Transmitting pro‐environmental behaviours to the next generation: A comparison between Germany and Japan

The present study examined the processes by which children acquire pro‐environmental behaviours in different cultures. Our focus was on parental influence. Several studies have been conducted on adults' environmental behaviours; however, we know little about how children's environmental attitudes and behaviours are formed. We conducted a questionnaire survey with elementary school children and one of their parents in Germany and Japan. Two hundred and twenty‐one pairs participated in Germany and 365 in Japan. The results of structural equation modelling showed that parents' behaviours affected children's environmental behaviours directly and also via the subjective norm (the children's experienced expectations of their parents). A comparison of the two countries revealed that hypothesized cultural differences between the impact of personal norms and subjective norms were clearer for adults. The results also showed that the effects of subjective norms were stronger for children, indicating that children are more likely to be influenced by expectations of others. The results of the study suggest that for promoting children's environmental behaviours, showing the behaviours in daily life would be most effective.     

Exploring Academic Dishonesty among University Students in Barbados: An Extension to the Theory of Planned Behaviour

This paper applies Beck and Ajzen’s (Journal of Research in Personality 25:285–301, 1991) extended version of the theory of planned behaviour model to the decisions of students to engage in academic dishonesty (cheating and lying). The model proposes that students’ intentions to engage in dysfunctional behaviours may be influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and moral obligation. This study was done using a survey questionnaire of 363 undergraduate students at a West Indian University. Based on the extended version of the theory of planned behaviour, with the exception of subjective norms which only predicted students’ intentions to cheat, it was found that attitudes, perceived behavioural control and moral obligation were significant predictors of students’ intentions to perform academic dishonesty behaviours in the form of cheating and lying. The results of the study have given further support to the use of the extended version of the theory of planned behaviour. Implications are discussed.     

青少年学生自我价值感全国常模的制定

自我价值感是个体自我中对人的认知、情绪和行为具有弥漫性影响的一个重要方面 ,也是影响人的心理健康水平的重要方面。本文的目的是使用自编的青少年自我价值感量表建立青少年学生自我价值感(SW )全国常模。对在全国各省市分层随机抽取的 34715大中学生测量结果的方差分析表明 ,在大部分自我价值感维度上 ,存在显著的年级差异和性别×年级交互作用效应。据此给出了男女学生的自我价值感年级常模 ,并进行了常模等级分转换。文中还讨论了青少年学生自我价值感特点。     

Risk behaviour and mental workload: Multimodal assessment techniques applied to motorbike riding simulation

We present data from an ongoing research project on the cognitive, emotional and neuropsychological basis of risk behaviour. The main aim of the project is to build a model of risk behaviour so that if we know certain cognitive, behavioural and emotional variables, we will be able to predict decisions made in the face of uncertainty and risk, with the final goal of designing programs for evaluating, preventing and controlling risk behaviour. The objective of the present study was to look for individual differences in hazard perception during a static riding simulation and their relationship with mental workload. We used a multidimensional methodology, including behavioural, subjective and physiological data. The behavioural measures were obtained in a static riding simulation during eight hazard situations. We evaluated whether eye activity measures correlated with cognitive workload and different types of risky behaviours. Eye movement parameters were measured using a video-based eye tracking system. We found that risk-prone individuals showed specific patterns of risky behaviours and that peak of saccadic velocity and subjective mental workload indexes were both reliable indicators of risk proneness. Mental workload was higher for participants showing attitudes to risk behaviours probably because of a lack of conscious awareness of specific cues indicating dangerous scenarios.     

Solving the Dilemma: Family Communication About Organ Donation Among Chinese,Japanese, and Caucasian American College Students1

This study surveyed 800 students in the United States, Hong Kong, and Japan to determine associations between the components of the theory of reasoned action and early communication about organ‐donation decisions within the family. Results showed that among the 3 ethnic groups, Japanese students reported the least favorable attitudes and subjective norms about organ donation and were also the least likely to discuss this topic with their families. Moreover, the moderating effect of ethnicity indicated that attitudes were a significant factor of family discussion among American and Japanese students but not among Chinese students. Subjective norms were more predictive of family discussion among Chinese students than among American and Japanese students.     

Effects of Cultural Orientation,Self-Esteem,and Collective Self-Esteem on Well-Being

This study examined a model of independent and interdependent self-construal, individual and collective self-esteem, and subjective well-being in a sample of college students from the mainland USA, Hawaii, and Japan. Specifically, the mediation role of individual as well as collective self-esteem in the effects of independent and interdependent self-construal on subjective well-being was explored. Results indicated that the hypothesized model fit well. The study found the direct effects of independent self-construal on subjective well-being in all three cultural groups. Collective self-esteem was a significant mediator of the effects of both independent and interdependent self-construal on subjective well-being only in the mainland USA. The negative effect of interdependent self-construal on collective self-esteem was observed only in the mainland USA. Better understanding of both universal and culture-specific aspects of collective self-esteem in promoting subjective well-being seems essential for further theoretical development as well as effective prevention/intervention efforts across three cultural groups.     

The prediction of condom use intention among South African university students

A questionnaire was administered to 294 sexually active, unmarried undergraduate students to investigate the role of social norms in the prediction of the intention to use condoms. Components of social cognitive theory and the theory of reasoned action and planned behaviour were integrated with those of the Health Belief Model to predict future intention to use condoms with a new partner. Logistic regression analyses of selected risky sexual behaviours on the intention to use condoms showed that, among males, attitudes towards using condoms and the Health Belief Model component of perceived barriers predicted the intention to use condoms. The Health Belief Model component of perceived benefits could not be interpreted. Attitudes, subjective norms and perceived self-efficacy were associated with female students' intention to use condoms. Implications for strategies of HIV/AIDS prevention are discussed.     

自我控制可以抵御不良示范性规范对初中生环保行为的影响吗?

本研究检验不良示范性规范对初中生环保行为的影响是否受其自我控制的调节。研究1通过假设情境操纵示范性规范,测量初中生的自我控制能力和环保意愿;研究2在实验室情境下同时操纵示范性规范和初中生的自我控制状态,并测量其环保行为。结果表明,不良示范性规范显著降低初中生的环保意愿及环保行为;特质性和状态性自我控制水平越高,初中生的环保意愿就越高,其环保行为也越多;更重要的是,自我控制并不能有效抵御不良示范性规范对初中生环保意愿和环保行为的消极影响。