Affordances for drinking alcohol: A non‐participant observation study in licensed premises

Alcohol misuse is a pressing area of public health concern. This non‐participant observational study investigated the functional characteristics of on‐licensed premises where alcohol is consumed. Seven different licensed premises from South Central England were visited and observed for similar three hour periods on Saturday evenings. Observations within these ecological niches were grouped using a functional taxonomy of affordances and effectivities related to alcohol drinking. Affordances provide a theoretically grounded and useful concept for evaluating how individuals behave in drinking contexts, while identifying action opportunities for inhibiting and promoting consumption. Identified alcohol‐related affordances were related to: Alcohol access, regulations, furnishing, alternative opportunities for action, décor and lighting, drink and accessory availability, and action opportunities provided by others. This research has implications for understanding alcohol consumption in real‐time, social environments, with direct implications for preventing excessive consumption within community alcohol outlets.     

Disclaimer labels on fashion magazine advertisements: Effects on social comparison and body dissatisfaction

Recent proposals across a number of Western countries have suggested that idealised media images should carry some sort of disclaimer informing readers when these images have been digitally enhanced. The present studies aimed to experimentally investigate the impact on women's body dissatisfaction of the addition of such warning labels to fashion magazine advertisements. Participants were 120 and 114 female undergraduate students in Experiment 1 and Experiment 2 respectively. In both experiments, participants viewed fashion magazine advertisements with either no warning label, a generic warning label, or a specific more detailed warning label. In neither experiment was there a significant effect of type of label. However, state appearance comparison was found to predict change in body dissatisfaction irrespective of condition. Unexpectedly, trait appearance comparison moderated the effect of label on body dissatisfaction, such that for women high on trait appearance comparison, exposure to specific warning labels actually resulted in increased body dissatisfaction. In sum, the present results showed no benefit of warning labels in ameliorating the known negative effect of viewing thin-ideal media images, and even suggested that one form of warning (specific) might be harmful for some individuals. Accordingly, it was concluded that more extensive research is required to guide the most effective use of disclaimer labels.     

Visuo-Proprioceptive Matching Errors Are Consistent with Biases in Distance Judgments

People make systematic errors when matching the location of an unseen index finger with that of a visual target. These errors are consistent over time, but idiosyncratic and surprisingly task-specific. The errors that are made when moving the unseen index finger to a visual target are not consistent with the errors when moving a visual target to the unseen index finger. To test whether such inconsistencies arise because a large part of the matching errors originate during movement execution, we compared errors in moving the unseen finger to a target with biases in deciding which of two visual targets was closer to the index finger before the movement. We found that the judgment as to which is the closest target was consistent with the matching errors. This means that inconsistencies in visuo-proprioceptive matching errors are not caused by systematic errors in movement execution, but are likely to be related to biases in sensory transformations.     

Mental Representation of Familiar Others: The Impact of Occupation,Sex, and Race

The current study used a double primed semantic decision task to investigate the role of social group information in mental representations of familiar others. Extrapolating from social role theory, we predicted that social role information would facilitate responding to familiar targets regardless of the specific task at hand. The names of celebrities were used as stimuli, as people know them because of their social role (i.e., their occupation). Primes and targets were matched (or mismatched) on all combinations of sex, race, and occupation. Participants were randomly assigned to task condition: indicating whether the prime and target were (a) of the same sex or not, (b) of the same race or not, or (c) of the same occupation or not. Results indicated that participants responded faster to celebrity prime-target pairs that were matched on occupation regardless of task condition. In addition, participants responded faster to celebrity prime-target pairs that were matched on sex—but only when sex was relevant to the task. Similar findings were not found for race. The implications of these findings for understanding mental representations of familiar others and for person perception are discussed.     

“Living the Literate Life”: How Teachers Make Connections Between the Personal and Professional Literate Selves

This study examines teachers' beliefs about themselves as literate people and how those beliefs translate into classroom literary practice. Using a multi-method approach, it explores the private literate selves (via diary, survey, and interviews) of twelve K–12 teachers and establishes a foundational understanding of the influence of the social and personal nature of literacy on teacher support for literacy in the classroom and how teachers' personal literacy practices are made public to classroom learners. Results indicate that literacy played an important functional role in the lives of all 12 teachers. There was variability in the prominence of literacy for pleasure in the teachers' lives. In addition, there was variability in whether and in what ways teachers made their literacy practices public for their students. Implications for teacher education and professional development programs are offered.     

Perceptions of the behavioral influence of goals: A mediational relationship to exercise

Abstract

In the present study, it is argued that a more fundamental approach is necessary for the study of exercise goals and exercise behavior if we are to understand their relationship. The specific purposes of the investigation were to a) examine the relationships between perceptions of the behavioral influence of goals, moderators of goal influence (i.e., goal clarity) and perceptions of required exercise behavior (frequency and intensity), (b) examine changes that occurred over time to measures of goal-related variables and (c) describe various personal exercise goals and related action plans to achieve goals. Ninety-nine healthy adults in intermediate level university fitness classes were volunteers in this prospective study. The present study revealed that exercisers have multiple goals and action plans and are also knowledgeable about the specific behavioral strategies and exercise behaviors required to attain these goals. Also, the clarity, commitment, and perceived behavioral influence of goals increased as adherers gained experience with the exercise program. Finally, perceptions of the way goals influence behavior was found to mediate the goal clarity-exercise intensity and the goal commitment-exercise intensity relationships at the beginning of the exercise program but not at mid-program. Instead, independent relationships emerged at midprogram between goal clarity and goal influence, goal commitment and goal influence, goal clarity and exercise intensity, goal commitment and exercise intensity, and goal influence and exercise intensity. Results an discussed in terms of the complex and changing nature of the perceptions people hold of their goals and how these goals influence their exercise.     

Working parents of children with behavioral problems: a study on the family-work interface

This study examines the process by which child behavioral problems are related to parents' well-being. We developed a family-work spillover model that was tested among 225 working parents. It was hypothesized that family-self conflict (FSC) mediates the relationship between child behavioral problems and parental strain, and that family-work conflict (FWC) mediates the relationship between parental strain and work engagement. Further, it was hypothesized that social support moderates the relationship between child behavioral problems and FSC. The results of (moderated) structural equation modeling supported the mediating role of FSC and FWC and the moderating role of social support. These findings suggest that the negative effects of raising a child with behavioral problems on parental well-being can be buffered by social support.     

Self-determination theory and diminished functioning: the role of interpersonal control and psychological need thwarting

Drawing from self-determination theory, three studies explored the social-environmental conditions that satisfy versus thwart psychological needs and, in turn, affect psychological functioning and well-being or ill-being. In cross-sectional Studies 1 and 2, structural equation modeling analyses supported latent factor models in which need satisfaction was predicted by athletes' perceptions of autonomy support, and need thwarting was better predicted by coach control. Athletes' perceptions of need satisfaction predicted positive outcomes associated with sport participation (vitality and positive affect), whereas need thwarting more consistently predicted maladaptive outcomes (disordered eating, burnout, depression, negative affect, and physical symptoms). In addition, athletes' perceptions of psychological need thwarting were significantly associated with perturbed physiological arousal (elevated levels of secretory immunoglobulin A) prior to training. The final study involved the completion of a diary and supported the relations observed in the cross-sectional studies at a daily level. These findings have important implications for the operationalization and measurement of interpersonal styles and psychological needs.     

Diverse Perceptions of the Informed Consent Process: Implications for the Recruitment and Participation of Diverse Communities in the National Children’s Study

We examined the experiences, perceptions, and values that are brought to bear when individuals from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds consider participating in health research. Fifty-three women from Latino, Asian American, Middle Eastern, or Non-Latino, White backgrounds participated in seven English or Spanish focus groups facilitated by trained investigators using a standard protocol. Investigators described the National Children’s Study (NCS) and then asked questions to elicit potential concerns, expectations, and informational needs. Group sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative thematic methods. A major theme that emerged during focus groups was participant self-identification as a member of a cultural group or community when raising issues that would influence their decision to participate in research. A related theme was the belief by some that communities may differ in the ease of participation in the NCS. Identified themes related to the informed consent process included perceived risks, anticipated burden, perceived benefits, informational needs, and decision-making strategies. Although themes were shared across groups, there were cultural differences within themes. Findings indicated that individuals from diverse backgrounds may have different perspectives on and expectations for the research process. To effectively recruit representative samples, it will be important to address a range of issues relevant for informed consent and to consider the impact of participation on both individuals and communities.