Collegiate year of eligibility, sex, and sports achievement motivation

The relations among year of eligibility, sex, and achievement motivation were investigated with 88 athletes representing three levels of collegiate eligibility (Year 1, Year 2/3, and Year 4) by sex. Participants were given Achievement Motivation subscales for Sporting Environments (approach-success practice, approach-success competition, failure-avoidance practice, failure-avoidance competition). A 3 x 2 analysis of variance showed significant main effects for year of eligibility and sex, and an interaction for age x sex for the failure-avoidance competition scores. Mean approach-success and failure-avoidance practice scores were not significantly different. Fear of failure may be less for male athletes in Year 4 of eligibility.     

The effect of culture and self‐construals on predispositions toward verbal communication

This study tested the effects of culture and self‐construals (i.e., independence and interdependence) on predispositions toward verbal communication. For the purpose of this study, we focused on two main areas of verbal communication predispositions: (a) communication apprehension and (b) argumentativeness. In our path model, we expected that culture‐level individualism increases one's construal of self as independent, which, in turn, leads to a higher degree of argumentativeness and a lower level of communication apprehension. We also expected that culture‐level individualism decreases one's construal of self as interdependent, which, in turn, leads to a lower degree of argumentativeness and a higher level of communication apprehension. Data to test the model were drawn from undergraduates (N=539) studying in Korea, Hawaii, and mainland U.S. The data were partially consistent with the theoretical predictions made. The implications of the results for theory and practice are discussed.     

Recidivism and dependency in a psychiatric population: An investigation with kelly's dependency grid

Over the years there have been varied attempts to explain or predict recidivism, which is a phenomenon whereby psychiatric patients are hospitalized repeatedly. Recent efforts to predict relapse have used specific symptoms (Harris, Bergman, & Bachrach, 1986), diagnoses (Kastrup, 1987; Lally, 1989), postdischarge treatment compliance (Caton, Koh, Fleiss, Barrow, & Goldstein, 1985), and the level of emotional expression in the family environment (Doane, Goldstein, Miklowitz, & Falloon, 1986) as relapse predictors. Despite progress, many unanswered questions remain. The present study examined recidivism from the perspective of personal construct psychology (Kelly, 1955). The Dependency Grid was administered to 33 first-admission patients, 39 recidivists, and 26 controls. As hypothesized, recidivists identified the smallest social network and the fewest people on whom they believed they actually could rely in a crisis. In contrast, patients experiencing their first admission offered an extensive array of individuals to whom they felt they could turn in a crisis. Controls reported the greatest number of social resources potentially available to them, but then selectively chose a sample of them as individuals on whom they would be comfortable relying. Results are discussed in terms of support for Kelly's personal construct theory.     

Upper and lower body strength in relation to underhand pitching speed by experienced and inexperienced pitchers.

The relation of legs, arms, shoulders, and grip strength with underhand pitching speed of experienced and inexperienced female pitchers was investigated. For 16 experienced female underhand pitchers and 16 inexperienced women with no softball experience (control group) leg and arm strength were measured using a Hydrafitness exercise machine. Grip strength was measured with a handgrip dynamometer. Underhand throwing speed was measured with a radar gun. Regression analysis showed arm and grip strength correlated with throwing speed (p < or = .05) for the experienced group. For the inexperienced control group, the only correlate of throwing speed was arm strength (p < or = .05). There was a significant difference between the two groups on all measures of strength and ball speed in favor of the experienced group (p < or = .05).