Determinants of preferences among tasks with diagnosis of his/her own ability: individual and sex differences in self-assessment motivation and self-enhancement motivation

There are two different views on gathering information about self. According to "self-assessment" view, individuals choose tasks that are diagnostic about themselves, regardless of self-esteem implications. On the other hand, according to "self-enhancement" view, individuals choose tasks that are diagnostic only when they have positive self-esteem implications. Present research tested these predictions in Japanese college students, using for tasks with high or low diagnosticity of success and failure. In subjects with low uncertainty of self-esteem, task preference increased with diagnosticity of success and diagnosticity of failure. This was consistent with self-assessment view. However, in subjects with high uncertainty of self-esteem, task preference didn't increase with diagnosticity of failure. In subjects with high self-esteem, task preference is high with high diagnosticity of failure than that of subjects with low self-esteem. The results suggest large individual differences in gathering information about self. They also suggest that not only self-esteem but also uncertainty of self-esteem should be considered in studies of self-enhancement motivation.     

The mediating effects of self-esteem and coronary-prone behavior on problem solving and affect under low and high stress

Self-esteem and coronary-prone behavior were identified as two personality constructs related to different stress responses. It was hypothesized that in the case of low self-esteem Type A subjects the conflicting stress responses would have a particularly adverse effect on problem-solving behavior, mood, and self-perception. Subjects were 32 Type A and 32 Type B males evenly divided into high and low self-esteem groups. Half of the subjects in each group solved 10 matrix problems under high stress, half under low stress. Compared with high self-esteem Type As, low self-esteem Type As under high stress became more hostile and perceived themselves as more tense and more hurried. They also tended to make more errors. Results are interpreted as implying that low and high self-esteem Type A subjects are not psychologically homogeneous. It is suggested that the two groups may differ substantially in terms of cardiovascular risk.     

大学生独立自我的人格解读及与自尊的关系

目的:进行独立自我在完整人格结构空间的解读,探讨独立自我评价性的特点。方法:591名在校大学生完成独立自我问卷、中国人人格问卷和Rosenberg自尊量表(SES),用路径分析模型分析独立自我和完整的中国人人格结构的关系,获得对独立自我有解释力的人格特质;对独立自我和自尊的关系进行相关分析,探讨独立自我的评价性特点。结果:模型修订后独立自我与完整人格结构中的处世态度、行事风格、善良之间的路径系数被保留,分别为0.52-、0.24、0.12;独立自我与自尊的相关系数为0.32,显著性水平P<0.001。结论:独立自我代表了完整人格结构上处世态度、行事风格、善良三个维度的内容;具有独立自我的个体有显著正向自我评价的特点。     

Targets and dimensions of social comparison among people with spinal cord injury and other health problems

The present research examined comparison targets and comparison dimensions among two Spanish samples of individuals facing serious illnesses and diseases. In Study 1, 90 older patients (mean age 66.36) with various age‐related diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, indicated that they compared themselves most often with others with the same disease, next with others with another disease and least with people without health problems. They compared themselves more often on their mental state, symptoms and physical activities than on their social activities. Social comparison orientation (SCO) as an individual difference characteristic was associated with more frequent comparisons with particularly similar targets, and with more frequent comparisons of one's symptoms and physical activities. Neuroticism was correlated only with more comparisons of one's symptoms. Study 2 was conducted in a sample of 70 relatively young patients (mean age 43.97) with spinal cord injury (SCI). Overall, they compared themselves more often with others than the participants in Study 1, and they compared themselves to a similar extent with people with SCI as with people with another disease and with people without health problems. While they felt on average better off than people with other diseases and other people with SCI, people with SCI felt on average worse off than people without health problems. They compared themselves more often on physical activities than on any other dimension. Higher levels of stress and uncertainty were associated with more frequent comparisons with people without SCI, and with more frequent comparisons of one's mental state, one's symptoms and one's future perspectives. The discussion focuses on the theoretical relevance of the results for social comparison theory, and on the practical relevance of the findings for interventions.     

Self-esteem and anthrophobic-tendency in adolescents

This study attempted to clarify the relationship between self-esteem and anthrophobic-tendency in normal adolescents. Two questionnaires measuring self-esteem and anthrophobic-tendency were administered to junior and senior high school students, and college students. The results show that for the junior high school and college students, self-esteem and anthrophobic-tendency correlated negatively, while there was an uncorrelativeness for the senior high school students. During senior high school age, they tend to estimate themselves in terms of their own standards rather than others', which result in little correlations between self-esteem and anthrophobic-tendency. The conflict between one's autistic tendency and interpersonal relations tends to lead to the anthrophobic-tendency.     

道德伪善的心理机制:基于双加工理论的解读

道德伪善是一种认为自己比他人道德,但却无法达到自己声称的道德水准的倾向。使用双加工理论的解释框架对道德伪善的心理机制进行总结和归纳后发现,认知偏差、解释水平及道德推脱等认知加工机制和自我提升、自我欺骗及道德的心理许可等动机机制均起到重要作用,但两类机制的相互关系尚不明确。在未来的研究中,应当进一步探索两类心理机制间的关系,并重视实验范式对结果解释力的影响,以期得到更具普适性的研究结果。     

Target personality characteristics and self-disclosure: An exploratory study

This study investigated the influence of target personality characteristics on self-disclosure. Using the Bem Q-Sort Technique, the subjects (71 male and 73 female undergraduate students) described the personality of the person to whom they disclose the most and the personality of the person to whom they disclose the least, as well as their own personality. Factor analysis revealed that there were several personality types to whom people disclose the most and the least. The various types are described and discussed. Results supported the hypothesis that both males and females prefer disclosing to individuals who are perceived as similar to themselves in personality. This finding has important implications for the therapeutic relationship with regard to matching therapist and client.     

Two aspects of masculinity-femininity. II

This study was designed to explore two aspects (mother-father; woman-man) of Masculinity-Femininity in personality. Sixty-five middle school students, 150 high school students and 219 university students were asked to rate the desirability for them, their fathers and mothers, and society of each of 45 items comprising a questionnaire which described valid characteristics of these two aspects. Analysis of the results revealed that male subjects in all age groups seemed to feel that their fathers desired them to be more masculine (i.e., father and man) than they, themselves, desired. Those of high school and university age also seemed to feel that their mothers and fathers and society desired more motherliness of them than they, themselves, desired. Female high school and university subjects seemed to feel that their fathers and mothers desired much more femininity (mother and woman) and much less masculinity (father and man) than they, themselves, desired.     

A comparison of different aspects of self-concept for young,middle-aged,and older women

Previous research that focused on self-esteem in adult women has yielded a variety of contradictory results, with some studies that report more positive self-concepts in the middle-aged in comparison to older and younger women and others that report the opposite. Similar conflicting findings have been presented for women over 60. This study compared women in four age groups: 18 to 22, 29 to 39, 40 to 55, and 60 to 75 on the Tennessee Self Concept Scale, which yields self-esteem scores on different life aspects such as family relations, morality, and physical self as well as a general self-esteem measure. The age groups did not differ significantly in overall level of self-esteem, but they could be discriminated on the more specific aspects of self-concept; the 40- to 55-year-olds reported more positive feelings about themselves in their family relations and morality than did the 18 to 22 year olds. Women over 60, compared to the other age groups, showed more defensiveness and also gave responses more similar to a diagnosed psychotic group.     

Personality traits and stress sensitivity in migraine patients

A review of the literature on migraine and personality yielded strong evidence for secondary neuroticism and increased sensitivity to stress in patients with migraine. This study focused on the identification of specific stressful situations and coping strategies in such patients. We conducted a psychodiagnostic study of 30 migraine patients in accordance with the criteria of the Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society and 30 healthy control subjects matched for age, sex, and social status. All participants completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and special questionnaires on stressful situations and coping strategies. The migraine patients had higher neuroticism and introversion scores on the MMPI than the healthy subjects. There was a positive correlation between the neuroticism score and headache duration (number of hours per week). The patients used coping strategies characterized by the development of physical symptoms, social isolation, and preoccupation with stress. They rated themselves as less calm, less capable of relaxing, and more irritable than did the healthy controls subjects, and they responded more often with internal tension, especially in work and other achievement situations. Questionnaires that measure constructs dealing with stress yield information that is more relevant for the treatment of migraines than do global personality tests.     

网络受欺负对儿童抑郁的影响:一个有调节的中介模型

目的:探讨网络受欺负对小学生抑郁的影响及其作用机制。方法:采用网络受欺负问卷、一般自我知觉量表、内隐人格观量表和抑郁量表对453名3-6年级的小学生进行问卷调查。结果:(1)网络受欺负与抑郁显著正相关;(2)在控制性别和年龄后,网络受欺负不仅直接预测儿童抑郁,还通过自尊的中介作用间接预测抑郁;(3)自尊的中介作用受到内隐人格观的调节,相对于人格增长观儿童,倾向于持人格实体观的儿童的自尊对抑郁情绪的预测作用更大。结论:自尊在网络受欺负与儿童抑郁的关系中起部分中介作用,且自尊的中介作用受到内隐人格观的调节。     

中职生人格特点、自尊水平及其与学业行为的关系研究

目的 考察中职生的人格特点、自尊水平并探讨其与学业行为的关系.方法 采用人格五因素问卷、自尊量表和学业行为问卷对宝鸡市346名中职生进行调查.结果 ①中职生人格的外向性、宜人性、情绪性存在显著的性别差异(t=-2.471,-3.676,-2.597;P＜0.05)、情绪性和谨慎性存在显著的父母关系差异(t=3.068,...     

Optimism and Self-Esteem Are Related to Sleep. Results from a Large Community-Based Sample

Background

There is evidence that positive personality characteristics, such as optimism and self-esteem, are important for health. Less is known about possible determinants of positive personality characteristics.

Purpose

To test the relationship of optimism and self-esteem with insomnia symptoms and sleep duration.

Method

Sleep parameters, optimism, and self-esteem were assessed by self-report in a community-based sample of 1,805 adults aged between 30 and 84 years in the USA. Moderation of the relation between sleep and positive characteristics by gender and age as well as potential confounding of the association by depressive disorder was tested.

Results

Individuals with insomnia symptoms scored lower on optimism and self-esteem largely independent of age and sex, controlling for symptoms of depression and sleep duration. Short sleep duration (<6 h) was related to lower optimism and self-esteem when compared to individuals sleeping 7–8 h, controlling depressive symptoms. Long sleep duration (>9 h) was also related to low optimism and self-esteem independent of age and sex.

Conclusion

Good and sufficient sleep is associated with positive personality characteristics. This relationship is independent of the association between poor sleep and depression.     

¿Han llegado los millennials a la Facultad de Medicina? Perfil de personalidad de estudiantes de Medicina 1999-2014

ObjectiveMedical training not only requires the acquisition of knowledge and clinical skills, but also the development of attitudes and values, characteristics related to the personality profile. The present study focuses on assessing the personality profile of medical students, in relation to sociodemographic variables and generational change.Material and methodsCross-sectional observational study performed on 675 medical students,from 1999 to 2014. A sociodemographic questionnaire and the NEO-PI-R questionnaireto assess the personality profile was administrated.ResultsIn the present study, the highest mean scores were in the responsibility dimension, followed by kindness and openness to the experience. The lowest was neuroticism. As regards gender, women had higher scores in neuroticism, extraversion, kindness, and responsibility. The millennial students obtained significantly higher scores in the dimension of extraversion, kindness, and responsibility. These students are more assertive, sociable, compassionate, and more likely to fulfil their duty, organisation, order, and self-discipline. But this group also has a higher score in anxiety and obsessive traits, assuming an increased risk of stress and burn-out.ConclusionsSignificant differences have been found in the personality profiles between gender and among the millennial medical students, consistent with the personality profiles described in the literature on the millennium generation.     

Personality traits and platelet monoamine oxidase in tobacco smokers

A study was made of the smoking habits of an unselected series of 1129 18-year-old men from the general population. Their smoking habits were related to personality traits, intellectual level and platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO). Regular smokers were found to be extraverts, sensation seekers who were easily bored and with a strong tendency to avoid monotony. They also had a lower than average intellectual level, and were more prone to the abuse of alcohol, glue, cannabis, amphetamine and morphine. Furthermore, they had a low platelet MAO. The results are discussed in relation to the pharmacological reasons for smoking and favour the hypothesis that tobacco smoking is related to arousal-seeking behaviour. Ex-smokers had personality traits, intellectual levels and platelet MAO of the same magnitude as non-smokers: this may be the reason why they were able to give up smoking.     

Neuroticism and self-esteem as indices of the vulnerability to major depression in women

BACKGROUND: Neuroticism and self-esteem, two commonly used personality constructs, are thought to reflect a person's underlying vulnerability to major depression. The relative strength of these predictors is not known. METHOD: Information was gathered on 2163 individual women from an epidemiological sample of female female twin pairs. Neuroticism was assessed by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and global self-esteem by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Major depression (DSM-III-R criteria) and stressful life events were also assessed. The personality constructs were studied in relation to major depression by logistic regression and structural equation modelling. RESULTS: Both cross-sectionally and prospectively, examined individually, neuroticism was a stronger predictor of risk for major depression than was self-esteem. When examined together, the predictive power of neuroticism remained substantial, while that of self-esteem largely disappeared. The same pattern of findings was obtained when a subset of subjects who had recently experienced stressful life events was analysed. By trivariate twin modelling, we found that the covariation of self-esteem, neuroticism and major depression was due largely to genetic factors. When self-esteem was the 'upstream' variable, a substantial genetic correlation remained between neuroticism and major depression. By contrast, when neuroticism was the 'upstream' variable, the genetic correlation between self-esteem and major depression disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: The personality construct of neuroticism is a substantially better index of a woman's underlying vulnerability to major depression than is self-esteem. These findings suggest that overall emotionality or emotional reactivity to the environment reflects risk for depression better than does global self-concept.     

大学生心理应激模型的初步构建

目的：探讨大学生的心理应激过程并初步构建大学生心理应激模型。方法：以880名高校大学生为研究对象，采用结构方程模型技术（SEM）建立生活事件、应对方式、社会支持、个性特征、自我效能等因素对心身健康的作用途径。结果：①生活事件既对大学生心身健康直接产生作用，又通过应对方式、社会支持、个性特征、自我效能这砦中介因素间接产生作用，并且从路径系数上反映出间接作用大于直接作用。②自我效能是重要的心理中介因素，与应对方式、社会支持、个性特征相比，在生活事件和大学生心身健康之间似乎起着更为直接的中介作用。结论：研究为揭示大学生心身健康的作用机制、有效开展大学生心理卫生工作和更好地增进大学生心身健康水平提供r初步的理论依据。     

Self-esteem,Internal-External Locus of Control,and their relationship to weight reduction

One hundred sixteen women participated in a 10-week weight reduction program and lost on the average of 7 kg. Family-related variables and two personality constructs, self-esteem and Internal-External Locus of Control (I-E Loc), were examined as predictors for success in weight loss. Principal findings were: (a) Subjects with low self-esteem scores lost significantly less weight than subjects with medium and high scores (4.3 kg vs. 8.7 and 6.4, respectively); (b) No significant differences were recorded between Internals and Externals with regard to weight reduction; and (c) Family-related variables, marriage and number of children, did not directly affect weight loss, but their effect was observed within the three self-esteem and the two I-E Loc groups.     

Social adjustment and self-esteem of bipolar patients: a multicentric study

The aim of the present study was to investigate impairment in social adjustment and self-esteem of bipolar patients (n=144) in remission for at least 3 months. Patients were recruited among four different centres: Sofia, Athens, Jerusalem and Milan, and were individually matched to control subjects in relation to sex, age and geographical origin. Subjects completed the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (SES) and the self-report version of the social adjustment scale (SAS). Bipolar patients reported to experience more difficulties in social adjustment than controls, specifically for leisure and work activities. Further, our results show that bipolar patients have significantly lower self-esteem compared to controls, even after remission.