scholarly journals Experimental Manipulation of Beliefs about Uncertainty: Effects on Interpretive Processing and Access to Threat Schemata

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. jep.008510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonya S. Deschenes ◽  
Michel J. Dugas ◽  
Adam S. Radomsky ◽  
Kristin Buhr
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Negative Beliefs ◽  
Ease Of Access ◽  
Downward Arrow

This study investigated the influence of beliefs about uncertainty on interpretive biases and access to threat schemata, with the use of an experimental manipulation. Individuals from the community and undergraduate students (N = 74) were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions: positive beliefs about uncertainty (n = 37) and negative beliefs about uncertainty (n = 37). To manipulate beliefs about uncertainty, participants watched a presentation on problem solving that either contained information about the positive or the negative effects of uncertainty on problem solving. To assess interpretive biases, participants completed a modified version of the Ambiguous/Unambiguous Situations Diary. Participants read potentially threatening passages and rated their level of worry. Passages were then disambiguated either positively or negatively and participants rated the likelihood and the value (goodness or badness) of these events. To assess access to threat schemata, the Catastrophizing Interview was administered. The Catastrophizing Interview is a structured worry task that assesses various aspects of the worry process, using the downward arrow technique. The results indicated that, although many of the expected group differences were not observed, participants in the negative beliefs about uncertainty group did rate the positively disambiguated scenarios as less positive and the average likelihood of feared consequences to personal worries as more probable. This study provides partial support for the notion that beliefs about uncertainty may have a causal effect on interpretations of ambiguous situations as well as on ease of access to threat schemata.

Limitations of Procedures for Improving Group Problem Solving

1969 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 639-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman R. F. Maier ◽  
James A. Thurber
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Group Problem ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Group Problem Solving ◽  
Limited Support ◽  
Idea Evaluation

These experiments were designed to test whether the quality of group problem solving could be improved by instructing groups to follow certain procedures. 192 groups of 2 male and 1 female S each solved Maier's Sewing Room Case under 4 different experimental conditions: I—no instructions regarding processes or procedures to follow; II—instructions for carrying out idea-evaluation in two separate stages; III—instructions requesting diagnosis and factual support for each solution generated; and IV—instructions requiring locating obstacles before generating solutions. The results show limited support for the value of such instructions. These marginally significant results were due to a relatively small number of groups conforming to the experimental manipulation rather than to the inadequacy of the principles on which the manipulations were based. Some directed training in use of problem-solving principles, rather than a mere knowledge of them, seems to be essential in achieving high qualiry solutions. Idea-evaluation seems to suffer in group problem solving. Brainstorming, which stresses idea-getting, has its limitations because it leaves the evaluation to outside judges.

Eliciting Negative Affects Using Film Clips and Real-Life Methods

2017 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 527-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Carlos Centurion Cabral ◽  
Patrice de Souza Tavares ◽  
Gibson Juliano Weydmann ◽  
Vera Torres das Neves ◽  
Rosa Maria Martins de Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Emotion Elicitation ◽  
Negative Affects ◽  
Film Clips ◽  
Cortisol Responses

Although audio-visual stimuli are among the most frequently used methods to elicit emotional reactions in experimental conditions, real-life manipulations have increasingly been used in different countries. However, the applicability of such protocols has not yet been tested in Brazilian Portuguese speakers. Thus, we conducted two experiments to investigate the effectiveness of both methods. In the first experiment, we used film clips to induce negative emotions (i.e., anger, fear, or sadness) or an emotionally neutral condition in 321 undergraduate students. After watching one of the online videos, volunteers completed an emotional assessment. As expected, there were significant differences in all groups. Our results corroborate the relatively discrete patterns in emotion elicitation using films. In the second experiment, anger was elicited in 18 male undergraduates through a hostile social interaction with a confederate and measured by the corrugator muscle activity and cortisol responses. Indeed, there was an increase in corrugator activity in the group exposed to anger induction, even after a few minutes from the end of the experimental manipulation. Implications for experiments on the negative emotions are discussed.

Effects of Creative and Noncreative Problem-Solving on Anxiety

1983 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 835-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. P. R. Riedel ◽  
I. A. Taylor ◽  
W. T. Melnyk
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Creative Performance ◽  
Creative Problem Solving ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Creative Problem ◽  
Problem Solving Task

This study has investigated whether the type of problem in creative performance increases anxiety more than the type of problem in noncreative performance. Subjects were 9 male and 48 female undergraduate students in psychology, selected from a voluntary pool and assigned (3 males, 16 females) nonsystematically to either a divergent creative problem-solving condition, a convergent noncreative problem-solving condition, or a control condition involving a neutral problem-solving condition. The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was administered to each group before and after the experimental conditions. It was hypothesized: (a) that divergent creative problem-solving would increase state anxiety significantly more than both the convergent noncreative problem-solving task and the neutral problem-solving task and (b) that trait anxiety would not be significantly affected by any of the conditions. Only the latter hypothesis was confirmed. Divergent creative problem-solving did not significantly increase state anxiety, perhaps because the employed subjects were students and may have felt more comfortable with divergent problems than the average population.

scholarly journals Can The Future-Oriented Nature of Worry be Experimentally Manipulated? The Effects of Personally Relevant Worry and Video-Related Imagery following Exposure to a Distressing Video

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. jep.008010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry D. Pruitt ◽  
Holly Hazlett-Stevens
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Anxiety Reduction ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Imagery Group ◽  
The Future ◽  
Relevant Topic

In an attempted experimental manipulation of the future-oriented property of worry, a total of 174 college students were randomly assigned to one of five experimental conditions. After all participants viewed a distressing video, they were instructed to worry about a personally relevant topic while constraining their worry to outcomes that could occur within the next 15 minutes, within the next week, or within the next year, or they worried about a personally relevant topic without such a time constraint or engaged in imagery of the video. Predicted group differences in state anxiety reduction were not found, although this effect approached statistical significance (p = .07). Contrary to our prediction, the imagery group reported more subsequent video-related cognitive intrusions than the worry groups and no differences between the worry groups were found. Results suggest that worry about everyday concerns may effectively distract some individuals from previously experienced emotionally distressing material.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Indigenous Olive Biocontrol Rhizobacteria as Protectants against Drought and Salt Stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1209
Author(s):  
Nuria Montes-Osuna ◽  
Carmen Gómez-Lama Cabanás ◽  
Antonio Valverde-Corredor ◽  
Garikoitz Legarda ◽  
Pilar Prieto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salt Stress ◽  
Abiotic Stresses ◽  
Biochemical Parameters ◽  
Biocontrol Agent ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Acds Gene ◽  
Drought And Salt Stress ◽  
Physiological And Biochemical

Stress caused by drought and salinity may compromise growth and productivity of olive (Olea europaea L.) tree crops. Several studies have reported the use of beneficial rhizobacteria to alleviate symptoms produced by these stresses, which is attributed in some cases to the activity of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase (ACD). A collection of beneficial olive rhizobacteria was in vitro screened for ACD activity. Pseudomonas sp. PICF6 displayed this phenotype and sequencing of its genome confirmed the presence of an acdS gene. In contrast, the well-known root endophyte and biocontrol agent Pseudomonas simiae PICF7 was defective in ACD activity, even though the presence of an ACD-coding gene was earlier predicted in its genome. In this study, an unidentified deaminase was confirmed instead. Greenhouse experiments with olive ‘Picual’ plants inoculated either with PICF6 or PICF7, or co-inoculated with both strains, and subjected to drought or salt stress were carried out. Several physiological and biochemical parameters increased in stressed plants (i.e., stomatal conductance and flavonoids content), regardless of whether or not they were previously bacterized. Results showed that neither PICF6 (ACD positive) nor PICF7 (ACD negative) lessened the negative effects caused by the abiotic stresses tested, at least under our experimental conditions.

Effectiveness of a Problem-Solving Training Program

1995 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 507-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan W. Wege ◽  
André T. Möller
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
External Control ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Control Orientation ◽  
Problem Solvers

The relationship between problem-solving efficiency, defined in terms of the quality of alternative soludons selected, and measures of behavioral competence (self-efficacy and locus of control) was investigated as well as the effectiveness of a problem-solving training program. Subjects were 29 undergraduate students assigned to an effective ( n = 16) and an ineffective ( n = 13) problem-solving group. Analysis indicated that the ineffective problem-solvers appraised their problem-solving skills more negatively and reported low self-efficacy expectations and an external control orientation. Problem-solving training led to improved general self-efficacy expectancies, greater confidence in problem-solving, a more internal control orientation, and improved problem-solving skills. These improvements were maintained at follow-up after two months.

Victim and Perpetrator Acknowledgement of Intimate Partner Violence and Victim Psychopathology

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110282
Author(s):  
Caroline M. Clements ◽  
Brittanie C. Moore ◽  
Allison Laajala–Lozano ◽  
Karly Casanave
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Dating Relationships ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Conflict Tactics

The present study assesses differences between acknowledged and unacknowledged victims in post-victimization psychopathology, abuse disability and coping. Few studies have examined abuse acknowledgment among intimate partner violence (IPV) victims. To our knowledge, this study is the first to use an experimental manipulation to assess changes in acknowledgment among IPV victims. Female undergraduate students currently in dating relationships completed demographic, coping and psychopathology questionnaires, and the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS). They then watched a video of an IPV perpetrator who either acknowledged abuse or did not acknowledge abuse. Following the video, participants completed a psychopathology questionnaire and a post-video acknowledgment assessment. Approximately 38% of the sample reported IPV victimization. Only 7.89% acknowledged victimization. Acknowledged IPV victims had the highest mean victimization score but reported psychopathology similar to nonvictims on all subscales except phobic anxiety. Unacknowledged victims reported greater psychopathology, depression, anxiety, and hostility than nonvictims and were more symptomatic overall. Unacknowledged victims reported more frequent use of avoidant coping strategies than nonvictims. These strategies included substance use, self-blame, and behavioral disengagement. Acknowledged and unacknowledged victims reported greater abuse disability than nonvictims, and acknowledged victims reported greater life restriction than unacknowledged victims. Following the video, the number of acknowledged victims nearly doubled, and acknowledged victims reported increased depression. On the basis of these findings, clinicians and researchers should carefully consider acknowledgment as a potential factor in post-victimization mental health and explore ways to increases victim acknowledgment.

Trends in Reading Literary Fiction in Print and Cyber Media by Undergraduate Students of Hasanuddin University

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-77
Author(s):  
Fathu Rahman ◽  
M Amir P ◽  
Tammasse
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Electronic Devices ◽  
Electronic Media ◽  
Literary Fiction ◽  
Electronic Medium ◽  
Wide Cross ◽  
Ease Of Access ◽  
Book Format

This research investigated the trends in reading literary fiction by students of Hasanuddin University and their main reasons for reading works of fiction. Reading tendencies were grouped into types, reading of fiction in print and fiction in electronic (cyber) media. The purposes of this study were: 1) to quantify the literary fiction reading media preferred by students; 2) to identify specific reasons for their choice of media; 3) to identify perceived personal benefits obtained from reading literary fiction, and 4) to evaluate readers’ personal choices in terms of contents. The majority of students preferred to read using electronic media (62%), although a substantial majority preferred the classical printed book format (38%). The reasons given for preferring cyber literature (defined as works of fiction presented in an electronic medium) to printed literature were mainly practical, such as ease of access using electronic devices (tablets, computers, smartphones, etc.) as well as capacity and versatility, and that one multi-functional device can hold many books or other reading media. This research indicates that young people view reading fiction not only as entertainment, but also as a valuable and rewarding activity. The trend towards electronic media provides a growing and increasingly used opportunity for casual readers and enthusiasts to access and enjoy a wide cross-section of literary fiction.

scholarly journals New Measures Assessing Predictors of Academic Persistence for Historically Underrepresented Racial/Ethnic Undergraduates in Science

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. ar32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Byars-Winston ◽  
Jenna Rogers ◽  
Janet Branchaw ◽  
Christine Pribbenow ◽  
Ryan Hanke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Outcome Expectations ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Internal Reliability ◽  
Black African ◽  
Broadening Participation ◽  
Racial Ethnic

An important step in broadening participation of historically underrepresented (HU) racial/ethnic groups in the sciences is the creation of measures validated with these groups that will allow for greater confidence in the results of investigations into factors that predict their persistence. This study introduces new measures of theoretically derived factors emanating from social cognitive and social identity theories associated with persistence for HU racial/ethnic groups in science disciplines. The purpose of this study was to investigate: 1) the internal reliability and factor analyses for measures of research-related self-efficacy beliefs, sources of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and science identity; and 2) potential group differences in responses to the measures, examining the main and interaction effects of gender and race/ethnicity. Survey data came from a national sample of 688 undergraduate students in science majors who were primarily black/African American and Hispanic/Latino/a with a 2:1 ratio of females to males. Analyses yielded acceptable validity statistics and race × gender group differences were observed in mean responses to several measures. Implications for broadening participation of HU groups in the sciences are discussed regarding future tests of predictive models of student persistence and training programs to consider cultural diversity factors in their design.

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