@phdthesis{Poltrock2010,
  author    = {Poltrock, Silvana},
  title     = {About the relation between implicit Theory of Mind \& the comprehension of complement sentences},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-52293},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {Previous studies on the relation between language and social cognition have shown that children's mastery of embedded sentential complements plays a causal role for the development of a Theory of Mind (ToM). Children start to succeed on complementation tasks in which they are required to report the content of an embedded clause in the second half of the fourth year. Traditional ToM tasks test the child's ability to predict that a person who is holding a false belief (FB) about a situation will act "falsely". In these task, children do not represent FBs until the age of 4 years. According the linguistic determinism hypothesis, only the unique syntax of complement sentences provides the format for representing FBs. However, experiments measuring children's looking behavior instead of their explicit predictions provided evidence that already 2-year olds possess an implicit ToM. This dissertation examined the question of whether there is an interrelation also between implicit ToM and the comprehension of complement sentences in typically developing German preschoolers. Two studies were conducted. In a correlational study (Study 1 ), 3-year-old children's performance on a traditional (explicit) FB task, on an implicit FB task and on language tasks measuring children's comprehension of tensed sentential complements were collected and tested for their interdependence. Eye-tracking methodology was used to assess implicit ToM by measuring participants' spontaneous anticipatory eye movements while they were watching FB movies. Two central findings emerged. First, predictive looking (implicit ToM) was not correlated with complement mastery, although both measures were associated with explicit FB task performance. This pattern of results suggests that explicit, but not implicit ToM is language dependent. Second, as a group, 3-year-olds did not display implicit FB understanding. That is, previous findings on a precocious reasoning ability could not be replicated. This indicates that the characteristics of predictive looking tasks play a role for the elicitation of implicit FB understanding as the current task was completely nonverbal and as complex as traditional FB tasks. Study 2 took a methodological approach by investigating whether children display an earlier comprehension of sentential complements when using the same means of measurement as used in experimental tasks tapping implicit ToM, namely anticipatory looking. Two experiments were conducted. 3-year-olds were confronted either with a complement sentence expressing the protagonist's FB (Exp. 1) or with a complex sentence expressing the protagonist's belief without giving any information about the truth/ falsity of the belief (Exp. 2). Afterwards, their expectations about the protagonist's future behavior were measured. Overall, implicit measures reveal no considerably earlier understanding of sentential complementation. Whereas 3-year-olds did not display a comprehension of complex sentences if these embedded a false proposition, children from 3;9 years on were proficient in processing complement sentences if the truth value of the embedded proposition could not be evaluated. This pattern of results suggests that (1) the linguistic expression of a person's FB does not elicit implicit FB understanding and that (2) the assessment of the purely syntactic understanding of complement sentences is affected by competing reality information. In conclusion, this dissertation found no evidence that the implicit ToM is related to the comprehension of sentential complementation. The findings suggest that implicit ToM might be based on nonlinguistic processes. Results are discussed in the light of recently proposed dual-process models that assume two cognitive mechanisms that account for different levels of ToM task performance.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Engeser2005,
  author    = {Engeser, Stefan Hermann},
  title     = {Lernmotivation und volitionale Handlungssteuerung : eine L{\"a}ngsschnittsuntersuchung beim Statistik Lernen im Psychologiestudium},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-2401},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2005},
  abstract  = {Statistik Lernen im Rahmen des Psychologiestudiums wurde als Untersuchungsgegenstand zur empirischen {\"U}berpr{\"u}fung der angenommenen Wirkung volitionaler Handlungsregulation herangezogen. Neben f{\"a}higkeitsbezogenen und motivationalen Faktoren sollten bei dieser von vielen Studierenden aversiv erlebten T{\"a}tigkeit die Aspekte der volitionalen Handlungsregulation entscheidend sein. Nur Personen, die sich trotz des aversiven T{\"a}tigkeitserlebens zum Statistik Lernen "zwingen" k{\"o}nnen, sollten erfolgreich sein. Auf dem Hintergrund des Prozessmodells der Lernmotivation wurden die angenommenen Wirkungen der volitionalen Faktoren denen der motivationalen Einflussgr{\"o}ßen zugeordnet und in einem l{\"a}ngsschnittlichen Design an zwei aufeinander folgenden Wintersemestern an der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam und an der TU Berlin empirisch {\"u}berpr{\"u}ft (N = 273). Die Annahmen zu den f{\"a}higkeits- und motivationsrelevanten Faktoren des analyseleitenden Prozessmodells der Lernmotivation konnten weitgehend best{\"a}tigt werden. Die Personenmerkmale (f{\"a}higkeitsbezogene Merkmale, Leistungsmotiv und Commitment f{\"u}r das Psychologiestudium) bedingen zu einem wesentlichen Teil die Aspekte der aktuellen Motivation f{\"u}r das Statistik Lernen. Letztere wurde durch die Komponenten des Erweiterten Kognitiven Motivationsmodells (EKM) und anhand der Lernintentionen erfasst. Dabei zeigt sich, dass die aktuelle Motivation f{\"u}r das Statistik Lernen insgesamt g{\"u}nstig ausgepr{\"a}gt ist. Die Aspekte der aktuellen Motivation beeinflussen wiederum Prozessvariablen wie den Lernaufwand, das emotionale Erleben und den Funktionszustand w{\"a}hrend des Lernens. Der Lernaufwand und das Flow-Erleben (als Indikator f{\"u}r den Funktionszustand) sowie deren Interaktion sagen die Klausurleistung am Ende des Semesters vorher (dies auch, wenn f{\"a}higkeitsbezogene Merkmale mit ber{\"u}cksichtigt werden). Vor dem Hintergrund des insgesamt theoriekonsistenten Gesamtbildes ergeben sich dennoch einige Abweichungen von den theoretischen Annahmen. Diese werden eingehend diskutiert. Entgegen der zentralen Annahme, tragen die dem Prozessmodell der Lernmotivation zugeordneten volitionalen Faktoren insgesamt betrachtet kaum zu einem weitergehenden Verst{\"a}ndnis des Lernprozesses bei. Die theoretischen Annahmen k{\"o}nnen weitgehend nicht best{\"a}tigt werden. So sagen die volitionalen Faktoren nicht, wie angenommen, bei hoher instrumenteller Handlungsveranlassung und gleichzeitig aversivem T{\"a}tigkeitserleben Prozessmerkmale des Lernens vorher. Ausf{\"u}hrlich diskutiert wird, inwieweit dies auf falsche theoretische Annahmen oder auf eine mangelnde Operationalisierung und Auswertung zur{\"u}ck geht. Zus{\"a}tzlich zum Prozessmodell der Lernmotivation wurden weitergehende Annahmen zur Wirkung des impliziten und expliziten Leistungsmotivs {\"u}berpr{\"u}ft. Dabei zeigt sich erwartungsgem{\"a}ß, dass sich das implizite Leistungsmotiv beim Statistik Lernen bei einer individuellen Bezugsnorm f{\"o}rderlich auswirkt. Die moderierende Wirkung der sozialen Bezugsnorm f{\"u}r das explizite Leistungsmotiv kann anhand der vorliegenden Daten nicht best{\"a}tigt werden. F{\"u}r das implizite Leistungsmotiv zeigt sich {\"u}ber die Annahmen hinaus eine f{\"o}rderliche Wirkung auf die Klausurteilnahme. F{\"u}r Personen mit einem hohen impliziten Leistungsmotiv findet sich eine h{\"o}here Wahrscheinlichkeit, die Klausur mitzuschreiben. Dieser Befund macht den in der Leistungsmotivationsforschung gefundenen Zusammenhang zwischen Leistungsmotiv und Karriereerfolg "im Kleinen" verst{\"a}ndlich. Theoretische Arbeiten legen nahe, dass die volitionale Handlungssteuerung nicht eine unabh{\"a}ngige, sondern eine zum Teil von dem Zusammenwirken der impliziten und expliziten Motivsysteme abh{\"a}ngige Gr{\"o}ße darstellt. F{\"u}r das Leistungsmotiv konnte dies best{\"a}tigt werden. So wirkt sich eine hohe Auspr{\"a}gung des expliziten Leistungsmotivs dann positiv auf die volitionale Handlungssteuerung aus, wenn das implizite Leistungsmotiv hoch ausgepr{\"a}gt ist. Die Ergebnisse bei den Machtmotivsystemen zeigen, dass nicht immer eine {\"U}bereinstimmung der Motive f{\"o}rderlich ist. Eine funktionale Perspektive scheint hier angemessen und weiterf{\"u}hrend. Die Arbeit schließt mit der Frage, welche Motivkonstellationen im Sinne einer volitionalen Handlungssteuerung ideal sind. Dabei wird postuliert, dass das Wissen {\"u}ber implizite Vorlieben einer Person helfen sollte, f{\"u}r sie passende Situationen aktiv aufzusuchen oder herzustellen und dadurch eine volitionale Handlungssteuerung besser gelingt sowie diese Art der Steuerung weniger n{\"o}tig macht.},
  subject      = {Motivation},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Antoniewicz2016,
  author    = {Antoniewicz, Franziska},
  title     = {Automatic evaluations of exercising},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-92280},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Changing the perspective sometimes offers completely new insights to an already well-known phenomenon. Exercising behavior, defined as planned, structured and repeated bodily movements with the intention to maintain or increase the physical fitness (Caspersen, Powell, \& Christenson, 1985), can be thought of as such a well-known phenomenon that has been in the scientific focus for many decades (Dishman \& O'Connor, 2005). Within these decades a perspective that assumes rational and controlled evaluations as the basis for decision making, was predominantly used to understand why some people engage in physical activity and others do not (Ekkekakis \& Zenko, 2015). Dual-process theories (Ekkekakis \& Zenko, 2015; Payne \& Gawronski, 2010) provide another perspective, that is not exclusively influenced by rational reasoning. These theories differentiate two different processes that guide behavior "depending on whether they operate automatically or in a controlled fashion" (Gawronski \& Creighton, 2012, p. 282). Following this line of thought, exercise behavior is not solely influenced by thoughtful deliberations (e.g. concluding that exercising is healthy) but also by spontaneous affective reactions (e.g. disliking being sweaty while exercising). The theoretical frameworks of dual-process models are not new in psychology (Chaiken \& Trope, 1999) and have already been used for the explanation of numerous behaviors (e.g. Hofmann, Friese, \& Wiers, 2008; Huijding, de Jong, Wiers, \& Verkooijen, 2005). However, they have only rarely been used for the explanation of exercise behavior (e.g. Bluemke, Brand, Schweizer, \& Kahlert, 2010; Conroy, Hyde, Doerksen, \& Ribeiro, 2010; Hyde, Doerksen, Ribeiro, \& Conroy, 2010). The assumption of two dissimilar behavior influencing processes, differs fundamentally from previous theories and thus from the research that has been conducted in the last decades in exercise psychology. Research mainly concentrated on predictors of the controlled processes and addressed the identified predictors in exercise interventions (Ekkekakis \& Zenko, 2015; Hagger, Chatzisarantis, \& Biddle, 2002). Predictors arising from the described automatic processes, for example automatic evaluations for exercising (AEE), have been neglected in exercise psychology for many years. Until now, only a few researchers investigated the influence of these AEE for exercising behavior (Bluemke et al., 2010; Brand \& Schweizer, 2015; Markland, Hall, Duncan, \& Simatovic, 2015). Marginally more researchers focused on the impact of AEE for physical activity behavior (Calitri, Lowe, Eves, \& Bennett, 2009; Conroy et al., 2010; Hyde et al., 2010; Hyde, Elavsky, Doerksen, \& Conroy, 2012). The extant studies mainly focused on the quality of AEE and the associated quantity of exercise (exercise much or little; Bluemke et al., 2010; Calitri et al., 2009; Conroy et al., 2010; Hyde et al., 2012). In sum, there is still a dramatic lack of empirical knowledge, when applying dual-process theories to exercising behavior, even though these theories have proven to be successful in explaining behavior in many other health-relevant domains like eating, drinking or smoking behavior (e.g. Hofmann et al., 2008). The main goal of the present dissertation was to collect empirical evidence for the influence of AEE on exercise behavior and to expand the so far exclusively correlational studies by experimentally controlled studies. By doing so, the ongoing debate on a paradigm shift from controlled and deliberative influences of exercise behavior towards approaches that consider automatic and affective influences (Ekkekakis \& Zenko, 2015) should be encouraged. All three conducted publications are embedded in dual-process theorizing (Gawronski \& Bodenhausen, 2006, 2014; Strack \& Deutsch, 2004). These theories offer a theoretical framework that could integrate the established controlled variables of exercise behavior explanation and additionally consider automatic factors for exercise behavior like AEE. Taken together, the empirical findings collected suggest that AEE play an important and diverse role for exercise behavior. They represent exercise setting preferences, are a cause for short-term exercise decisions and are decisive for long-term exercise adherence. Adding to the few already present studies in this field, the influence of (positive) AEE for exercise behavior was confirmed in all three presented publications. Even though the available set of studies needs to be extended in prospectively studies, first steps towards a more complete picture have been taken. Closing with the beginning of the synopsis: I think that time is right for a change of perspectives! This means a careful extension of the present theories with controlled evaluations explaining exercise behavior. Dual-process theories including controlled and automatic evaluations could provide such a basis for future research endeavors in exercise psychology.},
  language  = {en}
}