The article presents an empirical study of the depth of thinking - personal characteristics reflecting the process of understanding of the problem; object – the solution of problem situation with artistic content, actualizing productive thinking; goal – to identify the level of problem solving in correlation with its success. The theoretical basis – the ideas of Gestalt theory and the Matyushkin’s theory of problem situations about productive thinking and evaluation its success. The study shows that the depth of thinking reflects the levels of understanding of the sense of artistic works – from a misunderstanding to clear and explicit understanding of the sense of the work in accordance with the author’s intention. The levels are the basis for evaluating the success of problem solving. From the object of thinking the depth is determined by artistic genre: the greatest depth of thinking requires dramatic genre. There is the positive correlation of the success of the solutions for two types of problem situation with artistic content – understanding of the sense of the film and the story by fragments – with the dramatic and comedic content. There is negative correlation for the success of the solutions of problem situations of emotionally opposite genres – comic and dramatic – for two types of problem situations.
Four-dimensional spherical model of emotions was built with metric multidimensional scaling method. This model simultaneously describes emotional expressions in the oral human speech (based on the samples of the word “Yes”, spoken with different expressions) and vocalizations of rhesus macaque monkeys in the human listener’s perception. Based on statistical criteria, number of dimensions in the space of the perception of emotional human speech and monkey vocalizations samples was defined to be equal to 4. Stimuli points in the space are positioned in almost equal distance from the center of the hypersphere. Model space axes were interpreted in regard to the contents of human emotions. Orientation of perception of monkey vocalization samples space axes was conducted in a formal procedure based on direct experimental data — cross-assessment of the differences between some human speech samples and all monkey vocalizations samples. As a result, all studied monkey vocalizations samples were quantitatively presented in a unified system of the characteristics, defined for human emotions, and received an anthropomorphic interpretation. Obtained results are not controversial to the data from animal behavior observation and expert analysis of their vocalizations range. We revealed the similarity between emotional expressions in human speech and monkey vocalization range, which, in turn, demonstrates the relation of human and monkey emotions.
Along with conventional notions about the positive influence pets on the development and psychological well-being of children, an increasing number of investigations evaluate the role of pets in the life of the modern urban family more carefully. Existing contradictions can be resolved via submission on pets as integral and important parts of the entire family system: the emergence of pets in the family may be associated with the maintenance and regulation of its homeostasis. We tested this assumption in the empirical research, which objectives were: 1) identification of the association between the age of the child/ siblings and appearance pets in families; 2) correlation of the data with the stages of family life cycle. Based on the data obtained from the survey (n=658) among students, conducted among first-year students of the faculty of psychology of Moscow State University and among the clients of the veterinary surgeon in 2008—2012 (n=75), we have analyzed the dependence of the frequency of occurrence of pets, which respondents considered “family member”, on the age of child/children in the family at the time of their purchase. According our findings pets’ appearance in a family with the only child happen when the child is 7, 9, 13, 16 years old, in a family with two children it happens when the second child is 7, 9, 13 years old and (or) the first one is 12—16 years old). These peaks happen when families have normal crises, not related with the changing family structure, but with the other factors, particularly with necessity contacting with social surrounding or with strict changing demands of psychical development of the child. The peaks of appearance pets in a family which were found by us can be evidence of including pets in regulation homeostasis of family life.
The results of additional analysis of previously published research are presented. The main topic of this research is stable patterns of volitional selfregulation,by the example of comparison of differences of volitional traits’ clusters and their intensity in the children behavior until 11 year-olds. Significant age-related changes in volitional sphere were demonstrated. It is shown that there are individually-typological features at early stages of formation of volitional sphere; volitional self-regulation development is a partial process; there are two ways of development of volitional traits (“harmonious” and “one-way” type). Quantity of children with “harmonious” combination of volitional traits is increase towards 2th-3th school grade and also the importance of personal forms of regulation of activity is increase to 4th class.
The article presents the results of applying of existential criterion of normal and abnormal personality to assess the personality of the overprotecting and overexacting parents in 176 families, who visited psychological consultation. It is shown that the styles of parenting “overprotection” and “overexactingness” indicate the one-sidedness of parental position in the education of their children concerning the certain existential dichotomies. Overprotecting parent’s position is one-sided towards existential dichotomy help and autonomy. Overexacting parent’s position is one-sided simultaneously towards the three classical existential dichotomies: nature and culture, self-actualization and conventional values, determinism and self-determination. Test for assessment of interpersonal relations by Sobchik L.N. was used to identify the characteristics of interpersonal relationships progenitors with parents in childhood. M. Luscher’s test was used to identify the characteristics of parent personalities. The results of these tests allowed to suppose that such one-sided educational positions of the overprotecting and overexacting parents has been formed under the influence of “excessively interfering” educational progenitors positions, which were irrationally assigned and later reproduced in the education of their children in the form of overprotection and overexactingness. Pointed out special aspects of the educational positions of the overprotecting and overexacting parents allow us in accordance with existential criterion to conclude about the abnormality of their personality.
The results of investigation the relationship between the intensity of the experience of traumatic events, post-traumatic stress and the parameters of psychological well-being in conscripts (n=123, age 18—25), passing military service in military units in Moscow and Moscow region are presented. Psychological techniques: Life Experience Questionnaire (LEQ) by J. Norbeck, I. Sarason et al. in adaptation of N.V. Tarabrina et al.; The Scale of psychological well-being by C. Ryff in adaptation of T.D. Shevelenkova, T.P. Fesenko; Symptom Check List-90-r-Revised by L.R. Derogatis et al. in adaptation of N.V. Tarabrina et al.; Mississippi scale (civilian version) by T. Keane et al. in adaptation of N.V. Tarabrina et al. The significant inverse relationship between psychological wellbeing, the intensity of PTSD and the experience of traumatic events was revealed. It is shown that intensive post-traumatic stress is associated with a variety of psychopathological symptoms: somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychoticism. It is revealed that the feeling of autonomy prevents the development of psychopathological symptoms accompanied the post-traumatic stress, supports psychological wellbeing, but without additional resources cannot be directed to influence on the level of psychic traumatization.
The paper presents results of the neuropsychological assessment of processes
involved in the maintenance of activation (Luria’s Unit I functions) in 64 firstgraders
who demonstrated various levels of academic success. On the basis of
this assessment, the children were divided into three groups: (i) the children
without any deficit in the Unit I functions (CONTROL children), (ii) those
predominantly showing slowness/fatigue (SLOW children), and (iii) those who
can be considered as predominantly hyperactive-impulsive (HYPERACTIVE
children). It is shown that, relative to controls, both SLOW and HYPERACTIVE
children show reduced academic scores and the decrease of most indices that
characterize functions of the Units II and III. The weaknesses of executive and
visual-spatial functions are predominantly observed in HYPERACTIVE children,
whereas SLOW children usually show some deficit in processing of kinesthetic
(proprioceptive) and audio-verbal information. Children with functional
weakness of the Unit I functions show an overall reduction in performance and its
speed in the computerized versions of the “DOTS” and “SCHULTE—GORBOV
tables” tests. In HYPERACTIVE children, deficits are observed in the most
difficult tasks (those probing mostly into planning and control functions), and
their performance is the most unstable. In SLOW children, the performance
rate is noticeably decreased for the moderate-to-difficult tasks. Overall, the data
reported contribute to the understanding of the diversity of Unit I functions
deficits and their relation to the learning difficulties experienced by children in
the primary school.
The article is devoted to considering of the interrelation of level of
emotional burning out and life-meaning orientations of teachers and
psychologists. During empirical research it was shown that workers with the
expressed level of emotional burning out statistically mismatches in the system
the life-meaning orientations observed more often, than at workers with not
expressed syndrome of emotional burning out for whom internal harmony,
acceptance of the past, the present and the future are more characteristic. It is
the paradox designate in the article: stressful situations provoking emotional
burning out, under certain circumstances can be considered as conditions of
development of teachers and psychologists. Thus, prospects of new researches of
a syndrome of emotional burning out contact us with the identification of these conditions and development on this basis of more modern medico-hygienic
standards of work of teachers and psychologists, which while, unfortunately,
is not present.
Correlations between various classes of working memory tasks (working
memory span tasks, updating tasks) were analyzed. Tasks that share processing
and storage requirements correlated with each other. A three factor structure
was extracted compatible with the existence of three components within working
memory: focus of attention, region of direct access, and activated memory. The
data shows that processing and storage are independent in working memory
and that storage in working memory is based on two storage systems — one
that uses short-term memory mechanisms and one that uses long-term memory
mechanisms.
The primary purpose of this study was to examine the role of conscious
self-regulation in reliability of actions of students in exam situation. Participants
were 231 16—18 year old students. The results showed that reliability of regulation
(stability of the basic regulatory characteristics in a stressful situation) is the basis
of the reliability of action of students with different level of academic success.
The study describes the characteristics of the reliability of learning actions of
students. We compared personal and regulatory characteristics of high school
students with different level of reliability of actions and academic success. We
found that students with the highest score on the exam have a low level of anxiety
and a high level of conscious self-regulation (especially regulatory reliability).
The results of research suggest that individual system of self-regulation plays a
significant role in reliability of actions of students in exam situation and provides
new information about how we can ensure reliability of actions of students in
exam situation.
This article presents the results of an empirical study on the role of hostility
in the etiopathogenesis of mental illness such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective
and affective disorders. The relationship of the general level of hostility and
enmity with the qualitative aspects of the objective characteristics of mental
illness (duration and nosology) is described in the following article. The sample
consists of 161 people, of which the clinical group consisted of 81 patients who are
hospitalized in the 4th department of the clinic affective pathology. Comparison
was made with a control group of healthy persons, which included 80 men who do
not suffer from mental and neurological disorders. The study used the following
methods: semantic differential (modification by Ohmatovskaya A.V.), World
assumptions scale, Constructive Thinking Index (CTI), Cook-Medley Hostility
scale, Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, Wechsler memory scale, Wagner’s
“Hand-test” (modification by A.V. Gerasimov). It was found that mentally ill
patients were showing significantly higher quantitative measures of hostility,
compared with the norm. Psychopathological marked qualitative specificity
of hostility expressed in suspicion, ambivalence, extrapunitive and generalized
hostility. According to the results, hostility has not direct connection with the
nosology specific of the mental disorders, and does not depend on the patient’s
age and duration of disease.
This article describes the nature of the relationship of quantitative and
qualitative aspects of aggressiveness with nosology, duration and severity of
depression. The study involved 87 patients with a depressive disorder (31 women
and 56 men) aged 17 to 46 years. Depressive disorder occurs as an independent disease, or combined with other mental illnesses. The diagnosis was recorded as a psychiatrist in the history of the disease. The study used the following
methodology: Zung’s method, Beck scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Wagner’s
“Hand-test” (A.V. Gerasimov’s modification), Buss—Durkey Inventory, The
Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Study (N.V. Tarabrina’s modification), computer
psychophysiological method “Operator”. The quantitative and qualitative character
of aggressiveness in patients with mental disorders as compared with healthy
subjects is shown. In depressed patients compared to healthy subjects are more
pronounced aggression, suspicion, resentment and hostility. Intensity of these
parameters increases with worsening depression and with increasing duration of
disease severity decreased aggressiveness. Level of physical aggression is higher at depressive disorder within psychopathy. In the group of female patients with depression increased aggressiveness, in the group of male patients with depression
increased general and physical aggression. In depressive disorders worsens assess
and recognize the emotional state of others and their own.
The article describes the results of the empirical research, which aim was to
identify features of the volitional regulation changes, when students pass from
the first year of studies to the second year. First and second year students of
various faculties were involved in the research (n=481). Techniques: “A formalized
modification of Dembo—Rubinstein self-esteem technique”, V.A Ivannikov, E.V.
Eydman; “Scale of action control in planning” J. Kuhl (NAKEMR-90) in adaptation
of S.A. Shapkin; “Questionnaire for detection of self-control in emotional sphere,
activity and behavior” G.S. Nikiforov, V.K. Vasilyev and S.V. Frisov; Purpose-in-
Life Test in adaptation of D.A. Leontiev. When students pass from the first to the
second year of studies, they show some changes: the indices of volitional regulation
grow. However, the nature of changes varies for groups of students with different
individual features and for male student and female student groups.
The psychoanalytical theory of object relations along with the subsequent
theory of structural changes served as basis for the following research. The
intrapsychic field of personality’s object relations is formed in the process of
internalization of significant objects, relationships and their corresponding
affects. The following article is dedicated to empirical testing of the main
assumptions underlying the psychoanalytic theory of structural change. The
objective of this research was to evaluate in a structured way the dynamics of
reorganization of object relations and intrapsychic structures of the personality of
the subject undergoing psychoanalysis. The evaluation was based on the method
of differentiated semantic categories. The results of the semantic analysis of the
dynamics of intrapsychic changes confirmed main hypothesis: namely that in the
process of psychoanalysis there is a reorganization of internal object relations;
psychoanalytic work brings about intrapsychic transformations in personality,
specifically, the indicator of the psychic structure Ego increases while at the same
time the indicators of psychic structures Id and Super-Ego decrease.
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.
The purpose of the study was to identify significant aspects of the initial
work experience through qualitative analysis of mini-essays on the theme:
“Working situation that I could not manage. Working situation that I was able
to cope. My conclusions”. Respondents — 5th year full-time students one of
the Moscow higher educational institutions (29 women and 9 men), finishing a
degree in “Management”. All respondents had the initial work experience (within
the workplace practices, in public organizations, children’s summer camps,
commercial structures, etc.). Analyzing only texts that were composed in strict
accordance with instructions. Main results: 1) Principal issue of mini-essays was
the personal aspects of business interaction (with superiors, colleagues, business
partners, customers). 2) The central phenomenon was the relation between the
“Self ” and the professional role, personal ability or inability focusing on work
problems and psychologically distancing from the value judgments of partners in
interaction. 3) Respondents` conclusions (final judgments) were of two kinds –
related to “work situation» (the behavior throughout the conflict situation, a work
adaptation, the image of the superior, internal resources for conflict resolution,
the style of own behavior) and related to “personal growth” (relation between
the “Self ” and the professional role, self-organization and self-regulation skills,
value orientations).
Th is article discusses the fundamental principles of qualitative research:
contextual sensitivity, understanding, interpretative reconstruction and refl exivity.
Th e principle of contextual sensitivity focuses on qualitative research study of
the phenomenon in its socio-cultural and dialogical setting, and the principle of
understanding — the study of subjective values and meaning in the positions of
the various groups. Th e principles of interpretation of refl exivity give an answer to the question about the methodological tool for qualitative research — how
to connect data and formulated analytical synthesis, validity assessment which
involves tracking and monitoring impact of refl exive attitudes of the researcher.
Th ese principles are formulated on the basis of theoretical analysis and practical
experience with qualitative methods and prove the relevancy of combining them
into a single methodological approach that is implemented in various directions
and strategies of qualitative data analysis. Th e authors emphasize conceptual unity
of qualitative research and the underlying common methodology.
Results of research of ideas of time are given in article at 63 schoolchildren (14—
16 years) and 68 students (21—23 years), divided into 3 groups: with the expressed
motivation of achievement (MD), with the expressed motivation of avoiding of
failure, with not expressed motivational pole. Th e analysis of results of respondents
by C. Osgud’s technique «Semantic diff erential» and a projective technique «Draw
time» revealed distinctions of data of groups on such indicators, as ideas of the
present, an emotional sign of estimates of an image of time and its components,
level of the concept of time, a form of the image of time, a ratio of estimates of the
present and the future. Th e conclusion is drawn that idea of respondents of time
can serve prediktory MD; the obtained data can be used in psychodiagnostics and
consultative psychological aid to schoolchildren and students.
