Buchbesprechungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

A multi-method approach to studying the relationship between character strengths and vocational interests in adolescents

The relationship between character strengths and vocational interests was tested. In an online study, 197 thirteen to eighteen year-olds completed a questionnaire measuring character strengths and a multi-method measure for interests (questionnaire, nonverbal test, and objective personality tests). The main findings were that intellectual strengths yielded primarily relations with investigative and artistic interests. Social interests demonstrated relations with strengths of transcendence and other-directed strengths and enterprising interests with leadership strengths. The implications of the findings for practice are highlighted.     

Researching the impact of teacher professional development programmes based on action research,constructivism, and systems theory

This paper deals with the topic of professional development programmes’ impact. Concepts and ideas of action research, constructivism, and systems theory are used as a theoretical framework and are combined to describe and analyse an exemplary professional development programme in Austria. Empirical findings from both quantitative and qualitative studies regarding the programme’s impact are provided and discussed. Moreover, implications for future programmes’ planning and implementation are provided.     

Beauty and the Machiavellian

The purpose of this experiment was to measure the effects of source physical attractiveness and receiver Machiavellian tendency on receiver attitude change. Subjects were asked to read a persuasive message written by a physically attractive or unattractive source. High and low Machiavellian subjects were randomly assigned to the two attractiveness conditions. Pre‐ and post‐manipulation measures were made to assess attitudes toward the persuasive message. A significant attractiveness effect was obtained—the attractive source being found more persuasive. Moreover, a significant Machiavellian × attractiveness interaction effect was obtained. While low‐Machiavellian subjects were greatly influenced by the attractive source, high Machiavellians were not.