Based on a doctoral dissertation submitted to Syracuse University. Reprints from: William L. Claiborn, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742.

Examined student self-perceptions and social comparisons during the first semester of university enrollment to determine variables related to formation of student performance expectancies. Results indicated expectations formed before the end of the first semester are related to actual performance at the end of the first year. (RC)

Measured the expectations, values, and motivations of depressed, hyperactive, and normal children (N=54). Results confirmed that depressed children exhibited reduced motivation, primarily because their expectations were pessimistic, although not abnormally irrational. Hyperactives exhibited optimistic expectations, inflated values, and, hence,…

Investigated how 240 students' expectations for counseling differed as a function of counselor gender specification and subject sex. Results indicated specification of the counselor's gender had no significant effect on students' expectations but sex of students did. Females expected stronger facilitative conditions and a more positive counseling…

Compared a hypnotic induction procedure based on social learning principles (skill induction) with a traditional eye-fixation/relaxation trance induction, a placebo, and a control. Results suggested that hypnotic responses are elicited by expectancy and that induction procedures are a means of increasing subjects' expectancies for hypnotic…

Assessed the theoretical and practical utility of adolescent alcohol expectancies against demographic/background variables in the prediction of adolescent drinking (N=1,580). Results showed that expectancies equalled and added to the predictive power of the background variables. Adolescents who drank in a social manner expected alcohol to enhance…

Investigated subject expectations for counseling as a function of counselor gender, problem type, and subject gender. Subjects (N=200) responded to the Short Form Expectations about Counseling. Women scored hgher on motivation and openness. Men scored higher on directiveness and self-disclosure. Results conform to sex role stereotypes regarding…

Surveyed 27 mothers to study the development of positive perception of their newborn infant. Results showed the relationship between prenatal attitudes and infant perception was related to mothers' age, mothers' tendency to use informational cues of infant behavior, and emotional upheaval mothers anticipate with the infant's arrival. (WAS)

Examined factors that freshman (N=161) used to explain their first-term performance and the relationship between these attributions and affect, expectancy, and future performance. Results showed that successful students rated most items higher than unsuccessful ones, and positive affective responses to achievement were associated with internal…

Gender differences in predicting displaced volume did not reflect gender differences in spatial ability, field-dependence-independence, or Piagetian formal reasoning. In addition, gender differences were not accounted for by science and math course-taking experience. (Author/PN)

Used three experiments to test skill-chance activity preference. Men and women (N=368) opted to perform either skill or chance versions of masculine and feminine tasks. Results showed that while men's skill preferences are higher on a masculine task, women prefer skill on a feminine task. (Author/JAC)

Examined the effect of high therapist disclosure on the willingness to disclose of high and low need for approval subjects (N=68), who listened to a recorded client-therapist interview. Results confirmed that subjects with a high need for approval expressed more willingness to disclose in the clear expectation condition. (Author/JAC)

Investigated persistence with the disposition to be self-attentive and outcome feedback on a prior task. Results showed feedback concerning prior outcomes had a direct influence on expectancies for the second task, but persistence on that task was a joint function of feedback and self-consciousness. (Author)

Specific teaching practices are suggested to help teachers achieve better relationships with students, clarify expectations, and minimize grade appeals. They include statement of standards, commitment to enforcing them, clarifying the grading method, concrete responses to student questions about grading, quantifying all grades, keeping good…

Two experiments investigated the relationship between the magnitude of motivation for control over the environment and tendency to derogate victims. Manipulated situational controllability and uncontrollability within a learned helplessness procedure and assessed derogation of a victimized stranger. Results indicated that motivation and need for…