Comparison of Indirect Sources of Efficacy Information in Pretesting Messages for Campaigns to Prevent Drunken Driving

Enabling publics to remove the constraints that prevent health enhancement is the focus of much scholarly research and professional practice. This experiment tested the impact of 2 forms of symbolic modeling and verbal persuasion on self-efficacy beliefs and intentions to prevent a friend from driving drunk. Three efficacy-enhancing public service announcements tested participants' beliefs in their confidence to intervene successfully. As predicted, behavioral and verbal modeling engendered greater perceived self-efficacy and behavioral intentions than did verbal persuasion, with behavioral modeling registering the greatest effects. Implications for designing campaigns of self-directed change to prevent drunken driving among college students are discussed, as well as possible directions for research on self-efficacy and the situational theory of publics.     

A Cognitive Career Course: From Theory to Practice

A university career development course based on cognitive information‐processing theory was assessed. Students who took the course showed a significant decrease in their negative career thoughts when the Career Thoughts Inventory (J. P. Sampson, G. W. Peterson, J. G. Lenz, R. C. Reardon, & D. E. Saunders, 1996a) was used as a pretest and posttest measure. The greatest decrease in negative thinking was found in students with the highest level of negative thinking at the beginning of the course. The specific components of negative career thinking—decision‐making confusion and commitment anxiety—contributed significantly to the main effect. There were no significant interactions with ethnicity or sex.     

Mindfulness and Cognitive Therapy in Depression Relapse Prevention: A Case Study

Depression is the most commonly diagnosed mental illness in the United States with relapse rates as high as 80–90% in some circumstances (Chen et al. in Res Soc Work Pract 16(5): 500–510, 2006; Mintz et al. in Arch Gen Psychiatry 49: 761–768, 1992; Teasdale et al. in J Consult Clin Psychol 68(4): 615–623, 2000). Cognitive therapy (CT) and psychopharmacology have been the mainstays of treatment for depression and relapse prevention, yet relapse remains a significant risk of this mental illness (DeRubeis et al. in Arch Gen Psychiatry 62: 409–416, 2005; Meyer and Scott in Behav Cogn Psychother 36: 685–693 2008; Rush et al. in Cognit Ther Res 1: 17–37, 1977). The literature review, case illustration and analysis examines the rationale for integrating mindfulness practice, and demonstrates the application of this practice in conjunction with cognitive therapy to reduce the risk of relapse in Major Depression.     

Building Financial Knowledge Is Not Enough: Financial Self-Efficacy as a Mediator in the Financial Capability of Low-Income Families

ABSTRACT

Policymakers in many countries have taken an interest in population-level financial capability. Limited empirical work has examined how constructs that makeup financial capability relate and how they function for individuals with low incomes. Using a national sample of low-income Canadians, we investigate relationships between financial knowledge, financial self-efficacy, and savings outcomes. Overall, we find that financial self-efficacy fully mediated the relationship between objective financial knowledge and postsecondary-education saving. The association between objective financial knowledge and retirement saving and emergency saving passed through financial self-efficacy. Efforts to promote financial capability need to focus on more than objective financial knowledge.     

A Test of the Social Cognitive Model of Lottery Gambling in Thailand

This paper reviews lottery gambling research using Bandura's (1986) social cognitive model framework. It also describes a partial test of the model among lottery gamblers in Thailand. The study hypothesised that lottery gambling is related to income levels and that respondents high in cognitive bias, money consciousness and hope, and those whose family members also played lottery would bet more frequently and more money on lotteries and chase particular numbers. Nine hundred and fifty lottery gamblers participated in the study. Log linear modelling was used to analyse the data. The resulting models found cognitive bias, frequency and amount spent on lottery purchases in a three-way relationship. Levels of income, money consciousness, hope and family members' lottery play were related to the frequency and independently to amounts spent on lottery purchases. Cognitive bias, money consciousness, hope and family members' lottery play were related to chasing of particular lottery numbers. The results of the study confirm the validity of applying social cognitive models to lottery gambling and suggest that lottery gamblers be informed of their small chance of winning on lotteries.     

Information Processing and Situational Theory: A Cognitive Response Analysis

Situational theory provides a conceptual framework for identifying and examining the active and passive information use behaviors of audiences in public relations campaigns. We suggest that the utility of situational theory may be increased by examining several possible dimensions of passive information use, using the cognitive response measurement approach. Data were collected from 85 female consumers at eight experimental sessions across the United States. Results suggest that situational theory and cognitive response approaches may be usefully combined to study a variety of dimensions of attention to messages. Such a combination may also serve to better inform message strategy in communication campaigns by providing a conceptually rigorous approach to conducting message tests.     

Women's Morality: A Test of Carol Gilligan's Theory

The purpose of this paper is to analyze male and female perspectives of morality, using Carol Gilligan's theory of gender differences. The hermeneutic–dialectic mode of inquiry was used to understand the process and outcome of the participants' perspectives. Three discourses were utilized to examine the notion of morality of the women participants, the men participants, and a final discourse in which both sexes were brought together. The women demonstrated few personal boundaries in their understanding of morality whereas the men's approach remained abstract and detached. The majority of both group members, however, showed potential to understand the social realm of the others' dominant approach to morality, but no consensus was reached. The gender distinct moral language continued to persist throughout the final discourse and the subjective versus intellectual approach remained more comfortable for each respective group. The findings are consistent with Gilligan's theory and the causes are understood from both a psychological and sociological viewpoint.     

A Test of Social Cognitive Theory Reciprocal and Sequential Effects: Hope,Superstitious Belief and Environmental Factors among Lottery Gamblers in Thailand

This study tested social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986) hypotheses of reciprocal and sequential effects among person, environment variables and behavior. The study examined the impact of hope, superstitious belief and environmental factors on the frequency, amounts of lottery gambling and chasing of particular numbers among Thai lottery gamblers. One hundred and fifty gamblers who visited two temples in Bangkok to search for number clues before buying tickets and 150 gamblers who simply bought lottery tickets from the stalls were recruited for the study. Models were constructed to test the effect of hope, superstitious belief and environmental factors on gambling behavior, and the reciprocal effect of gambling behavior on hope, superstitious belief and environmental factors. Results confirmed the theoretical reciprocal effects. A sequential effect model showing the effects of environmental factors on superstitious belief, hope and gambling behavior was also constructed and hope was found to be the result of superstitious belief. To reduce lottery gambling, the players need to be warned of their distorted hope and the small chance of winning lottery.     

Predictors of Safer Sex on the College Campus: A Social Cognitive Theory Analysis

Abstract

In April and May 1989, the authors surveyed a sample of students enrolled on four college campuses in New Jersey (N ? 923) concerning their HIV transmission-related behavior, knowledge, and a variety of conceptual variables taken primarily from social cognitive theory that were thought to be potentially predictive of safer sexual behavior. Analyses of sexually active, unmarried students' responses indicated that men expected more negative outcomes of condom use and were more likely to have sexual intercourse while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, whereas women reported higher perceived self-efficacy to practice safer sex. Regression analyses indicated that, among the factors assessed, stronger perceptions of self-efficacy to engage in safer behavior, expecting fewer negative outcomes of condom use, and less frequency of sex in conjuction with alcohol or other drug use significantly predicted safer sexual behavior. Enhanced self-efficacy to discuss personal history with a new partner was associated with a greater number of risky encounters. Implications of these findings for intervention efforts with students are discussed.     

The Young and the Realigning: A Test of the Socialization Theory of Realignment

Recent research has demonstrated that Democrats and Republicansare divided along religious lines–98) confirm that thelink between religiosity and Republican Party identificationis stronger among younger than older voters.     

A Test of the Emergent Norm Theory of Collective Behavior

Objective: The paper uses the timing of evacuation behavior of occupants of the World Trade Center at the time of the explosion of February 26, 1993, to test predictions from Emergent Norm Theory. Method: It uses ordinary least square multiple regression analysis to examine data from a survey done in the first week in May 1993 of 415 people who worked at the World Trade Center. Results: The theory's predictions regarding the additive effects of size of group and preexisting social relationships on the timing of evacuation are supported. However, the findings document important and unexpected interaction effects of these two variables on the effects of perceived threat, resources, and cooperativeness on the timing of evacuation. Conclusion: The results augment the theory by showing the continued importance of enduring social relationships as determinants of collective behavior. Enduring social relationships are not only useful to differentiate collective behavior from institutionalized behavior but also specify the dynamics attending the occurrence of collective behavior.     

Participation in the Performance Appraisal Review: Inflexible Manager Behavior and Variable Worker Needs

A survey of 137 employees provided data onperformance appraisal reviews conducted by 38 managers.Participation in the review was influenced more by whichmanager conducted the review than the circumstances of the specific review. The effect ofparticipation was greater for variables measuring futurerelationship (potential in the firm and seeking feedbackfrom manager) than immediate decisions (self-evaluation and intention to stay). Reaction to the reviewwas moderated by subordinate experience and priorfeedback. The results indicate the importance ofunderstanding the context in which the review occurs and the limited degree to which managers altertheir own behavior in the review.     

Gendered Cultures and Performance Appraisal: The Experience of Women Academics

This paper examines women academics’ experiences of appraisal within one English university. Adopting the Foucauldian concepts of discourse and disciplinary power, the paper illustrates how appraisal functions as a disciplinary technology within the organization. Semi-structured interviews, carried out on women academics, reveal how the power relations operating in appraisal work to ‘normalize’ the academic role as a highly competitive, productive unit focused on identifiable, quantitative outputs. The case illustrates the difficulties which women face in trying to put forward alternative discourses which accommodate domestic commitments or different career structures. The research concludes that women academics have only gained limited visibility and voice in the gendered academy through opting in to the new competitive and highly gendered macho culture. The possibilities for women in offering alternative discourses have not materialized, emphasizing the difficultues in changing gendered cultures and challenging the ubiquity of male power.     

The Case of Mandy: Applying Holland's Theory and Cognitive Information Processing Theory

In this article the authors discuss the application of Holland's theory (Holland, 1997) and cognitive information processing theory (CIP; Peterson, Sampson, & Reardon, 1991) to the case of a college student named Mandy who was deciding about a major and a future career. The authors also describe how a career planning class, the Self-Directed Search (SDS; Holland, Powell & Fritzsch, 1994), the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI; Sampson, Peterson, Lenz, Reardon, & Saunders, 1998), and Improving Your Career Thoughts: A Workbook for the Career Thoughts Inventory (Sampson, Peterson, Lenz, Rearson, & Saunders, 1996) were used as interventions to allow Mandy to become aware of her negative thinking patterns and to begin the process of reframing these thoughts. The outcome of Mandy's case, her personal reactions to this article, and practical implications for other service providers, are discussed.     

The Melanesian Cargo Cults: A Test of the Value-Added Theory of Collective Behavior*

This research examines Smelser's value-added theory of collective behavior. According to Smelser, six determinants are necessary for the development of a social movement: structural conduciveness, structural strain, generalized beliefs, precipitating factors, mobilization of participants, and social control. As a test of this analytic framework, two Melanesian cargo cult movements and the general history of these movements are investigated. On the basis of a historical and comparative analysis that relies upon both primary and secondary sources, the six factors outlined in the theory are shown to be present. The relevance of these findings for the explanation of social movements is discussed.     

Explaining the Varieties of Volunteering in Europe: A Capability Approach

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations - Volunteer rates vary greatly across Europe despite the voluntary sector’s common history and tradition. This...     

Community And Commitment Among Catholics: A Test Of Local-Cosmopolitan Theory*

This study tests Roof's (1972,1976,1978) local-cosmopolitan theory of religious commitment using a sample of Catholics living in west Tennessee. Consistent with Roof's theory, local community reference (localism) had significant positive effects on four measures of religious beliefs and played a limited role in mediating the effects of education, size of hometown, and length of residence on these measures. However, localism had inconsequential effects on four behavioral measures of religiosity. Possible explanations for these findings and implications they have for the generalizability of the theory are discussed.     

Chinese Beliefs in Luck are Linked to Gambling Problems via Strengthened Cognitive Biases: A Mediation Test

Problematic patterns of gambling and their harms are known to have culturally specific expressions. For ethnic Chinese people, patterns of superstitious belief in this community appear to be linked to the elevated rates of gambling-related harms; however, little is known about the mediating psychological mechanisms. To address this issue, we surveyed 333 Chinese gamblers residing internationally and used a mediation analysis to explore how gambling-related cognitive biases, gambling frequency and variety of gambling forms (‘scope’) mediate the association between beliefs in luck and gambling problems. We found that cognitive biases and scope were significant mediators of this link but that the former is a stronger mediator than the latter. The mediating erroneous beliefs were not specific to any particular type of cognitive bias. These results suggest that Chinese beliefs in luck are expressed as gambling cognitive biases that increase the likelihood of gambling problems, and that biases that promote gambling (and its harms) are best understood within their socio-cultural context.