Big Five traits and relationship satisfaction: The mediating role of self-esteem

This study examined the mediating role of self-esteem in the association between Big Five traits and relationship satisfaction. Using data of 237 heterosexual couples and the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM), self-esteem mediated the association between Big Five traits and relationship satisfaction. We also tested the directionality of the association using longitudinal data of 141 couples. Results indicate that only agreeableness (and neuroticism marginally) predicts relationship satisfaction two years later, but relationship satisfaction predicted partner’s extraversion. Further, significant indirect effects emerged between relationship satisfaction, self-esteem, and later neuroticism. These results underline the importance of studying Big Five traits and self-esteem conjointly when studying relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, testing for alternative longitudinal associations elucidates the role of romantic relationships in personality development.     

Common and Unique Factors Associated with DSM-IV-TR Internalizing Disorders in Children

With the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders DSM-IV Fourth Edition-Text Revision. Author, Washington, DC. 2000) ahead, decisions will be made about the future of taxonomic conceptualizations. This study examined the factor structure of items from three internalizing disorders (Social Phobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Depression) on the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV-Child Version (Silverman, W. K., & Albano, A. M. Anxiety disorders interview schedule for children for DSM-IV, child and parent versions. Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, 1996). Two-, three-, and four-factor models emerged in an exploratory factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis provided additional empirical support for the four-factor model over the two- or three-factor models. Implications for the structure of the DSM-V taxonomy in children and adolescents are discussed.     

无均值结构的潜变量交互效应模型的标准化估计

潜变量交互效应建模研究近年来有两项重要进展, 一是提出了潜变量交互效应模型的标准化估计及其计算公式; 二是发现无均值结构模型可以取代传统的有均值结构模型, 建模大为简化。但标准化估计是在传统的有均值结构模型中建立的, 在简化的模型中同样适用吗？本文在无均值结构模型的框架内, 给出了潜变量交互效应模型的标准化形式、计算公式和建模步骤, 并通过模拟研究比较了极大似然和广义最小二乘两种估计方法、配对乘积指标和全部乘积指标两种指标类型, 结果表明, 在计算交互效应的标准化估计时, 应当使用配对乘积指标建模, 并且首选极大似然估计。     

初中生英语学业成绩影响因素的因果模型

采用英语自我效能、英语学习焦虑、英语学习策略问卷,测量研究213名初中生英语自我效能、英语学习焦虑、英语学习策略与英语学业成绩之因果关系模型。结果表明：（1）初中女生英语学习焦虑显著低于男生;（2）初中生性别、自我效能、活用策略对英语学业成绩有显著回归效应,自我效能是性别影响英语学业成绩的中介变量;（3）初中生英语自我效能与学习策略构成因果-反馈关系且对英语学业成绩有显著回归效应;（4）初中生英语自我效能是英语学习焦虑对英语学业成绩产生消极效应的中介变量．并与英语学习焦虑构成因果-反馈关系;（5）初中生英语学习策略与英语自我效能共同对英语学习焦虑构成多级链式因果-反馈关系。     

The sideline behaviour of coaches at children’s team sports games

Objectives

This study aimed to establish the prevalence, pattern and nature of coaches’ verbal behaviour at children’s (ages 6-12 years) team sports events. The study draws upon the motivational model presented by Mageau and Vallerand (2003) to examine the influence of global (gender), contextual (sport related), and social (athlete gender) factors on coach comments.

Design

A cross-sectional observational study of coaches stratified across four team sports: Rugby Union, Netball, Association Football and Touch Rugby.

Method

The Observation Instrument at Sports Events was used to categorise covertly recorded verbal comments made by coaches at organised team sports games.

Results

Overall, 10,697 comments were recorded at 72 games at a rate of 3.71 comments/minute; 35.4% were categorised as positive, 21.6% as negative, and 43.0% as neutral. Significant differences in negative comments were identified between sport (p < .001) with rugby coaches recording the highest percentage of negative comments and the lowest percentage of positive comments; by coach gender (p < .001), with male coaches recording higher rates of negative comments; and by athlete gender (p < .001), with coaches of male-only teams recording higher rates of negative comments. When simultaneously included in a Poisson regression model the difference in negative comments between sports remained statistically significant (p < .001) whereas coach gender was no longer significant.

Conclusions

The ratio of negative coach comments for all sports gives cause for concern. These findings suggest that sports of national and cultural significance are a key driver of coaching behaviours in a competitive environment.     

The application of the satir model of family therapy to the families in Hong Kong: A personal reflection

Practitioners in Hong Kong have shown an increasing interest in various family therapy approaches since the 1980s. This paper offers a critique of the major concepts and techniques of the Satir model applied to families in Hong Kong. Cultural considerations are examined in relation to the family structure and hierarchy, the Chinese self and self-esteem, communication patterns, and family rules. Implications for the application of the Satir model of family therapy in Hong Kong are discussed.     

The choreography of everyday life—a missing brick in the general evolution theory

The “choreography of everyday life refers to the existence of rules of daily life, correspondingly to those of dances: the rules impose order upon individual behavior beyond the level of pure improvisation. The fact that acts of everyday life repeat themselves supports the idea that there exist some mechanisms generating order to daily practices. The replicative model of evolution is a candidate to explain this process of routinization. At the beginning of a replicative cycle behavioral patterns might change radically. In the course of time integrative and competitive selective forces start working. Finally some established rules, choreography, determining daily practices will emerge. In this mature phase identical replication takes place.     

Automated verbal credibility assessment of intentions: The model statement technique and predictive modeling

Recently, verbal credibility assessment has been extended to the detection of deceptive intentions, the use of a model statement, and predictive modeling. The current investigation combines these 3 elements to detect deceptive intentions on a large scale. Participants read a model statement and wrote a truthful or deceptive statement about their planned weekend activities (Experiment 1). With the use of linguistic features for machine learning, more than 80% of the participants were classified correctly. Exploratory analyses suggested that liars included more person and location references than truth‐tellers. Experiment 2 examined whether these findings replicated on independent‐sample data. The classification accuracies remained well above chance level but dropped to 63%. Experiment 2 corroborated the finding that liars' statements are richer in location and person references than truth‐tellers' statements. Together, these findings suggest that liars may over‐prepare their statements. Predictive modeling shows promise as an automated veracity assessment approach but needs validation on independent data.     

多时点结果跨期选择的决策效应及其心理机制

多时点结果跨期选择涉及两个及两个以上多个时点结果的权衡, 正日益成为跨期选择的研究重点。现有研究主要从两时点结果和序列结果两方面深入探讨了多时点结果跨期选择中的诸多决策效应, 包括：隐藏的零效应、象征效应、额外金额效应、前端金额效应以及序列效应, 并运用序列模型和权衡模型对上述决策效应进行阐释。未来还应深入探索同时涉及损益结果混合的多时点结果跨期选择, 运用决策过程追踪技术揭示决策效应的过程机制。