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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Happiness In Modern Society: Why Intelligence And Ethnic Composition Matter, Satoshi Kanazawa, Norman P. Li Dec 2015

Happiness In Modern Society: Why Intelligence And Ethnic Composition Matter, Satoshi Kanazawa, Norman P. Li

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Recent developments in evolutionary psychology suggest that living among others of the same ethnicity might make individuals happier and further that such an effect of the ethnic composition on life satisfaction may be stronger among less intelligent individuals. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health showed that White Americans had significantly greater life satisfaction than all other ethnic groups in the US and this was largely due to the fact that they were the majority ethnic group; minority Americans who lived in counties where they were the numerical majority had just as much life satisfaction as White Americans …


Enriching Cultural Psychology With Research Insights On Norms And Intersubjective Representations, Xi Zou, Angela K. Y. Leung Dec 2015

Enriching Cultural Psychology With Research Insights On Norms And Intersubjective Representations, Xi Zou, Angela K. Y. Leung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Norms are one of the most important yet least understood processes influencing social behavior.Since the seminal work of Kurt Lewin (1943), social norms have been widely studied in socialpsychology research, contributing to studies on attitude–behavior relations (e.g., Ajzen, 1991),social influence (e.g., Deutsch & Gerard, 1955), social control (e.g., Ajzen & Madden, 1986;Bandura, 1977), group decision making (e.g., Janis, 1972; Longley & Pruitt, 1980), conformity(e.g., Asch, 1951; Sherif, 1936), and stereotypes (e.g., Schaller & Latané, 1996; Stangor, Sechrist,& Jost, 2001). The goal of this Special Issue is to capture the latest wave of research discoverieson the role of norms in understanding …


Relationship Dealbreakers: Traits People Avoid In Potential Mates, Peter K. Jonason, Justin R. Garcia, Gregory D. Webster, Norman P. Li, Helen E. Fisher Dec 2015

Relationship Dealbreakers: Traits People Avoid In Potential Mates, Peter K. Jonason, Justin R. Garcia, Gregory D. Webster, Norman P. Li, Helen E. Fisher

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Mate preference research has focused on traits people desire in partners (i.e., dealmakers) rather than what traits they avoid (i.e., dealbreakers), but mate preferences calibrate to both maximize benefits and minimize costs. Across six studies (N > 6,500), we identified and examined relationship dealbreakers, and how they function across relationship contexts. Dealbreakers were associated with undesirable personality traits; unhealthy lifestyles in sexual, romantic, and friendship contexts; and divergent mating strategies in sexual and romantic contexts. Dealbreakers were stronger in long-term (vs. short-term) relationship contexts, and stronger in women (vs. men) in short-term contexts. People with higher mate value reported more dealbreakers; …


Does Activating The Need To Belong Alter Things Important For Happiness And What Makes Life Complete?, Justus Rui Hao Wee Nov 2015

Does Activating The Need To Belong Alter Things Important For Happiness And What Makes Life Complete?, Justus Rui Hao Wee

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Past research on the need to belong in groups has largely examined the circumstances under which individuals go against their personal preferences and conform to group norms. The current research examines how the need to belong may shape the things people view as important for happiness, and what makes their lives complete. Two studies tested the main hypothesis that after activating belongingness needs, participants will be more likely to emphasize the importance of things valued by society (e.g., a lot of money, a successful career, etc.). In Study 1, the need to belong was activated by asking participants to recall …


Sweet Love: The Effects Of Sweet Taste Experience On Romantic Perceptions, Ren Dongning, Kenneth Tan, Ximena B. Arriaga, Kai Qin Chan Nov 2015

Sweet Love: The Effects Of Sweet Taste Experience On Romantic Perceptions, Ren Dongning, Kenneth Tan, Ximena B. Arriaga, Kai Qin Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Terms of endearment such as sweetie, honey, and sugar are commonly used in the context of describing romantic partners. This article explores how a relatively subtle manipulation, namely taste sensations, might influence romantic perceptions of a nonestablished relationship. Consistent with predictions, results from Studies 1 and 2 (n = 280) showed that participants evaluated a hypothetical relationship, but not an existing relationship, more favorably when exposed to sweet taste compared to non-sweet taste control. Study 3 (n = 142) further showed that participants indicated greater interest in initiating a relationship with a potential partner when exposed to sweet taste, as …


Perceptions, Stereotypes And Cognitive Resources Of Female Businesspersons: A Social Identity Approach, Amy J. Y. Lim Nov 2015

Perceptions, Stereotypes And Cognitive Resources Of Female Businesspersons: A Social Identity Approach, Amy J. Y. Lim

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

According to the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), female businesspersons are often stereotyped and labeled either as a Career Women, competent but cold, or as a Traditional Women, warm but incompetent. This suggests that female businesspersons are generally perceived to be either competent or warm individuals, but not both. However, this may not reflect female businesspersons’ own perceptions of their competence and warmth in the workplace. Contrary to the stereotypes, evidence has demonstrated that some female businesspersons display behaviors that signal both competence and warmth. Employing a social identity approach, I propose that gender-professional identity integration (G-PII), an individual difference that …


A Conclusion, Yet An Opening To Enriching The Normative Approach Of Culture, Chi-Yue Chiu, M. J. Gelfand, J. R. Harrington, Angela K. Y. Leung, Zhi Liu, M. W. Morris, Yan Mu, G. Shteynberg, Kim-Pong Tam, Ching Wan, Xi Zou Nov 2015

A Conclusion, Yet An Opening To Enriching The Normative Approach Of Culture, Chi-Yue Chiu, M. J. Gelfand, J. R. Harrington, Angela K. Y. Leung, Zhi Liu, M. W. Morris, Yan Mu, G. Shteynberg, Kim-Pong Tam, Ching Wan, Xi Zou

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

We compile in this article the target article authors’ thoughtful responses to the commentaries. Their responses identify some common threads across the rich contents of the commentary pieces, interlink the observation and theoretical propositions in the commentaries with broader streams of research, present new perspectives inspired by the commentary contributors, and pose provocative questions to further ignite research efforts on the normative analysis of culture.


Butterfly Eyespots: Their Potential Influence On Aesthetic Preferences And Conservation Attitudes, Zoi Manesi, Paul A. M. Van Lange, Thomas V. Pollet Nov 2015

Butterfly Eyespots: Their Potential Influence On Aesthetic Preferences And Conservation Attitudes, Zoi Manesi, Paul A. M. Van Lange, Thomas V. Pollet

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Research has shown that the mere presence of stimuli that resemble eyes is sufficient to attract attention, elicit aesthetic responses, and can even enhance prosocial behavior. However, it is less clear whether eye-like stimuli could also be used as a tool for nature conservation. Several animal species, including butterflies, develop eye-like markings that are known as eyespots. In the present research, we explored whether the mere display of eyespots on butterfly wings can enhance: (a) liking for a butterfly species, and (b) attitudes and behaviors towards conservation of a butterfly species. Four online experimental studies, involving 613 participants, demonstrated that …


Enriching The Perceived Norms Perspective Of Intergenerational Cultural Transmission: The Roles Of Norm Reference Groups And Norm Adherence/Deviance Motive, Angela K. Y. Leung Nov 2015

Enriching The Perceived Norms Perspective Of Intergenerational Cultural Transmission: The Roles Of Norm Reference Groups And Norm Adherence/Deviance Motive, Angela K. Y. Leung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In this article, I seek to apply Morris and Liu (2015)’s functionalist account of subjective norms to enrich Tam’s (2015) perceived norms perspective of intergenerational cultural transmission. This enriched approach recognizes parents’ choice to construct their transmission preferences that include norms of a nonmainstream reference group and that support a norm deviance motive. In this light, I review empirical evidence examining some factors that affect whether parents reference on peer or elite groups or they tend toward norm adherence or deviance in the transmission process. Acknowledging these variants allows the bridge of value transmission and value change studies that are …


The Brief Aggression Questionnaire: Reliability, Validity, And Structure, Gregory D. Webster, C. Nathan Dewall, Richard S. Pond, Timothy Deckman, Peter K. Jonason, Bonnie M. Le, Austin Lee Nichols, Tatiana Orozco Schember, Laura C. Crysel, Benjamin S. Crosier, C. Veronica Smith, Elizabeth Layne Paddock Nov 2015

The Brief Aggression Questionnaire: Reliability, Validity, And Structure, Gregory D. Webster, C. Nathan Dewall, Richard S. Pond, Timothy Deckman, Peter K. Jonason, Bonnie M. Le, Austin Lee Nichols, Tatiana Orozco Schember, Laura C. Crysel, Benjamin S. Crosier, C. Veronica Smith, Elizabeth Layne Paddock

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In contexts that increasingly demand brief self-report measures (e.g., experience sampling, longitudinal and field studies), researchers seek succinct surveys that maintain reliability and validity. One such measure is the 12-item Brief Aggression Questionnaire (BAQ; Webster et al., 2014), which uses 4 3-item subscales: Physical Aggression, Verbal Aggression, Anger, and Hostility. Although prior work suggests the BAQ's scores are reliable and valid, we addressed some lingering concerns. Across 3 studies (N = 1,279), we found that the BAQ had a 4-factor structure, possessed long-term test–retest reliability across 12 weeks, predicted differences in behavioral aggression over time in a laboratory experiment, …


Can Authoritarianism Lead To Greater Liking Of Out-Groups? The Intriguing Case Of Singapore, Arne Roets, Evelyn W. M. Au, Alain Van Hiel Oct 2015

Can Authoritarianism Lead To Greater Liking Of Out-Groups? The Intriguing Case Of Singapore, Arne Roets, Evelyn W. M. Au, Alain Van Hiel

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Authoritarianism refers to the individual’s willingness to submit to authorities that are perceived as established and legitimate and to conform to social norms and traditions endorsed by society at large, as well as a general aggressiveness toward groups that deviate from the modal norm (Altemeyer, 1981). Since the publication of The Authoritarian Personality, the seminal work by Adorno, Frenkel-Brunswik, Levinson, and Sanford (1950), numerous empirical studies have consistently demonstrated the seemingly inextricable link between authoritarianism and negative attitudes about out-groups (for a meta-analysis, see Sibley & Duckitt, 2008). Indeed, in the authoritarian mind, minorities are readily perceived as “bad, disruptive, …


Sense And Sensibility Of Ownership: Type Of Ownership Experience And Valuation Of Goods, Xiao-Tian Wang, Lay See Ong, Jolene Tan Oct 2015

Sense And Sensibility Of Ownership: Type Of Ownership Experience And Valuation Of Goods, Xiao-Tian Wang, Lay See Ong, Jolene Tan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This study examined how the type of ownership experience affects the valuation of a good. We hypothesized that the sense of ownership is a psychological derivative of resource acquisition and allocation. We predicted a valuation order of stable ownership or no-ownership


Thinking About The Future Now, David Chan Oct 2015

Thinking About The Future Now, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

No abstract provided.


Being Environmentally Responsible: Cosmopolitan Orientation Predicts Pro-Environmental Behaviors, Angela K. Y. Leung, Kelly Koh, Kim-Pong Tam Sep 2015

Being Environmentally Responsible: Cosmopolitan Orientation Predicts Pro-Environmental Behaviors, Angela K. Y. Leung, Kelly Koh, Kim-Pong Tam

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Much research has examined individuals' values and beliefs as antecedents or correlates of pro-environmental behaviors (PEB). We approach this question from the novel perspective of individuals' cosmopolitan orientation (CO). We define CO as made up of three essential qualities. First, cultural openness captures individuals' receptiveness to immerse in and learn from other cultures. Second, global prosociality denotes a sense of collective moral obligation to universally respect and promote basic human rights. Third, respect for cultural diversity concerns high tolerance of and appreciation for cultural differences. Across two studies, we validated the Cosmopolitan Orientation Scale (COS) with theoretically related criterion measures …


Partner's Understanding Of Affective-Cognitive Meta-Bases Predicts Relationship Quality, Kenneth Tan, Ya Hui Michelle See, Christopher R. Agnew Sep 2015

Partner's Understanding Of Affective-Cognitive Meta-Bases Predicts Relationship Quality, Kenneth Tan, Ya Hui Michelle See, Christopher R. Agnew

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Knowledge that partners have about each other's attitudes are consequential for relationship quality. This article extends prior research and examines whether knowledge regarding a partner's meta-attitudinal bases, or subjective perceptions of how one's attitudes are driven, can influence relationship quality. Given how meta-bases are reflective of information-processing goals, we hypothesized that partner understanding of meta-attitudinal bases would positively predict relationship quality. Self and partner ratings of how relationally relevant attitudes were driven, as well as perceptions of relationship quality, were assessed. Results revealed that a partner's knowledge of one's meta-bases positively predicts one's own reported relationship quality. Results remained significant …


Do Parents Favor Their Adoptive Or Biological Children? Predictions From Kin Selection And Compensatory Models, Nancy L. Segal, Norman P. Li, Jamie L. Graham, Steven A. Miller Sep 2015

Do Parents Favor Their Adoptive Or Biological Children? Predictions From Kin Selection And Compensatory Models, Nancy L. Segal, Norman P. Li, Jamie L. Graham, Steven A. Miller

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Evolutionary reasoning (Kin Selection Theory) predicts less favorable behaviors directed by parents toward their unrelated children, relative to their biologically related children. By extension, it may be argued that parents should also have less favorable perceptions of the intellectual, personality and other behavioral traits of unrelated children, compared with biologically related children. However, recent work has modified this expectation, given the distinction between unrelated adopted children (who are acquired intentionally) and unrelated stepchildren (who are acquired via mating effort). The compensatory model takes into account evolved desires for parenting and the evolutionarily novel availability of unrelated children. It predicts that …


Understanding The Building Blocks Of Selection Procedures: Effects Of Response Fidelity On Performance And Validity, Filip Lievens, Wilfried De Corte, Lena Westerveld Sep 2015

Understanding The Building Blocks Of Selection Procedures: Effects Of Response Fidelity On Performance And Validity, Filip Lievens, Wilfried De Corte, Lena Westerveld

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study aims to advance our conceptual understanding of selection procedures by exploring the effect of response fidelity (i.e., written constructed response vs. behavioral constructed response) on test performance, validity, and applicant perceptions. Stimulus fidelity (multimedia stimulus) was kept constant. In a field experiment, 208 applicants for entry-level police officer jobs completed a multimedia situational judgment test with written constructed responses and behavioral responses. We hypothesized the behavioral response mode (a) to be a better predictor of police trainee performance one year later, (b) to be less cognitively saturated, (c) to exhibit higher personality (extraversion) saturation, and (d) to be …


The Effects Of Cosmopolitan Culture, Competitiveness, And Need For Cognitive Closure On Creativity, Chi-Ying Cheng Aug 2015

The Effects Of Cosmopolitan Culture, Competitiveness, And Need For Cognitive Closure On Creativity, Chi-Ying Cheng

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Deviant from thecurrent literature of multiculturalism-creativity link, this paper investigateswhether individuals benefit from exposure to one but diverse culture as well asthe moderators for this relationship. Drawing upon knowledge activation theory, Study 1found that individuals raised in a diverse culture like Singapore exhibithigher creativity when primed with their culture than in the control conditions. However, this advantage disappearswhen the Singaporean cultural tendency “Kiasu”, also known as extremecompetitiveness, is recalled when individuals are primed with their culture.Study 2 further examined how the Kiasu prime, personal Kiasu tendency, and needfor cognitive closure (NFCC) interact to influence creativity. The resultsshowed that when the …


Self-Esteem And Women’S Performance In Mixed-Gender Negotiations, Serena Changhong Lu, Elizabeth Layne Paddock, Jochen Reb Aug 2015

Self-Esteem And Women’S Performance In Mixed-Gender Negotiations, Serena Changhong Lu, Elizabeth Layne Paddock, Jochen Reb

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Past research shows gender stereotype threat effect negatively affects women's economic negotiation outcomes, but little is known about moderators of this effect. The present research investigated self-esteem (SE) level and social contingent self-esteem (SCSE) as potential buffers to the gender stereotype threat effect. Based on the contingencies of self-worth model (Crocker & Wolfe, 2001), we hypothesized that SE level interacts with SCSE to determine women's outcomes at the bargaining table such that high SE women with low SCSE do not confirm gender stereotypes and achieve higher performance in mixed-gender negotiations. Drawing on the integrated process model of stereotype threat effects …


Putting Singapore Above Self, David Chan Aug 2015

Putting Singapore Above Self, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In an invited commentary published on the eve of Singapore's 50th year of independence, SMU Behavioural Sciences Institute director Professor David Chan discussed the need to guard against our own human self-serving tendencies in order to truly put Singapore above self. He explained the psychology of the self and how human self-serving tendencies can be overcome by being aware of them and cultivating positive attitudes.


Estimating The Reproducibility Of Psychological Science, Alexander A. Aarts, Et Al, Stephanie C. Lin Aug 2015

Estimating The Reproducibility Of Psychological Science, Alexander A. Aarts, Et Al, Stephanie C. Lin

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Reproducibility is a defining feature of science, but the extent to which it characterizes current research is unknown. We conducted replications of 100 experimental and correlational studies published in three psychology journals using high-powered designs and original materials when available. Replication effects were half the magnitude of original effects, representing a substantial decline. Ninety-seven percent of original studies had statistically significant results. Thirty-six percent of replications had statistically significant results; 47% of original effect sizes were in the 95% confidence interval of the replication effect size; 39% of effects were subjectively rated to have replicated the original result; and if …


Socially Desirable Responding: Enhancement And Denial In 20 Countries, Jia He, F.J. Van De Vijver, A.D. Espinosa, A. Abubakar, R. Dimitrova, B.G. Adams, Jochen Reb, Samantha Sim Jul 2015

Socially Desirable Responding: Enhancement And Denial In 20 Countries, Jia He, F.J. Van De Vijver, A.D. Espinosa, A. Abubakar, R. Dimitrova, B.G. Adams, Jochen Reb, Samantha Sim

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article investigated the dimensionality, measurement invariance, and cross-cultural variations of social desirability. A total of 3,471 university students from 20 countries completed an adapted version of the Marlowe–Crowne scale. A two-dimensional structure was revealed in the pooled sample, distinguishing enhancement (endorsement of positive self-description) and denial (rejection of negative self-description). The factor structure was supported in most countries; medium-sized item bias was found in two denial items. In a multilevel analysis, we found that (a) there was more cross-cultural variation in denial than enhancement; (b) females tended to score higher on enhancement whereas males tended to score higher on …


Development And Test Of An Integrative Model Of Job Search Behaviour, Greet Van Hoye, Alan M. Saks, Filip Lievens, Bert Weijters Jul 2015

Development And Test Of An Integrative Model Of Job Search Behaviour, Greet Van Hoye, Alan M. Saks, Filip Lievens, Bert Weijters

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Research on job search and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) has identified job search attitude, subjective norm, and job search self-efficacy as the most proximal determinants of job seekers' search intentions and subsequently job search behaviours. However, we do not yet know how more distal individual differences (e.g., personality) and situational factors (e.g., social context) might help to predict these key TPB determinants of job search behaviour. In an integrative model of job search behaviour, we propose specific relationships between these distal variables and the TPB determinants, which in turn are expected to mediate the effects of individual differences …


Do Facebook Status Updates Reflect Subjective Well-Being?, Pan Liu, William Tov, Michal Kosinski, David J. Stillwell, Lin Qiu Jul 2015

Do Facebook Status Updates Reflect Subjective Well-Being?, Pan Liu, William Tov, Michal Kosinski, David J. Stillwell, Lin Qiu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Nowadays, millions of people around the world use social networking sites to express everyday thoughts and feelings. Many researchers have tried to make use of social media to study users' online behaviors and psychological states. However, previous studies show mixed results about whether self-generated contents on Facebook reflect users' subjective well-being (SWB). This study analyzed Facebook status updates to determine the extent to which users' emotional expression predicted their SWBspecifically their self-reported satisfaction with life. It was found that positive emotional expressions on Facebook did not correlate with life satisfaction, whereas negative emotional expressions within the past 9-10 months (but …


Locus Of Control, Self-Efficacy, And The Mediating Effect Of Outcome Control: Predicting Course-Level And Global Outcomes In An Academic Context, Evelyn W. M. Au Jul 2015

Locus Of Control, Self-Efficacy, And The Mediating Effect Of Outcome Control: Predicting Course-Level And Global Outcomes In An Academic Context, Evelyn W. M. Au

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Background and Objectives. The current study utilizes Skinner's framework to examine the unique contributions of internal locus of control, self-efficacy, and perceived outcome control over course performance on students' academic experiences. Method. Undergraduate students (N = 225) took part in a longitudinal study and completed two surveys (Time 1: just before their mid-term exams; Time 2: just before their final exam in the same semester). Results. Both locus of control and self-efficacy at Time 1 predicted course-level perceived control over course performance at Time 2. Student-level perceived control over course performance at Time 2 mediated the relationship between self-efficacy at …


The Interplay Of Elicitation And Evaluation Of Trait-Expressive Behavior: Evidence In Assessment Center Exercises, Filip Lievens, Eveline Schollaert, Gert Keen Jul 2015

The Interplay Of Elicitation And Evaluation Of Trait-Expressive Behavior: Evidence In Assessment Center Exercises, Filip Lievens, Eveline Schollaert, Gert Keen

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In assessment centers (ACs), research on eliciting candidate behavior and evaluating candidate behavior have largely followed independent paths. This study integrates trait activation and trait rating models to posit hypotheses about the effects of behavior elicitation via situational cues on key assessor observation and rating variables. To test the hypotheses, a series of experimental and field studies are conducted. Only when trait-expressive behavior activation and evaluation models work in conjunction, increases in observability are coupled with increases in the interrater reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and accuracy of AC ratings. Implications of these findings for AC theory and practice are …


The Adaptive Value Associated With Expressing And Perceiving Angry-Male And Happy-Female Faces, Peter Kay Chai Tay Jun 2015

The Adaptive Value Associated With Expressing And Perceiving Angry-Male And Happy-Female Faces, Peter Kay Chai Tay

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Facial expressions are valuable for conveying and understanding the inner thoughts and feelings of the expressor. However, the adaptive value associated with a specific expression on a male face is different from a female face. The present review uses a functional-evolutionary analysis to elucidate the evolutionary advantage in the expression and perception of angry-male and happy-female faces over angry-female and happy-male faces. For the expressors, it is more advantageous for men to show angry facial expression as it signals dominance, averts aggression and deters mate poaching; it is more advantageous for women to display happy facial expression as it signals …


I Need To Be In Control: Motivations To Compensate Personal Control Threat Through Hierarchy Endorsement Among Individuals With Low Vs. High Relational Mobility, Lay See Ong Jun 2015

I Need To Be In Control: Motivations To Compensate Personal Control Threat Through Hierarchy Endorsement Among Individuals With Low Vs. High Relational Mobility, Lay See Ong

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Recent research on compensatory control indicate a motivation seek out external sources of control (e.g., hierarchical structures) when subjective control is threatened. As exiting/formation of interpersonal relationships within low relational mobility environments is likely to be beyond personal choice and may threaten subjective control, three studies were conducted to investigate whether the compensatory control account could explain the negative relationship found between hierarchy endorsement and low relational mobility. Study 1 provided initial evidence for the link; low personal-low environmental mobility individuals (vs. high personal-high environment mobility participants) were more likely to indicate higher internal control when they had higher (.vs …


Lets Talk About Commitment, David Chan Jun 2015

Lets Talk About Commitment, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In an invited commentary, SMU Behavioural Sciences Institute Director Professor David Chan discussed three types of commitment, namely instrumental, normative and emotional, and related them to citizenship and local-foreigner relations. On the commitment to one’s country, Prof Chan noted that citizens with high levels of normative or emotional commitment are more likely to support policies that benefit the nation, even if they mean some personal cost, while the reverse is true for citizens dominated by the “need to” instrumental commitment.


What A ____ Thing To Do! Formally Characterizing Actions By Their Expected Effects, Dustin Wood, William Tov, Cory Costello Jun 2015

What A ____ Thing To Do! Formally Characterizing Actions By Their Expected Effects, Dustin Wood, William Tov, Cory Costello

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

A number of personality frameworks assume traits describe central tendencies of action-for instance, calling someone assertive indicates they have a tendency to perform assertive actions. But what makes it appropriate to characterize an action by terms like assertive, kind, or honest? We propose that actions are characterized by such terms in large part by having expected effects on the environment which match particular conceptual templates. In the present studies, we attempt to better identify the expected effect dimensions perceivers seem to utilize to make action characterizations related to the Big Five and HEXACO personality dimensions. To do so, a set …