The purpose of this study was to determine the value of the Non Cognitive Questionnaire (NCQ) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in predicting the academic achievement of first year female engineering students. Ancis and Sedlacek (1997) studied non-cognitive variables with a general population of undergraduate women. Their study validated the NCQ as a predictor of academic success for women students. The present study extends the work of Ancis and Sedlacek to examine female engineering students, a group for which no similar study has yet been published.Participants included 100 female first-year engineering students at a large, public Doctoral Research â Extensive institution located in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. By race or ethnicity, the participants were White, Non-Hispanic (81%), Black Non-Hispanic (9%), Asian or Pacific Islander (4%), Hispanic or Latino (1%), Non-Resident Alien (1%), and Unknown Race or Ethnicity (6%). This study defined academic achievement as first semester Grade Point Average, which was used as the dependent variable. Participants completed the NCQ during summer orientation. NCQ scale scores and SAT Verbal and Math scores were used as independent variables in a step-wise regression analysis.The major finding of this study was that the NCQ scale scores did not add to the predictive value of the SAT scores in determining the first semester GPA of female engineering students. This was an unexpected finding in light of previous research that had documented the value of using non-cognitive variables, and specifically the NCQ, to predict the academic success of groups that are a minority in their educational settings.Because the major finding of this study is at odds with a large body of similar studies, the most important implications of this study relate to understanding this difference. Included in the discussion are questions about the methodology used in previous NCQ studies and about the influence of the single institution that has been the site of almost all previous NCQ research. / Master of Arts

The aim of the current study is to investigate the role of social-cognitive (locus of control, rumination and socially-prescribed perfectionism), emotional (shame and guilt), and behavioral (conciliatory behaviors) reactions toward oneself in predicting self-forgiveness based on Hall and Fincham&rsquo / s (2005) theoretical model. The sample of this study was composed of 815 (445 female, 370 male) university students attending five different faculty programs at Middle East Technical University (METU). Heartland Forgiveness Scale, Trait Shame and Guilt Scale, Socially-Prescribed Perfectionism Scale, Ruminative Response Scale, The Internal-External Locus of Control Scale and Demographic Information Form were used in data collection. In the current study, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used primarily to test the hypothesized model, integrating the effects of the social-cognitive (locus of control, rumination and socially-prescribed perfectionism), emotional (shame and guilt), and behavioral (conciliatory behaviors) variables as determinants of self-forgiveness. The SEM results indicated that this model provided a good fit to the data in spite of three non-significant paths, including the direct paths from (a) socially-prescribed perfectionism to shame and guilt and (b) locus of control to self-forgiveness. Since some paths appeared to be non-significant, the hypothesized model was trimmed. The result of the trimmed model was surpassed many of the criteria for good fit. Overall, the total variance explained by the finalized model in self-forgiveness was .32.

The objective of the study was to determine the predictive power of certain ideological (right-wing authoritarianism, belief in a just world, social dominance orientation, ideo­ logical self-positioning), cognitive (causal attributions of poverty and prejudice against poor people) and socio-demographic variables on the justification of social inequality. A correlational design was employed. Participants were 305 male and female students from the National University of Cordoba, Argentina ages 18-60 (M=22.95; SD=4.75). Results indicate particularities of the predictive power of these variables depending on the evaluated dimension of the justification of social inequality. Based on these results, the contribution of political psychology to the understanding of the psychosocial mechanisms that enable the legitimation of unequal situations is discussed. / El presente trabajo buscó conocer el poder predictivo de variables ideológicas (autoritarismo, creencia en un mundo justo, orientación a la dominancia social, autoposicionamiento ideo­ lógico), cognitivas (atribuciones causales sobre la pobreza, prejuicio hacia personas pobres) y sociodemográficas sobre la justificación de la desigualdad social. Se realizó un estudio cuantitativo correlacional. Participaron 305 estudiantes de ambos sexos de 18 a 60 años (M=22.95; DE=4.75) de la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina. Los resultados indican particularidades en torno al poder predictivo de estas variables dependiendo de la dimensión de la justificación de la desigualdad social evaluada. En función de estos resul­ tados, se precisa el aporte de la psicología política a la comprensión de los mecanismos psicosociales que posibilitan la legitimación de la desigualdad. / O trabalho buscou conhecer o poder preditivo de variáveis ideológicas (autoritarismo, crença em um mundo justo, orientação a dominância social, auto-posicionamento ideoló­ gico), cognitivas (atribuições causais sobre a pobreza, preconceito contra as pessoas pobres) e sócio-demográficas sobre a justificação da desigualdade social. Foi realizado um estudo quantitativo correlacional. Participaram 305 estudantes de ambos os sexos com idades entre 18 a 60 anos (M = 22.95, SD = 4.75) da Universidade Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina. Os resultados indicam particularidades sobre o poder preditivo destas variáveis, dependendo da dimensão da justificação da desigualdade social avaliada. Com base nestes resultados, a contribuição da psicologia política para a compreensão dos mecanismos psicossociais que permitem a legitimação da desigualdade é enfatizada.

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of an eight-week fundamental motor skills program on the physical and cognitive development of Grade 1 learners. The Basic Motor Ability Test was used in the evaluation of the 39 learners that formed the experimental group as well as for the 29 learners in the control group. Two additional subtests were included, namely the 400m endurance run and a dynamic balance test. After the initial testing the experimental group participated in an eight-week skills program for 30 minutes a day, four days a week. The program included stability, locomotor and manipulation activities. Hereafter a retest was done. The control group only completes the test and retest and not the skills program. The data of the variables tested were coded in computer format and statistically evaluated. In the processing of the data, the raw datum (performance) was converted to percentile norms. In order to determine if a child had improved in a certain physiological parameter percentile norms are used. The t-test was used to determine if the skills program had a positive influence on the variables tested. Two different t-test were used: the t-test for independent groups and the t-test for paired groups. The experimental research revealed that the skills program did not have a significant influence on most of the tested variables. In some instances the experimental and control groups were not on the same level at the start of the research, which made it more difficult to compare the two groups. For some variables both the experimental and control groups improved which is an indication that the improvement cannot be ascribed to the skills program alone. The following two variables, sit-and-reach and co-ordination (hand-eye) did improve notably and it may be due to the influence of the skills program. In both instances the average performance of the experimental group improved while this improvement was not evident in the control group. The cognitive variables were assessed by a questionnaire administered by each learner’s teacher after the conclusion of the skills program. Only the experimental group was involved. The questionnaire consisted of six questions comprising both categorical and open responses. The cognitive variables that were assessed were the following: 1. venturesome ness; 2. attention and concentration; 3. self esteem; 4. socialization and ability to work in a group; 5. ability to plan; and 6. ability to finish his/her given task. The results indicated that more than half of the learners improved in all the cognitive variables. Socialization and the ability to work in a group improved in most of the learners. / Thesis (DPhil (Human Movement Science))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted