The Persuasive Effects of Emotive Visual Imagery: Superficial Manipulation or the Product of Passionate Reason?

This study reevaluates the persuasive impact of emotional visual appeals within politics and examines two different explanations for their effects. One possibility is that the effects of emotive visual images are essentially superficial in nature, consistent with the view that feelings aroused by an affective image are transferred somewhat mechanically to a political candidate or cause with which it is paired. This transfer-of-affect explanation suggests that emotional appeals may work best among the least informed voters or those paying the least attention to a persuasive political message. The second possibility is that emotional appeals work via passionate reason, in which affective responses to an emotive image are integrated with, and potentially bias, reasoned thought about the accompanying message. This integrated approach leads to the counterintuitive prediction that individuals who are most highly involved in an issue (and who know the most about it) are most influenced by emotional imagery. This prediction arises from growing evidence that people highly involved in value-laden social issues generate the strongest emotional responses to issue-related persuasive appeals. These two models were tested in a study in which undergraduate students were presented with a picture of a cute or an ugly animal and a flyer from an organization advocating a pro- or anti-environment stance with respect to preserving the animal's habitat. The responses showed that emotive imagery was most persuasive among the most involved environment supporters, providing clear evidence of passionate reasoning.     

消极刻板印象和群际焦虑:阻碍群际交往的重要因素

消极刻板印象和群际焦虑是阻碍群际交往的重要因素。基于群际接触理论和群际焦虑理论模型,测量了少数民族和汉族交往时的群际焦虑水平、彼此持有的刻板印象和外群体态度等变量,考查了这些变量的特征及关系。结果表明:(1)汉族在群际交往过程中的群际焦虑水平显著高于少数民族;(2)女性比男性持有更积极的外群体态度;(3)消极刻板印象是产生群际焦虑和偏见态度的重要原因。减少消极刻板印象、降低群际焦虑是促进群际交往的重要途径。     

Attitudes Toward Religion Scale: development and initial psychometric evaluation among Chinese college students

The Attitudes Toward Religion Scale (ATRS) was developed to access the level of interest in and position toward the five state-approved religions in China. Data were analysed across two samples of Chinese college students. With Sample 1 (N = 278), exploratory factor analyses were used to select the 10 ATRS items corresponding to two factors: Interest and Position. With Sample 2, confirmatory factor analyses (N = 270) cross-validated the two-factor oblique model as well as a bifactor model. Cronbach alphas of ATRS subscale scores in the two samples ranged from .75 to .85. ATRS-Interest and Position were both positively associated with number of close relationships with religious people. In addition, negative attitudes toward religion was associated with being religiously proselytised by strangers. Moreover, female students reported more favourable attitudes toward religion compared to their male counterparts. The overall results support ATRS as a psychometrically strong and promising measure.     

Linking safety knowledge to safety behaviours: a moderated mediation of supervisor and worker safety attitudes

The thousands of deaths and disabilities due to workplace accidents and injuries each year emphasize the importance of safety research. Despite occupational safety research that has contributed to identifying antecedents of safety, little is known about why and how safety knowledge leads to safety behaviours and how personal and situational factors interact to promote occupational safety. Using a multilevel, multisource, and time-lagged research design, the present study investigates whether safety knowledge affects safety behaviours through safety attitudes and further tests whether supervisory safety attitudes can impact the strength of these relationships and play a role as moderators of the proposed mediated relationship. Data were collected from workers (N = 177) and supervisors (N = 42) in a construction company in the energy industry at two time points. Results indicate full support for the moderated mediation model, demonstrating that worker safety attitudes partially mediate the relationship between safety knowledge and safety behaviours. Moreover, when supervisors had positive attitudes towards safety, both the direct relationship between worker safety attitudes and safety behaviours and the indirect relationship between safety knowledge and safety behaviours were more positive compared to when supervisors had negative safety attitudes. Theoretical and practical implications for occupational safety are discussed.     

元认知:态度与说服研究的新视角

态度元认知指个体对所持态度的主观判断(如态度是否正确、重要与否等),是态度强度的重要维度,并能在态度说服过程中发挥关键作用。首先介绍态度元认知的主要成分(态度确定性、重要性及矛盾性),然后重点阐述新近对态度说服元认知过程的解释模型:认知加工精细程度模型(ELM),内隐-外显双过程模型(APE)和元认知模型(MCM),并从来源属性(来源可信度)、受众属性(情绪及身体动作)、信息属性(信息与受众的匹配程度)和情景四个方面阐释了影响说服元认知过程的因素。未来可以在态度元认知成分及其影响、说服元认知过程的心理机制、态度元认知神经机制等方面展开进一步研究。     

The Effectiveness of Two Positive Career Counseling Modules for Working Parents in Taiwan

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of 2 positive career counseling modules—the strength‐centered career counseling (SCC) module and the goal‐oriented career counseling module—for working parents in Taiwan (23 men and 28 women). The study used an experimental design, and the instruments were the Personal Growth Initiative Scale, Job Satisfaction Inventory, and Career Self‐Efficacy Scale. A within‐subjects analysis of variance indicated that both modules were effective in personal growth initiative and career self‐efficacy, and SCC particularly had continuous effects on both of them. Advanced versions for the 2 modules and implications for future practice are discussed.     

Standard and Short RoM Isokinetic Testing: Comparative Analysis in Identifying Submaximal Shoulder External Rotator Effort

An isokinetic-related parameter termed the difference between eccentric-concentric strength ratios at two distinct test velocities (DEC) based on 60° (standard) range of motion (RoM) has been proven to be highly efficient detecting feigned muscular efforts. This study aimed to verify whether a DEC derived from a much shorter test RoM (20°) was equally useful than a long RoM–derived one. Eighteen healthy men (32.4 ± 6.4 years old) took part in a study focusing on shoulder external rotation isokinetic strength. Participants performed a genuine shoulder external rotator maximal effort (eight pairs of concentric and eccentric contractions at high and low velocities at short and long RoM) and then instructed to feign maximal effort. Contraction velocities were adjusted accordingly by applying a 1:4 gradient and peak moments registered. Both condition DEC was then calculated by subtracting the eccentric and concentric strength ratios at low velocities from those at high velocities. DEC scores in the feigned effort were significantly higher than maximal effort ones in both conditions in men. It enabled the setting of specific cutoff levels for separating the efforts. Both approaches revealed a coincident sensitivity (78%) whereas short RoM showed an even higher specificity: 88% versus 78%. Thus, the short RoM protocol provides clinically acceptable detection power.     

What Contributes to College Students’ Cheating? A Study of Individual Factors

To better understand the multiple individual factors that contribute to college cheating, we undertook a multivariate analysis of a national sample of 2,503 college students. Our findings indicated that demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, socioeconomic status, and year in college), character qualities (e.g., lack of self-control, others-oriented life purpose), college experience (e.g., academic preparation, extracurricular activities involvement, and working), and student perceptions and attitudes (e.g., attitude toward academic cheating, perception of faculty’s actions against cheating and cheating environment) are all significantly associated with academic cheating.     

Value From Regulatory Fit

Abstract— Where does value come from? I propose a new answer to this classic question. People experience regulatory fit when the manner of their engagement in an activity sustains their goal orientation or interests regarding that activity. When there is fit, people engage more strongly in what they are doing and "feel right" about it. Fit influences the strength of value experiences—how good or how bad one feels about something—independently of the pleasure and pain experiences that are associated with outcomes. It uniquely contributes to people's experience of the value of things. Fit is shown to influence judgments and decision making, attitude and behavior change, and task performance.     

大学生上网行为、态度和人格特征的研究

本研究使用自编大学生上网成瘾诊断问卷、自编上网行为和态度问卷以及三个人格量表,对上海市6所高校370名大学生的上网情况进行了调查。结果表明：(1)上网成瘾的大学生在上网的行为和态度上明显不同于非成瘾的大学生,他们表现出高开放性、社交性、胜任能力和匿名性,并且更认可网络交流的便利性。(2)上网成瘾的大学生比非成瘾的大学生明显表现出孤独、抑郁和焦虑的人格特质。(3)逐步回归分析的结果表明,“社交性”、“交流便利”、“焦虑量表分数”、“开放性”、“胜任能力”对大学生陷人网络的程度有显著的预测作用。