Incremental Validity of Perceived Control Dimensions in the Differential Prediction of Interpretive Biases for Threat

This study evaluated whether a diminished perception of control over environmental and interoceptive events differentially predicted interpretive biases for threat for ambiguous scenarios. The sample had 95 participants without a history of psychopathology. Results indicated that the internal dimension of the Anxiety Control Questionnaire (ACQ; R. M. Rapee, M. G. Craske, T. A. Brown, & D. H. Barlow, 1996) was predictive of interpretive biases for internal scenarios above and beyond demographic variables, subclinical panic attack history, and state anxiety; the external control subscale of the ACQ also was predictive of internal rank-ordered responses. The ACQ external dimension was predictive of interpretive responses for external scenarios beyond the effects accounted for by the other predictor variables, including perceived control for internal events. These findings provide initial correlational evidence consistent with cognitive–behavioral accounts of panic disorder that posit a perceived lack of control over aversive events may exacerbate an interpretive bias for threat.     

学业情绪与学业成绩的关系及其影响因素研究

学业情绪指教学或学习过程中与学生学业相关的各种情绪体验,包括高兴、厌倦、无助、焦虑等。学业情绪与学业成绩之间相互影响:学业情绪对学业成绩具有预测作用、而学业成绩对学业情绪具有回馈作用。学业控制感和成就目标通过影响学业情绪来影响学业情绪与学业成绩之间的关系。未来的研究方向主要在进一步探讨学业情绪与学业成绩之间的关系以及学业情绪对学业成绩的影响机制等方面。     

Illusory Control and Motives for Control: The Role of Connection and Intentionality

An experiment was done to examine the control heuristic perspective on illusory control and the effects of motives on control judgments, using a computer task similar to the light onset task used in previous research. Desire for the outcome and reinforcement were manipulated. As predicted from a control heuristic perspective, the effect of level of reinforcement on judgments of personal control was mediated by the measure of perceived connection: the perception of the number of positive confirming cases. Motives increased illusions of control, but only in the high reinforcement condition. A mediational analysis that examined how motives affect control judgments found that when the motive to get the outcomes was high, participants had higher estimates of having acted intentionally and these estimates partially mediated the relationship between the motivation manipulation and judgments of control. It appears that perceptions of connection mediate the relationship between reinforcement and illusory control, while judgments of intentionality partially mediate the effect of motives for control and illusory control.     

Soldiers Lead Themselves to More Success: A Self-Leadership Intervention Study

Neck and Manz (1999) Neck, C. P., & Manz, C. C. (1999). In search of the self-led soldier: Army leadership in the twenty-first century. In J. G. Hunt, G. E. Dodge, & L. Wong (Eds.), Out of the box leadership: Transforming the twenty-first army and other top organizations (pp. 153–176). Stamford, CT: JAI Press. [Google Scholar] elaborated in their article “In Search of the Self-Lead Soldier” on the need for continuous improvement of personnel qualities such as increase in self-efficacy, increase of performance, and decrease of perceived strain. Self-leadership is a tool that fosters exactly these personal resources. This study examines self-leadership training effects on soldiers participating in a military training course over 14 weeks. It is the first self-leadership training study to evaluate performance improvement using objective criteria (examination marks, physical tests) in intervention and control group consisting of soldiers of the Austrian army. Its design features a large sample (N = 130), duration of self-leadership training over 10 weeks, and evaluation over 4 time points. The intervention group accomplished significantly higher educational achievements in examinations and physical tests. Also levels of self-efficacy were significantly higher and levels of strain were marginally to significantly lower.     

Effects of decision-making on reactions to an evaluational stressor

The present study tested the hypothesis that an opportunity to make decisions enhances perceived control. This hypothesis predicts that decision-making will reduce the adverse effects of stress. Subjects worked on an intellectual task and their stress reactions were assessed using subjective and behavioral measures. Decision-making improved the highly anxious subjects' persistence with the task. This finding supports the hypothesis. However, less anxious subjects persisted less after being allowed to make decisions. Several explanations positing possible cognitive and motivational processes of the less anxious subjects are offered.     

Illusions of Control: How We Overestimate Our Personal Influence

Illusions of control are common even in purely chance situations. They are particularly likely to occur in settings that are characterized by personal involvement, familiarity, foreknowledge of the desired outcome, and a focus on success. Person-based factors that affect illusions of control include depressive mood and need for control. One explanation of illusory control is that it is due to a control heuristic that is used to estimate control by assessing the factors of intentionality and connection to the outcome. Motivational influences on illusory control and consequences of overestimating one's control are also covered.     

Desire for control and optimistic time predictions

Halkjelsvik, T., Rognaldsen, M. & Teigen, K. H. (2012). Desire for control and optimistic time predictions. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 499–505. Few studies have investigated individual differences in time predictions. We report two experiments that show an interaction between the personality trait Desirability of Control and reward conditions on predictions of performance time. When motivated to perform a task quickly, participants with a strong desire for control produced more optimistic predictions than those with a weaker desire for control. This effect could also be observed for a completely uncontrollable task. The results are discussed in relation to the finding that power produces more optimistic predictions, and extend this work by ruling out some previously suggested explanations.     

Randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a web-based stress management program among community college students

Background and Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a web-based stress management program among community college students that focused on increasing perceived control over stressful events. Design: Students (N = 257) were randomly assigned to a Present Control Intervention or a Stress-information only comparison group. Methods: Primary outcomes were perceived stress and stress symptoms; secondary outcomes were depression and anxiety. Self-report measures were completed online at preintervention, postintervention, and three-week follow-up. Intervention effects were estimated using linear mixed models. Seventy-five percent of the sample (n = 194) completed the pretest and comprised the intent-to-treat sample. Results: Participants in the intervention group reported significant increases in present control, and significant decreases in all four primary and secondary outcome measures from baseline to postintervention and follow-up. Within-group effect sizes were small to medium at postintervention (mean d = –.34) and follow-up (mean d = –.49). The mean between-group effect size on the four outcome measures was d = .35 at postintervention but d = .12 at follow-up, due to unexpected decreases in distress in the comparison group. Conclusions: Our online program is a cost-effective mental health program for college students. Limitations and future direction are discussed.     

处于不支持行为压力下的下岗人员的心理中介研究

本研究以 3 2 4名下岗人员为被试 ,考察不支持行为、应付方式、控制感与心理健康之间的关系。结果表明 ,情感不支持 ( β =0 .46)可以直接影响心理健康 ,同时情感不支持 ( β=0 .2 6)又通过自责 ( β =0 .3 1 )和发泄 ( β =0 .1 4 )两种应付方式和人际关系控制感 ( β=-0 .1 0 )而间接影响心理健康 ,下岗人员的应付方式和控制感在不支持行为和心理健康之间起重要中介作用。     

从概念界定角度看控制感研究中的问题

在目前关于“控制感”的研究中,概念界定一直是困扰许多研究者的问题。研究从控制源、自我效能感两个概念出发,阐述控制感概念与两者之间存在区别,包含更多的内容,提出控制感概念界定可以从方向和强度上予以考虑,并将控制感定义为：个体相信自己能够影响事件地进行而获得所期望结果的程度,而且这种影响是由个体自己而非外界的因素来决定的。概念的清晰界定对于今后控制感的测量和理论发展有着较大的益处。     

How does mindfulness modulate daily stress response: evidences from ambulatory assessment

Objective: Mindfulness has been found to be associated with less adverse stress response. However, little is known about how mindfulness modulates stress response in the real daily life. The current study investigated the relation between daily stress and negative emotions, and explored a mediational link via perceived loss of control, and moderation by dispositional mindfulness, to better understand this association. Design: A total of 95 college students were recruited to complete a questionnaire and to report on their stress, perceived loss of control and negative emotions in daily life. Main Outcome Measures: Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) was used to assess dispositional mindfulness. Stress, perceived loss of control and negative emotions were assessed by ambulatory assessment. Results: Stress was positively related with negative emotions at within-person level. Perceived loss of control mediated the relationship between stress and negative emotions. Furthermore, participants with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness showed an attenuated association between stress and anger, and also attenuated associations between perceived loss of control, and anger and fatigue at within-person level. Conclusion: These findings point to perceived loss of control as an important key factor in daily stress effects. Dispositional mindfulness appears to have beneficial effects in that it attenuates the impact of daily stressors on individuals’ wellbeing. Clinical implications and limitations are discussed.     

Motivational interviewing for employment: An exploration of practitioner skill and client change talk

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an evidenced-based approach for building and strengthening motivation for change. The effect of MI training on practitioner conversations with unemployed clients within a government work and income service was evaluated using a mixed-method approach, comprising a multiple-baseline across practitioner (n = 5) design and a pre/post quasi-experimental design. After workshop MI training, practitioners demonstrated greater MI skills in conversations with clients, and MI skills were maintained during the period of post-workshop feedback and coaching. There was also more change talk spoken by clients in conversations that occurred post-MI workshop training compared to pre-training, suggesting increased motivation for change.     

Learning from Our Mistakes: Error Management Training for Mature Learners

This research explored the effects of training goal (learning goal vs. performance goal) and training type (error management vs. error avoidance) on word processing skill acquisition with older workers. Sixty-seven participants were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions and attended two interactive tutorial training sessions. Results indicated that error management training lead to significantly higher performance test scores, learning quiz scores, and requests for assistance compared to error avoidant training. Additionally, learning goals generated significantly higher performance test scores and intrinsic motivation levels relative to performance goals. Other applications of error management training are discussed.     

Assessment of stress and self-efficacy for the NIH Toolbox for Neurological and Behavioral Function

Background and Objectives: The NIH Toolbox for Neurological and Behavioral Function assessment battery contains measures in the domains of cognitive function, motor function, sensory function, and emotional health. It was designed for use in epidemiological and clinical trials health-related research. Design: This paper describes the first phase of instrument development for the stress and self-efficacy subdomain of emotional health. Based on an extensive literature review and expert consultation, 127 measures were initially considered for inclusion in this subdomain, including measures of stress, self-efficacy, emotion regulation, and coping. Results: Several measures, including emotion regulation and measures of coping strategies, did not meet criteria that were a priori established for inclusion. Psychometric properties of the remaining candidate measures were evaluated using data from five independent samples (combined N = 3175). Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses indicated the Perceived Stress Scale and the General Self-Efficacy Scale each assessed single dimensions. Conclusions: Based on their psychometric performance, these two instruments were selected for inclusion and subsequent national norming for the NIH Toolbox.     

终生控制理论:关于人的整个生命历程的动机理论

终生控制理论提出控制是人类发展的动机系统,其目的是促进人的生存与发展并达到最优化。本文详细介绍了终生控制理论的核心概念：初级控制和二级控制、二者的功能及相互关系,以及有关研究与争论。     

Contribution du modèle du comportement planifié à la prédiction de l’entrée en formation professionnelle

The research analysis various factors of the commitment in professional training by a model inspired of the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985). A sample of 127 adults having to start a professional training cycle has answered questionnaires relating to the selected model, sociobiographic, attitudinal and contextual variables. Moreover, effective behavior (entry/non-entry in the session) was taken into account. On the whole of the sample, 60,6% actually integrated the forcasted training course . The major results show that the model of the planned behavior is relevant insofar as the intensity of the intention predicts the behavior of integration. Various dimensions of the model act in differentiated ways: some of them explain the intention of entry in training course and others explain the effective behavior.     

控制幻觉的研究方法、形成机制和影响因素

控制幻觉是指在完全不可控或部分不可控的情境下, 个体由于不合理地高估自己对环境或事件结果的控制力而产生的一种判断偏差。控制幻觉普遍存在于博彩游戏、医疗保健、心理健康、投资决策等实践领域。控制幻觉的研究方法主要包括间接测量方法、自我报告方法和实验室任务方法。控制启发式理论和调节定向理论则对控制幻觉的产生原因进行了解释。控制幻觉的影响因素包括人格因素、动机、权力、反馈、事件与个体的关联性、指导语等。未来的研究可从控制幻觉的多变量及交互作用研究、跨文化研究、调控策略研究等方面做进一步探讨。     

管理培训背景下适应性绩效的结构分析

本研究以适应性绩效理论为基础,在上海、北京、广州、浙江、江苏、重庆等地用问卷调查了十多个企业的管理培训实施情况,得到了334个有效样本。对数据进行探索性因素分析和验证性因素分析后,得到了管理培训背景下的四因素适应性绩效结构模型,四个因素分别被命名为:压力和应急处理、创新解决问题、岗位持续学习以及人际和文化适应。该适应性绩效结构为管理培训评估研究中效标的确定提供了新思路。最后讨论了今后研究需要进一步注意的问题。     

Inmate Subculture in a Nigerian Prison

This study of a prisoners' subculture in a Nigerian prison dealt with the prisoners' interactions among themselves and their adaptations to the subculture. It did not deal, except in passing, with the official or formal prison organization, which is unusually different from prisons in the United States and Great Britain. The focus was on the principal values and practices of the subculture and the vulnerability to them of different groups of prisoners. Striking similarities were found between the subculture and the world outside the prison. The prisoners' world, however, parodies the outside world rather than being a reflection of it.