Showing papers in "International Journal of Psychology in 1987"
Journal Article•
TL;DR: A survey of Chinese values was constructed and administered to university students in 22 countries around the world and an ecological factor analysis was run on the culture means for the 40 scale items and revealed four dimensions of cultural valuing as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: A survey of Chinese values was constructed and administered to university students in 22 countries around the world. An ecological factor analysis was run on the culture means for the 40 scale items and revealed four dimensions of cultural valuing. In a search for validities, country scores on these four factors were correlated with those derived from a Western survey of work-related values by Hofstede (1980). Three of the factors from the Chinese Value Survey (CVS) correlated at high levels with three of Hofstede's four, strongly suggesting the robust value dimensions of collectivism and compassion. The second CVS factor, Confucian work dynamism, was unrelated to any of Hofstede's, but correlated .70 with economic growth from 1965 to 1984. This validational evidence confirms the potential of instruments developed outside a Western cultural tradition for opening up new theoretical vistas to the attention of behavioral scientists.
1,315 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an organismic theory of constructive operators -a dialectical/causal theory -is introduced as a remedy for some epistemological presuppositions of Piaget's and Neo-Piagetian's work.
Abstract: The paper criticizes some epistemological presuppositions of Piaget's and of neo-Piagetian's work, in particular, the psycho-Logical principle. This principle is contrasted with a more valid psycho-dialectical one. It is suggested that a dialectical-constructivist (i.e., causal-dynamic) perspective offers a causal theoretical framework for cognitive development that is superior to that of Piaget and many neo-Piagetians. I outline criteria for evaluating causal developmental theories, and point out deficiencies in Piaget's and neepiagetian's stage theories vis-a-vis the criteria. An organismic theory of constructive operators - a dialectical/causal theory - is introduced as a remedy for these deficiencies. I focus on a modular model of mental attention that is constituted by four dynamically interacting functional systems. These systems together explain the ‘beam’ of mental attention and its phenomenological/behavioural effects. I claim that the stages of cognitive development are caused by growth...
307 citations
TL;DR: In this article, three groups of mothers with different cultural backgrounds, 397 Chinese living in Taiwan, 95 Chinese-Americans immigrated from Taiwan, and 213 Anglo-Americans, were administered the Parental Attitude Research Instrument (PARI).
Abstract: Three groups of mothers with different cultural backgrounds, 397 Chinese living in Taiwan, 95 Chinese-Americans immigrated from Taiwan, and 213 Anglo-Americans, were administered the Parental Attitude Research Instrument (PARI). Significant differences were found on all three attitudinal factors and on all 23 attitudinal scales. The results showed that (1) the Chinese mothers were most restrictive, the Anglo-American mothers were least restrictive, and the Chinese-American mothers were intermediate on the continuum of authoritarian-control; (2) the Chinese-American mothers were more likely lo approve the expression of hostility or rejection than the Chinese or Anglo-American mothers; (3) the Chinese-American mothers were more democratic than the Chinese mothers, and the Chinese mothers, more democratic than the Anglo-American mothers.
203 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the traditional opposition between generalization and specificity is resolved within a skill-theory framework, where neither generalization nor specificity is considered the normal state. Instead, they are both phenomena that can be predicted and explained in terms of skill structures and functional mechanisms of development or learning.
Abstract: Within a skill-theory framework, the traditional opposition between generalization and specificity is resolved. Neither generalization nor specificity is considered the normal state. Instead, they are both phenomena that can be predicted and explained in terms of skill structures and functional mechanisms of development or learning. A person acquires a skill in a specific context and must work to gradually extend it to other contexts. Within a task domain and across related domains, a set of structural transformations predict the order of generalization of the skill. Range of generalization of a given skill at a point in time varies widely across people and situations as a function of specified functional mechanisms. Generalization is maximized when (a) tasks are similar and familiar, (b) the environment provides opportunities for practice and support, (c) the person has had time to consolidate skills at the relevant developmental level, and (d) he or she is intelligent and in an emotional state ...
89 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that the different levels of cognitive organization can be attributed to a hierarchy of structure-mapping rules, and the higher-level rules are more ‘abstract’ in the sense of being less dependent on specific properties of each task, and more transferable.
Abstract: Several contemporary theories of cognitive development appear to agree that children progress through a hierarchy of increasingly powerful cognitive organizations, and that higher-level organizations impose greater information-processing loads. Although theories differ in their method of defining both the levels and the information-processing loads they impose, it is possible to find considerable common ground. In this paper it is argued that the different levels of cognitive organization can be attributed to a hierarchy of structure-mapping rules. Structure mapping is part of the process by which children represent and understand concepts. Four levels of structure mapping are defined. The levels, from lowest to highest, are based on element mappings, relational mappings, system mappings and multiple-system mappings. The higher-level rules are more ‘abstract’ in the sense of being less dependent on specific properties of each task, and are more transferable. However, they also impose higher infor...
74 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a theory of intellectual development is summarized which attempts to integrate the general structural approach pioneered by Piaget, with the more recent process oriented approaches proposed by information processing theorists on the one hand, and by Pascual-Leone (in his M-Operator theory) on the other.
Abstract: In the present article, a theory of intellectual development is summarized which attempts to integrate the general structural approach pioneered by Piaget, with the more recent ‘process’ oriented approaches proposed by information processing theorists on the one hand, and by Pascual-Leone (in his M-Operator theory) on the other. The resultant theory is one which proposes that children's control structures progress through four general stages in the course of their development, with three recursive substages being identifiable at each. Transition to a new stage of development occurs as a result of the hierarchical integration of two qualitatively distinct control structures, each one of which was assembled and consolidated towards the end of the previous stage. By contrast, progress within a stage occurs as a result of the step-wise attention to, and non-hierarchical integration of, an increasing number of similar elements, each one of which was assembled towards the beginning of the new stage. Th...
62 citations
Journal Article•
62 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of self-set goals on self-reported goal-directed activity in different time ranges were investigated and the relationship between goal specificity, future time perspective and goaldirected activity was also examined.
Abstract: The effects of self-set goals on self-reported goal-directed activity in different time ranges were investigated. The relationship between goal specificity, future time perspective and goal-directed activity were also examined. Subjects wrote down goals they had set for times ranges from 1 week to life span and then completed the Goal Questionnaire in reference to one goal, randomly selected by the experimenter. By means of factor analyses three goal-properties scales, importance, expectancy, conflict, and three action scales, effort, persistence, and satisfaction were created. Analyses revealed that with increasing time range there is an increase in level of importance, effort, persistence, and satisfaction, and a decrease in conflict. Goal expectancy appeared relatively stable. More specific analyses revealed that high importance leads to higher effort and satisfaction but to lower persistence. All action indices were positively related to expectancy of success and subjectively expected goal va...
50 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of the few existing empirical cross-cultural and differential studies inspired by neo-Piagetian theories is presented, and the potential advantages of these new models over classical structuralist approaches are spelled out.
Abstract: The neo-Piagetian theories represented in this special issue are examined from the cross-cultural and differential perspectives. The goals, methods and achievements of these two approaches are briefly reviewed, and the similarities and differences between the two are pointed out. Six criteria are proposed that psychological theories should meet from the point of view of these perspectives. After a review of the few existing empirical cross-cultural and differential studies inspired by neo-Piagetian theories, the latter are matched to the six criteria, and the potential advantages of these new models over classical structuralist approaches are spelled out.
47 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the Neo-Piagetian theories of cognitive development are compared and contrasted, and it is suggested that all the theories arose in response to a common dilemma, namely that of building a revised theory of development which would preserve the strengths of classical Piagetan theory, while elminating its weaknesses.
Abstract: In the present article, the neo-Piagetian theories that were presented in the previous articles are placed in historical context; then compared and contrasted. It is suggested that all the theories arose in response to a common dilemma, namely that of building a revised theory of development which would preserve the strengths of classical Piagetian theory, while elminating its weaknesses. Since one of the strengths of the classical theory was its ability to explain the universal features of cognitive development, most of the new theories retained the core set of structural postulates whch made this explanation possible. This gives the new theories a strong family resemblance with regard to their structural claims. Since one of the weaknesses of the classical theory was its inability to explain the aspects of cogmtive development that are not universal, most of the new theories have modified and/or added to ths set of core postulates, and specified a set of structural transformation processes whic...
42 citations
TL;DR: Experiential structuralism as mentioned in this paper is a new theory of cognitive organization and growth, which postulates that the cognitive system is organized into six autonomous capacity spheres: the quantitative-relational, the qualitative-analytic, the imaginal-spatial, the causal-experimental, the verbal-propositional and the metacognitive-reflecting.
Abstract: Experiential structuralism is a new theory of cognitive organization and growth. It postulates that the cognitive system is organized into six autonomous capacity spheres: the quantitative-relational, the qualitative-analytic. the imaginal-spatial, the causal-experimental, the verbal-propositional, and the metacognitive-reflecting. These capacities were called experiential because they are experimentally documented, they reflect the organization of the persons' experience and the -subjective - experience the persons have about this organization. Thus it was proposed that a set of specific cognitive abilities may be integrated into a general capacity under the guidance of four principles. Namely, the principles of (1) domain specificity, (2) formal-procedural specificity, (3) symbolic bias, and (4) subjective distinctness of capacities. It was argued that this theory resolves some of the problems related to the competence-performance dispute better than the other neepiagetian theories. It seems to...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the relationship between cultural affiliation, gender and assertive behavior in two distinct socio-cultural groups and found that Arab participants showed a lower level of assertiveness than their Jewish counterparts.
Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between cultural affiliation, gender and assertive behavior in two distinct socio-cultural groups. Ninety-seven Israeli Arab students and 97 Israeli Jewish students, of both sexes, filled out the Assertion Inventory (Gambrill and Richey 1975) during a class meeting. Analysis of the results indicated differences between the two cultural groups. In general, Arab participants showed a lower level of assertiveness than their Jewish counterparts. Differences between gender and interaction of culture × gender were found in certain factors related to behavior in specific social situations. These findings were discussed on the basis of accepted social behavior within various cultural contexts.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of test condition (stress) and anxiety trait on motor performance were analyzed, and a significant interactive effect appeared: the performance of high-trait-anxious subjects was impaired under evaluative conditions in fine and/or attentionally demanding tasks, but not in gross and attentionally simple tasks.
Abstract: In experiment 1, the attentional demands of two fine (finger movements) and two gross (arm movements) motor tasks were empirically determined. In experiment 2, the effects of test condition (stress) and anxiety trait on motor performance were analyzed. A significant interactive effect appeared: the performance of high-trait-anxious subjects was impaired under evaluative conditions in fine and/or attentionally demanding tasks, but not in gross and attentionally simple tasks. As test conditions and anxiety trait have proved to arouse physiological alterations and aversive cognitive representations, the selective performance impairment found can be attributed to interferences on finger effectors or proprimptors and to attentional overload, respectively.
TL;DR: This article found that children use diverse strategies on many tasks and that ignoring this diversity of strategies can lead to seriously flawed cognitive models, and that children's pattern of strategy choices have considerable adaptive value.
Abstract: This article presents conclusions that have emerged from my recent work on how children choose strategies on familiar tasks such as arithmetic, time-telling, and spelling. Among these conclusions are that children use diverse strategies on many tasks; that ignoring this diversity of strategies can lead to seriously flawed cognitive models; that children's pattern of strategy choices have considerable adaptive value; that children's strategy choices do not always reflect the operation of metacognitive processes; that associative knowledge directs at least some strategy choices; that among the factors that influence the development of strategy choices are the difficulty of executing backup strategies, the impact of related problems and operations, and the frequency of problem presentation; and that individual differences in both knowledge and cognitive style influence strategy choices.
TL;DR: A recent World Bank report has stated that the world population will grow continuously until reaching a total of 12 to 13 billion people by the middle of the 22nd century, and much of this growth will take place in developing countries.
Abstract: A recent World Bank report has stated that the world population will grow continuously until reaching a total of 12 to 13 billion people by the middle of the 22nd century. Much of this growth will take place in developing countries. Of the 80 million births forecast for 1984, 70 million were expected to be born in developing countries. These countries now comprise three fourths of the world's population. Due to the success of China's population policies, however, the growth rate in East Asia, which peaked at 2.2% in 1970–75, is now 1.1% and should drop below 1% after the year 2000. China's experience to hold population growth down is most valuable to the world, especially to the developing countries.
TL;DR: The cross-cultural validity of a North American personality inventory, namely, the Personality Research Form (Jackson 1984), was examined using 394 university students in the Philippines who were able to speak and read English.
Abstract: The cross-cultural validity of a North American personality inventory, namely, the Personality Research Form (Jackson 1984) was examined using 394 university students in the Philippines who were able to speak and read English. Scale validities, with self and peer ratings as criteria, were generally significant but modest. Moderate scale and peer rating reliabilities probably contributed to these results. Elevated scores on a PRF scale designed to detect careless responding suggested failure to understand instructions or insufficient motivation may also account for the findings. Interestingly. recalculating validities for subsamples comprising ‘dependable’ and ‘undependable’ subjects yielded no substantial differences in overall validity. Implications for cross-cultural personality assessment are discussed.
TL;DR: The authors investigated the causal attributional dimensions used in the dissolution of premarital romantic relationships by using the subjects' own ratings, and examined cultural influences on such dimensions, and found that the intensity of involvement and attributing the dissolution to external factors increases, whereas, initiating the breakup decreases the negative emotional impact of such an experie...
Abstract: The present study aimed to investigate the causal attributional dimensions used in the dissolution of premarital romantic relationships by using the subjects' own ratings, and to examine cultural influences on such dimensions. Twenty-two items tapping dimensions revealed by previous research were prepared and administered to 135 Turkish students who have broken up a relationship within the past year. Respondents' ratings of their perceived principal reason for dissolution were subjected to factor analysis which revealed the following six factors: self-control, partner's control, control external to the relationship, partner's lack of caring, instability, and transitoriness. The relationship between negative emotional reaction to the breakup and attributional dimensions and other dating-related variables revealed that the intensity of involvement and attributing the dissolution to external factors increases, whereas, initiating the breakup decreases the negative emotional impact of such an experie...
TL;DR: In this paper, three studies are reported showing different aspects of relating Piagetian studies to intervention research concerned with accelerating the cognitive development of early adolescents, which is argued that inferring causation from results of intervention studies is problematical.
Abstract: Three studies are reported showing different aspects of relating Piagetian studies to intervention research concerned with accelerating the cognitive development of early adolescents. It is argued that inferring causation from results of intervention studies is problematical. The first study involved Feuerstein's model of Mediated Learning and Instrumental Enrichment; the second utilised training on formal operational schemata in the context of science education, and the third investigated the effect of training for field-independence on Piagetian tests and on science learning. In each case effect-sizes of the order of one standard deviation on Piagetian tests between experimental and control were shown to be achievable over a period of a year or more, and in two types of study it was shown that the effects were not transient. Nevertheless, two substantial issues were common to each study. The effects shown on Piagetian and other tests had not been shown to transfer to students' learning during t...
TL;DR: The goal of basic research is the advancement of scientific knowledge for the sake of knowledge, and the applicability of that knowledge is irrelevant (Palmer 1984) as mentioned in this paper. But this is not always the case.
Abstract: The goal of basic research is the advancement of scientific knowledge for the sake of knowledge. The applicability of that knowledge is irrelevant (Palmer 1984). Basic research is theory-oriented. Predictions are based on theoretical conceptualizations. Empirical research is done to clarify, test and develop the theory (McGuire 1969). Or as Davidson (1977: 277) formulates it: ‘The scientist is essentially the seeker after knowledge that is systematically acquired and systematically explored. His first obligations are … towards knowledge itself. Scientists want to know why things are and how they work the way they do.’ For Hilgard and Bower (1966: 574) basic-science research is guided by the problems which the investigator sets himself without regard for the immediate applicability of the results to practical situations. Most basic research makes use of a single or a few tightly defined independent variables, simple and objective response measures as dependent variables and of rather homogeneous g...
TL;DR: This article investigated the influence of acquired directional scanning habits on two versions (horizontal versus vertical presentation of stimuli) of an inductive reasoning test by contrasting Japanese-speaking and English-speaking (Australian) groups.
Abstract: The study investigated the influence of acquired directional scanning habits on two versions (horizontal versus vertical presentation of stimuli) of an inductive reasoning test by contrasting Japanese-speaking and English-speaking (Australian) groups. The developmental trend of that influence was also investigated. Subjects were Grades 1, 5 and 7 students in both groups. The results indicated that the Japanese sample scored higher on the vertical version of the experimental test, while the Australian group scored higher on the horizontal version when timed group testing was administered to the subjects. For the individually administered test without time limit, the most marked effect was with the Australian Grade 5 students who performed better on the horizontal version than on the vertical version.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the moderating effects of two personality types in the personal control-job stress relationship and found that individuals with a high activity level and belief in powerful others had the strongest negative relationship between personal control and psychological anxiety.
Abstract: The present study examines the moderating effects of two personality types in the personal control-job stress relationship. Individuals with a high activity level and belief in powerful others (dimension of external locus of control) had the strongest negative relationship between personal control and psychological anxiety. In addition, individuals with a high belief in chance or fate (dimension of external locus of control) had the strongest negative relationship between personal control and pulse rate. The findings suggest that employees with a high activity level and/or external locus of control benefit the most from having control over their work environment.
TL;DR: This paper found that those who converted to Orthodox Judaism had higher self-esteem and a lower level of aspirations, and were also more likely to seek help than those who remained in the traditional Jewish faith.
Abstract: Fifty-nine Israeli men who had switched to Orthodox Judaism and fifty-nine Israeli men who remained secular were the experimental and control groups of this study. The two groups, matched for several personal background variables, were interviewed and then filled out a biographical inventory and two questionnaires. Thirty measures were extracted and the two groups were compared on them. Significant differences were found in 14 of the measures. Those who had turned Orthodox showed higher scores on the F scale, and less identification with their parents. They were also lower in self-esteem and level of aspirations, and higher in their readiness to seek help. The findings are mostly consistent with results of research in other times and places, as reported by other authors.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the Neo-Piagetian theories of cognitive development proposed by Robbie Case, Andreas Demetriou and Anastasia Efklides, Kurt Fischer, Jeffrey Farrar, Graeme Halford, and Robert Siegler.
Abstract: This article discusses the neo-Piagetian theories of cognitive development proposed by Robbie Case, Andreas Demetriou and Anastasia Efklides, Kurt Fischer, Jeffrey Farrar, Graeme Halford, Juan Pascual-Leone, Michael Shayer, and Robert Siegler. Each theory is discussed in terms of its basic assumptions, and propositions regarding structure, process, novelty and automatization, context, and mechanisms of development. Then some general conclusions are drawn about the enterprise of neo-Piagetian theorizing as a whole.
Cet article traite des theories neo-piagetiennes de developpement cognitif proposees par Robbie Case, Andreas Demetriou et Anastasia Efklides, Kurt Fischer, Jeffrey Farrar, Graeme Halford, Juan Pascual-Leone, Michael Shayer, and Robert Siegler. Chaque theorie est discutee en fonction de ses suppositions de bases, et de ses propositions concernant la structure, le procede, la nouveaute et l'automatisation, le contexte, et les mecanismes de developpement. Sont esquissees ensuite certaines conclusions generales au sujet de l'entreprise theorique neo-piagetienne comme un tout.
Journal Article•
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this article, the causal explanations given for not helping were manipulated to see their effect on affective reactions of the person who was denied help, and the results confirmed that attribution-affect linkages were stable and systematic.
Abstract: Two experiments were conducted to examine attribution-affect linkages in situations where help is denied. In experiment 1, two helping scenarios, in social and in academic context, were presented. The causal explanations given for not helping were manipulated to see their effect on affective reactions of the person who was denied help. These explanations covered all eight combinations of locus (internal-external), controllability (controllable-uncontrollable), and stability (stable-unstable) dimensions. For each explanation, undergraduate students of Allahabad University (N = 75) predicted affective reactions, assuming themselves to be the person denied help. Findings confirmed that attribution-affect linkages were stable and systematic. Furthermore, controllability dimension accounted for most of the linkages. Experiment 2 (N = 45) tested the reversibility of the attribution-affect linkages. In that, affective reactions were manipulated and subjects inferred the communicated explanations for not...
TL;DR: The authors found that speaker proficiency strongly influenced the listeners' person perception and behavioural intention, which in turn influenced behavioural intention in a hierarchical multiple regression (HMM) regression model, which was used to evaluate the hypotheses derived from conceptual analyses.
Abstract: Do people at different levels of second language proficiency perceive and interact with other speakers differently? Conceptual analyses suggested three possibilities. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the hypotheses derived from the conceptual analyses. Forty Chinese undergraduates (half of whom were high and half of whom were low in English language proficiency) listened to English speeches by either high or low proficiency speakers, and rated the speakers on ten personality traits and ten behavioural intention items. High and low proficiency listeners did not differ in their impressions of the speakers or the behavioural intention towards them. However, speaker proficiency strongly affected the listeners' person perception and behavioural intention. Results from a hierarchical multiple regression supported the hypothesis that speaker proficiency influenced person perception, which in turn influenced behavioural intention.
TL;DR: In this paper, the degree of interaction between gender and cultural group background in determining scholastic aptitude test attainment among college student candidates was assessed based on the SAT scores of 1778 Jewish and 1017 Arab students applying for admission to a major Israeli university.
Abstract: The major aim of this study was to assess the degree of interaction between gender and cultural group background in determining scholastic aptitude test attainment among college student candidates. The analyses were based on the college entrance aptitude test scores of 1778 Jewish and 1017 Arab student candidates applying for admission to a major Israeli university. A Manova of the subtest scores revealed significant main effects for both culture and gender and a significant gender × culture interaction effect. Separate Anovas for each of the individual subtests show significant gender × culture interaction effects for both the Mathematical and Figural Reasoning subtests, with a larger gender group differential - in favor of the males - among Jews than among Arabs. The interaction effect was attributed, in part, to two complementary culture-specific factors, namely: (a) the positive self-selection of Arab female college candidates of relatively high scholastic ability, thus serving to narrow the ...
TL;DR: The contribution of psychology to health has been highlighted in this article, where a brief survey of the most timely and relevant issues can be found, together with examples of current work in the field.
Abstract: Psychology as both a science and a profession has been closely identified with other disciplines in the broad field of health since the turn of the century. Recent advances in health care have reinforced the growing belief that the promotion of health and the prevention and treatment of illness can be greatly enhanced by incorporating the scientific findings and modem technology of psychology into everyday practices. Outlining the contributions of psychology to health we throughout the world is the primary purpose of this report. In this brief survey, only some of the most timely and relevant issues can be mentioned, together with examples of current work in the field. The reader interested in pursuing these psychological contributions more thoroughly is encouraged to review pertinent references from the citations at the end of this report. After an introductory overview, special attention is given to each of the major areas within the broad field of health care where psychological applications h...