The present thesis examines evidence for the self-relaxation assumption of Personality-Systems-Interactions (PSI) theory, i.e. the involvement of the self-system in the intuitive downregulation of negative affect. Chapter 1 introduces PSI a self-regulation theory that explains personality and behavior according to the dynamic interplay of neuropsychological systems. Chapter 2 provides an evaluation of the Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test (IPANAT) that indirectly assesses affect via judgments about the phonetic resemblance between artificial pseudo-words and mood adjectives. The test shows remarkable reliability for each scale as well as good factorial, construct and criterion-based validity. Chapter 3 presents an experiment that investigates the extent to which self-activation (experimental presentation of self-referential terms such as my bed, my body, etc.) after stress exposure affects negative and positive affect as measured by both the IPANAT and an explicit affect scale. As compared to neutral terms (the bed, the body, etc.) in the control group, self-referential terms led to a decrease in negative affect and an increase in positive affect according to the IPANAT but not according to the explicit measure. The results are discussed with respect to the intuitive nature of self-relaxation. Chapter 4 includes a study that examines the relationships between inter-individual differences in self-functioning (adult attachment security, self-determination, self-esteem) and the cortisol response to an acute stressor and awakening in the morning. Self-functioning in terms of attachment security was negatively related to the acute stress cortisol response and, along with self-determination and self-esteem, positively related to the awakening cortisol response. A hypothesized link between the hippocampus, which has been shown to be especially important for cortisol regulation and the retrieval of episodic memory, and the self-system is discussed.

Previous research has shown that exerting self-control on a demanding task can impair performance on a subsequent demanding self-control task. This phenomenon is known as ego-depletion; however, its underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Notable gaps in the literature exist regarding whether participants’ motivation levels can attenuate the depletion effect, and whether trait self-control is related. Drawing from the process model of depletion and the self-determination theory, the goal of the study was to examine whether motivational incentives in the form of autonomy can impact performance on tasks in an ego-depleted state, and the potential relationship of trait self-control. Amazon Mechanical Turk was utilized to conduct this experimental quantitative study with a 2 (ego-depletion: yes or no) x 2 (autonomous reward motivation: incentivized or nonincentivized) between-subjects factorial design. The effects of an autonomous motivational incentive were compared with the effects of no incentive on a convenience sample of online participants (N = 211), half of whom performed a task designed to be depleting of self-control resources, and half of whom performed a non-depleting task instead. Multivariate ANCOVAs showed no significant differences for performance on a subsequent self-control task for any of the experimental groups, and no co-variance of trait self-control was found (as measured by the Brief Self-Control Scale). This study will contribute to social change by increasing understanding of the factors contributing to self-control. This knowledge will be useful to anyone intending to strengthen their own willpower and achieve their goals, and may enable practitioners to better assist clients struggling with addictions and other maladaptive behaviors.

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Early childhood adversity, particularly poverty, can be a source of chronic stress that contributes to emotion dysregulation at the start of formal schooling. Children’s reactivity to novel challenges in the classroom is associated with externalizing behavior and subsequent difficulties developing academic and social emotional skills (Blair & Raver, 2015; Hackman, Farah & Meaney, 2010). Research grounded in the “science of feeling safe” (Porges, 2011) and attachment theory demonstrates that sensitive, empathic teachers can foster the development of emotion regulation in at-risk children, leading to more adaptive classroom behaviors (Pianta, Belsky, Vandergrift et al., 2008). This study was designed to help explain the associations between student-teacher relationship quality and externalizing behavior, self-regulation and executive function, and then examine if these associations are moderated by poverty. The results of a multilevel analysis highlight significant correlations both within and between classrooms for closeness/conflict and externalizing behavior and teacher-rated self-regulation. Classroom-level SES was observed to moderate the association of relationship closeness with externalizing behavior. In the discussion of these findings, the needs for more nuanced measures of student stress and teacher sensitivity are examined. Professional development opportunities are also presented for teachers to learn stress management techniques and to build social regulation skills. / Educational Psychology

Mobile polling is a widely used classroom response system at the university level. The current study examines the predictors and outcomes of mobile polling including self-regulation and academic achievement. Furthermore, this study explores whether or not mobile polling benefits some students more than others, specifically those with higher levels of self-regulation. The data was collected from two separate University classrooms taught by the same teacher (n = 66). The first section of students were to use mobile polling software after taking their midterm exam and use the software for the remainder of the semester. The other section of students served as the control group and received the same instruction, Powerpoints, and assignments minus the usage of mobile polling. All students from both classes were given an 89 question survey known as the Barkley Deficits in Executive Function Scale (BDEFS) which measured their ability to self-regulate their behavior. A hierarchical regression model was used to find that mobile polling had no statistical significance on academic achievement at the end of the semester. The only significant predictor throughout the entire study was the initial achievement variable, which was the scores from the midterm exam. Another hierarchical regression model found that self-regulation, measured with the use of the BDEFS system, was not a significant predictor of academic achievement. When initial achievement was controlled for, the Overall EF score from the BDEFS system revealed that self-regulation had zero effect on the variance as denoted by R Square and the R Square change in the regression model. Supplemental analysis revealed that Overall EF is a significant predictor of academic achievement when a Repeated Measures ANOVA was used, though the R Square change was still low. Factor analysis was used to find which questions loaded together under five subscales, truncating the BDEFS system and revealing that Self-Restraint/Inhibition traits were a better predictor than the overall score from the BDEFS questionnaire yet was not a significant predictor of achievement. Finally, a 2 x 2 ANCOVA that investigated the interaction between high/low levels of Self-Regulation and usage of Mobile Polling and found that it did not significantly affect academic achievement. In fact, the highest mean came from the completely opposite group as expected, which was students in the control group with lower levels of self-regulation. / Educational Psychology

[pt] O objetivo do presente estudo é analisar, a partir da perspectiva decolonial, a história da incorporação do modelo Eurocêntrico de autorregulamentação na criação do Sistema Brasileiro de Autorregulamentação Publicitária, durante contexto de ditadura civil-militar, entre 1978 e 1980. Para isso, foi realizada uma pesquisa histórica, adotando perspectiva decolonial, utilizando dados primários e secundários para analisar o caso em questão. O uso da perspectiva decolonial permitiu entender que a incorporação de elementos estrangeiros ao sistema brasileiro ocorreu por meio, principalmente, de quatro fatores: o alinhamento da publicidade brasileira a padrões internacionais, o incentivo da International Advertising Association ao setor publicitário brasileiro para implementar a prática de autorregulamentação; a relação entre setor publicitário e governo militar; e os movimentos consumeristas estadunidenses replicados no Brasil. Mais do que uma discussão focada no poder de empresas sobre consumidores, espera-se que a problematização de narrativa homogênea de consumerismo gere mais conhecimento sobre as relações entre o Norte Global e o Sul Global e como o controle pós-colonial se materializa em consumerismo, limitando formas de pensar que sejam distintas à lógica neoliberal de defesa do consumidor por meio de livres mercados, assim ajudando a manter domínio Eurocêntrico sobre conhecimento. A pesquisa oferece subsídios para a discussão de d formas possíveis e alternativas de proteção do consumidor, excluídas da narrativa homogênea, levando a outras reflexões, como, por exemplo, o que poderia ser feito para melhorar a proteção do consumidor brasileiro, e qual deveria ser o dever do Estado na proteção do consumidor. / [en] The objective of this study is to analyze, from a decolonial perspective, how the incorporation of the Eurocentric model of self-regulation occurred in the creation of the Brazilian Advertising Self-Regulation System, considering the context of a civil-military dictatorship, in the years of 1978 to 1980. In order to do so, a historical research with a decolonial perspective was carried out, using primary and secondary data to analyze the case in question. The use of a decolonial perspective allowed the researcher to understand that the incorporation of foreign elements into the Brazilian system occurred mainly through four factors: the alignment of Brazilian advertising sector with international standards; International Advertising Association s incentive to Brazilian advertising sector to implement its practice of self-regulation; the relationship between the advertising sector and the military government; and the US consumerist movements replicated in Brazil. More than a discussion focused on business power over consumers, the problematization of a homogeneous narrative of consumerism is expected to generate more insight into the relations between the Global North and the Global South and how postcolonial control materializes in consumerism, limiting ways of thinking that are distinct from the neoliberal logic of consumer protection through free markets, thus helping to maintain Eurocentric dominance over knowledge. The research offers subsidies for the discussion on possible and alternative forms of consumer protection, excluded from the homogeneous narrative, which leads to other reflections, such as, what could be done to improve the protection of Brazilian consumers, and what should be the State s role in consumer protection.

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Conflict is a common problem among families, and children may be negatively affected by this family dynamic. Some family characteristics may protect children from negative effects, even in the midst of conflict. Though little research has been conducted addressing familial effects of humor, the current longitudinal study examined the moderating effect of humor on the relationship between family conflict and child self regulation. Two hundred ninety six two-parent families from the Seattle area were surveyed and observed as a party of Brigham Young University's Flourishing Family Project. Family conflict and coded humor from an observation task were assessed at time 1 and self regulation in the child was assessed at both time 1 and one year later. Results indicated that (1) family conflict negatively influences child self regulation, (2) that humor between fathers and children is associated with child self regulation, and (3) that humor between fathers and children may buffer the effects of family conflict on a child's self regulation. Humor between mothers and children and between mothers and fathers did not moderate the relationship between family conflict and child self regulation. These results suggest that some forms of family humor may provide families with healthy child outcomes. Limitations and implications for family therapy are discussed.