Object Of Psychological Research Research Articles

Science Denial

Abstract: Science denial has adverse consequences at individual and societal levels and even for the future of our planet. The present article aimed to answer the question: What leads people to deny even the strongest evidence and distrust the scientific method? The article provides a narrative review of research on the underpinnings of science denial, with the main focus on climate change denial. Perspectives that are commonly studied separately are integrated. We review key findings on the roles of disinformation and basic cognitive processes, motivated reasoning (focusing on ideology and populism), and emotion regulation in potentially shaping (or not shaping) views on science and scientific topics. We also include research on youth, a group in an important transition phase in life that is the future decision-makers but less commonly focused on in the research field. In sum, we describe how the manifestations of denial can stem from cognitive biases, motivating efforts to find seemingly rational support for desirable conclusions, or attempts to regulate emotions when feeling threatened or powerless. To foster future research agendas and mindful applications of the results, we identify some research gaps (most importantly related to cross-cultural considerations) and examine the unique features or science denial as an object of psychological research. Based on the review, we make recommendations on measurement, science communication, and education.

Стратегии онлайн-поиска информации как предмет психологического исследования: теоретическая модель

Стратегии онлайн-поиска информации как предмет психологического исследования: теоретическая модель

Work alienation as a subject and object of psychological research: phenomenological aspects of the problem

Work alienation as a subject and object of psychological research: phenomenological aspects of the problem

Anthropocentric and theocentric spirituality as an object of psychological research

Abstract The characteristic direction of psychological and theological interpretations of spirituality is very important. The traditional psychological approach to the spiritual sphere is characterised by reductionism, which consists in reducing spiritual experiences to mental experiences, or even biological processes. The studies in the field of religion psychology led to distinguish between two types of spirituality. The first one is theocentric spirituality, where human being places God in the centre of his interest and life in general. The second type of spirituality is anthropocentric spirituality, focused on human being, his own aspirations, preferences and needs. Both types of spirituality have certain value. Their close characteristics includes sources of inspiration, purpose, presented image of God, as well as understanding of spirituality and manner of realizing spiritual life. In order to distinguish between two types of spirituality, anthropocentric and theocentric, in practice, a proper research method – Range of Theocentric and Anthropocentric Spirituality (SDT – DA) had to be developed. The individuals with theocentric spirituality displayed a higher level of stability and emotional balance, better social adjustment, higher sense of duty and attachment to acceptable social standards, deeper and more satisfactory contacts with other human beings, more trust and openness towards others, as well as higher trust to themselves and to God. Such individuals are better at handling difficulties and have optimistic attitude to life.

PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS FOR PROFESSORS IN BRAZIL AND CANADA

Mental health, an important object of research in psychology as well as social psychology, can be determined by the relationship between psychological well-being and psychological distress. In this context, we search to understand: “How do compare mental health of professors working in public universities in an emerging country like Brazil with the one of professors working in a developed country like Canada?” and “What are the main differences in the indicators of mental health in work domain?”. This paper assesses psychological well-being and psychological distress for professors working in these two countries and test for their differences. The sample consists of 354 Brazilian professors and 317 Canadian professors. Data were collected through an on-line questionnaire assessing the following mental health indicators: anxiety, depression, loss of control, general positive affect and emotional ties. We compared the components of psychological distress and psychological well-being to analyse their relations. Additionally, we compared these components with work-life balance indicator. Reliability analyses demonstrated that all tested components are consistent to evaluate mental health. There are small mean differences between Brazilian and Canadian professors in all five components of mental health, but these differences are not statistically significant. Mean differences for work-life balance, gender, age, and bias of conformity are statistically different, although the size effects are small. Linear regression analysis, step by step, controlled for life events, showed that general positive affect, anxiety and emotional ties predict 31.5% of the scores of work-life balance. Additionally, we observed that Brazilian professors find more balance between professional and private life than do their Canadian colleagues. Promoting mental health is a challenge for public management sector, thus, public managers and governmental organizations can beneficiate from the studies of social psychology to improve work performance and the quality of the services offered to the society as well as to assist employees to improve their personal and professional life.

PAŽINTINIAI MOKĖJIMAI IR JŲ RAIŠKOS MODELIS: CHEMIJOS DALYKO ATVEJIS

Socialinių mokslų (edukologijos) doktorantas Vilniaus universiteto Edukologijos katedra Universiteto g. 9/1, LT-01513 Vilnius Tel. (8 5) 266 76 25Straipsnyje nagrinėjama pažintinių mokėjimų sąvoka ugdymo rezultatą apibrėžiančių sąvokų der­mėje, pasiūlomas pažintinių mokėjimų apibrėžimas. Nagrinėjamos šiuolaikinės ugdymo tikslų tak­sonomijos, galinčios sudaryti teorinį pagrindą pažintinių mokėjimų raiškos požymiams apibrėžti. Pristatomas teorinis-empirinis modelis, skirtas tirti mokinių pažintinius mokėjimus chemijos daly­ko pagrindu.

The Google Sketch Up Software as a Tool to Promote Creativity in Education in Greece

The three-dimensional design software called “SketchUp” was first presented by Google in 2006 and was created to facilitate the design of buildings for the three-dimensional city display on Google's satellite maps. It is a modeling tool which can be used to create anything, from simple 3D shapes to complex models, thereby promoting creativity (Dewey & Down; Fischer et al.,2005; Kintsch; Kafantaris, 2010; Sarimpalidis, 2010; 3dvinci, Teacher's guide, NCTM Meeting SketchUp Talk). Creativity is still a point of concern today, both as an object of psychological research, as well as a goal of the educational process. The ability to be creative attracted the interest of researchers in the empirical psychology of the 20th century. Creativity is the ability to express one's thoughts in an essentially new, original way that surpasses the ordinary. It is a fantasy or a compilation of thoughts that are not simply quoted or stitched together. Creativity may include the development of new systems, the transfer of familiar relationships to new situations, or the formation of new associations (De Bono, 1976; Florida, 2003; Stain, 1975; Tharp, 2003; Xanthacou & Kaila, 2011).In this study, we attempt to investigate the effect of the students’ involvement with Google Sketchup on the three dimensions of creative expression: fluency, flexibility, originality.The study participants were 45 students in the first grade of the EPA.L. (Vocational high school) of Zakynthos. For this study,the students were divided into two groups. The first group (experimental group) created designs on the computer using the Google Sketchup software, while the second group (control group) created designs using design tools. In the end, the two groups of students completed a common test of divergent creative expression.The results’ analysis indicated the positive effect of software use on the students’ creative expression, regarding fluency and flexibility of thought. The capacity for originality of ideas was not significantly affected. The fact that two of the three elements of creative expression presented a statistically significant difference in the experimental group proves that the Google SketchUp software has the ability to affect the creative expression of students.

Visual Perception and Consciousness in Dermatopathology: Mechanisms of Figure-Ground Segregation Account for Errors in Diagnosis

Visual perception has been the object of research in psychology for almost a century. Little has been written, however, about the effects of perceptive phenomena on methods in medicine that utilize interpretation of two-dimensional images for diagnosis. Starting from the work by Edgar Rubin in the beginning of the last century, this article gives a summary of observations of psychologists who investigated the mechanisms of so-called "figure-ground segregation." These unconscious mechanisms follow rules that explain why certain structures are perceived consciously as a figure, whereas other structures surrounding such a figure are neglected and not perceived consciously in detail. Perception of a structure as a figure can be due to, for example, a convex shape of its contour, proximity of lines around it, closed contours, a simple shape, and attribution of meaning to a structure. In examples from the practice of dermatopathology, those unconscious mechanisms of figure-ground segregation will be shown to be relevant to diagnosis of sections of tissue. The mechanisms help to explain why, for example, ill-defined and concave-shaped structures, stromal differences of neoplasms, interstitial infiltrates and deposits, and simulators of common diseases are often difficult to recognize at first sight. Teachers of dermatopathology need to be aware of these unconscious mechanisms of visual perception because they explain why novices struggle with certain diagnoses and differential diagnoses. Proper instruction about these phenomena, early in the process of training, will prevent a student from being frustrated with misperceptions.