Browsing by Subject "self-efficacy"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Being an Effective Ally: Values, Self-Efficacy, and Outgroup Collective Efficacy Predict Support for Autonomy- and Assistance-Focused Affirmative Action Policies
    (2021-08) Euh, Hyun
    Members of high-status groups (e.g., White Americans) often act as allies who invest effort to benefit members of low-status groups (e.g., Black Americans). Although this effort can manifest in a wide range of behaviors, little is known about what predicts these varied actions. The current research investigated motivation and cognition as predictors of White Americans’ attitudes and behavior to reduce racial inequality. Specifically, I argue that both egalitarian values and self-efficacy are necessary to predict Whites’ efforts to reduce group-based inequality (i.e., allyship). Study 1 used a large representative database to provide correlational evidence that individuals’ egalitarian beliefs interact with sociopolitical self-efficacy to predict support for affirmative action policies. Building on the findings from Study 1, Study 2 tested whether White Americans’ perceptions of Black Americans’ collective efficacy are associated with different types of ally behavior (i.e., policies that are focused on developing Blacks’ autonomy vs. those that provide direct assistance to fulfill immediate needs). Study 2 showed that perceptions of Blacks’ collective efficacy indeed moderated the interaction between egalitarian beliefs and self-efficacy. Findings revealed that White Americans who both have strong egalitarian beliefs and feel efficacious in sociopolitical domains were more likely to support both autonomy- and assistance-focused policies when they believe that Blacks are incapable of producing positive social change, compared to when they believe that Blacks are capable of creating such change. However, this effect was reversed for egalitarians who feel inefficacious, suggesting the positive effect of perceiving Blacks as capable of changing society. Study 3 replicated this three-way interaction using an experimental approach, which attests to the causal role of perceptions of Blacks’ collective efficacy in shaping Whites’ support for policies and programs that are aimed at reducing racial inequality. Findings from these three studies have implications for how powerholders in institutions, organizations, and society can become the catalyst for reducing group-based inequality. Implications for public and organization policy, campaigns, and interventions will be discussed.
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    Children’s Physical Activity and Psychosocial Beliefs in Mobile Application-Based Physical Education Classes
    (2018-01) Lee, Jung Eun
    Childhood obesity has become a national concern in the U.S. over the past decades. Offering quality physical education programs is one of the effective approaches of a variety of school-based physical interventions. To gain children’s attention and their lack of interest in physical movement, physical education teachers have recently employed novel technologies, such as the iPad and exercise-related mobile applications. While many studies examined the effect of these devices on promoting individuals’ physical activity in primary and fitness settings, few research was done on physical education settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the app-based physical education classes on children’s physical activity and their psychosocial beliefs. Fourth and fifth grade children from two elementary schools (n = 157) participated in this study. Children from one school received a short-term app-based intervention while those from the other school participated in traditional physical education classes with limited technology use, serving as a comparison group. Children’s sedentary, light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during physical education classes was measured with accelerometers. A battery of questionnaires was used to assess children’s self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, social support, and enjoyment in physical education. Children in the app-based group spent approximately 21.3% of their class time on moderate-to-vigorous activity while children in the comparison group spent approximately 30.5% of their time. Both fell far below the recommended level of spending at least 50% of the class time on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The app-based group demonstrated significantly less increased percentage of time spent in both light physical activity (-6.2% vs. 4.2%), F (1, 154) =97.7, p < 0.001, η2 =0.39, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( -8.6% vs. -1.6%), F (1, 154) =31.4, p<.001, ηp2 =0.17. The app-based group (14.8%) also had a significantly greater increased percentage of time in sedentary behavior than the comparison group (-2.6%), F (1, 154) = 110.6, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.42. For children’s beliefs, there was no significant differences in increases of all four beliefs between the app-based group and the comparison group. Correlation analyses of children’s post-tests indicated that none of the children’s beliefs was significantly associated with children’s physical activity, while enjoyment significantly related to the percentage of time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in the comparison group. The results of the regression analyses indicated the four predictors explained 6.1 % of the variance in children’s post-test moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in the app-based group, R2 = 0.06, F (4,66) = 1.07, p = 0.38. In the comparison group, the four predictors explained 9.4 % of the variance in the percentage of time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, but the model was also not significant, R2 = 0.09, F (4, 73) =1.89, p = 0.12. It appears that the app-based physical education classes were not effective in improving elementary children’s physical activity and psychosocial beliefs, possibly due to a learning curve. A longer intervention period may be needed to witness true effect of app-based physical education classes on promoting children’s physical activity and beliefs. It is also recommended that children themselves have more opportunities to engage in group activities using iPads and apps to benefit more from the features such as video playback to receive feedback on their own movements.
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    The Effect of Mirrors on Women's Body Image and Affective Responses to Yoga
    (2015-05) Frayeh, Amanda
    Yoga is a promising strategy for promoting positive body image. However, certain social-environmental variables might undermine yoga’s benefits. Previous research indicates that mirrors alter women’s psychological responses to exercise, but the effects of practicing yoga with mirrors are unknown. The present study examined the effect of mirrors on women’s state body image, affect, and self-efficacy in a yoga class. A secondary aim was to examine the effect of mirrors on social comparison and mindfulness. Potential moderators were also examined. Ninety-seven college-aged females were randomly assigned to complete a 60-minute beginner level yoga class in either a mirrored or non-mirrored setting. Surveys were completed prior to and immediately after class. As hypothesized, the non-mirrored condition had significantly lower state social physique anxiety (SPA) after yoga than the mirrored condition. The mirrored condition reported significantly higher appearance-based social comparison than the non-mirrored condition, and social comparison mediated the relationship between mirrors and state SPA. There were no significant moderator effects. Mirrors appeared to lead to higher levels of state SPA in the mirrored vs. non-mirrored condition by fostering appearance comparisons with other participants and the yoga instructor. To encourage internal body awareness and minimize appearance comparisons in yoga classes, instructors in mirrored studios may want to consider structuring classes so students face away from mirrors, and reminding students to focus on how poses feel rather than how they look. Additional research examining the longer-term psychological effects of regularly practicing yoga with mirrors is merited.
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    How Teacher Self-efficacy and Mindset Influence Student Engagement and Math Performance
    (2020-07) Thayer, Andrew
    Research continues to support the association between school engagement and math achievement, and active engagement in early elementary mathematics education appears to cascade into long-term math achievement. Teacher beliefs about themselves and their students and their behavior has the potential to influence student engagement and achievement. This study investigated how teacher self-efficacy, teacher implicit theories of intelligence, and the effectiveness of their math instruction practices influence multiple domains of student engagement and achievement. Using structural equation models, the relative importance of teacher beliefs and behaviors were explored. Specifically, the hypothesis that a teacher’s instructional behavior mediated the influence of their beliefs on students’ mathematics outcomes was tested. In order to determine how different subgroups of teachers influence student outcomes, mixture modeling was used to classify teachers according to their beliefs and behaviors. Results were unexpected and did not support initial hypotheses. Teachers’ self-efficacy and instructional effectiveness were not related to dimensions of student math engagement and performance. Teachers’ implicit theories about their students’ intelligence evidenced a positive relationship with behavioral engagement. Four teacher subgroups were identified that differed primarily in their implicit theories. There were mostly no differences in student outcomes between teacher subgroups. Implications for research, theory, professional development, and measurement are included.
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    Seat Interface Pressure Mapping to Improve Weight Shift Performance in Spinal Cord Injured Wheelchair Users
    (2018-09) Vos-Draper, Tamara
    Objectives. This dissertation investigated the effects of using of a smartphone-based, on-demand seat interface pressure map on trunk activity, weight shifts, and self-efficacy in spinal cord injured wheelchair users in their home environments. We hypothesized that daily trunk activity and time spent in partial and full weight shift positions would increase with daily pressure map access and that self-efficacy for performing weight shifts would increase when education for pressure injury prevention included use of the pressure map and also when using the pressure map in one’s daily routine. Method. This longitudinal, within-subject, repeated measures study of 23 wheelchair users with complete spinal cord injury included an educational component grounded in social cognitive theory. Following education for pressure injury prevention and performance of weight shifts, each participant was provided with a mobile pressure mapping system to take home to use for week-long periods of time, alternated with periods without using the mapping system. Their trunk movement over a 4-week period was monitored with an accelerometer. Self-efficacy for performing weight shifts was evaluated with a 4-item scale before education, after education, after education using the pressure map for feedback and during each of the week-long periods of time at home. Results. A statistically significant increase in trunk activity occurred with access to mobile, on-demand, seat interface pressure mapping in power and manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury. The results suggested, but did not confirm with statistical significance, that there is a difference related to use of pressure map for time spent in partial and full weight shift zones, however, 81% of the participants had a positive change in at least one movement-related variable while using the pressure map when compared with not using the pressure map. The results also suggest that self-efficacy for performing weight shifts is higher when pressure injury prevention includes pressure mapping as a guide when learning how to perform weight shifts. Finally, self-efficacy for movements that relieve pressure is significantly higher during periods of access to the pressure map than without. Conclusions. We learned from this study that access to visual feedback from pressure mapping increases the types of movements that are protective against pressure injuries. Just as importantly, use of the pressure map improves self-efficacy for performing weight shifts in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury. Future research needs to explore who might benefit from this technology the most, when it should be introduced as an intervention strategy, and the effect of adding other features such as alerts, reminders, and the ability to self-track pressure-relieving behaviors over time.