An idiographic approach to the person x environment interaction in support judgments /

Earliest models of perceived social support emphasized aspects of the individual\u27s social environment, proposing that perceived support is a direct function of the help one actually received. Other researchers speculated that perceived social support is a reflection of the personality of the perceiver. However, a recent series of generalizability studies suggest that the single most important determinant of support judgments is the Perceiver by Environment interaction. Thus, it appears that social support judgments are largely driven by the unique matching between the perceiver and the support provider. One potential mechanism of this matching process is that different people base their judgments of other\u27s supportiveness on different characteristics of targets. In order to investigate this possibility, a series of three studies were conducted. In the first, subjects completed measures of perceived support and personality, as well as rated the extent to which different patterns of personality profiles imply supportiveness. The results of Study 1 indicated that 1) subjects differed in the traits that they associated with support, and 2) the traits subjects associated with support were the same traits they see in themselves. This suggests a similarity between subjects\u27 mental representation of self and representations of supportive others. Because subjects made ratings of hypothetical personality profiles, Study 1 did not address whether this similarity effect applies to support judgments of actual persons. In Study 2, subjects made personality and support ratings of both themselves and a target in their own social networks. The results of Study 2 indicated that the more similar subjects and targets were in personality, the more likely subjects were to see the target as supportive. One limitation of Study 2 was that subjects each rated a different target. In Study 3 subjects all rated the support and personality of the same four characters in a popular television program. The results of Study 3 indicated that the traits subjects associated with support of the four characters were the same traits they saw in themselves. Taken together the three studies provide good evidence that when asking people what they think a good support provider is like, they will say a good support provider is someone who is like themselves

Elaboration versus Fragmentation: Distinguishing between Self-Complexity and Self-Concept Differentiation

While theorists have argued that self-concept differentiation (SCD) (i.e., the lack of interrelatedness of roles) is an important precursor to mental health problems (Donahue et al., 1993), self-complexity (i.e., having more self-aspects and maintaining greater distinction among self-aspects) is seen as a cognitive buffer against the deleterious effects of stress (Linville, 1985, 1987). Using a sample of 260 college students, the current study was designed to empirically validate the distinction between these seemingly similar constructs. As predicted, SCD and self-complexity demonstrated opposite relationships with indices of psychological distress. Whereas SCD was positively related to depression, loneliness, and dissociation, and negatively related to self-esteem, the opposite pattern of results was observed with respect to self-complexity. Further, SCD, but not self-complexity, was associated with retrospective reports of parental bonding. Finally, results indicated that each of the two aspects of selfhood contributed unique variance to the prediction of psychological maladjustment. Thus, the current study provides quantitative justification for treating SCD and self-complexity as theoretically distinct aspects of self-concept structure

Emotional Dysregulation and Borderline Personality Disorder: Explaining the Link between Secondary Psychopathy and Alexithymia

Research explaining the overlap between psychopathy and alexithymia is in its infancy. A study by Lander, Lutz-Zois, Rye, and Goodnight (2012) revealed a significant positive correlation between secondary, but not primary, psychopathy and alexithymia. However, little is known about what accounts for this differential association. Because both alexithymia (Webb & McMurran, 2008) and secondary psychopathy (Blackburn, 1996) have been linked to Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), the current study sought to determine if emotional processing deficits characteristic of BPD could explain the link between secondary psychopathy and alexithymia. The results supported the hypothesis that BPD would mediate the association between secondary psychopathy and alexithymia. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed

An exploration into pre-game speeches and their influence on psychological and performance outcomes in basketball

This thesis details a narrative review and five empirical studies with the overall aim to examine the use, content, and effects of pre-game speeches in basketball. Chapter 1 found that pre-game speech research, although emerging, is limited despite its common use throughout team sports. Chapter 2 used a cross-sectional survey design and found that pre-game speeches are common within basketball, and that the majority of basketball players find them enjoyable, useful, and influential on their individual and team confidence and performance. Chapters 3 and 4 applied a qualitative approach with professional basketball players and coaches respectively. Players perceived pre-game speeches as a valuable part of their pre-game routine, that individual and team needs could be met during pre-game speeches, and that players engage in various behaviours to compensate if those needs are not met. Coaches’ delivery of pre-game speeches depended on context and purpose, and after games they engaged in a reflective process that influences subsequent speeches. Both coaches and athletes perceived that pre-game speeches effect cognitive, affective, and behavioural variables and ultimately performance. Chapter 5 used a novel concept mapping approach and found six types of pre-game speech content: strategic information, collective team support, emotional appeal, concentration/focus, negative/critical, and pre-game speech preparation. Coaches and athletes rated strategic information as most effective for enhancing collective efficacy and performance. Chapter 6 used a mixed-methods approach throughout a season with a professional basketball team. Although the effect of pregame speeches on performance was not statistically significant, the effect size was large. Participants perceived that pre-game speeches influence performance via four main psychological factors: efficacy, focus, energy, and support. Evidence provided in this thesis demonstrates the use and perceived importance of pre-game speeches within basketball, underlying mechanisms, and the potential effect on psychological and performance outcomes

Marketing car love in an age of fear: an anthropological approach to the emotional life of a world of automobiles

The emotional life of car drivers and passengers in the United States is complex, with car marketing and a wider car system of infrastructure, regulation, risk, and profit shaping those affects. Based on anthropological research with drivers, buyers, marketers, and emergency personnel, this paper outlines a political economy of automobile affect in the United States. It focuses on the emotional encapsulation and individualism that car culture encourages, the remaking of the car interior as a highly emotional marketing and political space, and the fear of crime and crashes that car marketing both elides and banks on.A vida emocional dos condutores e passageiros de automóveis nos Estados Unidos é complexa, sendo os afetos moldados pelo mercado, por um sistema de infraestruturas mais vasto, pela regulamentação, pelo risco e pelo lucro. A partir de uma pesquisa antropológica que envolveu condutores, compradores, promotores comerciais e pessoal de serviços de emergência, o texto identifica os contornos de uma economia política dos afetos relacionados com o automóvel nos Estados Unidos. Centra-se no encapsulamento emocional e no individualismo encorajados pela cultura automóvel, na reconfiguração do interior dos veículos como espaço político e comercial fortemente marcado pela emoção, e no medo do crime e dos acidentes que a promoção de mercado omite, mas do qual depende

Positive and Negative Symptoms of Schizotypy and the Five-Factor Model: A Domain and Facet Level Analysis

In this study, we investigated the Five-factor model in the concurrent prediction of positive symptomschizotypy as measured by the Magical Ideation (Eckblad & Chapman, 1983) and Perceptual Aberration (Chapman, Chapman, & Raulin, 1978) scales and negative symptom schizotypy as measured by the Physical Anhedonia (Chapman, Chapman, & Raulin, 1976) and Revised Social Anhedonia (Eckblad, Chapman, Chapman, & Mishlove, 1982; Mishlove & Chapman, 1985) scales. Previous studies suggest that these measures reflect the core symptoms found in schizotypal and schizoid personality disorder (Bailey, West, Widiger, & Freiman, 1993). Negative symptoms were significantly predicted by Neuroticism (+), Extraversion (-), Openness (-), and Agreeableness (-) domains of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R; Costa & McCrae, 1992). Additionally, positive symptoms were significantly predicted by Neuroticism (+), Openness (+), and Agreeableness (-). In addition, we examined the validity of lower order traits in describing these symptoms of character pathology. These findings lend further support for the use of domain and facet scales of the NEO-PI-R in the identification of personality pathology

Psychopathy and the Five Factor Model in a Noninstitutionalized Sample: A Domain and Facet Level Analysis

The current study examined the relationship of the Five Factor Model (FFM) of personality to primary and secondary psychopathic dispositions in a noninstitutionalized sample. Previous investigations suggest that Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Neuroticism are basic personality traits that characterize psychopathy. However, few studies have examined the relationship of the FFM to primary and secondary psychopathic attributes, respectively. In the current study, the relationship of the FFM using the NEO-PI-R to primary and secondary psychopathic dispositions was investigated in a sample of young adults. Previous findings were extended by (1) addressing the relationship of higher and lower order FFM traits (i.e., facet scales) to primary and secondary psychopathy in a subclinical sample and (2) examining sex differences in FFM traits in relation to these two psychopathic dispositions. Although a number of differences were found between men and women for the FFM in terms of primary psychopathy, few sex differences were noted with respect to secondary psychopathy. In addition, examination of facet scale relationships to primary and secondary psychopathy further clarify the role of the FFM in psychopathy. These findings lend further support to the use of domain and facet scales of the NEO-PI-R in the identification of personality pathology in noninstitutionalized populations

The influence of anxiety on judgments of risks

Thesis (B.S.) in Psychology--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 31-34)Microfiche of typescript. [Urbana, Ill.]: Photographic Services, University of Illinois, U of I Library, [1992]. 2 microfiches (47 frames): negative.s 1992 ilu n