The current research examined prejudice and perceived threat toward Mexican and Arab immigrants/immigration along the U.S./Mexico border. Sample 1 (n = 84) was collected before September 11; attitudes toward Mexican immigrants were assessed. Sample 2 (n = 140) was collected one month after September 11 and Sample 3 (n = 180) was collected one year later; attitudes toward both Mexican and Arab immigrants were assessed. U.S. citizens completed a social attitudes survey assessing symbolic threat, perceived realistic threat, and prejudice. Individual differences, such as American identity and political orientation, were also measured. As predicted, in samples 2 and 3 Arab immigrant's engendered greater levels of symbolic threat and prejudice among participants compared to Mexican immigrants and immigration. Participants also reported greater perceived realistic threat from Mexican immigrants after September 11 than before. American identity was positively related to threat and prejudice with respect to both immigrant groups. The response patterns represent a nuanced response associated with the attacks. Findings are discussed in terms of the social implications for immigrants and immigration to the U.S.

Past research has shown that creative behavior is associated with a higher risk for depression; our own previous work has shown that rumination lies at the heart of the connection. In a sample of 244 college students, we used path analysis to examine how 2 types of self-focused rumination-brooding and self-reflective pondering-might relate differentially to creativity and dysphoria/depression. The rumination measures intercorrelated but were found to have different consequences: Brooding was linked only to dysphoria (with more brooding or depressive rumination leading to worse mood), whereas selfreflective pondering was hnked only to creativity. Thus, how one examines life-with a focus on mood or brooding versus a more reflective focus-might determine whether one slumps into depression or jumps into creative endeavors.

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