Motivational processes affecting learning.

Describes how motivational processes influence a child's acquisition, transfer, and use of knowledge and skills. Recent research within the social-cognitive framework illustrates adaptive and maladaptive motivational patterns, and a research-based model of motivational processes is presented that shows how the particular performance or learning goals children pursue on cognitive tasks shape their reactions to success and failure and influence the quality of their cognitive performance. Implications for practice and the design of interventions to change maladaptive motivational processes are outlined. It is suggested that motivational patterns may contribute to gender differences in mathematics achievement and that empirically based interventions may prevent current achievement discrepancies and provide a basis for more effective socialization. (79 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivational factors in the violation of a prohibition.

An experiment with 90 college Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivational factors in health and disease.

Evidence is reviewed that measures of motive strength, as measured through content analysis of associative thought, are related to physiological systems, the functioning of which affect health outcomes. Studies show that affiliative and power motive syndromes assessed in associative thought are associated with health and illness. A relaxed or easygoing affiliative motive syndrome characterizes insulin dependent Type I diabetics and can, if aroused, lead to poorer blood sugar control in such diabetics. A stressed power motive syndrome is associated with sympathetic activation, release of stress hormones, depressed immune functions, and greater susceptibility to infectious diseases. Affiliative trust and a greater sense of agency as measured in associative thought content are associated with better health. An intervention study and a longitudinal study have demonstrated that differences in the levels of these motivational variables are not simply the result of illness but lead to alterations in subsequent health status. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivational factors in decision theories: The role of self-protection.

Reviews the standard economic and cognitive models of decision making under risk and describes the psychological assumptions that underlie these models. Important motivational factors that are typically underemphasized by the standard theories are then reviewed, including the motivation to protect one's self-image from failure and regret. An integrated view of decision making is offered on the basis of a more comprehensive set of psychological assumptions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivational factors in nonincarcerated sexually aggressive men.

Research on convicted rapists has demonstrated the importance of several key motivational factors in male sexual aggression. In particular, anger at women and the need to dominate or control them have been repeatedly implicated. Although anger and power have also been shown to be important in understanding college men who report sexually aggressive behavior, there has been little research on what underlies these motives. This research combined questions assessing these underlying motivational factors, as well as questions dealing with underlying sexual motivation and disinhibition, with a slightly modified version of the Sexual Experiences Survey (Koss & Oros, 1982). In Study 1, subjects were 184 male undergraduates. Factor analysis of the questions composing the four scales yielded four slightly modified scales. Scales measuring underlying anger, underlying power, and disinhibition significantly differentiated sexually aggressive from nonaggressive men but did not distinguish between men who were coercive, manipulative, or nonaggressive. In a replication on a smaller sample (n?=?70), underlying anger, underlying power, and disinhibition again differentiated sexually aggressive from nonaggressive men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol and workload as factors affecting the detection of angular acceleration

INTRODUCTION: Previous findings have demonstrated that a low blood alcohol concentration (BAC) decreases subjects' ability to detect changes in angular motion and that this effect persists after the BAC returns to zero. METHODS: Angular motion thresholds of six alcohol and six placebo subjects holding pilots' certificates were obtained under both low and high task load conditions. The alcohol subjects were tested under double blind conditions in an enclosed simulator apparatus prior to drinking, after drinking (mean BAC = 0.038%), and at a time when the alcohol subjects' BACs had reached zero. RESULTS: Alcohol subjects' mean threshold values for the three threshold test sessions were 0.361, 0.512, and 0.465 degree.s-2 and 0.292, 0.422, and 0.379 degree.s-2 for the high and low task conditions, respectively. Corresponding values for placebo subjects were 0.364, 0.37, and 0.356 degree.s-2 for the high task load condition and 0.311, 0.317, and 0.312 degree.s-2 for the low task load condition. Statistical analyses showed significant task load and sessions effects (p < 0.025). Significant alcohol by test sessions interactions were found for both high and low task load conditions (p < 0.01) with subsequent t-tests showing no alcohol-placebo differences for the pre-alcohol test session, but significant alcohol-placebo differences for the alcohol test session and the test session conducted after the subjects' BACs returned to zero. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the increased threshold for detecting changes in angular motion found after alcohol ingestion is relatively insensitive to task workload and, thus, it is unlikely that attentional changes underlie the threshold increase. These data together with the finding that an elevated threshold can persist after BAC reaches zero suggest that the threshold increase after alcohol ingestion reflects changes in vestibular functioning.     

Gastroschisis: factors affecting prognosis

Over a ten-year period 21 children with gastroschisis were treated either with a direct full-layer closure or with a silastic sac closure of the abdominal wall defect. No mortality or longterm morbidity resulted from either form of therapy in the group of patients that had no anatomical interruption of the gastro-intestinal tract. Silastic sac closure did, however, result in a higher incidence of septicemia. In the group of patients that presented with an anatomical interruption of the G.I. tract, considerable mortality and morbidity resulted. The outcome in these patients was determined by the associated bowel lesion rather than by the gastroschisis as such.     

First lapses to smoking: Within-subjects analysis of real-time reports.

Studies of smoking relapse and temptation episodes have relied on retrospective recall and confounded between- and within-subject variability. Real-time data on temptations and lapses to smoke were gathered using palm-top computers. We made within-subject comparisons of the initial lapse, a temptation episode, and base rate data obtained through randomly scheduled assessments. Negative affect discriminated all three situations, with lapses worse than temptations, and temptations worse than random situations. Participants attributed lapses to negative mood and smoking cues, whereas temptations were more often attributed to behavioral transitions. Participants were 12 times more likely to report coping in temptations than in lapses. However, only cognitive ( vs. behavioral ) coping strategies were effective. Lapses (vs. the other situations) were more likely to occur when smoking was permitted, when cigarettes were easily available, and in the presence of other smokers. The results have clinical implications, and the computerized monitoring methods may be applicable to an array of clinical research problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some factors affecting the reduction of overt hostility.

2 assumptions were tested to explain observations that initial expressions of aggression may be followed by decline in such unfriendly attitudes. The "symbolic catharsis hypothesis" assumes the reduction of hostile attitudes due to vicarious (fantasy) expression of hostility; guilt theory assumes inhibition, rather than reduction, of hostile atitudes. Ss were fed information, supposedly opinions of each other, which encouraged unfriendly or friendly attitudes. Ss were then either allowed to associate to TAT cards or fed additional information so as to be made to feel guilty about unfriendly attitudes towards the other. Results were interpreted as supporting the guilt hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some factors affecting the quality of therapeutic relationships.

The degree to which the quality of the therapeutic relationship established by two equally "expert" therapists with the same patient sample varies in terms of the therapist's personality and his perceptions of the patients is investigated. "It was found that the therapist who was able to establish the better social relationships also established the better therapeutic relationships. Moreover the therapist who perceived a patient as more closely approximating his 'ideal patient' concept created the better relationship with that patient." 21 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Variations in the reported age of a patient: A source of bias in the diagnosis of depression and dementia.

The presence of bias in assessing organic vs depressive pathology in the elderly psychiatric population has been clinically observed in the apparent tendency to overattribute cognitive deficits to senile dementia. In the present study, 21 male and 15 female 26–49 yr old clinical psychologists were presented with a taped interview in which the age of a 64-yr-old male with depressive pseudodementia was varied (either 55 or 75 yrs). It was assumed that the ambiguity involved in determining the etiology of the patient's cognitive deficits would elicit a social or diagnostic bias related to his age. Results show the presence of a bias, with a greater attribution of organic symptoms reflective of senile dementia and fewer judgments of depression when the patient was described as elderly rather than middle-aged. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Response bias factors and the sensoristatic model of sensory restriction.

Considers that the sensoristatic model of sensory restriction claims sensory isolation lowers sensory thresholds. Evidence for this claim rests on traditional psychophysical procedures which according to signal detection (TSD) theory may confound pure sensory shifts with motivational factors. A TSD analysis of 1 type of sensory restriction procedure, isolation of a circumscribed area of the skin, revealed that in 9 adult males heightened sensitivity on a cutaneous discrimination task was due primarily to sensory factors. Response bias factors were not a significant source of variance. Results offer further support of the sensoristatic model of sensory restriction. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality factors related to reported severity of menstrual distress.

Administered the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire, reporting menstrual, premenstrual, and intermenstrual reactions, to 201 women (116 undergraduates). Factor analysis of a 24 * 24 matrix (8 scales for each period) identified symptoms at menstruation as the principal component. Estimates of scores on this criterion were attempted by means of regression, typological, and decision-tree analyses, using scales from the California Psychological Inventory and the Personal Values Abstract as predictors. Correlations between estimated and reported distress were .36 for the typology, .38 for the decision tree, and .41 for the regression equation. Although the 3 methods did not differ greatly in accuracy, they did appear to emphasize somewhat different configurations of personality variables. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental studies of factors affecting word associations.

Experimental investigations of word-association tests (WATs) per se have been infrequent although the technique itself is widely used in other areas of research. Studies aimed at the determination of variables which affect the nature of responses on WATs are cited. Experimental evidence illustrating the role of associative as well as nonassociative factors is reported. It is concluded that although word associations are generally considered to reflect underlying verbal habits primarily, various nonassociative factors such as the set of S and details of administrative procedure may be stronger determinants of responses on a WAT. (35 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial factors affecting the employment of former vocational rehabilitation clients.

Analyzed questionnaires completed by 211 former vocational rehabilitation (VR) clients (aged 15–61 yrs) 2 yrs after case closure for a clarification of the psychosocial factors that affect vocational adjustment. Questionnaires assessed employment status and problems, sources of income/financial status, health, and job satisfaction (for employed Ss only). WAIS Full Scale IQs were available for 195 Ss, and 120 Ss had completed the 16PF—Form E. Results show that the primary criteria of vocational adjustment (employment, job satisfaction, and persistence in looking for work) were associated with better self-appraised physical and mental health, greater perceived family support in seeking employment, more optimism about employment prospects, and attribution of the problem source to the environment. These variables suggest useful points for intervention by VR practitioners. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some factors affecting the amount of information sought about others.

This investigation examined the effects upon the amount of information that Ss would seek about others of: (a) the sex of the S; (b) whether the information was all positive, all negative, or ambivalent; and (c) the sex of the other person. The results indicate that female Ss seek more information than males, that Ss seek more ambivalent than univalent information, and that less information is sought when the other person is a woman than when the other is a man. The valence of the final impression was clearly related to the valence of the information that Ss received, although male Ss formed a highly negative impression of women who were described in ambivalent terms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivational control of blocking.

Hungry and thirsty rats lever pressed for food pellets in 1 visual stimulus (V1) and for a saline solution in another stimulus (V2). In a 2nd phase, the rats were made either hungry or thirsty and pressed for a starch solution in 2 stimulus compounds, each containing 1 of the visual cues and an auditory cue, that is, V1A1 and V2A2. On test, rats responded less to A1 than to A2 when hungry but less to A2 than to A1 when thirsty. Two further experiments replicated this selective blocking effect when the rats were both hungry and thirsty during Phase 2 and demonstrated that the magnitude of blocking was comparable to that observed when the reinforcer identity was held constant across the 2 phases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

影响转炉脱磷的因素分析

本文主要从转炉脱磷的理论分析入手,探讨了炉渣碱度、FeO的质量分数和冶炼过程温度对磷的质量分数的影响及回磷的原因、影响因素及防止措施等.同时本文指出应控制炉渣碱度、FeO、终点温度在合理范围内,并应重视钢水回磷问题.     

Motivational interviewing and the social context.

Comments on the article by Miller and Rose (see record 2009-13007-002). As Miller and Rose opened “the black box of treatment to examine linkages between processes of delivery and client outcomes” (p. 529) in motivational interviewing (MI), it is important that their model include factors from the social context that may explain conditions that enhance or diminish MI interventions. Aspects of the social context may serve as mediators or moderators of the relational (MI spirit) and technical (change talk) components in MI theory. In this comment, the author suggests the addition of social influence to their theoretical model. The author suggests that existing research on the role of significant others argues that the conceptual model should include a box for Social Influence as a hypothesized process variable that relates to “Client Preparatory Change Talk and Diminished Resistance” and “Commitment to Behavior Change” (see Figure 1, p. 530). In addition, a second new box, labeled Significant Other Training in MI, should be added in direct relationship to the new Social Influence variable. Further research is needed to explore these variables and their specific functions within the model. These additions to the theoretical model affirm the active components of MI and potentially extend the effects through positive social influence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)