This study employed an experimental design to test the effects of exposure to televised portrayals of differing types of negative consequences of casual sex on emerging adults' sexual beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. Male and female undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of three viewing conditions. Participants either viewed a program that portrayed negative emotional/social consequences of casual sex (i.e., guilt, regret, embarrassment, disapproval of family and friends), a negative physical consequence of casual sex (i.e., an unplanned/unwanted pregnancy), or a program without any sexual content. Outcomes were assessed immediately after exposure. Five outcome variables were examined: negative outcome expectancies of risky sex, attitudes toward casual sex, attitudes toward condoms, behavioral intentions to avoid casual sex, and behavioral intentions to use condoms. Driven by social cognitive theory, hypotheses address expected differences among the three conditions on these five outcome variables.Hypotheses about the expected effects of portrayals of negative consequences of casual sex were not confirmed. Results indicate that exposure to negative consequences of casual sex on television does not uniformly influence emerging adults' sexual beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. Rather, the relationship between exposure and subsequent effects was found to be moderated by their sexual risk experience. Emerging adults with different amounts of sexual risk experience responded differently to the experimental stimuli. Participants who had extensive sexual risk experience were not influenced by the stimuli. However, effects of exposure to the negative consequence conditions were identified among participants who had little to moderate amounts of sexual risk experience. Both the negative physical and emotional/social consequence conditions led these participants to report safer sex outcomes. Findings imply that portrayals of both negative emotional/social and negative physical consequences of casual sex on television have the potential to positively influence the sexual attitudes and behavioral intentions of young people who do not already have substantial sexual risk experience.

The majority of Canadian youth are not obtaining the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity. These low activity levels may be partially explained by students’ physical self-efficacy in that cross-sectional research demonstrates a correlation between physical self-efficacy and children’s physical activity; however, school interventions focused on this relationship show limited success. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, the purpose of this two-phase mixed method study was to better understand the relationship between Grade 5/6 students’ physical self-efficacy and physical activity levels. In Phase 1 of the study, 243 students from a rural British Columbia school district completed a questionnaire on their physical self-efficacy and free-time physical activity. Results from this survey were analyzed using ANOVA to examine differences in free-time physical activity between groups based on physical self-efficacy, transport to school, access to facilities, and gender. Physical self-efficacy was found to be the only factor to demonstrate significant differences with high self-efficacious students generally participating in more free-time physical activity than low self-efficacious students. For Phase 2 of this study, 10 participants indicating high physical activity levels, .50 SD above the mean, half demonstrating low physical self-efficacy and half demonstrating high physical self-efficacy, were selected for individual interviews to examine rationales for being active. Analysis of these qualitative data revealed similarities and differences between the high and low physical self-efficacy groups in three motivational themes: sources of self-efficacy; sources of pleasure; and personal priorities and ideologies. These findings highlight the complexity of physical activity participation in youth and provide support for interventions that encourage physical self-efficacy enhancement and outcome-expectancy attainment. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2013-07-11 12:38:37.688

Critics of anti-social behaviour policy (ASB) introduced by New Labour Government since 1997 argue that it is overly punitive, and criminalises what is often sub-criminal or nuisance behaviour. Further criticism is that policy implementation through formal channels has led to the public increasingly relying on formal agencies in the governance of ASB, and becoming less willing to play an active role. The catalyst for my research was two Community Safety Teams aim to reverse this trend. I have developed an innovative approach in the form of a booklet (Let s Talk) based on the under-researched Imagined Intergroup Contact model associated with the Intergroup Contact Theory which underpins Intergenerational Practice. My thesis centres on the piloting of the booklet in two regions in England, and the proposition that Intergenerational approaches can be a useful way of understanding and addressing tensions associated with perceived anti-social behaviour by young people . Drawing broadly on a social constructionist paradigm (Burr, 1995), and using an inductive case study approach, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected via various research tools. The sample included local residents, representatives of community organisations and the Community Safety Teams (CST). Data were coded and analysed using NVivo and SPSS. Theoretical data analysis was underpinned by the Integrated Threat Theory and the Social Cognitive Theory. Compared with other theories associated with Intergenerational Practice, the Integrated Threat Theory gave a more comprehensive explanation for intergenerational tensions. SCT gave new insights into the concept of agency in relation to the governance of ASB. My research identified anti-social behaviour that the CSTs felt did not warrant formal intervention, and the booklet received enthusiastic support from all parties consulted as an alternative, community-based approach. Reasons for a few individuals not wanting to adopt the booklet approach were identified; these included personal factors and social dynamics. My findings provided important knowledge for the future development and use of the booklet. This thesis makes a significant contribution to knowledge. Firstly, it extends the theoretical explanation of intergenerational tensions, and adds insights into the concept of governance and the theoretical underpinnings of Intergenerational Practice. Secondly, it advances implications for practice in relation to fully exploring social dynamics other than intergenerational issues, taking account of potential multigenerational factors, and being aware that preparatory activities to strengthen selfefficacy may be required.

Introduction It is widely reported that people with schizophrenia have social cognition deficits. In addition to their negative impact on functioning and quality of life, these deficits may also contribute to the use of violence. It has recently been established that social cognitive interventions (SCIs) can ameliorate deficits in facial affect recognition (FAR). This project aimed to systematically review whether SCIs can also improve theory of mind (ToM) abilities in people with schizophrenia. The empirical study aimed to explore whether the extent of the deficits in FAR and ToM in people with schizophrenia differed between those with and without a substantial history of violence. Method A systematic review was undertaken to identify studies where SCIs were provided to adults with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Key findings were highlighted with the quality of the studies’ methodology and reporting assessed. A quantitative research study was also undertaken involving 22 men aged 18-64 with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, comparing those with and without a substantial history of violence (SHV) on measures of FAR and ToM. Results The majority of the 13 studies included in the systematic review found that the provision of SCIs led to significant improvements in ToM. However, all studies demonstrated a potential for bias and were limited by inadequate sample size. In the empirical study, less than half of participants scored within the normal range for overall FAR ability, with no difference identified between the SHV and no-SHV group. However, the SHV group were poorer at recognising sadness and showed a tendency to perform better at the detection of faux pas, compared to the no-SHV group. Conclusions The systematic review identified that a wide range of SCIs can improve ToM abilities in people with schizophrenia. Its findings highlight that stringent, adequately powered studies should be undertaken, utilising standardised assessments of a range of levels of ToM ability, to enable identification of the most effective intervention. The findings of the empirical study are limited by a small and imbalanced sample size between groups and so must be interpreted with caution. However, patterns observed in the results highlight areas for further exploration. The strengths of this study’s design and recruitment challenges are discussed.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources / Candice A. Shoemaker / Public health research shows that targeting behavior directly when promoting healthy behaviors is not as effective for sustainability. Instead the recommendation is to integrate a theoretical framework that identifies factors which affect the targeted behavior and develop the intervention aimed at those factors. The objectives of this dissertation were to measure the healthful benefits of gardening for youth. Strategies were developed for creating an after-school garden club curriculum to target healthy eating, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and gardening. Accelerometers were used to determine physical activity intensity during a garden club session following a curriculum developed to promote physical activity through gardening. In a separate experiment, a portable gas analyzer was used to measure energy expenditure of youth while gardening. The constructs of Social Cognitive Theory were used to provide a guide with strategies for developing a curriculum with a theoretical basis for an after-school garden club targeting overweight prevention. Strategies presented include activities for targeting the theoretical constructs as well as for implementing evaluations. Fourth and fifth grade students at four randomly selected elementary schools in Manhattan, Kansas were invited to join the garden club. Students with parental permission attended the club for ten weeks in the fall and twelve weeks in the spring. During the second year of implementation students with parental permission participated in the accelerometer study. For six days students wore an accelerometer and completed a daily activity log detailing their activities during that time. Students in the fourth and fifth grades from eight Manhattan, Kansas elementary schools were invited to participate in the energy expenditure study during the summer of 2010. Students who participated in this study (n=20) wore a portable gas analyzer and heart rate monitor while performing four gardening tasks. Data were used to calculate energy expenditure of youth while gardening. A theoretically-based after-school garden club curriculum was developed to target increasing youth healthy behaviors. Results from the accelerometer study showed that students were significantly more physically active at the moderate and vigorous intensity level and significantly less sedentary at garden club compared to not at garden club. For students who participated in the energy expenditure study, the gardening tasks (transplanting, weeding, cultivating, and raking) were moderate physical activity (3-5.99 METs). Gardening can be a valuable tool for promoting and increasing physical activity in youth.

Master of Science / Department of Journalism and Mass Communications / Joye Gordon / Obesity in the U.S. has become a national epidemic. The military, in particular Military spouses are not exempt from the challenging issue of obesity. Understanding risk perception and health behavior is key to reducing the obesity epidemic, however insufficient research has been conducted among U.S. military spouses to understand their perceived risk and health behaviors. This quantitative study was conducted among 291 military spouses using the Extended Parallel Process Model and Social Cognitive Theory as the conceptual frameworks. The results indicated that perceived susceptibility of obesity and obesity related illness among overweight and obese military spouses while reinforcing both response and self-efficacy is the focal area for communication. Key barriers to weight loss and health goals were identified and the setting of health goals is identified as important. The researcher provides a digital intervention recommendation to address the findings of this study.

<p>In Colombia, as in the US, higher education institutions are charged with the twofold responsibility of training well-rounded professionals and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Faculty enact this dual responsibility through their teaching and research duties, among other job-related functions. Also like in the US, research has increasingly become the foremost function of faculty at most prominent Colombian universities. As the emphasis on research increased, teaching became regarded as a simpler activity that requires less effort and resources. Moreover, while discussions about the importance of quality teaching and the need to better train faculty to enact their teaching function are common, promotion and rewards systems at Colombian universities fail to reflect a real commitment to quality teaching. Research has taken precedence over teaching, and often is perceived as the only scholarly function of faculty. While this continued perception cannot be attributed to a single reason, I hypothesize that how faculty conceive of their teaching role impacts our ability to make a compelling case for the scholarly nature of teaching.</p> <p> </p> <p>Testing this hypothesis requires a systematic approach to exploring faculty’s conceptions of teaching within a context. To that aim, I pose this research question: What are conceptions of teaching held by Colombian engineering faculty interested in improving their teaching? I advance a framework for exploring conceptions of teaching drawing from Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and previous scholarly works on faculty’s conceptions and beliefs about teaching. Drawing upon this framework, I explore the beliefs, practices, and contextual factors of Colombian engineering faculty at three institutions. While these faculty members differ in terms of their disciplinary backgrounds, teaching experience, and research activity—both disciplinary and educational, they all share an interest in improving their teaching practice. This exploration first takes an analytic approach to identify the pieces that constitute participants’ conceptions of teaching, and then knits those pieces together to look at participants as wholes.</p> <p><br></p><p>The literature on conceptions of teaching has usually classified them between traditional teacher-centered to more sophisticated student-centered views. However, I believe that there is a continuum worth exploring defined by these extreme views. In fact, I argue that there are multiple continua—or dimensions—that merit exploration. Such dimensions include perceptions about the role of teachers, the role of students, the nature of knowledge, the purpose and means of assessment, and the outcomes of education—previously explored in the relevant literature—and views of the interaction between college teaching and research—a dimension distinctive of the present study. My findings suggest that while the role of the teacher and of students, and the nature of knowledge can be described by the teacher- to student-center and knowledge-transmission to knowledge-construction continua, the latter three dimensions are better described along different scales. Moreover, while there are certain correlations between these dimensions (e.g., perceptions of the role of the teacher as a guide correlate with perceptions of a more active role of the students) none of them alone can accurately describe the nuances of an individual’s conception of teaching. </p> <p> </p> <p>Conceptions of teaching uncovered and characterized in this multidimensional way can inform professional development programs that go beyond the diffusion of pedagogical innovations to a perspective transformation among participants. Specifically, my findings corroborate that changes in faculty views of assessment toward more formative stances foster positive transformations in faculty’s overall conception of their teaching role and duties. My findings also suggest that faculty members intrinsically interested in improving their teaching constitute the seed to start educational reform. Community-building efforts to bring together these faculty should, in the long term, help transform the views of academic administrators, thus fostering lasting reform in the perception and recognition of teaching as a scholarly function of faculty.</p>

Thesis advisor: James R. Mahalilk / The disparities that are prevalent in urban environments have a profound impact on the educational and career trajectories of urban minority youth. In the interest of promoting the success among urban minority youth, it is critical to understand the influence of contextual factors on career development. Urban students of color observe and experience disparities based on gender, race, ethnicity, and parental education (Chang, Chen, Greenberger, Dooley, and Heckhausen, 2006; Fassinger, 2008). A major theoretical framework that has been used to address contextual factors in career development is Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT); (Lent, Brown, and Hackett, 1994). The current study examines the socio-contextual variables of gender, race, ethnicity, and parental education (and their interactions) in predicting adolescents' perceptions of barriers to academic and career goals, expectations of reaching goals, and engagement in career planning activities. Archival data was used from a larger longitudinal study that was conducted during the implementation of a vocational program [called Tools for Tomorrow] that was offered at two public high schools in a Northeastern city for three years (Kenny, Blustein, Haase, Jackson, and Perry, 2006). There were 208 participants with a mean age of 14 (57% females and 43% males). Hierarchal multiple regressions revealed that boys, Latino/a students, and low levels of parental education were significantly associated with lower expectations about reaching goals. An exploratory analysis was conducted with three specific ethnic groups: African American, Caribbean, and Latino/a students. Among the findings, African American girls were more likely to engage in career planning activities. This study is among the few that explore the career development of Caribbean adolescents and differentiates the experiences of students of color in career related cognitions and behavior. Limitations for this study and implications for future research, education, and vocational interventions are discussed. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology.

There are repeated calls in the literature for the implementation and evaluation of evidence based HIV prevention programmes. This study aimed to evaluate a life-skills theatre performance for adolescents promoting safer sex behaviour against aspects of an established AIDS risk reduction theory. The study used a quasi-experimental research design, and was operationalised through the use of a questionnaire measuring knowledge, attitudes and perceptions conducive to HIV/AIDS risk reduction. Bandura’s (1990) Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) provided a conceptual framework for the development of the instrument. A further aim of the study was to establish whether the instrument would yield a factor structure that could be linked to Social Cognitive Theory using a principal components factor analysis. A sample of 392 adolescent high school learners in Grades 10 and 11 at two high schools in Naledi, Soweto completed the evaluation instrument. A sample of 165 learners were exposed to the play prior to completion of the evaluation instrument. A sample of 227 learners completed the questionnaire before the play was scheduled to be performed and were thus considered a control group. The effects of exposure to the play, gender, age, grade and whether the learners reported that they were sexually active formed the independent variables in the analysis, which were examined for their influences on the theoretical constructs measured by the instrument through analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results indicated that learners at both schools had a reasonably high level of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions conducive to HIV/AIDS risk reduction. However, learners at the control school scored significantly higher on the factors tapped by the questionnaire than learners attending the school exposed to the play. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed in the report. The results also highlighted significant differences between Grade 11 and Grade 10 learners in knowledge, attitudes and perceptions conducive to HIV/AIDS risk reduction. The physical age of the learner did not appear to be as important as educational level and/or possible social peer group norms on responses to the instrument.

This thesis was constructed on the foundation of two broad theoretical criticisms levelled against Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory. The first was the lack of clarity about what constituted the building blocks of the theory and the second was the lack of clarity about how these constituent components interacted in consistent and predictable ways as an integrated model of human behaviour. These ‘theory-level’ criticisms, which detracted from the empirical testability of social cognitive theory, seemed to have filtered down to the level of its individual building blocks. Therefore, moral disengagement, which constituted the focal variable of interest in this investigation, was not unaffected by them. Bandura’s (1986) theoretical presentation of moral disengagement as either an eight or four-dimensional construct and the empirical treatments of moral disengagement by Bandura and his colleagues as a uni-dimensional (Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara & Pastorelli, 1996a; Bandura, Caprara, Barbaranelli, Pastorelli & Regalia, 2001b) and a four-dimensional variable (McAlister, Bandura & Owen, 2006), raised questions about its dimensionality. The first objective of this study was to examine moral disengagement’s dimensionality and the stability of its internal factor structure (i.e. longitudinal measurement invariance) over time. The general lack of clarity about how the constituent components of social cognitive theory were expected to cohere as an integrated framework of human behaviour had specific implications for the moral disengagement construct and its temporal position relative to other social cognitive variables. The second objective of this study was to examine moral disengagement’s temporal sequences relative to select social cognitive constructs (viz. proficiency-based self-efficacy, intention, and past and future behaviour) in order to comment on the likely temporal positions of these constructs relative to each other in the context of a model for predicting antisocial behaviour. Due to the exclusive activation of moral disengagement in antisocial contexts, the examination of its dimensionality and temporal sequences was contingent on an antisocial context. Software piracy, as a specific instance of antisocial behaviour, served as the context in which moral disengagement was researched in this study. A pilot investigation was conducted to test the psychometric properties of the scales that were developed to measure moral disengagement, proficiency-based self-efficacy, intention and behaviour in this study. Once their psychometric robustness was established, these scales were used in the context of a main longitudinal investigation separated by a three to four month time-lag in order to achieve the two main research objectives. Using the structural equation modelling family of data analysis techniques (specifically, confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis), the results of the main longitudinal study revealed that moral disengagement emerged as most meaningful as a uni-dimensional construct which consisted of four aggregated sets of items which represented the clusters of moral disengagement mechanisms that were likely to be activated at the four points in the self-regulation process envisaged by Bandura (1986). The findings suggested that this factor structure was longitudinally invariant when moral disengagement was measured across two assessment waves. Moral disengagement appeared to temporally precede intention and future behaviour and to temporally follow past behaviour. Self-efficacy, however, seemed to temporally precede future behaviour and to temporally follow past behaviour but unlike moral disengagement, self-efficacy appeared to temporally follow intention. Therefore, intention appeared to completely mediate the interaction between moral disengagement and proficiency-based self-efficacy in this study. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings were examined and directions for future research were proposed.