It is argued that the general learning difficulties exhibited by mentally retarded persons are similar in many respects to the learning difficulties of nonretarded persons who are in a state of learned helplessness (M. Seligman, 1975) or who are external in locus of control orientation. (Author)

Provides set of research strategies that would help bridge gap between research concerning care and treatment of people with severe mental illness and consumer empowerment. Argues that research should attend to context of research, vantage point, process of formulating research questions, selection of interventions tested, selection of outcomes…

Power and the paradox of powerlessness are defined in terms of the resource exchange theory of Foa and Foa. Power is conceptualized as the possession of resources, e.g., love, status, and money. The Karpman triangle is used to illustrate the power behind the victim's powerlessness. (Author)

Evaluated a theory of job satisfaction based on two facets: event and agent. Conceptualized event and agent as two domain facets of a content universe of job satisfaction, and a radex structure was hypothesized. Employees rated their job satisfaction and influence upon these job factors. Supported the radex structure. (Author)

Arguments and research studies examining whether people prefer arbitration or mediation to resolve a conflict between disputing parties are discussed, critiqued, and compared. In both mediation and arbitration a presumably neutral third party is involved, along with disputants, as an element of the dispute-resolution process. Mediation and…

Discussion of learner control in the educational process focuses on adult distance education. Independence, power, and support are described as the three components of control of the learning process, and the concept of control as it relates to the communication process between student and teacher is discussed. (LRW)

Learned helplessness is a state of passivity and loss of persistence resulting from individuals' perceptions, over a period of time, that they cannot control outcomes of events nor can their efforts lead to attainment of goals. Research studies are reviewed and implications for the study of learning disabilities are evaluated. (MH)

Argues that behaviorism and humanism are incompatible, and any attempt to blend them is to deny the intellectual or practical existence of humanism as a theory of behavior. Humanistic theory must be recognized and application models must be designed and tested in school, childrearing, personal relations and leadership theory. (JAC)

Within the context of the social history of the Chinese American elderly in the United States, the author analyzes the psychological and cultural patterns of learned helplessness among this minority group. (EF)

The literature review discussed here located 56 studies examining 87 behaviors that predicted future health-related behaviors using the theory of planned behavior. About 41% of variance in intentions and 34% of variance in future behavior were explained by the theory. Perceived behavioral control explained 11.5% of variance in behavior above…

Examines three major reasons why individuals shirk responsibility: feelings of powerlessness (external locus of control), belief in a systems world (society as self-regulating balance of objective forces), and consequences of extreme introversion or extraversion. Discusses the role of education in fostering development of student attitudes and…

Presents key themes from expanding literature on resilience, drawing from both psychological research and narratives of survivors. Focuses on Kauai study, landmark 30-year longitudinal study on resilience in 698 infants. Also examines survivors of child abuse, distinguishes between unhealthy and healthy resilience, discusses issues of separation…

The notion that life stresses and personality have an interactive role in illness is part of the wisdom of the ages. Most past research has studied either life stresses or personality. A model for understanding health/illness status is presented that includes stressful life events and the resistance resources of personality, social supports,…

This document is a literature review discussing research on locus of control, particularly as it relates to early childhood education. Some measures of children's sense of locus of control are discussed, including the Optimism-Pessimism Test Instrument and the Stanford Preschool Internal-External Scale. A discussion of how an educator's sense of…

Client expectancy of powerlessness can lead to actual powerlessness. Once counselors recognize that personal power is healthy and beneficial, they have to begin to structure institutions and agencies to encourage the development of personal power. (Author)