CRITICAL FLICKER FREQUENCY, PERSONALITY AND SEX OF SUBJECTS

Abstract

Summary.-This study was designed to investigate differences in personality type and sex of subjects on critical flicker frequency (CFF) of normal and problem-children from two secondary schools. Students, 20 problem-children and 20 normal children, were tested on critical flicker frequency. Both sexes were equally represented in the two groups. An Arab~c version of Lanyon's Psychological Screening Inventory was given. Individuals In rhe problem group were antisocial in their behaviours and attitudes, extraverted, maladjusted, and had a lot in common with psychiatric patients. A 2-way analysis of variance showed that both sex of subject and type of personality were signiFicantly related to CFF. Boys obtained significantly lower mean CFF than girls and problem-children obtained significantly lower mean CFF than normal children. An interaction of sex of subjects and type of personality with CFF was also found. The results were not as hypothesized and contrary to prior reported findings. Many researchers have studied the phenomenon of critical flicker frequency (CFF) for a visual stimulus which is the rate at which successively mashed light ceases to be seen as flickering and is perceived as steady or continuous. Research workers have identified a number of factors which influence CFF. Some earlier studies identified such factors as the intensity of the stimulus (Hecht & Smith, 1936; Crozier, Wolf, & Zerrhan-Wolf, 1937a), light dark ratio (Cobb, 1934; Bartley, 1936), and temperature (Crozier, Wolf, & Zerrhan-Wolf, 193713). In a recent paper, Ali and Arnir (1988) mentioned more factors. But of special importance to the present study are reports relating CFF and personality variables. Unfortunately, the results of such studies are often contradictory. Of relevance here is the study of Bobon, et al. (1982) in which the authors stressed the importance of CFF as a measure of cortical arousal rather than a visual measure. They also suggested that the usefulness of CFF in measuring hysteria, depression, and tension has been overlooked probably because results have been variable and often contradictory. They attributed the variability in results to differences in apparatus and experimental design. A review of literature suggests that most of the earlier studies associated low CFF with extraversion (Washburn, Hughes, Stewart, & Slight, 1952; Goldstone, 1952). But more recent studies associated high rather than low mean CFF with extraversion. KirkaIdy