I am done with this! Women dropping out of engineering majors.

Women are still underrepresented in STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). One of the possible drivers behind this gender gap in the labour market is the female dropout from STEM education. The causes of the gender differences in the persistence of pursuing STEM studies have been explained by multiple factors related to interest and resolution in this type of career. The goal of the present research is to study the Engineering persistence gender gap in higher education by exploring the main factors underlying the leakage in the pipeline of Engineering fields. Our study reports the results of 34 qualitative in-depth interviews where internal barriers, stereotypes and external obstacles are assessed by women who have left their university degrees, compared with men who have withdrawn and women who have persisted. Results from the content analysis suggest that the undermining of persistence in Engineering fields is related to factors such as the chilly and hostile environment in classes or the workload from an excessively demanding curriculum. Other factors affecting women's withdrawal are the lack of role models and the perceived incongruity between the female gender role and STEM roles in society, leading to a weakening of female students' self-efficacy and eroding their sense of belongingness, even making them consider dropping out of their Engineering degree. These findings provide information for the design of future STEM interventions aimed to enhance women's persistence in STEM university studies.

Self-attributed facial prominenceon social networks through one's own photography: Effect of type of network, age and gender

Existen muchos estudios sobre el Face-ismo autoatribuido (FIA) en función de la red social (RS), sexo y edad, pero con estas variables por separado. Esta investigación lleva a cabo un estudio conjunto de las variables anteriores a través de una muestra aleatoria de 1050 perfiles de RS. Nuestra hipótesis es que el FIA es una función de la RS (citas: Badoo, social: Facebook, profesional: LinkedIn), sexo, edad y la interacción de Sexo×Edad. Los resultados muestran diferencias en FIA según la RS (más alto en la red profesional), con los hombres teniendo más prominencia facial que las mujeres. Esto incrementa según se hacen mayores, mientras que apenas aumenta en las mujeres con la edad (teniendo más prominencia corporal que los hombres) (interacción sexo×edad). Los resultados muestran que el FIA en línea es un fenómeno complejo, parece no tener una explicación teórica única y sencilla, y los estereotipos de género FIA aumentan con la edad. Consideramos también la necesidad de estudiar el fenómeno incluyendo una perspectiva de género para luchar contra el sexismo en los nuevos medios.(AU)

There are many studies on Self-Attributed Face-ism (SAF) in considering social networks (SNS), sex and age, but with these variables separately. This research carries out a joint study of the above variables through a random sample of 1050 SNS profiles. Our hypothesis is that SAF is a function of SNS (dating: Badoo, social: Facebook, professional: LinkedIn), sex, age, and the interaction of sex×age. The results show dif-ferences in SAF depending on SNS (highest in the professional network), men having more facial prominence than women. It happens even more when they get older, whereas SAF hardly augments in women with age (having more body prominence than men) (sex x age interaction). Findings show that SAF on-line is a complex phenomenon, it seems not to have a unique and straightforward theoretical explanation, and SAF gender ste-reotypes grow with age. We also consider the need to study the phenome-non, including a gender perspective, to fight against sexism in new media.(AU)

Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory, approach-affect and avoidance-affect.

This paper brings together Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory and other perspectives on wellbeing to test predictions about dimensions of affect which are linked to approach motivation or avoidance motivation. Valence and activation are jointly conceptualised as either approach-affect or avoidance-affect through the diagonal axes of an affective circumplex. Across four studies in three different countries, predictions about Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory's Behavioural Activation System, Behavioural Inhibition System and Fight-Flight-Freeze System are found to be supported. Correlations with external variables are shown to depend on a wellbeing measure's emphasis on approach or avoidance, such that affect and external features which both emphasise motivation to approach or to avoid yield substantially larger intercorrelations than do non-concordant pairs. In addition, joining valence with activation is shown to yield correlational benefits as predicted. Implications of our perspective and operationalisation are reviewed, and specific research recommendations are made.

The Spanish Version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA): A Psychometric Evaluation in Early Adolescence.

This paper presents the translation, adaptation and validation of a broadly used scale to measure emotion regulation strategies (i.e. The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire Children and Adolescents -ERQ-CA; Gullone & Taffe, 2012) in a sample of early adolescents. The 10-item scale was applied to a sample of 248 adolescents (128 boys) aged 13 to 14 years. Semi-confirmatory factor analysis supported the original two-factor structure: Cognitive Reappraisal and Expressive Suppression (SRMR = .05; RMSEA = .06; CFI = .96). These two factors demonstrate adequate internal consistency and evidence for convergent validity with other scales that refer to emotional intelligence, affect, and behavior. Thus, Cognitive Reappraisal scores were associated with higher self-perceived emotional abilities, positive affect and personal adjustment (ps < .05). Conversely, Expressive Suppression scores were associated with lower self-perceived emotional abilities, positive affect, and personal adjustment (ps < .01), with higher scores on negative affect, school and clinical maladjustment (ps < .01), as well as stress and depression symptoms (ps < .001). Overall, these findings suggest that the questionnaire may be a useful and reliable instrument for the assessment of emotion regulation strategies in early adolescents for future research in Spanish speaking countries.

The Spanish version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA): a psychometric evaluation in early adolescence

This paper presents the translation, adaptation and validation of a broadly used scale to measure emotion regulation strategies (i.e. The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire Children and Adolescents -ERQ-CA; Gullone & Taffe, 2012) in a sample of early adolescents. The 10-item scale was applied to a sample of 248 adolescents (128 boys) aged 13 to 14 years. Semi-confirmatory factor analysis supported the original two-factor structure: Cognitive Reappraisal and Expressive Suppression (SRMR = .05; RMSEA = .06; CFI = .96). These two factors demonstrate adequate internal consistency and evidence for convergent validity with other scales that refer to emotional intelligence, affect, and behavior. Thus, Cognitive Reappraisal scores were associated with higher self-perceived emotional abilities, positive affect and personal adjustment (ps < .05). Conversely, Expressive Suppression scores were associated with lower self-perceived emotional abilities, positive affect, and personal adjustment (ps < .01), with higher scores on negative affect, school and clinical maladjustment (ps < .01), as well as stress and depression symptoms (ps < .001). Overall, these findings suggest that the questionnaire may be a useful and reliable instrument for the assessment of emotion regulation strategies in early adolescents for future research in Spanish speaking countries

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Sex, Gender Identity, and Perceived Employability Among Spanish Employed and Unemployed Youngsters.

Young people find it difficult to access to the labor market, particularly in countries like Spain with a dramatically high rate of unemployment. A further problem is that this labor market is not gender-neutral. This has been demonstrated repeatedly in the literature, with women typically being at a disadvantage. This highlights the need to study issues related to employability from a gender perspective, beyond including sex as a mere control variable. This analysis is relevant given the gender biases in organizations and in society in general that hinder the advancement of gender equality in organizations. Accordingly, our aim is to study both sex (male vs. female) and four profiles of gender identity based on dimensions of masculinity and femininity (i.e., feminine, masculine, undifferentiated, and androgynous) in relation to perceived employability in an exploratory way in two samples of employed (N = 181) and unemployed (N = 246) Spanish youngsters (i.e., below 30). The results show different patterns for employed and unemployed youngsters regarding sex, gender identity and their interaction in relation to perceptions of being employable. Concerning sex, women seem more confident about their employment chances when unemployed. In contrast, men feel more confident about their employment chances within their organization than women when employed. Concerning gender identity, the androgynous gender profile in the employed sample (in both men and women) scored highest on perceived employability. Results of the sex-gender identity interaction show that being feminine associates with the highest level of perceived employability for an unemployed man and the lowest for an unemployed woman. Moreover, both unemployed men and women androgynous score the highest in perceiving employability (except feminine men). Our findings highlight that sex and gender identity do play a role in shaping employability perceptions of young men and women in different labor contexts (employment and unemployment). This reinforces the need of changes against discrimination at work and in job search from a feminist approach to arrive at a more equal society.

Gender Inequality in Household Chores and Work-Family Conflict.

The fact that the permeability between family and work scopes produces work-family conflict (WFC) is well established. As such, this research aims to check whether the unequal involvement in household chores between men and women is associated with increased WFC in women and men, interpreting the results also from the knowledge that arise from gender studies. A correlational study was carried out by means a questionnaire applied to 515 subjects (63% men) of two independent samples of Spanish men and women without emotional relationship, who lived with their heterosexual partner. As expected, results firstly show unequal involvement in household chores by women and men as it is higher in women that in men, and the perception of partner involvement is lower in women that in men. Secondly, those unequal involvements relate differently to men and women on different ways of work-family interaction. They do not increase WFC in women comparing to men, although there are tangentially significant differences in work conflict (WC) and statistically significant in family conflict (FC). However, perception of partner involvement on household chores increases WFC both in men and in women but not WC nor FC. Nevertheless, increase on marital conflict (MC) by domestic tasks neither affect in a significant way WFC in women nor in men, but increase WC in both women and men and FC only in women. Results also confirm that subject involvement on household chores is not a significant predictor of WFC in women nor in men, and that MC by domestic tasks is a statistically significant predictor in women of WFC and FC, but not in men. Thus, results show that traditional gender roles still affect the way men and women manage the work and family interaction, although the increased WFC due to involvement in housework is not exclusive to women, but also occurs in men. Personal and institutional recommendations are made on the basis of these results to cope with these conflicts.

The Role of Perceived Employability, Core Self-Evaluations, and Job Resources on Health and Turnover Intentions.

According to Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study investigated the explanatory role of perceived employability, over and above core self-evaluations (CSE) and job resources, in relation to different aspects of health (physical and mental) and turnover intentions. Based on data obtained from a sample of 274 Romanian blue-collar employees (59.5% men), hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that perceived employability adds a significant variance compared to variance due to CSE and job resources with respect to aspects of health and turnover. The results highlight the role of perceived employability in health - on an individual level, and in decisions to leave the organization - on an organizational level. The findings are of value because they inform organizations how to design human resources strategies in order to retain a healthy workforce.

Individual and group antecedents of job satisfaction: a one-lab multilevel study / Antecedentes individuales y grupales de satisfacción en el trabajo: un estudio multinivel de laboratorio

This study examines the simultaneous effect of individual (selfefficacy) and group variables (cohesion and gender diversity) on satisfaction. A laboratory study was conducted involving 373 college students randomly distributed across 79 small groups, who performed a laboratory task in about five hours. Two-level Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) method was used. Results show the main effect from individual selfefficacy to satisfaction (both level 1), the cross-level effect from group cohesion (level 2) to individual satisfaction (level 1), and the interaction effect between self-efficacy and gender diversity to satisfaction. These results suggest that in a work group, satisfaction has a background in individual and group variables. Group cohesion and gender diversity have important effects on satisfaction. The article concludes with practical strategies and with limitations and suggestions for future research

Este estudio examina el efecto simultaneo de variables individuales (autoeficacia) y grupales (cohesión y diversidad de género) en la satisfacción. Se llevó a cabo un estudio de laboratorio con 373 estudiantes universitarios distribuidos en 79 pequeños grupos, que llevaron a cabo una tarea durante cinco horas. Se utilizaron dos niveles de análisis mediante Modelos Lineales Jerárquicos. Los resultados muestran el efecto principal de la autoeficacia en la satisfacción (ambos de nivel 1) el efecto transnivel de la cohesión grupal (nivel 2) sobre la satisfacción (nivel 1) y un efecto de interacción entre autoeficacia y diversidad de género en la satisfacción. Estos resultados sugieren que en el trabajo en grupo, la satisfacción tiene antecedentes en variables individuales y grupales. La cohesión grupal y el género tienen un importante efecto en la satisfacción. El artículo concluye con estrategias prácticas y limitaciones y sugerencias para futuras investigaciones

Flowing together: a longitudinal study of collective efficacy and collective flow among workgroups.

The aim of this study is to extend the Channel Model of Flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975, 1990) at the collective level (workgroups) by including collective efficacy beliefs as a predictor of collective flow based on the Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1997, 2001). A two-wave longitudinal lab study was conducted with 250 participants working in 52 small groups. Longitudinal results from Structural Equation Modeling with data aggregated at the group level showed, as expected, that collective efficacy beliefs predict collective flow over time, both being related reciprocally. Findings and their theoretical and practical implications in the light of Social Cognitive Theory are discussed.

Job-person fit and well-being from a gender perspective / El ajuste persona-puesto desde una perspectiva de género

Drawing on the Job-Person Fit Model, this study examines whether the wanted (person) and the actual (job) features fit has similar effects on job related well-being (work engagement and satisfaction) in both men and women. A sample of 840 employees from 29 countries (53% men) participated in this study. The results of the Student's t-test, ANOVA, and hierarchical regression analyses showed that there were no gender differences on perceived job well-being or on the ideal job features but, interestingly, differences did appear for the real job features and fit, with men perceiving better fit and work characteristics. Moreover, it is found that both actual job features and the job-person fit affect men's and women's wellbeing. Finally, theoretical and practical implications on human resources management and development are discussed (AU)

Partiendo del modelo de Ajuste Persona-Puesto, en este estudio se analiza si el ajuste entre las características del trabajo deseadas (persona) y las reales (puesto) influye de igual manera sobre bienestar (engagement y satisfacción laboral) en hombres y mujeres. En este estudio participaron 840 empleados de 29 países de los que el 53% eran hombres. Los resultados de las pruebas t de Student, ANOVA y análisis de regresión jerárquicas mostraron que aunque no hay diferencias de género en cuanto al bienestar percibido ni en las características laborales ideales, sí que las hay en cuanto a las características del puesto reales y en el ajuste, percibiendo siempre los hombres unas mejores características laborales así como un mejor ajuste. Además, se comprueba que tanto las características reales percibidas como el ajuste persona-trabajo influyen en el bienestar de hombres y mujeres. Finalmente, se debaten implicaciones teóricas y aplicadas en los procesos de gestión y desarrollo de recursos humanos (AU)

The dark side of technologies: technostress among users of information and communication technologies.

This paper tests the structure and the predictors of two psychological experiences of technostress associated with the use of information and communication technologies (ICT), i.e., technostrain (users report feelings of anxiety, fatigue, scepticism and inefficacy beliefs related to the use of technologies) and technoaddiction (users feel bad due to an excessive and compulsive use of these technologies). The study included a sample of 1072 ICT users (N = 675 nonintensive ICT users and N = 397 intensive ICT users). Results from multigroup confirmatory factor analyses among non-intensive and intensive ICT users showed, as expected, the four-factor structure of technostrain in both samples. Secondly, and also as expected, confirmatory factorial analyses revealed that technostress experiences are characterized not only by technostrain but also by an excessive and compulsive use of ICT. Moreover, multiple analyses of variance showed significant differences between non-intensive and intensive ICT users (1) in the dimensions of technostress and (2) in specific job demands and job/personal resources. Finally, linear multiple regression analyses revealed that technostrain is positively predicted by work overload, role ambiguity, emotional overload, mobbing and obstacles hindering ICT use, as well as by lack of autonomy, transformational leadership, social support, ICT use facilitators and mental competences. Work overload, role ambiguity and mobbing, as well as the lack of emotional competences, positively predict technoaddiction. Theoretical and practical implications, in addition to future research, are discussed.

Flow experience among information and communication technology users.

The use of technologies is more common in daily life; working with technologies might be associated with positive experiences such as flow. However, there is little empirical research on flow experiences in technology settings. The main aim of this study was to confirm the three-dimensional construct of flow, i.e., absorption, enjoyment, and intrinsic interest, among 517 Information and Communication Technology users [234 students whose mean age was 23 yr. (SD = 3.8)] from different areas of study, mainly Law, Public Administration, Chemistry, and Psychology, and 283 employees [whose mean age was 33 yr. (SD = 7.8)] of 21 different companies from various sectors of production, namely, public administration, industrial production, and services. Analysis showed, as expected, flow is a three-dimensional psychological construct and invariant among samples of technology users. Practical and theoretical implications as well as further research are discussed.

Multidimensionality and bipolarity of a Spanish version of Warr's (1990) well-being measures.

The validity and reliability of the Spanish version of the 2 scales measuring work-related well-being proposed by P. Warr (1990; Anxiety-Contentment and Depression-Enthusiasm) were examined in a cross-sectional questionnaire study among 299 Spanish factory employees. Two methods suggested by Warr (1990) to control the response bias (acquiescent response set) were used. The 1st method involved separate analyses for the 6 positive and 6 negative items that make up the 2 scales. The 2nd was a series of 4 principal component analyses with oblique rotation on the estimated response set controlled in partial correlation between each item. The results support the existence of these 2 independent scales for measuring work-related psychological well-being as hypothesised by Warr (1990). However, 2 main problems appear: the cross-loading of the items contented and cheerful and the fact that only I factor appears in the pre-rotated solution. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.

Efectos de la tecnología asistida por ordenador en el bienestar psicológico afectivo / Effects of computer aided technology on affective psychological well-being

El objetivo del presente trabajo e estudiar la relación entre el uso de una tecnoogía asistida por ordenador (chat-internet) con el bienestar psicológico afectivo (satisfacción -falta de-, ansiedad y entusiasmo), considerando el papel modulador de las actitudes hacia las tecnologías. Se ha utilizado un diseño experimental longitudinal de laboratorio, con dos momentos de recogida de datos sobre una muestra compuesta por 28 grupos de 5 personas cada uno. La condición experimental del presente estudio es el sistema de comunicación grupal: grupos que han utilizado un 'chat-internet' como medio para comunicarse y realizar su trabajo y grupos que se han comunicado cara a cara. En base al modelo de Warr (1987, 1990) se estudian las variables satisfacción, ansiedad y entusiasmo en relación al uso de la tecnología. Los resultados muestran la importancia de tener en cuenta la actitud del usuario final hacia las tecnologías en el estudio de esta relación, por el efecto modulador que ejerce (AU)

The aim of this paper is to study the relationship between the experience using a computer-aided technology (i.e., chat-internet) and the user’s affective well-being (i.e., satisfaction, -lack of anxiety- and enthusiasm), taking into account the modulator role of the attitudes towards technologies. A longitudinal-lab experimental design has been done, with two times of data collection. Sample was composed by 28 groups of 5 people each one. The experimental condition in the current study is the group communication system used: groups using «chat-internet» as the group communication system, and groups working face-to-face. Based in Warr’s model (1987, 1990), satisfaction, anxiety and enthusiasm variables were studied in relation with the use of technology. Results show the importance of considering the end-user attitudes towards technologies because of its modulator effect (AU)