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About the conference
Scientific committee
- José Ferreira-Alves
- Margarida Pedroso de Lima
- Albertina Lima Oliveira
- Kristian Stålne
- Michael Lamport Commons
- Joaquim A. Ferreira
Organizing committee
- Kristian Stålne
- José Ferreira-Alves
- Margarida Pedroso de Lima
Presentations
Corruption and corruption communication
viewed from an adult developmental perspective
Dr. Elke Fein
FernUniversität Hagen
Germany
The presentation (paper in preparation) focuses on corruption and on corruption communication, i.e. theoretical and analytical discourses about corruption, and proposes an interdisciplinary framework for reassessing both of them. It is argued that in order to compensate for frequent shortcomings and disciplinary reductionisms in large parts of the literature, an integrative theoretical and analytical framework based on the Model of Hierarchical Complexity (MHC) as one of the leading heuristic tools in adult development scholarship can provide new insights on both corruption itself as an important form of unethical behavior in organizations and beyond, as well as offer new theoretical horizons for understanding and evaluating public and scientific discourses on corruption. It can thus offer a substantially new outlook on the field of behavioral ethics in organizations, as well as for interdisciplinary corruption research in general. >>>
Political Worldview of Liberals and Conservatives: A validity study of Lakoff’s “Strict-Father”, “Nurturing-Parent” Metaphors using the Political Worldview Instrument and the Model of Hierarchical Complexity
Terri Lee Robinett
Dare Institute, USA
According to George Lakoff (1995) many of our most commonplace thoughts make use of an unconscious system of metaphorical concepts that frame our everyday reasoning and worldviews. One of the most important metaphorical concepts for conservatives is the “strict-father” concept of moral strength that is centered on immorality and good vs. evil. It determines much of conservative thought, language, and social policy. As a result of conservatives giving priority to moral strength, other possible explanations for physical and social reality such as social forces or social class are ruled out. On the other hand, liberals tend to see the world through the lens of the “nurturant parent” model. The primary experience behind this model is caring for others and self, valuing loving interactions, living happily, and deriving meaning from mutual interaction, empathy, and nurturance. This nurturance-based morality is diametrically opposed to strict-father morality. In order to provide empirical evidence for these metaphorical worldviews, this study utilized the Model of Hierarchical Complexity (MHC) to relate an individual’s performance on the Political Worldview Survey to a mathematical order of hierarchical complexity. The order of hierarchical complexity was applied to each item on the Political Worldview Survey and the results were analyzed using the Rasch analysis.
Terri Lee Robinett
Dare Institute, USA
According to George Lakoff (1995) many of our most commonplace thoughts make use of an unconscious system of metaphorical concepts that frame our everyday reasoning and worldviews. One of the most important metaphorical concepts for conservatives is the “strict-father” concept of moral strength that is centered on immorality and good vs. evil. It determines much of conservative thought, language, and social policy. As a result of conservatives giving priority to moral strength, other possible explanations for physical and social reality such as social forces or social class are ruled out. On the other hand, liberals tend to see the world through the lens of the “nurturant parent” model. The primary experience behind this model is caring for others and self, valuing loving interactions, living happily, and deriving meaning from mutual interaction, empathy, and nurturance. This nurturance-based morality is diametrically opposed to strict-father morality. In order to provide empirical evidence for these metaphorical worldviews, this study utilized the Model of Hierarchical Complexity (MHC) to relate an individual’s performance on the Political Worldview Survey to a mathematical order of hierarchical complexity. The order of hierarchical complexity was applied to each item on the Political Worldview Survey and the results were analyzed using the Rasch analysis.
Changes of value systems in Sweden and USA between 1996 and 2006
Per Sjölander, Void Institute, Vilhelmina, Sweden
Kristian Stålne, Department of Construction sciences, University of Lund, Sweden
Objective. Changes of cultural values and distinct values profiles in Sweden and USA were studied by using data from the World Value Surveys performed in 1996 and 2006 (www.worldvaluessurvey.org).
Methods. A factor analysis of 70 rating questions on different values resulted in 16 value clusters. Median scores of these clusters were defined as cultural values. Distinct value profiles were identified by pattern recognition analysis (Partial Least Square Regression). Based on evolutionary development principles, i.e., level of differentiation, integration and novelty, the profiles were hierarchically arranged according to relative extent of development.
Results. The importance of expertise, technology, personal independence and tolerance has increased in the Swedish cultural value system, while that of religion, nationalism and existentialism have decreased. In USA, the significance of justice, equality, market liberalism and nationalism have increased, while the importance of conformism, religion and universalism has decreased. Four distinct value profiles were identified in both countries. In Sweden, the relative number of individuals with the least and the most developed value systems decreased between 1996 and 2006, whereas the two intermediate value systems have become more common. In USA, the most poorly developed value system has become more frequent, while the most advanced value system has become less frequent.
Conclusions. The study indicates that the relative frequency of different value systems is changing over time, however, not always toward more advanced and developed value systems. There are striking differences in the temporal development of value priorities between Sweden and USA, which has significant implications for semantically based methods that are used for assessment of individual’s level of adult development. >>>
Per Sjölander, Void Institute, Vilhelmina, Sweden
Kristian Stålne, Department of Construction sciences, University of Lund, Sweden
Objective. Changes of cultural values and distinct values profiles in Sweden and USA were studied by using data from the World Value Surveys performed in 1996 and 2006 (www.worldvaluessurvey.org).
Methods. A factor analysis of 70 rating questions on different values resulted in 16 value clusters. Median scores of these clusters were defined as cultural values. Distinct value profiles were identified by pattern recognition analysis (Partial Least Square Regression). Based on evolutionary development principles, i.e., level of differentiation, integration and novelty, the profiles were hierarchically arranged according to relative extent of development.
Results. The importance of expertise, technology, personal independence and tolerance has increased in the Swedish cultural value system, while that of religion, nationalism and existentialism have decreased. In USA, the significance of justice, equality, market liberalism and nationalism have increased, while the importance of conformism, religion and universalism has decreased. Four distinct value profiles were identified in both countries. In Sweden, the relative number of individuals with the least and the most developed value systems decreased between 1996 and 2006, whereas the two intermediate value systems have become more common. In USA, the most poorly developed value system has become more frequent, while the most advanced value system has become less frequent.
Conclusions. The study indicates that the relative frequency of different value systems is changing over time, however, not always toward more advanced and developed value systems. There are striking differences in the temporal development of value priorities between Sweden and USA, which has significant implications for semantically based methods that are used for assessment of individual’s level of adult development. >>>
How much perceptions of aging are related with well-being within older adults?
Elisabete Ferreira
José Ferreira-Alves
School of Psychology
University of Minho
Campus de Gualtar
4710-057 Braga
Portugal
The direction of both a senior university and one center of activities for leisure time were contacted and we let them know about the aim of our project: to collect perceptions of aging and the level of wellbeing of the older adults that are clients of these institutions. After this initial contact we receive approval from direction and we schedule several days on which we invite individually each individual. There were no refusals in participating. Results: Findings support significant associations between dimensions of psychological well-being and dimensions of perceptions of aging. The perception of aging dimension of “negative consequences” has significant relationships with two dimensions of wellbeing and with the total score of the PGCMS. In the same direction was the perception of aging as a cyclical phenomenon that was finding negatively associated with the subscale of wellbeing “attitudes toward own aging” and with the subscale total. Negative control and positive control were positively associated with well-being but that associations were of low magnitude (.23, .24 e .25).
Discussion: According to the result that wellbeing is more associated with negative perceptions of aging, it seems wiser to prevent negative perceptions of aging for foster wellbeing. However as we must not promote unrealist views of aging it seems also important to make visible, more relevant, workable, and strong the other dimensions of perception of aging with a more positive nature, such as emotional representations, positive consequences, and positive control. >>>
Elisabete Ferreira
José Ferreira-Alves
School of Psychology
University of Minho
Campus de Gualtar
4710-057 Braga
Portugal
The direction of both a senior university and one center of activities for leisure time were contacted and we let them know about the aim of our project: to collect perceptions of aging and the level of wellbeing of the older adults that are clients of these institutions. After this initial contact we receive approval from direction and we schedule several days on which we invite individually each individual. There were no refusals in participating. Results: Findings support significant associations between dimensions of psychological well-being and dimensions of perceptions of aging. The perception of aging dimension of “negative consequences” has significant relationships with two dimensions of wellbeing and with the total score of the PGCMS. In the same direction was the perception of aging as a cyclical phenomenon that was finding negatively associated with the subscale of wellbeing “attitudes toward own aging” and with the subscale total. Negative control and positive control were positively associated with well-being but that associations were of low magnitude (.23, .24 e .25).
Discussion: According to the result that wellbeing is more associated with negative perceptions of aging, it seems wiser to prevent negative perceptions of aging for foster wellbeing. However as we must not promote unrealist views of aging it seems also important to make visible, more relevant, workable, and strong the other dimensions of perception of aging with a more positive nature, such as emotional representations, positive consequences, and positive control. >>>
Emotional expressivity, emotional control and emotional differentiation within old age
Mariana Machado
José Ferreira-Alves
Escola de Psicologia
Universidade do Minho
Campus de Gualtar
4710-057 Braga
Portugal
Method: 57 older adults recruited in residential facilities and day care centers, 44 female and 12 male, age range 65-91, mean age: 78,3 years old, sd= 7,6, 26 participants had less than 4 years of schooling and 17 just four years, 2 participants had 9 years, 7 had 12 years of schooling and only 5 had a high level education. 33 were widowed, 10 single and 11 married and just 3 divorced. Instruments: a) Mini-Cog (Borson, S., et al, 2000).The Mini-Cog exam is composed of three item recall and a Clock Drawing Test (CDT). It was used as a measure to screen cognitive impairment; b) Socio Demographic Questionnaire; c) Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire (Gross & John, 1995 - version of the research of Mariana Machado & J. Ferreira-Alves, 2010); The Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire is a 16-item self reported questionnaire that assesses individual differences in emotional expressivity. In addition to a total score, the Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire provides three subscales; Negative (Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire-Negative) and Positive (Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire- Positive) expressivity, and Impulse Strength; d) Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (Watson & Greer, 1983 – version of the research of Mariana Machado & J. Ferreira-Alves, 2010); The Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS) is a 21 item self report questionnaire designed to determine the extent to which patients showed a tendency to control feelings of anger, anxiety and depression.; e) Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross & John, 2003 – adapted for the Portuguese population by Filipa Machado Vaz & Carla Martins, 2008). Gross and John developed the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) with the aim of creating a method of evaluation for emotional regulation and understanding of individual differences in using these strategies; f) Range and Differentiation of Emotional Experience Scale (Kang & Shaver, 2004 - adapted for the Portuguese population by Filipa Machado Vaz & Carla Martins, 2008). It is a self-report measure with 14 items which was developed in order to evaluate the range of acknowledged emotions
Results and discussion: Negative expressivity was the only variable with a normal distribution. We found that emotional regulation of older adults is made with high values of emotional suppression as well as high values of cognitive reappraisal. Emotional suppression was inversely related with the self-report of negative expressivity and positively related with the self-report of depressed mood, anger and mainly with anxiety. Cognitive reappraisal was just related moderately with positive expressivity. These data contrasted with those found by Gross & John, where they found a positive relationship between emotional suppression and the experience of more negative emotions. We will discuss these data and this contrast pointing to a different way of regulating emotional life in old age. >>>
Mariana Machado
José Ferreira-Alves
Escola de Psicologia
Universidade do Minho
Campus de Gualtar
4710-057 Braga
Portugal
Method: 57 older adults recruited in residential facilities and day care centers, 44 female and 12 male, age range 65-91, mean age: 78,3 years old, sd= 7,6, 26 participants had less than 4 years of schooling and 17 just four years, 2 participants had 9 years, 7 had 12 years of schooling and only 5 had a high level education. 33 were widowed, 10 single and 11 married and just 3 divorced. Instruments: a) Mini-Cog (Borson, S., et al, 2000).The Mini-Cog exam is composed of three item recall and a Clock Drawing Test (CDT). It was used as a measure to screen cognitive impairment; b) Socio Demographic Questionnaire; c) Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire (Gross & John, 1995 - version of the research of Mariana Machado & J. Ferreira-Alves, 2010); The Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire is a 16-item self reported questionnaire that assesses individual differences in emotional expressivity. In addition to a total score, the Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire provides three subscales; Negative (Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire-Negative) and Positive (Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire- Positive) expressivity, and Impulse Strength; d) Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (Watson & Greer, 1983 – version of the research of Mariana Machado & J. Ferreira-Alves, 2010); The Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS) is a 21 item self report questionnaire designed to determine the extent to which patients showed a tendency to control feelings of anger, anxiety and depression.; e) Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross & John, 2003 – adapted for the Portuguese population by Filipa Machado Vaz & Carla Martins, 2008). Gross and John developed the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) with the aim of creating a method of evaluation for emotional regulation and understanding of individual differences in using these strategies; f) Range and Differentiation of Emotional Experience Scale (Kang & Shaver, 2004 - adapted for the Portuguese population by Filipa Machado Vaz & Carla Martins, 2008). It is a self-report measure with 14 items which was developed in order to evaluate the range of acknowledged emotions
Results and discussion: Negative expressivity was the only variable with a normal distribution. We found that emotional regulation of older adults is made with high values of emotional suppression as well as high values of cognitive reappraisal. Emotional suppression was inversely related with the self-report of negative expressivity and positively related with the self-report of depressed mood, anger and mainly with anxiety. Cognitive reappraisal was just related moderately with positive expressivity. These data contrasted with those found by Gross & John, where they found a positive relationship between emotional suppression and the experience of more negative emotions. We will discuss these data and this contrast pointing to a different way of regulating emotional life in old age. >>>
Predictors of spousal abuse frequency in a sample of adult male batterers
Olga Cunha & Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves
University of Minho, School of Psychology, Portugal
Spousal abuse has been identified as a major health problem and a violation of women’s human rights. In this sense, it is important to determine the predictors of spousal abuse, partly because predicting risk of intimate partner violence facilitates searching for best solutions. This study identifies the best predictors of physical and psychological marital abuse in a sample of 187 adult male batterers. To collect the data we used a semi-structured interview and a set of measures to assess abusive behaviors, psychopathology, aggression and psychopathy. Two step stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to identify the predictors of physical and psychological spousal abuse. According to physical abuse three predictors emerged: previous marital violence, objects use and low socioeconomic status. In psychological abuse also emerged three predictors: previous marital violence, psychopathy and jealousy. In sum, previous marital violence seems to be an important predictor of physical and psychological spousal abuse.
Olga Cunha & Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves
University of Minho, School of Psychology, Portugal
Spousal abuse has been identified as a major health problem and a violation of women’s human rights. In this sense, it is important to determine the predictors of spousal abuse, partly because predicting risk of intimate partner violence facilitates searching for best solutions. This study identifies the best predictors of physical and psychological marital abuse in a sample of 187 adult male batterers. To collect the data we used a semi-structured interview and a set of measures to assess abusive behaviors, psychopathology, aggression and psychopathy. Two step stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to identify the predictors of physical and psychological spousal abuse. According to physical abuse three predictors emerged: previous marital violence, objects use and low socioeconomic status. In psychological abuse also emerged three predictors: previous marital violence, psychopathy and jealousy. In sum, previous marital violence seems to be an important predictor of physical and psychological spousal abuse.
Family/ Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Borderline personality disorder (BPD). About relationship, quality of life and therapeutic intervention
João Redondo
Psychiatrist
Director of Serviço de Violência Familiar, Hospital Sobral Cid -
Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra
Founder member of "Grupo Violência: informação, Investigação,
intervenção"
Portugal
Childhood trauma associated with IPV may be a focal precipitant to PTSD. Higher rates of PTSD in subjects with BPD may also reflect a greater vulnerability to the psychological effects of traumatic stress and a diminished ability to adapt to or recover from such events (Golier et al, 2003). It has generally been found that people with both diagnoses, PTSD and BPD, experience long-term sequelae (psychological/biological) and tend to be more impaired overall. Would psychosocial events result in persisting biological alterations in the brain? Can we talk about differences between woman and men? Would PTSD and BPD reflect: intrinsic link between two disorders that are unrelated to trauma exposure? an artifact of overlapping diagnostic criteria? Patients suffering PTSD and BPD would: have a more severe clinical profile than patients with either disorder without the other? decrease the likelihood of attaining remission from borderline personality disorder? Treatment: Psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy? Other?
João Redondo
Psychiatrist
Director of Serviço de Violência Familiar, Hospital Sobral Cid -
Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra
Founder member of "Grupo Violência: informação, Investigação,
intervenção"
Portugal
Childhood trauma associated with IPV may be a focal precipitant to PTSD. Higher rates of PTSD in subjects with BPD may also reflect a greater vulnerability to the psychological effects of traumatic stress and a diminished ability to adapt to or recover from such events (Golier et al, 2003). It has generally been found that people with both diagnoses, PTSD and BPD, experience long-term sequelae (psychological/biological) and tend to be more impaired overall. Would psychosocial events result in persisting biological alterations in the brain? Can we talk about differences between woman and men? Would PTSD and BPD reflect: intrinsic link between two disorders that are unrelated to trauma exposure? an artifact of overlapping diagnostic criteria? Patients suffering PTSD and BPD would: have a more severe clinical profile than patients with either disorder without the other? decrease the likelihood of attaining remission from borderline personality disorder? Treatment: Psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy? Other?
EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT USING THE MODEL OF HIERARCHICAL COMPLEXITY (MHC): Case Study
Sabina Ravničan
Mentor: Dr. Roberto Biloslavo
Co-mentor: Dr. Michael Lamport Commons
Research problem. In spite of the surplus labour force, it is still a challenge for companies to find and select employees whose potential (cognitive, emotional and technical) suits specific job requirements. The model of hierarchical complexity (MHC) provides an insight into the characteristics of candidates for a certain position that cannot be identified otherwise – by performance assessment and competence verification. The MHC is not yet known in Slovenia. Research that presents its usefulness would contribute to its recognition and offer a new strategic opportunity for Slovenian companies and employment agencies.
The purpose of the research is to classify employees according to the MHC to determine to which stage of hierarchical complexity they belong. The research will thus test the following hypotheses:
H1: The individual’s classification under the MHC and the job hierarchy in the organisational structure are correlated.
H2: The individual’s classification under the MHC and his/her job performance are correlated.
H3: Middle managers predominantly function on the systematic level of hierarchical complexity.
H4: Executive managers predominantly function on the metasystematic level of hierarchical complexity.
The fundamental of the master's thesis is that knowledge of the HC stage of job performance is the key indicator that guides companies in employee development, human resources planning and shaping of the future organizational structure >>>
Sabina Ravničan
Mentor: Dr. Roberto Biloslavo
Co-mentor: Dr. Michael Lamport Commons
Research problem. In spite of the surplus labour force, it is still a challenge for companies to find and select employees whose potential (cognitive, emotional and technical) suits specific job requirements. The model of hierarchical complexity (MHC) provides an insight into the characteristics of candidates for a certain position that cannot be identified otherwise – by performance assessment and competence verification. The MHC is not yet known in Slovenia. Research that presents its usefulness would contribute to its recognition and offer a new strategic opportunity for Slovenian companies and employment agencies.
The purpose of the research is to classify employees according to the MHC to determine to which stage of hierarchical complexity they belong. The research will thus test the following hypotheses:
H1: The individual’s classification under the MHC and the job hierarchy in the organisational structure are correlated.
H2: The individual’s classification under the MHC and his/her job performance are correlated.
H3: Middle managers predominantly function on the systematic level of hierarchical complexity.
H4: Executive managers predominantly function on the metasystematic level of hierarchical complexity.
The fundamental of the master's thesis is that knowledge of the HC stage of job performance is the key indicator that guides companies in employee development, human resources planning and shaping of the future organizational structure >>>
The structural validity of the Inductive Reasoning Developmental Test for the Measurement of Developmental Stages
Hudson F. Golino, B. Psy.
Assistant Researcher at the Laboratory for Cognitive Architecture Mapping (LaiCo), Graduate Student of Developmental Psychology (Master), Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais – Brazil
Cristiano Mauro Assis Gomes, Ph.D
Adjunct Professor at the Department of Psychology (Undergraduate and Graduate school of Psychology) and at the Graduate School of Neurosciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) . Coordinator of the Laboratory for Cognitive Architecture Mapping (LaiCo). Brazil
The Inductive Reasoning Developmental Test (IRTD) is a pencil-and-paper instrument designed to assess developmentally sequenced and hierarchically organized inductive reasoning. The sequence was constructed based on the Model of Hierarchical Complexity, and has eight items specifically designed to identify each stage, covering seven stages (from Pre-operational to Metasystematic) in a total of 56 items. Each item is composed of four letters, or sequence of letters, with a specific rule (correct items), plus one letter or sequence with a different rule (exception). The task is to discover which letter or sequence is the exception. The IRTD was administered to a convenience sample composed by 1,193 Brazilian people (53% women, 47% men) aged between 6 to 86 years (M = 15.02, SD = 12.30). All the participants were from the city of Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In the first part of the data analysis the dichotomous Rasch Model is used. After verifying the fit to the dichotomous Rasch Model, the structure of the items’ difficulties is visually verified through the Wright map, and analytically checked through hidden markov model. The result of the Rasch analysis shows a reliability of .99 for the 56 items and an infit meansquare mean of .90 (SD = .23). The person reliability was .80. The principal contrast showed that the raw variance explained by measures (modeled) is of 73.2%, and that the unexplained variance in the first contrast (modeled) is 6.9%, suggesting that the instrument can be thought of as unidimensional. The items’ difficulties presented 7 clusters with gaps between then, as visually verified by the Wright map. The clusters were confirmed by the hidden markov model, which presented a solution with 7 classes (log Lik.= -26.28, df=62, AIC: 176.57, BIC: 302.14). >>>
Hudson F. Golino, B. Psy.
Assistant Researcher at the Laboratory for Cognitive Architecture Mapping (LaiCo), Graduate Student of Developmental Psychology (Master), Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais – Brazil
Cristiano Mauro Assis Gomes, Ph.D
Adjunct Professor at the Department of Psychology (Undergraduate and Graduate school of Psychology) and at the Graduate School of Neurosciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) . Coordinator of the Laboratory for Cognitive Architecture Mapping (LaiCo). Brazil
The Inductive Reasoning Developmental Test (IRTD) is a pencil-and-paper instrument designed to assess developmentally sequenced and hierarchically organized inductive reasoning. The sequence was constructed based on the Model of Hierarchical Complexity, and has eight items specifically designed to identify each stage, covering seven stages (from Pre-operational to Metasystematic) in a total of 56 items. Each item is composed of four letters, or sequence of letters, with a specific rule (correct items), plus one letter or sequence with a different rule (exception). The task is to discover which letter or sequence is the exception. The IRTD was administered to a convenience sample composed by 1,193 Brazilian people (53% women, 47% men) aged between 6 to 86 years (M = 15.02, SD = 12.30). All the participants were from the city of Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In the first part of the data analysis the dichotomous Rasch Model is used. After verifying the fit to the dichotomous Rasch Model, the structure of the items’ difficulties is visually verified through the Wright map, and analytically checked through hidden markov model. The result of the Rasch analysis shows a reliability of .99 for the 56 items and an infit meansquare mean of .90 (SD = .23). The person reliability was .80. The principal contrast showed that the raw variance explained by measures (modeled) is of 73.2%, and that the unexplained variance in the first contrast (modeled) is 6.9%, suggesting that the instrument can be thought of as unidimensional. The items’ difficulties presented 7 clusters with gaps between then, as visually verified by the Wright map. The clusters were confirmed by the hidden markov model, which presented a solution with 7 classes (log Lik.= -26.28, df=62, AIC: 176.57, BIC: 302.14). >>>
The development of hierarchical processes: processing efficiency and memory
from children to older adults.
Hudson F. Golino, B. Psy.,
Assistant Researcher at the Laboratory for Cognitive Architecture Mapping (LaiCo)
Master’s Student of Developmental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Brazil
Cristiano Mauro Assis Gomes, Ph.D
Adjunct Professor at the Department of Psychology (Undergraduate and Graduate school of Psychology) and at the Graduate School of Neurosciences, Coordinator of the Laboratory for Cognitive Architecture Mapping (LaiCo).
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
Andreas Demetriou, Ph.D,
Professor and President, University of Nicosia Research Foundation, University of Nicosia
This study investigates the relation between processing speed (PS), discrimination (DS), perceptual control (PC), conceptual control (CC), short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM) in children, adolescents, adults and older people (>50 years). In order to verify their relation, in different age groups, we have computer administered specific tests and tasks to a convenience sample composed by 392 Brazilian people (52.3% women, 47.7% men) aged between 6 to 86 years (M = 17.03, SD = 15.25). The sample was intentionally broad, and had a distribution of 27.80% from 6 to 11 years, 49.50% from 12 to 18 years, 16.40% from 19 to 49 years, and 6.70% from 50 to 86 years. All the participants were from the city of Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The tasks and tests presented a high reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha), ranging from .91 for PC and .99 for the STM items. WM and STM items were analyzed through the dichotomous Rasch Model. Both memory tests presented an adequate fit, each one showing an infit meansquare mean of .99 (WM’s SD = .08; STM’s SD = .10). In accordance with earlier studies, the structural equation modeling of the variables fitted a hierarchical, cascade organization of the constructs (CFI =.99, GFI =.97, RMSEA = .07), showing that the processes at each subsequent higher level in the hierarchy include the processes of all previous levels together with processes specific to this level. The result points to an increase of processing efficiency (PS, DS, PC and CC), STM and WM from childhood to adulthood, and a decrease in people aged between 50 and 86 years old. The implications of these findings for the understanding of the structure and development of mental processing efficiency and memory will be discussed.
from children to older adults.
Hudson F. Golino, B. Psy.,
Assistant Researcher at the Laboratory for Cognitive Architecture Mapping (LaiCo)
Master’s Student of Developmental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Brazil
Cristiano Mauro Assis Gomes, Ph.D
Adjunct Professor at the Department of Psychology (Undergraduate and Graduate school of Psychology) and at the Graduate School of Neurosciences, Coordinator of the Laboratory for Cognitive Architecture Mapping (LaiCo).
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
Andreas Demetriou, Ph.D,
Professor and President, University of Nicosia Research Foundation, University of Nicosia
This study investigates the relation between processing speed (PS), discrimination (DS), perceptual control (PC), conceptual control (CC), short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM) in children, adolescents, adults and older people (>50 years). In order to verify their relation, in different age groups, we have computer administered specific tests and tasks to a convenience sample composed by 392 Brazilian people (52.3% women, 47.7% men) aged between 6 to 86 years (M = 17.03, SD = 15.25). The sample was intentionally broad, and had a distribution of 27.80% from 6 to 11 years, 49.50% from 12 to 18 years, 16.40% from 19 to 49 years, and 6.70% from 50 to 86 years. All the participants were from the city of Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The tasks and tests presented a high reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha), ranging from .91 for PC and .99 for the STM items. WM and STM items were analyzed through the dichotomous Rasch Model. Both memory tests presented an adequate fit, each one showing an infit meansquare mean of .99 (WM’s SD = .08; STM’s SD = .10). In accordance with earlier studies, the structural equation modeling of the variables fitted a hierarchical, cascade organization of the constructs (CFI =.99, GFI =.97, RMSEA = .07), showing that the processes at each subsequent higher level in the hierarchy include the processes of all previous levels together with processes specific to this level. The result points to an increase of processing efficiency (PS, DS, PC and CC), STM and WM from childhood to adulthood, and a decrease in people aged between 50 and 86 years old. The implications of these findings for the understanding of the structure and development of mental processing efficiency and memory will be discussed.
Attachment to human and nonhuman attachment entities across the lifespan
Patrice Marie Miller
Salem State University (Department of Psychology)
USA
When discussing moral attachment, Kohlberg and Diessner (1991) recognized two things not often part of mainstream attachment literature: a) attachment and moral attachment are applied to individuals beyond parents, such as peers or teachers, and might include groups or communities; b) moral attachment develops in stages. In this research, children and adults were interviewed about losses of entities that they cared about. Participants said people were the most important attachment entities. They also mentioned pets and objects. Typically places and ideals were mentioned only by adults. Substitutability (whether an entity was seen as replaceable) differed for different entities. The question raised by these results is how to conceptualize attachments to multiple, nonhuman entities with respect to moral attachment and current attachment theory. >>>
Patrice Marie Miller
Salem State University (Department of Psychology)
USA
When discussing moral attachment, Kohlberg and Diessner (1991) recognized two things not often part of mainstream attachment literature: a) attachment and moral attachment are applied to individuals beyond parents, such as peers or teachers, and might include groups or communities; b) moral attachment develops in stages. In this research, children and adults were interviewed about losses of entities that they cared about. Participants said people were the most important attachment entities. They also mentioned pets and objects. Typically places and ideals were mentioned only by adults. Substitutability (whether an entity was seen as replaceable) differed for different entities. The question raised by these results is how to conceptualize attachments to multiple, nonhuman entities with respect to moral attachment and current attachment theory. >>>
On the human adult multi-storied self: What is a storytelling animal?
Paulo R. Jesus,
Philosophy Center of the University of Lisbon, Portugal
Since "After Virtue" by A. McIntyre, "Sources of the Self" by C. Taylor, and "Soi-même comme un autre" by P. Ricoeur, human agency has been considered as profoundly grounded in the ability of storytelling which should entail not only the self-production of accountability but also a phenomenological sense of unified, meaningful agency, and an exercise of moral and existential assessment. However, one must ask whether psychological development in adulthood requires such a strong "storytelling animal". For this claim may be too restrictive and confine self-consciousness within the realm of narratively educated subjects or narratively structured experience, excluding a vast world of existential possibilities that do not obey the standard narrative grammar. It seems that the link between selfhood and narrative competence/performance results in a kind of interpretive blindness towards many normal "narrative pathologies" of selfhood, including narrative self-dispossession and self-multiplication as means of meaning-construction with developmental relevance in adulthood. >>>
Paulo R. Jesus,
Philosophy Center of the University of Lisbon, Portugal
Since "After Virtue" by A. McIntyre, "Sources of the Self" by C. Taylor, and "Soi-même comme un autre" by P. Ricoeur, human agency has been considered as profoundly grounded in the ability of storytelling which should entail not only the self-production of accountability but also a phenomenological sense of unified, meaningful agency, and an exercise of moral and existential assessment. However, one must ask whether psychological development in adulthood requires such a strong "storytelling animal". For this claim may be too restrictive and confine self-consciousness within the realm of narratively educated subjects or narratively structured experience, excluding a vast world of existential possibilities that do not obey the standard narrative grammar. It seems that the link between selfhood and narrative competence/performance results in a kind of interpretive blindness towards many normal "narrative pathologies" of selfhood, including narrative self-dispossession and self-multiplication as means of meaning-construction with developmental relevance in adulthood. >>>
The Poetics of Meaning-Making: On Aesthetic Creation and the Developmental Ethos of Authenticity
Maria Helena Ferreira, CREPAL, Paris 3, France
Adult life is characterized, among other, by the full mastery of sociocultural semiotic resources that enable one to interpret, express and transcend her own lived experience through creative self-redescriptive imaginings. Therefore, more than ephemeral, or rather timeless, instants of mindfulness and flow, as Humanistic Psychology suggests, the process of aesthetic self-creation provides the individual with a method for deep self-refiguration, encompassing the whole lived time, space and experience, especially when one is coping with the destructive action of intense suffering and nonsense. From this perspective, self-actualization is essentially the performance of a poetic competence for meaning-making and authenticity, understood as the accomplishment of expressive semiotic and semantic novelty. Paul Celan and Sylvia Plath may be presented as case studies that paradigmatically illustrate the urgency, efficacy and tragic failure of the poetics of self-rewriting of experience.
Maria Helena Ferreira, CREPAL, Paris 3, France
Adult life is characterized, among other, by the full mastery of sociocultural semiotic resources that enable one to interpret, express and transcend her own lived experience through creative self-redescriptive imaginings. Therefore, more than ephemeral, or rather timeless, instants of mindfulness and flow, as Humanistic Psychology suggests, the process of aesthetic self-creation provides the individual with a method for deep self-refiguration, encompassing the whole lived time, space and experience, especially when one is coping with the destructive action of intense suffering and nonsense. From this perspective, self-actualization is essentially the performance of a poetic competence for meaning-making and authenticity, understood as the accomplishment of expressive semiotic and semantic novelty. Paul Celan and Sylvia Plath may be presented as case studies that paradigmatically illustrate the urgency, efficacy and tragic failure of the poetics of self-rewriting of experience.
Postformal religious « belief » : Between Orthodoxy and Imagination
James Meredith Day
Universite catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. Psychological Science Research Institute, Research Centers for Human Development and Psychology of Religion.
This paper reflects on the notion of « postformal » religious belief. It draws on research with hundreds of participants in Belgium, England, and the USA, using cognitive-developmental models of moral, religious and spiritual development, including the Model of Hierarchical Complexity, and from narrative psychology, to show how, for some people, postformal operations permit a creative appropriation of elements in traditional religious belief and practice whilst benefitting, themselves, and others, through their capacity for broad perspective-taking and dialogue with people of alternative religious beliefs, spiritual practices, and/or no religious interest or belief whatsoever. Significant for practice as well as theory-making, this paper also documents clear relationships between stage in cognitive complexity and the complexity of narratives in moral problem-solving where religious elements are involved. >>>
James Meredith Day
Universite catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. Psychological Science Research Institute, Research Centers for Human Development and Psychology of Religion.
This paper reflects on the notion of « postformal » religious belief. It draws on research with hundreds of participants in Belgium, England, and the USA, using cognitive-developmental models of moral, religious and spiritual development, including the Model of Hierarchical Complexity, and from narrative psychology, to show how, for some people, postformal operations permit a creative appropriation of elements in traditional religious belief and practice whilst benefitting, themselves, and others, through their capacity for broad perspective-taking and dialogue with people of alternative religious beliefs, spiritual practices, and/or no religious interest or belief whatsoever. Significant for practice as well as theory-making, this paper also documents clear relationships between stage in cognitive complexity and the complexity of narratives in moral problem-solving where religious elements are involved. >>>
Model of hierarchical complexity session
Michael Lamport Commons, Harvard Medical School
Eva Yuja Li, Dare Institute
Nicholas Hewlett Keen Commons-Miller, Tufts University
Robin Francis Gane-McCalla, Dare Institute
Alex Pekker, University of Texas
Michael Woodford, Columbia University
Timothy Barry-Heffernan, Harvard University
Patrice Marie Miller, Salem State University
Thomas Gordon Gutheil, Harvard University
Lucas A. H. Commons-Miller, Dare Institute
Hudson Fernandes Golino, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Papers discussed
Michael Lamport Commons, Harvard Medical School
Eva Yuja Li, Dare Institute
Nicholas Hewlett Keen Commons-Miller, Tufts University
Robin Francis Gane-McCalla, Dare Institute
Alex Pekker, University of Texas
Michael Woodford, Columbia University
Timothy Barry-Heffernan, Harvard University
Patrice Marie Miller, Salem State University
Thomas Gordon Gutheil, Harvard University
Lucas A. H. Commons-Miller, Dare Institute
Hudson Fernandes Golino, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Papers discussed
- Do The Ordinal Orders of Hierarchical Complexity Produce Significant Gaps Between Stages and Are the Stages Equally Spaced?
- A Model of Stage and Value to Predict Behavior
- Can Perceived Value Be Explained by Schedules of Reinforcement?
- How Stage and Value can be Incorporated to Predict Behavior
- How Stage and Value Explain the Morally Questionable Basis Expert Witnesses
- Stage of Pricing Strategy Predicts Earnings: A Study Of Informal Economics