Previous studies devised various definitions and measurements for subtle-obvious ratings of MMPI items, but failed to distinguish two forms of subtlety : direction and irrelevanc. The former concerns score-key direction, and the latter items irrelevant to judge abnormality. In the present study, three rating methods were used. In the first, for experts rated item abnormality with a 4-point scale to indicate score-key direction, and also tried to detect irrelevant items. Second, 17 semi-experts made judgments of score-key directions. And the third was the same as the first, except that the raters were non-experts. An analysis of the present results in comparison with findings of previous studies indicated that abnormality ratings of the present study and the index by Christian et al.(1978)were indices of direction subtlety, and irrelevant items of the present study and Wiener's(1948)subtle items were the indices of irrelevancy subtlety. Apparently, failure to distinguish the two forms has been responsible for inconsistent findings in the previous investigation of subtlety.

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Clark & Watson(1991)proposed a tripartite model of depression and anxiety that divided related symptoms into three groups : symptoms of high negative afect that are commonly experienced by both the depressed and anxious, manifestations of low positve affect that are specific to depression, and symptoms of autonomic arousal that are relatively unique to anxiety. In the present study we constructed a multidimensional depression and anxiety symptom scale(MDAS)to assess depression and anxiety symptoms based on the tripartite model. Four hundred sixty-three(463)undergranduates completed the MDAS during psychology classes. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors : negative affect(NA), physiological arousal(AR), and positive affect(PA). NA was found to correlate moderately with the other two factors, but the correlation between the two specific factors was close to zero. Additional data found correlations with other scales that were consistent with the predictions of the tripartite model.

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This study examined the relationship of ambiguity tolerance and group identification with attitudes toward a newcomer to ingroup. Three hundred and ten(310)college and vocational school students completed a questionnaire of several scales. First, factor analysis found two factors for a tolerant acceptance scale : attitudes of positive commitment and heterogeneity tolerance. Then, respondents were median-split in terms of ambiguity tolerance and group identification, both making high and low groups. Analyses of variance were conducted on the two attitude variables with ambiguity tolerance and group identification as independent variables. High ambiguity tolerance was associated with high heterogeneity tolerance, and high group identification with high positive commitment. And an interaction effect of the two was found on heterogeneity tolerance. Implications for conditions necessary for tolerant acceptance of a newcomer were discussed.

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Some theorists and clinicians have pointed out that self-image and self-esteem of a narcissist were unstable. This study explored the relationship of narcissistic tendency, instability of self-image, and level of self-esteem and its stability. Narcissistic Personality Inventory Short Version(NPI-S)and Stability of Self Scale were administered. Then, daily experiences and their evaluation were recorded for six consecutive days, along with daily self-esteem, by 184 undergraduates(a mean age of 20.3 years). Results indicated that two of the narcissist factors: sense of superiority and competence and assertiveness, positively correlated with level of daily self-esteem. Instability of self-image was a mediator of the effects of the other narcissist factor: need for attention and praise. The instability, which had a positive correlation with the need, correlated negatively with level of daily self-esteem, and positively with instability of daily self-esteem.

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In the present study, second-year high school students were asked about their reasons of having a rival or no rival in their school life. Factor analysis found four factors for reasons of having a rival: mutual stimulation, target, closeness, and intellectual parity. Factors for not having a rival were three: self-orientation, indifference, and avoidance. Rivals were categorized into three: standard, target, and good match, and two axes of partner similarity and mutuality were extracted from discriminant analysis with the four factors of having a rival as predictors. Having a rival who is a good match is predicted by both high partner similarity and mutuality. A "target" rival is associated with low partner similarity, and a "standard" rival, high partner similarity but low mutuality. These results were discussed in the context of social comparison theory and self-evaluation maintenance(SEM)model.

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