The Moderating Effect of Self-efficacy on Job Insecurity and Organisational Commitment Among Nigerian Public Servants

The study examined the moderating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between perceived job insecurity and organisational commitment of survivors of retrenchment among Nigerian public workers. Using a cross-sectional survey, data was collected from 186 survivors. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that organisational commitment was inversely related to job insecurity and positively related to the interaction factor for self-efficacy and job insecurity. However, the relationship between job insecurity and organisational commitment was moderated by self-efficacy such that as perceived job insecurity increased, survivors with moderate to high levels of self-efficacy showed greater levels of organisational commitment than those with low self-efficacy. The findings of this study suggest that as perceived job insecurity increased survivors' organisational commitment decreased. The theoretical and practical implications of the present findings and suggestions for enhancing the self-efficacy of survivors were discussed.     

The Selfish Side of Self‐Control

Self‐control is a powerful tool that promotes goal pursuit by helping individuals curb personal desires, follow norms, and adopt rational thinking. In interdependent social contexts, the socially acceptable (i.e. normative) and rational approach to secure long‐term goals is prosocial behaviour. Consistent with that, much research associates self‐control with prosociality. The present research demonstrates that when norm salience is reduced (i.e. social relations are no longer interdependent), high self‐control leads to more selfish behaviour when it is economically rational. In three studies, participants were asked to allocate an endowment between themselves and another person (one‐round, zero‐sum version of the dictator game), facing a conflict between a socially normative and an economically rational approach. Across the studies, norm salience was manipulated [through manipulation of social context (private/public; Studies 1 and 2), measurement of social desirability (Studies 1 and 3), and measurement (Study 2) and manipulation (Study 3) of social power] such that some participants experienced low normative pressure. Findings showed that among individuals in a low normative pressure context, self‐control led to economically rational, yet selfish, behaviour. The findings highlight the role of self‐control in regulating behaviour so as to maximize situational adaptation. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology     

The Good Behavior Game: a best practice candidate as a universal behavioral vaccine

A behavioral vaccine provides an inoculation against morbidity or mortality, impacting physical, mental, or behavior disorders. An historical example of a behavioral vaccine is antiseptic hand washing to reduce childbed fever. In current society, issues with high levels of morbidity, such as substance abuse, delinquency, youth violence, and other behavioral disorders (multiproblems), cry out for a low-cost, widespread strategy as simple as antiseptic hand washing. Congruent research findings from longitudinal studies, twin studies, and other investigations suggest that a possibility might exist for a behavioral vaccine for multiproblem behavior. A simple behavioral strategy called the Good Behavior Game (GBG), which reinforces inhibition in a group context of elementary school, has substantial previous research to consider its use as a behavioral vaccine. The GBG is not a curriculum but rather a simple behavioral procedure from applied behavior analysis. Approximately 20 independent replications of the GBG across different grade levels, different types of students, different settings, and some with long-term follow-up show strong, consistent impact on impulsive, disruptive behaviors of children and teens as well as reductions in substance use or serious antisocial behaviors. The GBG, named as a best practice for the prevention of substance abuse or violent behavior by a number of federal agencies, is unique because it is the only practice implemented by individual teachers that is documented to have long-term effects. Presently, the GBG is only used in a small number of settings. However, near universal use of the GBG, in major political jurisdictions during the elementary years, could substantially reduce the incidence of substance use, antisocial behavior, and other adverse developmental or social consequences at a very modest cost, with very positive cost-effectiveness ratios.     

Behavioral extremity moderates the association between certainty in attitudes about COVID and willingness to engage in mitigation-related behaviors

People generally intend to act more on beliefs and attitudes about which they have greater certainty. However, we introduce a boundary condition to the positive association between certainty and behavioral intentions—behavioral extremity. Uncertainty about a threatening issue like COVID-19 can be disconcerting, and we propose that uncertain people cope in part through increased openness to extreme actions like accepting risky medical treatments and aggression toward those defying mitigation policies. Testing this, we compiled and analyzed all the data on certainty about COVID-19 mitigation policies and willingness to engage in mitigation-related behaviors that our lab collected during the pandemic (6 samples, 20 behaviors, Ns up to 1496). External ratings of the behaviors' extremity moderated certainty-willingness associations: whereas greater certainty was associated with increased willingness to engage in moderate behaviors (the typical result), lower certainty was associated with increased willingness to engage in extreme behaviors, especially among those worried about becoming ill.     

权力感对炫耀性亲社会行为的影响

基于高成本价值信号理论,本文探究了权力感对炫耀性亲社会行为的影响。5个实验的结果表明:权力感促使个体更愿意从事炫耀性亲社会行为,高(vs.低)权力感个体更倾向购买炫耀性亲社会产品,更愿意进行炫耀性捐赠且捐赠金额较高,也更愿意参与炫耀性善行,其机制在于高权力感者具有较高的自我矫饰动机。本文对理解权力感对个体行为的影响、丰富权力感与亲社会行为的研究文献有理论贡献,对有效引导高权力感者从事亲社会行为具有实践价值。     

公共物品困境中自我权力和他人权力对初中生合作行为的影响

本研究分别操纵被试稳定的权力（实验1）和不稳定的权力（实验2）,并与不同权力个体进行公共物品困境任务,以考察了自我权力和他人权力对初中生合作行为的交互作用及其权力稳定性在其中的作用。结果发现,在权力稳定情境下,高权力的初中生合作水平低于低权力组和控制组,而在权力不稳定的情境下,高权力的初中生合作水平高于低权力组。无论权力稳定与否,与低权力同伴合作时,低权力者的合作水平均显著高于与高权力同伴合作时。     

Advocacy,Political Participation,and Citizenship: Lutheran Contributions to Public Theology1

Abstract : Martin Luther never developed a political theory, but his theology does inform the way Christians live in society, making it both public and political. Luther's “two kingdom theory” often has been misinterpreted to justify passivity and obedience toward civil authorities. Under closer examination, however, his theology applies to the everyday practices of politics, economics, and religious affairs. In the context of nation‐building, a Lutheran theology fosters citizenship not only as individual rights and responsibilities, but as active participation in civil society.     

道德建设三十年概论

回顾中国道德建设30年,其逻辑起点即是关于道德建设的科学定位。社会主义道德建设的战略地位,决定了它必须是推动中国特色社会主义现代化建设的道德建设,必须是促进全面改革和实行对外开放的道德建设,必须是适应社会主义初级阶段的道德建设。在邓小平德治思想的指引下,我国道德建设呈现四大战略创新。一是提出“以德治国”方略。二是实施公民道德建设纲要。三是树立社会主义荣辱观。四是道德建设融入社会主义核心价值体系。2008年,我们夺取了抗震救灾的重大胜利,成功举办了第29届北京奥运会,形成了“抗震救灾精神”与“奥运精神”。这两大精神是社会主义道德建设30年的最新成果。     

中国医药创新面临的挑战及其应对

当下, 医药产业创新可持续发展已成为满足人民生命健康﹑维护国家安全、建设科技强国, 参与国际战略竞争的制高点和关键。历经十几年的发展﹐中国医药创新环境得到非常显著的改善, 但仍面临新的挑战, 中国医药创新又到了再次转型的关键节点。大力发展医药创新需要的不仅是政府资金支持或单项政策出台, 更是举国体制下清晰的顶层设计, 融合全产业链条(基础/临床研究、监管、支付等)建立起科学、完善的政策机制, 在双循环新发展格局下构建中国医药创新高质量发展的必然要求。

     

The effects of a public address system on the off-task behavior of elementary physical education students

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of teacher feedback delivered via a public address system on the off-task behavior of elementary-school physical education students. A multiple baseline design across three classes was used in this investigation. Results indicated a consistent decline in off-task behavior when the public address feedback system was used.