The main aims of this broad exploratory study were (a) to gain insights as to the possible interrelations between Unisa students' expectations for success and a variety of significant variables (such as their academic performance, self-perceptions, confidence, motivation, self-determination, others' expectancies, locus of control and attributions relating to previous performance), and (b) to discover possible differences relating to various groups (i.e. racial and gender groups; 'pass' and 'fail' groups; and 'realistic' and 'unrealistic' groups). The results of 61 hypotheses are compared with a variety of theoretical suggestions and past findings. It was found that, on the whole, the various groups, inter alia, expected to succeed, were confident about the accuracy of their expectations, perceived themselves to work hard, considered themselves to have considerable ability and to be above class average. Despite this rosy outlook many students failed the examinations. Two of the most striking findings of this study were that (a) those who failed overestimated their future performance to a significantly greater extent than those who passed, and (b) overestimations were negatively correlated with achievement. In contrast to theory and numerous research findings, the psychological profiles of 'overoptimists', 'realists', and 'underestimators' revealed that overoptimistic expectancies and self-perceptions appear to be maladaptive in an academic context. Indeed, the findings suggest that accurate or even underoptimistic self-assessments may be more conducive to academic success. It is proposed that overoptimism may reflect ignorance of standards required, of adequate study methods, or may result in inappropriate preparation. In light of the findings, the implications and possible benefits and dangers of overoptimistic expectations and self-perceptions are discussed. The subjects are 715 third year Unisa psychology students, who are more heterogeneous than most other university students as they not only vary considerably in age but also come from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

The research project investigated whether victims of housebreaking experienced motivational, cognitive and emotional deficits central to the Learned Helplessness phenomenon. In keeping with the Reformulated Learned Helplessness theory the attributional style of victims, were also assessed. The State-Trait Inventory developed by Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg and Jacobs was administered to measure the anxiety levels of victims. Sub-goals served as illustration for the learned helplessness phenomenon. Three- hundred victims, using probability sampling techniques, were interviewed by means of an interview schedule. Support was found for cognitive and some motivational deficits and a common range of emotions experienced by victims. The majority of victims exhibited a global attnbutional style. Burglary victims did not show appreciably higher trait and state scores means, except for females in the 19-39 age group, when compared to a psychological norm. Environmental factors did play a role in rendering homes vulnerable. Recommendations addressing the fear of housebreaking were made at a therapeutic and practical level. / Sociology / M.A. (Criminology)

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the differential levels of study habits between upper and lower academic achievers in secondary school in Embu County, Kenya. The study explored the current literature related to the study and carried out an empirical investigation towards this end. The target population for the study comprised all Form 4 secondary school students in all public secondary schools in Embu County. The student study samples were drawn from 50 out of 156 public secondary schools in the County. Students were drawn from both county and district level of secondary schools. Purposive sampling was used to select the uppermost and lowermost academic achivers over a period of two preceding years. Data was collected by using differently marked questionnaires for prio-determined uppermost and lowermost academic achievement groups of respondents. Each questionnaire comprised of four sections: Bio-demographic information, study habits, internal locus of control and self-efficacy. Self-efficacy and locus of control are some of the covert study habits. Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics (percentages, means, distribution, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics especially analysis of variance (ANOVA). A pilot study was undertaken to check and enhance on the validity and reliability of the research instruments before commencement of the actual research study. Data was presented in tables, bar and linear graphs. Findings indicated that the upper quartile achievers had higher scores in internal locus of control but not study habits and self-efficacy. Students at lower level of achievement performance reported stronger study habits and self-efficacy compared to their upper performance counterparts. Bio-demographic factors (age, gender, school level, residential status) had very little, if any, influence on students level of study habits, self- efficacy and internal locus of control. The study recommended that stakeholders especially parents, teachers and other significant members of the community should endeavour to help students acquire and develop strong internal locus of control in order to be able to actualize their study habits and self-efficacy to attain higher academic performance and achievement as would be expected of students reporting such levels in study habits and self-efficacy in academic environment. / Educational Psychology / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

<p style="text-align: justify;">Испитивана је предиктивна вредност психолошких детерминанти: димензије личности, мотивационе оријентације, локус контроле, самопоштовање и димензије друштвене културе на димензије предузетничке оријентације у туристичком и јавном сектору.</p> / <p style="text-align: justify;">Ispitivana je prediktivna vrednost psiholoških determinanti: dimenzije ličnosti, motivacione orijentacije, lokus kontrole, samopoštovanje i dimenzije društvene kulture na dimenzije preduzetničke orijentacije u turističkom i javnom sektoru.</p> / <p style="text-align: justify;">The predictive value of psychological determinants: personality traits, motivational orientation, locus of control, self-esteem and cultural dimensions on the entrepreneurial orientation dimensions are investigated.</p>

With recent advances in technology, distance education has seen a move towards online and e-learning programmes and courses. However, many students in South Africa have limited access to computer technology and/or the Internet resources necessary for online learning. Worldwide trends have recently seen a growing emphasis on the use of mobile technology for learning purposes. High mobile penetration rates in South Africa means that mobile learning can potentially overcome many of the challenges associated with distanceand online learning. This research therefore aimed to explore adult distance education students’ mobile learning readiness in the South African context. Specifically, this study examined the influence of mobile learning self-efficacy, locus of control, subjective norm, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived behavioural control and attitude towards mobile learning on students’ behavioural intention to adopt mobile learning. In order to test a model predicting students’ behavioural intention, the conceptual framework guiding the investigation combined the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of the investigation combined the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and extended the model to include locus of control and mobile learning self-efficacy. A sample of 1070 students from a private higher education institution in South Africa participated in this study. Data were collected using an online survey questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis indicated that perceived ease of use contributed most significantly to behavioural intention to adopt mobile learning, followed by attitude towards mobile learning, subjective norm, perceived usefulness, perceived behavioural control and locus of control. Mobile learning self-efficacy did not significantly influence behavioural intention to adopt mobile learning. Overall, the model accounted for 44.8% of the variance in behavioural intention to adopt mobile learning. Significant differences in age, gender, race and household income existed with regard to several of the psychological constructs hypothesised to influence behavioural intention to adopt mobile learning. 4 Structural equation modelling was used to examine the fit between the data and the proposed model. The chi square goodness for fit test and the RMSEA indicated poor fit between data and model. Considering the sensitivity of the chi square statistic for sample size and the negative influence of too many variables and relationships on the RMSEA, a variety of alternative fit indices that are less dependent on the sample size and distribution were used to examine model fit. The GFI, AGFI, NFI and CFI all exceeded their respective acceptable levels, indicating a good fit with the data. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

The research work is dedicated to the essence, details and specification of the entrepreneurship including the youth entrepreneurship in particular. It outlines the trends of the youth entrepreneurial development in Russia and abroad. The research analyzes restrains and limits of the youth entrepreneurship in order to propose the ways to overcome them. Thus, there were identified three groups of factors that prevent the graduated students to start their own business: 1) personal characteristics, fear of risk or failure; 2) lack of knowledge, skills, funds; 3) politico-social and economic instability, intense competition, etc. Moreover, the majority of the students have no or have just hint of information about the youth entrepreneurship support programs. The scientific work showed up that among the UrFU graduated students sample (Psychology Department and Economic Department, 78 persons, in total) 58 persons (74%) wanted to be an entrepreneur. The comparative analysis of both groups of students who willing and unwilling to be an entrepreneur irrespectively of their study programs results in fact that the students who are inclined to entrepreneurship have high level of risk tolerance combined with the high level of achievement motivation and the low level of motivation to avoid failure. In addition, the economy students have the high level of risk tolerance and the psychology students have the average one. In conclusion, the outcomes of the research can be used as an informational pool for the development of the youth entrepreneurial projects and as a reference framework for further monitoring of the graduation students attitude toward the entrepreneurship issue. / В исследовании определено содержание, сущность и специфика предпринимательской деятельности, а также молодежного предпринимательства в частности. Описаны тенденции развития молодежного предпринимательства за рубежом и в России. Охарактеризованы сдерживающие факторы, барьеры предпринимательской деятельности молодых людей и меры преодоления этих барьеров. Так, выделено три группы факторов, препятствующих студентам-выпускникам создавать свой бизнес: 1) личностные качествами, боязнь риска и неудачи; 2) отсутствие знаний, навыков, финансов; 3) социально-политическая и экономическая нестабильность, высокий уровень конкуренции и т.п. При этом большинство студентов вообще не слышали о программах поддержки предпринимательства или имеют весьма смутное представление о них. Выявлено, что из выборки студентов-выпускников УрФУ (психологи и экономисты, всего 78 чел.) 58 человек (74%) хотели бы стать предпринимателями. Сравнительный анализ мотивации склонных и не склонных к предпринимательской деятельности независимо от профессионального направления подготовки показал, что, студенты склонные к предпринимательству отличаются высоким уровнем готовности к риску в сочетании с высоким уровнем мотивации успеха и низким уровнем мотивации избегания неудач. При этом экономисты отличаются высоким, а психологи средним уровнем готовности к риску. В целом, полученные данные могут служить информационной основой по развитию проектов, вовлекающих студентов в предпринимательство, а также проведения последующих мониторингов отношения выпускников к данной деятельности.

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本研究旨在探討如何設計以建構主義為基礎的網際網路合作學習環境，以研發二次函數網際網路課程，並藉由實驗研究法分析在網際網路合作學習情境中，不同的學習型態與認知風格對於學習成效之影響，最後以質性研究法探討學生合作互動歷程之認知模式及相關影響因素，並分析學生學習二次函數易犯之錯誤類型。 本研究使用之研究方法包括學習軟體研發、實驗研究法、問卷調查法、晤談法、及內容分析法。研究者首先研發及評量「二次函數網際網路課程」，並隨機選擇國民中學二年級學生60名為研究對象，依學習型態及學生認知風格分成內控單獨組、外控單獨組、內控合作組、外控合作組、內外控混合合作組等五組進行教學實驗。俟教學實驗後進行紙筆測驗、問卷調查、及晤談，研究者並搜集學生在電子白板上的對話進行內容分析。根據研究結果分析，本研究主要之結論如下： 一、網際網路合作學習環境有助於學生學習數學二次函數概念在網際網路合作學習環境中，提供合作的視覺學習環境，協助學習者多重轉化代數表徵成為幾何表徵的動態網頁，使學習者在不同條件脈絡中進行比較、反思，以了解二次函數中代數與幾何的關係，已有具體的教學成效。 二、 在網路學習環中，不同認知風格的學生在個別學習效果上有差異存在在網際網路個別學習環境中，內控組的學習成效顯著優於外控組。即在網際網路學習環境中，採用個別學習策略，具外控取向特質的學習者，學習成效不佳；而具內控取向特質的學習者，有較佳的學習成效。 三、在網路學習環境中，不同認知風格的學生在合作學習效果上未有顯著差異存在在網際網路合作學習環境中，內控合作組、外控合作組、及內外控混合合作組的學習成效無顯著差異。研究顯示透過合作學習可提升外控取向學習者的學習成效，淡化認知風格對學習者的影響。 四、 網際網路合作學習互動歷程為個人建構、群體澄清、知識重構、群體重構的認知改變模式在網際網路合作學習互動歷程中，個人先形成自我的知識概念，並將個人建構的基模公開呈現與他人分享，當個體的認知概念間產生差異時，合作群體間即產生質疑，並提出澄清，經澄清後合作群體彼此協商，重構知識、統合意見並產生共識，即成為合作小組的認知概念。 五、 同儕模式的網際網路合作學習方式缺少高支持性鷹架結構以同儕為基礎的網際網路合作學習環境中，因學生的先備知識不足及溝通技巧的缺乏，容易產生錯誤概念的學習及習得片斷的知識。是以，針對年齡小或能力低的學習者所設計的網際網路合作學習課程，教師的參與討論與互動是必要的，以能提供學習者高支持性鷹架結構。 六、 在網際網路合作學習環境的互動歷程中，外控取向學習者佈題的行為多於內控取向學習者研究中發現外控取向學習者佈題的行為多於內控取向學習者，內控取向學習者解題的行為多於外控取向學習者。 根據研究結果，本研究提出下列建議，以供教學者、教學媒體設計者、教育行政單位、及後續研究者之參考： 一、應整合學科專家、教育專家、電腦網路程式設計師、美術專業人士以研發更符合學習者需求的網路課程。 二、宜針對學習者特性提供不同的網路教學策略，使建構的網際網路課程更符合學習者的需求。 三、在網際網路合作學習環境中，課程設計應以討論情境、分享知識、及解決問題為主，始能提升合作成效。 四、宜訂定網路界面設計標準及評鑑指標，以做為網路課程發展的依據。 五、在網際網路合作學習環境中，教師應適度參與學生的討論活動，提供鷹架支持的功能。 六、應加強國家整體網路基礎建設，使能改善網路教學品質，提高學習成效。 / The Purpose of this study is threefold.　One is to explore how to design a quadratic function internet curriculum in the internet computer-based collaborative learning environment, based on constructivism. Second, learning effects of different learning styles and cognitive styles in the internet collaborative learning context are analyzed through empirical research methods. Third, the students' cognitive modes and other relative factors in the collaborative learning interaction process, as well as the students' frequent error types in learning quadratic functions, are identified and analyzed through qualitative research methods. The research methods adopted in this study include the development of learning software, empirical research methods, questionnaires, interviews, and content analysis. The researcher first developed and assessed the "internet curriculum of quadratic functions", and selected 60 second graders of a junior high school as research subjects, according to the students' learning and cognitive styles, and categorizing them into the group of internal locus of control with individual learning, the group of external locus of control with individual learning, the group of internal locus of control collaborative learning, the group of external locus of control with collaborative learning, and the group of mixing internal-external locus of control with collaborative learning to implement teaching experiments. After the experiments were finished, the research conducted a written test, questionnaire surveys, and interviews. Besides, the students' dialogue data on Bulletin Board System was collected and analyzed. Based on the analysis results of this study, the main conclusionsare as follows: 1. Internet collaborative learning environment facilitates students learning the concepts of quadratic functions. In the environment of the internet collaborative learning, interactive web pages provide visualized collaborative learning context, assist learners to transform algebraic representation into geometric representation, and give learners opportunities to compare and rethink in different conditions about the relations of algebra and geometry in quadratic functions.　All of which have been proved to have concrete learning effects. 2. In the environment of the internet learning, individual learning effect differences exist among students of different cognitive learning styles. In the environment of the internet individual learning, learning effects of the external control group are better than those of the internal control group. In other words, learners with external locus of control, using individual learning strategies do not have good learning effects.　However, learners with internal locus of control have better learning effects. 3. In the environment of the internet learning, there is no significant differences among students with different cognitive styles. In the environment of the internet collaborative learning, the learning effects among the group of internal locus of control collaborative learning, the group of external locus of control with collaborative learning, and the group of mixing internal-external locus of control with collaborative learning show no significant differences.　This study shows collaborative learning help improve the learning effects of learners with external locus of control, and ease the impacts of cognitive styles on learners. 4. The interaction process of the internet collaborative learning is a cognitive revolution of individual construction, group clarification, knowledge reconstruction, and group reconstruction. In the interaction process of the internet collaborative learning, individuals form self knowledge concepts, and shares their self-constructed sckema with other people. When individual cognitive differences occur, there will be questioning, clarifying, negotiating, reconstructing the knowledge, integratingopinions, and reaching common agreements, which will become the cognitive concepts of the collaborative group. 5. Peer collaborative learning on the internet lacks highly-supportive scaffolding structures. In the context of peer collaborative internet learning, it is easy for students to learn incorrect concepts and incomplete knowledge content, owning to their insufficient prior knowledge and communication skills. Therefore, in designing the internet collaborative learning curriculum for young or incompetent learners, it is a must to involve the teachers to join the discussion and interaction, in order to provide learners highly-supportive scaffolding structures. 6. In the interaction process of the internet collaborative learning, learners with external locus of control have more problem posing behaviors than those with internal locus of control. The study finds that learners with external locus of control have more problem posing behaviors than those with internal locus of control. On the other hand, learners with internal locus of control have more problem solving behaviors than those with external locus of control. Based on the research results, this study proposes the following suggestion for the reference of teachers, educational media designers, education admonitions, and future researchers: 1. Discipline experts, education experts, internet engineers, computer programmers, art designers should cooperate to develop the internet curricula which meet learners' needs more perfectly. 2. Different internet teaching strategies should be provided based on learners' characteristics, in order to make the constructed internet curricula meet learners' needs more perfectly. 3. In the environment of internet collaborative learning, syllabus design should be mainly on discussing situations, sharing knowledge, and solving problems, in order to facilitate collaboration effects. 4. It is better to set the internet interface design standards and evaluation indexes to provide a basis for the internet curricular development. 5. In the environment of the internet collaborative learning, teachers should attend students' discussions when needed, functioning as scaffolding support. 6. National Information Infrastructure should be improved to have higher internet learning quality and thus to enhance learning effects.