Title: SPIRITUALITY, QUALITY OF LIFE, DEPRESSION AND DEMENTIA

Submission code: VP_162

Authors: Océane Agli

Abstract: This study aimed to observe dementia’s role in the relationship between spirituality, quality of life, and depression in aging. The sample included 61 participants between 65 and 98 years old, separated into two groups: participants diagnosed with dementia (N=31) and control participants (N=30). There was no significant difference in spirituality between demented and control participants; however, different patterns of correlation were observed between spirituality, depression, and quality of life in these groups. Although the level of spirituality did not differ despite dementia, this pathology would appear to play a role in the relationship between spirituality, quality of life, and depression.

Keywords: Dementia, depression, elderly, quality of life, spirituality.

File Extension: MP4 (.mp4)

 

 

 

Title: COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS AND EMOTION REGULATION AMONG POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER VICTIMS

Submission code: OP_244

Authors: Nawal Ouhmad, Nicolas Combalbert, & Wissam El-Hage

Abstract: Many authors have studied the links between cognition and emotions, including the links between cognitive distortions and emotional cognitive regulation strategies. Nevertheless, the explorations of these two instances in a clinical population presenting a posttraumatic stress disorder have very little been explored. The literature on this subject suggests that a specific profile could emerge in these subjects compared to a different clinical population and / or non-clinical. 184 subjects divided into three groups (60 subjects exposed to a traumatic event with PTSD, 61 subjects exposed to a traumatic event without PTSD, 63 control subjects) passed the CERQ, PCL-5 and a cognitive distortions scale.
The main results, which are preliminary results. highlight the presence of a profile distinguishing subjects with PTSD. They have difficulties in managing their emotions, as well as increased use of cognitive distortions, but they do not use them the most. The results lead us to question the cognitive functioning of people with PTSD but also the importance and consequences of therapeutic and drug monitoring of these patients.

Keywords: Cognitive distortions, cognitive emotional regulation, psychic trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder.

File Extension: MP4 (.mp4)

 

 

Title: POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM, SATISFACTION AND THE UNPLUGGED PROGRAM AMONG SLOVAK SCHOOLCHILDREN

Submission code: VP_132

Authors: Olga Orosova, Maria Bacikova-Sleskova, & Beata Gajdosova Lamrabat, & Samira Boulbaroud

Abstract: Background: The aims of this study were to explore the changes in schoolchildren’s positive self-esteem, satisfaction with themselves and their surroundings following the Unplugged program as well as the indirect effect of Unplugged on satisfaction through self-esteem. Method: In the school year 2013/2014, the program Unplugged was implemented in Slovak primary schools. The study was carried out as a cluster randomized controlled trial with data collection conducted immediately before program implementation (T1), immediately after program implementation (T2), and at three months (T3) after program implementation. The program included 1195 participating schoolchildren (M=11.52; 47.4% boys). The schools were randomly assigned to an experimental (n=540) and control group (n=655). The experimental group was exposed to the program Unplugged which consisted of 12 lessons (http://www.eudap.net/). The effect of participating in Unplugged and gender was explored through the changes in positive self-esteem and satisfaction with themselves and surroundings. This was followed across the three contact points at the baseline (T1) and two follow-up measures (T2, T3) with group (experimental/control) and gender as the between-subject factors. GLM Repeated Measures were used for the data analyses. The indirect effects of the group (experimental/control) on satisfaction through self-esteem were explored using the Hayes’ PROCESS tool. In order to explore whether the indirect effect was moderated by gender, separate analyses were performed on each respective part of the data. Results: There was a significant main effect of time measures on the self-esteem expressed by the schoolchildren. The contrast analysis revealed that positive self-esteem was significantly higher at the second follow-up (T3) than at the first follow-up test (T2). There was a significant interaction effect between self-esteem and the group. This effect indicated that the level of self-esteem differed between the participants and non-participants of the Unplugged program. The contrast analysis revealed that positive self-esteem was significantly higher at the second follow-up (T3) than at the baseline test (T1) among the participants of the Unplugged program. The partial indirect effects of the group (experimental/control) on satisfaction through self-esteem was found at the second follow-up test (T3) among girls. Conclusion: The results have confirmed a short-term effect of the Unplugged program in increasing the positive self-esteem of schoolchildren, as well as an indirect effect of satisfaction in girls through positive self-esteem three months after program implementation.

Keywords: Unplugged program, self-esteem, satisfaction, schoolchildren.

File Extension: Windows Media Audio/Video file (.wmv)

 

Title: PSYCHOLOGICAL LITERACY OF TEACHERS IN THE ROLE OF YOUTH MENTORS

Submission code: VP_160

Authors: Marianna Berinšterová, Katarína Fuchsová, & Monika Magdová

Abstract: The concept of psychological literacy is important in education, but its use is lacking in Slovakia as well as mentoring relationships in school environment. Psychological literacy is defined as the ability to understand basic psychological principles and the ability to use these principles in practice. Mentoring of youth is understood as the existence of a nonparental significant adult who provides social support. Knowledge and skills needed for this role as part of psychological literacy should be included in the curriculum of education students.
The aim of the contribution was to explore the understanding of psychological literacy of teachers in Slovakia in terms of knowledge, competencies and attitudes, specifically for the role of the natural mentor of pupils.
Three focus groups were conducted with 18, 20 and 24 participants (82% of women; Mage=41,4; 68% of teachers have 15-20 years of practice) and two moderators in three regions of Slovakia. Participants were primary and secondary school teachers, selected based on willingness to participate in the research.
Six theoretical areas of psychological literacy were identified: (1) respecting psychological patterns in pedagogical practice; (2) counselling interview (3) competencies for cooperation in the school context; (4) commitment to the teaching profession; (5) life skills (critical thinking; self-regulation; social competence); (6) ability to handle stressful situations. These six theoretical areas will be the base for the Q-methodology creation and further for the preparation of theoretical model of psychological literacy of teachers.
Research will also contribute to the innovation of the psychological training of future teachers at universities in Slovakia. The understanding of the concept of mentoring in the school context and the role of a teacher as a mentor is discussed.

Keywords: Psychological literacy, teachers, education, mentoring.

File Extension: AVI (.avi)

 

Title: PARENTAL STRATEGIES AND ADOLESCENTS’ PROBLEM BEHAVIOUR IN SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT: THE MEDIATION EFFECT OF RULES INTERNALIZATION

Submission code: VP_221

Authors: Ondrej Kalina, & Maria Bacikova

Abstract: Research regarding parent-child processes has demonstrated that rules set up by parents towards their children plays protective role in problem behaviour in school environment. However, recent studies have revealed inconsistent associations among parental strategies which parents used to set up the rules and adolescents’ problem behaviour. This study explores two different parenting strategies of rules setting to test the hypothesis that an autonomy-supportive strategy would relate negatively, whereas controlling strategy would relate positively, to adolescents problem behaviour. Moreover, mediation analyse was explored to test whether associations among parenting strategies and adolescents’ problem behaviour could be explained by level of internalization of parental rules.
A cross-sectional representative dataset from elementary schools was used (N = 581, M =13.5 years, SD = 0.59, 51.7% of boys). Problem behaviour of adolescent were measured by 21 items scale (e.g. “Did you take something what did not belongs to you?”). Two types of parental strategies were explored: (1) autonomy – supportive strategy was measured by 7 items scale (e.g. “My father/mother allows me to make decision by my own”); (2) controlling strategy was measured by 8 items scale (e.g.”My father/mother reminds me my previous mistakes when criticizing me”). Internalization of parenting rules was assessed by 22 items questionnaire which consist from four separate scales (1) identification; (2) introjection; (3) external regulation and (4) rebellion. Linear regression models and mediation analyses were used for data analysis in SPSS 21.
As it was predicated the parenting strategies were significantly associated with level of problem behaviour of adolescents. Higher autonomy-supportive strategy by mother and father was related with less problem behaviour (B = -0.124* in mothers; B = -0.147* in fathers). On the other hand, higher controlling strategy by mother and father was related to higher rates of problem behaviour (B = 0.172* in mothers, B = 0.201* in fathers). The association among autonomy – supportive strategy and problem behaviour was partially mediated by identification (-1.461***) and by introjection (-0.0721*). The association among controlling strategy and problem behaviour was partially mediated by rebellion (0.0953***).
The results of this study point to importance of parental strategies in adolescence period as autonomy and controlling ways of setting rules may have opposite effect on problem behaviour. Moreover, both strategies impact the processes of rules internalization (identification, introjection and rebellion) which seems to be very important in this context.

Keywords: Internalization, problem behaviour, parental strategies, psychological control.

File Extension: AVI (.avi)

 

 

Title: VIOLENCE AGAINST TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT: AN EXPLORATIVE STUDY

Submission code: VP_075

Authors: Isabella Corradini, & Assunta Marano

Abstract: Violence in school against teachers is a current problem characterized by complex dynamics (Espelage et al., 2013; Mc Mahon et al., 2014), and can take many forms, from verbal assaults to psychological and physical attacks.
Our study has explored the teachers’ perception and their experiences with respect to this phenomenon. The tool used for the study is composed by a questionnaire (QUIVAT, Questionnaire investigating Violence Against Teacher, Corradini and Marano, 2018) supplemented by focus group discussions to better analyze teachers’ safety in the school environment, the characteristics of their specific workplace, their proposals about prevention measures.
Four primary and four upper secondary schools in a major European city (included 54 teachers: 24 of them from primary and 30 from secondary schools) were involved in the study.
We conducted data collection and integrated analysis (ATLAS.ti; IBM SPSS) by reducing the data into themes through a process of coding and condensing the codes in seven categories. The outcomes of this exploratory study show that 63.4% of teachers, at all school levels, has experienced some forms of school-related violence, and the verbal type is the one they are most exposed to. Regression analysis indicates that the causes of the problem are mainly attributed to situational and social/environmental factors.
We discuss these results considering also the self-reported health implications by those teachers exposed to the violence and the importance of prevention measures. 

Keywords: Violence, school, stress, victimization, prevention.

File Extension: AVI (.avi)

 

Title: ATTITUDES OF CITIZENS TO THE POLICY OF HOMELESSNESS IN ST. PETERSBURG

Submission code: VP_101

Authors: Andrey Zaytsev, & Olga Medyanik

Abstract: The problem of homelessness in Saint-Petersburg is very acute at the moment. According to statistics, there are estimated 12 000 homeless people in the streets, with that number growing every year. This problem relates to studies in social and political psychology. A psychological research was conducted, aimed at researching socio- psychological characteristics and features of homelessness so that a typology of homeless people can be created in order to socialize them. Preparatory stage of this study was a through observation of homeless people, including an in-depth interview for a better study. At this point, following types of homeless people were proposed: hustlers, vagrants, people ready for change, people not ready for change, escapists using drugs and alcohol, and reasons for losing home were identified as well. Taking results of preparatory stage into account, the design of main study was made, including a scale multi-factor questionnaire. 60 homeless people in Saint- Petersburg were surveyed. They were asked to evaluate the scale of agreement with statements divided into blocks. Blocks were formed from different spheres in order to capture all the psychological reasons for becoming homeless. Among others, there was family block to evaluate the family relationships, block of dependency on alcohol or drugs, block of socialization to evaluate readiness to embrace change, block of mental disorders.
Exploratory factor analysis of questionnaire data united the signs of factors, which we gave following names: factor of readiness/not readiness to accept change, factor of family conflict in childhood, factor of divorce/leaving/isolation from family, factor of forgetfulness or capacity to leave relationships, adventurer factor, vagrancy factor, alcoholism due to post-traumatic disorder. Psychological features of homelessness in the following study are seen in the boundaries of psychological science as evading risk, danger, threat, responsibility, overcoming fear, as a way to escape reality creating personal defense mechanism against internal and external threats and fears. The questionnaire for homelessness helps identify and predict psychological and sociological features which can leave the person on the streets and thrown out of society, which can help create patterns for socializing homeless people and preventing homelessness in Saint-Petersburg.

Keywords: Homeless people types, psychological reasons for homelessness, vagrancy, problem of socializing homeless people.

File Extension: AVI (.avi)

 

Title: ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AND WORK ENGAGEMENT OF DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING EMPLOYEES: DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES

Submission code: VP_144

Authors: Biljana Maleš Mutić, Svetlana Čizmić, Milica Vukelić, & Ivana B. Petrović

Abstract: The management of workforce diversity has been attracting attention among researchers and practitioners in the field of work and organizational psychology over the past ten years. Nevertheless, little is known whether existing concepts, theoretical models and assessment approaches could explain to the utmost work behaviour of minority employees. Work engagement is a positive, affective-motivational state of work-related well-being characterized by vigor, dedication and absorption. As it is deeply embedded in Job Demands–Resources Model (JD–R), it is usually an outcome of job resources such as positive work climate and organizational support. Such supportive climate could be crucial in integrating and supporting diverse workers. It could be particularly challenging to shape the proper form of organizational support for employees that use different channels of communication.
The current study explored the relationship between Work Engagement and Perceived Organizational Support among 101 hard of hearing and deaf persons working at different organizations in Serbia. These concepts were measured with Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS) in paper and pencil form, supported by video translation in Serbian sign language.
Perceived organizational support significantly positively correlated with work engagement in the entire sample of hard of hearing and deaf employees (r = 0.35, p < .001). Nevertheless, when subsamples were divided by the degree of hearing impairment (56-70dB; 71-90dB; more than 91dB), the correlation persisted only among employees with the hearing impairment between 71-90dB (r = 0.64, p < .001). The correlation was insignificant in groups of employees with the hearing impairment between 56-70dB and with the hearing impairment of more than 91dB. The significant differences in levels of work engagement were found only between the employees with the hearing impairment between 56-70dB (M = 37.55, SD = 7.06) and employees with the hearing impairment of more than 91dB (M = 43.53, SD = 6.45); F(2,84) = 5.189, p < 0.01.
The results were discussed in the context of complex interplay between level of impairment, work engagement and properly shaped organizational support. The research is solid standpoint for deeper and further research of these concepts within sensitive working populations and provides research input for diversity management.

Keywords: Hard of hearing and deaf employees, work engagement, perceived organizational support, diversity management, Serbia.

File Extension: Windows Media Audio/Video file (.wmv)

 

Title: ALCOHOL USE IN ASSOCIATION WITH UNORGANIZED SOCIAL ACTIVITIES IN FREE TIME AND ACCESSIBILITY OF ALCOHOL AMONG EARLY ADOLESCENTS

Submission code: VP_161

Authors: Lenka Abrinkova, Olga Orosová, Maria Bacikova-Sleskova, & Marcela Štefaňáková

Abstract: Objectives: This study aimed to explore the role of unorganized social activities in free time and the accessibility of alcohol in explaining alcohol use in the past 30 days among early adolescents.
Methods: A representative sample of 653 (52.9% girls) early adolescents (mean age =11.72 at T1; mean age = 13.09 at T5) was collected within a five-wave longitudinal design with a baseline (T1), 3-month follow up (T2), 6-month follow-up (T3), 12-month follow-up (T4) and 15-month follow-up (T5) measurement. Alcohol use in the past 30 days and accessibility of alcohol was measured by the questionnaire of the international study ESPAD. Student´s free time activities questionnaire was also used from ESPAD to represent unorganized social activities. Respondent´s alcohol use (dichotomized: 0-not used, 1-used) served as the outcome variable and accessibility of alcohol and unorganized social activities served as the independent variables. Binary logistic regressions were used to analyse the data at every measurement period. The role of gender as a potential moderator of alcohol use was further addressed. Alcohol use at T1 was used as a control variable.
Findings: In each of the 5 measurement points, both accessibility of alcohol and participation in unorganized social activities increased the probability of alcohol use while controlling for alcohol use at T1. Gender differences in alcohol use were found at T1 with boys reporting higher alcohol use than girls. Moreover, a moderation effect of gender and accessibility of alcohol on alcohol use was confirmed at T1 showing that the probability of alcohol use was the highest for the girls with a high accessibility to alcohol.
Conclusions: This study contributes to the current knowledge regarding predictors of alcohol use among early adolescents.

Keywords: Alcohol drinking, unorganized social activities, alcohol accessibility.

File Extension: MP4 (.mp4)

 

Title: INCREASING CAPACITY IN WORK WITH WAR VICTIMS AND MIGRANTS: PRAGMATIC EMPOWERMENT TRAINING (PET)

Submission code: VP_171

Authors: Charles David Tauber, & Sandra Marić

Abstract: According to a variety of publications and in our experience, there is a very large deficit in the number of people available to work with the psychological traumas of war and migration and other disasters, primarily those created by humans. While symptoms of such traumas may be relieved by drugs to some degree, drug treatment does not solve the basic issues. The consequences are a lack of functionality of the victims of trauma at various levels, as well as increased physical illness. Further, the training and employment of professionals is costly and time-consuming. In work by the first author since 1988 with asylum seekers and refugees in The Netherlands and since 1995 in the Western Balkans, we have found that “barefoot therapists”, aka “peer supporters” from the beneficiary communities can be trained using participatory methods in about 150 hours to provide at very least first-line assistance using methods based on Carl Rogers’ participatory education model. This also has the advantage of greater acceptance by the beneficiaries, especially in situations in which psychological treatment is stigmatized.

Keywords: Psychological trauma treatment, war trauma, peer support, asylum seekers, integration.

File Extension: MP4 (.mp4)

 

Title: MIGRATION FACTORS RELATED TO EMIGRATION INTENTIONS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN SLOVAKIA

Submission code: VP_168

Authors: Bohuš Hajduch, Olga Orosová, & Marcela Štefaňáková

Abstract: Background: In Slovakia, there has been an increase in the number of students who aim to move abroad. We hypothesized that experience with living abroad might increase the likelihood of emigration intentions because people (in this study, university students) with migration experience might feel more confident after carrying out and experiencing their emigration intentions.
Objectives: The main objective of this study was to explore whether factors such as emigration self-efficacy (ESE), evaluation of migration experience (EME) and the frequency of migration experience (FME) are related to the emigration intentions (EI) of young people (under 30 years old) in Slovakia. The moderation effect of gender in the relationship between the independent variables and dependent variable (EI) was also tested.
Methods: The sample consisted of 474 university students from Slovakia (M=22.4, SD=2.13) from which 76.8% were women, all participating in the Student Life Cohort Study (SLiCE 2016) which mostly focuses on the emigration/migration intentions and risk behaviour of university students. The data for this sample were collected via an online survey. Standard multiple regression was used and the analysis was adjusted for gender.
Findings: Our model explained 26.1% of the variance in EI. ESE was found to make the largest unique contribution to explaining emigration intentions (β=0.373, pα˂0.001) followed by EME (β=0.138, pα˂0.05) and FME (β=0.121, pα˂0.05). Therefore, higher emigration self-efficacy, more positive migration experience and more frequent migration experience all have a positive unique effect on EI. Gender was not significant so we couldn’t confirm the moderation effect of gender in the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable (EI).
Conclusion: We found that emigration self-efficacy, evaluation of migration experience and the frequency of migration experience were related to emigration intentions among young people in Slovakia. These results contribute to a better understanding of the role of these factors in explaining emigration behaviour among young people in Slovakia.

Keywords: Emigration intentions, emigration self-efficacy, migration experience, university students.

File Extension: Windows Media Audio/Video file (.wmv)

 

Title:WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPS AS A SYMPTOM OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND A LEVER FOR CULTURE TRANSFORMATION

Submission code: VP_203

Authors: Olga Tararukhina

Abstract: This theoretical paper proposes an original approach to transforming organizational culture through the lever of workplace relationships. It explores the concept of organizational culture at five levels, from the most visible to the most deep and fundamental, the complexity of workplace relationships, their kinds and types. It further articulates how workplace relationships appear as a symptom of organizational culture, and how culture, both societal and organizational, influences interpersonal relationships at work, as well as lives in those relationships, and how a company’s culture can be influenced and transformed through workplace relationships. 

Keywords: Organizational culture, workplace relationship, professional relationship.

File Extension: QuickTime Movie (.mov)

 

Title: CYBERBULLYING VS. TRADITIONAL BULLYING – DO VICTIMS REACT DIFFERENTLY?

Submission code: VP_210

Authors: Meyran Boniel-Nissim

Abstract: Bullying is a deliberate use of force or coercion to abuse or intimidate others. Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place in the virtual space over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. In view of the differences between physical and virtual spaces, it can be presumed that differences would be found between the bullying victims’ coping strategies. This study hypothesized that children who are victims of traditional bullying tend to report it at school, whereas cyberbullying victims use the characteristics of the virtual space (anonymity, invisibility, lack of eye contact) to retaliate against their aggressors. The sample included 1,295 3rd- to 9th-graders, of which 955 responded that they had been victims of at least one type of bullying (either traditional or cyber). The study found that victims of traditional bullying tended to act to break out of the situation more than cyberbullying victims did. Moreover, it was found that victims of traditional bullying tended to report it at school, and cyberbullying victims tended to report it to parents. However, the hypothesis that victims of cyberbullying would use cyber characteristics to retaliate was not supported. Additionally, a link was found between the victims’ age and their use of anti-bullying strategies: The younger they were, victims of traditional bullying tended to react. 

Keywords: Cyberbullying, traditional bullying, victims, school, action strategies.

File Extension: Windows Media Audio/Video file (.wmv)

 

Title: EFFECTIVE MEASURE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

Submission code: VP_204

Authors: Olga Tararukhina

Abstract: This theoretical paper presents a theory of organizational culture and a framework approach to measuring it through two aspects that connect the “hard” business results with “soft” culture and people experiences: through the strength of organizational culture on one hand, and on the other hand, through the impact culture has on the business of the organization. Ensuing practical approach includes ways of effective study of organizational culture, meaningful diagnosis that is based on the function and impact of culture that delivers business insight for leaders to exercise effective management of what can be done about culture, given the diagnostic results. It further articulates ways to ensure alignment of culture with the business strategy in order to help deliver sustainable and holistic results. 

Keywords: Organizational culture, culture measure, strategy, alignment, framework.

File Extension: QuickTime Movie (.mov)

 

Title: THE MEANING-BASED APPROACH TO ASSESSING THE IMAGES OF YOUNG AND ELDERLY WOMEN AND MEN

Submission code: VP_028

Authors: Shulamith Kreitler

Abstract: The study was inspired by the widely documented evidence about socio-cultural changes in the status and behavior of women in recent decades. The objective was to compare the images that younger and older women have of younger and older women and to compare these images with the images they have of younger and older men. It was expected that the differences would be larger in regard to the images of women than of men. The participants were 80 younger (25-40 years old) and 80 older women (50-65 years old). The method consisted in administering a meaning-based questionnaire of 43 items which provided scores for four clusters referring to perceptual-sensory, actional-dynamic, experiential-cognitive and contextual-situational aspects. The assessed images were of young women, older women, young man and older men. Mean comparisons between and within groups showed highly significant differences in the images of women and men, in most clusters, more in regard to women than to men. The findings indicate major differences in conceptions relating to gender and age. The meaning-based assessment tool proved to be sufficiently sensitive to differences and sufficiently comprehensive to provide an overall perspective.

Keywords: Gender, age, meaning, conception, women.

File Extension: QuickTime Movie (.mov)

 

Title: THE ROLE OF TRAINING OR HINTS RELATING TO “THINKING IN OPPOSITES” IN INSIGHT PROBLEM SOLVING

Submission code: VP_134

Authors: Erika Branchini, Roberto Burro, Elena Capitani, Ugo Savardi, & Ivana Bianchi

Abstract: In recent years, there has been a growing desire to remove the mystery from insight, the underlying processes of which are not fully understood (Gilhooly et al., 2015). The present research focuses on the hypothesis that “thinking in opposites” might facilitate the process of representational change required for solving visuo-spatial insight problems (Bianchi et al., 2019; Branchini et al., 2015, 2016). There is evidence in Cognitive Science that opposites (or contrasts) are a central cognitive structure in space perception (e.g. Bianchi et al., 2017) and language (e.g. Jones et al., 2012) and they are fundamental to inductive (Gale and Ball, 2012) and deductive reasoning (Augustinova, 2008). They are also involved in creative thinking (Rothenberg, 2001).
In particular, the study reports the results of research carried out with the aim of investigating whether prompting problem solvers to use a strategy based on the manipulation of opposites (i.e. inside-outside, large-small) would improve their performance (Bianchi et al., 2019). Two hundred and forty undergraduate students were asked to analyze the spatial features inherent to six problems in terms of opposites before embarking on their search for a solution. Two hint and two training conditions were studied.
The results show that success rates increased when the participants were explicitly trained to use opposites.
In relation to the current debate on the factors which facilitate insight problem solving (e.g. Ahmed and Patrick, 2006; Cunningham and MacGregor, 2008; Patrick et al., 2015), our results add evidence that a prompt “to think in opposites” is a facilitating factor when it is given explicitly (i.e. as part of training). The findings are also discussed in relation to a debate on the same subject regarding the differences between the role of Type 1 processes (which are automatic, unconscious and associative) and that of Type 2 processes (which are controlled, conscious and analytical) (e. g. Weisberg, 2015, 2018). In particular, we provide suggestions concerning the nature of the role of opposites in the generation of potential solutions (Type 1 processes) and in the evaluation of these various potential alternatives with a view to homing in on a single solution (Type 2 processes). 

Keywords: Insight problem solving, opposites, representational change, training versus hint, Type 1 versus Type 2 processes.

File Extension: Windows Media Audio/Video file (.wmv)

 

Title: KNOWLEDGE OF PROSPECTIVELY RELEVANT INFORMATION IMPROVES SEARCH PERFORMANCE

Submission code: VP_220

Authors: Margit Höfler, Vanessa Kuwal, Sebastian A. Bauch, & Anja Ischebeck

Abstract: When searching for a target among distractors, we are able to focus our attention to those properties of the target or parts of the display relevant for the current search while ignoring irrelevant properties. However, it is unclear whether we can make use of irrelevant information when we are aware that these properties will become relevant in future searches. The aim of the current experiment was therefore to investigate whether and how the pre-knowledge about which parts of the display will become relevant in future searches affects the current and future searches in the same display. To this end, we had 20 participants perform two blocks of searches while their eye movements were recorded. During the first block, participants searched in 10 different search displays for different target letters that were superimposed on drawings of objects. Each search display was repeated 10 times, thus resulting in 100 searches per block. Half of the participants were instructed to ignore the objects accompanying the letters; the other half of the participants were told that, in a second block of searches, the objects would have to be searched for. Hence, in the latter case, participants were aware that the objects would become relevant in a further search task. The results showed that, in the first block (letter search), participants performed the search task equally fast, regardless of their pre-knowledge about the objects’ prospective relevance in the second block. In the second block (object search), search performance was better for those participants who knew about the objects’ relevance in advance compared to participants who had been told to ignore the objects. This suggests that participants are able to use relevant information from a previous search for future searches, without compromising search performance in the first search. 

Keywords: Visual search, eye tracking, item relevance.

File Extension: Windows Media Audio/Video file (.wmv)