Alpha,Dimension-Free,and Model-Based Internal Consistency Reliability

As pointed out by Sijtsma (in press), coefficient alpha is inappropriate as a single summary of the internal consistency of a composite score. Better estimators of internal consistency are available. In addition to those mentioned by Sijtsma, an old dimension-free coefficient and structural equation model based coefficients are proposed to improve the routine reporting of psychometric internal consistency. The various ways to measure internal consistency are also shown to be appropriate to binary and polytomous items. Research supported in part by grants DA00017 and DA01070 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This paper is based in part on Bentler (2003).     

The role of social cognition models in predicting attendance at health checks

Abstract

The present study sought to apply the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Planned Behaviour to the prediction of attendance at health checks. In addition, the way in which patients were invited to the health checks and the effect this had on both the uptake of the service and the role of cognitive factors in predicting attendance was analysed. Based in a single general practice, 818 patients were either sent an invitation letter which included an appointment time or they were sent an open invitation to contact the practice to make their own appointment time. Prior to the commencement of the programme health belief questionnaires were sent to patients. The results of the study firstly showed that letters offering patients an appointment produced a much higher attendance rate (70%) than letters containing an open invitation (37%). Secondly, through stepwise discriminant function analyses, the predictors of attendance behaviour were found to vary according to how patients were invited. For patients sent an appointment, attenders were found to be more likely than non-attenders to place a high value on their health, to believe that their health is influenced by powerful others, that certain referent groups would advise them to attend, that attending would lead to positive outcomes and that motivational barriers would not prevent them from attending. For patients sent an open invitation, intention to attend and perceived control were found to be independent predictors of attendance behaviour. These results suggest that attendance at health checks may not be a homogeneous behaviour such that the beliefs which distinguish attenders and non-attenders may be seen to vary according to the way in which the service is offered.     

Cybervictimization and body esteem: Experiences of Swedish children and adolescents

This study investigates the relationship between cybervictimization and body esteem among 1076 pupils, ages 10–15. More specifically we investigated if being the victim of cyberbullying was related to body esteem, and if there were any grade and gender differences in these relationships. Additionally, we examined how often pupils' believed that cyberbullying was directed at the victims' appearance, and if this view was more common when girls were cybervictims compared to when boys were cybervictims. Pupils in fourth grade (10-year-olds), sixth grade (12-year-olds) and ninth grade (15-year-olds), from 21 different schools in Gothenburg were surveyed. The main finding was that victims of cyberbullying reported poorer body esteem than non-cybervictims. The results also showed that pupils believed that cyberbullying was directed at the victims' appearance, especially when girls were victims. This study provides unique data concerning the links between being exposed to cyberbullying and body esteem.     

道德信仰的两重规定及其限度

道德必须以信仰为基础 ,道德信仰既是对道德的信仰 ,又是对善的终极追求。两者合为一体 ,统一于道德信仰这一主体的道德意识之中的 ,它们从不同的角度与层面反映了人对道德的态度与意愿。这是研究道德信仰应有的理论视点。     

是认知因素还是动机因素影响了审计人员对证据的态度？——以持续经营能力判断为例

客观因素,如证据呈现顺序会导致审计判断偏误,但动机因素是否会影响审计人员对审计证据的态度？本文利用信念调整模型,考察了认知因素和动机因素对审计人员的审计态度的影响,不仅证实了审计人员在持续经营能力判断中的近因效应,而且发现对持续经营不确定审计意见的自我实现预言效应的预期,同样会引发审计判断偏差。     

领导-成员交换与情绪枯竭:互惠信念和权力距离导向的作用

结合社会交换理论和角色理论,领导-成员交换关系中下属的回报不仅受到互惠规范的约束,还受到上下级关系权力不对称的影响。因此,将探索互惠信念和权力距离导向单独及交互项对领导-成员交换与情绪枯竭关系的调节作用。采用两个时间点172名员工的匹配数据,运用层级回归对假设进行了检验。结果表明,领导-成员交换(T1)与情绪枯竭(T2)总体上呈显著负向关系。互惠信念(T1)和权力距离导向(T1)单独对领导-成员交换与情绪枯竭关系的调节作用并不显著,但是二者的交互项的调节作用显著。即,领导-成员交换、互惠信念和权力距离导向对情绪枯竭有显著三维交互作用。具体的,高互惠信念和低权力距离导向的员工,领导-成员交换与情绪枯竭呈显著正向关系;高互惠信念和高权力距离导向的员工,领导-成员交换与情绪枯竭呈显著负向关系。研究验证了领导-成员交换过程中互惠规范的作用,表明互惠规范的适用性受到上下级关系特征的影响。     

Relationship between religious belief and happiness in Oman: a statistical analysis

This paper explores the relationship between religiosity and happiness among the multicultural people in Oman. A sample of 335 respondents from all walks of life in Oman was analysed using the mean happiness value and their religiousness, religion, age, education level and nationality. The findings were verified using regression and correlation analysis. It was observed that regardless of the religious belief, the level of happiness among people increases with the increasing level of religiousness. The findings could be useful not only to the general public, but also to psychologist and mental health professionals. People with depression, suicidal tendencies, low self-esteem and so on may possibly be treated with religious practices and activities. If such techniques show effectiveness, they may help to bring improvements in mental health and well-being treatments. One unique aspect of this study is that the sample consisted of people from various nationalities, religions and cultural backgrounds living in Oman.     

A Grim Semantics For Logics of Belief

Patrick Grim has presented arguments supporting the intuition that any notion of a totality of truths is incoherent. We suggest a natural semantics for various logics of belief which reflect Grim’s intuition. The semantics is a topological semantics, and we suggest that the condition can be interpreted to reflect Grim’s intuition. Beyond this, we present a natural canonical topological model for K4 and KD4.     

The virtues of belief: toward a non-evidentialist ethics of belief-formation

William Kingdon Clifford famously argued that “it is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.” His ethics of belief can be construed as involving two distinct theses—a moral claim (that it is wrong to hold beliefs to which one is not entitled) and an epistemological claim (that entitlement is always a function of evidential support). Although I reject the (universality of the) epistemological claim, I argue that something deserving of the name ethics of belief can nevertheless be preserved. However, in the second half of the paper I argue that Clifford’s response to the problem of unethical belief is insufficiently attentive to the role played by self-deception in the formation of unethical beliefs. By contrasting the first-person perspective of a doxastic agent with the third-person perspective of an outside observer, I argue that unethical belief is a symptom of deficiencies of character: fix these, and belief will fix itself. I suggest that the moral intuitions implicit in our response to examples of unethical belief (like Clifford’s famous example of the ship owner) can better be accounted for in terms of a non-evidentialist virtue ethics of belief-formation, and that such an account can survive the rejection of strong versions of doxastic voluntarism.

Joseph Butler, “Upon Self-Deceit” (1726)

     

The context of intergroup belief cross wherein minority members maintain consistency: Belief minority and majority in a categorical in‐group and out‐group1

Abstract: The present study investigated the social conditions required for minority members to preserve their attitudinal and behavioral consistency in an intergroup context. In the experiment, intergroup belief crosses wherein a belief minority (or majority) in a categorical in‐group was reversed as a majority (or minority) in an out‐group were manipulated. It was hypothesized that individuals supported by the majority in the categorical in‐group would preserve their attitudes and behavioral intentions even though they were a minority in the categorical out‐group. The results supported the hypothesis. Specifically, members of a majority in the categorical in‐group had more consistent behavioral intentions and less attitude changes although they were located as a minority in the out‐group. In contrast, members of a minority within the in‐group preserved consistency on the basis of support from the majority in the out‐group. The theoretical implications of these results are discussed with reference to future research.