Feeling obliged to “Do Well” or “Not to Fail”? The distinction between approach and avoidance dimensions of oughts

The present studies examined the proposition that there are approach and avoidance dimensions in feelings of obligations, that are associated with a specific network of behaviors, affect, and cognitions in achievement situations. Across 4 studies, results indicated that being motivated by ought-approach was associated with significantly higher positive affect and persistence compared with being motivated by ought-avoidance. Also, arousal and affect could be explained by one's disposition for approach- or avoidance-based oughts. Being motivated by ought-approach was significantly more adaptive compared with avoidance and multiple-ought terms. It was concluded that obligations based on approach or avoidance tendencies represent diverse motivational systems with different cognitions and affective responses.     

Teacher ratings of problem behaviors: Which student behaviors “concern” and “disturb” teachers?

Fifty elementary teachers rated the problem behaviors of students to indicate both how much the behaviors “disturbed” them and how much they were “concerned” about the behaviors. The results suggest that teachers are more concerned about behaviors than disturbed by them. However, teachers were both disturbed and concerned about aggressive interaction with and between students. The implications of the findings are discussed.     

“What Are You?” Conceptualizing the Complexities of Bicultural and Biracial College Student Experiences

Reflecting the increasing diversity of the United States, universities are seeing growing rates of students from diverse cultural backgrounds. The authors present culturally responsive suggestions to facilitate conceptualization and counseling with biracial and bicultural college students, integrating cognitions, behaviors, emotions, and relationships associated with culture and cultural identity of both culture of origin and mainstream U.S. culture. Recommendations for counseling an increasingly diverse student body are presented.     

“Will it help the sheep?”: Why educate?

Educators with a passion for facilitating learning among undergraduate students believe that education for the common good is central to what they do. In this excerpt from her new book “Multiplication Is for White People”: Raising Expectations for Other People's Children, Lisa Delpit suggests that this is an essential view at every educational level.     

How are we doing? “Best of ISPI” Appreciative Inquiry member survey

The International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) Board of Directors undertook a study to uncover the “best of ISPI” to enhance their strategic planning. The approach used Appreciative Inquiry methods, which emphasize discovering “what's working.” This article describes the study and concludes with some thoughts on how to use this information to enrich member experiences and provide new benefits.     

Desire for Increased Autonomy and Adolescents’ Perceptions of Peer Autonomy: “Everyone Else Can; Why Can’t I?”

Two studies examined adolescents' personal autonomy beliefs and their perceptions of peer autonomy. Study 1 sampled 527 adolescents (M = 15.40 years) and found that adolescents desired increased autonomy most over personal and multifaceted issues and least over moral and conventional issues. Younger adolescents and girls desired increased autonomy more than did older adolescents and boys, respectively. Overestimation of peer autonomy was moderate but stable. Finally, results indicated that adolescents who perceived their friends as having more autonomy than they did were more likely to desire increased autonomy over multifaceted and prudential issues. Study 2 sampled 170 early adolescents (M = 13.39 years) and used a longitudinal design to further support the conclusion that adolescents utilize peers as metrics to gauge the appropriate pacing of behavioral autonomy development.