B. Ann Bettencourt

Gender differences in aggression as a function of provocation: a meta-analysis

In this article, we meta-analytically examine experimental studies to assess the moderating effect of provocation on gender differences in aggression. Convergent evidence shows that, whereas unprovoked men are more aggressive than women, provocation markedly attenuates this gender difference. Gender differences in appraisals of provocation intensity and fear of danger from retaliation (but not negative affect) partially mediate the attenuating effect of provocation. However, they do not entirely account for its manipulated effect. Type of provocation and other contextual variables also affect the magnitude of gender differences in aggression. The results support a social role analysis of gender differences in aggression and counter A. H. Eagly and V. Steffens (1986) meta-analytic inability to confirm an attenuating effect of provocation on gender differences in aggression.

Personality and aggressive behavior under provoking and neutral conditions: a meta-analytic review.

The authors conducted a comprehensive review to understand the relation between personality and aggressive behavior, under provoking and nonprovoking conditions. The qualitative review revealed that some personality variables influenced aggressive behavior under both neutral and provocation conditions, whereas others influenced aggressive behavior only under provocation. Studies that assessed personality variables and that directly measured aggressive behavior were included in the quantitative review. Analyses revealed that trait aggressiveness and trait irritability influenced aggressive behavior under both provoking and neutral conditions but that other personality variables (e.g., trait anger, Type A personality, dissipation-rumination) influenced aggressive behavior only under provoking conditions. The authors discuss possible relations between these patterns of aggressive behavior and the personality dimensions of Agreeableness and Neuroticism and consider implications for theories of aggression.

Psychological need-satisfaction and subjective well-being within social groups

Five candidate measures of psychological need-satisfaction were evaluated as predictors of high positive and low negative mood within the group, intrinsic motivation for group activities, and high commitment to the group. Consistent with self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1991), personal autonomy and interpersonal relatedness both predicted positive outcomes. Consistent with optimal distinctiveness theory (Brewer, 1991), feeling included within the group, feeling personally distinctive within the group, and feeling that the group is distinctive compared to other groups, also predicted positive outcomes. Simultaneous regression analyses indicated that the five needs were differentially related to the different well-being indicators, and also suggested that group inclusion may be the most important need to satisfy within group contexts. Supplementary analyses showed that members of formal groups felt less personal autonomy, but more group distinctiveness, compared to informal group members.

A meta-analysis of aggression in the presence of violent cues: Effects of gender differences and aversive provocation

Meta-analytically examines experimental studies that include violent cues in the setting and assesses the effects of aversive provocation on gender differences in aggression. The results show that when violent cues are present, men are more aggressive than women under neutral unprovoked conditions. However, when they are exposed to both violent cues and aversive provocation, men and women are equally aggressive. Differences in individual reactivity to violent cues as well as the type of aggressive response and the sex of the target also affected the magnitude of gender differences in the presence of violent cues. Aggr. Behav. 23:447–456, 1997.

Collective Self-Esteem as a Mediator of the Relationship between Allocentrism and Subjective Well-Being

The present studies examined the relationship between allocentrism and subjective well-being. In addition, the mediational role of collective self-esteem for ascribed and acquired groups was tested. Study 1 showed that the reliable relation between allocentrism and life satisfaction was mediated by private, public, and membership collective self-esteem. Study 2 showed that once personal self-esteem was controlled, only private and public collective self-esteem mediated the relation between allocentrism and subjective well-being.

Effects of numerical representation within cooperative settings: Examining the role of salience in in‐group favouritism

These studies investigate whether group salience contributes to the greater in-group favouritism expressed by numerical minorities after intergroup cooperation, as compared with majorities. In Study 1, using real social categories, situationally heightened salience exacerbated bias only among numerical minorities. Using real social categories, Study 2 confirmed the predicted effect of numerical representation on a measure of group salience as well as measures of anxiety and cohesion. Study 3 created artificial groups of equal and unequal size. In this study, compared to majority status, numerical minority status induced stronger perceptions of in-group salience and cohesion as well as greater in-group bias. Moreover, a regression analysis supported the prediction that salience mediates greater in-group positivity among numerical minorities.

Out-of-School Activities and Academic Achievement: The Mediating Role of Self-Beliefs

The ways students spend their out-of-school hours can affect their achievement. We present a theoretical analysis of this process. We describe out-of-school activities along two primary dimensions: (a) the extent to which they are related to academic material, and (b) the extent to which they promote identification with school. We discuss both theory and empirical evidence suggesting that academic relatedness has both direct and indirect influences on achievement, whereas identification with school has an indirect influence on achievement. The indirect influence of academic relatedness and identification operate in part though student self-beliefs. We then discuss theory and research linking these two dimensions to student self-beliefs and self-beliefs to academic motivation and achievement.

Depression and medication adherence among breast cancer survivors: Bridging the gap with the theory of planned behaviour

Evidence suggests that more depressed breast cancer patients will less likely adhere to treatment plans. This study presents evidence that the theory of planned behaviour mediates the relation between depression and intentions to adhere to treatment plans and between depression and lack of adherence to medication regime. Two hundred and thirteen women undergoing breast cancer treatment participated in this study. Measures of depressive symptoms and planned behaviour variables were collected at the first time point; measures of medication adherence were collected at the second time point. Structural equation models were utilised to fit the data to the proposed models. Depressive symptoms were significantly correlated to both intentions and medication adherence. In support of hypotheses, the relation between depressive symptoms and treatment intention was mediated by attitudes towards health maintenance plans. The relation between depressive symptoms and medication adherence was fully mediated by the planned behaviour process. Conditions under which treatment intentions and perceptions of control in adhering to treatment were most related to medication adherence were elucidated. The results point to avenues for interventions to increase medication adherence among breast cancer patients. Manipulating attitudes and perceptions of control towards treatment plans will potentially serve to increase medication adherence.

Cooperative Interaction and Intergroup Bias: Effects of Numerical Representation and Cross-Cut Role Assignment

This study investigates whether the greater in-group favoritism typically expressed by numerical minorities could be minimized by cross-cutting role assignment to the tasks in a cooperative setting. Study 1 manipulated the numerical representation of two groups and role assignment to a team task. The results showed that cross-cut role assignment decreased the in-group bias of both minority and majority groups, compared to convergent role assignment. Study 2 further examined the benefits of cross-cut assignment while controlling interaction among in-group and out-group members. The outcomes of Study 2 replicated those of Study 1 and showed that even without prior interaction during the cross-cut task, both minorities and majorities were less biased when role assignments cross-cut category membership. Moreover, the results showed that whereas both social category salience and identification were affected by role assignment, only identification mediated the effect of role assignment on in-group bias.

Predictors of depressive symptoms among breast cancer patients during the first year post diagnosis

It is important to identify predictors of psychological health among breast cancer patients that can be relatively easily identified by medical care providers. This article investigates the role of one class of such potential predictors: easily identified demographics that have potential social and/or practical implications. Specifically, we examined whether income, marital status, presence of children in the home, education, travel distance, age and rurality interact with time to predict psychological health over the first year post diagnosis. Two hundred and twenty five breast cancer patients receiving radiation treatment completed four surveys over the course of 13 months that included measures of both their physical health and depressive symptoms. The results revealed that women who were not married had children living in the home or had to travel long distances to receive radiation treatment reported higher levels of depressive symptoms across the entire study. Women with lower incomes reported increased depressive symptoms, but only after the completion of treatment. Younger women reported elevated depressive symptoms during initial treatment, but this effect dissipated after the completion of treatment. The current results suggest that demographic patient characteristics may indeed be useful in identifying both when and for whom depressive symptoms are particularly likely to be problematic.