Effect of Superstition on the Perception of Control

Effect of Superstition on the Perception of Control The Effect of Superstition on the Perception of Control over a Partially Uncontrollable Situation The effects of superstition on the an individuals behaviour has long been an area of interest in psychological research. Matute (1994, 1995) showed that an individuals response to uncontrollable circumstances is dictated by their level of superstition. Individuals with low levels of superstitious belief tend to show a decrease in cognitive capacity motivation, known as learned helplessness (Abramson, Seligman, Teasdale, 1978; Hiroto Seligman, 1975). Whilst individuals with high levels of superstitious belief, on the other hand, do not appear to develop this learned helpless, and it has been hypothesised superstitions provide an individual with an illusion of control (Matute 1994, 1995). Likewise, Dudley (1999) suggested that superstitious beliefs inhibit the learned helplessness effect by provided participants with an external locus of control. Conversely, it has been suggested that there may be other factors which inhibit the learned helplessness effect, such as attribution style (Abramson et at., 1978). Seligman (as cited in Rudski, 2004), conducted an experiment which showed that individual who formed particularly pessimistic attributions were susceptible to learned helplessness, in addition to depression. Furthermore, many studies which investigate superstitious belief the illusion of control do so by utilising judgements of contingency from the participant. Contingency judgements are useful as they help to explain how the illusion of control develops in participants (Yarritu, Matute, Vadillo, 2013). Blanco, Matute Vadillo (2011) showed that a participants contingency judgement is dependant on their level of action. It has been suggested, that the this combination with this level of action effect, and the high probability of a specific outcome, even when that outcome is uncontrollable, is what caused the participant to develop the illusion of control (Yarritu et at., 2013). This study aims to build on pre-existing research by investigating whether an individuals perception of control over a partially uncontrollable situation is impacted by their level of superstitious belief. To do this, participants were asked to perform a contingency judgement task, the results of which were then compared in relation to their level of superstition. It is hypothesised, firstly, that individuals with higher levels of superstition will report having higher levels of control in the active condition, when compared to individuals with low superstition and secondly, that this effect will be less apparent in the passive condition. Method Participants The participants were 996 undergraduate psychology students from the University of New South Wales (mean age = 19.8 years; 644 females: 352 males). They participated in this experiment as part of their week 5 tutorial class. Design This study took the form of a quasi-experiment, as it assessed the participants perception of control over a partially controllable situation, in relation to their level of superstition. As such, the independent variable, high or low superstition, was determined by the Superstitious Beliefs Questionnaires (SBQ). Participants were divided into the high superstition and low superstition groups based on a median split of the SBQ score. Based on the responses given, 492 participants (mean age = 19.7 years; 320 females: 172 males) were allocated to the high superstition group, whilst the remaining 504 participants (mean age = 19.9 years; 324 females: 180 males) formed the low superstition group. This experiment then tested two conditions, dubbed the active and the passive condition. The dependent variable, that is, the participants perception of control, was then measured, by self-report. Materials The experiment was carried out on standard computer terminals in one of the universitys computer labs. Inquisit software (Millisecond Software, Seattle) was used to present the experimental stimuli. In the active condition, participants were presented with a light bulb graphic button. Participants could choose whether or not to press the button, and the light bulb would either light up, or remain off as a result of their decision. As a result, there were four categories of trial: press with light, press without light, no-press with light and no-press without light. After 10 trials participants were asked to rate how much control they felt they had over the light bulb. In the passive condition, participants were only presented with a light bulb graphic, and informed that they would observe an imaginary friend, Bob, perform the task. As in the active condition, there were four categories of trial, and after 10 trials, participants were asked to rate the level of control they perceived Bob had over the light bulb. Participants completed the Superstitious Beliefs Questionnaire (SBQ), a demographic survey, and were asked if they were aware of the experiments design. The SBQ is a 26 item scale, designed to measure the level of superstitious belief in an individual. Each item of the SBQ can be scored from 0 up to 4, making a maximum score of 104 points possible. Participants who scored less than or equal to 46 on the SBQ were placed in the low superstition group, whilst those who scored above 46 were placed in the high superstition group. Procedure The participants were asked to complete a contingency judgement task, in two conditions. Each condition consisted of four sets of 10 trials. In the active condition, participants were instructed to choose between pressing or not pressing a button on the screen. This action or inaction then lead to a light bulb on the screen being illuminated. After 10 trials of this, participants were asked to rate how much control they had over the light bulb, using a sliding scale displayed on the screen. In the passive condition, participants were informed that they would observe an imaginary friend performing the task. The participants were able to observe the outcome (whether the light turned on or remained off) and were informed of the imaginary friend action (pressing or not pressing the button). Participants were again asked to rate how much control the imaginary friend had over the light bulb. References Abramson, L. Y., Seligman, M. E. P., Teasdale, J. D. (1978). Learned helplessness in humans: Critique and reformulation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87(1), 49–74. Blanco, F., Matute, H., Vadillo, M. A. (2011). Making the uncontrollable seem controllable: The role of action in the illusion of control. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64(7), 1290–1304. Dudley, R. (1999). The effect of superstitious belief on performance following an unsolvable problem. Personality and Individual Differences, 26(6), 1057–1064 Hiroto, D. S., Seligman, M. E. P. (1975). Generality of learned helplessness in man. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31(2), 311-327. Matute, H. (1994). Learned helplessness and superstitious behavior as opposite effects of uncontrollable reinforcement in humans. Learning and Motivation, 25(2), 216-232. Matute, H. (1995). Human reactions to uncontrollable outcomes: Further evidence for superstitions rather than helplessness. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 48B, 142–157. Rudski, J. (2004). The illusion of control, superstitious belief, and optimism. Current Psychology, 22(4), 306-315. Yarritu, I. Matute, H. Vadillo, M.A. (2013). Illusion of control: The role of personal involvement. Experimental Psychology, 61(1), 38–47.

5 Stages of Team Development – Summary

Five Stages of Team Development December 17, 2012 Abstract This paper will evaluate the five stages of team development; Forming stage, Storming stage, Norming stage, Performing stage and Adjourning stage. â€Å"Building effective, cohesive teams has never played such a pivotal role in a company’s success as it does today†. PI Worldwide 2010 Retrieved from http://www. piworldwide. com/Solutions/Leadership-Development/Team-Building. aspx on December 17, 2012. Team building is an important part of ensuring success within an organization.All the stages may not be used in every instance, however it is a guideline that, if used correctly, will ensure better communication, decision making, increased productivity and overall success. PI Worldwide 2010 Retrieved from http://www. piworldwide. com/Solutions/Leadership-Development/Team-Building. aspx on December 17, 2012. I will evaluate each stage and compare it with real-life experiences to show how effective this system can be. Forming Stage The forming stage is where a group of people come together to work on a project.In this initial stage of team development the members take a more formal approach to how they communicate with each other, â€Å"there would be no clear idea of goals or expectations†. Management Study Guide 2008-2010 Retrieved from http://www. managementstudyguide. com/team-development. htm on December 17, 2012. This stage reminds me of a project I was chosen to be part of. A group of us were chosen to develop a plan of action geared toward increasing patient satisfaction in the hospital, due to poor results from a survey taken.During this Forming stage, we took the time to get to know each other’ what our strengths were, and by doing this we were able to create a mission statement for the team and begin our creative process. Storming Stage â€Å"The storming stage of team development is a period of high emotionality and tension among group members† â€Å"Organizatio nal Behavior† (Schermerhorn J 2012,pg. 156). Competition and resistance to the ideas offered by other team members begin to occur in this stage. Everyone wants their own ideas or that of their friend to be chosen.In my experience with team work, this stage is where member began to become more relaxed and sure of themselves, throwing ideas on the table and thinking their ideas are the best ones. Norming Stage In this stage, members start to remember the reason they are there and re-focus on the task at hand. â€Å"While enjoying a new sense of harmony, team members will strive to maintain positive balance† â€Å"Organizational Behavior† (Schermerhorn J 2012, pg 156). Members begin to feel like they have perfected the ability to work in groups at this time, developing a premature sense of accomplishment.At this stage my team started putting a plan in place to revamp how patients are treated during their hospital visits. Performing Stage In this stage of development , the team becomes more mature and organized. They know what the goals of the team are and work together to achieve success. Team members are able to do their own problem solving since they are sure of themselves and what their duties are. Team members came together and all the ideas that we shared now became a plan of action to improve patient satisfaction at our Hospital’s six facilities. Adjourning StageAt this stage team members learn to come together, get the job done quickly and go about their own business. â€Å"Their willingness to disband when the job is done and to work well together in future responsibilities, team or otherwise, is a long-term test of team success. † â€Å"Organizational Behavior† (Schermerhorn J 2012, pg 157) The five stages of team development really helped me to put the process of team work in perspective. Knowing what these stages all means and represents, gives me a better understanding of how to organize projects and what stage we are at in any given project.

Top Aviation Essay Samples Reviews!

Top Aviation Essay Samples Reviews! Ruthless Aviation Essay Samples Strategies Exploited The very first location where you will almost certainly be given aviation tasks is at school. The papers you're likely to write in college or university is likely to make school assignments seem as a bit of cake. The next thing to do is to research. The thorough research is needed there too, but the vital element of the work isn't the exact same. There are different considerations during the security risk management procedure, which include. Your proposal is going to be written from scratch. In order to know the security assurance phase, there are specific elements like acceptable levels, monitoring and measurement together with safety promotion that needs to be dealt with. Apart from setting the targets and objectives, a security policy also needs to be outlined to tackle safety related elements which help organization to realize their safety targets. When it has to do with flying, it isn't important how experienced or confident a pilot might be. All aircraft in the USA, as an example, must meet certain requirements before being deemed flight-worthy. The US Air force has a number of the contemporary airplanes designed for different functions. Industrial aviation also advanced significantly, allowing people to travel throughout the world In a quick period of time. We encourage you to read the essay when possible to be sure you're fully happy and don't feel like anything was missed. With this, you are going to be in a position to limit your ideas into key points that you desire to highlight in the body of your essay. Critical analysis paper examples that it is possible to find here on AnswerShark will offer you a picture of the way in which a very good vital essay should look. If you're looking for assistance with your essay then we provide a comprehensive writing service offered by fully qualified academics in your area of study. When you're writing an essay for the very first time, you will need to find some examples to fully grasp the method by which the essay should consider the finished form. An essay outline can help you organize the total structure of your essay. Write an essay about ways to become a pilot. For instance, the introduction should be constructed around the background info, include the objective of writing and the thesis statement, state how you have discovered the topic, why it's significant, and what difference your study will make. As soon as it is evident that sections ought to be concise, logical, and convey all your thoughts clearly, it's also important they focus on particular specifics. Unfortunately, there are hundreds and hundreds of essay samples on the internet that aren't written according to one's requirements. Read some reviews about the website, ask your pals or tutor to recommend you reliable sources where you are able to safely read samples. If you're fighting to discover an ideal topic within the field, you always have the option to receive a small help and a number of parts of advice from the knowledgeable individuals. If we continue like this the list may be quite huge and it's tricky to end. We, therefore, take time to help them choose an outstanding topic which they'll be enthusiastic about. Employing both of these tools are sure to enhance your writing skills. Finding a peer to check over your paper when you have finished will allow you to clean up your paper too. On the flip side, if you desire a wholly different subject, just inform us and we'll provide prompt assistance. Research is the thing that helps to narrow the range of alternatives you have to one. But a number of them are rather challenging and could require extensive research if you'd like to impress your prof essor and receive an A. A simple aviation topic a student can choose and also compose a valuable essay is around the growth of aviation on earth. Participating in such a massive study from begin to finish has validated my interest in academic research for a profession. This is essential so as to learn exactly what you would like to write about your favorite subject, which is aviation. Aviation, in comparison to other kinds of transportation is a significant industry that involves considerably more systematic approach in management and organization. Aviation personnel are trained on situation awareness in order to lessen accident and ensure greater safety.

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