scholarly journals Attitudes towards Mathematics: Effects of Individual, Motivational, and Social Support Factors

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria de Lourdes Mata ◽  
Vera Monteiro ◽  
Francisco Peixoto

This paper aims to understand how certain different but interrelated variables such as background, motivation, and social support could lead to an explanation of student attitudes towards math and to an understanding of the defining characteristics of these attitudes in the school environment. Participants consisted of 1719 Portuguese students, from fifth-to-twelfth grade. The study utilizes an adaptation of the “Intrinsic Motivation Inventory” assessing main determinants of intrinsic motivation. One section of the questionnaire—“In my Math Class”—also assesses student perceptions of teacher and peer support as well as student attitudes. The results revealed that, in general, students held positive attitudes towards mathematics and also highlighted the main effects of grade and math achievement on these attitudes. No gender effect was identified although the girls showed a continuous decline in attitudes the further they progressed in school. A hierarchical analysis using structural equation modeling showed that motivation-related variables are the main predictors of attitudes towards mathematics and that teachers and the social support of peers are also highly significant in understanding these attitudes.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3184
Author(s):  
Ying-Hua Huang ◽  
Chen-Yu Sung ◽  
Wei Tong Chen ◽  
Shu-Shun Liu

The occupational injury death rate and mortality ratio owing to cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases in the construction industry are the highest among all industries in Taiwan. Reducing work stress and improving safety behavior is a must for reducing occupational disasters and diseases. Construction site management personnel’s safety behavior is an important paradigm for construction workers. This study explored the relationships among work stress, safety behavior, professional identity, social status perception, and social support for construction site management personnel by using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated that low work stress can lead to favorable safety behavior. Greater company support, family support, and professional identity reduce work stress. Social status perception negatively influences work stress indirectly through the mediation of professional identity. The results revealed that construction site management personnel working within an exempt employee system (i.e., no overtime pay and compensatory leave) exhibited a significantly higher effort/reward ratio than those without this system. Gender, headquarter location, and site location also significantly influenced the on-site management personnel’s effort/reward ratio.


Author(s):  
Chengxu Long ◽  
Ruoxi Wang ◽  
Da Feng ◽  
Lu Ji ◽  
Zhanchun Feng ◽  
...  

Background: Due to the household registration system, Chinese elderly migrants have insufficient access to health services and social support. Thus, this study examined the use of health services, the access to social support, and the interaction among the elderly migrating within China. Methods: Data were obtained from the China Migrant Dynamic Monitoring Survey in 2015, adopting probability proportionate to size as the sampling strategy. Structural equation modeling and mediating effect tests were employed to explore the associations. Results: Approximately 45.9% of elderly migrants did not seek health services when needed. The use of outpatient and inpatient services was more common than free essential public health services. The use of health services was negatively associated with migrating duration and migrating for offspring, while it was positively associated with outer social support. The mediating effects of outer social support were discovered on the relationships between the use of health services and independent variables such as migrating duration and migrating for offspring, respectively. Conclusion: Elderly migrants with a longer migrating duration or migrated for offspring seem to obtain less outer social support, resulting in a decreased use of health services. Outer social support was suggested as a key effort to improve the equalization of health services in Chinese elderly migrants.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. e0170469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marizélia Rodrigues Costa Ribeiro ◽  
Antônio Augusto Moura da Silva ◽  
Maria Teresa Seabra Soares de Britto e Alves ◽  
Rosângela Fernandes Lucena Batista ◽  
Cecília Cláudia Costa Ribeiro ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 3006-3025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Suess ◽  
Makarand Amrish Mody

Purpose The study aims to examine how features that foster a sense of control, create positive distractions and provide access to social support influence patients’ well-being and, subsequently, their likelihood to choose hotel-like hospital rooms and their willingness to pay higher out-of-pocket expenses for such rooms. While there is increasing evidence to suggest the importance of the provision of hospitality in healthcare settings, research on these developments remains under-represented, particularly in the hospitality literature. In response, the present study builds on Ulrich’s (1991) theory of supportive design to examine patient responses to hotel-like features in a hospital room. Design/methodology/approach Using data from a survey of 406 patients, the authors used structural equation modeling to test the model. Findings Consistent with supportive design principles, the infusion of hotel-like features that foster a sense of control for patients, create positive distractions and provide access to social support was found to positively impact patients’ physical and mental well-being, which, in turn, increased their likelihood to choose a hospital room with hotel-like features and their willingness to pay for such rooms. Practical Implications Findings attest to the need for healthcare providers to make the necessary investment in hotel-like features and to leverage the communicative power of these environmental cues. Social support in the form of hospitality-trained and certified healthcare staff was found to be the most important hotel-like feature, which also presents significant commercial opportunities for hospitality companies and professionals. Originality Value The study represents one of the first attempts to empirically develop a structured model to examine the infusion of hospitality into healthcare. It provides researchers with a theoretically supported framework for future inquiry into the domain. It also makes a significant contribution to advancing the research on patient well-being in healthcare settings and demonstrates the importance of hospitality to such endeavors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 1363-1379
Author(s):  
Vishal Gupta

PurposeIntegrating the behavioral theory of leadership, the componential theory of creativity and the self-determination theory (SDT), the study tests the relationships between leadership, work motivation (intrinsic motivation, integrated extrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation) and employee-level innovation (innovative work behavior and innovation outcomes) in a work setting.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a survey questionnaire from 493 scientists working in India's largest civilian research and development (R&D) organization. The structural equation modeling (SEM) method was used to test the hypothesized relationships between the study variables.FindingsThe study found evidence for positive relationships between leadership, employee autonomous motivation (intrinsic and integrated extrinsic motivation) and employee-level innovation. The study shows that extrinsic motivation is positively related to innovation only when the value of rewards is integrated to one's sense of self (integrated extrinsic motivation). Extrinsic motivation, otherwise, is not related to innovation.Research limitationsThe study was cross-sectional, so inferences about causality are limited.Practical implicationsFirst, while extrinsic motivation is considered bad for innovation, the study provides evidence that integrated extrinsic motivation complements intrinsic motivation and encourages employee-level innovation. Second, the study shows that leaders can aid the process of development of autonomous motivation by displaying positive behaviors. Third, the study validates the mediating role of autonomous motivation for the leadership–innovation relationship.Originality/valueThe study provides an insight into the underlying process through which leaders can impact innovation at the workplace. To the best of the author's knowledge, such a study is the first of its kind undertaken in an organizational context.


2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Hodge ◽  
Elaine A. Hargreaves ◽  
David Gerrard ◽  
Chris Lonsdale

We examined whether constructs outlined in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2002), namely, autonomy-supportive and controlling motivational climates and autonomous and controlled motivation, were related to attitudes toward performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in sport and drug-taking susceptibility. We also investigated moral disengagement as a potential mediator. We surveyed a sample of 224 competitive athletes (59% female; M age = 20.3 years; M = 10.2 years of experience participating in their sport), including 81 elite athletes. Using structural equation modeling analyses, our hypothesis proposing positive relationships with controlling climates, controlled motivation, and PEDs attitudes and susceptibility was largely supported, whereas our hypothesis proposing negative relationships among autonomous climate, autonomous motivation, and PEDs attitudes and susceptibility was not supported. Moral disengagement was a strong predictor of positive attitudes toward PEDs, which, in turn, was a strong predictor of PEDs susceptibility. These findings are discussed from both motivational and moral disengagement viewpoints.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huosheng Yan ◽  
Lingzhi Sang ◽  
Hongzhang Liu ◽  
Cancan Li ◽  
Zijing Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Turnover intention is a major cause of reduced team morale and low work efficiency. It hinders work performance and reduces the quality of medical services. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between financial satisfaction and turnover intention and its mediators among primary care providers. Methods Multi-stage random cluster sampling was used to select 1241 participants from four counties and three districts in Anhui province, China. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Turnover intention was assessed with a turnover intention assessment scale. Perceived social support and burnout were measured with the 12-item Perceived Social Support Scale and the Chinese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. Results The findings showed high turnover intention among primary care providers (mean score 14.16 ± 4.337), and most providers reported low financial satisfaction (mean score 2.49 ± 0.990). The mean perceived social support score was 64.93 ± 13.229, and only 6.1% of primary care providers reported no burnout. Compared with participants with high financial satisfaction, those with low financial satisfaction were more likely to report higher turnover intention (β = − 0.216, p < 0.001), less perceived social support (β = 0.181, p < 0.001), and more severe burnout (β = − 0.123, p < 0.05). Turnover intention may be related to perceived social support (β = − 0.147, p < 0.001) and burnout (β = 0.239, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the effect of financial satisfaction on turnover intention was significantly mediated by perceived social support (β = − 0.027, p < 0.001) and burnout (β = − 0.029, p < 0.05). Conclusions Turnover intention is associated with financial satisfaction, with this association mediated by perceived social support and burnout. A reasonable mechanism needs to be established to improve financial satisfaction and perceived social support and reduce burnout among primary care providers.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Su ◽  
Yuqiu Zhou ◽  
Jianqin Cao ◽  
Haina Wang

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to explore the relationship between social support, self-worth, self-reported health, and subjective well-being among the Chinese rural empty nest elderly, and whether self-worth and self-reported health affect these associations.Methods This cross-sectional study was performed from May 2017 to April 2018, the participants were 365 empty-nest elderly adults from rural areas of Chifeng City in Inner Mongolia. Data were collected with the General information questionnaire, Self-worth questionnaire for adults, Social Support Scale and Memorial University of New Found land Scale of Happiness. Structural equation modeling was used to test the mediation hypothesis. Bootstrapping was performed to confirm the mediation effect. Hayes’s SPSS-PROCESS was used for testing the moderating effects.Results Self-worth showed significant correlations with social support, self-reported health and subjective well-being (all P<0.01).Bootstrapping indicated that the mediating role of self-worth was statistically significant. And self-reported health moderated the social support and subjective well-being association.Conclusions Self-worth and self-reported health are important targets for prevention and intervention for improving the subjective well-being of the rural empty-nest elderly.


2018 ◽  
pp. 1042-1059
Author(s):  
Ari Setiyaningrum ◽  
Vincent Didiek Wiet Aryanto

Corporate ethics (CE) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been considered as the main determinants of companies' success as well as sustainability for company's viability. Both of them potentially affects on consumer buying behavior. This study aims at exploring the basic issue on CE and CSR. In addition, this study examines whether good corporate ethics and CSR engagement of companies always lead to positive consumer response in the context of controversial tobacco's company. Data collected by distributing questionnaires to the 318 respondents. By means of structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the proposed model, it indicated that the more well-defined of corporate ethics lead to the better evaluation of CSR activities, the more well-defined of corporate ethics and the better evaluation of CSR activities lead to the good corporate reputation. In addition, the good corporate reputation leads to the higher corporate trust, and the higher corporate trust lead to the stronger consumers bonding.


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