blood alcohol level rises and acute tolerance as blood alcohol level falls, compared with sons of nonalcoholics. Therefore, FH+ subjects find alcohol more rewarding because they accentuate the pleasurable, excitatory aspects of initial intoxication and attenuate the feelings of anxiety and depression that predominate as blood alcohol levels drop.

Involvement and Persuasion: Tradition Versus Integration

Abstract: In a recent meta-analysis, Johnson and Eagly (1989) questioned our conceptualization of and evidence for the effects of involvement on persuasion (Petty & Cacioppo, 1979, 1986). In particular, they concluded that (a) what we had termed issue involvement represented two distinct types of involvement (outcome- versus value-relevant), (b) each type of involvement had unique effects on persuasion, and (c) outcome involvement effects may be obtained only by 1 group of researchers. We argue that although 2 distinct research traditions of involvement have emerged, our original position that the 2 categories of involvement induce similar processes in persuasion situations remains viable. Evidence from Johnson and Eagly's meta-anatysis shows that as both types of involvement increase, argument quality becomes a more important determinant of attitudes. The greater message rejection found with involvement in value as compared with outcome studies can be explained in terms of confounding factors. Finally, we note that the outcome involvement effects that we reported initially have been replicated by other investigators, including Johnson and Eagly. In a recent article in this journal, Johnson and Eagly (1989) reported a meta-analysis of the accumulated research on involvement and persuasion in which they concluded that it was useful to distinguish between value- and outcome-relevant involvement.l In addition, they suggested that although effects for the first type of involvement were robust, effects for the latter type of involvement may be obtained only by one group of researchers. In this article, we question both of these conclusions and provide a brief critique of their meta-analysis.

Why we still use our heads instead of formulas: toward an integrative approach.

Abstract: This review begins with a discussion of Meehl's (1957) query regarding when to use one's head (i.e., intuition) instead of the formula (i.e., statistical or mechanical procedure) for clinical prediction. It then describes the controversy that ensued and analyzes the complexity and contemporary relevance of the question itself. Going beyond clinical inference, it identifies select cognitive biases and constraints that cause decision errors, and proposes remedial correctives. Given that the evidence shows cognition to be flawed, the article discusses the linear regression, Bayesian, signal detection, and computer approaches as possible decision aids. Their cost-benefit trade-offs, when used either alone or as complements to one another, are examined and evaluated. The critique concludes with a note of cautious optimism regarding the formula's future role as a decision aid and offers several interim solutions.

Conversational processes and causal explanation.

Abstract: Causal explanation takes place in and takes the form of conversation. Explanations are selected by questions and are thus governed by general rules of discourse. A conversational model of causal explanation is introduced that explicates social aspects of the explanation process by postulating that good explanations must be relevant to the focus of a why question, as well as being true. The notion of explanatory relevance enables an integration of the major models of the attribution process by showing that they use the same counterfactual logic but address different causal questions. The conversational perspective suggests a reinterpretation of many attributional biases, and also highlights the role of interpersonal goals in generating implicit questions, which in turn constrain explanations. Finally, the relevance of the conversational perspective for research on causal networks, the social context of explanation, and intrapsychic explanation is noted. Causal explanation is first and foremost a form of social interaction. One speaks of giving causal explanations, but not attributions, perceptions, comprehensions, categorizations, or memories. The verb to explain is a three-place predicate: Someone explains something to someone. Causal explanation takes the form of conversation and is thus subject to the rules of con

Neural substrates of latent inhibition: the switching model.

Abstract: Latent inhibition (LI) refers to decrement in conditioning to a stimulus as a result of its prior nonreinforced preexposure. It is a robust phenomenon that has been demonstrated in a variety of classical and instrumental conditioning procedures and in many mammalian species, including humans. The development of LI is considered to reflect decreased associability of, or attention to, stimuli that predict no significant outcome. The fact that LI is considered to be a reflection of attentional processes has become of increasing importance to neuroscientists who see LI as a convenient tool for measuring the effects of drug treatments and lesions on attention. The present article surveys the data on brain systems, which have been studied in regard to their involvement in LI. These are reviewed and discussed separately in sections on noradrenergic, cholinergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic, and septo-hippocampal manipulations. On the basis of these data, it is concluded that the neural substrates of LI include the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, the mesolimbic serotonergic system, and the hippocampus. It is proposed that the preexposed stimulus loses its capacity to affect behavior in conditioning, even though it predicts reinforcement, because the hippocampus inhibits the switching mechanism of the nucleus accumbens via the subiculum-accumbens pathway. This action of the hippocampus is modulated by the mesolimbic serotonergic system via its interactions with the hippocampal or mesolimbic dopaminergic systems, or both.

Response bias : characteristics of detection theory, threshold theory, and nonparametric indexes

Abstract: Models of discrimination based on statistical decision theory distinguish sensitivity (the ability of an observer to reflect a stimulus-response correspondence defined by the experimenter) from response bias (the tendency to favor 1 response over others). Measures of response bias have received less attention than those of sensitivity. Bias measures are classified here according to 2 characteristics. The various bias statistics are compared on pragmatic and theoretical grounds, and it is concluded that criterion location measures have many advantages in empirical work

Assessing spurious "moderator effects": Illustrated substantively with the hypothesized ("synergistic") relation between spatial and mathematical ability.

Abstract: The traditional methodology for assessing moderator variables (hierarchical multiple regression analysis) is examined. Possible drawbacks of this technique for corroborating psychological theories (cf. Busemeyer & Jones, 1983), are illustrated empirically on the basis of an analysis of 400,000 subjects. This article tested a well-known (and currently popular) substantive hypothesis: A synergistic relation exists between mathematical ability and spatial visualization in the prediction and development of sophisticated levels of advanced mathematics. Using the traditional methodology, this hypothesis was confirmed; however, on further analysis, using a more systematic approach, it was demonstrated that this finding was spurious. Suggestions are offered for modifying the traditional methodology used for assessing moderator effects (for both applied and theoretical purposes). These amount to ways for minimizing Type I and Type II errors. In an article aimed at addressing several problems frequently encountered when assessing "moderator effects," Busemeyer and Jones (1983) discussed a number of complex quantitative issues that compromise statistical results when hierarchical multiple regression analysis (HMRA) is used for testing theoretical predictions (e.g., Cohen, 1968; Cohen & Cohen, 1975). The purpose of this article is to highlight certain points of Busemeyer and Jones, empirically, with a substantive hypothesis currently receiving considerable attention: A synergistic relation exists between spatial visualization and mathematical ability in the prediction and development of exceptional levels of advanced mathematics. The foregoing hypothesized relation is analyzed in detail, not only for an illustrative context to frame recent methodological refinements (Busemeyer & Jones, 1983), but for contemporary theoretical interest as well (cf. Benbow, 1988; Lubinski & Humphreys, in press; and references therein).

Psychological approaches to panic disorder: a review.

Abstract: Panic disorder has been the subject of considerable research and controversy. Though biological conceptualizations have been predominant, psychological theorists have recently advanced conditioning, personality, and cognitive hypotheses to explain the etiology of panic disorder. The purpose of this article is to provide an empirical and conceptual analysis of these psychological hypotheses. This review covers variants of the "fear-of-fear" construal of panic disorder (i.e., Pavlovian interoceptive conditioning, catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations, anxiety sensitivity), research on predictability (i.e., expectancies) and controllability, and research on information-processing biases believed to underlie the phenomenology of panic. Suggestions for future research are made.