Work stress has a substantial impact on employees, organisations and economies; especially in the fragile economic environment since the ‘Great Recession’ of 2008; which has seen employment levels drop and employees willing to endure more stress at work to avoid retrenchment. These impacts include serious health and financial consequences. Attempts should therefore be made to effectively manage and address work stress to lessen these dire consequences. Many models have been developed and theorised to assist in explaining work stress, the pinnacle of these being the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. In JD-R theory, the dual process explains that work-related well-being follows the following processes: An energetic, also called the health impairment process, in which job demands leads to ill health outcomes through burnout; and then a motivational process which presents that job resources leads to positive organisational outcomes, e.g. organisational commitment, through engagement. The main objectives of this research were 1) to investigate a JD-R model in a large South African sample with a categorical estimator; 2) to investigate the reversed causal hypotheses of burnout and engagement in job demands-resources theory over time; 3) to investigate the likelihood of reporting treatment for health conditions based on burnout and engagement, and 4) to investigate the link between burnout and objective financial outcomes, i.e. by medical aid provider expenditure. To achieve the first objective a cross-sectional design was used (n = 15 633) covering numerous sectors in South Africa. A dual process model was specified with job demands (work overload) leading to ill health through burnout, and job resources (colleague and supervisor support, communication, growth opportunities and role clarity) leading to organisational commitment through engagement. Results of structural equation modelling indicated that the proposed JD-R model was a good fit to the sample. Furthermore, burnout was found to mediate the relationship between job demands and ill health with a medium effect. Engagement was found to mediate the relationship between job resources and organisational commitment with a large effect. The second objective, concerning reversed causality, was achieved with a longitudinal design (n = 593). The hypothesized model included burnout and engagement at time one, and at time two work overload as indicator of job demands, and colleague and supervisor support, communication, growth opportunities and role clarity as indicators of job resources. Results indicated that burnout had a significant negative reversed causal effect to supervisor support and colleague support. Engagement showed only one significant result, i.e. a small negative reversed causal relationship with supervisor support. To achieve the third objective, a cross-sectional design was used (n = 7 895). Results for logistic regression analyses showed that an increase in burnout was associated with a significant increase in the estimated odds for reporting an affirmative answer for receiving treatment for any of the health conditions, i.e. cardiovascular conditions, cholesterol, depression, diabetes, hypertension and irritable bowel syndrome. In contrast, an increase in engagement was associated with a decrease in affirmative reporting for cardiovascular conditions, cholesterol and depression; but not for diabetes, hypertension or irritable bowel syndrome. Addressing the link between burnout and financial outcomes was the fourth objective; and met with a cross-sectional design (n = 3 182). Participants were divided into a high and low burnout group based on the comorbidity of exhaustion and cynicism Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was implemented, controlling for age and gender, to investigate the difference in medical aid provider expenditure of the two groups. Results revealed that expenditure in the high burnout group was consistently more in all cases, compared to the low burnout group. By way of conclusion, the implications of the research were discussed and recommendations for managers and for future research were made. / Thesis (PhD (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Work stress has a substantial impact on employees, organisations and economies; especially in the fragile economic environment since the ‘Great Recession’ of 2008; which has seen employment levels drop and employees willing to endure more stress at work to avoid retrenchment. These impacts include serious health and financial consequences. Attempts should therefore be made to effectively manage and address work stress to lessen these dire consequences. Many models have been developed and theorised to assist in explaining work stress, the pinnacle of these being the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. In JD-R theory, the dual process explains that work-related well-being follows the following processes: An energetic, also called the health impairment process, in which job demands leads to ill health outcomes through burnout; and then a motivational process which presents that job resources leads to positive organisational outcomes, e.g. organisational commitment, through engagement. The main objectives of this research were 1) to investigate a JD-R model in a large South African sample with a categorical estimator; 2) to investigate the reversed causal hypotheses of burnout and engagement in job demands-resources theory over time; 3) to investigate the likelihood of reporting treatment for health conditions based on burnout and engagement, and 4) to investigate the link between burnout and objective financial outcomes, i.e. by medical aid provider expenditure. To achieve the first objective a cross-sectional design was used (n = 15 633) covering numerous sectors in South Africa. A dual process model was specified with job demands (work overload) leading to ill health through burnout, and job resources (colleague and supervisor support, communication, growth opportunities and role clarity) leading to organisational commitment through engagement. Results of structural equation modelling indicated that the proposed JD-R model was a good fit to the sample. Furthermore, burnout was found to mediate the relationship between job demands and ill health with a medium effect. Engagement was found to mediate the relationship between job resources and organisational commitment with a large effect. The second objective, concerning reversed causality, was achieved with a longitudinal design (n = 593). The hypothesized model included burnout and engagement at time one, and at time two work overload as indicator of job demands, and colleague and supervisor support, communication, growth opportunities and role clarity as indicators of job resources. Results indicated that burnout had a significant negative reversed causal effect to supervisor support and colleague support. Engagement showed only one significant result, i.e. a small negative reversed causal relationship with supervisor support. To achieve the third objective, a cross-sectional design was used (n = 7 895). Results for logistic regression analyses showed that an increase in burnout was associated with a significant increase in the estimated odds for reporting an affirmative answer for receiving treatment for any of the health conditions, i.e. cardiovascular conditions, cholesterol, depression, diabetes, hypertension and irritable bowel syndrome. In contrast, an increase in engagement was associated with a decrease in affirmative reporting for cardiovascular conditions, cholesterol and depression; but not for diabetes, hypertension or irritable bowel syndrome. Addressing the link between burnout and financial outcomes was the fourth objective; and met with a cross-sectional design (n = 3 182). Participants were divided into a high and low burnout group based on the comorbidity of exhaustion and cynicism Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was implemented, controlling for age and gender, to investigate the difference in medical aid provider expenditure of the two groups. Results revealed that expenditure in the high burnout group was consistently more in all cases, compared to the low burnout group. By way of conclusion, the implications of the research were discussed and recommendations for managers and for future research were made. / Thesis (PhD (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Den här studien syftade till att undersöka om mental arbetsbelastning kan påverka benägenhetenatt begå konjunktionsfelet vid sannolikhetsbedömningar, trots att man fått ledtrådarsom synliggjort konjunktionsregeln. Detta undersöktes med en experimentell mellangruppsdesign.I studien deltog 57 deltagare, varav 27 i experimentgruppen och 30 i kontrollgruppen.Deltagarna var i huvudsak studenter på universitetsnivå. Grupperna hade en jämn könsfördelning.Vad gäller ålder så var medelvärdet i kontrollgruppen 24.8 och medelvärdet i experimentgruppenvar 30.7. Samtliga deltagare fick utföra ett datorbaserat test. Båda gruppernastest bestod av sannolikhetsbedömningsuppgifter, felstavningsuppgifter, samt en tilläggsuppgiftdär deltagarna ombads ange om ett visst ord förekommit i tidigare fråga eller ej. Experimentbetingelseninnehöll dessutom en visuospatial arbetsminnesuppgift. Resultatet visade attmental arbetsbelastning inte ökade antalet konjunktionsfel vid sannolikhetsbedömningar dådeltagarna fått ledtrådar som synliggjort konjunktionsregeln. Slutsatsen visar att det inte behövervara mer resurskrävande för arbetsminnet att göra normativa bedömningar och att tillgodogörandetav konjunktionsregeln är robust mot mental arbetsbelastning. Framtida forskningskulle kunna undersöka vilken betydelse ett visst antal ledtrådar har för om tillgodogörandetav konjunktionsregeln påverkas av mental arbetsbelastning. / The aim of this study was to investigate whether mental workload can affect the tendency tocommit the conjunction fallacy in probability assessments, despite having read clues that exposethe conjunction rule. This was investigated with an experimental between-group design.In total, the study had 57 participants, whereof 27 in the experiment group and 30 in the controlgroup. The groups were equally balanced concerning sex. The average age in the controlgroup was 24.8 years compared to 30.7 years in the experiment group. All participants performeda computer-based test. Both groups’ test consisted of tasks with probability assessments,discovering misspelled words and an additional task about estimating whether a certainword had occurred during the previous task. The experimental condition also consisted ofa visuo-spatial working memory task. The result indicated that mental workload did not increasethe number of conjunction fallacies committed in probability assessments, given thatthe participants had read clues that expose the conjunction rule. From this result, the conclusionis drawn that normative judgments are not necessarily more demanding for the workingmemory, also that the utilization of the conjunction rule is resistant to mental workload. Futureresearch might investigate what impact a certain number of clues has for whether theutilization of the conjunction rule is affected by mental work load.

One of the factors significantly influencing our daily decisions is the so-called cognitive depletion.The theory of cognitive depletion postulates the existence of a limited mental resource that is necessary for self-regulation. If the resource is diminished by a task involving self-control, achievement in subsequent self-control task will be impaired. This project examines the effect of cognitive depletion on decisions in the Iowa Gambling Task designed to simulate real-life decision making involving gains and losses. Further, a possible effect of moderating factors that could be affected by cognitive depletion and consequently influence decisions in the Iowa Gambling Task -- risk preference and impulsivity -- is investigated. Dual-process theories postulate there are two systems involved in decision-making: faster, intuitive, emotional System 1 and slower, deliberative, rational System 2. It was found that cognitive depletion leads to enhancement of System 1. As advantageous decisions in the Iowa Gambling Task are closely related to emotional reactions -- domain of System 1 -- it was hypothesized that cognitive depletion will lead to not worse, or possibly even better results in depleted subjects. A controlled laboratory experiment was conducted involving 39 subjects in total. No difference was found in average desicions of depleted and non-depleted subjects in the Iowa Gambling Task, supporting the hypothesis. Further, short-term increase in impulsivity caused by cognitive depletion was very probably moderating choices in the IGT, leading to worse overall performance. Regarding risk preferences, we found that non-depleted subjects were generally more risk seeking in losses context, while depleted subjects exhibited rather loss aversion. This change in risk behaviors due to cognitive depletion very probably did not mediate choices in the Iowa Gambling Task.

Introdução: A morte do cônjuge representa diversos desafios a serem enfrentados por mulheres, especialmente nos primeiros seis meses. O enfrentamento deste processo, comumente predispõe a declínios da saúde e impacta a vida cotidiana. Para sua compreensão, destaca-se o \"Modelo do Processo Dual do Luto\", o qual pressupõe que um dos fatores estressores que os viúvos precisam lidar são os orientados para a restauração. Estes incluem o engajamento em atividades cotidianas que não se relacionam diretamente à perda, sendo singular e dependente do significado atribuído pela pessoa a estas atividades. Objetivo: Conhecer os significados atribuídos às atividades cotidianas relacionadas ao enfrentamento orientado para a restauração de mulheres após a morte por câncer, em até seis meses, do cônjuge idoso. Metodologia: Trata-se de estudo qualitativo, do tipo exploratório e descritivo. Constitui-se como população alvo do estudo, viúvas: do sexo feminino; que mantinham relacionamento com o falecido por meio de casamento ou união estável; residentes no Estado de São Paulo; cujos cônjuges, falecidos de 2 a 6 meses em decorrência de câncer, tinham acima de 60 anos e foram atendidos pela equipe do Núcleo de Cuidados Paliativos do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, no período de maio a outubro de 2015. As viúvas que aceitaram participar do estudo foram convidadas para uma entrevista individual, que ocorreu entre outubro e dezembro de 2015. Para sua condução, foi utilizado um roteiro semi-estruturado que buscava conhecer se os participantes realizavam ou pensavam em realizar atividades cotidianas relacionadas ao enfrentamento orientado para a restauração, e quais os significados que atribuíam a seu desempenho. O conteúdo das entrevistas foi gravado, transcrito e posteriormente analisado pelo processo de codificação, gerando temas abrangentes. Resultados: Identificou-se um primeiro tema nos resultados que se relacionou aos fatores que influenciavam no significado das atividades cotidianas relacionadas ao enfrentamento orientado para a restauração, os quais foram: a) sofrimento decorrente da percepção da ausência do marido no cotidiano; b) desempenho do papel de cuidadora; c) percepção negativa sobre a qualidade do relacionamento prévio com o cônjuge; d) participação nas circunstâncias que envolveram o óbito e nos processos decisórios de tratamento no período de adoecimento do cônjuge; e) apoio da rede informal e a presença de animais de estimação; f) espiritualidade. O segundo tema que emergiu dos resultados se referiu ao relato das entrevistadas sobre sua participação nas entrevistas conduzidas nesta tese. Discussão: O reconhecimento dos fatores que influenciavam no significado das atividades cotidianas favorece a reflexão sobre o apoio prestado às viúvas após a morte do cônjuge, especialmente ao se considerar que as mulheres se beneficiam mais de intervenções com ênfase no enfrentamento orientado para restauração. Entende-se que estudos que utilizam entrevistas como procedimento de coleta de dados podem beneficiar o enfrentamento do processo de luto dos participantes, pois potencialmente os auxiliam a elaborarem as experiências vivenciadas. Conclusão: Acredita-se que esta tese represente avanços na compreensão acerca do engajamento em atividades cotidianas no processo de luto, o que favorece a abordagem em Cuidados Paliativos prestada aos familiares após o óbito do paciente / Introduction: The death of the spouse represents several challenges to be faced by bereaved widows, mainly during the first six months. It commonly predisposes to health decline with impact in daily life. To understand the grieving process the \"Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement\" is highlighted. To this theoretical model, one of the types of stressor that the widows have to deal with is the restoration-oriented. It includes the involvement in daily activities that are not related to loss. This involvement is unique depending on the meaning given by the person to daily activities. Objective: To know the meaning attributed to daily activities focused on restoration by women after the death of their elderly spouse due to cancer, up to six months after death. Method: It is a qualitative exploratory and descriptive study. Its target population is constituted by widows: a) female; b) who had a relationship with the deceased exclusively through marriage or stable union; c) residing in São Paulo state; d) whose spouses have died within the past 2-6 months due to cancer and were over the age of 60; e) and whose spouses had been attended by the Palliative Care Service of The Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo Medical School during the period May- October 2015. The spouses that agree to participate in the study were invited to a private interview, which occurred from October to December 2015. To its conduction a semi-structured guideline was used which aimed to know if the participants took part or thought about taking part in restoration-oriented daily activities, and the meaning they attribute to them. The content of the interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using the coding process. Comprehensive themes emerged from this process. Results: A first theme was identified on the results related to the influencing factors upon the meaning of daily activities focused on restoration which were: a) distress resulting from the perception of the husband\'s absence in daily life; b) caretaker role performance; c) negative perception about the quality of the previous relationship with the spouse; d) participation in the circumstances that involved the spouse\'s death and in the decisionmaking procedures of treatment during his illness; e) support from the informal network and the presence of pet animals; f) spirituality. The second theme that emerged from the results referred to the interviewees\' report about their participation in the interviews conducted in this thesis. Discussion: The recognition of the influencing factors upon the meaning attributed to daily activities gives opportunity for reflection on the support given to widows after their spouses\' death, especially taken into account that women benefit more from interventions focused on restoration. It is understood that studies using interviews as data collecting procedure can benefit the participants facing the bereavement, since it can potentially help them to elaborate their experiences. Conclusion: It is believed that this thesis represents advances in the understanding about the involvement in daily activities during bereavement, what helps the Palliative Care provided to the family after the patient death

Behavioral adaptation and cognitive control are crucial for goal-reaching behaviors. Every creature is ubiquitously faced with choices between behavioral alternatives. Common sense suggests that errors are an important source of information in the regulation of such processes. Several theories exist regarding cognitive control and the processing of undesired outcomes. However, most of these models focus on the consequences of an error, and less attention has been paid to the mechanisms that underlie the commissioning of an error. In this article, we present an integrative review of neuro-cognitive models that detail the determinants of the occurrence of response errors. The factors that may determine the likelihood of committing errors are likely related to the stability of task-representations in prefrontal networks, attentional selection mechanisms and mechanisms of action selection in basal ganglia circuits. An important conclusion is that the likelihood of committing an error is not stable over time but rather changes depending on the interplay of different functional neuro-anatomical and neuro-biological systems. We describe factors that might determine the time-course of cognitive control and the need to adapt behavior following response errors. Finally, we outline the mechanisms that may proof useful for predicting the outcomes of cognitive control and the emergence of response errors in future research.

博士(心理学) / Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

No description available.

The purpose of this project is to argue that we possess a minimal self. It will demonstrate that minimal selfhood arrives early in our development and continues to remain and influence us throughout our entire life. There are two areas of research which shape my understanding of the minimal self: phenomenology and enactivism. Phenomenology emphasizes the sense of givenness, ownership, or mineness that accompanies all of our experiences. Enactivism says there is a sensorimotor coupling that occurs between us and the environment in a way which modulates the dynamic patterns of our self development; the laying down of these basic patterns helps make us who we are and gives rise to the phenomenological, experiential mineness. Drawing on these two core ideas, I will be arguing for a Phenomenological-Enactive Minimal Self (abbreviated PEMS). I will be emphasizing the role of the body and the role of affects (moods, feelings, and emotions) as the most important components relevant to understanding minimal selfhood. Put more concretely, the set of conditions which constitute the PEMS view are: (i) The minimal self is the experiential subject; the minimal sense of self is present whenever there is awareness. It is the subjectivity of experience, the sense of mineness, or givenness which our experiences contain. (ii) The phenomenological part of the PEMS view turns on the idea of a bodily and dynamic integration of sensorimotor coupling and affective experience. It is, ontologically speaking, the lived body in enactive engagement with the environment. It is this embodied subject which anchors and forms the foundation for the later ‘narrative' self, which emerges from it and which is continually influenced by it. It is the subject enactively engaged with others, dependent on sensorimotor processes and affects. We have an identity, but it emerges from relational and dynamic processes.

There is a conceptual knot at the intersection of moral responsibility and action theory. This knot can be expressed as the following question: What is the relationship between an agent's openness to moral responsibility and the intentional status of her behaviour? My answer to this question is developed in three steps. I first develop a control-backed account of intentional agency, one that borrows vital insights from the cognitive sciences – in the form of Dual Process Theory – in understanding the control condition central to the account, and demonstrate that this account fares at least as well as its rivals in the field. Secondly, I investigate the dominant positions in the discussion surrounding the role of control in moral responsibility. After consideration of some shortcomings of these positions – especially the inability to properly account for so-called ambivalence cases – I defend an alternative pluralist account of moral responsibility, in which there are two co-extant variants of such responsibility: attributability and accountability. The latter of these will be shown to have a necessary control condition, also best understood in terms of a requirement for oversight (rather than conscious or online control), and in terms of the workings of the dual system mechanism. I then demonstrate how these two accounts are necessarily related through the shared role of this kind of control, leading to my answer to the original question: if an agent is open to moral accountability based on some activity or outcome, this activity or outcome must necessarily have positive intentional status. I then apply this answer in a consideration of certain cases of the use of the Doctrine of Double Effect.