Electronic Library of Scientific Literature - © Academic Electronic Press
Volume 44 / No. 4 / 2002
Imrich RUISEL
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: Discussed is the regulatory role of personality variables in intelligent behavior. Research into interindividual differences still adheres to the division into "two psychologies" (according to Cronbach). Selected for analyses were personality variables capable significantly to influence intellectual performance (anxiety, anger and aggressiveness, coping with stress situations, curiosity, openness to experiencing, intro- extroversion, motivation, the concept of self, authoritativeness and Machiavellianism). Results reported so far bring in but partial conclusions regarding their regulatory influence. A certain explanation may be looked for in a practically exclusive orientation thus far of researchers toward the construct of abstract (or psychomotor) intelligence. Many a time the results are also influenced by the organization of the research or subjects' age and their degree of education. A considerable methodological problem may also ensue from the fact that intelligence tests determining the level of abstract intelligence are exclusively oriented to an identification of maximum achievement.
Key words: intelligence, personality, psychological regulation, anxiety, extra-introversion, Machiavellianism
pp. 261-276
Martin ELTON1, Jan SNEL1, Claes SCHUYT2, Aart MONSTER3
1 Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam,
Roetersstraat 15, 1018 WB Amsterdam, The Netherlands, E-mail: elton@psy.uva.nl
2 Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Hygiene
Service, University of Amsterdam, Plantage Muidergracht 14, 1018 TV Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
3 Coronel Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health,
Academic Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Abstract: The effect of exposure to trace concentrations of nitrous oxide was investigated in two experiments in passive and sustained attention paradigms over a two-hour period in a double-blind study. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that P300 amplitude was increased to target stimuli and during the later part of the gas exposure session in comparison to the air-only session during which a reduction in P300 amplitude was observed. No effects of gas exposure on the performance measures of reaction time, d' or ß
in the active, sustained attention task were obtained. No significant effects were obtained for N1 amplitude in the sustained attention task. In the passive attention task, N1 amplitude demonstrated a reduction over the gas exposure session to both standard and deviant stimuli. In the second experiment these results were partially replicated in the second experiment in which ERPs were evaluated in active and passive conditions in the auditory modality. The results suggest the involvement of a compensatory energetic resource during the active task and, thereby, offering a possible reconciliation of conflicting results in the literature on the effect of nitrous oxide exposure. Recommendations are offered to isolate specific effects of exposure to trace concentrations of nitrous oxide in dual task and auditory vigilance experiments.Key words: passive and sustained attention; event-related potentials; MMN; P300; effort; nitrous oxide
pp. 277-293
Denis BRATKO1, Teuta BARUŠIĆ
1 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb, Lučićeva 3, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia, E-mail: dbratko@filozof.ffzg.hr
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the hemispheric differences in odor discrimination. The sample consisted of 89 participants. All of them were female and right-handed. Odors quality discrimination was tested with twelve pairs of odors presented to each nostril of every participant. Half of the participants had odors presented to their left nostril first ("left-right" group), while the other half had them presented to their right nostril first ("right-left" group). The data were analyzed in order to compare the efficiency of odor discrimination by left and right nostril. The analyses were carried out on the whole sample, as well as on the "left-right" and "right-left" sub-groups separately. For the whole sample, the difference between average scores for left and right nostrils did not reach statistical significance. However, the "left-right" group showed a clear right nostril advantage for discrimination of odors. In the "right-left" group there was no significant difference between nostrils.
Key words: hemispheric asymmetries, perception of odors, lateralization, sensory discrimination
pp. 295-303
Alena POTAŠOVÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: One hundred and one senior citizens inmates of a pensioners's home took part in a study oriented to questions of experiencing and coping with involutional changes in advanced age. The investigation focused on the problem of a proved close relationship between the so-called accommodating flexibility and experienced quality of life.
Key words: involutional changes, accommodating flexibility, quality of life
pp. 305-309
Brian M. HUGHES
Department of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland, E-mail: brian.hughes@nuigalway.ie
Abstract: The majority of studies to show an effect of social support on cardiovascular reactivity operationalize the independent variable by manipulating supportive interactions between participants and confederates in laboratory settings. Very few studies have assessed the relationship between cardiovascular reactivity and perceived day-to-day social support, that is, support as measured by psychometric instruments that focus on participants' evaluations of their social networks. A review of the seven studies to examine the relationship between psychometrically evaluated social support and cardiovascular reactivity in healthy human participants is presented. The studies employed standard and effective methods to elicit cardiovascular responses, and used psychometric evaluations of global social support. A relationship between support and reactivity was not clearly demonstrated. The nonsignificance of many findings prevented a thorough meta-analysis, although distinguishing between measures of quality and quantity of social support was useful in identifying trends. Quality of support tended not to be associated with reactivity; but quantity of support was positively associated. The difference between laboratory manipulations and psychometric assessments of support is thus highlighted.
Key words: social support, cardiovascular reactivity, stress, psychometric, laboratory studies
pp. 311-326
Miron ZELINA
Pedagogical Faculty, Comenius University, Račianska 59, 831 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: Stress in the initial section is laid on the need to develop the cognitive processes and functions of personality as the transversal base of human universality. The second part describes the most common cognitive taxonomies of a uni- and multidimensional nature. The closing section brings the author's own taxonomy of cognitive processes and aims showing that teachers in Slovakia go on developing the simpler cognitive processes and neglect the more complex functions that are of greater importance to life.
Key words: cognitive processes, education, knowledge, creativity, memory, personality transverseness
pp. 327-335
Jitka GURŇÁKOVÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic, E-mail: expsgur@savba.sk
Abstract: According to S. Epstein's Cognitive-experiential self-theory (CEST), everyone develops an implicit theory of reality that contains subdivisions of self-theory, a world theory, and propositions connecting the two. This theory of reality is a hierarchically organized set of schemes. The most basic schemes, referred to as "postulates", include the degree to which the world is regarded as benign versus malevolent; the degree to which it is regarded as meaningful (including predictable, controllable, and just); the degree to which others are regarded favorably rather than as a source of threat; and the degree to which the self is regarded as worthy. Because the basic postulates represent the highest constructs in the hierarchy of personal theory of reality. To invalidate any one of them would have a profoundly destabilizing effect on the entire personality structure. Individual differences in vulnerability to stress (reflected by experiencing positive and negative affectivity) are due, in part, to differences in cognitive representations of the self, more specifically, to differences in the complexity of self-representations. It was assumed that higher self-complexity leads to less affective extremity, and vice versa - low self-complexity is associated with more extreme affective reactions. It was also assumed that high level of complexity did not manifest only in self-concept, but also in particular implicit theories of reality.
Key words: self-complexity, personal theories of reality, affectivity
pp. 337-345
Daniela KUSÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: Psychological androgyny and its standing in a recent gender discourse is analyzed in the study. Research questions are inferred from the issues of gender diversity and desirability of male-female variations. In the empirical part, original scales of masculinity, femininity and desirability derived from the findings obtained on a sample of Slovak university students were used. The main findings: 1) gender scales were found to be independent of one another and thereby useful as a quantitative criterion for an assessment of androgyny; 2) the scale of desirability correlated higher with opposite-sex than with one's masculine/feminine attributes; 3) feminine attributes showed greater differentiating power for differences between gender scales than masculine attributes. The findings are commented as to the implications for the role of feminine emotionality in both sexes and for otherness as a counterpart to normative standards.
Key words: psychological androgyny, gender diversity, gender stereotypes, desirability, male-female variations, otherness
pp. 347-357
Prahbhjot MALHI1, Pratibha SINGHI
1 Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatric Center PGIMER, Chandigarh-160012, India, E-mail: apcpgi@glide.net.in
Abstract: The purpose of the study was to investigate the usefulness of parents' concerns about child's behavior in the early detection of children with significant behavioral disturbances. Sixty parents with children aged 24 to 60 months seeking well child outpatient pediatric care were recruited. Parents'concerns were elicited using the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) questionnaire. Behavior problems were measured by the Pre-School Behavior Checklist (PBCL). Results indicated that behavioral concerns were very common and 43% of the parents expressed these concerns. PEDS was 76% sensitive to child's conduct problems and 70% specific in identifying children with normal behavior. Demographic, socio-economic characteristics and developmental status of the child did not seem to influence whether parents concerns about behavior were accurate or inaccurate in identifying children with significant conduct problems. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the number of parental concerns, type of family, and number of significant concerns accounted for 26% of variance in the PBCL score. It is recommended that pediatricians routinely elicit parental concerns in order to detect and refer children with behavioral disturbances.
Key words: parental concerns, behavior problems, children
pp. 359-366
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