Search

Abstract: The current paper explores perceived norm conflict, social identification, and learning approaches in the applied context of higher education. Research has established the influence of identification with fellow students, and their perceived norms, on student approaches to learning. However, in the current paper, we argue that this model is not entirely ecologically valid and that students are not the only source of normative influence in the study context. In this first step to unpack these complex normative influences, we examine the next most‐proximal source of normative information—the educator. In essence, we explore the ways that the normative communications of a within‐field educator can also influence student learning approaches and the ways these two sets of normative effects may interact. Testing a sample of undergraduate students at Australian universities, we explore how students resolve conflicting intragroup norm sources. Findings suggest that, in line with previous literature, stronger identification with the field of study is associated with deep learning approaches, and this effect is moderated by perceived student norms such that the valence of the study norms can undermine or accentuate this effect. Novel results unpacking the effects of normative conflict suggest that this moderation effect is only present when educator norms are ambiguous and that, in instances of clearly conflicting normative messages, the identification main effect prevails. The implications and applications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate majority‐culture attitudes to multicultural policy in Australia. Drawing on relative deprivation (RD) theory, we explore whether resistance to multicultural policies and initiatives is related to individual and/or group‐based grievance claims of discrimination. To assess RD, we asked 517 Australian‐born people who identified as White Australians to rate (a) levels of discrimination toward their own group, toward themselves personally as a consequence of their group membership, and toward immigrants to Australia, and (b) feelings of injustice and anger associated with such discrimination. Our findings show that, while perceptions of discrimination toward majority‐culture Australians are commonplace, perceptions of discrimination toward immigrants are more so. We also found that higher ratings of group‐based RD of Australians relative to immigrants, but not individual deprivation relative to immigrants, predicted opposition to multicultural policies and initiatives. Moreover, perceived group‐based RD mediated the link between national identification and opposition to multicultural policies. The findings highlight, for the first time, the importance of group‐based grievance claims by majority‐culture members in opposing or supporting multicultural policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the attitudes toward poverty and welfare reform of a sample of social workers and inner-city school teachers. More specifically, it focuses on the impact of poverty attributions on attitudes toward welfare reform among members of this sample. There is a mystery about attitudes toward welfare reform that the paper attempts to explain. These social workers and teachers rejected most of the 1996 changes to welfare, but they were surprisingly positive about the impact these reforms have on the families with whom they work. This contradictory set of beliefs is explained as a function of the family-oriented view of poverty that is peculiar to this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key objective of information technology (IT) research is to assess the value of technology for users and to understand the factors that determine this value in order to deploy IT resources better. This paper uses structural equation modeling to ascertain the extent to which 3 popular models of users' behavior—theory of reasoned action (TRA), theory of planned behavior (TPB), and technology acceptance model (TAM)—are predictive of consumers' behavior in the context of Internet banking. Unlike other tests of these models, this paper employs independent measures of actual behavior, as well as behavioral intention. The results indicate that TAM is superior to the other models and highlights the importance of trust in understanding Internet banking behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper explores whether the theory of planned behavior (TPB) must abandon the notion that perceived behavioral control (PBC) has a direct influence on behavior. In a cross-sectional survey of 895 Swiss residents, our hypothesis was tested by means of structural equation models. Applied specifically, PBC turned out to be a significant direct predictor of one's performance. A general version of the TPB based on aggregated measures, however, revealed PBC's direct influence on behavior to be nonsignificant and, presumably, a non-universally applicable and thus nongeneralizable part of the theory. Intention determined 51% to 52% of people's ecological behavior, which supports the claim of a strong attitude behavior relation. Attitude, subjective norms, and PBC, the 3 TPB components, account for 81% of intention's variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical, yet practical framework for managing unrealistic expectations of expatriate marketing managers relative to their role in complex global marketing assignments. The formation of these unrealistic expatriate marketing managers' expectations is examined using relational contracting theory. We explore alternative HRM evaluation/support designs that can suppress the development of expatriate marketing managers' entitlement process and thus enhance the reality of expatriate marketing managers' expectations relative to the role in a subsidiary of the multinational enterprise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports 2 studies of the own-anchor effect (i.e., assimilation in age, height, and weight estimates) in same- and cross-gender age, height, and weight estimates. The own-anchor effect is believed to be stronger for same-gender estimates, but the investigation reported here is the first to test this hypothesis with participants and target persons of both genders. Several own-anchor effects were found in females’ same- and cross-gender estimates, whereas males only showed own-anchor effects in same-gender estimates. These results lean toward the possibility that women assimilate across gender, whereas men do not. Explanations of these results with reference to Krueger’s (Krueger & Zeiger, 1993; Robbins & Krueger, 2005) theory of social projection and the consequences for witness reliability are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper provides an integrated review of research literature on college students' knowledge, attitudes, and intentions regarding organ and tissue donation (OTD). Findings across 27 studies indicate that (a) students reported a lack of information and knowledge on OTD; (b) 23% reported signing an organ card or state organ donation registry; (c) positive attitudes were reported toward donation; (d) surveyed students indicated a willingness to become organ donors; and (e) 36% reported having conversations with family about OTD. Self-efficacy and normative influence theory are recommended as promising theoretical approaches to studying OTD in college student samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper assesses (a) the predictive utility of expanding the normative component of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to include a measure of descriptive norms, and (b) the moderating role of group identification on TPB–intention relations. In Study 1 (N = 48), male soccer fans read a vignette describing a potential confrontation with opposition fans. In Study 2 (N = 129), male field-hockey players read a vignette describing an aggressive act against an opponent to prevent a goal. The TPB was a strong predictor of intentions (R²s = .80 and .64). The addition of descriptive norms increased the amount of variance explained in both studies. Little evidence was found to support the moderating role of group identification on TPB–intention relations. The discussion focuses on the distinction between attitudinal and behavioral descriptive norms, the group as an external facilitating control factor, and the impact of individuals' self- and social identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A questionnaire survey (n = 90) and an interview study (n = 63) of anti-roads activities suggest links between participation and generalization. First, level of activism predicted whether others were perceived as encouraged to act environmentally. Second, participants' failure to stop construction of the road did not prevent them from developing related feelings of efficacy. Participants' perceptions of out-groups were also examined. Participants were least hostile to those they defined as sharing their interests and capable of subjective change; they were most hostile to those seen as betraying the environmental cause. Practically, these findings suggest the importance of collective participation. Theoretically, the paper argues that efficacy theory be developed to acknowledge that identity can be collective as well as individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a study, conducted in Bochum, Germany, involving 160 participants. Two research interests were combined in our study. The first aim was to integrate habit into the process of normative decision making to predict environmentally relevant behavion Two approaches of implementing habits are analyzed and discussed. Both conceptualizing habitual and normative influences on behavior as excluding paths and integrating habit into the process of normative decision making are illustrated by data. With our approach, we intended to initialize a discussion about the consideration of habits in the context of normative decisions. The second aim was to develop and test different modifications of Verplanken's (Verplanken, Aarts, van Knippenberg, & van Knippenberg, 1994) response frequency measure (RFM) to improve the operationalization of habit. The modified forms of RFM were not more appropriate than the unmodified form. Therefore, we suggest using the unmodified RFM until there is an improved form available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examined the impact of the numerical representation and the intrusiveness of immigrants on feelings of group threat voiced by the majority. The present evaluation of group threat differs from previous studies in its inclusion of temporal comparisons. The relationship between feelings of threat and attitudes toward immigration was also evaluated. In all, 221 college students completed a questionnaire. As predicted, results obtained show that numerical representation was positively associated with feelings of group threat resulting from invidious social comparisons. Intrusiveness was positively related to feelings of group threat resulting from temporal comparisons. Contrary to hypotheses, the final model confirms that only feelings of temporal group threat were associated with negative attitudes toward immigration. Practical implications and the important role of temporal comparisons are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although considerable research has examined how members of advantaged groups think and feel about disadvantaged groups, fewer studies have examined responses to "intermediate" social groups—groups that are perceived to fall between more commonly acknowledged groups on the same dimension of social identity. We measured judgments of intermediate groups, including novel groups designed to manipulate social group intermediacy (Studies 1–5), Black/White biracial people (Study 6), and bisexual people (Study 7). In each study, participants provided separate evaluations of an intermediate group and two comparison groups (e.g., Black/White biracial people, Black people, White people). Intermediate groups were consistently rated as less conceptually legitimate (e.g., less distinctive, not a "real" group) than other groups. The view that intermediate groups are not "real" groups helped explain negative evaluations of them, and participants who strongly identified with an advantaged ingroup were especially prone to this pattern of judgments. These results are consistent with the idea that an intermediate group can threaten the distinctiveness of a valued ingroup, leading people to dismiss and denigrate the intermediate group. Studying perceptions of intermediate groups facilitates a nuanced account of an increasingly heterogeneous social world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine social psychological correlates of teachers' linguistic diversity attitudes. We surveyed 191 regular-classroom teachers in 3 states (Arizona, Utah, and Virginia) to determine the relative effects of psychological insecurity, political ideology, cognitive sophistication, and educational level on language attitudes. Region of the country was included as a contextual variable. We tested the effects of education and cognitive sophistication on tolerance of language minority groups. Psychological insecurity measures and political conservatism were associated with negative language attitudes. Cognitive sophistication but not education was related to positive language attitudes. Teachers from Arizona had more positive language attitudes than did their counterparts in Utah and Virginia. We discuss the implications of our research for inservice and teacher-education programs directed toward constructive attitude change around language diversity issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timing of children during individuals' lives has many important macrolevel and microlevel effects. This paper presents a theoretical framework for understanding an important psychological sequence that affects the timing of childbearing by individuals. In the first step of this sequence, child-timing attitudes and beliefs affect child-timing desires; in the second step, child-timing desires affect child-timing intentions. The Child-Timing Questionnaire is a data collection instrument designed to measure attitudes and beliefs relevant to child timing. Using this instrument, we constructed four child-timing indices and tested the two-step framework with data from 187 husbands and 188 wives with no children and 182 husbands and 184 wives with one child. The results provide support for the framework and indicate some important sex and parity differences in the psychology of child timing. The Child-Timing Questionnaire appears to be a reliable, valid instrument; it is readily adaptable for use with any population in which the timing of children is an important research or service issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article assesses the intentions of college women to tell their partners to use condoms by examining the applicability of the theory of reasoned action and the additional prediction contributed by perceived behavioral control and the emotional reaction variables. In this study, researchers examined the applicability of the theory of reasoned action (TORA) as a framework for developing such interventions. More specifically, in this paper authors will attempt to understand and predict college women's intentions to tell their partners to use condoms every time they have sexual intercourse. Although there are empirical studies supporting the applicability of TORA to condom-using behavior, there are some theoretical issues authors would like to address. According to TORA, the immediate antecedent of any given behavior is the person's intention (BI) to perform that behavior. The theory also specifies two conceptually independent determinants of BI, one personal in nature and the other reflecting social influence. The personal factor is the individual's positive or negative feelings with respect to his or her performing that behavior: the attitude toward the behavior.

Extreme overreaction to nonrisky contact with persons with AIDS is considered to be a case of the operation of the sympathetic magical law of contagion. Prior work has shown that this principle (once in contact, always in contact) holds in the belief systems of American adults. In this paper, we show that four characteristics of this law correspond to the attitudes of college students toward AIDS: (a) actual physical contact is a critical factor in determining negative reactions, (b) even very brief contact is capable of transmitting substantial negative properties (dose insensitivity), (c) the effects of even brief contact are long lasting (permanence), and (d) the effects of contact can occur in a direction opposite to that of the normal causal arrow (backward contagion). We conclude that the magical law of contagion provides a useful way of formulating overconcern about the transmission of AIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between a group's self-stereotype and the group's perceptions of the suitability of the applicant to enter the group was examined using hypothetical and actual applicants. Results indicated that the greater the similarity of the description of a hypothetical applicant to the group's self-stereotype, the higher the applicant's suitability ratings. A similar relationship was found using actual applicants to these same groups. Methodological implications of using actual and experimentally generated stimulus materials in research on selection decisions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social psychology has contributed substantially to the study and understanding of appetitive behaviors. This paper focuses on three major lines of social psychological research that have made particularly important contributions to appetitive behaviors: Hovland's work on attitudes and attitude changes, Bandura's social learning theory, and Schachter's studies of obesity and cigarette smoking. The relevant work of these three social psychologists and the research following from each line of inquiry are reviewed. Additional potential applications of these social psychological approaches to the study of appetitive behaviors are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers views on the paper "Ambient Temperature and Violent Crime," by John L. Cotton, published in the current issue. It mentions an original distinction of two issues, the empirical relationship between high ambient temperature and violence, and the mediator of that relationship. It also names situational factors that may moderate the temperature-aggression relationship as mediated by negative affect or some other explanatory construct.

This paper discusses views of violence that point to situational impingements on the aggressor as precipitants of his or her aggression. The view (situational determinism) is illustrated through excerpts from a trial that was concerned with police responsibility for incidents of police-citizen violence. The excerpts highlight the exonerating and antipsychological corollaries of the situational view and its emphasis on victim-related variables. This deterministic scenario (violence situation) is contrasted with an interpersonal emphasis (violence transaction) and an offender-centered perspective (violence opportunity). In contrast to the latter's emphasis on aggressor motivation, situational determinism implies the generic motivation ("normalcy") of aggression. As a corollary, the view rejects the possibility of introducing deescalating options into evolving violence transactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes and reviews the theory of planned behavior (TPB). The focus is on evidence supporting the further extension of the TPB in various ways. Empirical and theoretical evidence to support the addition of 6 variables to the TPB is reviewed: belief salience measures, past behavior/habit, perceived behavioral control (PBC) vs. self-efficacy, moral norms, self-identity, and affective beliefs. In each case there appears to be growing empirical evidence to support their addition to the TPB and some understanding of the processes by which they may be related to other TPB variables, intentions, and behavior. Two avenues for expansion of the TPB are presented. First, the possibility of incorporating the TPB into a dual-process model of attitude-behavior relationships is reviewed. Second, the expansion of the TPB to include consideration of the volitional processes determining how goal intentions may lead to goal achievement is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meta-analyses of research using the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) show that these models explain on average between 40% and 50% of the variance in intention, and between 19% and 38% of the variance in behavior. This paper evaluates the performance of these models in predicting and explaining intentions and behavior. It discusses the distinction between prediction and explanation, the different standards of comparison against which predictive performance can be judged, the use of percentage of variance explained as a measure of effect size, and presents 9 reasons why the models do not always predict as well as we would like them to do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report an original study of the relationships between self-attributed need for uniqueness and several consumer dispositions. The results indicate that the self-attributed need for uniqueness is related to consumers' desires for scarce, innovative, and customized products and to consumers' preferences for unusual shopping venues, but not to consumers' susceptibilities to normative influence. Moreover, we find that these relationships are mediated by a latent variable reflecting individual differences in the tendency to pursue uniqueness through consumption. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed along with directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has attempted to assess the applicability of the motivation and opportunity as determinants (MODE) of the attitude‐behavior relations model to examine the situations in which automatically activated attitudes predict anti‐fat social judgments. These studies have produced mixed findings, but also had statistical and methodological limitations‐ leaving the applicability of the MODE model to weight bias unclear. Using a sample of ninety‐three undergraduate university students, the current study sought to address limitations of prior research and assess the viability of the MODE model by uniquely conceptualizing motivation as stemming from a need to protect against the negative consequences of a stigmatized social identity. Overall, it was found that participant body mass index (BMI) interacted with automatically activated attitudes to significantly predict perceptions of higher‐weight people's lack of willpower. Specifically, among participants lower in BMI, stronger negative automatically activated attitudes toward higher‐weight individuals directly predicted greater perceptions of higher weight people's lack of willpower. Conversely, among participants higher in BMI, automatically activated attitudes did not predict perceptions of higher‐weight people's lack of willpower. Findings suggest that among higher BMI individuals, a self‐protective motive to avoid the negative consequences of a stigmatized social identity may motivate individuals to correct for the otherwise direct influence of automatically activated attitudes on more controlled, self‐reported anti‐fat judgments. The current study provides initial empirical support for the applicability of the MODE model to understanding situations in which automatically activated attitudes may (or may not) directly predict anti‐fat social judgments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing research has emphasized that neoliberalism triggers anti‐immigrant attitudes. At the national level, this has been attributed to two context‐dependent mechanisms: the existence of radical right‐wing political parties that combine pro‐market ideology with authoritarian social conservatism, and an ethnically and racially heterogeneous environment in which immigrants are over‐identified as welfare recipients. However, these associations may not be context‐dependent because the majority of people tends to share the stereotype of immigrants as incompetent and welfare‐dependent. To test this, we used the case of Japan, where the presence of radical right‐wing parties is marginal in national politics and the size of immigrants is considerably small. By analyzing representative survey data, we showed that neoliberalism is associated with anti‐immigrant attitudes, even in Japan. Furthermore, we conducted a survey experiment in which we varied the skill level and country of origin of immigrants in vignettes. The results showed that respondents who espoused the neoliberal ideology were more sensitive to the skill level of immigrants. These respondents strongly opposed low‐skilled immigrants and in favor of high‐skilled immigrants. They were also opposed to the immigration of certain ethinic groups—Chinese immigrants. These results suggest that the association between neoliberalism and anti‐immigrant attitudes is not necessarily context‐dependent, but rather that stereotypes about immigrants facilitate the association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overreliance on one measurement approach can challenge accurate statements about reality, as findings can represent by-products of the compulsory measurement paradigm. Within the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the compatibility principle represents one such strictly imposed paradigm. Using 2 cross-sectional surveys of 1,394 volunteers and involving structural equation models, we demonstrate that the widely employed practice of measuring TPB constructs is confounded with method-implied bias. This means the theory cannot conclusively reveal origins of a behavior. Our results also suggest that on an aggregated level, when method bias is eliminated, its constructs are linked in hypothesized ways. Adopting a more general model—thus, adopting a more traitlike conceptualization of attitudes—has interesting implications for social psychology and its current trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has examined how standardized tests give rise to gender differences in English and STEM attainment, but little research has explored gender differences in classroom‐based attainment and the degree to which these correspond to differences in school‐related attitudes. To explore the extent to which gender‐achievement gaps in classroom‐based performance parallel differences in self‐perceptions and scholastic attitudes. An independent sample of first (n = 187, age 11–12, Study 1) and second‐year students (n = 113, age 12–13, Study 2) from a UK comprehensive secondary school completed a questionnaire measuring academic mindset, self‐efficacy, self‐concept, competence beliefs, personal and social self‐esteem, and endorsement of gender‐subject and career stereotypes. Responses were then matched to their respective classroom grades in English, mathematics, science, and computing. Girls outperformed boys in English in their first year but reported lower global self‐esteem and greater endorsement of science‐career stereotypes. Conversely, girls outperformed boys in mathematics in their second year, but paradoxically reported lower self‐concept and competence beliefs in mathematics and science, and higher competence beliefs in English. Across both studies, mindset, self‐efficacy, competence beliefs, and social self‐esteem were positively related to English attainment; academic self‐efficacy was positively related to mathematics attainment; and mindset, self‐efficacy, self‐concept, and competence beliefs were positively related to science attainment. Gender‐achievement gaps in classroom‐based academic attainment are complex and highly nuanced; they appear to vary between school subjects across years and may not correspond with similar differences in self‐perceptions and scholastic attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant research concerning the role of the self in social judgment suggests that people have a strong tendency to evaluate others' actions, preferences, and values with regard to their own. Reliance on self‐standards contrasts with the legal standard of the reasonably prudent person (RPP) standard, which presumably represents the behavior of the average person in the community. In three studies that investigated judgments of harmful actions, we compared the influence of self‐standards ("How likely would I behave in this manner?") and RPP estimates ("How likely would the average, reasonable person in the community behave in this manner?"). In each study, self‐standards influenced participants' judgments of guilt and the acceptability of the defendant's actions more than did judgments about what a RPP would do. Studies 2a and 2b also investigated attitudinal differences in susceptibility to RPP consensus manipulations. Participants judged a target who committed murder in self‐defense, and also projected their own hypothetical behavior in the scenario. When the manipulated RPP disapproved of the murder, the target was deemed more culpable, but only among participants who themselves were unwilling to commit the hypothetical act. Participants who expressed willingness to murder in self‐defense were unaffected by RPP information, regardless of whether or not it was consistent with their own stance. Hence, RPP information at best exerted minimal influence on juridical judgments, and only among certain participants. Implications of these findings for legal applications of the RPP, and for the role of the self in social judgment, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Grounded in construal‐level theory (CLT), this experiment examines how messages with different temporal frames (i.e., present‐ vs. future‐framed) influence individuals' perceptions of, and reactions to, water conservation. One hundred ninety‐three participants, 99 from China and 94 from the United States, participated in this study. Results indicated that a present‐framed message results in more positive attitudes toward water conservation than the future‐framed message. Participants who scored higher on individual future‐time orientation show stronger behavioral intention to conserve water than participants who scored lower. A significant interaction between temporal message framing and country emerged such that the future‐framed message resulted in greater behavioral intention for Chinese participants than their U.S. counterparts whereas the present‐framed message did not differentially influence Chinese and U.S. participants. Implications of findings for theory‐building and application are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Although dominant group allies have been increasingly studied by social psychologists interested in positive intergroup relations and the promotion of social justice, most of the existing research focuses on self‐identified allies or dominant group individuals who are engaging in social justice activities. Little comparative work has examined white allies who were specifically identified as such by people of color. Two studies assessed qualities associated with affirming attitudes (low prejudice, high internal motivation to respond without prejudice, allophilia, and awareness of privilege) and informed action (activism) expected to be distinctively characteristic of allies. Nominated white allies in Study 1 had lower prejudice and higher levels of internal motivation to respond without prejudice than nonnominated white participants; this was replicated in Study 2, which compared nominated “allies” and “friends.” In Study 2, nominated white allies rated themselves as lower on prejudice than nominated white friends. They also scored higher on internal motivation to respond without prejudice, understanding of white privilege, and activism than nominated white friends. There were no differences on self‐reported allophilia between the two groups. Allies were rated by the people of color who nominated them as higher on qualities of outgroup affirmation and informed action than were nominated friends. Limitations of and implications for these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imagined contact is an intervention that combines the prejudice-reduction of intergroup contact with the easy, low-risk application of imagery-based techniques. Accordingly, it can be applied where direct contact is difficult or risky. However, a possible limitation of imagined contact is that it may not be effective for participants with stronger initial prejudices, which would limit its usefulness and application. Two experiments ( N1 = 103, N2 = 95) investigated whether initial prejudice moderated imagined contact's effects on explicit attitudes, behavioral intentions (Experiment 1), implicit attitudes, and petition-signing behaviors (Experiment 2) toward two different outgroups. In both experiments, imagined contact was more effective when initial prejudice was higher. Implications for imagined contact theory and application are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on a cultural perspective, we examined whether differences in self-other decision making documented in the West can be replicated in an Eastern context. Study 1 revealed that Chinese participants showed self-other decision-making differences in loss aversion similar to those observed in Western participants; loss aversion differed depending on the type of decision recipient, and trait regulatory focus moderated the self-other decision-making difference. Study 2 found a mediating effect of situational prevention but not promotion focus on the relationship between decision makers' roles and loss aversion. Furthermore, both studies revealed that participants did not show a preference for loss aversion, suggesting that the baseline of self-other decision-making differences has shifted in China compared to the West. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated associations between cross-group friendships, perceived interethnic conflict, and outgroup attitudes in the context of intractable Turkish-Kurdish conflict in Turkey. Measures of cross-group friendship quantity, perceived conflict, outgroup attitudes, multiculturalism, and outgroup responsibility for conflict were completed by Turkish ( N = 320) and Kurdish ( N = 153) participants ( Mage = 21, 156 males, 317 females). Both cross-group friendships and perceived conflict were related to outcome variables. While cross-group friendships were beneficial for both groups' outgroup attitudes when perceived conflict was lower; when perceived conflict level was higher, positive associations between friendships and attitudes became non-significant for the Turkish group and negative for the Kurdish group. Implications of the findings for the intergroup contact theory have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking involves severe violations of human rights and social action is required to combat it. Past research has identified emotional reactions to victims of trafficking, as well as the perceived cost and efficacy of actions, as significant predictors of willingness to get involved. We surveyed 216 Australians (70% female) to assess their perceptions of sex and labor trafficking and actions to reduce them. Results demonstrated that women reported greater personal distress (but not empathy) for victims than men, which was associated with greater willingness to take action. Women also perceived available actions to be more efficacious than men, which predicted willingness, while perceived cost of actions did not. Implications for promoting social action to reduce human trafficking are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In two studies, we tested a model in which the perceived (in)compatibility of being British and Muslim (identity incompatibility) was expected to mediate between group-based discrimination and the identifications and attitudes of British Muslims. In Study 1 ( N = 76), anti-Muslim discrimination was associated with lower national identification and more negative attitudes toward non-Muslims, and these relationships were mediated by perceived identity incompatibility. In Study 2 ( N = 70), we additionally found that anti-Muslim discrimination predicted stronger endorsement of Islamic group rights, and this relationship was also mediated by perceived identity incompatibility. The studies highlight the importance of group-based discrimination in shaping the perceived (in)compatibility of being British and Muslim, and, in turn, the identifications and attitudes of British Muslims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research has not given much attention to understanding how those in the numeric minority (i.e., tokens) with high social status (e.g., males) react to those with low social status (e.g., females). We draw from social dominance orientation ( SDO) to better understand how male tokens' beliefs about group-based hierarchies affect their evaluation of a highly qualified female candidate. We conducted a laboratory study in which participants were placed in a selection situation and were asked to evaluate a highly qualified female candidate. We discovered a significant interaction between token status and SDO such that male tokens who were high in SDO were more likely to evaluate negatively a highly qualified female. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between college student gender, perceived career barriers, and occupational aspirations were examined. Participants were 314 students located in the southeastern United States. Overall, college women reported higher levels of occupational aspirations than college men. While occupational aspirations were not correlated with perceived career barriers for women or men, women reported anticipating more barriers to their career advancement than their male peers. Perceived career barriers and the interaction between gender and perceived career barriers predicted occupational aspirations after controlling for gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and year in school. The relationship between occupational aspirations and the interaction between gender and perceived career barriers in college-age adults enhances our understanding of occupational aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrorist attacks committed in 2003 by Turkish Islamist extremists threatened the social identity of Turkish Muslims by associating them with terrorism. Using a 2 × 3 experimental design, we categorized Turkish respondents and terrorists as members of a shared superordinate group (' Muslims') or as members of separate subgroups. When sharing superordinate group membership with terrorists, less identified Turkish respondents experienced ambivalent identification, i.e., they sought to maintain attachment to their group while simultaneously seeking distance from it. Ambivalent identification was reduced when respondents emphasized their typicality as members of a Muslim subgroup that did not include terrorists. The discussion focuses on ambivalent identification as a response to identity threat, and the implications for Islamist terrorism for the social identity of Muslims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research showed that changing attitudes toward stigmatized groups can result from both the simple processes that require little thinking and the traditional elaborative forms of persuasion that require high thinking processes. Importantly, even when the obtained attitude change was equivalent for situations in which there was high and low message elaboration, the changes produced in high thinking conditions were found to be more resistant to further attacks than equivalent changes produced by less thoughtful mechanisms. Not only were those attitudes more resistant as measured objectively (Study 1) but participants also perceived their attitudes to be subjectively more resistant (Study 2). These studies suggest that examining the processes by which prejudice is changed can be important for understanding the consequences and long-term implications of treatments and campaigns oriented to changing attitudes toward stigmatized groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vallerand et al. developed a dualistic model of passion where two types of passion are proposed: harmonious and obsessive passion. They generally predict adaptive and less adaptive outcomes, respectively. In this study, we examine whether the type of passion that employees hold toward work influences their evaluations of job demands and resources. We hypothesized that a harmonious passion for work would lead to positive evaluations of job control and support in the workplace as well as to low levels of work overload. In contrast, we hypothesized that an obsessive passion for work would lead to evaluations of work overload and to low levels of job control and support. The results of a longitudinal study supported our hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allies are frequently studied from the viewpoint of dominant group members. Three studies took a different perspective by investigating how people of color perceive both White allies and allies of color. Study 1 used content analysis of qualitative data from 80 people of color to describe eight major themes of ally perception. With samples of 182 and 195 people of color, Studies 2 and 3 employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to identify two subscales, informed action and affirmation, based on the themes. Both independent and paired samples t tests showed that people of color rating a White ally versus an ally of color perceived significantly less willingness to engage racial issues. Findings are discussed in relation to existing allies research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to examine the factors affecting the acceptance of an entertainment medium, particularly online games, by expanding the technology acceptance model. To measure factors affecting the acceptance of online games, we fielded a survey with 244 gamers serving as respondents. Perceived usefulness, enjoyment, and economic value were found to have a positive influence on attitude toward gaming, whereas perceived ease of use was not a significant predictor. In addition, we found that gender and game type (multiplayer or not) showed differing patterns of results. Interestingly, perceptions of mass acceptance of gaming were found to have a negative effect on attitude toward online games. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies examined the influence of an anti-discrimination norm on Swiss nationals' discrimination against foreigners as a function of initial attitude (pro-foreigner vs. anti-foreigner) and in-group threat (i.e., whether or not foreigners are perceived as taking nationals' jobs). Results showed that anti-foreigners decreased their level of discrimination (i.e., a conformity effect) when threat was low, but did not change (Study 1) or increased discrimination (i.e., a counter-conformity effect) when threat was high (Study 2). No significant effects were observed for pro-foreigners. It is argued that conformity to anti-discrimination norms increases as the individual-norm discrepancy increases, insofar as the social context provides legitimacy to this norm (i.e., low in-group threat conditions). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interplay of nationalistic threat perceptions, dehumanizing beliefs and intergroup emotions, and anti-immigrant sentiment is analyzed in a cross-national context with Australian ( N = 124) and Canadian ( N = 126) samples. National identification was linked to negative attitudes toward immigrants indirectly, via perceptions of immigrants as being in threatening zero-sum relationships with citizens. In turn, perceived zero-sum threat was associated with dehumanizing beliefs and emotions about immigrants. Significant baseline differences in hostility were observed across the samples, but the relationships among the variables were not moderated by participants' nationality. The study contributes to the literature examining how negative emotions and attitudes may serve to legitimize intergroup competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its conceptualization, the construct of homophobia has been the subject of many speculations about its specificity, reach, and possibility of empirical assessment. Several instruments have been created aiming to measure the prejudice against homosexuals. Peer-reviewed articles of studies using measures to assess homophobia and related constructs were systematically reviewed in 4 databases ( Medline, PsycINFO, ERIC, JSTOR). The articles were classified as they displayed evidence of the instrument's validity, reliability, or both. Finally, the instruments were rated according to that evidence. Out of 1076 results, 115 studies between 1993 and 2010 were identified as relevant. Those studies used 47 different instruments. This review focused in 5 instruments that concentrated the majority of the citations. Psychometric properties were acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research concerned with the experiences and motivations of people who participate in mountain climbing tends to overlook the varied nature of this pursuit, with comparisons between different types of climbing only occasionally receiving attention. Accordingly, the present study ( N = 207) sought to examine representations of a broad range of different types of climbing. Of particular interest was the notion of risk. Principal component analyses for each type of climbing revealed 'challenge,' 'risk,' 'enjoyment,' and 'perspective and self-reflection' components. Attitudes toward participation were regressed on these components. Although the results revealed significant differences between the ratings of risk reported for the different types of climbing, risk had limited predictive impact on attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies explored the role of perceived threat in predicting White Australians' acculturation preferences for Muslim immigrants, with particular focus on the impact of their reliance on the mass media. In Study 1, students completed a survey that indicated that their tolerance of Muslim practice was largely explained by their general attitudes to multiculturalism. However, among those who were highly reliant on the media, symbolic threat from Muslims played an additional role, with those who perceived more threat being less tolerant. Study 2 further explored these findings in a second survey that included other measures of threat that comprise the integrated threat theory. While intergroup anxiety was the form of threat with the strongest main effect on tolerance, the impact of symbolic threat was again moderated by reliance on the mass media. The implications for understanding the role of media in facilitating interethnic disharmony were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interventions to reduce car use have shown limited success, in part due to limitations in models of transport choices. The theory of planned behavior ( TPB) has provided a useful predictive model of car use but the specific beliefs that underpin TPB-specified cognitions are less well understood. In this study, 229 university employees responded to a questionnaire and then reported their commuting choices 1 week later. Intention and perceived behavioral control ( PBC) predicted car use ( R2 = .79). Intention was predicted by attitude, subjective norm, PBC, and moral norm ( R2 = .56). Beliefs could not be differentiated into attitudinal and PBC constructs, but seven beliefs predicted TPB cognitions. A similar model was tested for public transport use. The results identify key targets for future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a realistic social context, people are confronted with both positive and negative information, yet research on this topic is relatively scarce. We present 2 studies examining the role of initial attitudes on the impact of one-sided vs. balanced positive and negative information on attitudes toward food production methods. The first experiment demonstrated that one-sided information influenced post-information attitudes congruent to the direction of the message content. The second experiment showed that the effect of balanced information on post-information attitudes may depend on initial attitudes. These results demonstrate that negativity effects are dominant for people with initial positive attitudes, but change into positivity effects for people with initial negative attitudes. Implications for communicating both positive and negative information are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]