控制感剥夺激发状态毅力：趋近动机的中介作用

采用概念判断任务,通过两个递进式实验探索控制感剥夺对状态毅力的影响并考察趋近动机在其中的作用。实验1主观报告结果显示：短时条件下,控制感剥夺组的状态毅力显著高于控制感维持组,尤其表现在努力持续性维度;长时条件下,两组差异不显著。实验2在此基础上加入行为指标结果显示：短时控制感剥夺通过高趋近动机对状态毅力产生影响。结果表明毅力是可塑的,突出表现在努力持续性上,该效应出现在个体经历短时控制感剥夺后。     

毅力与学业成绩的关系：有意走神和自发走神的不同中介作用

以3372名5年级小学生为研究对象,采用毅力量表、有意走神和自发走神量表以及学业成绩测验,考察毅力（兴趣一致性和坚持努力）对学业成绩的影响,并检验有意走神和自发走神的中介作用。结果发现：（1）兴趣一致性和坚持努力均显著正向预测学业成绩;（2）有意走神、自发走神在兴趣一致性和坚持努力与学业成绩之间均起显著的中介作用,但两者的中介作用模式存在差异。有意走神在兴趣一致性和坚持努力与学业成绩间的中介作用不同：兴趣一致性负向影响有意走神,有意走神正向影响学业成绩,坚持努力正向影响有意走神,有意走神正向影响学业成绩;而自发走神在兴趣一致性和坚持努力对学业成绩预测的中介作用相同,即兴趣一致性和坚持努力均负向影响自发走神,自发走神负向影响学业成绩。     

Gritting their teeth to close the sale: the positive effect of salesperson grit on job satisfaction and performance

This research is the first to examine the effect of “grit” – defined here as perseverance in pursuit of long-term goals – on salesperson performance and job satisfaction in a business-to-business (B2B) sales context. While more commonly studied in the psychology and education literatures, grit has heretofore been underexplored in sales research, a notable omission given its importance in predicting performance outcomes across multiple domains. In response, we demonstrate that gritty salespeople perform better and enjoy greater job satisfaction than their less gritty counterparts. Moreover, we show that competitiveness and self-efficacy help to develop grit and reveal important moderating effects; grit is highest when salespeople are self-efficacious and socially astute. Moreover, the results also suggest that need for power attenuates the positive effect of grit on performance, revealing a potential “dark side” of grit. We then provide some future research ideas involving grit in an effort to encourage further exploration of this construct in sales research. Finally, we conclude by offering cautions to future researchers as they decide whether to examine this interesting construct in a sales context.     

Grit and academic performance among first-year university students: A brief report

This study examined grit and academic performance among a sample of South African university students (n = 121, mean age = 19.55, SD = 1.77, female = 57.85%). Data were collected using the Grit Scale and academic performance was assessed over one academic semester. Simple regression analysis was computed to predict students’ academic achievement from components of their self-reported grit. The grit component of consistency of interest accounted for 3% of the variance in the student’s academic achievement scores. Similarly, the grit component of perseverance of effort explained 9% of the variance in scores. Students who scored high on the Grit Scale also obtained higher academic marks compared to participants who scored low on the same instrument. The findings suggest that grit is an important personal resource for higher education students.     

青少年未来时间洞察力与学业成绩的关系:坚韧性的中介作用

对756名青少年进行问卷调查,考察未来时间洞察力、坚韧性与学业成绩之间的关系。结果发现：（1）未来消极、未来迷茫显著负向预测学业成绩,未来坚持和未来计划能显著正向预测学业成绩;（2）坚韧性在未来时间洞察力的六个维度与学业成绩之间的关系各不相同。具体而言,坚韧性在未来积极和未来清晰与学业成绩之间无中介效应,坚韧性在未来消极与学业成绩之间起部分中介作用,坚韧性在未来迷茫、未来坚持、未来计划与学业成绩之间起完全中介作用。     

Developing an Iranian ELT Context-Specific Grit Instrument

Grit as an interesting and significant topic in psychology has been associated with better study habits and higher grades through perseverance and passion for long term goals. The only available measurement instrument of grit (Duckworth et al. in J Personal Soc Psychol 92:1087–1101, 2007) is general both in terms of its subject matter and context. Thus, this study aims to develop and validate an English as a foreign language (EFL) grit instrument whose items are specific to EFL context to obtain a more detailed view of its components for Iranian EFL learners, and to tap on other grit related factors in the EFL context. A four component model of EFL grit was developed through reviewing the existing literature and exploring EFL experts’ perspectives. This tentative theoretical model of EFL grit encompasses overarching construct of effort including the following main components: Trying hard to learn English (THLE) having interest in learning English (ILE) practicing a lot in order to learn English (PLE) and having goal for learning English (HGLE). The model was then cross checked against the results of the interviews, and evolved into a scenario-based, 5 point Likert-scale EFL grit instrument. It was later operationalized by an instrument consisting of 26 items, i.e. 6 items for each component plus 2 items for themes 1 and 3. The piloting and testing of the tentative model through exploratory and confirmatory data analyses on a sample of 306 EFL learners indicated the reliability of 0.833 and an acceptable validity. The findings called for a more meaningful interpretation of the concept of grit in relation to Iranian EFL context and offered new insights for higher education administrators considering student academic performance.     

Discounting of food and water in rats shows trait- and state-like characteristics

Delay discounting is the loss in value of an outcome as a function of its delay. The present study focused on examining a trait-like characteristic of delay discounting in a preclinical animal model. Specifically, we were interested in whether there was a positive relation between discounting of 2 different outcomes in rats. That is, would rats that discount delayed food steeply also discount delayed water steeply? In addition, we examined how session-to-session variability in discounting could be attributed to differences between subjects (trait variability) and to differences within subjects (state variability). Finally, we measured discounting from early- to mid-adulthood, allowing us to examine changes in discounting as a function of age. Overall, we found a moderate, positive correlation between discounting of food and discounting of water in rats, providing further evidence that the relative consistency with which individuals discount different outcomes is a trait-like characteristic. In addition, we found a high degree of within-subject variability in discounting, indicating strong state-like differences from session to session. Finally, overall, discounting decreased as a function of age; however, individual-subject data showed variability in how discounting changed across time. Overall, our results show that differences in delay discounting between individuals reflect variability in both trait- and state-like characteristics.     

Relationships Between Dimensions of Impulsivity and Prospective Memory

Prospective memory refers to the ability to plan and execute future intentions. A burgeoning body of research indicates that a significant proportion of the variability in prospective memory performance can be accounted for by personality traits, with two recent studies revealing that the various dimensions of impulsivity measured by the Barratt Impulsivity Scale‐11 (BIS‐11) are related to prospective memory failures. The present study was conducted to examine which dimensions of impulsivity indexed by the BIS‐11 and UPPS‐P relate to prospective memory failures and which dimensions of impulsivity contribute unique variance in the prediction of prospective memory failures. A large sample (N = 662) of students completed the BIS‐11, UPPS‐P, Prospective Memory Questionnaire and a habitual prospective memory test. Consistent correlations between six of the seven measures of impulsivity and prospective memory failures were found. Regression analyses further revealed that lack of perseverance, emotional urgency and attentional impulsivity were reliable and unique predictors of prospective memory failures. Thus, difficulty remaining focused on tasks (especially long, boring or difficult tasks); lack of forethought, planning and distaste for challenging tasks; and tendencies to behave impulsively under conditions of strong affect relate most strongly to prospective memory failures. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology     

The effects of assessment type on verbal ratings of conditional stimulus valence and contingency judgments: implications for the extinction of evaluative learning

Recent research on causal learning found (a) that causal judgments reflect either the current predictive value of a conditional stimulus (CS) or an integration across the experimental contingencies used in the entire experiment and (b) that postexperimental judgments, rather than the CS's current predictive value, are likely to reflect this integration. In the current study, the authors examined whether verbal valence ratings were subject to similar integration. Assessments of stimulus valence and contingencies responded similarly to variations of reporting requirements, contingency reversal, and extinction, reflecting either current or integrated values. However, affective learning required more trials to reflect a contingency change than did contingency judgments. The integration of valence assessments across training and the fact that affective learning is slow to reflect contingency changes can provide an alternative interpretation for researchers' previous failures to find an effect of extinction training on verbal reports of CS valence.     

Unpacking grit: Motivational correlates of perseverance and passion for long-term goals

In two cross-sectional studies, we explored the motivational orientations correlates of the character strength of grit and its two component facets: perseverance of effort and consistency of interests over time. Specifically, we examined how individual differences in grit are explained by distinct approaches to pursuing happiness in life: pleasure in immediately hedonically positive activities, meaning in activities that serve a higher, altruistic purpose, and engagement in attention-absorbing activities. In both samples, grit demonstrated medium-sized associations with an orientation toward engagement, small-to-medium associations with an orientation toward meaning, and small-to-medium (inverse) associations with an orientation toward pleasure. These motivational orientations differentially related to the two facets of grit: pursuing engagement was more strongly associated with perseverance of effort, whereas pursuing pleasure was more strongly (inversely) associated with consistency of interests over time. Collectively, findings suggest that individual differences in grit may derive in part from differences in what makes people happy.     

Persevering with Positivity and Purpose: An Examination of Purpose Commitment and Positive Affect as Predictors of Grit

Grit, defined as a passion and perseverance for one’s goals, has been consistently demonstrated as an adaptive resource across multiple domains. Less explored, however, are the correlates of and sources from which grit is derived. The current studies examined two plausible candidates for promoting grit, positive affect and commitment to a purpose, using college student samples from Canada and the United States. Study 1 confirmed our predictions that grittier students tended to report greater positive affect and purpose commitment, and demonstrated that these variables appear to be unique and independent predictors of grit. Study 2 examined these claims using two-wave data collected across a semester, and found that while both purpose and positive affect were initially correlated with grit, only initial levels of purpose predicted grit at wave two. In other words, having a life direction may help more than positive affect when predicting who is likely to become grittier over a college semester. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Perseverance Counts but Consistency Does Not! Validating the Short Grit Scale in a Collectivist Setting

The present research aims to validate the Short Grit Scale (Duckworth et al. Journal of Personality Assessment 91:166–174, 2009) among a sample of university (n?=?220) and high school students (n?=?606) from a collectivist culture (i.e., the Philippines) using both within-network and between-network approaches to construct validation. Our results revealed interesting cross-cultural differences in grit. First, grit was comprised of two distinct dimensions rather than as a hierarchical construct. Only the perseverance of effort dimension loaded onto the higher-order grit factor. Second, perseverance of effort was more salient in predicting key psychological outcomes (i.e., academic engagement and subjective well-being) compared to consistency of interests. This suggests that in collectivist cultures, the perseverance of effort dimension of grit is more relevant compared to the consistency of interest. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Grit Applied Within: Identity and Well-being

This study investigates how grit, perseverance in the face of challenges and focus on achieving goals, relates to identity development and how identity development mediates the relationship between grit and well-being. Emerging adult college students (N = 232) indicated their grit, identity status, and well-being by completing an online questionnaire. Grit-perseverance of effort was associated with all identity statuses. Grit-consistency of interest was associated most identity statuses. Commitment and ruminative exploration mediated the relationship between grit and happiness and self-esteem, respectively.     

Grit and conscientiousness: Another jangle fallacy

When grit was first introduced, it gained popularity before basic psychometric questions were fully explored. One critical issue is how distinct grit is from the Big Five personality trait conscientiousness. Most studies have examined correlations between grit and conscientiousness, rather than conducting item-level factor analysis. This study examined the extent to which grit and conscientiousness are empirically distinct, and which predict students’ grades. A diverse sample of adolescents completed measures of grit and conscientiousness. MIRT-based confirmatory factor analyses showed that grit and conscientiousness’ factor structures strongly overlap. Structural equation modeling showed that conscientiousness and the perseverance of effort component of grit predicted students’ grades more strongly than consistency of interest. These findings indicate that grit and conscientiousness are not unique constructs.     

学业焦虑在亲密同伴之间相互影响的纵向研究

采用逐日测量的短期纵向研究对7个高中班级107对亲密同伴在一周内的学业焦虑进行测量,利用HLM检验学业焦虑在亲密同伴之间的相互影响。研究结果表明,在控制测量时间层级、个体层级和同伴层级控制变量之后,同伴学业焦虑对个体随后一天的学业焦虑存在显著的正影响。因此,同伴学业焦虑既是刺激个体产生学业焦虑的诱因,个体学业焦虑反过来又能促进同伴学业焦虑的进一步发展。本研究结果有助于进一步理解学业焦虑的人际成因和班级学业气氛的形成和发展。     

Failures to retrieve specific memories in previously depressed individuals: random errors or content-related?

Failures to retrieve specific memories have been related to general tendencies to commit errors in executive functioning tasks, raising the question of whether they are simply a reflection of randomly occurring lapses in cognitive control or whether their occurrence is in any way related to memory content. This study investigated the relation between failures to retrieve specific autobiographical memories and dysfunctional attitudes in individuals at risk for depression and controls. Sixteen previously depressed and 19 never-depressed participants were assessed for dysfunctional attitudes regarding "need for approval" and "performance evaluation". One week later, they were asked to generate specific memories following dependency- and achievement-related cue words, both under single and dual task conditions. In previously depressed participants, dysfunctional attitudes regarding "need for approval" significantly predicted specificity for dependency-related events under dual task conditions. The findings provide qualified support for a role of content and demonstrate how, in previously depressed individuals, content effects can surface when cognitive control is undermined.     

坚毅力的代际传递:父母教养方式的中介作用

从代际传递的角度,考察父母坚毅力和子女坚毅力的关系,同时检验教养方式在二者之间的中介作用。方法：采用问卷法对北京市三所中学初一、初二年级共302名青少年及其父母的数据进行调查,研究工具采用坚毅力问卷（Grit-Scales）、父母教养方式问卷（PBI）。结果：（1）父亲和母亲的坚毅力总分及两个维度兴趣一致性、坚持努力均可正向预测青少年坚毅力总分及各维度;（2）父亲教养方式的关爱维度在父亲坚毅力与孩子坚毅力之间起中介作用,母亲教养方式的关爱维度在母亲坚毅力与孩子坚毅力之间起中介作用。结论：坚毅力存在代际之间的传递,并且教养方式的关爱维度在代际传递过程中起部分中介作用。     

Quantitative dogmatism in character assessment and its implications for education: A case study of grit

In a recent decade, research linking personality and character traits with educational and professional attainment led to a push for incorporating character and personality assessments into school curricula. This trend is exemplified in the partnership between positive psychology and character education, where grit, a personality/character trait denoting perseverance and passion for long‐term goals, represents one of the rapidly accepted, yet controversial, concepts. In this paper, the author conducts a critical literature review of grit, situating the construct in a larger historical context of personality testing and character education reform. The author argues that the construct validation practices employed by grit researchers create an epistemological climate where character studies and character education threaten to become yet another population sorting mechanism instead of advancing human agency.     

Goal neglect and inhibitory limitations: dissociable causes of interference effects in conflict situations.

Interference effects on task performance in conflict situations might reflect real limitations in inhibitory capabilities or failures to fully or consistently utilize such capabilities in executive control of task performance. We propose that useful clues regarding the actual cause of interference effects may be obtained from examination of their robustness within and between experimental conditions. We illustrate this approach for two major types of interference effects that have commonly been attributed to fundamental inhibitory limitations: Stroop-type interference and residual switch costs. We present results that indicate that these effects may not be unavoidable consequences of fundamental inhibitory limitations but may stem from goal neglect, i.e., failures to fully or effectively deploy inhibitory capabilities. These results indicate that, in addition to mean performance levels, variability of task performance may provide a valuable source of evidence regarding the actual cause of performance limitations or deficits in conflict situations.     

Early learning differences between intra- and interpersonal interlimb coordination

Intrinsic coordination patterns exist between limbs such that 1) coordination at these states is inherently stable, 2) any other pattern requires learning to produce, and 3) this learning is subject to interference from a systemic bias towards intrinsic patterns. The dynamics that govern intrapersonal interlimb coordination also govern interpersonal coordination. However, intrapersonal coordination exhibits greater coupling strength and thus more stable intrinsic dynamics than interpersonal coordination. Because the strength of intrinsic coordination tendencies has consequences for learning coordination patterns, the differences in coupling strength between intra- and interpersonal coordination should impact the ability to perform new coordination patterns via greater or less interference from intrinsic dynamics. This was investigated by measuring participants’ performance as they learned a new coordination pattern alone (intrapersonal) or in pairs (interpersonal). Participants were implicitly tasked with learning the pattern as they separately controlled the vertical and horizontal position of an on-screen cursor to trace a circling target. We observed better performance of dyads on first trial and steeper learning trajectories for individuals. Overall, these results indicate that individuals experienced greater interference from stronger intrinsic coordination dynamics during early learning but could overcome this interference and achieve similar performance to that of dyads with very little practice.