Free Word Association Test Research Articles

Representações de puérperas sobre o cuidado recebido no trabalho de parto e parto

Objetivo: describir las representaciones sociales de puérperas sobre el cuidado recibido durante el trabajo de parto y parto.Metodología: se trata de un estudio descriptivo basado en la Teoría del Núcleo Central, desarrollado con 119 madres, en un hospital público de Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. Los datos fueron recolectados por medio del Test de Asociación de Palabras, que contenía como estímulos inductores: cuidado, trabajo de parto, parto, cuidado en el trabajo de parto y en el parto, siendo transcritos y analizados por el software Evoc.Resultados: a partir del análisis estructural, los vocablos dolor, felicidad y orientación presentaron mayor frecuencia como elemento central de los respectivos términos inductores.Conclusión: por medio de los resultados obtenidos, es posible afirmar que el momento del trabajo de parto y el parto es crucial para que el enfermero planee y ejecute una adecuada asistencia durante el proceso de parto con el fin de reducir el impacto de las representaciones negativas en relación con ese proceso.

Representações sociais de mulheres migrantes da mesma família e de diferentes gerações sobre amamentação

Objetivo: analisar as representações sociais de mulheres migrantes da mesma família e de diferentes gerações sobre amamentação. Método: estudo qualitativo fundamentado na Teoria das Representações Sociais, realizado no município de Ilhéus-Ba, entre março e maio de 2016. Os dados foram obtidos pelo Teste de Associação Livre de Palavras (TALP) com 21 tríades selecionadas na modalidade Snowball, sendo analisados pelo software Ensemble de Programmes Permettant L’analyse des Évocations (EVOC). Resultados: para as migrantes, a amamentação é representada como uma prática de nutrição que contribui para o desenvolvimento físico e afetivo do filho. O processo de ensino-aprendizagem centra-se na figura materna e a rede de apoio é simbolizada pela avó, mas ampliada aos pais e maridos. Conclusões: torna-se necessário compreender as dimensões geográficas, culturais e sociais da amamentação no intuito de oferecer uma assistência qualificada e humanizada às migrantes.

Investigation of Mathematics Teacher Candidates’ Conceptual Structures about “Measurement” through Word Association Test: The Example of Turkey

The purpose of this research is to determine mathematics teacher candidates’ conceptual structures about the concept of “measurement” that is the one of the important learning fields of mathematics. Qualitative research method was used in this study. Participants of this study were 58 mathematics teacher candidates studying in one of the public universities in Turkey. The free word-association test was used as data collection tool. The “Measurement” stimulus concept was presented to mathematics teacher candidates through the free word-association test. A total of 118 response words obtained from the test have been arranged in frequency tables. The response words divided into 9 categories with the help of content analysis. A network of concepts has been created that the conceptual structures of mathematics teacher candidates about “measurement” using the frequencies and categories of response words. The findings of this study indicates that the response words with the highest frequency of the mathematics teacher candidates related to the “measurement” stimulus word are evaluation, exam, length, meter, test, etc. and the categories of response words are meaning of measurement, measurement and evaluation lesson, measurement learning domain, measurement in daily life, measurement units, etc.

Investigation of Physics Teacher Candidates’ Cognitive Structures about “Electric Field”: A Free Word Association Test Study

The aim of this study is to investigate the cognitive structures of physics teacher candidates about “electric field”. Phenomenographic research method, one of the qualitative research patterns, was used in the study. The data of the study was collected from 91 physics teacher candidates who had taken General Physics II course at Education Faculty of a university in Anatolia. The stimulus word, “electric field” has been presented to teacher candidates through Free Word Association Test (FWAT). The totally 43 responses obtained from FWAT were presented as frequency tables. The responses were divided into 13 categories by the - content analysis. A concept network which reveals cognitive structure of physics teacher candidates about “electric field” was created considering frequencies and categories. According to results of the study, the highest frequency values related with "electric field" which stimulus of physics teacher candidates were power, charge, vector/vectoral quantity, current, magnet, etc. and the categories with the highest frequency of response words were figured out as electrical force, electric charge, magnetic field and magnitude of electric field, etc.

PROFISSIONAIS DE SAÚDE FALAM MAIS SOBRE CUIDADO E MENOS SOBRE HIV/AIDS

Objetivou-se apreender as representações sociais de profissionais de saúde sobre o HIV/aids e o cuidado a pessoa com HIV/aids comparando os índices de diversidade e de raridade. O artigo constitui um recorte de pesquisa desenvolvida com base na teoria das Representações Sociais (RS), com abordagem multimetodológica, em quatro unidades de serviço especializados em HIV/aids, da cidade de Salvador-Bahia, envolvendo 73 profissionais de saúde, mediante aplicação da técnica de associação livre de palavras processadas no software EVOC e cálculo de índices de centralidade. ‘Preconceito e morte’ constituem o núcleo central (NC) da RS de HIV/aids e ‘aconselhamento e acolhimento’ o NC de Cuidado. Os elementos estruturantes da RS da aids denotam a presença de juízos de valor e o cálculo dos índices de diversidade e raridade, revelou um menor compartilhamento das evocações sobre o objeto HIV/aids do que sobre o objeto Cuidado.

유전자, DNA, 염색체에 대한 대학생의 개념 분석

The study was aimed to investigate university students’ conceptions on three genetic concepts (Gene, DNA, chromosome). The study was carried out with 166 undergraduate students. To reveal students’ ideas about the three concepts, they were asked to complete a free word association test by using the term ‘gene’ as a stimulus word and to respond the following open questions: What is a gene, DNA, and chromosome in your opinion? Lastly, they were asked to draw the structure of gene, DNA and chromosome in a cell. Through network analysis and classification of their responses based on content similarities, the frequent concepts associated with gene were confirmed and their ideas about the three concepts were categorized. The students had alternative ideas about the three investigated concepts. In particular, more alternative concepts were observed for gene compared to DNA and chromosome. The drawing test revealed that their understandings was especially poor for the relationship between the three concepts. The results were compared with related literature and recommendations are provided.

Opinions of Geography and Social Sciences Student-Teachers on the Concepts of Urbanization and Urbanizing

Objective of the study is to determine the opinions of university students on urbanization and urbanizing (urbanizing can also be defined as “becoming urbanized,” “urban culture,” or “urban adaptation” and will be used with these meanings throughout the study) and their misconceptions on this subject. Data of the research were obtained from the free word association test applied to 74 fourth- and fifth-grade students from the geography teaching department who took the course of urban geography and 67 students from the social sciences teaching department who took the four lessons in which the subjects of urbanization and urbanizing were told by the researcher. Data obtained from the study were classified and categorized according to their semantic relationships by researcher. When categories examined, it is seen that students cannot distinguish the concepts of urbanization and urbanizing thoroughly and they include almost the same statements. This result shows that there are a lot of misconceptions. Although some student-teachers took the course of urban geography and others were presented about the subject briefly, it is difficult to capture a conceptual integrity in perception. Students mostly confuse the concepts of urbanization and urbanizing. In fact they are not even at the cognitive level needed for distinguishing the concepts of urban, urbanize and urbanization. Statements that they wrote about the concepts of urbanization and urbanizing resemble and these statements define the urban more.

Dietary patterns and significance of nutrition for women with low-risk pregnancy

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate dietary patterns and significance of diet for pregnant women. Methods: Cross-sectional study carried out in eight health units in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, with 201 pregnant women. The following instruments were used: a socio-economic and health questionnaire, the Free-Word Association Test, and a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Dietary patterns were identified using principal components and factor analysis. Poisson regression with 5% significance level was used. Results: Three dietary patterns were identified: current Brazilian pattern (beans, rice, processed meats, fats, refined grains, pasta and pastries, soft drink, sugar and sweets, cookies and crackers); healthy pattern (fruits and fruit juices, vegetables, whole grains, seafood, dairy products); and energy-rich pattern (salty deep-fried snacks, popcorn, packaged snacks, instant noodles, tubers, and chicken). Women who did not receive nutrition guidance during prenatal care showed less chance of adherence to the current Brazilian dietary pattern (PR=0.87), and therefore their level of consumption of foods commonly present in Brazilian diets was low. For most women, the significance of diet was reported as important and healthy, but it was not associated with any of the diet patterns identified. However, the women who did not consider that during pregnancy diet should be healthy showed greater chance of adherence to the energy-rich pattern (PR=1.18). This finding deserves special attention since excessive weight gain can have a negative effect on pregnancy. Conclusion: Nutrition guidance during prenatal care and the way pregnant women perceive their eating habits can influence their food choices during pregnancy.

Determining the Cognitive Structures of Geography Teacher Candidates on “Earthquake”

The objective of this study is to determine the cognitive structures of the students of geography teaching department by identifying their conceptual frameworks about the concept of earthquake. A case study design from qualitative research approaches was used in this research. Sample group of the study constitutes 155 students from the Department of Geography Teaching who took the course of natural disasters. Free Word Association Test was used to collect the data. The data were evaluated according to the content analysis, categories were formed according to the results of this evaluation and frequencies and percentages of the response words in each category were calculated. A total of 9 categories were created according to their semantic associations. Some of them are; “concepts about earthquake, damages of the earthquake, a category of defining earthquake, types and causes of earthquakes, landforms caused by earthquakes and other effects” and they form the dominant categories. The frequencies and percentages of some categories are low such as; “The things that earthquake makes feel, regions where earthquakes happened before or there is a possibility to happen, people, institutions and organizations about earthquakes, helping to the victims of the earthquakes, factors affecting the safety of life and property in the earthquake”. In addition, this study revealed that students have some alternative concepts about earthquake.

Perceptions of Chinese traditional food and European food among Chinese consumers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore Chinese consumers’ perceptions in relation to both Chinese traditional and European food. Design/methodology/approach A web-based free word association test was administered to 302 consumers in China. They were asked to give the first three words that came into their minds when they were presented with each of two stimulus words, “traditional food” and “European food”. Three researchers grouped the elicited words into classes and then into dimensions. χ2 association tests were used to assess and identify statistically significant differences in the frequencies of classes and dimensions for the two food concepts between socio-demographic groups. Findings The findings show that Chinese consumers define Chinese traditional food and European food through ten similar dimensions: Sensory appeal, Health, Origin, Marketing, Safety, Variety, Heritage, Symbolic meaning, Simplicity and Mood. Additionally, they associate Chinese traditional food with the dimensions Elaboration, Celebration and Habit, as well as link European food to the dimensions Convenience and New. Although ten dimensions are the same, obvious differences can be identified by comparing the classes for the two food concepts. Further, there are significant differences in the class associations for European food between age groups and in the dimension associations for Chinese traditional food between gender groups. Originality/value By using an online qualitative research method, this study is one of the first to address how Chinese consumers define both European food and their own traditional food in China, the largest East Asian country. The findings are particularly useful for the future development of traditional food products and for the future export of European food products onto China and even other countries in East Asia.

Polacy, Rosjanie i Niemcy wobec wartości. Hierarchia i sposoby rozumienia jednostek aksjologicznych

<p>W artykule omówiono rezultaty zakrojonych na szeroką skalę badań nad systemem wartości Polaków, Rosjan i Niemców. Na podstawie wyników tzw. testu werbalnych skojarzeń autorka dokonuje porównania i zhierarchizowania wartości składających się na świadomość językową Polaków, Rosjan i Niemców, a także wyjawia aksjologiczne jądro w systemach ich wartości oraz kryjące się za nimi postawy i preferencje aksjologiczne. Autorka dowodzi również, iż napełnienie treściowe jednostek aksjologicznych znacznie wykracza poza ramy definicyjne charakteryzowanych pojęć. Badania wydają się interesujące również w kontekście ocen kondycji moralnej społeczeństw europejskich i podnoszonych w ostatnim czasie, zwłaszcza przez socjologów, kwestii erozji czy wręcz abstynencji aksjologicznej.</p>

Science Student Teachers’ Cognitive Structure on the Concept of “Food Pyramid”

<p class="apa">The current study aims to determine science student teachers’ cognitive structure on the concept of food pyramid. Qualitative research method was applied in this study. Fallacies detected in the pre-service teachers’ conceptual structures are believed to result in students’ developing misconceptions in their future classes and will adversely affect their future teaching performance. The data were collected from 48 science student teachers. A free word association test was used as a data collection instrument. The data collected were subject to content analysis. Analyzing the science student teachers’ responses to the concept of food pyramid on the free word association test, these responses were coded and divided into categories. Based on the categories, frequency and percentages were provided. The data collected through the study were divided into 7 categories, which were stated as follows: -relationship between producer, consumer and decomposer in matter and energy flow-concepts related to nourishment pyramid-definition of food pyramid-energy and matter transfer-producer, consumer and decomposer-elements of ecosystem and ecological factors- scientific disciplines related to food pyramid. When the words provided as answers by the science student teachers to the concept of food pyramid were analyzed, it was noticed that they had more word connections with relationship between producer, consumer and decomposer in matter and energy flow. It can be argued that some students could not produce any sentences and some others could not make meaningful sentences. Moreover, it was determined that they had some misconceptions about food pyramid. Similar research can be conducted with different student groups and for the correction of alternative concepts related to the concept of food pyramid, extra biology courses should be included in undergraduate curriculums.</p>

GENDER VIOLENCE: SOCIAL REPRESENTATIONS OF RELATIVES

ABSTRACT This study aimed at analyzing the social representations of gender violence by family members. A qualitative study based upon the Theory of Social Representations. The free word association test was undertaken by 81 relatives of women who suffered gender violence registered in Family Health Units of Jequié, Bahia. The data were submitted to correspondence factorial analysis in the Tri-deux-mots software. The relatives' representation of gender violence is rooted in unequal gender relations observed in the hierarchy of social relations between the man and the women, which legitimizes gender violence. Younger relatives highlighted the sexist attitudes while those aged 40 years and older highlighted the role of women as caregivers. Evangelical relatives emphasized the subordination of women while relatives who follow other religions emphasized the suffering. We emphasize the need to implement actions to address violence considering these representations in the healthcare services.

Semiótica de ser mãe adolescente: construção identitária de adolescentes em ciclo gravídico-puerperal

Adolescent motherhood as a cultural phenomenon represents an excellent test for human understanding, when studied through a network of meanings. This study aimed to identify the semantics regularity used by adolescents in pregnancy-childbirth cycle about motherhood at this stage of life. Descriptive study with 317 free word association tests with adolescents in pregnancy-childbirth cycle, analyzed through descriptive statistics and correspondence factor analysis. Ethical precepts were followed. Signs assumed principles with multiple, but complementary, characteristics according to how participants signified them, identifying with representational bias. The word was the unit for apprehending the content in context. The educational model of motherhood at this stage of life was structured as positive, neutral, or negative. Feelings of happiness and affection permeated evocations of being a mother, giving the idea of virtue with motherhood. In contradiction, it was anchored by the difficulty of developing this role in adolescence. Thus, there is urgent need for proper monitoring of adolescents, from prenatal to postpartum, since it carries knowledge that, when included in everyday life, provides congruent care in identity construction of being an adolescent or expectant mother.

English

The current study aims to determine science student teachers’ cognitive structure on the concept of food chain. Qualitative research method was applied in this study. Fallacies detected in the pre-service teachers’ conceptual structures are believed to result in students’ developing misconceptions in their future classes and will adversely affect their future teaching performance. The data were collected from 48 science student teachers. A free word association test was used as a data collection instrument. The data collected were subject to content analysis. Analyzing the science student teachers’ responses to the concept of food chain on the free word association test, these responses were coded and divided into categories. Based on the categories, frequency and percentages were provided. The data collected through the study were divided into 8 categories, which were stated as follows: energy flow- producer, consumer, decomposer organisms- food chain and food pyramid relationship- ecologic factors- matters used in energy flow- terms related to vitality-deterioration in food chain- the characteristics of the population. When the words provided as answers by the science student teachers to the concept of food chain were analyzed, it was noticed that they had more word connections with energy flow and in terms of the elements that compose food chain. Moreover, it was determined that they had some misconceptions about food chain. Similar research can be conducted with different student groups and for the correction of alternative concepts related to the concept of food chain, Extra biology courses should be included in undergraduate curriculums.    Key words: Food chain, free word association test, misconception, cognitive structure.

Sweet Christmas: Do overweight and obese children associate special events more frequently with food than normal weight children?

This study examined children's spontaneous associations of special events with food. Children in primary education (N = 111, age between 10 and 13 years) at a school in Germany wrote down their first five associations with five special or festive events (Christmas, holidays, weekend, carnival and birthday). After completing the free-word association test, they were offered a choice between a candy and a toy. Finally, their body mass index (BMI) was measured. The first prediction was that overweight and obese children would associate special events more often with food than normal weight and leaner children. The second prediction was that choice for a candy would be predicted by a higher number of food-related associations. The first hypothesis was not supported: BMI was negatively related to number of food-related associations (the lower the BMI, the more food-related associations). The second hypothesis was also not supported: There was no relation between number of food-related associations and choice for a candy or toy. A possible explanation for the finding that leaner children reported more food-related associations is that for them specific sweets and snack food are more exclusively connected to special occasions than for overweight children. Speculatively, this may be the result of differences in food parenting styles between parents of heavier and leaner children. Parents of leaner children often have a more restrictive style, i.e., reserving specific foods for specific, relatively rare occasions whereas parents of overweight children adopt more liberal food rules.

Öğretmen Adaylarının “Bilgisayar” Kavramı Konusundaki Bilişsel Yapılarının Belirlenmesi

The purpose of the current study is to determine student teachers' cognitive structures on the concept of computer. Qualitative research methodology has been applied in the study. The data were collected from student teachers. Free word association test and drawing-writing test were used to collect data. The data collected were subject to content analysis and divided into categories. According to the analyses conducted, while 12 categories were determined through the free word association test in student teachers' cognitive structures on the concept of computer, in the drawing-writing technique, 11 categories were specified. Through both measurement tools, rich data were obtained, supporting, expanding on, and explaining one another. In this context, it was determined through both measurement tools that student teachers' cognitive structures focused on “the external technical sections and the contribution of social life categories. Moreover, the data collected through these data collection instruments indicated that student teachers had alternative conceptions about the concept of computer

Representations about suicide of women with history of domestic violence and suicide attempt

Suicide attempt is characterized by complex and multifaceted phenomena with significance on global public health. The aim of this study was to grasp the structure of social representations of suicide of women with history of domestic violence and suicide attempt. The study was developed with a qualitative approach, based on the Theory of Social Representations. There were 30 women that responded the Free Word Association Test, all of them with history of domestic violence and suicide attempt by poisoning. Data were processed through the EVOC software and the results were grouped into three categories: core elements, intermediate elements and peripheral elements. The representation of women about suicide is related to life histories characterized by rejection and lack of love, which leads to disease, especially because of depression. The feeling of powerlessness in face of the need for change and release produce emotional problems that culminate in the decision of committing suicide.

Uncovering public perceptions of scary contaminants and how and how not to communicate about them: a mixed-methods approach incorporating cognitive semantics

BackgroundAlthough media reporting on health risks has a tendency to stir up worry, this worry is often misplaced when reports involve the misrepresentation of unsubstantiated scientific evidence. The presence of endocrine-disrupting compounds and pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the water supply has attracted substantial media attention, particularly in the USA, followed by intense policy discussions, despite the fact there is no concrete evidence to suggest a risk to public health. Working with a wide range of stakeholders including water utilities, public health officials, and consumer associations, we set out to explore the public's perspective on the health risks posed by contaminants, their science, and regulation to support the water industry in the development of fresh and effective communication. MethodsTo better assess public conceptualisations and measure public knowledge about contaminants in the UK and USA, we combined structured focus groups (11 groups of 12 participants), analysed by grounded theory, and a perceptions questionnaire (533 participants), analysed by regression analysis of a-priori hypotheses, with a range of tasks informed by cognitive semantics. These tasks include a quantitative and qualitative linguistic analysis of media and outreach texts (500 texts), several media text or report scenarios (embedded in focus groups and surveys), plus a free word association test incorporated into a language survey (two samples of 50 participants). The cognitive components were designed to investigate how members of the public reacted to and assessed these messages and the language and rhetorical techniques used to represent them. Ethics approval was granted by King's College London research ethics committee. Only adults were included in the study; all demographic data were compared with UK and US census data (appendix). FindingsReading media reports was more likely to predict worry about contaminants, with females compared with males (p=0·007) and those with long-term illness or disability compared with those without (p=0·018) more likely to worry. Despite a greater tendency to worry, neither group was more likely to search for information about contaminants (for both groups p>0·05). Additionally, some members of the public believed that tap water containing contaminants is still safe to drink, yet worry about it and filter it or avoid drinking it altogether. The cognitive instruments embedded in the methodology enabled the identification of words and notions that were used to communicate the risks, science, and regulation of contaminants that were responsible for causing worry. Although uncertainty and contamination as notions and the language associated with contaminants have very strong negative associations, regulations drew very strong positive associations, and thus the notion of unregulated contaminants proved the most worrisome of all. InterpretationUnnecessary worry about uncertain health risks on the basis of unsubstantiated evidence can lead to behaviour changes and can have wider implications for regulators and public health organisations. The language used in communication aimed at attenuation and reassurance needs to be tailored to consumer conceptualisations because some terms can evoke strong negative associations even if the message is positive. The project findings and recommendations are being directly fed into water industry communication policy and are being used to tailor communication to a wide range of consumer groups. FundingThe Water Research Foundation fully funded the study and appointed a project advisory committee.

TURKISH STUDENT BIOLOGY TEACHERS' CONCEPTUAL STRUCTURES AND SEMANTIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS MICROBES

The aim of the current study is to investigate student biology teachers' cognitive structures related to "microbe". The mixed research design was applied in this study. The data were collected from 44 student biology teachers. The free word-association test, the drawing-writing technique and the semantic differential attitude scale were used as data collection instruments. The data were subject to content analysis and divided into categories through coding. With the help of these categories, the cognitive structures of student biology teacher were explained. These categories were determined as definition of microbes, microbial variety and activity, immunity. It was determined that student biology teachers' semantic attitudes towards microbe were at a neutral level in terms of mean scores of all adjectives considered; however based on each and every adjective, they mostly perceive microbes as infectious, contagious, and dirty. Moreover, the data collected through two data collection instruments indicated that student teachers had misconceptions about microbes considering the themes determined. Key words: cognitive structure, microbe, misconception, semantic differential attitudes.