Electronic Library of Scientific Literature Electronic Library of Scientific Literature
Volume 41 / No. 3 / 1999
Scott G. ISAKSEN, Kenneth J. LAUER
The Creativity Research Unit, Creative Problem Solving Group - Buffalo, 1325 North Forest
Road, Williamsville, New York 14221 USA
Abstract: Isaksen and Kaufmann (1990) conducted an exploratory study into the relationship between cognitive style and individual perceptions of creative climate. Clapp and Kirton (1994) raised questions regarding the theoretical constructs and methodology used in this study. This article reviews the original research and addresses those questions raised by Clapp and Kirton.
Key words: cognitive style, indiviual psychological climate, creative climate
pp. 177-191
Marta JURCOVA, Lubica STUBNOVA
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 813
64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The study compares the relationship between social skills and personality characteristics in high and low original adolescents. Social skills were measured using Riggio's SSI - 6 point scale questionnaire and personality predictors of social competence using the 5th edition of Cattell's 16PF. The sample consisted of 227 high school students. Personality independence, approachability, dominance and self-confidence as well as higher creative cognitive abilities all take part in social skills of highly original subjects. In case of low original subjects self-control, vigilance and rule-consciousness play a greater role.
Key words: social skills, originality, personality
pp. 193-202
Anna IONKOVA
National Center of Hygiene, Medical Ecology and Nutrition, D. Nestorov 15, 1431 Sofia,
Bulgaria
Abstract: The validation of four methods for studying attention features for the purposes of psychophysiological and psychological selection of operators for NPP is performed by testing 500 persons: 200 NPP operators, 200 training persons and students - staff potential for NPP and 100 persons in one control and one comparative group - 50 TPP operators and 50 non-operators. The methodological battery comprises, besides the well known Platonov's crossed lines and "Bayer" symbol-digit test, two methods developed by a Bulgarian author - K. Metchkov - after Chapuis' labyrinth and Bourdon's correcting test. After dispersion analysis, the average group results of 10 groups, 50 persons each, divided by profession, job and expert assessment provided by the assessors of their professional quality and education, are compared. The multiple correlation analysis of individual results for attention features of the 500 persons under study helps to assess the significance of the factors sex, age, neurosis screening, momentary functional state, cumulated work fatigue and some personal characteristics. The statistically significantly better results of the groups of skilled NPP operators compared to satisfactory operators enable the author to support the opinion that the applied methods confirm the professional significance of the particular attention features and are valid for outlining the degrees of their manifestation at psychophysiological and psychological selection. The revealed correlations between the studied individual and personal factors and indices of attention features support the inclusion of these factors in the complex assessment of the results at selection and at dynamic control of neuro-psychological work capacity and behavioral reliability of NPP operators.
Key words: validation, methods, attention, psychohysiological selection, operators,
nuclear power plant
pp. 203-224
Bruce D. KIRKCALDY1, Adrian F. FURNHAM
International Centre for the Study of Occupational and Mental Health, Haydnstr. 61, 40593
Düsseldorf, Germany
Business Psychology Unit, University College London, UK
Abstract: The long-term psychological impact of war was analysed using epidemiological data of incidence of hospitalised neurotics and psychotics for the year 1989 (German Ministry of Health). Frequency of mental disorders (expressed in cases per 10,000 inhabitants) were analysed as a function of year of birth. Females were overrepresented for all age groups. Females aged 5-10 years at the onset of the Second World War appeared most susceptible to such a catastrophe in later life. Speculations about reasons for these findings are made.
Key words: mental illness, neuroses, psychoses, epidemiology, life event, war
pp. 225-230
Monika Makkar, Dalip Malhotra, J.M. Jerath
Department of Psychology, H.P. University, Shimla, INDIA
Department of Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014 INDIA
Abstract: This study investigated the performance of field-dependents/field-independents as measured through the Embedded Figure Test in a short-term memory task. 80 field-independent and 80 field-dependent male and female students were asked to recall nonsense syllables under distractor technique of Peterson and Peterson (1959). To gauge the effect of cognitive styles and gender differences a repeated measure ANOVA of the order of 2 X 2 X (5) was applied. The results favored the field-independents over field-dependents in recalling nonsense syllables. This is due to the field-independents' better cognitive strategies and mental imagery conditions, which helped them to perform better than the field-dependents. As expected males performed significantly better than females.
Key words: perceptual strategies, short-term memory, field-dependents,
field-independents
pp. 231-237
Christopher A. LEWIS, Mark E. SHEVLIN, Vladimír SMEKAL, Martin J. DORAHY
School of Psychology and Communication, University of Ulster at Magee College,
Londonderry, BT48 7JL, Northern Ireland
Department of Psychology, School of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Gorkého 7, 602 02
Brno, Czech Republic
School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the factor structure of a translated version of the Satisfaction With Life Scale to facilitate the use of the scale among Czech samples. The scale items were translated into Czech and administered to a sample of 109 Czech University students. Data was analyzed using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Exploratory maximum likelihood factor analysis suggested that the scale was unidimensional. A single factor confirmatory factor analysis using polychoric correlations and an appropriate weight matrix estimated using LISREL8 was an acceptable description of the data. In addition, the scale was found to have high reliability. Comparisons are made with previously reported data using the original version of the scale among different cultural groups. The Czech translation of the Satisfaction With Life Scale can be recommended for use among Czech language samples.
Key words: satisfaction with life scale, factor structure, reliability, life
evaluation
pp. 239-244
Hans-Jörg TINCHON
Ludwig Boltzmann-Institute of Empirical Media Research, Gölsdorfgasse 3/7, 1010 Vienna,
Austria
Abstract: The presented study represents a historical excursion into methodological development of mass media research from the beginning of 1950's to the origin of media psychology. In the study, the author discusses individual theories and models used in the mass media research (e.g., Balance Model, Disonance Model, etc.) and presents the results of research focused on the effects of anxiety-inducing reports on current environmental problems, which was carried out in cooperation with a Slovak partner.
Key words: media research theories, anxiety, media psychology, environmental
problems
pp. 245-250