Perceptions Of Social Context Research Articles

Assessment of Marital Satisfaction Among Spouses of Soldiers: The Example of Turkey.

Military personnel and their families face biopsychosocial risk factors due to frequent deployments, long and dangerous assignments, being away from home, not being able to spend time with their family, and adaptation to family life after returning from duty. These risks are among the factors affecting the marital satisfaction of military families. Our study population consists of 6 military spouses selected by the maximum sampling method, which the researchers reached using their resources. The research was conducted in Van Province between January and February 2021. The semi-structured interview form prepared by the researchers was used in the research designed with the qualitative research method. During the interviews, audio was recorded and transcribed. With the findings obtained from the interviews, subthemes were formed by considering similar expressions used by the participants regarding their opinions under the main themes. The main themes that emerged in the research were the experience of being married to a soldier, relational satisfaction, the effect of duties on the relationship, and perception of social context. Considering all the results, it has been revealed that alongside long-term and far-from-home assignments due to the nature of military service, the military lifestyle determines the marital satisfaction of military spouses. Accordingly, it was observed that military spouses and families must be supported during the soldiers' duties and complicated professional processes. This study reveals that long-term and far-from-home assignments due to military service impact the marital satisfaction. Accordingly, it was observed that military spouses and families must be supported during the soldiers' duties and complicated professional processes.

The perceptions of social context (PoSC): Introducing the PoSC scale

IntroductionThe Perception of Social Context refers to the perceptions that workers have of (1) the immediate supervisor, (2) the colleagues, and (3) top management of their organization. ObjectiveThe purpose of the present paper is to introduce the Perceptions of Social Context (PoSC) scale, an instrument for assessing workers’ perception of their social context. MethodWe used three studies (N total=960) to test the internal, external, convergent, and predictive validity of the PoSC, as well as its reliability. ResultsIn Study 1, the hypothesized three-factor structure was empirically tested and supported by means of exploratory structural equation modeling. Study 2 provided further support for the factorial structure of the scale and evidence for its convergent and external validity in relation to important organizational variables. Study 3 provided evidence for the predictive validity with respect to job satisfaction and performance. ConclusionEstablished validity allows the PoSC scale to be used to specifically detect behaviors enacted by key social constituents and thus to plan specific and therefore more effective interventions.

Perceptions of Social Context and Intention to Quit: The Mediating Role of Work Engagement and Interpersonal Strain

Several studies have investigated turnover intention and its predictors underlining the role of organisational conditions and personal resources. This study focused on the role of the Perceptions of Social Context (PoSC) and Work Engagement as personal resources that can create healthy and productive organisations. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that contribute to intention to quit focusing on the PoSC, including Work Engagement and a construct that describes mental and emotional detachment from other individuals in work contexts (Interpersonal Strain). A total of 647 employees of an Italian organisation completed a self-report questionnaire. A structural equations model was tested, the findings of which show that work engagement negatively predicts intention to quit, whereas interpersonal strain positively predicts this outcome. Moreover, the PoSC of the immediate supervisor and the PoSC of colleagues have negative mediated effects on intention to quit by reinforcing work engagement and by reducing interpersonal strain, respectively. Finally, the PoSC of management also have negative effects on intention to quit, both directly and by increasing work engagement. Nevertheless, it is now possible to plan different actions and interventions, taking into account these findings to enhance workplace well-being.

A Trace of Motivational Theory in Education through Attribution Theory, Self-Worth Theories and Self-Determination Theory

If motivation is the desire to act or move toward a particular activity, task or goal, just what influences one’s desire to do so remains complex. The impact of social context, or even just the perception of social context, can greatly influence what one attributes to their sense of self, as conveyed in attribution theory (AT), their perception of self-worth, as conveyed in self-worth theories (SWT) and subsequently their mindset and their behaviour to act, as conveyed in self-determination theory (SDT). Even more unclear is exactly what role the education system plays in fostering/hindering one’s motivation to learn. It is clear however, that the structure of the education system, the influence of educator’s actions and attitudes (whether deliberate or inadvertent), and the nature of peer competition can act as detrimental forces on the impact of one’s sense of ability and self. Educational policy that is created based on generalizations about universally innate human abilities, needs and drives, makes the question of how to foster intrinsically motivated students in schools even more challenging. Outside school programs such as Motivate Canada, which aim to foster motivation in youth by strengthening their self-confidence, and in-school programs, such as Inter-A, which aims to generate intrinsic, mastery orientated motivation, may not address all the complex factors underlying student motivation, but are a good start. Subsequently, motivational theories, despite their inconclusiveness provide hope that for students to grow into emotionally well-adjusted adults prepared to constructively contribute to our societies.

La inseguridad subjetiva como mediadora del bienestar social y clima emocional

Múltiples estudios revelan que no sólo el impacto de hechos negativos tales como haber sido testigo o víctima de algún delito sino incluso una elevada percepción de inseguridad, entendida esta como riesgo percibido y miedo al delito, tienen importantes consecuencias sociales y condicionan, de alguna manera, la calidad de vida e integración social de las personas. En el contexto de un alto sentimiento de desconfianza y aumento de la inseguridad, esta investigación plantea analizar la relación entre los factores asociados a la inseguridad ciudadana y la percepción del contexto social. Para ello, se llevó a cabo un estudio de naturaleza correlacional, de diseño no experimental. La muestra, no probabilística intencional, estuvo compuesta por 516 estudiantes universitarios (44% mujeres; 56% hombres; MEdad = 23.04; DE = 4.08), residentes en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires y alrededores. Los datos revelan que, a pesar de los bajos niveles de miedo al delito, los participantes perciben una alta probabilidad de volverse víctimas de delitos en el futuro cercano, razón por la cual adoptarían conductas de auto–protección. Asimismo, la mayoría de los participantes admite haber sido víctima directa de algún delito, porcentaje aún mayor con respecto a la victimización indirecta. Si bien los resultados muestran niveles relativamente altos de bienestar social, prevalece un clima emocional negativo. Se observan relaciones entre el bienestar social, la percepción del clima emocional, la victimización, el miedo al delito y el riesgo percibido. Más aún, estos factores junto a las conductas de auto–protección median la relación entre la victimización y algunas de las dimensiones de la percepción del contexto social. Se concluye que, más allá de la inseguridad objetiva, que debe ser controlada e idealmente reducida, es necesario profundizar en el estudio de la inseguridad subjetiva, dado sus efectos en la calidad de vida de las personas.

What makes employees engaged with their work? The role of self-efficacy and employee’s perceptions of social context over time

Purpose – Work engagement represents an important aspect of employee well-being and performance and has been related to both job and personal resources. The purpose of this paper, based on Social Cognitive Theory, is to emphasize the proactive role of self-efficacy which is hypothesized to predict work engagement, not only directly, but also indirectly through positive changes in employee’s perceptions of social context (PoSC); namely, perceptions of one’s immediate supervisor, colleagues and top management. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 741 employees of a communication service company completed two questionnaires, with a time interval of three years. Structural equation modeling was performed in order to test the hypothesized model. Findings – Results revealed that, as expected: first, initial self-efficacy predicts work engagement three years later; and second, positive changes in employee’s perceptions of the social work context across the three year period, mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and work engagement. Research limitations/implications – Results relied only upon self-report data. Moreover, each variable was only measured at the time in which it was hypothesized by the conceptual model. Practical implications – The significant role of self-efficacy as a direct and indirect predictor of work engagement suggests the development of training programs centered on the main sources of self-efficacy, specifically focussed on the social work domain. Originality/value – This research provides evidence of the substantial contribution of self-efficacy to work engagement over time. Moreover, the results also support the beneficial effects of self-efficacy through its influence on the improvements in the individuals’ perceptions of their social context.

High school dropouts: Interactions between social context, self-perceptions, school engagement, and student dropout

Research suggests that contextual, self-system, and school engagement variables influence dropping out from school. However, it is not clear how different types of contextual and self-system variables interact to affect students’ engagement or contribute to decisions to dropout from high school. The self-system model of motivational development represents a promising theory for understanding this complex phenomenon. The self-system model acknowledges the interactive and iterative roles of social context, self-perceptions, school engagement, and academic achievement as antecedents to the decision to dropout of school. We analyzed data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002–2004 in the context of the self-system model, finding that perception of social context (teacher support and parent support) predicts students’ self-perceptions (perception of control and identification with school), which in turn predict students’ academic and behavioral engagement, and academic achievement. Further, students’ academic and behavioral engagement and achievement in 10th grade were associated with decreased likelihood of dropping out of school in 12th grade.

Predicting Job Satisfaction and Job Performance in a Privatized Organization

ABSTRACT The current study focused on job satisfaction and job performance, as well as on their predictors in a privatized organization. We tested a model in which job satisfaction, consistent with social cognitive theory, is related to self-efficacy and perceptions of social context (i.e., colleagues, immediate supervisor, top management); job satisfaction, in turn, predicts job performance along with organizational tenure. White collars (N = 1172) from the staff and line functions of an Italian privatized organization were administered a self-report questionnaire matched with their job performance as rated by supervisors (six months later). Structural equation modelling supported the hypothesized relationships among variables. We found that: (a) self-efficacy was related to the three components of perceptions of social context; (b) perceptions of social context mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and job satisfaction; (c) job performance was positively predicted by job satisfaction; and (d) finally, the relationship between organizational tenure and job performance became progressively negative as organizational tenure increases, indicating a misfit between the person and the organization for employees hired before the privatization. Our findings suggest interventions directed at enhancing employees’ self-efficacy in mastering job tasks under unstable conditions, at supporting supervisors in managing their coworkers, and at improving the fit between higher-tenured employees and the organization.

Perception of social context and activity following participation in a physical fitness intervention during residential adolescent addiction treatment

The aim of this study was to assess perception of activity and social context scales1 of adolescent substance abusers following participation in a physical activity intervention during residential drug treatment. The sample was assessed on entry to treatment, on completion of treatment; six weeks postresidential treatment and six months after treatment using mean, standard deviation, and t-tests. In general, the overall mean scores for perception of social context increased from entry to completion of the treatment program, decreased six weeks post-treatment, and increased when six months in aftercare. Some significant difference was recorded between entry to treatment and six weeks post-treatment (p = 0.04). The results relating to perception of activity increased from entry to completion of the treatment program, increased at six weeks post-treatment, and decreased to six months in aftercare. Some significant differences were recorded between entry and six weeks post-treatment (p = 0.02), between completion of treatment and six months in aftercare (p = 0.03), and between six weeks post-treatment and six months in aftercare (p = 0.05). This research hoped to illustrate the potential of physical activity as alternative leisure pursuit following addiction treatment to help prevent relapse for adolescent substance abusers by reducing contact with other users and providing a healthy and positive social outlet.

Problemas metodológicos y conceptuales en el estudio de la función autorreguladora del habla

From a vygotskian view, we review the development of research studies on the self-regulating function children's egocentric speech. Original reseach methodology and conceptual support are discussed. Also, more recent contributions both with new empirical perspective or conceptual developments, put forth and discussed. Finally, we expose the need to accept the new outlines in the selection of tasks to register spontaneous talking, and to analyze the process of socio-genesis. We conclude by identifying two influential factors (task difficulty and perception of social context) in the production of self-regulatory egocentric speech, and in the functioning of verbal self-regulation differentiating between activator system, derivated from aspects of impulse, and control system, associated with the mediational and semiotic features of speech.