Role Of Self Research Articles

Grandiose or vulnerable? Narcissism subtype differentiates materialistic pursuit

The study sought the unravel the differential materialistic tendencies of narcissists as a function of their grandiosity and vulnerability (GN and VN). We propose that self-esteem lies at core of materialistic behavior and hypothesize that any differential GN/VN and materialism relationship is influenced by the nature of association between self-esteem and GN/VN. Two empirical studies were conducted. Study – 1 examined the mediating role of self – esteem among working managers (n = 327). Further, in Study – 2, the shopping cart of a large group (n = 233) of regular Amazon shoppers was profiled for purchase patterns in an online shopping task. In Study – 1, it was observed that self-esteem significantly mediated the effects of the grandiose and vulnerable narcissism onto materialism. Further, in Study – 2, it was observed that, grandiose (vulnerable) narcissists primarily purchased branded (trendy) products, of higher (lower) average price per product, and spent a larger (smaller) proportion of their money in buying costly products. The research summarizes self-esteem related differences between grandiose and vulnerable narcissists and sheds light on the different motivational basis to this materialistic tendency. The findings further challenge extant ideas concerning the relationship between narcissists and their association with prominent brands.

Conducting mixed methods research with women in a forensic mental health setting: A reflexive account from a nurse as researcher.

To describe a reflexive account of a mental health nurse as researcher undertaking a mixed methods study as part of a doctoral degree, with women in a secure forensic hospital. A discursive paper that draws upon the primary author's experience of dual roles as a mental health nurse and a novice researcher, and relevant literature pertaining to positionality and reflexivity in the context of conducting mixed methods research. A mixed methods study was conducted within a secure forensic hospital in Australia, to identify factors associated with the frequency and duration of seclusion for women and, to explore their experiences of seclusion. Notes and a reflective diary were used to demonstrate the reflexive approach and strategies used throughout the study design and data collection stages of the research. Women in the secure forensic hospital setting often have complex histories and experiences and are considered a vulnerable group, which can add additional challenges when undertaking research with this population. As a doctoral student with clinical experience in mental health undertaking research in the forensic hospital setting with women, positionality and the connection with reflexivity requires exploration to understand self and the influence on research. This understanding along with identified strategies to enhance reflexivity, supports the management of the dual nurse as researcher roles to enhance all stages of the research process. Doctoral nursing candidates undertaking clinical research in their area of clinical practice and at the location of previous employment, may experience challenges in relation to identity and the dichotomy of roles. Further challenges can be posed when research involves complex populations and/or controversial practices. Support to balance role conflict and maintain reflexivity is critical to understanding the role of self in research and to enhance credibility. Women are a complex, yet minority population in forensic mental health settings, however the numbers of women being admitted to services is increasing. Future research may consider the use of the strategies explored here to enhance the reflexive process, and support future researchers in this field to conduct research that aims to support an often-misheard population to better support health outcomes. There was no patient or public contribution to this paper, however the study in which this paper is based on, is grounded in the experience of patients (women).

Pathways to Flourishing: The Roles of Self- and Divine Forgiveness in Mitigating the Adverse Effects of Stress and Substance Use among Adults in Trinidad and Tobago

The present study focused on the roles of self-forgiveness and feeling divine forgiveness in mitigating the adverse effects of stress on substance use cravings in Trinidad and Tobago. We assessed 869 individuals (62 percent of whom were women) through self-report online questionnaires. A moderation analysis using the PROCESS macro and a bootstrapping strategy (N = 5000) revealed that greater levels of self-forgiveness weakened the positive relationship between stress and substance use cravings, though the relationship remained significant. This moderating effect was evident only when individuals reported high levels of feeling divine forgiveness. The findings suggest that both forms of forgiveness lessen the impact of stress on substance use cravings, highlighting their potential as protective factors and underscoring the importance of incorporating religious and spiritual dimensions into psychological education and intervention. However, the study’s cross-sectional nature makes it difficult to make causal inferences, indicating a need for longitudinal research.

The Relationship Between Adolescent Social Media Use and Body Esteem: The Mediating Role of Self- Concept Clarity

The Relationship Between Adolescent Social Media Use and Body Esteem: The Mediating Role of Self- Concept Clarity

How does dispositional mindfulness enhance co-parenting quality? A dyadic investigation of the mediating roles of self- and other- forgiveness

How does dispositional mindfulness enhance co-parenting quality? A dyadic investigation of the mediating roles of self- and other- forgiveness

Changing Prejudice Against Minority Groups: The Role of Self- and Group-Affirmation

Changing Prejudice Against Minority Groups: The Role of Self- and Group-Affirmation

English Language Teacher Motivation in Bilingual School Contexts: Focus on Influencing Factors and Rewards

Research on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher motivation in bilingual schools has been quite scarce. To fill this gap, this study investigated the main sources of motivation for EFL teachers and the rewards in a bilingual school context. The intrinsic/extrinsic motivation distinction served as the main theoretical framework of the study. Furthermore, the role of self and contextual factors that contribute to teachers’ persistence in the profession was emphasized. The participants, selected through the convenience sampling method, were thirty EFL teachers at a bilingual school in Iran. The study applied a mixed-method research design in which quantitative data were collected through two questionnaires on teacher motivation and the corresponding rewards and then triangulated with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with some of the participants. Employing both descriptive and inferential data analysis methods, the results demonstrated the importance of a wide range of extrinsic and intrinsic factors in motivating EFL teachers. More value was placed on intrinsic factors, specifically ‘having an enjoyable and stimulating job’ rather than the extrinsic factors. However, extrinsic factors related to external recognition of the teachers’ efforts by their supervisors and students, and factors related to organization and work benefits, such as job security, played an important role in satisfying the teachers. Moreover, the teachers’ perception of the rewards received lower satisfactory ratings, implying that the rewards were somehow incongruent with what motivated teachers. Overall, the findings suggest that certain characteristics of bilingual schools in Iran, such as the autonomy to use diverse materials, can contribute to a higher level of job satisfaction among EFL teachers.

Explaining differences in self-focused and other-involved public health preventive behaviors between the US and China: the role of self- construal and health locus of control.

This study examined national similarities and differences in people's engagement in health preventive behaviors during a public health crisis, as well as investigated the underlying individual-level psychological mechanisms. A conceptual distinction was made between self-focused and other-involved preventive behaviors in response to public health crises. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in the United States (N = 888) and China (N = 844) during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hayes' PROCESS was utilized to assess national differences in seven preventive behaviors, along with the mediating effects of self-construal and health locus of control. The results showed that American participants reported greater engagement in self-focused preventive behaviors than Chinese, whereas Chinese participants reported greater engagement in other-involved preventive behaviors than Americans. Chinese participants also engaged more in other-involved than self-focused preventive behaviors. Self-construal and health locus of control partially explained the observed differences in engagement in preventive behaviors. This study introduces a culture-sensitive approach to provide insights for crafting communication interventions that can enhance the effectiveness of health campaigns in the context of a public health crisis.

Playfulness in Chinese preschoolers: the role of self- and other-oriented empathy and gender

ABSTRACT The self-oriented and other-oriented empathy dimensions may have different relationships with playfulness. However, a scarcity of research exists on the association between empathy and playfulness. The present research contained two studies. Parents of 386 preschoolers (M age = 4.89, SD age = 0.79) attended Study 1, and teachers of 369 preschoolers (M age = 4.16, SD age = 0.83) attended Study 2. The parents and teachers completed the Chinese versions of the Children's Playfulness Scale (CPS-C) and the Chinese Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue-C). The results of these two studies revealed the pattern of associations between empathy and playfulness: while the self-oriented empathy dimension (i.e. emotion contagion) negatively predicted preschoolers’ playfulness, the two other-oriented empathy dimensions (attention to others’ distress and prosocial behaviour) positively predicted playfulness. Moreover, gender moderated the association between empathy and playfulness. These findings enhanced our understanding of the social and emotional traits of playful children.

Selfing in epiphytic bromeliads compensates for the limited pollination services provided by nectarivorous bats in a neotropical montane forest.

Abstract. Plants with specialized pollination systems frequently exhibit adaptations for self-pollination, and this contradictory situation has been explained in terms of the reproductive assurance function of selfing. In the neotropics, several plant lineages rely on specialized vertebrate pollinators for sexual reproduction, including the highly diverse Bromeliaceae family, which also displays a propensity for selfing. Thus far, the scarce evidence on the role of selfing in bromeliads and in other neotropical plant groups is inconclusive. To provide insights into the evolution and persistence of self-fertilization in the breeding systems of Bromeliaceae, we studied four sympatric epiphytic species from the genus Werauhia (Tillandsioideae) in Costa Rica. We documented their floral biology, pollination ecology and breeding systems. We estimated the contribution of selfing by comparing the reproductive success between emasculated flowers requiring pollinator visits and un-manipulated flowers capable of selfing and exposed to open pollination across two flowering seasons. The studied species displayed specialized pollination by nectar-feeding bats as well as a high selfing ability (auto-fertility index values > 0.53), which was attained by a delayed selfing mechanism. Fruit set from natural cross-pollination was low (<26% in both years) and suggested limited pollinator visitation. In line with this, we found a very low bat visitation to flowers using video-camera recording, from 0 to 0.24 visits per plant per night. On the contrary, the contribution of selfing was comparatively significant since 54-80% of the fruit set from un-manipulated flowers can be attributed to autonomous self-pollination. We concluded that inadequate cross-pollination services diminished the reproductive success of the studied Werauhia, which was compensated for by a delayed selfing mechanism. The low negative effects of inbreeding on seed set and germination likely reinforce the persistence of selfing in this bromeliad group. These results suggest that selfing in bat-pollinated bromeliads may have evolved as a response to pollinator limitation.

The Contribution of Mentalization-Based Theory and Practice for Understanding and Treating Self-Injurious Behavior in Young People

ABSTRACT Despite advances in theory and research surrounding self-injurious behavior (SIB), rates of SIB in adolescents continue to increase. The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) proposes that suicidality results from incorrect mental calculations of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, but does not consider how these negative interpersonal cognitions are developed. We argue that existing theoretical models for understanding the development and treatment of SIB in youth can be improved by including the role of self and self-function, using mentalization-based theory and practice as a guide. By providing an overview of mentalization-based theory, we illustrate how the development of mentalization can go awry in the early caregiving environment and lead to incoherence in the sense of self. A continuous and reciprocal relationship between an incoherent sense of self and poor mentalization then develops and sustains negative interpersonal cognitions, and subsequent SIB. We build an evidence base for this argument by demonstrating the role of personality, the early caregiving environment, mentalizing, and the sense of self in the development of SIB. Finally, we conclude with clinical implications of how mentalization can be integrated to the treatment of SIB.

Building consumer–brand relationships in the channel-mix era. The role of self–brand connection and product involvement

PurposeIn the channel-mix era, the customer journey involves combining channels during all the stages of the decision-making process, such that creating and maintaining relationships with consumers poses a challenge to retailers. This work aims to explore what role brands play in this issue by analyzing what impact the perceived benefits of brand channel-mix have on consumer self–brand connection (SBC) and what their effect is in enduring consumer–brand relationships (i.e. future channel-mix use and word of mouth [WOM]). This paper also explores the moderating role of product involvement in these relations.Design/methodology/approachThe authors carried out a personal questionnaire with a sample of 288 consumers who were recruited after leaving one of the stores of a clothing brand that is a successful example of distribution channel management.FindingsInsofar as consumers perceive channel-mix benefits, SBC will be higher and (or as a result) their future intentions with the brand will be more intense. In addition, the results show that product involvement moderates the relationship between SBC and channel-mix use intention and WOM.Originality/valueThis work contributes to channel-mix, relationship marketing, brand and product involvement literature by analyzing how customers may be retained in the channel-mix era through brand management and by considering product category involvement. This study merges brand and product variables to explore their impact on relationship marketing within channel-mix behaviors.

The Relationship between Resilience and Mindfulness with Mental toughness by the Mediating Role of Self-Compassion in Cancer Patients

Object: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between resilience and mindfulness with mental toughness mediated by self-compassion in cancer patients.&#x0D; Method: The method of this research is descriptive and the correlational research design is structural equation modeling. The statistical population in this study included cancer patients in 1399 who were selected by purposive sampling. The sample consisted of 200 cancer patients (male and female) referred to the Oncology Clinical Center of Imam Hossein Hospital in Tehran. To collect data from the Short Form of Mindfulness Mind Scale, the Resilience Scale, the Compassion Scale Form, and the mental toughness Scale were used. The bootstrap method was used to analyze the intermediate relationships.&#x0D; Results: The results showed that the direct effect of resilience and mindfulness on self-compassion was significant with coefficients of (0.27) and (0.29). The direct effect of mindfulness on mental toughness, (0.056) was not significant, but the direct effect of resilience on mental toughness (0.31) was significant. The indirect effects of resilience and mindfulness on mental toughness with mediating role of self- compassion were significant respectively with coefficients (0.089) and (0.092).&#x0D; Conclusion: The results of the research have practical implications for health professionals and psychologists and it can be concluded that Resilience and Mindfulness by the mediating role of self-compassion effects on the mental toughness of cancer patients.

I don't understand how I feel: mediating role of impaired self-mentalizing in the relationship between childhood adversity and psychosis spectrum experiences.

Childhood adversity is associated with the severity of multiple dimensions of psychosis, but the mechanisms underpinning the close link between the two constructs is unclear. Mentalization may underlie this relationship, as impaired mentalizing is found in various stages of the psychosis continuum. Nonetheless, the differential roles of self- and other-mentalizing in psychosis are not well understood. Parallel multiple mediation was conducted for the relationship between a diverse range of childhood adversity types, including intentional and nonintentional harm, and schizotypy (positive, negative, disorganized), psychotic-like experiences (PLE) and paranoia via self-mentalizing (attention to emotions and emotional clarity) and other-mentalizing in n = 1,156 nonclinically ascertained young adults. Significant parallel multiple mediation models were found for all psychotic outcomes except negative schizotypy. The associations between intentionally harmful childhood adversity and psychotic outcomes were significantly mediated by increased attention to emotions for most models and decreased emotional clarity for some models. No significant mediation was found for parental loss. Paternal abuse was only mediated by attention to emotions whereas the effects of maternal abuse were mediated by attention to emotions and emotional clarity. Other-mentalizing only showed mediating effects on one of thirty models tested. Results highlight the mediating role of impaired self-mentalizing in the association between childhood adversity and psychosis. This is consistent with disturbances of self-concept and self-boundary characterizing, in particular, the positive dimension of psychosis. Maternal versus paternal figures may contribute differentially to the development of mentalizing. These results could inform future preventative interventions, focusing on the development and maintenance of self-mentalizing.

Me and my mom: Self and mother provide similar memory benefits for source memory in adolescents

The self-reference effect (SRE) is a memory benefit found in both adolescents and adults that occurs when new information is connected to the self, facilitating improved recall and recognition. The memory benefit extends to close others, with adults better remembering information encoded in reference to close others as compared to information encoded in connection to an unfamiliar other or neutral control condition, but this has not yet been shown in younger adolescents. The present study examined the role of self and close other in source memory in 41 adolescents (10–14 years old) and 44 young adults (18–25 years old). Findings showed that participants had significantly better memory for information connected to the self and close other compared to other referent conditions and that patterns of memory across conditions are similar in both young adults and adolescents. These findings add to our understanding of the use of self and other referencing in memory in adolescents.

The Mediating Role of Self Directed Learning in the Effect of Problem Solving Skills on Academic Self Efficacy

Akademik öz yeterlik inancı yüksek öğretmenler yetiştirmek, öğretmen yetiştirme programlarının ana amaçlarından biri olmalıdır. Çünkü yüksek akademik öz yeterlik inancı, öğretmenlerin sahip olması gereken temel becerilerden biridir. Öğretmenlerin lisans eğitimleri boyunca yüksek akademik öz yeterlik inancına sahip olarak mezun olmaları için problem çözme ve öz yönetimli öğrenme becerilerini de kazanmış olmaları gerekmektedir. Bu araştırmanın amacı öğretmen adaylarının problem çözme becerileri, akademik öz yeterlikleri ve öz yönetimli öğrenmeleri arasındaki ilişkiyi incelenmektir. Araştırma ilişkisel tarama modelinde düzenlenmiştir. Araştırmaya 240’ı kadın ve 95’i erkek olmak üzere toplam 345 öğretmen adayı katılmıştır. Katılımcıların yaşları 17 ile 32 arasında değişmektedir (Ort= 21.55, SS = 2.14). Veri toplama aracı olarak Problem Çözme Envanteri, Akademik Öz Yeterlik Ölçeği ve Öz Yönetimli Öğrenme Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Bu çalışmada öne sürülen hipotez modelini test etmek için Çoklu Doğrusal Regresyon ve Basit Doğrusal Regresyon Analizi kullanılarak PROCESS SPSS Makrosu ile kullanılmıştır. Aracı değişken analizlerinde ise “Bootstrap” tekniği kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre problem çözme, öz yönetimli öğrenme ve akademik öz yeterlik arasında ilişkiler bulunmaktadır. Ayrıca problem çözme becerileri ile akademik öz yeterlik arasında öz yönetimli öğrenmenin kısmi aracılık rolünde olduğu görülmektedir. Sonuç olarak öğretmen adaylarının problem çözme becerileri artıkça öz yönetimli öğrenme becerilerinin de yükseldiği bunun sonucu olarak da akademik öz yeterliklerinde de artış olduğu görülmektedir.

Consumption insurance pattern differences between China and the US: The role of self- and external insurance

In this letter, we measure permanent income shocks, transitory income shocks, and consumption changes at the household level to explore the role of self-insurance and external insurance in explaining the different consumption insurance patterns between Chinese households and US households. We find that household assets have larger effects on increasing the household's smoothing of permanent income shocks for Chinese households, while public transfers decrease US households’ sensitivity to transitory income shocks. The role of private transfers is not statistically significant for either US or Chinese households.

Religiosity and type 2 diabetes self-management among Muslims residing in California

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a public health issue that needs to be addressed. In the U.S., 11.3% of the population have diabetes. It is estimated that 90–95% of all diabetes cases are T2D cases. One of the best methods to address T2D is self-management. Prior research found a relationship between religiosity and T2D self-management. The purpose of this study was to examine religiosity and T2D self-management. This was a cross-sectional and qualitative study, which included Muslim adults, who have T2D and live in California. We utilized snowballing to recruit participants and the saturation concept to determine the number of participants. Additionally, we used semi-structured design for the interviews and focus groups. We had 30 participants for the interviews (however, only 25 provided demographic data) and 28 for the combined focus groups. Zoom was used to conduct the interviews and two focus groups. The grounded theory was used to deduce themes from the interviews and focus groups. The main themes for religiosity and self-management are Allah sustains life, everything will be ok/hope, faith gives strength, and the role of self within the fate concept. The themes for self-efficacy are diabetes requires new life approach, stress, and Islamic religious practices promote self-management. The main theme for perceived seriousness is taking action and making changes. Our findings provide significant insight about the relationship between religiosity, perceived seriousness, fatalism, and self-efficacy and self-management of T2D. A recommendation based on this study is that providers and health educators should be aware of the different experiences Muslims with T2D face, and tailor recommendations and programs based on that.

When the individual comes into play: The role of self and the partner in the dyadic play fighting of rats

Social play in rats is rewarding and important for the development of brain and social skills. There are differences in the amount of play behavior displayed among individuals, with earlier studies suggesting that, despite variation across trials, individual differences tend to be consistent. In the present study, juvenile Lister-hooded rats were paired with a different, unfamiliar same-sex partner on three days and based on the amount of play each individual initiated, it was characterized as a high, medium or low player. Using this categorization, we explored three features related to individual differences. First, we show that by increasing the number of test days from two, as was done in a previous study (Lesscher et al., 2021), to three, characterization was effectively improved. Secondly, while the earlier study only used males, the present study showed that both sexes exhibit a similar pattern of individual differences in the degree of playfulness. Even though low players consistently initiated less play than medium and high players, all rats varied in how much play they initiated from one trial to the next. Thirdly, we assessed two potential mechanisms by which the playfulness of one rat can modify the level of playfulness of the other rat (i.e., emotional contagion vs homeostasis). Analyses of individuals’ contribution to the play of dyads suggest that rats consistently adjust their play behavior depending on the behavior displayed by the partner. Since this adjustment can be positive or negative, our data support a homeostatic mechanism, whereby individuals increase or decrease the amount of play they initiate, which results in the experience of an overall stable pattern of play across trials. Future research will investigate the neural bases for individual differences in play and how rats maintain a preferred level of play.

Thriving in the face of youth unemployment: The role of personal and social resources

AbstractExtensive research indicated that unemployment has detrimental impacts upon psychological well‐being of young individuals. Nevertheless, psychological well‐being of unemployed college graduates remained unexamined in the existing literature. The current study sought to investigate the direct and indirect roles of self, social, and work resources on the mental health of unemployed college graduates (N = 291). The results of path analysis pointed out that only self‐esteem, employment hope, and family social support were directly linked with psychological well‐being. Additionally, there were indirect paths from work–role centrality, self‐efficacy, self‐esteem, and job search motivation to psychological well‐being via employment hope.