The Bright and Dark Aspects of Grit in the Pursuit of Success.

Grit, defined as passion and perseverance for long-term goals, predicts success in a number of social domains. The present two studies examined grit and its subscales, and how these relate to both adaptive and maladaptive personality traits pertaining to success. For Study 1, based on data from 249 participants, results indicated that grit was correlated positively with proactive personality, personal growth initiative, and competitiveness, and the perseverance subscale also was correlated positively with self- and other-oriented perfectionism. The findings of Study 1 led us to further explore the dark aspects of grit in Study 2: based on data from 222 participants, results indicated that grit was correlated negatively with Machiavellianism, hypercompetitiveness, and most forms of narcissism but positively correlated with adaptive grandiose narcissism. Collectively, results reveal grit to be a positive, adaptive trait but raise questions regarding the perfectionistic tendencies of gritty individuals and the unitary nature of the construct.

Stiffness Matters: Part II-The Effects of Plate Stiffness on Load-Sharing and the Progression of Fusion Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion In Vivo.

STUDY DESIGN: Real time in vivo measurement of forces in the cervical spine of goats following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). OBJECTIVE: To measure interbody forces in the cervical spine during the time course of fusion following ACDF with plates of different stiffnesses. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Following ACDF, the biomechanics of the arthrodesis is largely dictated by the plate. The properties of the plate prescribe the extent of load-sharing through the disc space versus the extent of stress-shielding. Load-sharing promotes interbody bone formation and stress-shielding can inhibit maturation of bone. However, these principles have never been validated in vivo. Measuring in vivo biomechanics of the cervical spine is critical to understanding the complex relationships between implant design, interbody loading, load-sharing, and the progression of fusion. METHODS: Anterior cervical plates of distinct bending stiffnesses were placed surgically following ACDF in goats. A validated custom force-sensing interbody implant was placed in the disc space to measure load-sharing in the spine. Interbody loads were measured in vivo in real time during the course of fusion for each plate. RESULTS: Interbody forces during flexion/extension were highly dynamic. In animals that received high stiffness plates, maximum forces were in extension whereas in animals that received lower stiffness plates, maximum forces were in flexion. As fusion progressed, interbody load magnitude decreased. CONCLUSION: The magnitude of interbody forces in the cervical spine is dynamic and correlates to activity and posture of the head and neck. The magnitude and consistency of forces in the interbody space correlates to plate stiffness with more compliant plates resulting in more consistent load-sharing. The magnitude of interbody forces decreases as fusion matures suggesting that smart interbody implants may be used as a diagnostic tool to indicate the progression of interbody fusion. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

The prosocial and aggressive driving inventory (PADI): a self-report measure of safe and unsafe driving behaviors.

Surveys of 1217 undergraduate students supported the reliability (inter-item and test-retest) and validity of the Prosocial and Aggressive Driving Inventory (PADI). Principal component analyses on the PADI items yielded two scales: Prosocial Driving (17 items) and Aggressive Driving (12 items). Prosocial Driving was associated with fewer reported traffic accidents and violations, with participants who were older and female, and with lower Boredom Susceptibility and Hostility scores, and higher scores on Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness, and Neuroticism. Aggressive Driving was associated with more frequent traffic violations, with female participants, and with higher scores on Competitiveness, Sensation Seeking, Hostility, and Extraversion, and lower scores on Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness. The theoretical and practical implications of the PADI's dual focus on safe and unsafe driving are discussed.

A reliability analysis of the revised competitiveness index.

This study examined the reliability of the Revised Competitiveness Index by investigating the test-retest reliability, interitem reliability, and factor structure of the measure based on a sample of 280 undergraduates (200 women, 80 men) ranging in age from 18 to 28 years (M = 20.1, SD = 2.1). The findings indicate that the Revised Competitiveness Index has high test-retest reliability, high inter-item reliability, and a stable factor structure. The results support the assertion that the Revised Competitiveness Index assesses competitiveness as a stable trait rather than a dynamic state.

Competitiveness among Japanese, Chinese, and American undergraduate students.

Although research indicates that competitiveness, defined as the desire to win in interpersonal situations, is an important individual difference that influences a range of social interactions, little research has focused on competitiveness in cultures outside the United States. This study investigated competitiveness in three cultures by comparing Chinese (n=61), Japanese (n=232), and American (n=161) undergraduate college students. Nationality and sex were compared on two scales of the revised Competitiveness Index. Analysis indicated that American students scored higher on Enjoyment of Competitiveness than Chinese and Japanese students, but no difference was found on Contentiousness. Men scored higher than women on Enjoyment of Competition but not on Contentiousness. The findings indicate that sex and cultural patterns influence some but not all aspects of competitiveness.