Journal Articles

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7915

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End date: 2009Subject: search.filters.subject.1701 Psychology

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 30
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    Wanna drive? driving anxiety and fear in a New Zealand community sample
    (New Zealand Psychology Society, 2008) Taylor JE; Paki D
    Driving anxiety can impact everyday functioning and is common following motor vehicle crashes. However, no research has investigated its general community prevalence, despite the consistent finding that driving anxiety is not always a function of a vehicle crash. The present study explored the frequency and characteristics of driving anxiety and fear in a general community convenience sample of 100 participants who completed a questionnaire about driving anxiety, avoidance behaviour, and types of driving-related cognitions. Most of the sample described no anxiety, fear, or avoidance in relation to driving. However, 8% reported moderate to extreme anxiety about driving, and 7% described moderate to extreme driving fear. Women reported more driving anxiety, fear, and avoidance than men. These results indicate the need for more formal methods of establishing prevalence to clearly ascertain the extent of population-based driving anxiety and fear and its effects, so that research can begin to focus on developing effective treatment approaches for those whose anxiety has a psychological and functional impact.
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    Gambling behaviour and motivation in an urban sample of older adult gamblers
    (NEW ZEALAND PSYCHOL SOC, 1/03/2008) Clarke D; Clarkson J
    Due to low rates of gambling participation among older adults (65+ years), little is known about gender differences in their gambling behaviour and reasons for gambling. Also, little is known about differences in their motives for different forms of gambling. Following motivational theory, the present study compared the behaviour and motivation of 41 male and 63 female gamblers in Hamilton, New Zealand where a casino was recently opened. Ages ranged from 66 to 87 years. Gambing for rewards was the strongest motivation for both sexes, followed by boredom. There were no significant gender differences, nor interactions between gender and skill/chance preferences on motivation. Regular continuous gamblers had stronger preferences for horse/dog races, scratch tickets or non-casino gaming machines, and had a higher expenditure rate than regular non-continuous gamblers who more strongly preferred Lotto. They also had significantly higher scores on curiosity, stimulation, escape and apathy. Longitudinal and observational studies were suggested to examine the impact of new casinos in towns with large numbers of older adults, and to monitor potential symptoms of problem gambling.
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    Obsessive passion as an explanation for burnout: An alternative theoretical perspective applied to humanitarian work
    (Australian Academic Press, 2007) Tassell NA; Flett RA
    Burnout is an occupationally based syndrome that develops as a result of prolonged and cumulative stress. The experience of burnout has been documented in detail in a variety of human service professions. The purpose of this article is two-fold: to provide an alternative theoretical perspective on the development of burnout, which suggests it is not stressors per se that are responsible for burnout development; and, to use this alternative perspective as an explanation for burnout in the context of another human service profession — humanitarian work. Using the passion for activities notion conceptualised by Vallerand and colleagues (2003), it is explained how a lack of self-determination and autonomy leads to the development of an obsessive passion for an activity. Obsessive passion is linked to a variety of adverse cognitive and affective outcomes. This is then applied to the domain of humanitarian work, and it is suggested individuals with an obsessive passion are more likely to suffer adverse outcomes and consequently develop burnout when working in humanitarian crises. Some suggestions for future theoretical and empirical investigations regarding the relationship between obsessive passion and burnout are provided. © 2007, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.
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    Book Review: Bayesian Statistics the Fun Way: Understanding Statistics and Probability With Star Wars, Lego, and Rubber Ducks
    (Frontiers Media, 15/01/2020) Perezgonzalez J
    Bayesian Statistics the Fun Way is an engaging introduction to Bayesian inference by Kurt (2019). His main goal of producing “a book on Bayesian statistics that really anyone could pick up and use to gain real intuitions for how to think statistically and solve real problems using statistics” (Carrone, 2019) is certainly achieved. Indeed, the book introduces Bayesian methods in a clear and concise manner, without assuming prior statistical knowledge and, for the most part, eschewing formulations. It explores Bayesian inference in a very intuitive way and with engaging examples—from UFOs to conspiracy theorists, via Lego, crime scenes, Start Wars, email click baits, and funfair rubber ducks—and constrains itself well enough for readers to start applying Bayesian inference from the word go.
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    Contribution of retirement-related variables to well-being in an older male sample
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 2000) Alpass FM; Neville S; Flett RA
    With New Zealand's increasing older adult population comes an increase in the number of retirees. Changes in work patterns, earlier retirement and increasing life expectancy are resulting in longer periods of time spent in retirement. The effects of retirement on health and well-being have been viewed both positively and negatively and previous research on the impact of retirement has been equivocal. Inconsistencies may be attributable to a number of factors including time since retirement, changes in health status of the retiree, loss of social supports, policies of voluntary versus mandatory retirement and whether the work career was satisfying versus unfulfilled. Further, there are many possible outcomes following retirement and indices such as depression, and psychological well-being may be influenced by retirement in different ways. The present study sought to address a number of these issues by investigating the relative contribution of demographic, health, social support and retirement related variables to a number of indices of well-being in a group of retired older adult males. The present study found the nature of retirement (forced/voluntary) was unrelated to well-being outcomes; number of years retired was negatively associated with well-being outcomes; and prior job satisfaction was positively related to well-being outcomes. However, retirement variables contributed little to the overall explained variance in well-being indices. The major contributors to outcomes were diagnosis of a long-term illness or disability and satisfaction with social supports. Findings are discussed in relation to the literature.
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    Stages of change for fruit and vegetable intake and dietary fat modification in Maori women: Some relationships with body attitudes and eating behaviours
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 2005) Tassell NA; Flett RA
    We examined the influence of psychological factors (social physique anxiety, dietary self-efficacy), difficulties associated with making dietary changes and food security on stages of change for dietary fat reduction and increased fruit and vegetable intake in a non-probability convenience sample of New Zealand Maori women (N = 111) recruited through several acquaintanceship networks of the first author. We found that dietary fat intake, dietary self-efficacy and difficulties associated with changing fruit intake were significantly related to the stages of change for both dietary fat intake reduction and increased fruit and vegetable intake. In addition, difficulties associated with reducing dietary fat intake were significantly related to the stages of change for dietary fat intake reduction. As one moved along the change continuum, dietary fat intake and barriers associated with dietary change steadily reduced, whilst dietary self-efficacy increased. Sixty eight percent of the sample were categorised as either overweight or obese, and these participants reported significantly more anxiety and lower self-efficacy. Discussion focussed on the applicability of the study variables in the implementation of dietary related interventions for Maori women.
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    Predictors of health care utilisation in community dwelling New Zealand Māori
    (University of Papua New Guinea and Massey University School of Psychology, 2004) Flett RA; Hirini PR; Long NR; Millar M
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    Factors affecting employee use of work-life balance initiatives
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 2007) Smith J; Gardner DH
    The study examines work-life balance (WLB) using a sample of 153 employees in a large New Zealand organisation. Analysis of company policies identified sixteen WLB initiatives currently being offered. Employees were surveyed to determine the extent of their awareness and use of currently offered initiatives. Factors influencing WLB initiative use and employee outcomes for initiative use were investigated. Female employees and younger employees used more WLB initiatives while employees reporting higher levels of management support and supervisor support, and perceiving fewer career damage and time demands also used more WLB initiatives. No support was found for the role of coworker support on WLB initiative use. Initiative use was related to reduced work-to-family conflict. Work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict, and commitment to the organisation were related to intention to turnover. The results highlight the importance of workplace culture in enabling an environment that is supportive of WLB and consequently use of initiatives that are offered by the organisation.
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    Attitudinal differences towards mental health services between younger and older New Zealand adults
    (New Zealand Psychological Society Inc., 2008) James SA; Buttle H
    This study aimed to explore attitudinal differences between young and older New Zealand adults to seeking professional mental health services, including effects of previous help, and the types of service preferred. A questionnaire which included the Inventory of Attitudes towards Seeking Mental Health Services (IASMHS), together with questions regarding previous help, and preferred services for mental health needs, was administered to 125 participants aged 27-91 residing in the north Auckland area. Older adults were higher in help-seeking propensity (HSP) but less psychologically open (PO) than their younger counterparts. In older adults only, previous help contributed positively towards PO, while increased satisfaction with previous help correlated with increased indifference to stigma (IS). Older adults had a preference for physicians for mental health issues, followed by friends, God, clergy and psychiatrists. Attitudes towards help-seeking were generally favourable in older adults, but their lower PO and preference for service provider may inhibit their use of professional psychological services. General practitioners and clergy need to be provided with resources which enable them to refer older adults appropriately.
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