成就动机与机会-威胁认知

采用问卷法探讨 3类变量即成就动机、风险情景中的冒险倾向以及对风险情景的机会 -威胁认知的关系。结果发现相对争取成功动机而言 ,回避失败动机对预测个体的机会 -威胁认知状况更为敏感 ;研究也显示 ,高成就动机组是以强烈的争取成功的倾向导致其对机会的积极认知 ;低成就动机组则是以对失败回避的趋力强化了威胁认知。个体在风险情景中的行为倾向与认知反应显得更为复杂。首先 ,框架效应不是普遍但的确存在于某类风险情景中 ,方差分析证实风险情景与框架间的交互作用达到显著性水平 ,这说明被试保守倾向的反应受到情景与框架效应的交互影响 ;其次 ,风险情景即“获益”和“损失”极大地影响着被试的风险反应模式     

风险情景中参照点与管理者认知特征

采用问卷测量的方法探讨风险情景以及个性特征对个体风险倾向的影响。结果显示：(1)成就动机的两个成分,即争取成功与回避失败能够分别预测个体在风险情景中的风险倾向与认知特征;争取成功动机对预测个体机会认知更敏感,而回避失败动机对预测威胁认知更有效。(2)回避失败动机是区分个体风险倾向的关键变量,个体在风险情景中的风险倾向取决于个体回避失败动机的强弱。(3)实验证实了当以“成功”为参照点时,回避失败倾向低的个体,在获益情景中更冒险而在损失情景中更保守;相反,回避失败倾向高的个体,在损失情景中更冒险而在获益情景中更保守。研究表明,结合人格和情景两类变量探讨个体风险倾向的反应模式能够更准确地描述个体行为倾向及其认知特征。这一结论提供了一个可能的思路来解释P理论与刻板模式之间的争执。另外,企业与学生样本在数据的总体趋势上存在相当多的一致性,但在细节上仍然存在差异,因此以学生样本数据进行推论时须要特别谨慎。     

大学生主动拖延水平与成就STROOP干扰效应

此研究检验了主动拖延行为与成就动机词语间的STROOP干扰效应。选取150名大学生作为被试。通过中文修订版的主动拖延量表问卷筛选出30名被试完成修正的STROOP任务。结果发现,主动拖延水平高的被试在所有类型词语中的反应都比主动拖延水平低的被试快,在成就动机词语上面差异更为显著,主动拖延水平高的被试表现出了明显的STROOP干扰,即对于成就动机词的反应时明显较慢。     

刻板印象威胁对学习困难中学生成就动机的影响

研究探讨学习困难中学生的刻板印象威胁及其对成就动机的影响。研究1采用实验法诱发学习困难中学生的刻板印象威胁,研究表明刻板印象威胁阻碍学习困难中学生心理旋转任务表现的提高。研究2在刻板印象威胁情境中,采用问卷法测量学习困难中学生的成就动机,刻板印象威胁组被试相比于对照组的成就动机水平较低,回避失败动机较高。研究3在刻板印象威胁诱发后加入自我肯定操纵,结果发现自我肯定组被试与对照组相比成就动机水平较高,回避失败动机水平较低。     

情绪对成就动机与风险决策关系的调节效应

本研究在验证成就动机对风险决策倾向的预测作用的基础上,进一步探索情绪在成就动机和风险决策关系中的调节效应。通过对三所学校随机抽取的150名被试进行筛选,采用成就动机量表和自编风险决策任务问卷等对120名有效被试实施问卷调查。结果发现：情绪启动使大学生风险决策行为产生一致性效应,即心境一致性;情绪在成就动机和风险决策中起到了一定的调节作用,无论是高成就动机者还是低成就动机者,在愉悦情绪下都表现出更多的风险寻求倾向,并达到了极其显著的水平,而在悲伤情绪下,低成就动机者表现出更多的风险规避,高成就动机者的风险规避倾向虽有所增加,但并未达到显著水平。     

风险认知策略的计算机模拟实验

风险认知策略是个体面临风险情景时的风险认知倾向,可以通过个体的行为策略加以判断。本实验采用计算机模拟风险情景,以严格的２×２×３的实验变量设计,研究个体的风险认知策略与风险情景因素的关系。实验结论表明,风险认知策略的调整与风险情景中的实际风险程度（风险概率）、风险信息类型以及对风险情景可控与不可控性的知觉有关。个体的冒险性倾向是相对稳定的心理特征,但风险认知策略的调整不仅与个体的心理特征有关,还与风险情景因素有关。     

风险情景中不同成就动机者的冒险行为特征

采用计算机模拟和问卷的方法,研究不同成就动机的个体在动态情境下的冒险行为。结合成就动机的静态与动态理论,考察具有不同程度的成就动机个体在动态环境中的行为差异。结果发现,在动态情境的初期,可以看到不同成就动机的被试有稳定的偏好：成就动机高的个体偏爱中等难度的任务,成就动机低的个体偏爱较易或者是较难难度的任务;随着行为的动态进行,个体的冒险行为呈现出与静态情境中不同的规律性：成就动机高的个体在初期选择的中等难度的基础上逐渐选择更难的任务;成就动机低的个体在初期选择较易难度任务的基础上也逐渐选择更难的任务;相对于成就动机低的个体,成就动机高的个体会更慢地选择难度高的任务;高成就动机个体出现非典型转换次数显著低于低成就动机的个体。     

实践社区成员的成就动机对知识传播的影响

为了研究成就动机对实践社区及其成员的知识传播过程的影响,采用自编实践社区成员成就动机问卷以及知识传播过程与效果问卷对重庆、银川、南京、上海等地企业的430名实践社区成员进行测量,研究了成就动机对知识传播的影响.结果表明:问卷具有良好的信度和效度;不同性别被试的社会取向成就动机存在显著差异;工作年限为11-15年的被试社会取向成就动机识显著高于其他组别;自我取向成就动机对知识传播的路径系数除"自我取向-区内吸收"外均达到显著性水平,即对"知识传播投入程度"、"社区外知识获取能力"及"知识传播效果"的预测作用都是正向的;社会取向成就动机仅对知识传播效果产生显著影响.     

自我框架、风险认知和风险选择

对行为决策中“框架效应”(Framing Effect)的研究进行了拓展：探讨了自我框架对风险决策的影响及其机制。面对运用图示方法表示的管理,健康,及投资方面的风险决策问题,参与者自主地选择对方案的描述（自我框架）。研究有四个主要发现：1）自我框架对风险选择的效应部分显著,而且对风险选择的影响方向因情境的不同而不同;2）机会威胁认知是自我框架效应的一个中介变量;3）自我框架在情绪语气上的差异对风险决策有显著影响：决策者对一个备选方案（确定性或风险性方案）相对于另一个备选方案的自我描述的情绪语气越积极正面,这个方案被选择的可能性越大;4）决策者的机会-威胁认知是这一自我框架效应的部分中介变量。也就是说,对备选方案的自我描述语气作为一种对决策信息的编码影响了风险（机会和威胁）认知,进而影响决策者的风险偏好和选择     

工作情景中员工风险认知研究

本研究是风险认知系列研究之一 ,目的是探讨和比较企业中员工及管理人员的风险认知状况 ,以及员工与管理人员认知上的异同。研究采用问卷设计的方法。结果表明 :1员工对 2 0个风险因素的风险程度认知均超过了中性水平 ,“企业效益”仍然被知觉为最高风险点 ;2风险因素空间结构分析 ,进一步证实了风险特征变量间稳定的关系 ,同时也说明本系列研究方法上的合理性 ;3各风险特征变量间的相关 ,反映了员工风险认知中的各种特征 ;4(本研究经过信度和效度检验均达到可接受水平。     

Risk perception and risky choice: Situational, informational and dispositional effects

We investigated how situational (gain–loss), informational (opportunity–threat framing) and dispositional (achievement motive and avoidance motive) variables affected opportunity–threat perception and risky choice in managerial decision-making contexts. In Study 1, the risk preference of the participants showed a reflection effect due to situational differences (gain or loss) and a partial framing effect caused by presenting the same choice information in terms of either opportunities or threats. However, both effects were in the opposite direction of predictions from prospect theory. Gains and positive framing enhanced risk-seeking preference whereas losses and negative framing augmented risk-averse preference. Risk-seeking choices were mediated by opportunity perception whereas risk-averse choices were mediated by threat perception. In Study 2, the participants high in achievement motive perceived greater opportunities in a negative situation, and the participants high in avoidance motive perceived greater threats in a positive situation, suggesting that ambition (achievement motive) operates more significantly in the face of adversities whereas cautiousness (avoidance motive) functions more significantly in prosperity.     

Reinforcement sensitivity theory and major motivational and self-regulatory processes in children

The present research explores the role of sensitivity in the BIS and the BAS as antecedents to cognitive and affective motivational processes in middle-school children. Two studies were initiated to examine the relationship between sensitivity in the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral approach system (BAS) and several important motivational factors. The first study looked at the assumption that the BIS and the BAS are systematically linked to motives and achievement goals. The second study investigated the links between BIS/BAS and individual differences in self-regulatory processes and affect during problem-solving. The findings indicate that the motive to avoid failure, the inability to take action after failure and to initiate intended goal-directed activities, as well as the tendency to focus on avoiding misunderstanding are all grounded in threat responsiveness. Conversely, the motive to approach success, self-efficacy and the tendency to focus on comparison with others in a problem-solving setting are grounded in incentive responsiveness.     

Reinforcement sensitivity theory and major motivational and self-regulatory processes in children

The present research explores the role of sensitivity in the BIS and the BAS as antecedents to cognitive and affective motivational processes in middle-school children. Two studies were initiated to examine the relationship between sensitivity in the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral approach system (BAS) and several important motivational factors. The first study looked at the assumption that the BIS and the BAS are systematically linked to motives and achievement goals. The second study investigated the links between BIS/BAS and individual differences in self-regulatory processes and affect during problem-solving. The findings indicate that the motive to avoid failure, the inability to take action after failure and to initiate intended goal-directed activities, as well as the tendency to focus on avoiding misunderstanding are all grounded in threat responsiveness. Conversely, the motive to approach success, self-efficacy and the tendency to focus on comparison with others in a problem-solving setting are grounded in incentive responsiveness.     

Self-handicapping: The interplay between self-set and assigned achievement goals

This study examined the combined impact of self-set goals and manipulated goal contexts on self-handicapping to better understand how self-set goals affect responses to different performance-oriented achievement contexts. Participants reported their self-set goals and later completed an achievement task in a goal-context condition (performance-approach, performance-avoidance, no-goal). Before the task, participants had the opportunity to self-handicap (behaviorally and claimed). The results showed that self-set performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals positively predicted behavioral self-handicapping, but only in a performance-avoidance context. Additionally, self-set mastery-avoidance goals were found to predict claimed self-handicapping, regardless of the context condition. These results show that self-set achievement goals shape individuals behaviors associated with threat and promise in achievement situations.     

Seeking flow in the achievement domain: The achievement flow motive behind flow experience

The authors propose a flow motive behind flow experience. It is defined as the intrinsic component of the achievement motive (i.e., need to seek and master difficulty), assessed with an operant motive test (OMT), and investigated with a multimethod approach. The achievement flow motive was stable over 2 years (Study 1) and positively correlated with the following variables: self-determination (Study 2), work-efficiency according to multisource feedbacks (Study 3), and flow experience during an outdoor assessment center (Study 4). In addition, the achievement flow motive was associated with the simultaneous presence of two sets of overt behaviors: Seeing difficulty (planning, analytical problem solving, and task focus) and mastering difficulty (high commitment, spreading optimism, and staying power). The direct relationship between achievement flow motive and flow experience was mediated by this behavioral pattern (Study 4). The achievement flow motive offers researchers a way to operationalize Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of autotelic personality.     

Task Enjoyment: A Mediator Between Achievement Motives and Performance

Task enjoyment is an important component in social cognitive theories of achievement motivation and intrinsic motivation. Combining these theories with the classic achievement-motivation theory we predicted that task enjoyment and its facilitating behavioral manifestations are associated with an approach-oriented achievement motive and only when individuals anticipate forthcoming competence feedback. In the present study we regarded task enjoyment as a mediator between the achievement motive and performance. First, a two-way ANOVA design was adopted. Success-motivated individuals performed better in a reaction task than failure-motivated individuals, and they reported more task enjoyment during performance. This relationship was not dependent on whether competence information had been announced or not. Second, path analyses showed as expected that the relationship between achievement motivation and performance was mediated by task enjoyment. This mediation was observed only under the condition that individuals expected competence feedback. These results were discussed considering current theories of achievement motivation and intrinsic motivation. It is shown that the findings enrich the related nomological networks in some important ways.     

Validity of a short form of the Achievement-Motive Grid (AMG-S): evidence for the three-factor structure emphasizing active and passive forms of fear of failure

My primary objective in this research was to examine diverse validity aspects of a short form of the Achievement-Motive Grid (AMG-S; Schmalt, 1999). The AMG is a picture-based measure that combines features of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT; Murray, 1943) with features of self-report questionnaires. Similar to the TAT, the motive gets aroused by presenting a set of pictured achievement situations. Similar to a questionnaire, the motive is measured with a set of statements representing characteristic components of the achievement motive. Quite in line with the original version, factor analyses of the AMG-S all recommend the adoption of a 3-factor solution in which 1 hope-of-success (HS) and 2 fear-of-failure (FF) concepts are differentiated. The HS and passive FF factor (FFp) are based on positive and negative efficacy evaluations, respectively. The active FF factor (FFa) describes anticipations of impending failure. FFp is clearly a "withdrawal" factor, whereas FFa is clearly an "invigoration" factor. In the construct validity section of this research, I focus on classical and recent elaborations of approach and avoidance motivation in which I show that HS, FFp, and FFa play a substantial role in a motive-goals-outcomes framework of achievement motivation.     

Affective state influences perception by affecting decision parameters underlying bias and sensitivity

Studies of the effect of affect on perception often show consistent directional effects of a person's affective state on perception. Unpleasant emotions have been associated with a "locally focused" style of stimulus evaluation, and positive emotions with a "globally focused" style. Typically, however, studies of affect and perception have not been conducted under the conditions of perceptual uncertainty and behavioral risk inherent to perceptual judgments outside the laboratory. We investigated the influence of perceivers' experienced affect (valence and arousal) on the utility of social threat perception by combining signal detection theory and behavioral economics. We compared 3 perceptual decision environments that systematically differed with respect to factors that underlie uncertainty and risk: the base rate of threat, the costs of incorrect identification threat, and the perceptual similarity of threats and nonthreats. We found that no single affective state yielded the best performance on the threat perception task across the 3 environments. Unpleasant valence promoted calibration of response bias to base rate and costs, high arousal promoted calibration of perceptual sensitivity to perceptual similarity, and low arousal was associated with an optimal adjustment of bias to sensitivity. However, the strength of these associations was conditional upon the difficulty of attaining optimal bias and high sensitivity, such that the effect of the perceiver's affective state on perception differed with the cause and/or level of uncertainty and risk.