Framing, intentions, and trust–choice incompatibility

The present paper examines how framing of messages and the intentions inferred from different—positive vs. negative—framings, interact with the development of trust. Empirical evidence is presented showing that different, logically equivalent, frames are supposedly interpreted as implying different intentions. Next, the relationship between different frames (and the corresponding intentions reflected from these frames) and trust are explored. Finally, and most important, the relationship between the assessment of trust, inferred from different frames, and the corresponding choice behavior resulting from these frames, are investigated. Specifically, consider agents A and B offering to sell exactly the same commodity, except that one agent formulates it in a positive and the other in a negative frame. The different frames may lead to different assessments of the trustworthiness of the two agents. Following common wisdom, if agent A is trusted more than B, then one should prefer to conduct transactions with the former rather than with the latter agent. Several experiments are presented that are incompatible with this conjecture. For example, when faced with a choice between two butchers, whose ground beef is advertised as containing 25% fat (negative frame) or 75% lean (positive frame), respectively, most people have more trust in the former yet most indicate they would buy their meat from the latter butcher. This phenomenon, in which negative framing weighs more in trust assessments, and positive framing weighs more in choice, is labeled trust–choice incompatibility. The robustness of the phenomenon is further demonstrated in several experiments, and possible explanations for its occurrence are discussed.     

Drivers’ illusions––no more risk

In this invited address to the International Congress of Applied Psychology, it is argued that traffic psychology has not had a major impact on accident prevention. The factors that have determined this are discussed. A review of the theories and models pertinent to drivers’ risk taking and road user behaviour in general is presented. It is argued that both risk-homeostasis theories and task capability model are not sufficiently precise to be used as a basis for preventive measures. Attitude–behaviour models derived from social psychology have proved to be powerful in identifying motivational factors influencing road user behaviour, but the majority of empirical evidence is based on self-reported rather than observed behaviour. It is argued that individual differences can provide a basis for accident prevention, in particular driver training.     

Growth and Decline of Evangelicals,Fundamentalists, Pentecostals,and Charismatics in Switzerland 1970–2013

This article describes and explains patterns of growth and decline undergone by evangelical, fundamentalist, and Pentecostal/Charismatic (EFPC) denominations in Switzerland from 1970 to 2013. We combine data from different censuses, membership registers of denominations, and a National Congregation Study (NCS) to establish and explain patterns of growth and decline. Our main results are that (1) the overall EFPC milieu has grown since the 1970s; (2) the growth is predominantly caused by a rather strong increase in membership of Pentecostal/Charismatic denominations. In contrast, evangelical denominations are overall rather stable, while fundamentalists seem to be in decline; (3) EFPC growth is not related to deprivation orientation, strictness, or socialization efforts, but to recruitment focus and spontaneity of ritual. We discuss these findings in the light of different theories.     

Ethnicity,Idiocentrism–Allocentrism,and Intergroup Attitudes1

The study examined the relationships among ethnicity, idiocentrism–allocentrism and intergroup attitudes in Singapore. Thirty Malay and 30 Chinese students completed questionnaires which measured in-group and out-group attitudes and attitudes toward ethnic-based community development groups. Intergroup attitudes were analyzed by a 2 × 2 × 2 (Subject Ethnicity × Target Group Ethnicity × Idiocentrism–Allocentrism) analysis of variance. A 2 × 2 interaction revealed that both Malay and Chinese subjects expressed ethnocentric biases; however, planned comparisons indicated that this was due to the responses of allocentrics. A separate 2 × 2 (Subject Ethnicity × Idiocentrism-Allocentrism) ANOVA further revealed that allocentrics had more favorable attitudes toward ethnic-based community development groups than did idiocentrics.     

Win–Win–Win: The Influence of Company‐Sponsored Volunteerism Programs on Employees,NGOs, and Business Units

Although the number of firms adopting corporate volunteerism programs is rising steadily, very few firms are assessing the benefits of such programs on target groups, such as employees and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and identifying the conditions under which benefits to the various groups are maximized. This study addresses both by examining the conditions of employees’ corporate volunteer assignments that lead to increased employee engagement, sustainability of the volunteers’ project within the NGO, capability development for the business unit, and employees’ continuation of volunteerism. Using a longitudinal and multisource design, responses from 116 corporate volunteers from a global pharmaceutical organization are matched with responses from their NGO managers and their business unit managers at 3 points in time: at the start of the volunteer assignment, at the end of the assignment, and 6 months after the completion of the assignment. Across these outcomes, we found that employees’ volunteer assignments are most valuable when they are international, when the volunteers perceive that their projects contribute meaningfully the NGO's functioning, when volunteers have professional skills (and are able to use them), when there are opportunities for skills to be developed that can be applied in the volunteers’ regular work role, and when the NGOs have tangible resources to sustain the volunteers’ projects.     

Motivational determinants of reading comprehension: A comparison of French,Caucasian–American,and African–American adolescents

The relationships between adolescents' reading comprehension and their metacognitive knowledge and self-system beliefs were studied in three groups of subjects: French nationals, Caucasian Americans, and African Americans. Subjects were tested on measures of reading comprehension, metacognitive knowledge about reading processes, attributional beliefs, and academic self-concept. Correlation and regression analyses indicated cultural differences in the predictors of reading comprehension among the three groups. For French and Caucasian Americans, reading comprehension scores were related to metacognitive knowledge, academic self-concept, and attributions of success to ability. However, metacognition and motivational beliefs were mostly unrelated to comprehension performance for African Americans. Results are discussed in terms of verification of a model of motivational influences on performance, of cultural and ethnic group differences in beliefs, and the implications for generalizability of research results.     

Suicides in Beijing,China, 1992–1993

Analyzing the raw data of suicides reported to the Beijing Public Security Bureau in 1992 and 1993, this study reveals for the first time to the academic public in the West the rate, gender difference, the timing, causes, and means of Chinese suicides. In comparison with suicide patterns in Western societies, mainly reported by Durkheim (1897/1951) , Diekstra (1990) and the National Center for Health Statistics (1991) , the findings of this study suggest more differences than similarities. The comparatively low suicide rate (4.8 per 100,000 population), the reversed gender effect (55.4% of suicides are female and 44.6% male), alleged causes, and reported means of suicides in China are explained in terms of history, culture, and social forces. However, the direct relationship of warm seasons to Chinese suicide rates is consistent with what is known about Western societies.