Electronic Library of Scientific Literature
Electronic Library of Scientific Literature
Volume 40, No 4, 1998
Miluše SEDLÁKOVÁ
Institute of Psychology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic,
branch Prague, Husova 4, 110 00 Praha, Czech Republic
Abstract: The authors of individual conceptions dealing with the theory of mind approach the subject from two fundamentally different perspectives on mental representation - one proposed by J. Piaget and the other elaborated by N. Goodman. The article brings an analysis of these two perspectives as well as an examination of their utilization in some of the conceptions of the theory of mind. The distinctions between both conceptions of mental representations are significant, particularly for the explication of the theory of mind because they contribute both to the derivation of a genesis of individual levels of mental representation and the delimitation of the developmental stages of the theory of mind.
Key words: mental representation, theory of mind, Piaget's
and Goodman's conceptions
pp. 239-243
Imrich RUISEL
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravska cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The paper presented here is trying to contribute to the discussion on the universality of the Big Five personality factors. 1051 adolescents were presented with a check list, called "THE WAY I AM", of 30 positive and 30 negative adjectives - personality descriptors. The task of the subject was to express, on a 5 point scale, how each individual adjective fits his/her personality. Using factor analysis, 5 factors were created which are similar, to a great extent, to the Big Five factors. This supports the argument that the Big Five are universal.
Key words: Big-Five factors, personality, adjectives,
lexical hypothesis
pp. 244-249
Ivan SARMÁNY SCHULLER
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: Cognitive style in the "category width" dimension and some decision making processes (vigilance, buck-passing, procrastination, hypervigilance, self-esteem) were studied in relation to the "need for structure" personality construct. The results of the research with a group of 63 university students majoring in technical subjects, mean age 22.8 yrs. (51 men and 12 women) showed that broad categorization (in both subscales and in the total sum) is positively connected with procrastination. We interpret this on the basis on a different ability of a broad categorizer to tolerate mistakes or the tendency of a narrow categorizer to narrow down categories in order to increase the certainty of cognitive decision making. The subfactor "response to lack of structure" (RLS) is in a statistically significant correlation with passing responsibility for decision making to others.
Key words: cognitive style, category width, need for
structure
pp. 250-254
Viera BAÈOVÁ
Institute of Social Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Karpatská
5, 040 00 Košice, Slovak Republic
Abstract: In this article the author is testing the assumptions that 1) the implicit theories measures will become structured according to their content, and 2) there will be relations between the measures of implicit theories and the measure of attributional complexity. The measures of six implicit theories comprise six various domains: 1) intelligence; 2) people's moral character; 3) the world; 4) ethnicity; 5) gender, and 6) moral principles. In each domain the items were constructed to depict the particular domain of the social world in a primordialist way, as a given fact or an entity, it means as having an unchangeable or fixed nature. The FA results suggest that theories about intelligence, moral character, gender, ethnicity and the world were independent of one another. No significant relations were found between primordialism in the particular implicit theories on various domains of the social world and attributional complexity measured by Fletcher's ACS. This may suggest the role of non-cognitive processes in the construction of implicit personal theories as well as the functions which implicit personal theories fulfill and call attention to the sources of implicit personal epistemologies.
Key words: implicit personal theories, attributional
complexity
pp. 255-260
¼uba MEDVEÏOVÁ
Research Institute for Child Psychology and Pathopsychology, Trnavská
112, 821 02 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The contribution brings information on the recently much discussed personality concept - the "Little Five" (modification of "Big Five" in adults) - in relation to variables of coping with stress in early adolescence. The results show a distinct relationship between the dimensions of conscientiousness, agreeableness and the dimension of openness to experiences with active strategies in coping with stress. Extroversion is mostly related to strategies of social support seeking - but only in girls. The dimension of neuroticism is related to avoidance coping strategies and its antipode - emotional stability - with active coping strategies. The subjects used active coping strategies most frequently and support strategies least frequently. The sample consisted of pupils aged of 10.5-14.5 years.
Key words: Big Five, personality, coping strategies,
early adolescence
pp. 261-265
Marián KOŠÈ, Katarína JARIABKOVÁ
Psychiatric Clinic, University Hospital, Mickiewiczova 13, 813
69 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Trnava University
Department of Social and Biological Communication, Slovak Academy
of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava,
Slovak Republic
Abstract: The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) by A. Rey (1941) and P.-A. Osterrieth (1944), belongs to the group of visuo-motor tests. In the more than a half a century since its existence, the ROCF has been used in clinical research of visuo-perceptual and visual memory processes concentrating, for example, on brain damage, disorders of personality but it is also used in research of the development of visual perception and memory. The analysis results of the scores of 18 elements of the ROCF and a comparison of the copy and memory productions in a group of subjects aged 8-13 yrs. are presented. Possibilities of studying cognitive processes by means of the ROCF are discussed.
Key words: Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure, visual perception,
visual memory
pp. 266-270
Eva KLÈOVANSKÁ, Marta MASNIÈÁKOVÁ
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities TU, Hornopotoèná
23, 917 01 Trnava, Slovak Republic
Samária - Resocialization Center, BCC, Krasinského
6, 821 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The need for asking questions concerning the noethic dimension of personality dealing with one's own existence - its meaning and value - is man's natural endowment that is only his own. In spite of this, there is an increasing number of people, nowadays, who complain about their feeling of emptiness and meaninglessness in their lives. The contribution presents the results of a study carried out with 154 students aged 18-27 at four different university departments. The aim of the study was to determine how much meaning Slovak students ascribe to their lives and compare that to Czech students and Austrian population.
Key words: existential frustration, meaning in life,
meaningfulness
pp. 271-276
Zdena RUISELOVÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The study analyzes the occurrence of adjustment problems in relations with parents and teachers with respect to the pubertal maturation timing in 15 year old adolescent girls in Slovakia and the occurrence of externalization problems of adjustment in connection with the above. The study also presents correlation analysis of these three types of problems. It pays attention to a more complex understanding of maturation and its objective as well as subjective aspects, separately and in combination. The results show a greater occurrence of the above mentioned types of problems in early maturing girls. We found a pronounced high occurrence of these problems in combination with objectively early maturation and with subjectively perceived early maturation. The percentual occurrence of differences of opinion between adolescent girls and their parents in some specific areas is also presented.
Key words: pubertal maturation, timing, adjustment problems,
girls
pp. 277-281
Jana KORDAÈOVÁ, Ondrej KONDÁŠ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Research Institute of Child Psychology and Pathopsychology, Trnavská
112, 821 02 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: In the scales designed to assess irrational beliefs, the age factor has proven itself to be a significant aspect. This is true for our Slovak Irrational Beliefs Scale as well. In the total score and in the subscales score, youth (3 sample groups aged 14-18 yrs., N = 336) differed from the adults significantly, which corresponded to the results concerning irrational contents found by using the Sentence Completion method in another sample of older youth (mean age 20.2 yrs.). This age correlation with a higher score in irrationality was confirmed in all three youth samples, including adolescents aged 14-15 years. These results evoke a thought whether it would not be suitable to use rational-emotive education for youth as young as 13 to 15 years of age.
Key words: irrational beliefs, age differences, Slovak
Irrational Belief Scale
pp. 282-286
Alexandra PROKOPÈÁKOVÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 89, 813 54 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The relationship between drug experimenting and biological maturation in girls was studied. The sample consists of 15-year old girls (n = 947). From this whole sample two extreme groups were chosen: one group of girls with menarchial age under 12 years (n = 307) and the other one, in which the girls do not have menarche yet (n = 44). We administered the Magnusson and Dunér's symptom questionnaire. A comparison of the 15-year old girls without menarche and the girls with the menarchial age under 12 years revealed that early maturated girls, compared to the late maturated girls, more often drink alcohol, smoke marijuana and try using other drugs. Moreover, we also found a relationship with sexual behavior. Early maturing girls think about sex more often, go out with boys, feel to be more sexually experienced in comparison to their peers and feel to be more popular among boys and girls.
Key words: menarche, drugs, sexual behavior
pp. 287-290
Emília FICKOVÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The contribution analyzes the results of a comparison of two coping scales - Coping Scale for Children and Youth (Brodzinsky et al., 1992) and KIDCOPE (Spirito et al., 1988) administered to 166 high school freshmen and juniors. The first scale identifies four coping strategies. KIDCOPE identifies ten strategies. In the study, we discuss the differences between girls and boys in terms of their preference for coping strategies and the relationships between the strategies under study. Psychometric relationships of coping methods used are described.
Key words: coping strategies, coping scales
pp. 291-296
Emília FICKOVÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: In the framework of a more broadly focused research project, we analyzed coping behavior in relation to self-concept in freshmen and junior high school students (137 girls and 63 boys, aged 14-18 yrs.). We used the COPE inventory (Carver et al., 1989) and the Frankfurt Self-Concept Scales (Deusinger, 1986). The analysis of intersexual differences revealed a greater number of significant positive relationships between self-concept scales and problem-focused strategies in girls. Significant relationships between emotion-focused strategies and self-concept scales were more frequent in boys. Considering the entire sample, we found reliable predictors of coping behavior in the assessment of the overall performance ability, general problem coping and certainty in behavior and decision making.
Key words: coping with stress, self-concept
pp. 297-302
Michal STRÍŽENEC, Imrich RUISEL
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: Relationships between variables which characterize religious experiencing (coping styles and religious orientation) and the Big Five personality factors were studied. 450 subjects - adolescents, mean age 16.8 yrs. participated in the research project. The study found that in boys the religious coping style of deferring correlates significantly negatively with the factor Openness. In girls, the factor Openness correlates positively with the collaborative style. The results indicate that religious experiencing can also be influenced by the individual's personality structure.
Key words: coping, religious styles, personality, adolescents
pp. 303-307
Eva FARKAŠOVÁ
Research Institute of Child Psychology and Pathopsychology, Trnavská
cesta 112, 821 08 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: We compared a group of highly successful pupils (N = 26) with a group of least successful ones (N = 26) in expanded grade school classes with special foreign language focus. The aim was to determine coping strategies using the Adaptive Behavior Questionnaire and personality tendencies using the B-J.E.P.I. The contribution presents results which characterize the individual groups.
Key words: extended education, successful pupils, coping
strategy, personality tendencies
pp. 308-311
Marta JURÈOVÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The general effects of humor on decreasing tension and aggression are known (Singer, Mueller & Donnerstein, Koyš, Kuiper & Martin, and others). There is gathered tension, even aggression in a conflictogeneous statement. We made an effort to find the effects of humor on a conflictive statement of one of the actors in everyday life situations. The subjects had to create humorous captions for each situation. Since the characteristic strategy of creative individuals involves changing views, using a new approach and a new direction in solving a problem, our aim was to obtain a response to the question whether high degree of creativity will be reflected in humorous solving of a conflictive situation. The manner used and problems in the creation of conflictive situations, conflictogeneous statements and quantification of the degree of humor in the responses are presented.
Key words: humor, creativity, conflictive situations
pp. 312-316
Daniela KUSÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The study is aimed at the relationship between creativity and figurative expressions - metaphors and proverbs - within two areas: 1) figurative expressions as creative products, and 2) figurative expressions as the tools of communication. Unusualness and ingenuity of metaphors and proverbs are considered as to their potential for coping with situational diversity, ambiguity and complexity, with the emphasis on the elements of creativity in everyday communication.
Key words: figurative expressions, creativity, wisdom,
ambiguity, diversity
pp. 317-320
¼ubica ŠTUBÒOVÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The contribution presents partial results of a broadly conceptualized research project focused on creative climate. In particular, we: 1) offer a view of the high and low creative respondents' subjective perception of supporting ideas in the context of creative climate dimensions; 2) analyze the role of predictors of creative personality, such as dominance, social boldness, openness toward changes, imaginativeness and perfectionism, in the perception of this climate characteristics.
Key words: creative climate, creativity, personality
characteristics
pp. 321-325
Tomáš KOVÁÈ
Research Institute of Child Psychology and Pathopsychology, Trnavská
cesta 112, 82 102 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: Creativity, as a specifically human trait, is not only interconnected, influenced and conditioned by several phenomena of the "functioning" of the psyche but in many cases it itself determines them. It is known from scientific literature that extrovert children with a sense of humor, popular among their peers, are more creative. In our study we made an effort to verify select relationships between creativity in prosocial behavior and sense of humor. We verified this with the aim to identify prosocial behavior. Our sample consisted of 5th (N=23) and 6th (N=24) grade children from a secondary school in Bratislava. To identify creativity, we used the second subtest of the TTTM figural version and Urban's creativity test. To determine the tendencies to behave prosocially, we used the SOCAG untraditional semiprojective method by V. Doèkal. in addition to the total score of prosocial behavior, aggressive and prosocial behavior can also be differentiated using this method. In addition, we also used a sociometric method in order to identify popularity of our subjects among their peers. Finally, J.A. Thorson and F.C. Powell's Sense of Humor scale was administered. It is loaded by four factors of which (to small a number of items, in our opinion) cannot be assessed separately. The result is thus a total score for 2 factors: 1) reaching social goals using humor and 2) coping with problems through humor. The results indicate a connection between the phenomena under study and creativity and vice versa.
Key words: creativity, prosocial behavior, aggression,
social status, humor
pp. 326-330
Marek FALAT
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The study concentrates on one of the Big Five factors - openness to experience - and its relationship with creativity, in other words, creative personality. It is based on theoretical concepts as well as on empirical findings indicating their mutual interconnection. Openness to experience often appears in the lists characterizing creative individuals. At the same time, individuals who score high in the openness dimension are described as being curious, imaginative, flexible and creative. On the other hand, those who are at the lower range of this dimension are rather conservative, rigid and down to earth. Openness can be understood not only as a dimension describing intrapsychological variability in the structure and functioning of the mind but also as a variable which, to a great degree, affects interpersonal processes.
Key words: creativity, creative personality, Big Five,
openness, coping
pp. 331-334
Alena POTAŠOVÁ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: In the research which examines the effects of polluted environment on cognitive functions of children at the time of entering school, two groups of children are under study: the so-called affected group (N = 47) of children who are growing up in an environment which contains industrial toxins (arsenic oxide, vinylchloride monomer, vinylacetate, chlorobenzene, sulfuric and nitrogen oxides, mercury and other metals) and control group children (N = 33) from a relatively clean environment. Preliminary results usually indicate slightly (statistically nonsignificant) poorer performance of the affected children in selected tasks. Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in "picture naming" and in motor function tasks.
Key words: cognitive processes, behavioral toxicology,
school readiness
pp. 335-338
Damián KOVÁÈ
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dúbravská cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: Longitudinal research with children affected by industrial neurotoxins (A. Potašová et al.) has revealed several handicaps of these children compared with the control group. Most important were differences in sensorymotor functions, attention and memory. Since these psychological functions play an important role in learning, our research aim was to experimentally verify their relationship as a whole. In this experiment we used our own method of learning associations of numbers with simple pictures, meaningless words and common nouns. In addition to the required response, the subjects were to write the degree of certainty with the correctness of their response. The hypothesis that the affected children will not perform as successfully as the control group was confirmed.
Key words: Environment, learning, subjective certainty
- uncertainty
pp. 339-342
Jozef VÝROST, Miroslav FRANKOVSKÝ
Institute of Social Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Karpatská
5, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The NOSTRA 1 method (experimental version was used to verify the assumption concerning the transsituational stability of the Differentiation of Social and Personal Norms model - the IDP - (injunctive-descriptive-personal level). The model, the empiric validity of which was verified in a previous research study (Výrost, Baumgartner, 1998), presupposes, thus, the existence of three levels of normative beliefs (Lovaš, 1998). In the presented research study, we made an effort to find the answer to the question a) whether the differentiation of these three levels of norms is reflected in different situations and b) whether it is reflected, to a certain degree, in an intraindividually stable way. The results did confirm the formulated assumptions.
Key words: social, injunctive, descriptive, and personal
norms; IDP model
pp. 343-347
Ladislav LOVAŠ, František BAUMGARTNER
Institute of Social Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Karpatská
5, 040 00 Košice, Slovak Republic
Abstract: In a sample of norms related to basic human and civil rights, the influence of the expression of norms (explicitly expressed and implicit norms) on their cognitive representation distinguishing injunctive, descriptive and personal norms (IDP model) was studied. It was hypothesized that there will be a stronger acceptation of formally determined explicit norms and a differentiation of injunctive, descriptive and personal norms independently of the form of expression of the basic rule (explicit vs. implicit norms). The manner of the expression of the norms was revealed to be an important factor in their perception. The explicit norms were assessed as being more binding in all parts of the IDP model, i.e. they were perceived as the more binding rules (the injunctive norms), as the more respected rules (the descriptive ones) and as the personally more accepted rules (the personal ones). As expected, identical elements were found in the injunctive, descriptive and personal norms and in their general configuration, in the explicitly determined norms as well as the implicit ones. The results are interpreted in the context of the differentiation of types of social and personal norms.
Key words: explicit vs. implicit norms, social vs. personal
norms, IDP model
pp. 348-351
Beáta MIHINOVÁ
Institute of Social Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Karpatská
5, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The contribution acquaints the reader with research concerning common dilemmas solutions in the context of social norms. The main aim of the research is to create methodology for indicating those individuals who, in solving dilemma situations, differentiate between personal, descriptive and injunctive norms. Attention is focused on examination of separate norm types configurations at interindividual level in selected dilemmas.
Key words: dilemma, social dilemma, social norms
pp. 352-356
Martin BABÍK
Institute of Social Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Karpatská
5, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The aim of this study is the psychometric verification of the "Subjective Emotional Balance Questionnaire (DEP 36)" which is a method we are using to demonstrate the efficacy of virtual reality or mixed reality (touching real objects which the patients also saw in VR). We suppose, that the experience stimulated by virtual reality will correspond to the experiences of real life gained in similar situations and the information gained this way will be relevant. The internal structure of the DEP 36 involved checking on the data of 166 women and 50 men. The results of the factor analysis confirmed the extraction of two factors - positive and negative experience.
Key words: virtual reality, psychometry, emotionality
pp. 357-360
Peter BAJAN
Institute of Social Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Karpatská
5, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic
Abstract: New information and communication technologies (ICT), like Internet, hypermedia or mobile communication, critically influence the ways we work, live, communicate or behave. The article presents research opportunities for social scientists exploring the social norms issues of human behavior as well as interesting outcomes published by Western researchers of computer mediated communication and virtual communities.
Key words: virtual communities, norms, virtual interactions,
reciprocity
pp. 361-366
Mária HOMIŠINOVÁ
Institute of Social Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Karpatská
5, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The goal of the research was to disclose the influence of explicitly expressed legal norms dealing with ethnic minorities in practice and to determine their reflection in the mind of the members of Slovak majority and Hungarian minority. From the methodological point of view, in order to meet our research goal we used the broadened model of differentiation of types of social (injunctive and descriptive) and personal norms in the frame of implicit theories of social norms.
Key words: social norms, ethnicity, norms of inter-ethnic
relations
pp. 367-371
Marta POPELKOVÁ
University of Constantine the Philosopher, Piaristická
10, 94901 Nitra, Slovak Republic
Abstract: We discuss the research dealing with the possibilities of influencing some of the inter- and intrapersonal characteristics of the personality of students - future teachers by means of a specific intervention program: the social-psychological training (SPT). Research group N = 78. After the application of SPT we noticed in the characteristics under study a statistically significant increase in the scales which is the reflection of a direct, independent, cooperative, responsible and open behavior.
Key words: social-psychological training, social abilities,
teachers, social learning
pp. 372-376
Marek DOBEŠ
Department of Psychology, Košice, Faculty of Arts, Prešov
University
Abstract: The text contributes to the personality - situation debate on the influence of human behavior. It explores selected characteristics of situations and their relation to consistency of behavior. Research was conducted with a sample of 150 high-school students. The questionnaire consisted of 14 stimuli situations. The respondents were to report their usual behavior in these situations. Furthermore, they were to mark their perception of each situation on 8 bipolar scales. Two measures of consistency were used for comparison. There were significant correlations with the applied measures of consistency in five of eight selected situational characteristics (perceived cognitive demands, certainty, emotional load, intentionality, limited behavioral options).
Key words: situation, behavior, consistency, perception
pp. 377-381