Goran Knezevic

Bio: Goran Knezevic is an academic researcher from University of Belgrade. The author has contributed to research in topics: Personality & Big Five personality traits. The author has an hindex of 17, co-authored 42 publications receiving 1196 citations.

Perceptions of aging across 26 cultures and their culture-level associates.

Abstract: College students (N=3,435) in 26 cultures reported their perceptions of age-related changes in physical, cognitive, and socioemotional areas of functioning and rated societal views of aging within their culture. There was widespread cross-cultural consensus regarding the expected direction of aging trajectories with (a) perceived declines in societal views of aging, physical attractiveness, the ability to perform everyday tasks, and new learning; (b) perceived increases in wisdom, knowledge, and received respect; and (c) perceived stability in family authority and life satisfaction. Cross-cultural variations in aging perceptions were associated with culture-level indicators of population aging, education levels, values, and national character stereotypes. These associations were stronger for societal views on aging and perceptions of socioemotional changes than for perceptions of physical and cognitive changes. A consideration of culture-level variables also suggested that previously reported differences in aging perceptions between Asian and Western countries may be related to differences in population structure.

The role of individual differences in the accuracy of confidence judgments.

Abstract: Generally, self-assessment of accuracy in the cognitive domain produces overconfidence, whereas self-assessment of visual perceptual judgments results in under- confidence. Despite contrary empirical evidence, in models attempting to explain those phenomena, individual differences have often been disregarded. The authors report on 2 studies in which that shortcoming was addressed. In Experiment 1, participants ( N = 520) completed a large number of cognitive-ability tests. Results indicated that individual dif- ferences provide a meaningful source of overconfidence and that a metacognitive trait might mediate that effect. In further analysis, there was only a relatively small correlation between test accuracy and confidence bias. In Experiment 2 ( N = 107 participants), both perceptual and cognitive ability tests were included, along with measures of personality. Results again indicated the presence of a confidence factor that transcended the nature of the testing vehicle. Furthermore, a small relationship was found between that factor and some self-reported personality measures. Thus, personality traits and cognitive ability appeared to play only a small role in determining the accuracy of self-assessment. Col- lectively, the present results suggest that there are multiple causes of miscalibration, which current models of over- and underconfidence fail to encompass.

Parental Burnout Around the Globe: a 42-Country Study

Abstract: High levels of stress in the parenting domain can lead to parental burnout, a condition that has severe consequences for both parents and children. It is not yet clear, however, whether parental burnout varies by culture, and if so, why it might do so. In this study, we examined the prevalence of parental burnout in 42 countries (17,409 parents; 71% mothers; Mage = 39.20) and showed that the prevalence of parental burnout varies dramatically across countries. Analyses of cultural values revealed that individualistic cultures, in particular, displayed a noticeably higher prevalence and mean level of parental burnout. Indeed, individualism plays a larger role in parental burnout than either economic inequalities across countries, or any other individual and family characteristic examined so far, including the number and age of children and the number of hours spent with them. These results suggest that cultural values in Western countries may put parents under heightened levels of stress.

Consequences of Untreated Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following War in Former Yugoslavia: Morbidity, Subjective Quality of Life, and Care Costs

Abstract: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most frequently reported mental health consequences of exposure to war experience, although studies on both refugees and war veterans yielded inconsistent findings on the exact prevalence rates (1-5). Some evidence suggests that a higher degree of exposure to both war-related traumatic events and the pressures of the post-migration environment can lead to higher rates of PTSD over many years (6-9). Evidence based treatments for PTSD exist and are – at least to some extent – available in most post conflict contexts in the Western world. In such contexts, it can be assumed that a significant number of people with war-related PTSD receive treatment from psychiatrists or psychologists or are prescribed anti-depressants by their general practitioner. For various reasons, however, many people with serious and distressing levels of PTSD following war do not receive psychiatric or psychological treatment (10), and not much is known about their long term outcomes. It is not clear whether most of them recover from PTSD without treatment or the symptoms are likely to take a persistent course. Another question is what their subjective quality of life (SQOL) is, and what costs of formal and informal care they generate. Finally, it is not clear what factors are associated with more or less favorable outcomes in such populations, and whether current PTSD is associated with poorer SQOL. The present study addressed these questions and assessed long term outcomes in people who suffered from PTSD at some point of time following the war in former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, but never received psychiatric or psychological treatment in either primary or secondary care. Current PTSD, SQOL, and care costs were assessed as outcomes in refugees in Western Europe and in people who stayed in the area of conflict. Socio-demographic characteristics, the level of exposure to war stressors, and aspects of the post-war situation were tested for their association with more or less favorable outcomes.

The validity and structure of culture-level personality scores: Data from ratings of young adolescents

Abstract: We examined properties of culture-level personality traits in ratings of targets (N=5,109) ages 12 to 17 in 24 cultures. Aggregate scores were generalizable across gender, age, and relationship groups and showed convergence with culture-level scores from previous studies of self-reports and observer ratings of adults, but they were unrelated to national character stereotypes. Trait profiles also showed cross-study agreement within most cultures, 8 of which had not previously been studied. Multidimensional scaling showed that Western and non-Western cultures clustered along a dimension related to Extraversion. A culture-level factor analysis replicated earlier findings of a broad Extraversion factor but generally resembled the factor structure found in individuals. Continued analysis of aggregate personality scores is warranted.

Thinking fast and slow.

Abstract: In 1974 an article appeared in Science magazine with the dry-sounding title “Judgment Under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases” by a pair of psychologists who were not well known outside their discipline of decision theory. In it Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman introduced the world to Prospect Theory, which mapped out how humans actually behave when faced with decisions about gains and losses, in contrast to how economists assumed that people behave. Prospect Theory turned Economics on its head by demonstrating through a series of ingenious experiments that people are much more concerned with losses than they are with gains, and that framing a choice from one perspective or the other will result in decisions that are exactly the opposite of each other, even if the outcomes are monetarily the same. Prospect Theory led cognitive psychology in a new direction that began to uncover other human biases in thinking that are probably not learned but are part of our brain’s wiring.

Human cognitive abilities: A survey of factor analytic studies

Abstract: (1998). Human cognitive abilities: A survey of factor analytic studies. Gifted and Talented International: Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 97-98.

Research methods in social relations

Abstract: This sales letter may not influence you to be smarter, but the book that we offer will evoke you to be smarter. Yeah, at least you'll know more than others who don't. This is what called as the quality life improvisation. Why should this research methods in social relations? It's because this is your favourite theme to read. If you like this theme about, why don't you read the book to enrich your discussion?

Sex differences in trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder: a quantitative review of 25 years of research.

Abstract: Meta-analyses of studies yielding sex-specific risk of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) indicated that female participants were more likely than male participants to meet criteria for PTSD, although they were less likely to experience PTEs. Female participants were more likely than male participants to experience sexual assault and child sexual abuse, but less likely to experience accidents, nonsexual assaults, witnessing death or injury, disaster or fire, and combat or war. Among victims of specific PTEs (excluding sexual assault or abuse), female participants exhibited greater PTSD. Thus, sex differences in risk of exposure to particular types of PTE can only partially account for the differential PTSD risk in male and female participants.