The five-factor model of personality and problematic smartphone use

Thirteen studies were reviewed to better understand how smartphone ownership and use relate to the five factors of personality (i.e., openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism) overall and across three different age groups. Of the 10 studies used to compare problematic smartphone use across age groups, 2 (20%) included adolescent samples, 7 (70%) included young adult samples, and 3 (30%) included adult to older adult samples. Across all samples, problematic smartphone use correlated most strongly with neuroticism (positively) and conscientiousness (negatively). Relatively weaker and more inconsistent correlations with problematic smartphone use were found for openness, extraversion, and agreeableness. Future research should emphasize sampling adolescent and older adult populations, as well as measure the six facets of each personality factor to more thoroughly explore potential links between personality and problematic smartphone use

Use of Contract Grading to Improve Grades Among College Freshmen in Introductory Psychology

The use of behavioral techniques in college teaching has declined during the past three decades. The purpose of this study was to compare a behaviorally based grading approach with a traditional point-based system. A total of 40 college freshmen were randomly assigned to a Traditionally Graded or Contract Graded Introductory Psychology course. Contract graded students were one third as likely to fail or withdraw, 3 times more likely to earn an A grade, and were more likely to perceive a high degree of control over their grade. These findings support use of a contract grading system in the contemporary college classroom

Moderating variables in the relationship between mental toughness and performance in basketball

AbstractPurposeThis study explored the relationship between mental toughness and college basketball performance, specifically examining possible moderating variables (gender and starting status).MethodsMale and female (n = 197) college basketball players completed the Psychological Performance Inventory-Alternative (PPI-A), a measure of characteristics and skills consistent with mental toughness, and the PERF, an objective measure of basketball performance.ResultsFindings suggest that basketball performance can be partially predicted by mental toughness and starting status. Males reported greater mental toughness than females. Starters and nonstarters did not differ in mental toughness. Moderated hierarchical regression analysis indicated that mental toughness was related to performance for male players as both a main effect and interaction with starter status. For female players, in contrast, starter status was the only significant predictor of performance. Practitioners are encouraged to foster the psychological skills associated with mental toughness in females and non-starters in basketball.ConclusionDiscussion of the PPI-A as a measure of mental toughness and suggestions for its improvement are explored. A need exists for additional research on mental toughness and objective performance, as performance enhancement is a major impetus for research on mental toughness