Arestova, O.N.

Background. The article deals with the problem of gender differences in the organization of cognitive processes, which is extremely relevant in theoretical and practical terms. The problem is considered on the example of interpretation and generalization of gender-relevant material by representatives of different gender identity and sex.

Objective. The aim is to identify the features of thinking activity which are based on different gender identities, as well as to study the content of such features in case they are found.

Methods. To form a sample, a test method for diagnosing gender identity was used (S. Bem, modified by V.A. Labunskaya and M.V. Burakova). Experimental methods were used to study thinking. The method «Interpretation of Proverbs» analyzed the results of interpretations of metaphorical sayings. The method «The Extra Fourth» analyzed the results of generalization of the images’ meaning.

Sample. 78 people with at least an incomplete higher education, 39 female and 39 male subjects took part in the study.

Results. Androgynous subjects demonstrate the least semantic, evaluative and aggressive distortions of the meaning of gender-relevant proverbs and the highest metaphorical level of their interpretation. Masculine subjects show a decrease in the level of generalization and the predominance of situational interpretations of proverbs based on their personal experience. Masculine women are more likely to have a misunderstanding of the meaning of the proverb. Masculine men are more likely to show aggressive distortions of meaning and evaluations.

Conclusions. There are features of mental activity associated with the GI of the subjects. They are selective in nature and are associated exclusively with the understanding and interpretation of gender-relevant material. The tendency to violate the objectivity of thinking is most clearly manifested in masculine subjects, especially in women — due to their discovery of clearer contradictions between their own social situation and the content of the material. A smaller percentage of selective distortions in feminine subjects may be explained by possible conformity, which reduces the importance of gender material, and in androgynous subjects it may be a sign of their internal non-conflict, meaningful harmony of this topic for them.

Background. The study is devoted to cultural specificity of the personality value sphere, and from the point of view of its level ― explicit and implicit structure. The novelty of the study lies in the appeal to inaccessible and practically unexplored implicit levels of value presentation, whereas most studies research deals exclusively with the approximate levels of their presentation.

Objective of the study is a cross-cultural comparison of the structure of the value sphere of the individual from the point of view of its implicit and explicit level on the example of Russian and Uzbek culture.

Methods. The following methods were used: the refined S. Schwartz PVQ method, M. Etkind’s color test of relationships.

Sample. 190 subjects took part in the study ― 86 people of Uzbek culture and 104 of Russian culture.

Results. The study showed a significant coincidence of the leading and insignificant values of both cultures at the explicit level. The explicit differences are as follows: despite the leading nature, less significant in the Uzbek sample compared to the Russian were such values as independence of actions, independence of thought, personal security, well-being in interpersonal relations, tolerance for other people, and more significant ― life pleasures, reputation, public safety, responsibility to the loved ones. At the implicit level, the differences between cultures are less manifested, the following values are more significant on the Russian sample: diverse life experience, public safety. More significant the Uzbek sample is the responsibility to loved ones. Cross-cultural differences of some values are significantly evident at both levels. These are public safety (Uzbek subjects have higher significance at the explicit level and lower at the implicit level than Russians) and responsibility to loved ones (higher in Uzbek subjects at both levels). Public safety has shown to be implicitly insignificant value to both cultures.

Conclusion.

1. In representatives of both cultures, the structure of personality value sphere at the explicit and implicit levels does not coincide.

2. Intercultural differences in the structure of value sphere are observed both at the explicit and implicit levels.

3. At the explicit level, the leading and insignificant values among the representatives of the two cultures largely coincide. The differences found affect the degree of significance of values associated with independence, personal and public safety, and relationships with others.

4. At the implicit level, the differences between cultures consist of the following: more significant for the Russian sample are diverse life experience, social security. More significant for the Uzbek sample is responsibility to relatives.

5. Values were also found whose cross-cultural differences in significance are manifested at both levels. These are public safety (higher on the explicit and lower on the implicit level among the Uzbek subjects than among the Russians) and responsibility to relatives (more significant for Uzbek subjects at both levels). At the same time, public safety among the subjects of both cultures is an implicitly less insignificant value.

Practical application of the results. The results can be applied in the joint training and professional activities organization of representatives of different cultures.

Acknowledgements. The article was made within the framework of the grant "Cross-cultural differences in the ways of cognitive processing of verbal and figurative material" of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, grant No. 20-013-00674.

Relevance. The present study examines attitudes to health supporting and medical prophylactic measures in students before and after the first stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology and sample. The study was conducted using an online questionnaire with two stages, each involving more than 150 students.

Results. Students adhere to rational attitudes of health supporting and medical prophylactic, but their severity is insufficient. Hygiene rules are observed, a gentle regime for diseases is observed, health is monitored at home, contacts are limited. They are worried about their own health. Active forms of health supporting and medical prophylactic are insufficiently expressed. Vaccination, hardening, and medical examinations are particularly unpopular.

Attitudes before and after the first stage of the pandemic did not differ significantly. The trends towards an active lifestyle, hygiene rules and adequate behavior in the event of an illness have increased. The popularity of vaccinations has decreased. Egocentric motivation for the use of preventive measures prevails.

Key findings. 1. The commitment of the surveyed students to health supporting and medical prophylactic is assessed as insufficiently high, primarily in relation to active methods. Concerns about health, fears of getting sick are observed. However, these experiences do not activate, rather strengthen the restrictive attitudes.

The impact of the first stage of the pandemic on the attitude of students to health supporting and medical prophylactic was insignificant. There is an increase in skepticism about vaccination.

The motive for applying security measures is to reduce personal risk, social components are less significant. Among the reasons for refusing preventive measures are skepticism about efficiency, unwillingness to support “business on problems”. The reason for the refusal of vaccination is indicated by uncertainty in safety. 

Relevance. Studies of Quality of Life (QOL) are among the most topical concerns for both psychological and medical research. Although there are many studies abroad, very few have been done in Russia, and with regard to QOL in relation to vision problems they are practically non-existent.

Objectives:

1. To develop a Russian-language questionnaire for QOL in relation to vision disorders and the results of their treatment.

2. To measure the relationship among a priori subjective estimations of visual function, expectations of treatment results, and estimations of treatment effects.

Method. A pilot investigation was conducted using a questionnaire that we devised for QOL in relation to vision impairment. It included three informational blocks: The first was devoted to a priori estimations of visual problems; the second integrated the patient’s expectations concerning different effects of treatment, and the last estimated the treatment results.  Nineteen patients with keratoconus took part in the research.

Results.The diagnostic value of the method we developed was empirically confirmed. Ways to fine-tune it to the level of a standardized questionnaire were identified. The comparisons among a priori subjective estimations of visual function, expectations of treatment results, and estimations of treatment effects make it possible to describe the dynamics of QOL. It was shown that subjective estimations of vision are nor related to the objective quality of vision and are probably determined by personality characteristics. Respondents’ treatment results expectations were found to be quite generalized. There are some differences between expectations and estimations of treatment effects: The respondents usually a priori overvalued the instrumental results of the treatment and underestimated the personality-oriented ones.

Conclusions.

1. The questionnaire could be used for QOL investigations. This method could be widely used after appropriate standardization procedures are introduced. 

2. Subjective estimations of visual function are not related to the objective quality of vision and are probably determined by personality characteristics.

3. Among the most significant effects of treatment, even though underestimated a priori by the patients, concerned the following aspects of QOL: a positive future-time perspective, life planning, emotional status, and self-conception.
   

Background. Digital texts have become widespread in today’s society, both in day-to-day and professional life, as well as in education. Still there is some risk and we cannot realize all the potential outcomes since psychology has not thoroughly explored their use.

Objective. We studied the differences between the effectiveness of reading parallel and consequent texts.

Design. Our sample was 45 adults of ages 18 to 59. We adapted “Similarities,” the “Analytic-Holistic” cognitive style scale, and “Complex analogies” for online use.

Results. We found individual preferences for either parallel or consequent text presentation. The results of the parallel text presentation were worse than those with the consequent, and positively correlated with holistic style and verbal intellect. Success in working with parallelly presented text depends on the individual’s cognitive features and abilities. Parallel reading is a comprehensive cognitive task and requires more cognitive skills and higher intellect than consequent reading.

Relevance. The study is devoted to the problem of family relations in adolescence. This problems seems to become very actual in recent times because of significant changes in family relations concerned with adolescents.

Objective. The hypothesis of different levels of awareness (explicit and implicit) representation of family situation in adolescence in connection with the emotional tone of relationships between family members has been tested in this research. We also propose that this fact s related with the follows parameters: adolescent gender and family unity.

Methods. 45 adolescents (22 girls and 23 boys) age of 13-14 took part in the research: 8 of them are from single-parent families (father missing), 37 – from completed families. The following methods were used: Family image test, Color Test of Relations and the questionnaire of parent’s behavior and attitudes of adolescents by E. Shafer).

Results. Results It was demonstrated that in explicit level adolescents evaluate their family situation more positively than in implicit level. Adolescents of different sex differently evaluate the degree of solidarity and emotional relationships in their families: girls consider their families more joined than boys. Both girls and boys perceive their mother and father more positively in explicit level (questionnaire) than in implicit level. Generally, girls and boys realize the estimations of family situation concerned with cohesion and emotional relationships differently. As a hole adolescents implicitly perceive their mother as more positive and important than the father.

The empirical study was carried out to check the hypothesis that myopia can influence the development of self-attitude features of teenagers and youths. 50 participants took part in the study (30 myopic participants — 12 males and 18 females, and 20 participants with normal eyesight — 8 males and 12 females) from 15 to 20 years old, senior pupils and students. Projective methods and inventories were used: the nonexistent animal figure test, self-portrait picture test, S.R. Pantileev’s methodic of self-attitude measurement (questionnaire), and self- attitude scoring questionnaire developed by us. The results of the study confirm the hypothesis and show that myopic teenagers and youths has specific features of self-attitude, such as the disposition towards self-criticism, negative attitude towards characteristics of self, the decline of communicational self-attitude and communicational activity, the tendency to deep intelligent reflection of self with great attention toward weaknesses. Moreover, myopic respondents show rigid and extreme scores of self-attitude, passiveness in communication, sensitivity towards other people’s scores. It was shown, that self-attitude of myopic teenagers resembles that of blind and visually impaired people. It was also shown that myopic teenagers are more self-critical and tend to negative evaluation of themselves as communicational partners.

This fact was successfully investigated both theoretically and experimentally. It was shown that motivation determines the various aspects of thinking: the goalsetting strategy, the perspective goalsetting, emotional regulations, the relation between concrete and abstract components, egocentric features. The most important point of motivational influences is connected with the moment of motivational conflict. This conflict may switch the thinking of the subject from cognition to the special personal activity. This kind of thinking activity may be defined as a conceptualization of conflict personality meanings.

Relevance. The paper is devoted to an extremely relevant in theoretical and practical terms problem of cultural differences in memory organization, which is considered on the example of memorizing plot material by representatives of Russian and Azerbaijani culture.

Methodology and sample. The study involved 60 people, 30 people in each cultural subsample. A specially developed technique of verbal video plot reproduction was used. The narrative was presented without speech and sound accompaniment, which allowed to use identical stimulus material for different cultures.

Results. The results obtained indicate the cultural specificity in memorizing and reproducing plot material. It is shown that significance of social and individual-psychological factors of memory organization changes depending on affiliation to collectivistic or individualistic culture. The representatives of Azerbaijani culture are more likely to include a moral conclusion in the plot, whilst those of Russian culture are more inclined to analyze the motivation of characters.

Conclusion

1.               The representatives of Russian culture are more likely to demonstrate the subjectivity of the reconstructed plot and greater projective freedom of interpretation regarding events and details. This can be explained by the activity of individual cognitive factors in relation to memorization.

2.               The tendency to moral assessments and moralizing in reproduction of a plot is more specific to the representatives of Azerbaijani culture. This trend indicates an active role of social norms and rules in mnemonic processes determination as compared to individual factors (e.g., motivation).

3.               The motivation of characters as the basis of storyline is more peculiar to the representatives of Russian culture compared to the Azerbaijanis. This finding testifies to the greater importance of the individual personal determinants of mnemonic processes for Russians.