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Achievement Goal Theory: Achievement Goals In Predicting Pre-Competitive Anxiety In Athletes, Ysmara Sainz

Theses and Dissertations

Being involved in a sport (team or individual) can offer numerous benefits for an athlete, such as physical and health advantages. Yet, some athletes strive for more than physical and health benefits. Some athletes strive for sport achievements and mastering sport techniques and skills. According to the achievement motivation theory, athletes are motivated for the need of achievement and striving for perceived high ability (i.e., achievement behavior). Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) proposes achievement motivation is a combination of achievement goals, achievement behavior, and perceived ability, and achievement behavior. Additionally, achievement motivation can be manipulated by achievement goal orientations. Achievement goal …

"It's Part Of My Responsibility To Help" : Developing A Measure Of Motivations For Extrinsic Emotion Regulation, Sara Cloonan

Honors Theses

Previous research in the field of emotion regulation has largely focused on the ways in which we regulate our own emotions, but not as much work has been done to examine the processes by which we regulate the emotions of others. The current research aims to develop a measure of motivations for engaging in extrinsic emotion regulation (EER), with a focus on why we attempt to down-regulate negative emotional experiences of those around us. Study 1 used narrative responses to formulate and validate a qualitative coding schema for categorizing motives for engaging in EER. The wide variety of EER motivations …

The Role Of Affective Arousal In The Affective State-Performance Goal Level Relationship, Vahe Permzadian

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Given that employee performance goals are major determinants of work motivation and performance, examining the factors that influence goal setting has generated substantial research interest. However, despite decades of work, the relationship between affect and goal setting is not well understood as evidenced by inconsistent findings in this domain. Based on contemporary theory, affect is described along the two dimensions of valence (i.e., the level of pleasantness) and arousal (i.e., the level of activation). Most of the focus has been on the valence dimension of affect, where mood-as-information theory as well as affect-priming theory predict that affective valence influences judgments …

Examining Types Of Motivation For Exercise In Relation To Pathological Exercise In Eating Disorders, Christina Scharmer

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Exercise can serve adaptive and maladaptive functions among individuals with elevated eating disorder (ED) pathology; however, little is known about how best to distinguish healthy and problematic exercise within this population. The present study aimed to inform this distinction by examining associations between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for exercise, problematic exercise, and ED pathology in a sample of undergraduate students (N=347, 70% female) with threshold or sub-threshold EDs. All participants completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), the Exercise Motivation Inventory-2 (EMI-2), the Compulsive Exercise Test (CET), and the Exercise Dependence Scale (EDS). Preliminary exploratory factor analysis of the EMI-2 …

The Right Approach To Success : Approach And Avoidance Motivation In Anticipatory Self-Control, Ellen O'Malley

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Self-control success often requires considerable effort in moments of temptation. The current research examines the effectiveness of self-control strategies based on individual differences in self-regulatory motivation. Although self-control appears to come easier to those who are avoidance-motivated rather than approach-motivated, this may be due to the conditions under which self-control is needed and tested. Specifically, the temporal context of an anticipated selfcontrol conflict (i.e., if it is near or distant) may be more instrumental for approach-motivated self-regulation relative to avoidance-motivated self-regulation. Three studies test the temporal and motivational conditions under which participants successfully pursue self-control goals. Results suggest that anticipatory …

Musical Stairs: Encouraging Physical Activity Through Persuasive Technology, Meagan Combs

Honor Scholar Theses

This study examined persuasive technology and its effect on participants’ motivation to engage in physical activity. A set of musical stairs was built using infrared proximity sensors, designed to make the experience of climbing the stairs more “fun”. The software was written in such a way that each step a participant took on the stairs provided a musical response. The experiment tested three conditions: the control condition (without sounds), a condition with piano note sounds, and a condition with guitar chord sounds. The results suggest that more participants interacted with the stairs during the conditions with sound compared to the …

Implicit Theories Of Intelligence And Learning A Novel Mathematics Task, Nathan Oehme Rudig

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The social-cognitive model of motivation states that students adopt a theory of the nature of intelligence that guides their goals in academia and their responses to academic setbacks. Students who believe intelligence is an unchanging entity within them are more likely to adopt goals to display high ability, hide low ability, and respond helplessly to failed schoolwork. Conversely, a student who believes intelligence is a measure of effort and persistence will be motivated to gather knowledge and acquire new skills. The current study investigated the role theories of intelligence play in the field of mathematics understanding. In two experiments, participants …

Performance = Ability X Motivation : Exploring Untested Moderators Of A Popular Model, Christopher Patrick Cerasoli

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

It seems a self-evident truism to many that performance at school and work is determined by the extent to which one "can do" and one "will do" the task effectively. Grounded in this logic, research, practice, and textbooks in industrial-organizational psychology over the past 60 years have supported the notion that performance is a multiplicative function of ability and motivation, such that P = f(AXM) (where P = performance, A = ability, and M = motivation). In this study, I addressed four issues surrounding this multiplicative model. First, I began by exploring whether and when multiplicative (versus simpler additive) models …

Natural Area Stewardship Volunteers: Motivations, Attitudes, Behaviors, Corinne Handelman

Dissertations and Theses

To better understand the value of those who engage in environmental stewardship of natural areas, we studied volunteer steward's motivation to participate, their sustainable behaviors and attitudes toward stewardship-related constructs. Specifically, we designed and conducted a survey of volunteers who work as stewards in urban natural areas in Portland, Oregon. We hypothesize that as volunteer frequency increases: participants will be more motivated to participate for environmental reasons, volunteers will be more likely to feel a strong connection to the stewardship site, participants will be more likely to engage in public pro-environmental behaviors, and their level of environmental literacy will increase. …

Motives For Different Types Of Medical Travelers: An Analysis Of The Current State Of Academic Research On The Topic, Dan B. Cormany

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this research is to determine the current state of research undertaken to provide insight into the motivational characteristics of medical travelers, as reported by scholarly publications in the last five years. As a part of the study, an exploration is undertaken of the four basic schools of psychological thought, as each have different explanations for human motivation. These four schools - psychodynamic, behavioral, humanistic, and cognitive or pragmatic - are examined in the light of six categories of medical travelers. The categories are those traveling for life-saving surgeries, for treatments to improve quality of life, for elective …

When Means-Efficacy And Self-Efficacy Affect Performance: A Look At Locus Of Control, Patricia Padilla

Theses Digitization Project

Self-efficacy, means-efficacy, and locus of control have been found to affect performance. This study was a 2 x 2 x 2 between groups quasi-experiment, in 2 parts, designed to measure interaction between locus of control, self efficacy, and means-efficacy. Participants were 257 students at California State University, San Bernardino aged 18 through 63 years and about half were Hispanic females.

The Development Of Means-Efficacy Through Mastery Experience, Casey Kiyoshi Arakawa

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate means-efficacy through mastery experience. Traditionally self-efficacy has been shown to influence an individual's expectation about their performance. Students participated in typing tests with past experience using a high or low quality keyboard. The following study utilized a priori contrasts and one-way ANOVAS to analysis data. One hundred ninety-six students from California State University, San Bernardino participated in the study.

The Relationship Between Time Estimation And An Individual's Ability To Delay Gratification, Erin Kamien

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"This study examines the relationship between an individual's ability to accurately estimate the passage of time and his or her ability to delay gratification. In this study, undergraduate students were asked to estimate time intervals using a time estimation computer program and to provide a verbal estimation of time intervals. These scores were then correlated with delay of gratification measures, designated by their score on a delay of gratification inventory, and their decision to receive extra credit points immediately and end their participation, or to return and collect an additional half of their reward a day later. It was expected …

A Positive Approach: Training Coaches To Build A Positive Motivational Climate, J. Spencer John

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to develop a training program for youth sport coaches focusing on a positive motivational climate, with an intended outcome to increase intrinsic motivation in youth sport participants. The coaching workshops that are available today tend to focus on teaching the fundamentals of the sport; while largely ignoring the motivational side of coaching. Pop Warner Football is the largest youth football league in the country, they have a large coach training program that focuses on drills and skill development, but fails to address positive motivation. Providing youth sport organizations with a training program that adds …

So You Are Having A Bad Day: Gender, Goal Orientation And In-Competition Attrition Rate In Competitive Cyclists, Kimberly Sue Fasczewski

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Cycling is an endurance sport defined by races that require long intensive efforts. In this atmosphere, athletes who experience a self-proclaimed “bad day” may be inclined to drop out of a competition instead of complete it. Previous research has shown that male athletes demonstrated higher levels of ego orientation and extrinsic motivation while female athletes demonstrated higher levels of goal orientation and intrinsic motivation (White & Duda, 1994). The current study examines the relationship of gender, goal orientation and participation motivation to in-competition drop-out rates among competitive cyclists. Specifically, it was hypothesized that the decision to prematurely drop out of …

Enhancing Off-Season Motivation In Collegiate Athletes, Daniel Ryan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the optimal off-season motivational strategies to be utilized by collegiate coaches to maximize the motivation, sport performance, and sport satisfaction of collegiate athletes.

Objectives: By identifying the determinants of athlete motivation, this paper will serve as a resource for coaches as they seek to raise the overall motivation and commitment of their athletes during the off-season.

Justification: Developing the ideal off-season motivational strategy for collegiate athletes is important on a number of levels. Due to the heightened level of competition in college sports, coaches must ensure that the structuring of their …

Quality Or Quantity?: Refining The Definition Of The Means Efficacy Construct And Its Relationship To Task Specific Self-Efficacy, Jennifer Renee Rice

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to expand on the definition of the means efficacy construct and its relationship to task-specific self-efficacy. The current research has three studies: assesssing quality means efficacy from a self-report method, study two assessing quality means efficacy from a self-report method, and study three comparing quality and quantity means efficacy to determine which would be a better predictor of confidence in various tasks.

Comparing Conscientiousness And Neuroticism In Predicting Task Performance And Contextual Performance, Lu Qin

Theses Digitization Project

The primary aim of this proposal is to address the relationship of effort intensity to neuroticism in predicting task performance and compare conscientiousness and neuroticism in predicting task performance and contextual performance. Building on previous studies' results, Big Five personality factors were examined as correlates of job performance. A pilot survey was distributed to a total of 251 participants who were working at least 20 hours a week collected from five organizations in the Los Angeles area.

An Investigation Of The Relationships Between Motivation, Worker Role Conflicts And Worker Outcomes, Robert C. Kennedy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationships between several work motivational process variables and work-life-conflict (WLC) and how these variables contribute to job related outcomes such as work performance, job satisfaction and life satisfaction. This survey study identified several correlations which suggest that a more comprehensive model of motivation should include variables such as energy pool and direction toward organizational objectives. Results also suggest that WLC contributes to the amount of energy pool available to workers and the amount of motivation exhibited by workers. WLC also impacts important job and life attitudes directly and through the above mentioned motivation process variables. The …

Development And Validation Of An Assessment For Longitudinal Symptom Fluctuation In The Eating Disorders And The Relationship Between Motivation To Change And Naturalistic Fluctuations In Body Weight And Eating Disorder Symptom Frequencies, Kyle Patrick De Young

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The frequencies of behavioral symptoms of eating disorders (e.g., binge eating and purging) are highly variable across and within individuals. The presence and severity of these symptoms define both diagnostic boundaries and outcome states, but validated tools to retrospectively assess symptom frequencies that capture variability at the week-level do not exist. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of an assessment designed for this purpose in a mixed eating disorder sample of 113 individuals recruited from the community who provided symptom frequency data once weekly for 12 weeks and completed the Interactive, Graphical Assessment Tool for Eating Disorders (IGAT-ED) on …

Assessment Of Life Satisfaction In Apostolic Women Religious: The Development Of A New Instrument, Maria Clara Kreis

Dissertations (1934 -)

The trend in today's U.S. society is one of decreased membership within traditional civic/faith organizations and in particular within women's religious organizations. Women religious are known particularly for their historic contribution to the U.S. social capital (Ebaugh et al., 1996; Nygren & Ukeritis, 1993; Weakland, 1994). Thus, there is a need to study the motivational factors and life satisfaction levels across different generations of apostolic women religious within the Roman Catholic Church.

The purpose of the current study was to (a) develop an instrument specifically designed to assess the life satisfaction levels of the various generations of women religious, (b) …

Performance Differences In Diverse Contexts: The Role Of Personality, Daniel Karl Cashmore

Theses Digitization Project

This study seeks to explain performance differences in demographically diverse settings by examing introverted and extraverted individuals and using the Inverted-U-Theory developed by Hans J. Eysenck.

The Effectiveness Of Altering Value Structure To Enhance Creativity, Christa Larai Taylor

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of the current study is to determine if individual creativity may be lastingly enhanced by altering a more stable, enduring factor than those in previous studies, namely values. This study was designed to determine if values related to creativity may be enhanced using an established method of value change, known as Value Self Confrontation (VSC), and if an increase in "creative dimension" values would therefore result in enhanced creative behavior.

The Neuropsychological Deficits In Cannabis Users : Does Motivation Play A Role?, Rayna Beth Ericson

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Prior research of the neuropsychological functioning of cannabis users has yielded mixed results, in that some studies identified differences compared to non-users, while others found no group differences at all. A meta-analysis revealed a small effect of cannabis use on the cognitive domains of learning and forgetting, while domains such as attention and processing speed yielded no effect (Grant et al., 2003). However, none of the previous studies assessed the participants' motivation to perform well on the assessment, which may have influenced the results. The present study sought to determine whether motivation is differentially demonstrated in cannabis users compared to …

Extension Of The Theory Of Planned Behaviour Incorporating An Improved Measure Of Emotion: An Application To Speeding, Chloe Jones

Theses : Honours

Speeding is related to crashes. The motivational factors underlying speeding must be identified to inform road safety. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) suggests that behavioural intention is predicted by attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control. The present research was an attempted extension of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), in a speeding context. It was identified that the scales used in the TPB are not appropriately capturing emotion, and that the lack of emotion measures may be responsible for unaccounted for variance in intention. Questionnaires were developed based on Ajzen's (2006) and Bradley and Lang's (1999) methods. It …

Motivation To Lead : Investigating The Power Of The Mtl Equation, Elizabeth Robinson

Honors Theses

Recent research has investigated a measurable way to determine an individual's motivation to lead in social situations by looking at specific aspects of an individual that make up his/her leadership ability and experience. The MTL (Motivation to Lead) construct is referred to as an individual differences construct that measures a person's motivation to acquire a leadership position based on specific personality traits and values (Chan & Drasgow, 2002). Chan and Drasgow's findings suggest that specific antecedents have calculable correlations to the three types of motivation to lead: Affective/Identity MTL, Non-Calculative MTL, and Social-Normative MTL. For example, Chan and Drasgow reported …

Means Efficacy: The Proposed Role Of External Resources On Motivation, Marissa Marie Jones

Theses Digitization Project

Means Efficacy is the belief in the utility of the resources that are necessary to complete a specific task. This research examined the relationship between means-efficacy and self-efficacy on perceptions of resources, perceptions of abilities, peformance expectations and actual peformance. This study sought to expand on the means efficacy literature by demonstrating the separate but parallel roles of the means efficacy and self-efficacy constructs on the the self-regulatory process.

Effects Of Ancient And Modern, Avoidant And Approach Stimuli On Visual Search Task Reaction Times, Sanja Bojic

Theses : Honours

The threat superiority effect refers to faster and more accurate detection of fearful stimuli. This has been explained as evidence for evolution, as ancient fearful stimuli are detected more quickly than modern fearful stimuli. The aim of this study was to investigate which of two alternate evolutionary explanations best explains the findings. Whereas Ohman and Mineka (2001) dealt only with avoidant responses, Lang suggested that stimuli may evoke either an avoidant (fearful) or approach response, associated with negative or positive valence, respectively. The experiment employed a same-different task where Age (ancient, modern), and Valence (approach, avoidant, neutral) were manipulated and …

The Influence Of Humor On Approach And Avoidance Motivation, Stuart Jenkins Daman

ETD Archive

Approach and avoidance motivation have been used to study many phenomena, but no research has yet investigated the influence of humor on approach and avoidance motivation. The feelings associated with humor are also associated with situations high in safety and low in threat. These sorts of situations are likely to result in decreases in avoidance motivation. Participants viewed either a humorous video clip or a mundane video clip and then completed a series of self-report measures to assess levels of approach and avoidance motivation. Contrary to expectations, composites of measures of approach and avoidance motivation were not influenced by the …

A Contextual Examination Of St. Anselm's Ontological Argument, Amanda C. Hammill

ETD Archive

Messages are more effective when framed to be congruent with individuals' approach/avoidance motivation (Sherman, Mann, & Updegraff, 2006). Two experiments explored whether congruency might also effect consumer reactions by examining whether person-message fit enhances enjoyment of taste of a product, increases how fluid an advertisement is perceived to be, and heightens one's willingness to buy a product and the overall product value. Study 1 demonstrated a congruency effect, where avoidance motivation scores positively predicted perceptions of taste/enjoyment of a sugar-free food, but only when the product advertisement was loss-framed. In the loss-frame condition, higher avoidance scores also related to increased …