The Hubris Hypothesis: You Can Self-Enhance, But You'd Better Not Show It

We tested whether and why observers dislike individuals who convey self-superiority through blatant social comparison (the hubris hypothesis). Participants read self-superiority claims ("I am better than others"; Experiments 1-7), noncomparative positive claims ("I am good"; Experiments 1-2, 4), self-equality claims ("I am as good as others"; Experiments 3-4, 6), temporally comparative self-superiority claims ("I am better than I used to be"; Experiment 5), other-superiority claims ("S/he is better than others"; Experiment 6), and self-superiority claims accompanied by persistent disclaimers (Experiment 7). They judged the claim and the claimant (Experiments 1-7) and made inferences about the claimant's self-view and view of others (Experiments 4-7) as well as the claimant's probable view of them (Experiment 7). Self-superiority claims elicited unfavorable evaluations relative to all other claims. Evaluation unfavorability was accounted for by the perception that the claimant implied a negative view of others (Experiments 4-6) and particularly of the observer (Experiment 7). Supporting the hubris hypothesis, participants disliked individuals who communicated self-superiority beliefs in an explicitly comparative manner. Self-superiority beliefs may provoke undesirable interpersonal consequences when they are explicitly communicated to others but not when they are disguised as noncomparative positive self-claims or self-improvement claims.     

What Do People Infer from Social Comparisons? Bridges between Social Comparison and Person Perception

Human judgment is basically comparative, with self‐judgments in particular being based on social comparison. Not surprisingly, much research has focused on how self‐comparisons shape comparers’ self‐views on the specific comparison dimension. We argue that both comparers and observers may, and do, draw various other inferences and that they do so from both self‐comparisons and other‐comparisons. In both cases they may draw inferences from (a) the fact that social comparison has taken place, (b) the allocation of the target and referent roles, and (c) the stated relationship between the target and the referent. In order to show how exploring these inferences may lead social comparison research into new and exciting directions, we point out some unanswered questions about them.     

Managing daily life with age-related sensory loss: cognitive resources gain in importance

This paper investigates the role of cognitive resources in everyday functioning, comparing visually impaired, hearing impaired, and sensory unimpaired older adults. According to arguments that cognitive resources are of increased importance and a greater awareness of cognitive restrictions exists among sensory impaired individuals, in particular among visually impaired individuals, we hypothesized differential relationships between resources and outcomes when comparing sensory impaired and sensory unimpaired older adults. Findings are based on samples of 121 visually impaired, 116 hearing impaired, and 150 sensory unimpaired older adults (M = 82 years). Results from a sample of 43 dual sensory impaired older adults are reported for comparison. Assessment relied on established instruments (e.g., WAIS-R, ADL/IADL). Structural equation modeling showed that cognitive resources and behavior-related everyday functioning were more strongly related in the sensory impaired groups as compared to the sensory unimpaired group. Cognitive resources and evaluation of everyday functioning were significantly linked only among the sensory impaired groups. When medical condition was controlled for, these effects persisted. It is concluded that both cognitive training as well as psychosocial support may serve as important additions to classic vision and hearing loss rehabilitation.     

How personal resources predict work engagement and self‐rated performance among construction workers: A social cognitive perspective

Traditionally, research focussing on psychosocial factors in the construction industry has focused mainly on the negative aspects of health and on results such as occupational accidents. This study, however, focuses on the specific relationships among the different positive psychosocial factors shared by construction workers that could be responsible for occupational well‐being and outcomes such as performance. The main objective of this study was to test whether personal resources predict self‐rated job performance through job resources and work engagement. Following the predictions of Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory and the motivational process of the Job Demands‐Resources Model, we expect that the relationship between personal resources and performance will be fully mediated by job resources and work engagement. The sample consists of 228 construction workers. Structural equation modelling supports the research model. Personal resources (i.e. self‐efficacy, mental and emotional competences) play a predicting role in the perception of job resources (i.e. job control and supervisor social support), which in turn leads to work engagement and self‐rated performance. This study emphasises the crucial role that personal resources play in determining how people perceive job resources by determining the levels of work engagement and, hence, their self‐rated job performance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Exploring temporal dissipation of attention settings in auditory task switching

Using a cued auditory task-switching variant of dichotic listening, we varied the response–cue interval (RCI) to examine temporal dissipation effects. On each trial, participants were presented with two different number words, one spoken by a female speaker and another by a male speaker (dichotic listening), that served as competing targets for a numerical judgment. The gender of the task-relevant speaker was indicated by a visual task cue prior to each trial. Experiment 1A used two different cues for each task (i.e., gender) and showed only small cue repetition benefits (same cue vs. alternate cue) but large auditory switch costs (alternate cue vs. task switch). A replication without immediate cue repetitions (Experiment 1B) showed very similar switch costs, suggesting that immediate cue repetitions play a negligible role for the size of auditory task switch costs. Moreover, switch costs were reduced when the (entirely task-irrelevant) location of the task-relevant speaker changed, relative to when it was unchanged, suggesting an episodic feature-binding component in our dichotic-listening task. Importantly, both experiments showed no effect of RCI on auditory switch costs. Because statistical power for this null effect was reasonably high across experiments (n?=?50), this finding suggests that auditory attention settings do not dissipate quickly over time.     

Expressive Art in Cross-Cultural Group Supervision: Applying the Mmogo-Method™

Academic mobility has increased the tendency of students to study in foreign countries, which poses various personal, interpersonal and contextual challenges to the cross-cultural supervision relationship. This study explored the themes that emerged in a cross-cultural supervision relationship through the application of expressive art, referred to as the Mmogo-Method?, in cross-cultural group supervision. Fourteen individuals participated in the research, thirteen Tswana-speaking women from Botswana and a Tshivenda-speaking man from Venda (age range: 25 to 45 years). Participants were asked to create visual representations illustrating any aspect of their growth since the beginning of the year. Thereafter, the participants engaged in focus group discussions. Data were analysed by means of semiotic data analysis. Central themes suggest that the transfer of culturally embedded values and norms takes place between environments. The data further elicited valuable information regarding aspects that could play an integral role in personal and professional development. It appears that expressive art such as the Mmogo-Method? could serve as a valuable tool in enhancing the quality of supervision.     

Haft- und Therapieerfahrungen der Berliner Sicherungsverwahrten

The current reformation of preventive detention follows legal requirements and is not primarily derived from the treatment needs of inmates. Therefore, a fresh look at those persons who will be subjected to this new treatment is important before any legal provisions are put into practice. What are the individual life and delinquency experiences of inmates, how often, in which way and with which goal was treatment attempted? This article will expand on the current situation in the realization of the new legal standards and will describe first results on core delinquency data of a population study of 76 inmates with preventive detention in Berlin and 44 inmates in other federal states of Germany.     

Adoption of community-based cardiac rehabilitation programs and physical activity following phase III cardiac rehabilitation in Scotland: A prospective and predictive study

Little is known about levels of physical activity and attendance at phase IV community-based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) programs following completion of exercise-focussed, hospital-based phase III CR. This study aims to test, compare and combine the predictive utility of the Common-Sense Self-Regulation Model (CS-SRM) and the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) with action planning for two rehabilitation behaviours: physical activity and phase IV CR attendance. Individuals diagnosed with coronary heart disease (n = 103) completed baseline measures of illness perceptions, intentions, perceived behavioural control (PBC), action planning and past physical activity in the last week of a phase III CR program, and 95 participants completed follow-up measures of physical activity and attended phase IV CR (objectively confirmed) 2 months later. Only one predictor (PBC/cyclical timeline) significantly predicted levels and change of physical activity. While illness perceptions were not predictive of phase IV CR attendance, the extended TPB model showed good predictive power with action planning and intention as the most powerful predictors. Amongst participants who planned when and where to attend phase IV CR at the end of phase III rehabilitation, 65.9% subsequently attended a phase IV CR program compared to only 18.5% of those who had not made a plan. This study adds to our understanding of cardiac rehabilitation behaviour after completion of health service delivered programs. Comparing theoretical models and rehabilitation behaviours contributes to the development of behaviour theory.