Suchergebnisse

AbstractTo assess childhood family influences on adolescent sexual activity, 69 boys were studied in sixth grade and again in tenth grade. Boys' self‐restraint in sixth grade was hypothesized to mediate the effects of family influences on number of sexual partners four years later. Family scores included observed family interaction patterns, sons' reports of parents' child‐rearing practices (rejection, support, child‐centered/indulgence), and household composition. In different models, Time 1 family scores and sons' self‐restraint accounts for 34 and 48 percent of the variance in sons' subsequent sexuality. As predicted, regression analysis revealed that restraint mediated family influence at Time 1 on the number of sexual partners at Time 2. Notably, intact family, supportive family and child‐centred/indulgent parenting were associated with T1 restraint which in turn, was associated with sexual activity. Additionally, family/parenting scores were directly associated with adolescents' sexuality. In discriminant analyses, family scores predicted boys' status as virgins/nonvirgins four year later with greater than 70% success. Discussion focuses on the nature of the family influences and the mechanisms by which they relate to adolescent male sexuality.

Attachment insecurities (anxiety and avoidance) are often associated with relationship dissatisfaction, but the mediators have been unclear. We examined the mediating role of perceived conflict in 274 French‐Canadian couples who completed measures of attachment insecurities, perception of conflict, and relationship satisfaction. Partners' own attachment anxiety and avoidance predicted their experience of conflict. In addition, women's anxiety predicted men's experience of conflict, and men's avoidance predicted women's experience of conflict. The associations between attachment insecurities and relationship dissatisfaction were partially mediated by conflict.

The purpose of this study was to determine if older adults' perceptions of class cohesion serve as a mediator between exercise class leader behavior and adherence (operationally defined as attendance and perceived exertion) in exercise programs. Participants were enrolled in recreational exercise programs. Each participant completed a questionnaire that assessed cohesion (individual attractions to the group-task [ATG-T] and -social, group integration-task [GI-T] and group integration-social), class leader behaviors (enthusiasm, availability, motivation, and instruction), and perceived exertion. Attendance was obtained from records maintained by the instructors. Four specific mediation relationships were found: (a) ATG-T mediated the relationship between class leader motivation and perceived exertion, (b) ATG-T mediated the relationship between class leader availability and perceived exertion, (c) ATG-T mediated the relationship between class leader enthusiasm and attendance, (d) GI-T mediated relations between class leader enthusiasm and attendance. A number of aspects related to specific results were discussed.

AbstractEducational systems design, largely communicative in nature, depends on discourse as a semiotic tool for mediation within the cognitive, cultural, and creative activities essential to overcoming deep sociohistorical patterns woven into the fabric of society. The use of activity theory as a framework for understanding the mediational importance of conversation in educational systems design represents a sociocultural and inquiry‐oriented perspective that illuminates the relationship of design as a human activity system and the sociocultural context in which the design activity unfolds. As in Banathy's idealized concept of social systems design the importance of conversation is acknowledged in activity theory. Likewise, the importance of language as a symbol‐based mediational tool connects systems design and activity theory. Essential to the design of human activity systems, such as educational systems, is the ability of participants to acknowledge the dialectical contradictions that have emerged in their past or present activity system(s), while also acknowledging the importance of creating dialogical relationships toward the goal of designing new systems.Design conversation and systems language underlie the socially constructed process of educational systems design. The framework of activity theory suggests that mediational artifacts such as language and discourse do not exist inside or outside of individual consciousness; rather they reside on the borderline between oneself as designer and the others who are also designers and users. From this perspective one has to take and use cultural artifacts (i.e., design conversation and systems language), to appropriate these artifacts with the intentions of the designer and the design community.This paper will examine the mediational importance of conversation in the design of human activity systems that are educative and intentioned as learning systems. The paper will first examine activity theory and human activity systems, seeking to make connections between the systemic nature of activity theory as drawn from sociocultural learning theory and human activity systems grounded in social systems design. The paper will then examine educational systems design, viewing design as post‐epistemological in nature. Design conversation is then deconstructed to create an understanding of how this type of discourse draws from other genres or types of discourse such as dialogue, discussion, dialectic, ethical and critical discourse. The paper will then elaborate on design conversation as activity through an activity theory framework, demonstrating the dynamic relationship between participants, purpose, mediational artifacts, community, design work, and sociocultural rules governing design. The author will conclude with reflections on the mediational importance of design conversation in transcending dualisms that challenge social change. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.