Dialectical thinking and health behaviors: The effects of theory of planned behavior

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate whether the theory of planned behavior (TPB) mediated the relationship between dialectical thinking and health behaviors. A sample of 285 undergraduates was tested with a dialectical thinking styles scale, health promoting lifestyle profiles, and TPB questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. Results indicated that all the three dimensions of thinking styles (belief in the connection, acceptance of change, and acceptance of contradiction) exerted significant effects on TPB constructs. Specifically, the connection and the change dimensions had positive effects on health behaviors mediated by TPB, whereas the contradiction dimension had a negative effect. Model 2 showed a satisfactory fit, demonstrating the influential pathways between dialectical thinking and health behaviors. Implications in issues of health promotion and future research are discussed.     

Sex bias in evaluating nontraditional job applicants: reactions to women and men's interrupted college attendance

Two studies indicated that being a nontraditional job applicant due to voluntary interruption of college attendance had detrimental consequences for employment evaluation. These negative reactions were more severe for women than for men. Women with interrupted attendance received the most negative responses (Studies 1 and 2). Choosing to interrupt college attendance increased perceived instability and also positively affected perceived flexibility, and these characterizations were related to evaluative outcomes (Study 2). Moreover, both instability and flexibility characterizations contributed to the gender‐discrepant consequences of interrupted college attendance. Female applicants were rated more negatively on flexibility characterizations than were male applicants. Furthermore, although there were no gender differences in ratings of instability, instability ratings were found to negatively impact evaluations of female applicants, but not male applicants.     

Respuesta a los comentarios

RESUMEN

Crespo comienza manifestando que su propósito es sondear, aunque sea de forma elemental, la posibilidad y potencial productividad de una consideración de la racionalidad como elemento explicativo dentro de una teoría social de las actitudes. El autor explica que un concepto no exclusivamente utilitario o instrumental de la racionalidad puede ser de utilidad para comprender ciertos desarrollos de la dinámica actitudinal, en concreto, aquellos en que es posible pensar que cambiamos de actitud porque somos argumentalmente convencidos. Crespo resalta la posibilidad de considerar las actitudes, entendidas como procesos de significación evaluativa o toma de postura respecto a otros significativos, como procesos sociales susceptibles de enjuiciamiento y eventualmente necesitados de legitimación o justificación. El autor finaliza su trabajo repasando extensamente algunas características del concepto de actitud en relación con su carácter evaluativo y su vinculación a la acción. Los comentarios de Amalio Blanco, Charles Antaki y M^a Dolores Avia valorando esta exposición siguen a la misma, al igual que la respuesta de Crespo a estos autores.     

Career Plateauing and Institutional/Occupational Intention for Taiwanese Career Officers

This study examines regulatory focus as a mediator between the perception of reaching a career plateau and institutional/occupational (I/O) intention in the Taiwanese military. Empirical data were collected from 632 career officers receiving full-time training at the National Defense University. For the identification of military value, we found that Taiwanese career officers’ occupational intentions were higher than their institutional intentions. Additionally, the results indicate that prevention focus completely mediated occupational intention and that promotion focus partially mediating institutional intention. Practical management and research implications are discussed and a direction for future research is suggested.     

High-pressure phase transition and lattice dynamics of rock-salt and FeSi-type phases of MgS

A phase transition of MgS under high pressure is investigated using a first-principles method. It is found from energy-volume calculations that the rock-salt (B1) phase of MgS transforms into a FeSi-type (B28) phase at 143?GPa. The calculated ground-state parameters in the B1 phase are in excellent agreement with available experimental and theoretical data. Ab initio phonon calculations are also performed to investigate the structural behaviour of MgS under high pressure. An unstable transverse acoustic mode and a phase transition from B1 to B28 phase at ~143.7?GPa driven by this soft mode are predicted. The B28 structure of MgS is stable up to 350?GPa according to lattice dynamics calculations.     

Inhibition: Mental Control Process or Mental Resource?

The current study tested 2 models of inhibition in 45 children with language impairment and 45 children with normally developing language; children were aged 7 to 12 years. Of interest was whether a model of inhibition as a mental-control process (i.e., executive function) or as a mental resource would more accurately reflect the relations among mental-attentional (M) capacity, inhibition, updating, shifting, and language competence. Children completed measures of M-capacity (in the verbal and nonverbal domains), inhibition, updating, shifting, and language. Path analyses showed the data provided a poor fit to the model of inhibition as a mental-control process but a good fit to the model of inhibition as a mental resource. Results are consistent with the theory of constructive operators and suggest inhibition is a mental resource rather than a mental-control process.     

The Meaning of Childbearing Among IVF Service Users Assessed via Laddering Technique

The psychosocial issues related to infertility have been widely researched. However, the meaning a couple gives to childbearing remains a relatively unexplored area. This study explores the meaning making of Hong Kong Chinese couples who had received in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Eleven IVF-successful and seven IVF-unsuccessful informants were assessed using two complementary constructivist methods: laddering technique and constructivist-grounded theory analysis of in-depth interviews. Findings revealed four aspects of symbolic meaning of childbearing focused on the informant's sense of self, cultural values, existential purpose, and relations with others. The results also depicted infertility as a form of disenfranchised grief, following ambiguous loss, underscoring the need for counselors to explore the meaning of childbearing among IVF service users and the impact on their self-narratives as a function of treatment outcome.     

学龄儿童的情景记忆与心理理论的关系

为考察学龄儿童心理理论与情景记忆的关系,111名小学4-6年级儿童在两周内完成了心理理论(包括二级错误信念、失言和白谎等)和情景记忆(回忆过去"一个星期内"、"一个月内"和"一年内"亲历的具体事件;以及想象将来"一个星期内"、"一个月内"和"一年内"可能发生在自己身上的具体事件)等任务。控制了年龄效应后,线性回归分析发现儿童回忆过去时"谈及他人"、想象将来时"谈及自我"和"谈及他人"与心理理论的认知成分存在显著关联。而儿童回忆过去时"谈及他人"与心理理论的情感成分有显著关联。结果表明,学龄儿童心理理论可以分为认知成分和情感成分,情景记忆与心理理论不同成分的关系存在差异。     

汉字形码和音码的整体性对部件识别的影响

本实验从分析汉字整体知觉的具体表现形式入手,通过三个实验探讨字的整体知觉对部件知觉的影响。实验一以分解方式为变量,考查字形整体知觉对部件识别的影响,发现识别不同结构的字的部件之活动受知觉分解路线(如顺读或逆读)的影响。作者认为这种分解方式效应很可能跟部位有关。实验二证实了这一分析,并进而认为部位效应又跟部位与字形整体知觉的紧密程度有关。实验三以语音码为变量,发现成字部件的字音与整体字语音一致者(形声字),其分解知觉成绩比不一致者(非形声字)有明显的优势。这意味着,整体字音知觉的单一性对部件知觉的作用。最后,本研究还考查了部件识别法的有效性,并认为在研究知觉的整体与部分关系问题时,该法不失为一种新的实验范型。     

元认知与学习动机关系的研究

对于元认知与学习动机之间的关系,已有研究采用相关分析、回归分析的方法进行了初步探讨,但无论是相关还是回归都不能使我们清楚地了解两者之间的相互作用。本研究的目的即是运用路径分析的方法对这一问题进行较为深入的探讨。路径分析表明,动机变量对元认知活动具有“供能”的作用;动机变量对元认知的影响有的是直接发生的,如考试焦虑、目标定向,有的则是以其它变量为中介而间接发生的,如动机强度、学业自我概念。