Do self-reported decision styles relate with others’ impressions of decision quality?

Research has demonstrated the usefulness of decision styles for predicting various performance-related criteria. It is still unclear, however, which particular styles are associated with a general tendency to make high-quality decisions. Participants (n = 168) completed a common measure of five decision styles, along with a measure of the traits in the five-factor model of personality. Self and peer evaluations of general decision quality were obtained as performance criteria. Results showed that specific decision styles predicted variance in both measures of decision quality. And, there was clear evidence for incremental validity for specific decision styles when self-ratings were predicted. In the context of past research, this study supports a primary focus on rational or analytical styles for understanding and predicting decision success.     

Assessing Changes in Counselor Trainees' Multicultural Competence Related to Service Learning

This mixed methods study examined changes in self‐reported multicultural competence and distress reactions of 32 counselor trainees engaged in service learning. Whereas 3 trainees significantly increased in self‐reported multicultural competence, 5 significantly decreased. Trainees who significantly increased in multicultural competence reported less distress; those who significantly decreased reported greater distress. However, changes in multicultural competence appeared to be unrelated to themes uncovered in the qualitative data. Implications for training and practice are discussed. Este estudio de métodos mixtos examinó los cambios en competencia cultural y reacciones de aflicción reportados por 32 consejeros en formación que realizaban prácticas para su aprendizaje. A pesar de que 3 consejeros en formación comunicaron un aumento significativo de su competencia cultural, 5 de ellos reportaron una disminución significativa. Los consejeros en formación que aumentaron considerablemente su competencia cultural reportaron un nivel menor de aflicción; aquellos que disminuyeron considerablemente reportaron mayor aflicción. Sin embargo, los cambios en la competencia cultural no tenían relación aparente con los temas desvelados en los datos cualitativos. Se discuten las implicaciones para la formación y prácticas.     

The Conscientiousness Paradox: Cultural Mindset Shapes Competence Perception

Studies comparing personality across cultures have found inconsistencies between self‐reports and measures of national character or behaviour, especially on evaluative traits such as Conscientiousness. We demonstrate that self‐perceptions and other‐perceptions of personality vary with cultural mindset, thereby accounting for some of this inconsistency. Three studies used multiple methods to examine perceptions of Conscientiousness and especially its facet Competence that most characterizes performance evaluations. In Study 1, Mainland Chinese reported lower levels of self‐efficacy than did Canadians, with the country effect partially mediated by Canadian participants' higher level of independent self‐construal. In Study 2, language as a cultural prime induced similar effects on Hong Kong bilinguals, who rated themselves as more competent and conscientious when responding in English than in Chinese. Study 3 demonstrated these same effects on ratings of both self‐perceived and observer‐perceived competence and conscientiousness, with participants changing both their competence‐communicating behaviours and self‐evaluations in response to the cultural primes of spoken language and ethnicity of an interviewer. These results converge to show that self‐perceptions and self‐presentations change to fit the social contexts shaped by language and culture. Copyright © 2013 European Association of Personality Psychology     

Numeracy skills in young children as predictors of mathematical competence

As mathematical competence is linked to educational success, professional achievement, and even a country's economic growth, researchers have been interested in early predictors for quite some time. Although there have been numerous studies on domain-specific numerical abilities predicting later mathematical competence in preschool children, research in toddlers is scarce, especially regarding additional influential aspects, such as domain-general cognitive abilities and the children's social background. Using a large-scale dataset, the present study examined predictive effects of numeracy skills in 17-month-olds for later mathematical achievement. We found small, positive effects, even when controlling for child-related variables (i.e., age and sex) and the children's social background (i.e., maternal education and household language). Additionally, we compared results with a domain-general categorization task and found no distinct effect on mathematical competence. The present results are discussed with regard to the specificities of the dataset, as well as implications for future studies on predictors of mathematical competence.     

A longitudinal analysis of reciprocal relationships between actual and perceived motor competencies and physical self-concept in primary-school age children

Physical self-concept (PSC) and motor competencies are important factors in view of the development of a physically active lifestyle. There are research gaps regarding longitudinal studies of these relationships. This article presents findings of a longitudinal study (n = 200; 58% girls, M = 8.84 ± 0.63 years) at three primary schools. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between actual motor competencies (AMC) and perceived motor competencies (PMC) and PSC. Therefore, manifest path models in cross-lagged design were performed. Results show that correlations between PMC and AMC increased over time and were stronger in object control than in locomotor. Effects of AMC on PSC were more strongly mediated by PMC in object control than in locomotor. To promote physical activity, developing strategies should be aimed at the acquisition of AMC, particularly in object control, and PMC, especially in locomotor, during childhood.     

胜任需要挫败的“双刃剑”效应及干预策略：行为和认知神经科学视角

胜任需要挫败是指个体觉得自己很失败或者感觉不能胜任工作。随着知识经济的快速发展, 越来越多的新生代知识型员工在工作中遭受了短期或长期的胜任需要挫败。在经历胜任需要挫败后, 员工在后续的工作中会越挫越勇还是一蹶不振?如果员工会越挫越勇, 如何强化这一积极效应?如果员工会一蹶不振, 如何规避这一消极后果?已有研究无法清晰地解答这些问题。因此, 本研究基于自我决定理论, 综合运用行为实验、认知神经科学实验和现场实验的方法, 依次考察短期和长期的胜任需要挫败对后续任务自主动机的跨期影响, 进而探讨并检验组织层面的发展性反馈、自主性支持以及个体层面的成就目标导向等干预策略的有效性。研究结果拓展了胜任需要挫败和自主动机的相关研究, 有助于指导企业对员工的胜任需要挫败问题进行科学管理和干预, 有益于员工有效应对胜任需要挫败, 充分激发其自主工作动机。     

Is paranoia a defence against or an expression of low self‐esteem?

Paranoia has been hypothesized to be negatively correlated with self‐esteem. However, hypotheses differ about how low self‐esteem might produce paranoia. The paranoia as defense model views paranoia as a defensive reaction against low self‐esteem. In contrast, the paranoia as expression model views paranoia in part as a reflection of low self‐esteem. In the current study, paranoia was negatively associated with global explicit self‐esteem, self‐competence, self‐liking and self‐serving attributional style, but unassociated with implicit self‐esteem as measured with the Implicit Association Test. In contrast, facets of narcissism, which also have been hypothesized to be associated with defensive self‐processing, were associated with defensiveness. Overall, these results suggest that paranoia is better represented by the expression model. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于候选人面孔的特质推理与投票决策

在竞选情境中, 基于政治候选人面孔的能力或热情特质推理可以预测选举结果。面孔吸引力、面孔成熟度、面部表情和面孔熟悉度等因素对基于面孔的特质推理预测竞选结果起着重要作用。近年来, 研究者已经由基于面孔预测结果的行为研究逐步扩展到神经机制的研究上, 采用fMRI技术发现当被试对候选人面孔做负性特质判断和投票时, 杏仁核、岛叶、腹前侧扣带回等脑区会被激活, 而获胜候选人的照片并不会引起脑区的激活。研究者从认知取向和进化适应角度解释了人们为什么会根据面孔中的特质推理进行预测。以往研究在实验材料、研究内容等方面仍有不足, 这也指明了未来的研究方向。     

Referential competence is associated with motivational congruence

[Schultheiss, 2001] and [Schultheiss, 2008] hypothesized that referential competence (RC) - stable individual differences in the ability to quickly name nonverbally represented information - should predict congruence between implicit and explicit motives. We tested this hypothesis using a color-naming task to assess RC, picture-story measures of implicit motives, and self-report measures of participants’ motivational values and goals. Study 1 showed that the RC measure captures a stable individual difference by test-retest and internal consistency criteria. Studies 2 and 3 provided correlational evidence for the hypothesized association between RC and measures of between- and within-individual motivational congruence. Study 4 showed that in the absence of situationally induced referential processing, RC predicts preferences for motive-congruent goals.     

System-Level Change in Cultural and Linguistic Competence (CLC): How Changes in CLC are Related to Service Experience Outcomes in Systems of Care

As US demographic trends shift toward more diversity, it becomes increasingly necessary to address differential needs of diverse groups of youth in mental health service systems. Cultural and linguistic competence (CLC) is essential to providing the most appropriate mental health services to youth and their families. The successful implementation of CLC often begins at the system level. Though various factors may affect change and system-level factors set the tone for broad acceptance of CLC within systems, there is limited empirical evidence linking culturally competent practices to outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to examine system-level CLC changes over time within systems of care and their associations with service experiences among youth and their families. Participants were 4,512 youth and their families enrolled in the national evaluation of the Children’s Mental Health Initiative (CMHI). Results suggest that implementation of CLC at the system level improves over time in funded systems of care. Further, variation exists in specific system-level components of CLC. In addition, the changes in CLC at the system level are related to family/caregiver participation in treatment. Implications for supporting positive changes in CLC among systems of care communities, and specific strategies for community psychologists, are discussed.