This study developed a motivational regulation strategies scale for cooperative learning, and examined the relationships among strategies, motivational factors, and engagements. First, a self-reported questionnaire with open-ended questions was administered to 261 undergraduates, and 46 items were developed for the motivational regulation strategies scale. Next, a self-reported questionnaire pertaining to these items was administered to 284 undergraduates. A factor analysis indicated a five-factor structure for motivational regulation strategies in cooperative learning. The results of a partial correlation analysis among these strategies, self-efficacy, and intrinsic value supported the construct validity of the scale. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that behavioral engagement was positively correlated with strategies to enhance a sense of duty, self-efficacy, and intrinsic value. Emotional engagement was positively correlated with active interaction strategies, strategies for structuring learning activities, and intrinsic value, and was negatively correlated with strategies to enhance a sense of duty. The effect of motivational regulation strategies on cooperative learning is discussed based on the present findings.

This study examined the relationship between beliefs in cooperation, motivation and engagement in cooperative learning. Beliefs in cooperation have three subscales: usefulness of cooperation, individual orientation and inequity. Self-reported questionnaire was administered to 181 undergraduate students at two universities. The results of path analysis indicated that usefulness of cooperation positively predicted self-efficacy and intrinsic value. Moreover, self-efficacy and intrinsic value positively predicted behavioral engagement, and intrinsic value positively predicted emotional engagement. On the other hand, individual orientation negatively predicted intrinsic value and inequity did not predict any motivational factors. The effects of beliefs in cooperation on cooperative learning process were discussed in light of the current findings.

Previous findings regarding the effects of living in urban environments on residents' subjective well-being have been inconsistent. The present study developed a scale to measure the multifaceted nature of urban living environments and investigated the aspects of urban environments that enhance or reduce residents' life satisfaction. We conducted two online surveys in which adults living in urban or rural areas in Japan (1,000 participants for each survey) completed the Multifaceted Urban Living Environment Scale and the Life Satisfaction Scale. Results indicated that urban living environments are characterized by quality of facilities, life convenience, life unpleasantness, and easy accessibility to public transportation. Of importance, each of these aspects affected residents' life satisfaction differently. Specifically, the quality of facilities was positively associated with life satisfaction, whereas life convenience was negatively associated. However, life unpleasantness and easy accessibility to public transportation had no effect on life satisfaction. These results suggest that it is important to measure the multifaceted nature of urban living environments to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of urbanization on residents' subjective well-being.

This study addressed the system-justifying function of compensatory judgments in person perception. We hypothesized that compensatory judgments of competence and warmth would create an illusion of equality, thereby fulfilling system-justifying motives in the economically unequal society. An experimental vignette study was conducted with 188 Japanese university students. Results indicated that evaluating target persons in a compensatory manner enhanced the perceived legitimacy of the current social system when participants were led to believe that a significant economic gap exists in Japan between the rich and the poor. This suggests that compensatory judgments serve to system justification through restoring the impaired belief in equality. We discussed the implications of our results for system justification theory and the literature on compensation effects in social judgments.

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