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You should know me better: Parents’ temperament‐insensitivity has negative motivational effects on Bedouin and Jewish adolescents
Author(s) -
Assor Avi,
KanatMaymon Yaniv,
KerenPariente Shoshi,
Katz Idit
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of personality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.082
H-Index - 144
eISSN - 1467-6494
pISSN - 0022-3506
DOI - 10.1111/jopy.12532
Subject(s) - psychology , temperament , collectivism , developmental psychology , shyness , social psychology , autonomy , obedience , multilevel model , personality , need for achievement , individualism , anxiety , machine learning , psychiatry , political science , computer science , law
Objective We studied a recently conceptualized aspect of autonomy‐support and suppression, not examined so far: Sensitivity to temperament dispositions. Based on self‐determination theory, we hypothesized that, across cultures, disposition‐frustrating decisions would have similar negative effects on adolescents' intrinsic motivation to participate in decision‐related activities, and these negative effects would not be mitigated in collectivist‐hierarchical cultures, when parents make the decision. Method In Study 1 ( n = 570, mean age = 15.2 years), Bedouin and Jewish adolescents were presented with work modes frustrating or supporting their shyness and sociability dispositions. For example, in one frustrating work mode condition, shy participants expected to work with strangers. Then, participants indicated their intrinsic motivation to participate in the activities. Study 2 ( n = 278 Bedouins and Jews, mean age = 14.9 years) was an experiment using self‐report and projective measures, examining the effects of temperament‐supporting versus frustrating work modes, ostensibly chosen by parents, on adolescents' intrinsic motivation to participate in relevant activities. Results Both studies showed that, across cultures, frustrating work modes had negative effects on participants' intrinsic motivation. These effects were not moderated by cultural background. Conclusions Results suggest that belonging to a collectivist Bedouin culture endorsing deference and obedience to parental authority does not mitigate the negative motivational effect of parents' temperament‐insensitivity, and this type of autonomy‐support is important across cultures.