Subjektivna dobrobit i osobine ličnosti

Subjektivna dobrobit često je ispitivan konstrukt u psihološkim istraživanjima, a njegova popularnost sve više raste tijekom posljednjih tridesetak godina. Definira se kao spoj kognitivne evaluacije života i afektivnih tendencija. Međutim, u literaturi postoje određene nekonzistentnosti i razlike u njezinoj operacionalizaciji koje će se opisati u ovome radu. Nakon upoznavanja s konstruktom ovaj pregledni rad fokusirat će se na dva osnovna cilja. Za početak, predstavit će se dosadašnja saznanja o izvorima individualnih razlika u subjektivnoj dobrobiti na temelju istraživanja koja su koristila bihevioralno-genetičku metodologiju. Rezultati tih studija upućuju na umjerenu heritabilnost subjektivne dobrobiti koja se kreće u rasponu od 30 do 40 %. Glavni fokus zatim će biti na prikazivanju povezanosti subjektivne dobrobiti s osobinama ličnosti. Prvo će se predstaviti nalazi istraživanja na razini fenotipske povezanosti koji ukazuju na snažnu povezanost subjektivne dobrobiti s neuroticizmom, ekstraverzijom te u nešto manjoj mjeri sa savjesnošću. Te fenotipske korelacije u konačnici će se protumačiti iz bihevioralno-genetičke perspektive, odnosno prikazom nalaza istraživanja koja su se bavila ispitivanjem etiologije koja stoji u podlozi navedenih korelacija. Istraživanja jasno upućuju na preklapanje genske varijance između subjektivne dobrobiti i osobina ličnosti, a upitnim ostaje postoji li genski efekt subjektivne dobrobiti koji je nezavisan od ličnosti.

Validation of the City Infant Faces Database in Student and Parent Samples

The City Infant Faces Database (CIFD; Webb et al., 2018) is a database of 154 infant emotional expressions for use in experimental studies of infant facial communication, facial expression recognition, and parental sensitivity. The CIFD was validated only in a small sample from the general public and student midwives and nurses in the UK. This study, therefore, aimed to validate it in a larger sample of Croatian students and parents of 1-12 months old infants. Three-hundred and fifty students (Study 1), 422 mothers and 106 fathers (Study 2) were presented with images of Caucasian infant faces. The students rated images from the CIFD and Tromsø Infant Faces. They also completed questionnaires measuring empathy, alexithymia, and perceiving and expressing emotions. The parents rated the valence of facial expressions of images from the CIFD. The results were consistent with the initial validation in both the students and parents’ sample, except that agreement for negative images was lower for Croatian parents than in the UK study. Compared to the UK study, students rated images as more intense, clear, genuine, and reported stronger internal emotion. Furthermore, there was no difference in accuracy between mothers and fathers or between first-time parents and experienced parents. The CIFD is, therefore, a promising tool for research and should be further validated in other countries, focusing on its predictive validity.

Narcissism and Risk-Taking

Previous research has shown that narcissism is associated with risk-taking. However, little is known about the factors that may contribute to narcissistic individuals being more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviour. The present research examined whether social worldviews would mediate the associations that specific narcissistic personality features had with risk-taking across life domains in a sample of Iranian community members (N = 489). Our results revealed that the extraverted, antagonistic, and neurotic aspects of narcissism had positive indirect associations with risk-taking in certain life domains through the competitive social worldview. These results suggest that the tendency to view the social environment as intensely competitive may play an important role in the associations that narcissistic personality features have with risk-taking in certain life domains.

Psychometric Properties of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) in Ecuadorian College Students

Objective: To analyse the internal structure of the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), as well as its reliability and validity in relation to other variables in a sample of Ecuadorian university students. Method: Instrumental design with confirmatory factor analysis using weighted least square mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV) estimator, reliability and convergence and discrimination validity of the GHQ-28. Sample: 495 students (56.6% women), between 18 to 35 years old (M = 24.1 years; SD = 2.1), from three universities (59.6% public) in Ecuador. Results: The bifactor model of the GHQ-28 test has an adequate fit with χ2 = 357.81; p > .05; df = 322; χ2/df = 1.11; CFI = .991; TLI = .989; SRMR = .059; RMSEA = .015 [.000 – .023]; ωH = .93; ECV = .90; PUC = .78. The GHQ-28 is reliable and in terms of convergent validity, it correlates significantly and negatively with mental health, assessed by MHC-SF, and it is discriminant between risk and non-risk cases. Conclusion: The GHQ-28 bifactor model is replicable in Ecuadorian college students.

Kognitivna obrada sintaktički dvosmislenih konstrukcija

U psiholingvistici i kognitivnoj lingvistici mehanizmi obrade dvosmislenih jezičnih konstrukcija privlače pažnju jer njihovo razumijevanje može mnogo toga reći o fundamentalnim procesima razumijevanja jezika – povezivanju pojmova u jednu koherentnu reprezentaciju. U širokome spektru istraživanja o temi kognitivne obrade ovaj se rad fokusira na jednu vrstu dvosmislenosti za koju su različita istraživanja u različitim jezicima utvrdila kontradiktorne principe obrade: na sintaktičku dvosmislenost odnosne rečenice, do danas uvjerljivo najčešću i najkontroverzniju rečeničnu konstrukciju za istraživanje jezične obrade. Tekst nudi pregled empirijskih nalaza, hipoteza i implikacija za šire modele kognitivne obrade, uključujući njihove kontradiktornosti i metodološka pitanja koja zavređuju daljnje ispitivanje. Zaključna razmatranja sumiraju nalaze, nedostatke i nužne pravce za buduća istraživanja.

Poticanje samoreguliranoga učenja – uloga nekih sociodemografskih čimbenika, učiteljskih percepcija o poučavanju i učenju, predanosti poslu i sagorijevanja na poslu

Samoregulirano učenje (SRU) postalo je važan obrazovni cilj, a budući da ovisi o kontekstu u kojemu se događa, učitelji imaju važnu ulogu u poticanju razvoja učinkovitih strategija samoregulacije učenja. Cilj provedenoga istraživanja bio je ispitati učiteljsko poticanje SRU-a i njegov odnos s nekim sociodemografskim obilježjima učitelja (spol, radni staž, obrazovna razina), učiteljskim percepcijama o poučavanju i učenju, predanošću poslu i sagorijevanjem na poslu. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 299 učitelja razredne i predmetne nastave. Primijenjeni su sljedeći mjerni instrumenti: upitnik sociodemografskih obilježja, Skala poticanja samoreguliranoga učenja, Upitnik učiteljskih percepcija o poučavanju i učenju, Skala učiteljske predanosti i Oldenburški upitnik sagorijevanja. Rezultati su pokazali da učitelji poticanje SRU-a u suvremenoj nastavi smatraju važnim te da potiču SRU u radu s učenicima. Poučavanje i učenje dominantno percipiraju kao proces osnaživanja i poticanja razvoja učenika (učeniku usmjerene aktivnosti), što predstavlja odmak od tradicionalnih aktivnosti usmjerenih na učitelja. Nisu utvrđene razlike u poticanju SRU-a s obzirom na sociodemografska obilježja učitelja, ali utvrđene su neke razlike u učiteljskim percepcijama, predanosti i sagorijevanju. Utvrđena je povezanost poticanja SRU-a i dominantne percepcije poučavanja i učenja te predanosti poslu i sagorijevanja na poslu. Najsnažniji su prediktori poticanja SRU-a predanost školi i učenicima te percepcija poučavanja i učenja kao procesa osnaživanja i poticanja razvoja učenika.

Factor Structure of the Sussex-Oxford Compassion Scales

Without a reliable and valid instrument of compassion and self-compassion, it is hard to conduct quality research in compassion even though it is a rapidly growing area of interest in many scientific fields. However, recently the Sussex-Oxford Compassion Scales (SOCS; Gu et al., 2020) were developed, with two parallel versions for compassion (SCOS-O) and self-compassion (SCOS-S) containing 20 items each. Because the SOCS scales are newly developed measures of compassion, this is the first study to be conducted beyond the original research (Gu et al., 2020) that validates their factor structure. Our sample consisted of 1080 respondents; 19.35% were males and 80.65% were females. Mean age was 29.29 (SD = 11.15). Convenience sampling via social networks was used. To analyse the data, we reproduced all the confirmatory models in Gu et al. (2020) for both scales: the one-factor model, five-factor model, and five-factor hierarchical model. Our research results showed that for the SCOS-O, the multidimensional definition of compassion for others fits the factor structure of the scale, but this does not apply to the SCOS-S. Self-compassion has two dominant factors over and above five specific factors: Rational Compassion (containing two specific factors: Recognising Suffering and Understanding the Universality of Suffering) and Emotional/Behavioural Compassion (containing three specific factors: Feeling for the Person Suffering, Tolerating Uncomfortable Feelings, and Acting or Being Motivated to Act to Alleviate Suffering). Therefore, the total self-compassion score is unsuitable for use because the scale lacks essential unidimensionality; however, the compassion for others total score can be used safely.

Is Automation of Statistical Reasoning a Suitable Mindware in a Base-Rate Neglect Task?

Until recently, studies within the dual-process approach were mainly focused on group differences in processing, and individual differences were neglected. However, individual differences have proven to be a significant factor in conflict detection efficiency and the overall success in base-rate neglect and similar tasks. This should be taken into consideration within the framework of the Hybrid Model of Dual Processing. New tendencies in the development of this model have focused attention on the degree of mindware instantiation as a predictor of base-rate neglect task efficiency. This study aimed to examine the relationship between mindware and base-rate neglect task efficiency and to test and explore the relationship between base-rate response frequency and conflict detection efficiency and the degree of mindware instantiation. All participants solved base-rate neglect tasks, made judgments of confidence in their responses, and solved the Statistical Reasoning Test, Cognitive Reflection Test and Numeracy Scale. We used the Statistical Reasoning Test as a measure of mindware instantiation. The degree of mindware instantiation was found to be the only significant predictor of base-rate neglect task efficiency and the results showed that participants with a higher degree of mindware instantiation generally made more base-rate responses. No correlation was found between the degree of mindware instantiation and conflict detection efficiency. These findings support the hypothesis that the power of logical intuition depends on the individual’s degree of mindware instantiation. Therefore, the results of this research indicate the importance of further research into the role of statistical reasoning in base-rate neglect task efficiency. However, we discuss that there are some methodological limitations in this research which might explain why the degree of mindware instantiation had no relationship with conflict efficiency.

The Mediating Role of Work-Health Balance in the Relationship between Perceived Work Ability and Affective Job Satisfaction

The rising age of retirement may result in a larger number of workers with health problems. This is important since health is a key element in all aspects of life, including work. Although much research has been carried out into how work-life balance influences occupational health, very few studies have focused on how the ability to balance health needs and work demands (work-health balance) affects different organizational variables such as perceived work ability and affective job satisfaction. In a context in that the age of retirement is constantly rising, it is vital to explore those factors may help extend people’s working life in a balanced manner. The aim of this study was, therefore, to explore the mediating role of work-health balance in the relationship between perceived work ability (physical and mental) and affective job satisfaction. Using a cross-sectional sample of 294 workers aged 39 years and over, the study analysed the mediating role of the different dimensions of work-health balance (health climate, work-health incompatibility and external support) in the relationship between work ability (physical and mental) and affective job satisfaction. The data suggest that the health climate and work-health incompatibility dimensions mediate the relationship between work ability (physical and mental) and affective job satisfaction. Our findings are consistent with the current understanding of the role played by the balance between occupational health and the well-being of older workers.

Intergroup Contact, Intergroup Anxiety, and Attitudes towards the Opposing Group in Divided Society

The negative attitudes and negative emotions play a key role in maintaining the hostilities between the groups of a divided society. Evidence suggests that intergroup contact can improve or worsen intergroup attitudes. The current study examined the mediating role of intergroup anxiety on quantity of interethnic contact and acculturation attitudes and emotional responses to contradictory conflict narratives in a divided society with a background of armed conflict in the past. The study was conducted among 202 Albanians and 239 Serbs in Kosovo. The results indicate that as more as they meet members of the opposing group the less they feel intergroup anxiety and the more they show acculturation attitudes towards the opposing group among both Albanians and Serbs. However, such mediating role of intergroup anxiety was not found on emotional responses to contradictory conflict narratives, except among Serbs who live in certain enclaves. The findings are discussed in terms of context, reconciliation, and maintenance of frozen conflict.