Social Facilitation and Inhibition During Maximum Versus Typical Performance Situations

The distinction between maximum performance (“what people can do”) and typical performance (“what people will do”) has received considerable theoretical yet relatively little empirical attention. Findings from social facilitation and inhibition suggest that the relationship between performers' typical and maximum performance may not always be as straightforward as had originally been assumed. Ninety-four psychology students underwent a manipulation of their self-efficacy before doing an explaining task both under typical and maximum performance conditions. Results revealed a social inhibition effect in the maximum performance condition for participants of the low self-efficacy conditions. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Personality and Cognitive Ability as Predictors of Typical and Maximum Managerial Performance

Despite long-established distinctions between typical and maximum performance variables on both the predictor and criterion side, little previous research has directly addressed the extent to which these distinctions translate into differential predictor-criterion relationships. Using a sample of candidates for managerial positions, we examined relations of predictors conceptually linked to typical (i.e., broad, narrow, and compound personality traits) and maximum (i.e., broad and narrow cognitive abilities) performance with corresponding criterion measures (N = 84–873). Supervisory ratings of managerial performance served as the typical performance criterion, whereas maximum performance was assessed via an assessment center. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the distinction between typical and maximum performance. Results also confirmed our hypothesis that cognitive abilities are more strongly correlated with maximum performance than with typical performance and largely supported the expectation of the opposite pattern with personality traits as predictors.     

The Influence of Social Comparison Situations on Individual Task Performance: Experimental Illustrations

In the past ten or so years, numerous experiments have been conducted to illustrate the intervention of social regulations in cognitive functioning (e.g., social coordination, sociocognitive conflict, and social marking). However, in that way, social comparison processes have not received any extended theoretical and empirical attention. Several experimental results are reported here in an attempt to show that the social conditions, in particular personal and categorical comparison situations, in which subjects are led to perform memory and problem-solving tasks constitute a determining factor in their cognitive performances. The discussion presents some new theoretical prospects for the study of social regulations of cognitive functioning.     

Gender and Social Loafing in Japan

Abstract

The author investigated gender differences in social loafing among 18 men and 18 women in Japan. The participants were divided into groups of 9 members. Ropes were connected to strongly built steel frames set near the ceiling of the laboratory. Each participant had to pull the rope as through arm wrestling. The participants engaged in 12 trials—2 individual trials and 10 group trials. In the group trials, the participants believed that only the group's power, but not individual participants' power, was being gauged. The difference between the data from individual trials and the data from group trials was adopted as a measure of social loafing. The women tended to loaf less than the men, and the men's effort suddenly declined when the situation was changed from an individual to a collective work setting. However, the women did not show that change. The author interpreted the findings from the viewpoint of gender difference in the quality of achievement motivation among Japanese participants.     

The Relationship Between Typical and Maximum Performance: A Meta-Analytic Examination

This study's purpose was to meta-analytically estimate the magnitude of the relationship between typical and maximum job performance to determine if this distinction deserves greater attention. We also tested several moderators including three associated with the temporal boundaries of this relationship and examined theoretical antecedents of typical and maximum performance (ability, motivation, and personality). This meta-analysis revealed a moderate typical–maximum performance association (ρ = .42), suggesting that a meaningful distinction does exist. Although the examined temporal moderators did not meaningfully affect the typical–maximum performance relationship, task complexity, type of performance measure, and study setting were significant moderators. Antecedent analyses confirmed that both ability and Openness to Experience are more strongly related to maximum than typical performance. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

创造性任务情境下社会惰化影响因素研究

研究一,采用单因素组间设计(合作组、名义组、个人组)检验创造性任务情境下是否存在社会惰化效应,结果显示:合作组状态下个体努力水平显著低于名义组,与个人组差异不显著;研究二,采用三因素组间设计(4×2×3)探讨创造性任务情境下社会惰化影响因素,结果显示:目标难度、绩效评估变量主效应显著且存在交互作用,而中期评估变量主效应不显著。研究结果提示:高难度目标、评估个体对群体的贡献可减弱创造性任务情境下的社会惰化效应。     

Social Anxiety and the Quality of Everyday Social Interactions: The Moderating Influence of Alcohol Consumption

Most research on the link between social anxiety and alcohol consumption has examined problematic outcomes without consideration of potential adaptive functions. Alcohol is an anxiolytic that has the short-term benefit of reducing anxiety; consumption may act as a social lubricant that facilitates higher quality social interactions. Using experience-sampling methodology, we examined how consuming alcohol attenuates the adverse effects of social anxiety in naturally occurring social interactions. Participants (N = 160) completed demographic and trait measures, then completed daily assessments for 14 consecutive days. Results from multilevel model analyses revealed that during face-to-face social interactions, state social anxiety was inversely related to 10 indicators of healthy social interactions (e.g., enjoyment, laughter, feelings of acceptance). Alcohol consumption moderated seven of these associations, such that when participants consumed alcohol in social situations, state social anxiety was no longer associated with social interaction quality. The quantity of alcoholic drinks consumed moderated two of these associations. Furthermore, we found evidence for directionality, such that social anxiety in a given social interaction predicted alcohol consumption in a subsequent social interaction, but not the reverse (i.e., alcohol consumption did not prospectively predict state social anxiety). In social situations that involved alcohol, experiences of social anxiety no longer thwarted one’s ability to derive social benefits. These results should be interpreted in the context of a participant sample with relatively low levels of trait social anxiety and frequency of alcohol use. Nonetheless, obtaining social rewards may be a reinforcement mechanism that maintains the link between social anxiety and alcohol consumption.     

国外社会惰性的理论与相关研究概述

社会惰性是团队成员在从事趋向共同目标活动中出现的努力程度和平均贡献随着群体成员增加而减少的现象。该研究从社会惰性的概念、起源和发展、理论解释,影响因素及形成过程等几个方面对国外社会惰性的研究状况进行了述评,并指出存在的问题及今后研究的方向     

The Relation Between Personality and Contextual Performance in "Strong" Versus "Weak" Situations

Both a laboratory and field study investigated the extent to which the strength of behavioral cues in simulated and actual job performance situations moderate the relation between measures of broad personality dimensions and contextual performance behaviors. Extending Mischel's (1977) conceptualization of strong and weak situations, it was hypothesized that personality and contextual performance behavior would be most strongly correlated when there were only weak cues, and less correlated when there were strong cues. Results indicated that personality-contextual performance correlations varied across situations with different expectations for performance.     

Social Identity versus Reference Frame Comparisons: The Moderating Role of Stereotype Endorsement

Two studies tested the prediction that belief in a negative stereotype about an in-group will cause members to shift from viewing their in-group as a social identity to viewing it as a frame of reference. The stereotype that was the focus of inquiry was the belief that women have less aptitude at math and spatial tasks than do men. In both studies, female participants took a test of math and spatial ability and then received social comparison information about their abilities relative to a male and a female confederate. In Study 1, participants felt enhanced when the two women outperformed the male confederate, even when this meant that the participants themselves performed worse than the other woman. If participants were first reminded of the negative stereotype, however, they felt best when they outperformed the other woman, even if this meant that the two women performed worse than the man. Study 2 showed that the effects of stereotype activation were especially pronounced among female participants who showed moderate to high levels of stereotype endorsement. These findings suggest that belief in stereotypes about the in-group can lead to in-group comparison and contrast, even in contexts in which a group member's ability level challenges the validity of the stereotype.     

双作业任务中人格特质对选择性加工的影响

运用双操作任务,该研究考察了人格的神经质和外倾性特质对选择性加工的影响。实验结果表明：(1)对各类词性的辨别速度,低神经质普遍快于高神经质,外倾者普遍快于内倾者．选择性加工偏向在RT指标上并不明显;(2)从词性辨别的正确率指标分析,高神经质被试对负性词存在明显的反应偏向;对于特质词与中性词的判断,内、外倾被试之间不存在显著差异;(3)在自由回忆任务中,各类被试均存在明显的回忆偏向及特质一致性倾向。     

公平感对社会认知的影响:经济因素的调节作用

目的及方法:基于中国综合社会调查2010年数据,采用多层结构方程模型,探究中国民众公平感对社会认知的作用,及经济因素在其中的调节效应。研究结果:第一,公平感越高,则社会冲突感越低,外在政治效能感越高,越倾向于对社会不平等进行内部归因,即对于社会的整体认知更加积极; 第二,经济因素能调节公平感与社会不平等内归因的关系,具体而言,经济水平越低,则公平感对于社会不平等的内部归因正向预测作用越大。     

Influence of Personality and Motivation on Oral Presentation Performance

Personality and motivation have been identified as influential variables associated with foreign language learning; however, few studies have investigated their effect on oral presentations. This study addresses the importance of both personality and motivation in students’ collaborative oral presentation performance. A Big Five personality trait questionnaire measuring Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism and Openness to Experience, together with the Collaborative Inquiry-based Project Questionnaire measuring Task, Project Work, Reinforcement, Social Learning and Social Pressure motivational constructs were employed to evaluate 257 university students. In general, the results showed that Extraversion, Project Work and Social Pressure were significant correlates of oral presentation scores. The first result suggests that extraverts possess superiority in situations where oral language production is central to communication. This was particularly true for lower-level students, inferring that extraverted personalities can compensate for a lower English language ability. The second indicates that the inquiry-based nature of the assignments was an intrinsic motivator especially valued by extraverts. The third implies that extrinsic motivation was a factor influencing student performance. These findings extend previous research by highlighting the contextual relationships between these affective variables and performance in collaborative oral presentation contexts.     

The Influence of Social Consensus Information on Intergroup Attitudes: The Moderating Effects of Ingroup Identification

ABSTRACT

Two studies examined the role of ingroup identification in the influence of social consensus information (information about others' beliefs) on intergroup attitudes. Research demonstrates that consensus information influences individuals' intergroup attitudes. However, the extent to which individuals identify with the group providing consensus information seems important to understanding consensus effects. In Study 1, 100 high or low ingroup identifiers received information that other ingroup members held favorable or unfavorable attitudes toward African Americans and then provided their own attitudes. In Study 2, 250 participants completed an ingroup identification manipulation (high, low, or control) before receiving favorable or no consensus information. Results of both studies demonstrated that ingroup identification moderated consensus effects, such that high identifiers were more susceptible to others' beliefs than individuals in the low identification and control conditions. In determining critical factors involved in consensus effects, we hope to create a useful method to promote favorable intergroup attitudes and behaviors.     

The Influence of Social and Economic Background on Stanford-Binet Performance

Summary

The relationship of integrative complexity to the favorability of impressions was investigated. It was hypothesized that (a) favorability of impressions of subjects of high integrative complexity would be less affected by a positive or negative set than the favorability responses of subjects low in integrative complexity, and (b) when no set was induced, that subjects of high integrative complexity would form more favorable impressions of an inconsistently behaving target person than subjects of low integrative complexity. The hypotheses were basically supported for female subjects, but not for male subjects.     

职业选拔情境下人格测验作假研究

在职业选拔情境下被试很容易对人格测验作假,从而制约了人格测验在企业中的应用。许多研究者在努力解决作假问题,分别就应聘者是否会作假,作假给人格测验带来的负面影响、应聘者如何作假以及如果应对作假等问题进行了深入的探讨。经过几十年的发展,该研究领域已经形成了包括实验诱导设计、已知群体设计和量表设计等几种特定的研究范式。研究结果显示,大多数应聘者会作假,但其负面影响并不严重;作假不同于社会称许性反应,它是一种工作称许性反应。目前的几种应对作假的方法尚存在一些问题,其有效性有待提高。总之,人格测验的作假作用明显,其研究难度较大,有待革新性理论和方法的出现     

Social Distancing in Adolescents’ Perceptions of Alcohol Use and Social Disapproval: The Moderating Roles of Culture and Gender1

College students attribute more conservative attitudes and behaviors concerning alcohol use to themselves and progressively less conservative attitudes and behaviors to their friends and more distal peers. We examined whether a similar social‐distancing effect would occur with adolescents in America and Ireland. Students (n= 2, 554) attributed the most conservative drinking frequency to themselves and progressively less conservative frequencies to their best friends, other good friends, other students their age at their own school, and other students their age at other schools, respectively. Similarly, adolescents attributed more disapproval of drinking to their best friends and progressively less conservative disapproval to other good friends, other students their age at their own school, and other students their age at other schools, respectively. As predicted, more social distancing occurred among Americans (relative to Irish) and girls (relative to boys).     

青少年压力与吸烟行为的关系:人格与性别的调节作用

采用青少年生活事件问卷、大五人格量表和自编中学生吸烟行为调查问卷对2415名中学生进行问卷调查。结果发现:压力与青少年吸烟行为显著正相关,大五人格的开放性、宜人性与青少年吸烟行为显著负相关;大五人格的宜人性在压力对青少年吸烟行为的影响中起调节作用;性别在压力对青少年吸烟行为的影响中起调节作用。     

佛教文化的社会价值与影响

佛教文化在推动文明进步和发展的历史长河中,创造出举世瞩目的文化成就,发挥着重要的社会功能。在现代社会走向成熟的过程中,物文化的严重弊端也开始显现。现代性危机归根到底是一场"人类自我认识的危机",是物文化无法超越自身局限性的必然结果。只有我们的文化精神超越物文化、达到新的层次,才有可能从根本上消除这场危机。文化精神的向内超越,必须借助于丰富深刻的智慧见地。在东方文化的土壤中,这种内向的心灵智慧发展得尤其充分,东方圣哲们的智慧结晶共同构成了"心文化"的主要内容。这场朝向内心的伟大进军势必开启人类社会的第三次伟大变革。