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This investigation is part of an ongoing longitudinal investigation of exceptional giftedness. Personality was examined by administering the California Psychological Inventory (CPI) to the 2 samples of exceptionally gifted adolescents (N = 54) and their parents. Creative potential was assessed using various tests of divergent thinking. The exceptionally gifted adolescents had been selected based on either IQ (all in excess of 150) or Math–Science abilities (e.g., age 11 Scholastic Assessment Test Mathematics scores in the 99th percentile). CPI profiles indicated that both groups of adolescents had low scores on the Well-Being scale, and there was some indication across several scales of low sociability. The parents' profiles were relatively uniform, and differences between the two groups were slight. Correlational analyses indicated that several scales from the CPI were associated with creativity scores of the adolescent boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a revised theory of what eminence is, its relation to productivity, its measurement, and the markers for it. The historical, systematic, and informational bases of families are used for this revised theory, with the Bronté family being used for illustration. One important conclusion is that persons who are truly eminent (i.e., who create original and significant work), and persons who are simply high achievers, tend to come from different families entirely. Another important conclusion, which exemplifies the revised theory, is that gifted children may not change their families. In earlier work, gifted children had been described .as organizers within families, but they may primarily organize families in terms of what the family wants and has already been doing. It may thus be best to describe families as ongoing systems. There is much that goes on within a family that is not going to be changed for gifted children that includes a richness of talent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two hypotheses were tested concerning the influence of combinations of conformity and general reasoning ability in responses to a message on biological warfare. The message was neutral in its presentation without any conclusions of its own, offering only information that biological warfare is possibly not a "superweapon." A before-after design was used. Results confirm part of the two hypotheses. Subjects with a combination of low conformity-high reasoning ability drew more correct than incorrect conclusions, had the largest, fact-supported ("valid") opinion change, and retained the most information immediately after the message. Three other groups deduced more incorrect than correct conclusions, had more modest (and less fact supported) opinion change, and retained less information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of a survey of the opinions of literary, film, drama, radio-television, ballet and fine-arts critics on some issues involved in their role definition and enactment. A questionnaire of one open-end and 14 multiple-choice questions, pre-tested on mass media critics within the Boston area, was mailed to 90 leading critics in the above areas. Because of the small population from which to draw a sample, no attempt was made at random selection of critics. There were no statistically significant differences among critics in the various fields regarding their perceived influence in forming public opinion. All agreed that the present-day critic is predominately moderately influential in forming public opinion concerning artistic mass communications. This datum is interesting when compared with the critics' responses to the question of their influencing an artist's prestige. Here most agree that they can influence an artist's prestige. Critics Believe they are moderately effective in influencing public opinion concerning artistic mass communications.

Within the present paper, we have attempted to clarify the role of social structural variables in shaping friendships. Our interest in the friendship relationship has stemmed from the conviction that it constitutes a role relationship in which healthier behavior may be observed. In addition we feel that the study of such a relationship might lead to better understanding of the manner in which personality and social structural variables interact. Social structure has been broadly conceived as the framework which defines and delineates the range of friendships available to an individual. The variable of social status and role are viewed as being particularly important in structuring communication and interaction patterns of participants within a social setting, and in predisposing certain relationships more than others to move beyond the formally prescribed level of interaction. The fact that role prescriptions within a given social structure may force certain participants to become involved in interlocking interactions is viewed as having a two-fold significance. On one hand, it allows each participant to explore the desirability of becoming involved in a less formally prescribed interaction with his co-participant. On the other hand, if one or both participants do not wish to become involved in a less formal personality-centered type of interaction, the fact that the relationship has been formed and continues to be based upon social structure allows for the maintenance of a less affectively personally involved relationship without its disintegration. We have suggested that as the nature of the friendship relationship is explored more fully, it becomes clear that it must be viewed as a special type of role relationship--an integrative one in the sense that the multiple roles of each participant are brought together, shared and organized. In this connection, we hypothesize that the more central are the roles that each partner can share with the other in their friendship relationship, the greater the amount of closeness possible and the more satisfaction they experience in their mutual friendship interaction. `Within the present paper, we have spoken as if there were no individual differences in response to social structure. The fact that this isn't the case presents numerous opportunities for further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a theoretical analysis of the role of the critic in mass communications. The type of communications discussed in this article is mass communication, as it is participated in by a specialized, and supposedly, highly influential group of persons in the U.S. culture. Everything about their professional communicative behavior is specialized: The content, their and others' perception of this occupation, their own interests and background materials, and their ability to influence other people's behavior. The artistic aspect of the critic's role is discussed more fully from two general points of view, which for lack of conventional labels we may call the traditional or supplementary, and the sociological. From the supplementary point of view the critic is looked upon more as a secondary art phenomenon; specifically, as an adjunct of the much broader field of literature, etc., and as less important than the artist and his art. The critic's value is also secondary to that of the material with which he deals. Sociologically, the critic is much like other facets of mass communication. The immediate explicit content of his work is often secondary--more important is the long-term evaluative role that he performs.

By way of summary let us draw together the various variables that we have discussed above in a form that would allow future derivation of experimental hypotheses. Panic-behavior is a function of a highly stressful situation characterized by the presence of a sudden threat to the individual (or group) which occurs within a short span of time. This threat if unchecked or not solved immediately will have irrevocable, long-term consequences upon the ensuing behavior of the participants. Therefore, the behavior that occurs soonest after the perception of threat is of the nature of problem-solving and the maintenance of the status quo against loss of either a physical or social-psychological nature. This problem-solving behavior is complicated by the perception of alternative solutions, their ambiguous con- sequences, and is hindered by unintelligibility within the communication process. This last condition becomes increasingly important as the interdependency of all the participants increases, or participants become more isolated from the main body of persons involved within the threatening situation. Implicit in the discussion are certain implied characteristics of the behavior per se. Panic-behavior itself will be characterized by a high state of anxiety and erratic and sometimes random behavior. That is, behavior that is not based upon a consistent and coordinated plan of action. Panic behavior is further characterized by the taking of risks (especially towards the later portions of the situation); and a high rate of irrelevant communication directed towards persons other than those nearby in spatial proximity and immediately involved, regardless of these persons' particular bearing on the individual's position; e.g., elliptical statements, swearing, cries, holophrastic sentences, and other verbalizations that do not convey any clear-cut referent-meaning to the auditors (as distinguished from the expression of emotions). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the influence of personal attributions on creative act and product. Shift from dispositional to contextual explanation on the theory of creativity; Importance of creative productivity on measuring creative behavior; Validity of the judgment of college students on creativity research.