Electronic Library of Scientific Literature
Electronic Library of Scientific Literature
Milan BRICHCIN, Robert RACHARDZO
Institute of Psychology, Charles University,
Celetna 20, 118 42 Prague 1, Czech Republic
Abstract: The study and modelling of artificial intelligence systems has approached very closely the themes that psychological research tries to explain: intentional behavior in human individuals and groups. Differences, however, exist in what concerns the interpretation of the content of relevant theoretical concepts, and the modelling of human planning processes. Many computer scientists use interchangeably some terms (concepts) that are carefully differentiated by psychologists: Program, Plan, Intention, Goal. Program, as a set of coherent rules and instructions, determines causally the executive activities of the system. Intentional planning of actions includes not only the causal relations, but purposive and instrumental relations as well. CONSCIOUSNESS enables human mutual linking of cognitive, conative, and emotional self-monitoring and integration of the actual experiences with contents called up from individual memory (from the "unconsciousness"). Neither goal-setting alone nor decomposition of the main goal into a set of successive subgoals enable performing a prompt, precise and variable execution of complicated human activities (like communication with partners).
Key words: Artificial, intelligence, model of "action
space", programming of actions, intentional planning, consciousness
pp. 57-61
Alexandra PROKOPCAKOVA
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of
Sciences,
Dubravska cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: In the research, we studied the interactions between the type of situation, coping style, gender and dynamic characteristics of personality (anxiety and aggression). We administered the Multi-Situation Multi- Reaction Inventory (MS-MR - Olah, Magnusson, Torestad, 1982) to 204 (81 males and 123 females) 17 year old high school students. The results achieved in our sample of adolescents indicate that escape coping with anxiety provoking situations relates to the increased level of anxiety and aggression but not systematically in all types of the situations studied. The study indicated that the coping strategies are not the static dispositions of individuals and they are not determined by the situation itself but represent a process in which personality interacts with perceived characteristics of the situation.
Key words: Anxiety, aggression, coping, anxiety provoking situations
pp. 63-71
Eva SOVCIKOVA
Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine,
Limbova 14, 833 01 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: A sample of 395 9-10 year old children from 5 areas in a larger city was used in order to determine the level of lead in blood. The sample consisted of children living in the same area of the city since birth without any serious health problems detected to date. The children underwent a complete psychological and psychophysiological examination. Most authors consider a level of blood lead of >= 100micro/l to be a risk factor since it causes a decrease in cognitive performance. Spearman's correlation coefficients revealed a statistically significant relationship between blood lead and performance in motor attention tasks (Bender), visual memory tasks (Benton's test), mental non verbal tasks (Raven test) and behavior in school scale (P<0.05 - 0.001). Regression lines expressed the trend and strength of correlation relationships. Not very high but significant relationships prove that there is a connection between PbB and task performance. However, the results are influenced, to a great degree, by other external factors. It concerns the significantly increased negative behavior of children in school as well as negative correlation between intelligence tasks and PbB.
Key words: Low-level lead, mental performance, behavioral toxicology
pp. 73-80
Viliam BIRO, Robert STUKOVSKY
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dubravska cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The study presents the results of the examination of handedness in 2 groups of school children aged 9 to 10 years, living in Central Slovakia, and differing only as to the region of birth and growing up. One region is highly polluted by industrial pollutants (such as As, Mn, Pb, Cd, NO[x], SO[x] and vinylchloride): Here lives the "Affected group" (AG, n=83). The "Control Group" (CG, n=80) comes from the other region which is relatively non-contaminated. We measured lateral asymmetry of handedness with regard to the characteristics stability (tremor), speed (tapping), accuracy (dotting), and sensorimotor coordination (tracing). The size of the lateral difference was expressed as a Laterality Score (LS = right minus left) for every child and task. It was found that children from the polluted region show significantly greater lateral differences, especially for tremor and tracing (no. of deviations); on the other hand, bilateral asymmetry was lower for the number of correct hits in the dotting task.
Key words: Handedness, neurotoxin pollution, lateral asymmetry
pp. 81-87
Damian KOVAC, et al.
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Dubravska cesta 9, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Abstract: This short information is only a brief report (conference contribution) about an extensive semi-longitudinal research in which children (3-11 years old) were studied with respect to the relationship between the crystallization of lateral preference and cognitive functions. The study presents only results concerning skill development using the tracing method according to H.J. Steingruber (1971) and a method that we ourselves chose, consisting of building a tower from cubes and two- handed plugging the cube parts. The results show a natural distribution of righ-left handed motor performances in preschool children, but mainly a significant "impact" of school training for right handed preference.
Key words: Laterality, left-handers, semi-longitudinal research, tracing, bi-manual test of handedness
pp. 89-92
Jozef VYROST, Ladislav LOVAS, Frantisek BAUMGARTNER, Eva BOLFIKOVA, Miroslav FRANKOVSKY, Slavka HADUSOVSKA
Institute of Social Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Karpatska 5, 040 01 Kosice, Slovak Republic
Abstract: The present study is aimed to analyze empirical research regarding classification of demanding life situations. On the basis of respondents' free descriptions, a list of 64 situations was constructed. In selection of situations we systematically altered 8 variants of context (i.e. different content topics) and 4 types of subjects (i.e. different actors of events). 106 respondents provided the similarity ratings of described situations (data for MDS and cluster analysis). Then they rated the degree of demandingness of situations by utilizing a bipolar scale and the Q-Sort technique. The results strongly support relevancy of both, context and subject frameworks for attempts of classification of demanding life situations. The findings also indicate some sex differences in this area.
Key words: Demanding life situations, classification, context framework, subject of problem, sex differences
pp. 93-106
Christopher ORPEN
Dorset Business School, Bournemouth University,
Christchurch Rd., Dorset BH 1 3LG, England
Abstract: 94 Australian business graduates completed measures of perceived socialization tactics during their initial few months in their first job after graduation. Three years later in the same firms, they completed a measure of career satisfaction, and indicated how much their salary had grown and how many promotions they had received over this period. Perceived individualized tactics were significantly positively related to career satisfaction, whilst perceived institutionalized tactics were significantly negatively related. However, neither of these tactics were related to either salary growth or promotions received. Implications of these findings for the socialization of managers are discussed.
Key words: Socialization tactics, career satisfaction, individual tactics, institutional tactics
pp. 107-110
Renu OHRI, Dalip MALHOTRA
Department of Psychology, Himachal Pradesh University,
Summer-Hill, Shimla-171005, India
Abstract: The present study aims at investigating the effect of induced motivation on neurotics and stables in three problem-solving tasks. All three problems were solved with a time limit and then the scores were combined to obtain a composite index of performance. The sample comprised of 120 university women and 120 working women, equated for intelligence, who were assigned to meet the requirement of 2x2x2 between group factorial design. The data was analyzed by ANOVA. The findings are: 1) The stable group performs significantly better than the neurotic group, 2) Induced motivation in the form of ego-oriented instructions boost the performance, and 3) The interaction between motivation x working status significantly indicates that only university women stand to gain under motivating conditions.
Key words: Induced motivation, neuroticism, problem solving, working status
pp. 111-116
Damian KOVAC et al.
Abstract: Three contributions to the history of psychology in Czecho-Slovakia were published in the previous volumes of this journal. The time has come to give some information on the recent state of psychology in one post-communist country, however, on organizational activities only.
Key words: Changes in Slovak psychology, psychological
organizations, legislative regulation of routine jobs
pp. 117-122