Adaptability, defined as "the ability to make fit (as for a specific or new use or situation) often by modification" (Merriam-Webster, 2009), has been studied in a variety of fields, including psychology. Despite widespread use of the term, existing models of adaptability appear to be inadequate. In working towards developing a new, multidimensional model of adaptability, the purpose of the proposed study is to conduct a preliminary investigation using Confirmatory Factor Analysis to a) better understand the relationship among the proposed components of adaptability and b) explore the degree to which these components measure an overarching adaptability construct. The proposed underlying components of adaptability include cognitive flexibility, emotional competence, social skills, and temperament. / text

In the face of future transport energy supply constraints it is imperative that planners understand transport energy adaptability within cities. This thesis presents for the first time an analysis methodology for mapping the spatial distribution of limits to energy adaptability. Termed the Minimum Energy Transport Adaptability (META) method, it characterises urban areas, synthesising a situation in which households have enacted all viable transport energy adaptations. The output is an estimation of the minimum possible transport energy required by households in meeting their day-to-day activity requirements. The META method combines elements of energy engineering, accessibility modelling and transport activity modelling. The analysis makes use of national household travel surveys to define the frequency of activity access and ability to use modes at the national level, and study area Geographical Information Systems (GIS) data for origins, facilities and transport networks. Two case studies have been investigated in New Zealand, the cities of Christchurch and Hamilton, and have shown that most residential areas in these cities do not limit the adaptive options available to residents. However, outlying areas, satellite towns and lifestyle properties consistently require large amounts of transport energy consumption and thus limit the ability of residents to adapt to future energy constraints. The META model enables, for the first time, the effects of future transport energy constraints to be mapped, visualised, quantified, and consequently considered in the planning process.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 1971. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 144-153). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Dr. Vandra Masemann, Florida State University, College of Education, Dept. of Education Foundations and Policy Studies. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Mar. 3, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

This study investigated the relationship between adaptive behavior and achievement when intelligence was statistically controlled. A random sample of 70 students of ages 6 through 11 was selected from a pool of subjects referred for individual psychological/educational evaluation. The sample, which consisted of students in a single, countywide school district in West Central Indiana, was stratified into two equal sized groups of ages 6 through 8 and 9 through 11. All subjects were administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised, the Vineland Social Maturity Scale, and the Wide Range Achievement Test regression analysis showed a significant relationship between the composite of predictors including verbal IQ, performance IQ, full scale IQ, and deviation social quotient, and the criterion of reading and arithmetic, considered separately. Subsequent tests showed a significant relationship between deviation social quotient and reading and arithmetic, considered separately, when verbal IQ, performance IQ, and full scale IQ were controlled by the step down multiple regression procedure. Deviation social quotient accounted for approximately 6 and 8 per cent of the total variance in reading and arithmetic, respectively, when verbal, performance, and full scale IQs were statistically controlled.Present, results were considered tentative pending verification by further investigation of the relationship between adaptive behavior and academic achievement. Results were in opposition to prevalent adaptive behavior ideology, which suggested that adaptive behavior was an out-of-school dimension which had no relationship with academic achievement. Results tentatively suggested that consideration of adaptive behavior scores, which seemingly enhanced the prediction of reading arid arithmetic beyond that provided by intelligence, would help school psychologists formulate more responsible placement decisions. Results suggested the need for the development of new, more objective adaptive behavior assessment instruments. The tentative minding of a relationship between the Vineland, a nonschool test of adaptive behavior, and reading and arithmetic, when intelligence was controlled, presented the possibility that adaptive behavior is a generalized, nonenvironmentally specific attribute. This issue hopefully will be addressed in subsequent studies.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1971. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Villanova University, 2006. / Psychology Dept. Includes bibliographical references.

Due to the dominance of the trait approach, personality is widely reduced to a set of trait scores which represent ‘usual’ behaviour. However, individuals show substantial variation within their personality (e.g. Fleeson, 2001; 2004). Thus there is a need for research into the personality characteristics which underlie this variance so that personality can be more fully quantified. To this end, the current thesis investigated a previously unresearched personality characteristic: personality adaptability, which was defined as: accurate and goal directed selection of personality states across situations which is designed to gain a desired outcomes and which may result in behaviour which is in accordance or discordance with the individual’s personal preferences in any given situation. Two studies were run to investigate whether personality adaptability exists as an individual difference. The studies also assessed the validity of personality adaptability by establishing its level of divergence from self-monitoring (Snyder, 1974), and role as a predictor of task performance and satisfaction with life (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985). Study 1 utilised a repeated measures design. Participants completed two tasks, within a laboratory setting, designed to require the opposite poles of normal extraversion. Personality adaptability was quantified by calculating the distance between participants’ extraversion level in the two tasks (goal directed state range), and the distance between the required state and observed behaviour in each task (task specific personality adaptability). Within study 2, overt naturalistic observation of stand-up comedians performing stand-up comedy was undertaken. Personality adaptability was represented by calculating the distance between the required state for achieving a successful task outcome and the observed behaviour of each comedian, along comedy relevant facets of personality. Participants of both studies also completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985) and Self-Monitoring Scale (Snyder, 1974). The study 1 participants also completed a 7-item version of the Big Five Inventory’s (BFI) (John & Srivastava, 1999) trait extraversion scale while study 2 participants completed the full BFI. The results of study 1 indicated that, on average, individuals adapted their behaviour in line with the task requirements showing substantially higher levels of extraversion in the high extraversion requiring task, compared to the low extraversion task (d = -1.43, p < 0.001). Consistency between personality (extraversion) state was also shown across the tasks (r = .43, p < 0.01) implicating trait personality as a determinant of personality state alongside personality adaptability. Both studies indicated personality adaptability to be an individual difference with the factor models extracted, in both studies, indicating a single factor of personality adaptability. Personality adaptability was also shown to be distinct from self-monitoring and trait personality in both studies, and to be the most pervasive predictor of task performance when compared to trait personality and self-monitoring. In study 1, personality adaptability represented by goal directed state range accounted for up to 11% of the variance in the measures of task performance while task specific personality adaptability accounted for up to 47%. In study 2, personality adaptability accounted for up to 41% of the variance in measures of task performance. Self-monitoring and trait personality did not account for any unique variance in task performance within study 2. However, trait extraversion showed a similar effect to goal directed state range on task 1 performance, within study 1 (Beta = .23 and .21, respectively). Personality adaptability was not shown in either study to be a significant predictor of satisfaction with life. Rather the trait personality and self-monitoring factors were the unique predictors of this dependent variable.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Communication is a skill humans are constantly utilizing, and their personality can have a strong effect on the way they utilize their communication skills. Understanding the adaptability of our ever-present communication and the influence personality type can have provides vital knowledge to all communicating individuals. This study focused on the potential connection between communication adaptability and the personality types of introversion, ambiversion, and extraversion. Many studies have explored communication adaptability and personality type independently; however, the relationship between the two has had very little study. The connection between the variables of communication adaptability and personality type was determined via a cross-sectional survey utilizing the Introversion Scale (McCroskey, 2007) and the Communication Adaptability Scale (Duran, 1983). The relationship between introversion, ambiversion, and extraversion was analyzed using Pearson’s bivariate correlation and ANOVA, which indicated that extraverted participants tended to have statistically significant higher levels of communication adaptability. There was also a moderate correlation between ambiversion and social composure, a low correlation with social confirmation, and a high positive correlation to social experience. Introversion had a moderate positive correlation with social composure and social experience. Finally, there were moderate positive correlations between extraversion and social composure as well as social experience. These results indicate that the more extraverted one is, the more likely they will be to have higher communication adaptability. Thus, there are communication adaptability strengths for all three personality types, but extraverts have the highest tendency to have high scores of communication adaptability. Individuals should consider determining what their personality type is to allow them to take advantage of their areas of strength and ascertain weaknesses they could potentially work on when it comes to their communication adaptability.