Motivational beliefs,cognitive engagement,and achievement in language and mathematics in elementary school children

The contextual differences in the patterns of relations among various motivational, cognitive, and metacognitive components of self‐regulated learning and performance in two key curriculum subject areas, language and mathematics, were examined in a sample of 263 Greek primary school children of fifth‐ and sixth‐grade classrooms. Age and gender differences were also investigated. Students were asked to complete the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990 ), which comprised five factors: (a) Self‐efficacy, (b) Intrinsic Value, (c) Test Anxiety, (d) Cognitive Strategy Use, and (e) Self‐regulation Strategies. They responded to the statements of the questionnaire on a 7‐point Likert scale in terms of their behaviour in mathematics and language classes, respectively. Moreover, their teachers were asked to evaluate each of their students' academic achievement in Greek language and mathematics on a 1‐ to 20‐point comparative scale in relation to the rest of the class. The results of the study indicated very few differences in the pattern of relations among self‐regulated components within and across the two subject areas and at the same time revealed a context‐specific character of self‐regulated components at a mean level differences. Further, the current study (a) confirmed the mediatory role of strategies in the motivation‐performance relation, (b) stressed the differential role of cognitive and regulatory strategies in predicting performance in subject areas that differ in their structural characteristics of the content, and (c) pointed out the key motivational role of self‐efficacy. In fact, self‐efficacy proved the most significant predictor not only of performance but of cognitive and regulatory strategy use as well. Gender differences in motivation and strategy use were not reported, while motivation was found to vary mainly with age. The usefulness of these findings for promoting greater clarity among motivational and metacognitive frameworks and ideas for future research are discussed.     

Effects of sandfly fever on isometric muscular strength, endurance, and recovery

The isometric muscular strength and endurance of 10 male volunteers were measured four times per day for 15 consecutive days. Eight experimental subjects were inoculated with sandfly fever virus and two double-blind controls were given sterile saline on the seventh day. The muscular performances of the control subjects remained essentially constant throughout. Decrements in muscular strength and endurance occurred with the experimentals during the brief period of illness three or four days after inoculation, then performances improved towards baseline levels.     

Cognitive strategy and ability in endurance activities

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether elite athletes utilize associative strategies and, on the other hand, if nonelite athletes prefer to use dissociative strategies. 60 athletes were interviewed and the Schomer's 1986 method of measurement was used to measure association and dissociation. Analysis showed no significant differences in the total associative and dissociative scores among the three different abilities. However, a significant difference was found concerning the use of dissociative strategy between men and women.     

Motivational effects of smoked marijuana: behavioral contingencies and low-probability activities.

Six adult male research volunteers, in two groups of 3 subjects each, lived in a residential laboratory for 15 days. All contact with the experimenters was through a networked computer system, and subjects' behavior was monitored continuously and recorded. During the first part of each day, they were allowed to socialize. Two cigarettes containing active marijuana (2.7% delta 9-THC) or placebo were smoked during the private work period and the period of access to social activities. Three-day contingency conditions requiring subjects to engage in a low-probability work activity (instrumental activity) in order to earn time that could be spent engaging in a high-probability work activity (contingent activity) were programmed during periods of placebo and active-marijuana smoking. During placebo administration, the contingency requirement reliably increased the amount of time that subjects spent engaged in the low-probability instrumental activity and decreased the time spent engaged in the high-probability activity. During active-marijuana administration, however, the increases in instrumental activity were consistently larger than observed under placebo conditions. The decreases in contingent activity were similar to those seen under placebo conditions. Smoking active marijuana was thus observed to produce increments in instrumental activity under motivational conditions involving contingencies for "work activities."     

Gluteus medius strength, endurance, and co-activation in the development of low back pain during prolonged standing

This study measured gluteus medius (GM) strength and endurance before and after a 2 h prolonged standing task in previously asymptomatic individuals, to compare between individuals who did and did not report pain in the low back. Twenty-four participants without a history of low back pain stood in a constrained area for 2 h. Before and after the standing protocol, participant’s maximal hip abduction strength (N) and side-bridge endurance (seconds and GM myoelectric fatigue) were measured. Continuous surface EMG was collected from GM during the 2-h protocol for analysis of bilateral co-activation. Pain in the low back was rated every 15 min with a visual analog scale (VAS). Seventeen of 24 (71%) previously asymptomatic participants developed pain in the low back during the standing protocol. These participants had lower side-bridge endurance (p = .002), and higher gluteus medius (GM) co-activation (p = .002) compared to participants who did not develop pain in the low back. Hip abduction strength decreased for both groups following prolonged standing, with no between groups’ difference. Lower side-bridge endurance and hip abduction strength were significantly associated with higher GM co-activation (adjusted r² = .34), but not pain levels. Side-bridge endurance and GM co-activation, but not hip abduction strength, may have utility in identifying participants likely to develop pain in the low back during prolonged standing. The best training program for increasing GM endurance is unclear.     

Self-regulated learning among teacher education students: Motivational beliefs influence on the use of metacognition

In the present study, we examined the relationships between motivational beliefs (self-efficacy, task value, and control of learning beliefs) and use of metacognitive learning strategies among teacher education students in Uganda. The sample comprised of 649 students selected from seven universities. Data were collected using several scales from the modified Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and analysed using Structural Equation Modelling. Task value and self-efficacy independently and significantly predicted students’ reported use of metacognition. Students’ self-reported self-efficacy and task value explained 38% of the variance in their use of metacognition. The evidence suggests interventions aimed at improving teacher education students’ metacognitive skills to focus on enhancing their efficacy and value beliefs.     

Effects of acute endurance,strength, and coordination exercise interventions on attention in adolescents: A randomized controlled study

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to compare three different modes of an acute bout of exercise – endurance, strength, and coordination – in their effects on adolescents' attention.DesignThis was a preregistered, prospective, randomized intervention study with four groups and two distinct measurement occasions.MethodEighty adolescent students aged 15–18 years were randomized to one of three exercise intervention groups (endurance, strength, coordination) or to a non-exercise, control group. The exercise interventions lasted for 25 min. The random assignment to the study groups was stratified according to participants' age and gender. Before and after the exercise intervention, all participants completed the revised d2-test of attention. A 4 × 2 repeated measures ANOVA with contrast-coded test was used as the main analysis method.ResultsAttentional test performance increased from before to after the exercise intervention for all exercise groups, as compared with the control group. The three exercise groups improved equally and did not differ in their attentional scores after the intervention.ConclusionsAn acute bout of exercise was in general beneficial for adolescent students' attention, while the mode of the provided exercise training was not decisive. School directors and teachers are encouraged to incorporate exercise-related breaks into their school plan.     

Androgeny, flexibility, and individualism

Questionnaire data from 195 college students were examined to clarify the relationships among masculinity, femininity, and androgyny and self-perceived flexibility and individualism. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and hierarchical regression showed no evidence for unique positive "androgyny" effects, while higher masculinity was associated with flexibility and individualism, particularly among women. Contrary to expectations, "androgynous" men were more rigid and conforming, while the cross-typed were most flexible and independent.     

Short-term effect of whole-body vibration training on balance,flexibility and lower limb explosive strength in elite rhythmic gymnasts

The purpose of this study was to examine whether whole-body vibration (WBV) training results in short-term performance improvements in flexibility, strength and balance tests in comparison to an equivalent exercise program performed without vibration. Eleven elite rhythmic gymnasts completed a WBV trial, and a control, resistance training trial without vibration (NWBV). The vibration trial consisted of eccentric and concentric squatting exercises on a vibration platform that was turned on, whereas the NWBV involved the same training protocol with the platform turned off. Balance was assessed using the Rhythmic Weight Shift (RWS) based on the EquiTest Dynamic Posturography system; flexibility was measured using the sit & reach test, and lower limb explosive strength was evaluated using standard exercises (squat jump, counter movement jump, single leg squat). All measurements were performed before (pre) immediately after the training program (post 1), and 15 minutes after the end of the program (post 15). Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA was used with condition (WBV-NWBV) as the primary factor and time (pre, post 1, post 15) as the nested within subjects factor, followed by post-hoc pairwise comparison with Bonferroni corrections. Results confirmed the hypothesis of the superiority of WBV training, especially in the post 15 measurement, in all flexibility and strength measures, as well as in a number of balance tests.     

Prevalence, antecedent causes and consequences of domestic violence in Myanmar

The present study explored women's experiences of domestic violence in Myanmar. In particular, the study examined the relation between antecedents and outcomes of their experiences as well as influences of attribution styles, response styles and different types of violence on their experiences. Using the Myanmar version of the Revised Conflict Tactic Scale, survey data from a representative sample of 286 women in Myanmar were conducted. Results indicated that 27% of women experienced physical assault and 69% of women experienced psychological aggression in a 1-year period. The factors associated with increased risks of violence included witnessing parental violence, husbands' unemployment, husbands' frequent alcohol use, and women's feminism attitudes. Severe physical assault was a strong predictor of negative outcomes and formal intervention. Formal intervention was related to fewer negative outcomes.     

Ethno-culture, anxiety, and irrational beliefs

Ellis, Beck, and others in the cognitive therapy tradition maintain that there is a strong correlation between irrational beliefs and nonpsychotic mental health problems such as anxiety. Numerous studies have found that irrational beliefs are correlated with high trait anxiety. In a multi-cultural sample (n = 250; 46.7% Caucasian, 23.6% Asian, 23.6% multi-cultural, and 6.1% of other ethno-cultural backgrounds), these findings are replicated. Profile analysis (MANOVA) results reveals significant relationships between high trait anxiety and seven of the ten irrational beliefs scales on Jones' Irrational Belief Test. Asians are found to be the most anxious, and the relationship between ethno-culture and irrational beliefs was significant on three of the ten scales, with Asians having more irrational beliefs than Caucasians or multi-cultural individuals. However, no interaction is found between anxiety and ethno-culture in their relationship to irrational beliefs. Thus, these results reveal that there are ethno-cultural differences in anxiety and irrational beliefs. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.     

Ethno-culture, anxiety, and irrational beliefs

Ellis, Beck, and others in the cognitive therapy tradition maintain that there is a strong correlation between irrational beliefs and nonpsychotic mental health problems such as anxiety. Numerous studies have found that irrational beliefs are correlated with high trait anxiety. In a multi-cultural sample (n = 250; 46.7% Caucasian, 23.6% Asian, 23.6% multi-cultural, and 6.1% of other ethno-cultural backgrounds), these findings are replicated. Profile analysis (MANOVA) results reveals significant relationships between high trait anxiety and seven of the ten irrational beliefs scales on Jones' Irrational Belief Test. Asians are found to be the most anxious, and the relationship between ethno-culture and irrational beliefs was significant on three of the ten scales, with Asians having more irrational beliefs than Caucasians or multi-cultural individuals. However, no interaction is found between anxiety and ethno-culture in their relationship to irrational beliefs. Thus, these results reveal that there are ethno-cultural differences in anxiety and irrational beliefs. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.     

Prenatal exposure to sex hormones predicts gratitude intervention use. Examination of digit ratio,motivational beliefs,and online activities

Men are less grateful than women and less likely to intentionally enhance gratitude via interventions. Yet, little is known if sex differences in gratitude result from biological influences such as prenatal testosterone and estrogen levels – hormones that control the development of sex-specific characteristics. In two studies, we examined how sex and second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) – an indicator of prenatal sex hormones exposure – predicts gratitude intervention use. In the first study, we tested whether lower 2D:4D (i.e., higher masculinization) would suppress gratitude intervention use. Contrary to expectations, after controlling for sex, women and men with more male-type fingers were more motivated and likely to complete the intervention. In the second study, we replicated these findings using a larger sample and different 2D:4D metric. Our research suggests that motivation towards gratitude interventions is facilitated by female sex and masculinity. These findings provide initial evidence for the biological grounding of individual differences in gratitude behavior.     

Meditation,mindfulness and cognitive flexibility

This study investigated the link between meditation, self-reported mindfulness and cognitive flexibility as well as other attentional functions. It compared a group of meditators experienced in mindfulness meditation with a meditation-naïve control group on measures of Stroop interference and the “d2-concentration and endurance test”. Overall the results suggest that attentional performance and cognitive flexibility are positively related to meditation practice and levels of mindfulness. Meditators performed significantly better than non-meditators on all measures of attention. Furthermore, self-reported mindfulness was higher in meditators than non-meditators and correlations with all attention measures were of moderate to high strength. This pattern of results suggests that mindfulness is intimately linked to improvements of attentional functions and cognitive flexibility. The relevance of these findings for mental balance and well-being are discussed.