Date of Award
Fall 11-16-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Kacie Mennie
Abstract
A substantial amount of research has been shown that the impact of self-efficacy has shown positive and negative effects. Additionally, the need for closure defined as an individual's motivational degree to reach firm answers, as opposed to ambiguity has also been shown to have diverse effects for individuals when their closure needs are threatened or unobtained. Research has posited that to successfully obtain and/or avoid reaching closure in various situations, an individual must be able to process information in a way that is quick, heuristic, and stereotypical (e.g., cognitive structuring) or in a way that is much slower, effortful, and systematic (e.g., cognitive piecemeal). Processing information in either manner requires at the very least the belief or perceptual ability to satisfy closure goals. This is known as the Efficacy to Fulfill Closure Needs. The present study resulted in one significant hypothesis that supported the prediction that when individuals perceive themselves as incapable, a developed sense of learned helplessness arises where individuals think, feel, and act rather helpless in situations, despite the fact, that acting could otherwise result to different outcomes. The hypotheses that this relationship would moreover be significant when conducting two sets of moderations for Need for Closure and Need for Cognitive Structuring were found as insignificant. Still, the present study’s overall findings, limitations, and implications, revealed promising directions for future research in this area.
Recommended Citation
Sledge, Aungelique Renea, "" (2024). Dissertation. 1030.
https://digitalcommons.latech.edu/dissertations/1030
