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  • Preprint

    You have no power here! Social status does not modulate observationally acquired binding and retrieval effects

    Franke, Kira & Rothermund, Klaus & Hommel, Bernhard & Giesen, Carina G., PsychArchives

    Previous research shows that observationally acquired stimulus-response binding and retrieval (oSRBR) effects only occur when the observed person is socially relevant. An important factor that influences one’s social relevance in everyday life is social status: People typically orient their behavior and attention towards others whom they perceive to be of higher social status than themselves. This implies that these persons are considered more relevant than other persons of lower status. Thus, in two experiments we tested whether social status modulates oSRBR effects. To manipulate social status, participants were either assigned to a high status or low status condition. High status participants were able to give their interaction partner feedback on their performance and decided how an extra reward would be split between them. Then they performed an online interactive color classification task to assess oSRBR effects. Contrary to our expectation and despite successful manipulation checks, we did not find a modulation of oSRBR by social status in two highly powered (total N=329) experiments. We discuss the implications of our findings for research on the influence of social status on imitative action regulation processes.

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    Dissociating the roles of episodic retrieval and contingency awareness in valence contingency learning

    Giesen, Carina G. & Duderstadt, Hannah & Richter, Jasmin & Rothermund, Klaus, PsychArchives

    In the valence contingency learning task (VCT), participants evaluate target words which are preceded by nonwords. Nonwords are predictive for positive/negative evaluations. Previous studies demonstrated that this results in (a) reliable contingency learning effects, reflected in better performance for highly contingent nonword-valence pairings and (b) less reliable evaluative conditioning (EC) effects, reflected in more positive ratings of nonwords that were highly predictive of positive (vs. negative) evaluative responses. In a highly-powered (N=129) preregistered study, we investigated both effects and assessed whether they are a consequence of episodic retrieval of incidental stimulus-response (SR) episodes and/or propositional learning (indicated by contingency awareness). Participants were either explicitly instructed about contingencies (instructed learning group) or not (incidental learning group). Both groups then worked through the VCT, an explicit rating task, and a contingency awareness test. Both groups showed contingency learning effects and EC effects for nonwords. Multi-level analyses showed that controlling for previous SR co-occurrences fully accounted for contingency learning effects in the incidental learning group. In the instructed learning group, a residual effect of genuine valence contingency learning remained. Nonword-specific contingency awareness in turn fully accounted for EC effects in both learning groups, indicating that genuine contingency learning effects reflect propositional learning.

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    Predictive Analytics for Human Trafficking Detection: A Machine Learning Framework Grounded in Spatial Criminology

    Armitage, Christopher, PsychArchives

    Objectives: Human trafficking remains a critical global crisis, with millions of individuals exploited annually in forced labor and sexual exploitation (UNODC, 2023). This study aims to address the limitations of traditional detection methods, which often fail to uncover the covert nature of trafficking networks due to fragmented data, reactive frameworks, and jurisdictional inconsistencies. The research introduces a pioneering machine learning-based predictive framework to enhance trafficking detection and prevention. Methods: The framework integrates diverse datasets, including hotline reports (2015–2020), socio-economic indicators across all 50 U.S. states, and satellite imagery of urban and rural regions. Machine learning algorithms analyze socio-economic disparities, transportation vulnerabilities, and infrastructure anomalies. The model employs geospatial analytics and fairness audits to ensure equitable predictions and compliance with ethical standards, such as data anonymization and adherence to the Palermo Protocol. Results: The model demonstrated robust performance metrics, achieving an F1-score of 0.88 and an AUC of 0.92. It successfully identified high-risk areas, including urban transit hubs, rural regions with economic disparities, and border areas with migration activity. Demographic prediction disparities were minimized to below 2%, ensuring fairness across diverse populations. Geospatial heatmaps and feature importance analyses provided actionable insights for targeted interventions. Conclusions: This study advances global anti-trafficking efforts by offering a scalable and ethically robust predictive framework. It provides actionable insights for optimizing law enforcement interventions, improving victim outreach, and informing policy development. Future directions include integrating natural language processing for real-time monitoring, blockchain for secure cross-border data sharing, and NGO collaborations to expand the framework in underserved regions. These advancements represent a significant step toward addressing a pressing humanitarian crisis.

  • Preprint

    Confidence without Clarity

    Armitage, Christopher, PsychArchives

    Deception detection is a critical yet challenging aspect of decision-making in law enforcement, legal contexts, and everyday interactions. Traditional methods, such as the Reid technique, are increasingly criticized for their reliance on behavioral cues and susceptibility to cognitive biases, often resulting in false confessions and wrongful convictions (Vrij et al., 2017; Taylor et al., 2021). Recent advancements in deception detection, particularly in AI-driven linguistic analysis and cross-cultural methodologies, have begun to address these limitations, offering more reliable and equitable approaches (Chatterjee et al., 2023; He et al., 2024; Kim et al., 2023). This study explores the relationship between self-assessed deception detection abilities and actual performance, hypothesizing that confidence is not a reliable predictor of accuracy and may exacerbate errors in judgment. Participants (N = 200), recruited through community outreach and professional networks across the United States, represented a diverse range of ages, educational backgrounds, and professional experiences. They self-assessed their deception detection skills before analyzing video interviews in which the truthfulness of suspects was later verified by substantial evidence. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study examines the interplay between confidence levels, reliance on verbal and non-verbal cues, and objective performance. The findings reveal a significant overconfidence bias, with participants frequently overestimating their abilities. This overconfidence was inversely related to accuracy, reflecting broader patterns of cognitive bias and decision-making errors in high-stakes environments (Maclean & Hancock, 2022). The results underscore the need for evidence-based training programs and policy reforms to mitigate bias and enhance ethical investigative practices. Practical recommendations include adopting validated approaches such as the PEACE model and integrating emerging tools like AI. For instance, recent studies demonstrate the utility of hybrid human-AI systems in improving decision-making accuracy while addressing algorithmic bias (Wu et al., 2020; Chatterjee et al., 2023). Moreover, AI-driven tools have shown promise in analyzing micro-expressions and speech patterns, providing more objective assessments of veracity while reducing systemic inequities caused by subjective misinterpretation of cultural differences (Kim et al., 2023; He et al., 2024). These findings emphasize the disproportionate impact of pseudoscientific methods on marginalized populations, who face heightened vulnerability to systemic injustices due to cultural and socioeconomic biases in traditional investigative practices. Future research will replicate this design exclusively with law enforcement professionals to investigate occupational influences on deception detection abilities. This approach aims to refine training programs by identifying how professional experience and structured methodologies shape accuracy and confidence. The findings are expected to inform policies on interrogation techniques, emphasizing strategies that improve detection accuracy while reducing ethical and procedural risks.

  • Preprint

    Intangible Items and the Lost and Found Effect

    Coleman, Martin D., PsychArchives

    A pilot study was carried out to search for a Lost and Found Effect on intangible items. 54 participants (17 male) with a mean age of 18.37 years were recruited from an undergraduate population. Participants read three scenarios. In the first, participants were told that they had lost and then found the details of one date but never lost the details of another date and asked which one they would attend. In the second, participants were told that they had lost and then found one seat reservation but never lost another seat reservation and asked which reservation they would use. In the third, participants were told that they had either lost and found a festival ticket or never lost the ticket and asked how much they would sell the ticket for. The hypothesis that participants would favor lost and found dates over never lost dates was not supported. The hypothesis that participants would favor lost and found seats over never lost seats was supported. The hypothesis that participants would value a lost and found ticket more than a never lost ticket was not supported. Waste aversion was postulated as a potential explanation for results.

  • Preprint

    Older Adults' Decisions while Learning Movement Sequences via Self-Regulated Forward Chaining

    Oliva y Hausmann, Andrés & Hose, Clara M., PsychArchives

    Chaining is an established instructional technique to train older adults’ motor skills. However, self-regulated chaining has not yet been systematically studied. This study adopted the paradigm of deferred imitation learning to study the selection of practice goals and restudy choices by N=161 older adults during self-regulated forward chaining of a typing sequence. It was hypothesized that the choice of chain length during practice is influenced by two metacognitive heuristics: stability bias and the memory-for-past-test heuristic. The results demonstrated that older adults were able to establish a movement sequence through self-regulated chaining. Linear mixed growth modeling was used to analyze the growth of the chain length during practice. The results were consistent with the hypotheses. The choice of chain length for an upcoming learning cycle was based on the chain length in the previous learning cycle. A shorter chain was chosen after a dysfluent performance in the previous cycle than after a fluent performance.

  • Preprint

    Daily Affective-Motivational Experiences During Exam Preparation: Feedback Loops, Stability, and Change Over Time

    Berweger, Belinda & Breitwieser, Jasmin & Kracke, Bärbel & Brod, Garvin & Dietrich, Julia, PsychArchives

    This study examined daily feedback loops and fluctuations in medical students’ affective-motivational experiences during a 40-day exam preparation period. We tested whether motivational states (cognitive appraisals of daily goals and self-efficacy) and emotional states (achievement emotions such as joy, pride, anxiety, anger, and boredom) would predict each other via internal feedback loops within and between daily learning sessions. Furthermore, we investigated the extent to which affective-motivational experiences remained stable or fluctuated from one situation to the next, using carryover (autoregressive effects), instability (rMSSD), and variability (within-person SD) as dyamic measures. Dynamic Structural Equation Modeling in Mplus (DSEM) identified both positive and negative feedback loops within and between learning sessions. For example, students who reported higher cognitive appraisals prior to learning experienced higher levels of positive emotions after learning, and an increase in positive emotions following learning was associated with an increase in cognitive appraisals the next day prior to learning. These findings indicate that short-term feedback processes can give rise to virtuous (or vicious) motivational cycles. Moreover, the time series analysis demonstrated that negative emotions, particularly anxiety and boredom, exhibited greater day-to-day stability (higher autoregressive coefficients, lower rMSSD, and wSD) compared to positive emotions and anger. Stability was also higher before learning than after learning. These findings offer insights into the regulatory patterns of motivation and emotion during learning.

  • Preprint

    A Critical Analysis of Critical Thinking Interventions in Higher Education

    Schoute, Eric C. & Alexander, Patricia A., PsychArchives

    Critical thinking is praised as the hallmark of cognitive development and a raison d’être for higher education. In this review, we analyzed critical thinking interventions in higher education with regard to participant characteristics; focus, length, and duration of interventions; and specific measurement and data-analytic treatment. Forty-five studies published between 2010 and 2023 were reviewed. One key finding from this analysis was the determination that most researchers’ definitions of critical thinking centered on how it manifests (procedural) rather thanon its inherent nature (ontological). Further, the measures used were frequently misaligned with researchers’ definitions. Moreover, a lack of methodological details precluded thorough analyses of intervention characteristics vis-a-vis reported outcomes and raised questions about the causal conclusions reached. Among the implications discussed are the need for conceptual refinement, greater internal consistency between the conception and measurement, more prudent data-analytic approaches, and richer descriptions of the implemented intervention and study participants and context.

  • Preprint

    Elterliche Berufswahlbegleitungskompetenz – Validierung eines Erhebungsinstruments zur Erfassung elterlicher Kompetenzen zur Begleitung ihrer Kinder bei der Berufswahl

    Landgraf, Antonia & Dietrich, Julia & Bührmann, Thorsten & Kracke, Bärbel, PsychArchives

    Eltern nehmen eine zentrale Unterstützungsfunktion im Berufsorientierungsprozess im Jugendalter ein. Auf der Basis existierender Forschung wurden als wesentliche Aspekte elterlicher Unterstützung in einem Kompetenzmodell zur elterlichen Begleitung der Berufswahl vier Dimensionen vorgeschlagen: emotionale, sachorientierte und instrumentelle Unterstützungskompetenz sowie die Fähigkeit zur Dezentrierung. Sie wurden mit 30 Items operationalisiert. Die Studie stellt die Entwicklung des Instruments vor. Der Fragebogen wurde N = 305 Eltern (n = 259 Mütter, n = 46 Väter) vorgelegt. Die Ergebnisse konfirmatorischer Faktorenanalysen liefern erste Validitätsbelege und zeigen, dass es mit dem Instrument gelingt, die vier Kompetenzdimensionen abzubilden. Weiterer Entwicklungsbedarf hinsichtlich der Messung der Dimension Dezentrierung wird diskutiert.

  • Preprint

    The impact of Weight Bias in Forensic Medicine: challenges and implications for objectivity in medical legal practice

    Rizzo, Amelia, PsychArchives

    Weight bias, defined as negative attitudes and stereotypes directed toward individuals based on their weight, has profound implications in healthcare and legal settings. In forensic medicine, where objective assessments are critical to the pursuit of justice, weight bias can distort clinical and legal evaluations. This article examines the prevalence of weight bias in forensic medicine, its impact on medical judgments and legal outcomes, and proposes solutions for mitigating bias to ensure fairness and accuracy. Emphasizing the need for education and standardized guidelines, we argue that addressing weight bias is essential for maintaining the integrity of forensic science.

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    Prevalence of mental health symptoms in a cohort of Polish Paralympic athletes: Sport Mental Health Assessment Tool 1 (SMHAT-1) in combination with clinical intake interviews.

    Waleriańczyk, Wojciech & Krzywański, Jarosław & Wójcik, Katarzyna & Konopka, Katarzyna & Krysztofiak, Hubert & Kuśmierczyk, Agata & Lisek, Grzegorz & Maleszka, Piotr & Sławińska, Małgorzata & Poczwardowski, Artur, PsychArchives

    Objective Empirical research regarding the prevalence of mental health symptoms in Paralympic athletes is scarce. This is the first study to use the IOC Sport Mental Health Assessment Tool 1 (SMHAT-1) as a basis for a subsequent in-person brief clinical intake interview to evaluate the prevalence of mental health concerns in a cohort of Polish Paralympic athletes. Methods We administered SMHAT-1 forms one and two in-person, during the routine biannual medical check-ups for Paralympic athletes at the National Centre for Sports Medicine in Poland. Subsequently, all Para athletes were interviewed by qualified sport psychologists who further evaluated the athletes’ mental health and provided recommendations. Results A total of 137 Paralympic athletes (87 males, 50 females), participated three to eight months before the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games; 61% scored above the triage threshold for psychological distress. Female athletes scored higher in depressive symptoms. No other significant gender differences were noted. Based on the subsequent mental health evaluation, 75.2% of Paralympic athletes were assessed as having sound mental health and required no mental health action, 18.3% were advised psychoeducation or sport psychologist consultation, while 7.3% were referred to a mental health specialist – a psychotherapist and/or a psychiatrist. Conclusion The prevalence of mental health symptoms was slightly lower in Polish Paralympic athletes, compared to Polish Olympic athletes. SMHAT-1 proved a useful screening basis for the subsequent brief clinical interviews, substantially elevated the efficacy of mental health evaluation, and aided in raising mental health literacy in Paralympic athletes.

  • Preprint

    A systematic review of age-related differences in inhibitory control performance on the flanker task

    Guay, Sandryne & Boller, Benjamin, PsychArchives

    Aging is linked to declines in cognitive functions, particularly inhibitory control. The flanker task is a common tool used to measure this, yet studies on age-related differences yield mixed results. This systematic review synthesizes findings from 18 studies comparing young and older adults. The results consistently show that older adults exhibit slower reaction times, especially on incongruent trials, suggesting inhibitory difficulties. However, differences in accuracy are less consistent. Variability across studies may result from differences in participant samples, task design, statistical methods and inhibition scoring. Future research should address these inconsistencies to clarify age-related inhibitory deficits and enhance interventions targeting cognitive decline.

  • Preprint

    Updating the Positivity Bias in Older Adults: How do Subjective Memory Complaints Influence Emotional Distraction in a Working Memory Task?

    Provost, Amy & Descoteaux, Alexandre & Rigoulot, Simon & Boller, Benjamin, PsychArchives

    Subjective memory complaints (SMCs), commonly reported by older adults, refer to self-perceived difficulties with memory. While the link between SMCs and objective cognitive decline remains unclear, SMCs may reflect subtle cognitive changes, particularly in working memory, which is known to be influenced by emotional context. Older adults typically display a positivity bias, which is a tendency to focus more on and better remember positive over negative information. However, the positivity bias has yet to be explored in individuals with SMCs. This study aims to address this gap by examining how emotional distractors affect working memory performance in older adults with varying levels of SMCs. Method: Forty-seven older adults (ages 55-79) were categorized into low and high SMCs groups based on self-reported memory complaints. Participants completed an emotional n-back task with three levels of cognitive load (0-back, 1-back, 2-back) and emotional distractors (positive, negative, neutral). Task performance was measured using accuracy, response bias, and reaction times. Mixed-design ANOVAs were conducted, with cognitive load, emotional condition, and complaint group as factors. Results: Results revealed significant main effects of cognitive load on performance, with performance declining as task demands increased. A three-way interaction between cognitive load, emotional condition, and complaint group showed that participants with high SMCs were more distracted by positive stimuli under high cognitive load, leading to decreased accuracy. In contrast, participants with low SMCs showed reduced accuracy with positive distractors under low cognitive load. Conclusions: These findings suggest that emotional distractors, particularly positive ones, affect working memory performance differently in older adults depending on their level of SMCs. Future research should aim to uncover the mechanisms underlying these effects.

  • Preprint

    From the Corner of My Eye: The Role of Extrafoveal Recognition Processing in Search Performance

    Lancry-Dayan, Oryah & Pertzov, Yoni, PsychArchives

    There has been broad consensus that effective visual search relies on comparing the visual input with an active representation of the target's features stored in working memory, known as the search template. However, recent findings challenge this notion by indicating that efficient search can occur even without a search template. That is, individuals could locate a familiar face faster than chance, even when unaware of the specific person they were searching for. If a search template is not mandatory, what could be the guiding mechanism of efficient search? Two experiments suggest that focusing on extrafoveal abilities holds the key to this question. Specifically, we demonstrate that recognition processes, encompassing familiarity and recollection, can take place through extrafoveal vision. Moreover, the capacity to determine whether a face is familiar emerges as a significant predictor of search performance. These findings contribute to our understanding of visual attention models and highlight individual differences in extrafoveal visual processing capabilities.

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    Research on Translational Psychological Treatment: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis

    Bittermann, André & Petrule, Claudiu & Ritter, Viktoria & Haberkamp, Anke & Hofmann, Stefan G. & Rief, Winfried & the PsyChange Network, PsychArchives

    Psychotherapy researchers have emphasized the importance of a paradigm shift towards translational psychological treatment. However, the publication landscape on this topic is uncharted. This makes it difficult to assess the state of translational psychotherapy research. Hence, we developed a workflow that leverages natural language processing and machine learning to find relevant studies. Based on this, we bibliometrically analyzed 7,146 publications to provide insights for the integration and development of the research field. Specifically, citation and network analyses were performed to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the research field. Five main findings emerged: 1. Machine learning proved valuable in finding eligible publications and generating an open dataset. 2. Regarding basic psychological subfields, translation comes primarily from physiological psychology/neuroscience, with a focus on fear, posttraumatic stress, and anxiety. 3. Translational research is characterized by international collaborations. 4. It has an impact within and beyond academia. 5. The lack of standardized terminology might threaten scientific progress. To foster a paradigm shift towards translational psychological treatment, a consistent terminology would greatly facilitate its development and dissemination.

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    Development and validation of a tool using the COM-B model of behaviour change and Theoretical Domains Framework to assess farmers’ mindsets in relation to animal welfare, environmental conservation, and their subjective wellbeing.

    Naydani, Cynthia Joanne & Jessiman, Lesley & Jarvis, Susan, PsychArchives

    The demand for animal-sourced foods (ASFs) is rising, owing to a growing global population and increased per-capita consumption worldwide. The subsequent intensification of ASF production can cause negative impacts on animal welfare, and the environment. Increasing productivity has also failed to provide global food security. Therefore, there is a need to transform future food systems, and farmers are key contributors to this transition due to their direct decision-making powers. However, for efforts to recruit farmers in food systems transformation to be both ethical and effective, it is necessary to understand any potential barriers farmers face in changing their production practices. We developed and validated a tool that uses the COM-B model of behaviour change and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to assess farmer mindsets in relation to animal welfare and environmental conservation, and their wellbeing: the three interrelated components of the One Welfare framework. Results of our mapping work showed the importance of validating any mappings of qualitative statements from survey or interview data against theoretical models, as erroneous mappings may lead to flawed intervention design, with subsequentially suboptimal impacts. We provide guidelines for other researchers to use this tool, promoting inter- and trans-disciplinary collaboration as we work together towards ethical, sustainable, and successful food systems transformation.

  • Preprint

    Personal Beauty Values: Development and validation of a multidimensional measurement scale

    Glückstad, Fumiko Kano & Kobayashi, Hiromi & Seddig, Daniel & Davidov, Eldad & Nakamura, Rie, PsychArchives

    Due to the explosive growth of social media technology worldwide, consumers are exposed to abundant stimuli across cultures that affect their internalization of societal ideal of beauty and the formation of self-concept. In response to this, the beauty industry is facing challenges to personalize their offerings to an array of diverse consumers who are seeking brands that resonate with their values and foster a true emotional bond. Consumers’ personal value with respect to beauty is an important antecedent of the internalization of societal ideal of beauty, which eventually control their appearance-conscious emotions and behaviors, thereby play an important role for understanding the psychological mechanisms that underlie diverse beautification procedures. However, a systematic scale to measure personal beauty values of consumers across cultures has yet to be established. In this article, we attempt to bridge this gap by developing, measuring, and validating a new Personal Beauty Values Scale through a series of studies employing independent samples from the United States (n = 348, n = 1,039), the United Kingdom (n = 401, n = 396), Japan (n = 1,011), and Denmark (n = 981). Subsequently, we investigate influences of personal beauty values on one of the critical beautification procedures invasive to the human body, that is, cosmetic surgery. Specifically, the nomological validation using the U.S. sample (n = 1,039) demonstrated that the distinct characteristics of the five personal beauty values dimensions differently affected appearance-conscious emotions such as shame and hubristic pride, thereby unveiling the psychological mechanism behind consideration of cosmetic surgery.

  • Preprint

    The Importance of Truth: Joint Retrieval of “True” and “Important” Feedback in Multidimensional Source Memory

    Ford, Daria & Nieznański, Marek, PsychArchives

    Source memory for truth is usually better than for falsity and similar effects are observed for important compared with unimportant information. A recently found interaction between information veracity and importance indicates that people effectively prioritize encoding true information (but not false). Yet, it is unclear whether the feedback about veracity and importance of the information is integrated into joint memory representation. In the following experiment, we investigated if source memory for veracity and importance dimensions is stochastically dependent. Students (N = 82) memorized trivia statements along with their veracity and importance status which resulted in four different combinations of sources (“true and important”, “true and unimportant”, “false and important”, “false and unimportant”). The analysis with a multidimensional source memory multinomial model revealed that the joint retrieval of “true” and “important” feedback as compound information is better than for all other combinations. Moreover, the veracity dimension was memorized better than the importance dimension, showing that we remember whether information is true or false better than whether it is important or unimportant.

  • Preprint

    Perfectionism, performance and goal-related variables in running competitions – A three-sample examination in a systematic self-replication framework

    Waleriańczyk, Wojciech, PsychArchives

    Recently, more ecologically valid research on the relationship between perfectionism and performance has been emerging. However, the theory-derived notions of perfectionism being associated with higher expectations about performance, and more rigid goals in sport still require empirical evidence; the question whether perfectionism aids or impedes objective goal-realization remains open, as well. To this end, the present study tested the associations between perfectionism, anticipated performance, rigidness of goals, and subsequent performance and objective goal-realization, within the systematic self-replication framework – in runners competing on three distances: 10 km (N = 153), half-marathon (N = 156), and marathon (N = 305). Athletes completed measures of perfectionism (perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns) and goal-related variables in the week prior to the competition. Results showed that perfectionistic strivings were clearly and consistently associated with lower goal elasticity and higher anticipated and actual performance. Perfectionistic concerns did not show a consistent pattern of significant associations for any of the outcomes. However, they were related to lower anticipated and actual performance in the marathon runners, representing one of the rare instances of perfectionistic concerns directly affecting performance. Regarding the question whether perfectionism affects goal-realization, the findings were mixed, with the effects of perfectionism being significant only in one sample, where the goal-realization was the highest. Overall, the present findings provide evidence for individual variability that should be taken into account when working with perfectionistic athletes on goal-setting, as they may have the tendency to set relatively excessive and rigid goals by default.

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