A cross-cultural study of predictors of self-handicapping in university students

The influence of Perfectionism, Self-esteem and Self-efficacy on Self-handicapping in studying was investigated in relation to individualism and collectivism in students in the United Kingdom and Lebanon. One hundred and twenty eight participants (64 UK and 64 from Lebanon) completed the Individualism and Collectivism Scale; the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale; the Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory; the Self-handicapping Scale; the Generalised Self-efficacy Scale; and the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. Results indicated that Lebanese students showed characteristics of both collectivist and individualist societies whereas the British students were more individualistic. Lebanese students tended to have higher scores on measures of Self-esteem and all forms of Perfectionism than British students, but similar scores on Self-handicapping and Self-efficacy. Regression analyses showed that Lebanese and British students with higher Self-esteem scores and fewer internal self-motivations to be perfect report Self-handicapping less often. British students who report Self-handicapping have lower Self-efficacy scores and higher Self-reliance scores than those who Self-handicap less often, and being female is associated with slightly higher Self-handicapping in the Lebanese. In conclusion, reported Self-orientated Perfectionism and Self-esteem were the major predictors of Self-handicapping in both cultures, and there were other minor differences, supporting the theory that self-handicapping is partly due to feelings of self-doubt

Sea Star Wasting Disease in the Keystone Predator <i>Pisaster ochraceus</i> in Oregon: Insights into Differential Population Impacts, Recovery, Predation Rate, and Temperature Effects from Long-Term Research

<div><p>Sea star wasting disease (SSWD) first appeared in Oregon in April 2014, and by June had spread to most of the coast. Although delayed compared to areas to the north and south, SSWD was initially most intense in north and central Oregon and spread southward. Up to 90% of individuals showed signs of disease from June-August 2014. In rocky intertidal habitats, populations of the dominant sea star <i>Pisaster ochraceus</i> were rapidly depleted, with magnitudes of decline in density among sites ranging from -2x to -9x (59 to 84%) and of biomass from -2.6x to -15.8x (60 to 90%) by September 2014. The frequency of symptomatic individuals declined over winter and persisted at a low rate through the spring and summer 2015 (~5–15%, at most sites) and into fall 2015. Disease expression included six symptoms: initially with twisting arms, then deflation and/or lesions, lost arms, losing grip on substrate, and final disintegration. SSWD was disproportionally higher in orange individuals, and higher in tidepools. Although historically <i>P</i>. <i>ochraceus</i> recruitment has been low, from fall 2014 to spring 2015 an unprecedented surge of sea star recruitment occurred at all sites, ranging from ~7x to 300x greater than in 2014. The loss of adult and juvenile individuals in 2014 led to a dramatic decline in predation rate on mussels compared to the previous two decades. A proximate cause of wasting was likely the “Sea Star associated Densovirus” (SSaDV), but the ultimate factors triggering the epidemic, if any, remain unclear. Although warm temperature has been proposed as a possible trigger, SSWD in Oregon populations increased with cool temperatures. Since <i>P</i>. <i>ochraceus</i> is a keystone predator that can strongly influence the biodiversity and community structure of the intertidal community, major community-level responses to the disease are expected. However, predicting the specific impacts and time course of change across west coast meta-communities is difficult, suggesting the need for detailed coast-wide investigation of the effects of this outbreak.</p></div

Log-linear regression between water temperature averaged over the previous two weeks of the sample date and the frequency (arcsin-transformed) of SSWD on the sample date.

<p>Log-linear regression between water temperature averaged over the previous two weeks of the sample date and the frequency (arcsin-transformed) of SSWD on the sample date.</p

Wasting frequency at nine (eight in 2015) sites spread across three capes in 2014 and 2015.

<p>A. and D., CF = Cape Foulweather; B. and E., CP = Cape Perpetua; and C. and F., CB = Cape Blanco. Note that the y-axis scale varies among capes for 2015 data. See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0153994#pone.0153994.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1</a> for site names, here coded as initials.</p

Air and water temperatures by month at three sites.

<p>Fogarty Creek and Cape Blanco North climatologies (black lines) were averaged from 1999 to 2014, and at Strawberry Hill from 1993 to 2014. The red line shows 2014 data. Climatologies are monthly means ± 1 SD and 2014 data are monthly means ± 1 SE.</p

Average (+ 1SE) proportion of recruits of <i>P</i>. <i>ochraceus</i> over time at seven sites.

<p>Sample sizes were ~200 individuals per site per sample date. See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0153994#sec003" target="_blank">Methods</a> for details.</p

Magnitude of change from summer 2014 to summer 2015 in density (number/m²) of <i>P</i>. <i>ochraceus</i> at seven sites.

<p>Sites are color coded by cape, with blue = Cape Foulweather, red = Cape Perpetua, and green = Cape Blanco. A. Change in adult density, B. Change in juvenile density, C. Change in recruit density, D. Change in total sea star density. Weight ranges for each life history stage are approximate, and based on Menge 1974, which found that animals up to ~70g were non-reproductive and animals from ~100 g and larger had ripe gonads (before spawning). See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0153994#pone.0153994.g002" target="_blank">Fig 2</a> caption for site names.</p

Test of effects of cape, zone, year and month on <i>P</i>. <i>ochraceus</i> settlement^a.

<p>Test of effects of cape, zone, year and month on <i>P</i>. <i>ochraceus</i> settlement<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0153994#t003fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

Map of study sites along the Oregon coast.

<p>Subtidal bathymetry is shown with gray lines, and scaled in m depth.</p

Frequencies of sea star wasting symptoms for <i>P</i>. <i>ochraceus</i> through time, summer 2014, at 9 sites.

<p>Top row = Cape Foulweather sites, middle row = Cape Perpetua sites, and bottom row = Cape Blanco sites. See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0153994#pone.0153994.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1</a> caption for site names.</p