Motive to Approach Success and Motive to Avoid Failure in Boys from Different Social Groups

Nygård, R. (1969). Motive to Approach Success and Motive to Avoid Failure in Boys from Different Social Groups. Scand. J. Educ. Res. 13, 222‐232.

Differences between social groups in achievement‐related motives were examined in a sample of 255 7th and 8th grade boys. The motive to avoid failure was measured by the Test Anxiety Scale for Children (Sarason et al., 1960), while the motive to approach success was anchored in the score on the TAT nAchievement Test (McClelland et al., 1953).

Analysis of regression revealed a clear relationship between social background and motive to avoid failure, higher social groups being less failure motivated (p<.005). This relationship seems to hold even when differences between the groups in intelligence are controlled (p<.05). The results of a corresponding analysis regarding the motive to approach success did not reach significance (.05<p<.10). There were, however, clear trends when measures for the two motives were combined. Thus, pupils with a high motive to approach success and a low motive to avoid failure made up an increasing proportion, and those with a low motive to approach success and a high motive to avoid failure, a decreasing proportion when going from lower to higher social groups.

     

Reliability of lower limb biomechanics in two sport-specific sidestep cutting tasks

The purpose of this study was to assess the within- and between-session reliability of lower limb biomechanics in two sport-specific sidestep cutting tasks performed by elite female handball and football (soccer) athletes. Moreover, we aimed at determining the minimum number of trials necessary to obtain a reliable measure. Nineteen elite female handball and 22 elite female football (soccer) athletes (M ± SD: 22 ± 4 yrs old, 168 ± 5 cm, 66 ± 8 kg) were tested. The reliability was quantified by intra-class correlations (ICCs), typical error and Spearman’s rank correlation. Only minor improvements in ICC values were seen when increasing the number of trials from 3 to 5. Based on trials 1–3, all variables showed good to excellent within-session reliability (M ICC: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.89–0.93), fair to good between-session reliability (M ICC: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.70–0.76), moderately positive between-session rank correlation coefficients (M: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.69–0.76). A few frontal plane biomechanical variables displayed lower between-session reliability in the football task compared with the handball task. The moderately positive between-session ranking and practically small typical error implies that the measurements could reliably reproduce the ranking of individuals in multiple-session studies. Adequate reliability could be attained from 3 trials, with only minor improvements when adding more trials.     

Performance agreements for clearer institutional profiles and better division of labour

Tertiary Education and Management - Performance agreements in higher education are seen as a promising steering tool in many countries, including Norway. The aims of the performance agreements in...     

What are the Earth and the heavenly bodies like? A study of objectual conceptions among Norwegian deaf and hearing pupils

This study addresses deaf pupils' conceptions of phenomena, that can be directly observed, of the Earth and sky. In the study deaf pupils aged 7, 9, 11, and 17 years were interviewed. A control group of 9-year-old Norwegian pupils with normal hearing was also interviewed. The results show that the young deaf children have conceptions that are remarkably like the scientifically accepted ones, when their age is taken into account, while this is not the case for the oldest groups. Four out of five deaf 7-year-olds, for example, thought the Earth was spherical, not flat; while only five out of eight deaf 17-year-olds thought the same for shapes of the heavenly bodies. Possible reasons for this are discussed. The results also indicate that the shapes of the signs representing objects may affect deaf people's conceptions of those objects.     

Performing the Future

Drama is a relatively unexplored tool in academic science education. This paper addresses in what way the use of drama may allow science students to deepen their understanding of recent developments in the emerging and controversial field of neuro-enhancement, by means of a case study approach. First, we emphasise the congruency between drama and science, notably the dramatic dimension of experimental research. Subsequently, we draw on educational literature to elaborate the potential of using drama as a teaching modality, specifically focusing on the ethical and moral dimensions of future techno-scientific innovations. Our case study consisted of a drama experiment as a module in a philosophy course on human enhancement. Twenty-two students from various science disciplines performed multiple roles, as authors, actors, audience and reviewers. Qualitative data were collected on the educational process and student performance during the course, i.e. observations and video recordings of class discussions, group work and plays, interviews and questionnaires. Our drama experiment proved to be effective in enabling students to explore and relate to a future life world affected by enhancement technologies. It allowed them to deepen their awareness of social and ethical implications of neuro-technologies and of the different viewpoints people may have on this issue in academic, professional or everyday settings. Moreover, drama allowed them to develop a reflexive position of their own in the neuro-enhancement debate by enacting a moral dilemma in front of an audience. Our results confirm the potential of drama as a tool for exploring techno-scientific futures in science education.     

Parents' Views of Quality in Educational Psychology Services

The paper reports on a study of parents' educational psychology service experiences and perceptions of quality services. The parents of children referred to educational psychology services (EPSs) responded to indexes of case service quality, service evaluation, and time consumption. Four quality dimensions were extracted and show the focus to be on participation, courtesy, effectiveness, and security. Effectiveness contributes highest to the evaluation of case service quality, followed by participation and security. Time contributes minimally to the quality evaluation. Fifty-six percent evaluate the case service quality to be at least 'good'. Complaints mainly concern a lack of listening, feedback, intervention and follow-up.     

The Person‐Situation Issue. Endler's Rejection of Alker's Specificity‐Consistency Claim Once More 1 2

Nygård, R. 1979. The Person‐Situation Issue. Endler's Rejection of Alker's Specificity‐Consistency Claim Once More. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research 23, 185‐198. After different conceptualizations of behavior in terms of person and situation variables have been outlined, Endler's (1973) response to Alker's (1972) arguments on situational specificity as a personality variable is discussed. It is shown that Endler's data do not warrant the conclusions drawn by him, that Alker's claim does not imply greater individual differences in behavior within groups of abnormals than within groups of normals, and that the idea of situational specificity as a personality variable means that behavior is explained in terms of personality by situation interactions.

It is argued that there is no antagonism between interactionbm and conditioned situationism or personologism. Alker's claim is expected to have a capacity to enrich the interactional approach found in achievement motivation research.

     

Effect of playing tactics on achieving score-box possessions in a random series of team possessions from Norwegian professional soccer matches

Abstract

Methods of analysis that include an assessment of opponent interactions are thought to provide a more valid means of team match performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of playing tactics on achieving score-box possession by assessing opponent interactions in Norwegian elite soccer matches. We analysed a random series of 1703 team possessions from 163 of 182 (90%) matches played in the professional men's league during the 2004 season. Multidimensional qualitative data obtained from ten ordered categorical variables were used. Offensive tactics were more effective in producing score-box possessions when playing against an imbalanced defence (28.5%) than against a balanced defence (6.5%) (P < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression found that, for the main variable “team possession type”, counterattacks were more effective than elaborate attacks when playing against an imbalanced defence (odds ratio: 2.69; 95% confidence interval: 1.64 to 4.43) but not against a balanced defence (odds ratio: 1.14; 95% confidence interval: 0.47 to 2.76). Assessment of opponent interactions is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of offensive playing tactics on producing score-box possessions, and improves the validity of team match-performance analysis in soccer.     

Validity of the ActiGraph GT1M during walking and cycling

Abstract

The ActiGraph activity monitors have developed and newer versions of the ActiGraph accelerometers (GT1M, GT3X and GT3X +) are now available, including changes in hardware and software compared to the old version (AM7164). This is problematic as most of the validation and calibration work includes the AM7164. The aims of the study were to validate the ActiGraph GT1M during level and graded walking and to assess the potential underestimation of physical activity during cycling. Data were obtained from 20 participants during treadmill walking and ergometer cycling. Energy expenditure was measured via indirect calorimetry and used as the criterion method. Activity counts were highly correlated with energy expenditure during level walking (R² = 0.82) and graded walking at 5% and 8% (R² = 0.82 and R² = 0.67, respectively). There was no linear relationship between activity counts and energy expenditure during cycling. The average activity counts for all data points during cycling was 1,157 counts per minute (CPM) (SD = 974), and mean energy expenditure was 5.0 metabolic equivalents. The GT1M is a valid tool for assessing walking across a wide range of speeds and gradients. However, there is no relationship between activity counts and energy expenditure during cycling and physical activity is underestimated by ≈73% during cycling compared to walking.