Three related studies were completed to test the predictive relation among identity status, personality, and conformity behavior. The investigations were undertaken to replicate the earlier research findings of Toder and Marcia (1973). As predicted in Study 1, personality differences were found for both sexes. However, no relation was observed between identity status and conformity on the Asch task. Study 2 was completed to confirm the reliability of the identity status measure. Finally, in Study 3 four measures of conformity behavior (peer assessments, an experimental task, two self-report scales) were completed by college students of diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and identity-achievement statuses. Diffusion students were most influenced by peer pressure conformity, whereas identity-achievement students were most likely to report engaging in conformity behavior for achievement gains. Although earlier research by Toder and Marcia (1973) was not replicated via the Asch conformity task, the third study does support a predicted relation between identity and conformity behavior.

Two theoretical perspectives have been advanced to account for heightened egocentrism during early adolescence. One perspective assumes that formal operational thought is associated with increased self-consciousness. The second perspective proposes that parental support and affection diminish egocentrism, while parental rejection enhances self-conscious reactions by young adolescents. Data analysis using responses from 251 early adolescents (131 males, 120 females) on measures of cognitive development and perceived parental support revealed that (a) formal operations diminished adolescent egocentrism, while (b) perceived parental relations were predictive of self-consciousness. Contrary to posttheoretical assumptions, seventh graders functioning at the level of concrete operations were higher in self-conscious egocentrism than were formal-operations youths. Further, perceived parental support was associated with diminished egocentrism, while perceived parental rejection was predictive of heightened self-consciousness.

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PROBLEMWith the advent of the woman's liberation movement the functional value of adhering to the traditional rules of sex-role assignment has become a matter for debate. The present study considers the question "Are those individuals who do not conform to the traditional sex role more anxious (or less adaptive) than those who do?" If it is important, in terms of individual adjustment, for one to conform to the traditional sex roles, then those who do not conform might be expected to experience greater anxiety than those who do. On the other hand, if adherence t o these roles is not a prerequisite of individual adjustment, then there may not be any correlation between sex-role identification and anxiety.The findings to date, however, have not only defied this explanatory rubric, but are, on the whole, not understood. It generally has been found that women score higher on anxiety measures than men('* lo, 12-16) and that more feminine persons of both sexes score higher than masculine 5).One theory posits that this effect is due t o cultural influence whereby men are urged to suppress anxiety and fears and women are given greater freedom to express such emotions (8,-12, la). This theory is little more than conjecture at the present time, however. Little research has explored the relationship that has been found to exist between sex-role identity and anxiety. One purpose of this study was to examine some possible relationships between sex-role identity and other factors, specifically, openness us. closedness, liberalism vs. conservatism, and cross-sex us. same-sex parent identification. METHODSubjects. Ss were 108 females and 71 males enrolled in an introductory sociology class at Utah State University, fall of 1974. The majority of students were freshmen or sophomores.Measures. Gough's Femininity Scale@) was employed as a means to classify males and females in the sex-role identification categories masculine, middle, and feminine. It is a 58-item scale in which the separation of males and females was found to be adequate in validating samples (differences in overlap are significant beyond the .01 level).Two anxiety measures were utilized in this study. The IPAT Anxiety Scale Questionnaire was devised by Cattell@) to meet the need for a brief, accurate, and easily administered and scored indicator of free anxiety level. Validity coefficients range from .85 to .90, and test-retest reliability is reported to be .93 for a l-week interval and .85 for a 2-week interval. Taylor's Manifest Anxiety Scale(16) (TMAS) was constructed from a pool of MMPI items. Extensive validity data are not available, but distributions of scores for a psychiatric group and a normal group were found t o be markedly different. Test-retest reliability coefficients are .89 after 3 weeks and .82 after 5 months.The dimensions covered by the questionnaire employed in this study include openness us. closedness, liberalism us. conservatism, and crossrsex us. same-sex parent identification. The first two dimensions are from Cattell's Sixteen Personality...

This study compared differences in the way in which 63 suicidal and 56 nonsuicidal persons in therapy reported their relations to other people on the FIRO-B, and the Sociability and Tolerance scales from the California Personality Inventory. Suicidal and nonsuicidal groups performed significantly differently on three scales, Wanted Affection, Sociability, and Tolerance. There was a significant interaction on Wanted Affection between suicidal status and sex. Suicidal persons showed a preference for less social involvement and a lower level of tolerance for others. Suicidal males expressed more affection than suicidal females while nonsuicidal males expressed less affection than nonsuicidal females. Suicidal individuals, both males and females, and nonsuicidal females obtained much higher wanted affection scores than did nonsuicidal males. Implications of these findings regarding the nature of the personality needs of suicidal males and females were discussed.