Interest as a motivational resource: Feedback and gender matter, but interest makes the difference

Abstract. This study tested the hypothesis that interest in a certain topic enables children to sustain their intrinsic motivation in topic-related tasks when positive feedback is absent. Ninety-one Israeli children in the seventh grade completed a questionnaire assessing their interest in the topic of logic questions. Later, in individual sessions, children worked on logic questions, and either received positive feedback or no feedback on their performance. Then, they completed a questionnaire assessing their intrinsic motivation to participate in a similar task. As expected, children with a high level of interest reported more intrinsic motivation than did children not high on interest. Among children with moderate interest, absence of positive feedback was associated with decreased intrinsic motivation for boys, and increased motivation for girls. This gender-related pattern was interpreted as suggesting that girls with moderate interest perceived the positive feedback as an attempt to control them. The findings support the view that interest may serve as a personal resource that helps children to cope with non-optimal learning conditions

Posttraumatic Growth and Dyadic Adjustment among War Veterans and their Wives

The controversy regarding the nature of posttraumatic growth includes two main competing claims: one which argues that posttraumatic growth reflects authentic positive changes and the other which argues that posttraumatic growth reflects illusory defenses. While the former might suggest that posttraumatic growth enhances intimacy and close relationships, the latter might imply that posttraumatic growth hinders interpersonal relations. The present study aimed to test these claims by investigating the association between posttraumatic growth and dyadic adjustment over time at both the individual and dyadic levels, and the potential role of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Former prisoners of war and comparable war veterans and their wives (n = 229) were assessed twice, 30–31 (T1) and 35–38 (T2) years after the 1973 Yom Kippur War in Israel, with regard to posttraumatic growth, posttraumatic stress symptoms and dyadic adjustment. Results indicated that posttraumatic growth was associated with both elevated posttraumatic stress symptoms and low dyadic adjustment among both husbands and wives. Posttraumatic stress symptoms at T1 and T2 mediated the association between posttraumatic growth and dyadic adjustment. Wives' posttraumatic growth at T1 predicted posttraumatic growth and dyadic adjustment of the husbands at T2. The higher the wives' posttraumatic growth, the higher the posttraumatic growth and the lower the dyadic adjustment of the husbands in the subsequent measure. The findings suggest that posttraumatic growth reflects defensive beliefs which undermine marital relationships and that posttraumatic growth might be transmitted between spouses and implicated in the deterioration of the marital relationship over time

Mediators of the associations between parents’ conditional regard and the quality of their adult-children’s peer-relationships

Parental conditional regard (PCR) involves parents providing or withdrawing affection to motivate children to do what the parents want. Numerous studies have demonstrated that PCR has harmful consequences for children. The present research examines associations between PCR and children’s later relationships with young-adult peers. We conducted two cross-sectional studies (Study 1: 118 participants, 73 women; Study 2: 120 participants, 89 women). Study 3 involved collecting data from both members of a romantic heterosexual dyad (109 couples). Study 4 involved participants interacting with a neutral accomplice (73 participants, 56 women). We found support for several mediators of the association between PCR and young-adults’ relationship quality: psychological need satisfaction (Studies 1 and 2), and projection of one’s own conditional regard onto a partner (Studies 3 and 4). Although longitudinal data are needed to establish causality, these findings suggest that exposure to PCR is negatively associated with adult-children’s peer relationship quality, and offers clues for disrupting this inimical association

Supplemental Material, jspr-17-153-File004 - You haven’t been on my mind lately: Partner responsiveness mediates the link between attachment insecurity and sexual fantasies

<p>Supplemental Material, jspr-17-153-File004 for You haven’t been on my mind lately: Partner responsiveness mediates the link between attachment insecurity and sexual fantasies by Moran Mizrahi, Yaniv Kanat-Maymon, and Gurit E. Birnbaum in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships</p

Supplemental Material, jspr-17-153-File005 - You haven’t been on my mind lately: Partner responsiveness mediates the link between attachment insecurity and sexual fantasies

<p>Supplemental Material, jspr-17-153-File005 for You haven’t been on my mind lately: Partner responsiveness mediates the link between attachment insecurity and sexual fantasies by Moran Mizrahi, Yaniv Kanat-Maymon, and Gurit E. Birnbaum in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships</p

Supplemental Material, jspr-17-153-File003 - You haven’t been on my mind lately: Partner responsiveness mediates the link between attachment insecurity and sexual fantasies

<p>Supplemental Material, jspr-17-153-File003 for You haven’t been on my mind lately: Partner responsiveness mediates the link between attachment insecurity and sexual fantasies by Moran Mizrahi, Yaniv Kanat-Maymon, and Gurit E. Birnbaum in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships</p