Control and vulnerability : reflections on the nature of human agency and personhood
- Authors: Paphitis, Sharli Anne
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Self-control , Vulnerability (Personality trait) , Self (Philosophy) , Social psychology , Cognitive science , Frankfurt, Harry G., 1929- -- Criticism and interpretation , Watson, Gary, 1943- -- Criticism and interpretation , Mele, Alfred R., 1951- -- Criticism and interpretation , Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, 1844-1900 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2750 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018671
- Description: Following the writings of philosophers such as Harry Frankfurt, Gary Watson, and Alfred Mele, in this thesis I defend some central claims of the self-control view of human agency. However, I not only defend, but also supplement this view in the following two ways. First, drawing on work by Mary Midgley and Sigmund Freud I advance the claim that self-control requires the experience of internal conflict between an agent’s motivations and intentions. Second, drawing on insights from Simone de Beauvoir and Friedrich Nietzsche, as well as recent research in social psychology and cognitive science, I will argue in this thesis that self-control and vulnerability are inextricably intertwined with one another, and that as a result both are to be seen as constitutive of human agency. While it is the capacity for self-control that marks us out as human agents, I argue that it is also our uniquely human vulnerability which distinguishes our agency from the kind of agency which we might attribute to other potential or actual forms of sentience. Further, while the concepts of human agency and personhood are typically conflated in the analytic tradition of philosophy, in this thesis I will show that there are good reasons for understanding these two concepts as subtly distinct from one another. The term personhood, I will argue, can fruitfully be understood in substantive rather than purely formal terms. A person, in the superlative sense, is to be understood as someone who exercises their agency well; and, as such, persons are answerable to a number of normative prescriptions. Following Midgley, Nietzsche and Martha Nussbaum, I argue against Frankfurt’s normative prescription for personhood in the form of what he calls ‘wholeheartedness’, and offer four normative prescriptions for personhood of my own.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Paphitis, Sharli Anne
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Self-control , Vulnerability (Personality trait) , Self (Philosophy) , Social psychology , Cognitive science , Frankfurt, Harry G., 1929- -- Criticism and interpretation , Watson, Gary, 1943- -- Criticism and interpretation , Mele, Alfred R., 1951- -- Criticism and interpretation , Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, 1844-1900 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2750 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018671
- Description: Following the writings of philosophers such as Harry Frankfurt, Gary Watson, and Alfred Mele, in this thesis I defend some central claims of the self-control view of human agency. However, I not only defend, but also supplement this view in the following two ways. First, drawing on work by Mary Midgley and Sigmund Freud I advance the claim that self-control requires the experience of internal conflict between an agent’s motivations and intentions. Second, drawing on insights from Simone de Beauvoir and Friedrich Nietzsche, as well as recent research in social psychology and cognitive science, I will argue in this thesis that self-control and vulnerability are inextricably intertwined with one another, and that as a result both are to be seen as constitutive of human agency. While it is the capacity for self-control that marks us out as human agents, I argue that it is also our uniquely human vulnerability which distinguishes our agency from the kind of agency which we might attribute to other potential or actual forms of sentience. Further, while the concepts of human agency and personhood are typically conflated in the analytic tradition of philosophy, in this thesis I will show that there are good reasons for understanding these two concepts as subtly distinct from one another. The term personhood, I will argue, can fruitfully be understood in substantive rather than purely formal terms. A person, in the superlative sense, is to be understood as someone who exercises their agency well; and, as such, persons are answerable to a number of normative prescriptions. Following Midgley, Nietzsche and Martha Nussbaum, I argue against Frankfurt’s normative prescription for personhood in the form of what he calls ‘wholeheartedness’, and offer four normative prescriptions for personhood of my own.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Minding your own game : self-regulation and psychological momentum among golfers
- Authors: Kingma, Graham
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Golf -- Strategic aspects , Golf -- Psychological aspects , Athletes , Self-control , Golfers -- Conduct of life
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3260 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017883
- Description: Psychological momentum (PM) is often regarded as an important phenomenon that influences athlete performance. Nevertheless, conceptualisations of PM are criticised for being speculative, vague and impractical for scientific inquiry. In contrast, self-regulation is a long-standing, well researched concept used to explain performance outcomes, yet not clearly integrated in current PM conceptualisations. Hence, this thesis explores self-regulation relative to PM. Golf was considered to be an appropriate context for the empirical inquiries on the basis that it serves as a metaphor for managing life’s challenges. Three studies were conducted. The first study entailed a systematic conceptual analysis of PM based on previous conceptualisations and studies in relevant scientific literature. Self-regulatory processes were identified among the key psychological mechanisms and moderators related to PM. The second study aimed to identify key self-regulation strategies in PM experiences among 16 golfers. A mixed method approach including novel “walk-along” and “think aloud” data collection techniques was used. An inductive thematic analysis yielded a comprehensive typology golfing strategies. Nevertheless, the study did not find consistent strategy patterns in positive or negative PM phases. The third study explored the self-regulation of identity (ego-regulation) in relation to PM phases. A staggered multiple-baseline single-case research methodology was used with five golfers (three professionals and two amateurs). Ego-regulation was manipulated through a mindfulness-based schema mode program tailored to golf (Mindfulness for Golf; MFG). Pre-, mid- and post-intervention data showed positive changes among the participants on two dimensions of PM as well as performance outcomes. Overall the results suggest that golfers use idiosyncratic self-regulation processes to facilitate performance, but these are not directly linked to PM phases. Nonetheless, there are promising indications that enhancing ego-regulation through the MFG program facilitates positive momentum among golfers. Based on the results of the studies in this thesis, and for the sake of scientific parsimony and pragmatism, it is recommended that self-regulation models incorporating motivation are used to explain momentum in athletic activity. In this view, PM has the function of describing, not influencing, goal-driven performance
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Kingma, Graham
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Golf -- Strategic aspects , Golf -- Psychological aspects , Athletes , Self-control , Golfers -- Conduct of life
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3260 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017883
- Description: Psychological momentum (PM) is often regarded as an important phenomenon that influences athlete performance. Nevertheless, conceptualisations of PM are criticised for being speculative, vague and impractical for scientific inquiry. In contrast, self-regulation is a long-standing, well researched concept used to explain performance outcomes, yet not clearly integrated in current PM conceptualisations. Hence, this thesis explores self-regulation relative to PM. Golf was considered to be an appropriate context for the empirical inquiries on the basis that it serves as a metaphor for managing life’s challenges. Three studies were conducted. The first study entailed a systematic conceptual analysis of PM based on previous conceptualisations and studies in relevant scientific literature. Self-regulatory processes were identified among the key psychological mechanisms and moderators related to PM. The second study aimed to identify key self-regulation strategies in PM experiences among 16 golfers. A mixed method approach including novel “walk-along” and “think aloud” data collection techniques was used. An inductive thematic analysis yielded a comprehensive typology golfing strategies. Nevertheless, the study did not find consistent strategy patterns in positive or negative PM phases. The third study explored the self-regulation of identity (ego-regulation) in relation to PM phases. A staggered multiple-baseline single-case research methodology was used with five golfers (three professionals and two amateurs). Ego-regulation was manipulated through a mindfulness-based schema mode program tailored to golf (Mindfulness for Golf; MFG). Pre-, mid- and post-intervention data showed positive changes among the participants on two dimensions of PM as well as performance outcomes. Overall the results suggest that golfers use idiosyncratic self-regulation processes to facilitate performance, but these are not directly linked to PM phases. Nonetheless, there are promising indications that enhancing ego-regulation through the MFG program facilitates positive momentum among golfers. Based on the results of the studies in this thesis, and for the sake of scientific parsimony and pragmatism, it is recommended that self-regulation models incorporating motivation are used to explain momentum in athletic activity. In this view, PM has the function of describing, not influencing, goal-driven performance
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
An exploration of high self control scores among South African university students
- Authors: Riordan, Janet Susan
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: College students -- South AFrica -- Psychology , Self-control , Self-control -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2902 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002066
- Description: The Rosenbaum Self Control Schedule is a self-report instrument developed to assess individual tendencies to apply self-control methods to the solution of behavioral problems. Tested on Hebrews and English-speaking Americans, it was found to transfer easily from one situation to the other. When administered in a battery of self-report questionnaires to South African university students it was found that while means of the total sample were similar to those reported overseas, the means of black and white students within the sample were significantly different from each other, with black students having higher self-control scores than the white students in the study and higher than those reported in previous studies. The study was repeated in this research project using a larger group of black students. The finding of significantly higher self-control scores was replicated. This finding was not due to response set, either acquiescence or social desirability, although black subjects were found to be more subject to social desirability response set. Distributions of the samples showed a group of low scoring white subjects for which there was no equal in the black sample. The findings suggest that black university students in South Africa have high levels of learned resoursefulness. This may be due to a selection process reflecting the relative difficulty with which black students reach university level - difficulties relating to student unrest, educational and financial limitations and economic and social drawbacks so that only those students with moderate to exceptional levels of problem solving stategy skills do succeed. Such individuals should be good candidates for cognitive therapies. Item and factor analyses showed the SCS to be psychometrically adequate for the white group but were much less conclusive for the black sample. In this group, a lower Cronbach's alpha was obtained and the factor analysis was less clear.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1991
- Authors: Riordan, Janet Susan
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: College students -- South AFrica -- Psychology , Self-control , Self-control -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2902 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002066
- Description: The Rosenbaum Self Control Schedule is a self-report instrument developed to assess individual tendencies to apply self-control methods to the solution of behavioral problems. Tested on Hebrews and English-speaking Americans, it was found to transfer easily from one situation to the other. When administered in a battery of self-report questionnaires to South African university students it was found that while means of the total sample were similar to those reported overseas, the means of black and white students within the sample were significantly different from each other, with black students having higher self-control scores than the white students in the study and higher than those reported in previous studies. The study was repeated in this research project using a larger group of black students. The finding of significantly higher self-control scores was replicated. This finding was not due to response set, either acquiescence or social desirability, although black subjects were found to be more subject to social desirability response set. Distributions of the samples showed a group of low scoring white subjects for which there was no equal in the black sample. The findings suggest that black university students in South Africa have high levels of learned resoursefulness. This may be due to a selection process reflecting the relative difficulty with which black students reach university level - difficulties relating to student unrest, educational and financial limitations and economic and social drawbacks so that only those students with moderate to exceptional levels of problem solving stategy skills do succeed. Such individuals should be good candidates for cognitive therapies. Item and factor analyses showed the SCS to be psychometrically adequate for the white group but were much less conclusive for the black sample. In this group, a lower Cronbach's alpha was obtained and the factor analysis was less clear.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1991
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