The belief bias effect – the finding that prior beliefs influence judgments of logic and evidence – has been a topic of much empirical investigation in both deductive and causal reasoning. However, to date, no research has examined the degree to which such biases are the result of common or distinct mechanisms in these two domains. By using common scales of measurement, I examine the degree to which individuals show common biases in these two domains in two experiments. Surprisingly, although the belief bias effect was observed in both paradigms, biases in one domain were unreliably associated with biases in the other domain. Experiment 2 included 6 measures of individual differences in an attempt to uncover the observation of differential biases in these domains. Dogmatism was found to be the single most predictive measure of belief bias, but only in deductive reasoning. These data are discussed in terms of dual process theories of reasoning.

Despite significant efforts to boost female enrollment levels and retention rates in engineering programs, females continue to make up only a small portion of the Canadian undergraduate engineering student population. However, this traditionally-male field is undergoing a culture change as a result of the recent establishment of a female minority. New initiatives that are encouraging women to enter the field are also challenging assumed gender differences previously used to legitimize women's low participation. Through a series of multiple-choice, scenario-based questionnaires, this exploratory study seeks to establish whether or not gender differences observed in the broader population are applicable to the unique engineering undergraduate population at the University of Waterloo. In particular, respondents are quizzed on their preferences for specific job attributes and aspects of life outside of work. In addition, short-answer open-ended questions are used to gauge the level of integration experienced by female students in the faculty. Attention is paid to the general academic and social engineering environment as well as the specific dynamics of mixed-gender groups. Although some gender differences, such as higher preference for earnings on the part of males and work-life balance on the part of females, are in line with previous findings, other differences are found to be either absent or reversed. A surprising side effect of our culturally-diverse sample is the emergence of cultural background as a strong factor which, besides gender, affects work and life attribute preferences, especially preferences for task challenge and earnings. Another interesting outcome of the study is the resulting asymmetry between factors that respondents acknowledge as contributing to their happiness, and factors, which when absent, are found to contribute to the respondents' unhappiness. The study also reveals that female engineering students find themselves in a balancing act between perceived privileges due to their minority, and reduced participation and decision making power due to perceptions of engineering projects as stereotypically in the male domain.

Organizations benefit from the use of training and performance assessments. Self-assessment is a way for trainees to monitor their progress throughout training and on the job. The literature indicates that ambiguity and skill level are factors that impact the accuracy of self-assessments. Previously, the effect of the interaction of ambiguity and skill level on self-assessment accuracy had not been investigated. The present study assessed the effect of skill level and item ambiguity on the accuracy of self-assessments made by Lieutenants and Captains in the U. S. Army. The results indicated that increased skill level resulted in increased accuracy of self-assessments while ambiguity had no effect. Counter to the hypothesis, as items became more ambiguous, both Captains and Lieutenants self-assessed more accurately. Implications and limitations are discussed, along with recommendations for future research.

Theoretical developments of emotional intelligence (EI) are jeopardized by the inability of empirical studies to keep pace with its intense surge to the forefront of both lay and academic communities. Due to the paucity of empirical evidence, claims of the contributions of EI are met with speculation in the scientific community. Furthermore, EI is conceptualized and measured in a variety and often, diverging ways. Subsequent to indications from previous literature that EI shows promise to be linked to the field of health and psychological well-being (Austin, Saklofske, & Egan, 2005), the primary aim of this study was to investigate the concurrent criterion validity of a mixed model conceptualization of EI with self-reported exercise attitudes by comparing two subsamples of university students, (Mean Age = 22 years; 72% Female, 28% Male; NonKinesiology n1 = 271, Kinesiology n2 = 127). The finding of a weak overall correlation fails to provide concurrent criterion validity to the BarOn (2002) conceptualization of EI with exercise attitudes as measured by HBQ (Austin, unpublished), r(398) = .13, p = .013. This finding is further substantiated by the lack of significant findings in an ANOVA and a lack of practical significance in a MANOVA. While the criterion group had significantly stronger beliefs of the benefits of exercise, F(1, 394) = 47.54, p < .001, Å2 = .11; no significant difference between the means of the Composite EI was found between the subsamples for the main effect (field of study) or for the interaction effect (field of study ~ sex): F(1, 394) = 0.08, p = .78; F(1, 394) = 1.82, p = .18, respectively. Additionally, the MANOVA findings determined that only 1.6% of the overall variance could be attributed to the model effect of self-reported activity level and exercise attitude with EI. The secondary purpose of this study was to examine the sex differences in the relationship of EI and exercise attitudes. The scales for the female subsample were not significantly correlated, r(287) = .07, p = .25; whereas, a low and significant correlation was found in the male subsample, r(111) = .37, p = .001. The finding is noteworthy and appears to suggest that the contributing factor to the significant, but weak overall correlation, was obtained from the male sector. Although, the study does find the BarOn EQ-i:S instrument to be a good measure with strong internal consistency reliability and large intercorrelations with its components, the findings point to concerns as to what is being measured and the degree to which the measure overlaps with the personality domain.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate response acquisition of Indian Ss relative to non-Indian Ss and to examine the relationships between questionnaire and performance data. A questionnaire, based on Harding's (1964) study, was used to evaluate Ss' attitudes towards work authority, aspirations, family and the like. Performance measures were also employed in order to provide data with which to assess whether attitudinal differences have significant behavioural consequences. In order to assess rural-urban biases, a paired-associate task similar to that designed by Havron and Cofer (1957) was used. An attempt was also made using a verbal conditioning technique (Taffel, 1955) to evaluate whether or not the two groups would perform differentially under positive and negative verbal reinforcement.

Miljömedvetenhet är ett aktuellt ämne och samhällets normer går i en miljömedveten riktning. Eftersom tidigare forskning visat att kvinnor är mer miljömedvetna än män samt att kvinnor har en högre vilja att passa in i samhällets normer, har endast kvinnor deltagit i denna undersökning. Syftet är att utifrån en enkätundersökning ta reda på om det finns ett samband mellan kvinnors attityder till miljömedvetenhet och ålder samt strävan efter social normativitet. I undersökningen deltog 96 kvinnor och resultatet visade att ju äldre kvinnor är desto mer miljömedvetna är de samt att ju högre grad av miljömedvetenhet en kvinna har desto högre strävan efter social normativitet har hon. Resultatet visade även att är en kvinna äldre så är hon mer miljömedveten och därmed också har en högre strävan efter social normativitet. Utifrån resultatet diskuteras hur man kan arbeta med att öka förståelse för hur samhället kan få medborgarna att agera mer miljömedvetet.

Title:              Gender Differences Within Academia – A case study on the probability of promotion Institution:    School of Business and Economics University:     Linnæus University   Aim:               The aim of this thesis is to investigate whether there are differences between men and women in the probability of receiving a promotion and if this is caused by statistical discrimination. Further discussing if quotas are a solution to this bias.   Method:         This thesis will attempt to answer the research questions using primary data and testing this in a Linear Probability Model. It will also relate to previous research comparing the outcome to it with support from existing theory.   Conclusion:   The four regressions used in the Linear Probability Model, show that there exists differences in the probability of receiving a promotion between men and women. The results both infirm and confirm previous studies, but it is not possible from the research to distinguish if statistical discrimination is the underlying reason, though it might be an explanation to why there are differences. Quotas might be one answer to solve this bias, but further research is necessary.       Keywords:     Gender, differences, quotas, probability, promotion, Academia

Do teachers’ expectations of their pupils become a part in the judgement of which grade a pupil will receive in the end? Several of the polical parties in Sweden have recently been argueing that teachers should be able to give pupils a grade in how they behave in school. Several newspapers also have reported that pupils today have gotten lower results for the last few years and more pupils do not get approved in all subjects. Because many of the studies about pupils results focus on the pupils’ skills, I deciced to focus on the teachers part in how a pupil get a better grade or not. In the study I have been looking at a small community in the south of Sweden. I have sent out a form that teachers in the community’s high schools have been asked to answer. During the study I have also gone to these three schools and done four classroom observations at every school. There I have looked at the environment, how the teacher works and how the pupils react on the teacher’s way of behaving and vice versa. The results of this study has shown that there are more men that choose to include a pupils beahviour when deciding which grade she should get. There is also a tendency that shows that even if teachers themselves do or do not weigh in pupils behaviour, the teachers overall think that it´s more likely that their companions do so.

Abstract This essay has a gender perspective on didactics and literature with the aim to highlight the circumstances surrounding reading and understanding the novel Pride and Prejudice in a classroom context. Since Pride and Prejudice is written with a somewhat complicated language the pupils are likely to encounter some difficulties when reading the novel. This is something that I have chosen to focus my essay on. What is more, they are likely to also have difficulties to understand different episodes in the novel since they have little knowledge about the society depicted in Pride and Prejudice. This is referred to as a cultural and historical hindrance and they are present due to the fact that the story is set at the end of the 18th and beginning of 19th century England. However, there are various approaches which might diminish obstacles like those I have mentioned, for instance, by offering background information about the novel and recurring issues, such as marriage and financial heritance. The areas of importance in the novel that I have chosen to highlight, because of the limited background knowledge that the students have, are marriage and financial independence for women. Marriage is depicted to be very important for a woman, especially if they do not have a large fortune of their own. Due to lack of financial resources they needed to marry, since if they did not they could end up as old maids or even worse; having to support themselves by working as prostitutes. The chance of inheriting a lot of money was small, since the money from their father or mother was generally entitled to their closest male heir.

I tidigare empatiforskning har könsskillnader studerats betydligt mer änåldersskillnader. Syftet med den aktuella undersökningen var att studera hurförmågan till empati skiljer sig mellan tonåringar, medelålders och äldre. Iundersökningen deltog 68 personer varav hälften kvinnor. Empatin varhögst i den äldsta gruppen och lägst i den yngsta för både kvinnor och män.Däremot kände tonåringarna mer för vissa känslor som mättes utanförempatiskalan. Kvinnorna i alla tre åldersgrupperna har högre empati änmännen. Att empati ökar med åldern säger samtidigt att yngre hade mindreempati. Resultaten kan tyda på att samhället blivit kallare. Avslutningsvisdiskuteras betydelsen av generationsskillnader i empati, en eventuellutveckling mot ett mindre empatiskt samhälle, samt om ungas empati kanstärkas i framtiden.