Epistemological beliefs and theory of planned behavior: Examining beliefs about knowledge and knowing as distal predictors of Indonesian tertiary students\u27 intention to study

Using the theory of planned behavior or TPB (Ajzen, 2005) as a general framework, the study examines the role of Indonesian students\u27 beliefs about the nature of knowledge and knowing (epistemological beliefs) as a distal antecedent predictor of students\u27 behavioral intention in studying for a forthcoming examination. Consistent with the TPB, it was hypothesized that the effects of epistemological beliefs on the behavioral intention to study would be mediated by three proximal antecedent predictors: (a) attitudes toward studying hard, (b) personal norms related to studying hard, and (c) perceived behavioral control over studying hard. Participants were 497 psychology undergraduate students at a private university in Indonesia, who answered a Bahasa Indonesian translation of Chan and Elliott\u27s (2002) Epistemological Belief Questionnaire and a questionnaire on their beliefs and behavioral intentions related to studying hard and persistently for an examination. The results of hierarchical multiple regressions supported the hypotheses. Students\u27 belief that effort is a prerequisite of the attainment of knowledge and belief that ability is innate and non-malleable were positive and negative predictors, respectively, of studying hard-related attitudes, personal norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intentions. And the relationships between effort and ability beliefs and studying behavioral intentions were fully mediated by the three proximal predictors of the behavioral intention. © 2010 De La Salle University, Philippines

Content and structure of values in middle adolescence: Evidence from Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia

Schwartz\u27s theory of the content and structure of human values has been validated mostly with adult (teacher and university student) samples. The present study examines the content and structure of values of middle adolescents in Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia. The 40-item version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire was administered to 230 adolescents in each country (total N = 920; boys and girls were equal) and smallest space analysis was performed. Consistent with theory, the 10 first-order values and the four second-order values, organized in two bipolar dimensions, were identified in all samples. In support of the developmentally modified value model for young people, there was some evidence for the periphery of power to achievement. Interestingly, the location of benevolence and universalism were reversed across all cultural groups, and tradition values separated into self-restriction and faith. Overall, the findings support the claim that Schwartz\u27s theory of values is neither restricted to adults nor solely based on a particular instrument and is generalizable across diverse national contexts. © The Author(s) 2011

Cultural factors relevant to secondary school students in Australia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia: Relative differences and congruencies

Waldrip and Fisher (2000) proposed seven culturally relevant factors that are salient in the educational setting (gender equity, collaboration, competition, deference, modelling, teacher authority, congruence). In relation to these factors, the present study examined differences and congruencies in factor structure (i.e., differences of kind) and mean scores (i.e., differences of degree) among secondary school students in Australia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia. The Cultural Learning Environment Questionnaire (CLEQ; Waldrip & Fisher, 2000) was administered to 920 students (n = 230 for each country, with boys and girls equally represented; mean age = 16 years). Factor analyses showed congruencies across the four samples on five factors. Interestingly, items pertaining to students\u27 deference to and modelling of teachers and peers grouped into one factor for the Australian sample, but separated into two factors (peers and teacher) for the South-East Asian samples. In terms of mean scores on each factor, Australian students were higher than the Singaporean, Filipino and Indonesian students in their inclination to challenge or disagree with the teacher. On the other hand, the three groups of South-East Asian students scored higher than the Australian students in their preferences for collaboration and conformity in the classroom. Implications for counselling relevant to multicultural classroom and school contexts were discussed

What happens to physical activity behavior, motivation, self-concept, and flow after completing school? a longitudinal study

With particular focus on the year following completion of high school, the present study sought to establish the status of young people's physical activity behavior, physical activity motivation, physical activity flow, and physical self-concept. Among a sample of 213 Australian participants assessed in their final year of school and then one year later, findings suggested a significant increase in physical activity behavior and a significant reduction in maladaptive behavioral motivation. On other physical measures, females demonstrated significant improvements in their general physical self-concepts and males demonstrated significant improvements in their health self-concepts. Implications for gender-specific and developmentally targeted interventions are discussed. © 2011 Informa pl