M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between work history of the mother and two variables: a) socialization to achievement, which is concurrent with work history; and b) achievement motivation level , which presumably results from maternal work history and socialization to achievement.

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Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2001. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-83). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ67728.

Both causal attributions and self-efficacy have been theorized as mediating performance on achievement tasks. However, few studies have explored the relationship between these constructs or in what way they may be affected by peer modeling. The purpose of this study was to explore developmental differences between two grade levels in the effect of modeling on persistence, self-efficacy judgments, and choice of attributions for predicted and actual outcomes on a figure-matching puzzle, and the relationship between self-efficacy and causal attributions. Seventy-three eighth graders and 73 third graders were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions or to a control condition. Four videotapes for each grade level, showing a male peer modeling either high or low persistence and success or failure on a figure-matching puzzle, constituted the experimental conditions. Subjects' attributions for various outcomes in achievement settings were recorded one week prior to the experimental session and at its conclusion, on the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility scale. Attributions for predicted and actual outcomes on a figure-matching puzzle were also recorded. Students' persistence on the nearly-impossible puzzle was measured by time in seconds, while an efficacy scale assessed their belief regarding their ability to solve the puzzle at three times during the experimental session. Significant differences were found between the grade levels for self-efficacy ratings, with third graders reporting greater efficacy beliefs than eighth graders. A significant change in self-efficacy ratings was also found, but it was not possible to determine which aspect of the experimental session was responsible for the change. Distribution of the attributions was severely skewed on both sets of attribution measures, in favor of an internal stable cause (effort), precluding meaningful analyses of the relationship between self-efficacy and attributions. It was also found that attributions changed significantly over time and the experimental experience as measured by the questionnaires. No significant effect of modeling on persistence time was found. The research findings were discussed in terms of the research methodology used, the psychometric properties of the instruments, and implications for the theoretical models.

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Entrepreneurship has been referred to as an economical model for many years; however, the study of entrepreneurship from a psychological perspective is fairly young. Recent literature has focused largely on analyzing the personality characteristics of entrepreneurs and comparing them to wage or salary employed workers. Understanding the personality characteristics of entrepreneurs is vitally important in understanding entrepreneurship, and therefore, the economy as a whole. This study utilizes concepts from past literature and findings from empirical studies in order to assess the personality characteristics associated with successful entrepreneurship. Ultimately, the characteristics; achievement motivation, locus of control, innovation, risk tendencies, and tenacity are analyzed and depicted as the five most important personality characteristics for successful entrepreneurs.

This study examined the direct and indirect associations of the perceived coach-created motivational climate, athletes' implicit theory, and athletes' achievement goal orientation in relation to their levels of grit. Five hundred twenty-three Division I and II collegiate student-athletes (male = 246, female = 277) from five institutions across the south-central and southeast areas of the United States completed self-report measures assessing the previously described constructs. The measurement model fit the data well (SRMR = .055; CFI = .938; RMSEA = .067) and demonstrated invariance across the male and female athletes. The structural model demonstrated adequate fit (SRMR = .088; CFI = .918; RMSEA = .068). All direct and indirect paths in the model were significant in the expected direction, with the exception of the direct path from entity theory to ego goal orientation and the indirect path from ego-involving climate to ego goal orientation through entity theory, which were both non-significant. The mastery-incremental constructs accounted for 65% of the variance in grit. Results indicate that achievement motivation theory is an appropriate framework through which to examine grit, and achievement motivation constructs may be significant antecedents of grit's development. Limitations and future directions are discussed.