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Motivational versus Volitional Mediation of Passivity in Institutionalized Older People

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2014

Pedro M. Mateos ,
Juan J.G. Meilán  and
José M. Arana
Pedro M. Mateos*
Affiliation:
University of Salamanca
Juan J.G. Meilán
Affiliation:
University of Salamanca
José M. Arana
Affiliation:
University of Salamanca
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Pedro M. Mateos, Departamento de Psicología Básica, Psicobiología y Metodología.Universidad de Salamanca. Avda. de la Merced, 109-131. 37005 Salamanca (Spain). E-mail: pmateos@usal.es
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Abstract

The relationship between perceived loss of control and passivity in social activities in a non-handicapped institutionalized elderly population was assessed. Perceived loss of control was assessed from three different types of expectancies: low action-outcome expectancies, high situation-outcome expectancies, and low efficacy expectancies. Passivity scores were reported by the staff. The effect of these three types of expectancies on passivity was analyzed in terms of motivation and volition, which were treated as mediating variables. Overall analysis of the structural equations, as well as partial hierarchical regression analyses, showed that efficacy expectancies were good predictors of passivity, but this was not the case for the action-outcome and situation-outcome expectancies. These results lend more support to a volitional rather than to a motivational interpretation of the effect of control on passivity. The implications of these results for intervention and for a differentiated conception of expectancies are discussed.

Se evaluó la relación entre pérdida de control percibido y pasividad en actividades sociales en una población de personas mayores institucionalizadas no discapacitadas. La pérdida de control percibido se evaluó a partir de tres tipos diferentes de expectativas: bajas expectativas de acción-resultado, altas expectativas de situación-resultado y bajas expectativas de eficacia. El personal proporcionó las puntuaciones de pasividad. Se analizó la influencia de estos tres tipos de expectativas sobre la pasividad en términos de motivación y volición, que se consideraron variables mediadoras. El análisis global de ecuaciones estructurales y los análisis de regresión jerárquica parciales mostraron que las expectativas de eficacia eran un buen predictor de la pasividad, no así las expectativas de acción-resultado y de situación-resultado. Estos resultados apoyan una interpretación volitiva más que motivacional del efecto del control sobre la pasividad. Se comentan las implicaciones de estos resultados para la intervención y para una concepción diferenciada de las expectativas.

Keywords

motivationvolitionagingcontrolmotivaciónvoliciónenvejecimientocontrol
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , May 2002 , pp. 54 - 65
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2002

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