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The dissertation presents evidence on the measurement properties of self-report items in contemporary organizational contexts (Podsakoff & Organ, 1986). Operationally, the dissertation adopts a construct representation approach to construct validity, defined by the response processes engaged for measurement performance in trait assessment (AERA, 2014; Embretson, 1983). For example, self-report measures are known to be affected by a variety of variables, such as semantic and referent features (Cermac & Craik, 1979; Kelly, 1955) and design factors that impact cognitive context (Stone, et al, 2000; The Science of Self-Report). In turn, the response processes impacts the external correlations (Embretson, 2007). To the extent that semantic-referent features and design factors are construct-irrelevant, reduced external correlations can be expected. This dissertation presents evidence from a qualitative review of self-report future time perspective (FTP) instruments across organizational and retirement contexts. A quantitative review compares external correlates of the two instruments. A retrospective-observational study benchmarks the psychometric properties of Carstensen's self-report instrument using modern latent-variable modeling (item-response theory [IRT]). Structural equation modeling (SEM) is further used to test for moderating effects of subjective life expectancy (SLE) on latent predictors of FTP and retirement plans. Evidence from a '3 x 2' mixed-subjects experimental design is also presented indicating the effects of subjective life expectancy (SLE) on measurement error in personality factors, FTP, and retirement plans. Discussion centers on advancing measurement paradigms in psychological and education research, as well as -more generally- adopting an integrated perspective of construct validity for advancing and evaluating substantive research.

Research supports varied patterns of emotion-modulated startle (EMS) reactivity among depressed individuals. The purpose of this study was to examine whether these varied patterns can be explained by depression, empathic tendencies, and emotional stimuli. The EMS paradigm is a well-validated measure of emotion-modulated reactivity in which the magnitude of startle reflexes in reaction to acoustic stimuli are recorded while participants view pleasant, neutral, and negative images (Lang, Bradley, & Cuthbert, 1990). Young adults (N = 120; Mage = 19.54, SD = 1.41; 75% female) completed self-report rating scales of depression symptoms and cognitive and affective empathic tendencies and the EMS paradigm. Individuals with low depression, regardless of their cognitive (hp2 = .44 and .47) and affective empathic tendencies (hp2 = .49 and .36), and individuals with high depression and high cognitive and affective empathic tendencies (hp2 = .23, .46, respectively) exhibited the typical linear EMS reactivity pattern of increasing startle reflex magnitude from pleasant to neutral to unpleasant images. In contrast, individuals with high depression along with low cognitive and affective empathic tendencies exhibited blunted EMS reactivity patterns (hp2 = .000, .04, respectively). These findings indicate blunted EMS reactivity patterns only in depressed individuals who have low cognitive and affective empathic tendencies and are likely disengaged from emotional stimuli, thus suggesting variability among depressed individuals in motivational states that prime or inhibit the startle reflex.

The overall purpose of this study was to investigate the child's perspective on the free play in the youth recreation center. The closer intention of the study has been to investigate what children themselves express as meaningful aspects of free play in the youth recreation center and what various opportunities children highlight when it comes to identity formation and social training in the free play. To answer the purpose three focus groups discussions were conducted with children of mixed ages from grade one to three. The results of the study were analyzed from a symbolic interactionist perspective. Meaningful aspects of free play that the children were describing is that the free play is fun, it's good because then they decide for themselves, they can be with their "friends" and it's good that they get moving. A social skill they get to practice on is to negotiate with each other about what game they are playing, the hearing takes place primarily through various voting methods. The children also develop empathy in free play and create and maintain social relationships. Furthermore, the study shows that choice of game is an important part of the children's identity process. Finally, an important conclusion of the study is that free play is as important as other guided activities in the youth recreation center.

Background: When the patient is critically ill the family is in a vulnerable position. The nurse's role is to support and help the family to find meaning in the difficult situation and to provide realistic hope. Balancing between the patient's and the family's needs is difficult. Knowledge about how nurses experience difficulties in the interaction with family is required in order to grant good care too critically ill patients and their family-members. Aim: To describe nurses' perceived difficulties in the interaction with family-members of critically ill patients. Method: The study is a qualitative literature-based study based on qualitative research. Results: The analysis resulted in four main themes; difficult disunion, environmental constraints, interpersonal difficulties and communicative difficulties. Conflicts, disagreement and expectations in the interaction with family-members are difficult. There are environmental constraints in the form of family's presence, lack of space and time constraints. Nurses find it difficult to manage their emotions, family who get to close and to support the family. Information, comprehension, knowledge, language barriers and cultural differences represents communicative difficulties. Conclusion: There is a lack of knowledge among nurses about how to handle difficult situations where family is involved. Doctors and nurses need to collaborate more. Conflicts, disagreements and expectations can put severe pressure on the nurse. It is difficult for the nurse to strike a balance between being professional and being personal. Environmental constraints are an organizational problem which creates difficulties for the nurse in the interaction with family.

A study on the relationship of mindfulness to empathy was conducted with undergraduate students at a large southwestern university. Previous studies suggest that mindfulness may be related to empathy, but are inconclusive due to measurement and methodological limitations. A mindfulness construct that includes axioms related to intention, attention, and attitude is suggested for researching empathy, along with statistical models that include mediation. A multifactored measure of mindfulness was hypothesized to predict perspective taking and empathic concern empathy components, which in turn would mediate the relationship of mindfulness facets to individual and interpersonal outcomes. Study results suggest a relationship of mindfulness to perspective taking, but not to empathic concern. Results from the mediation procedures were not supportive of the theorized role of empathy in relation to mindfulness on individual and interpersonal outcomes. Implications and limitations to the study design and theory are discussed. / text

While research investigating the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for adolescent substance use has increased in recent years, few studies have explored predictors of differential response to these rehabilitation programs. Delay of gratification (DG), which refers to the tendency to forego strong immediate satisfaction in the pursuit of larger long-term rewards, is one factor potentially relevant to all rehabilitation programs, as substance use can be characterized as a choice between short-lasting satisfaction from drug consumption and long-term benefits from abstinence. This study aims at investigating the changes of delay of gratification and the relationship between delay of gratification, future orientation and drug avoidance throughout a drug rehabilitation programme. A sample of one hundred and eleven students in Christian Zheng Sheng College was recruited to participate in this longitudinal study with four waves of data collection. The findings of the present study contribute to the literature of risky behavior by demonstrating the relationship between delay of gratification and drug avoidance, as well as the finding that delay of gratification is a changeable trait which can be strengthened through interventions. Further study will be required to examine the mechanism of change in delay of gratification and drug avoidance, as well as the influences of future orientation on delay of gratification and drug avoidance. / published_or_final_version / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Theory of mind, the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others, has traditionally been investigated in humans and nonhuman primates. However, non-primate species, such as domestic dogs, may also be potential candidates for such a faculty. Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) evolved from a social-living, wolf-like ancestor, and were the first species to be domesticated, with likely selection for sensitivity to human cues and human-like cognitive abilities. Dogs typically spend their lives in the rich social environment of human families, and thus dogs are naturally enculturated. The combination of these factors make dogs an excellent candidate for having a functional theory of mind. Yet perhaps surprisingly, prior research on theory of mind in dogs is limited, with inconclusive and contradictory results. The research described in this thesis is a systematic investigation of dogs' potential to demonstrate a functional theory of mind in their interactions with humans. Four experiments are presented, based on the Knower-Guesser paradigm (Povinelli et al., 1990), in which a knowledgeable and an ignorant human informant indicated the location of hidden food to the dog. In Experiment 1, one informant was absent (Guesser) and one present (Knower) during the food-hiding, and the dogs chose the Knower. However, when both informants were present, the dogs chose the informant that did the baiting, but this preference was less than when the Guesser was absent. In Experiments 2 and 3, a third experimenter hid the food while the informants covered their cheeks (Knower) or eyes (Guesser) with their hands, or were attentive (Knower) or inattentive (Guesser) to the food-hiding. In both cases, the dogs showed a significant preference for the Knower. In Experiment 4, the dogs showed no preference between the informants when they had equal perceptual access to the baiting, and were unsuccessful at selecting any container when the informants did not provide communicative cues. Overall, the present research provides the most definitive evidence yet that domestic dogs may be able to attribute differential states of knowledge to human observers, and thus may possess a functional theory of mind.

My essay is an attempt to describe how complicated it can be to follow the rules and maintain boundaries without obstructing the children in their creative development. The aim is to highlight my approach and emphasize the importance of growing up in a kindergarten with standards and values which may not always coincide with their own opinion. I begin my essay with two stories about Emil five years, defying the rule of not climb up the climbing frame roof and Emma for three years, who are keen to spin on the swing, but followour rule and refrain. I wonder what it is that drives some kids to go against the rules and stretch the limits while others do not have any problem doing that we decided? I also tell about the time I as a newly-qualified nanny was rebuked by a colleague when I acted "recklessly". I would handle the situation differently today? In the last story, I praise a child for being "mischievous", which makes me proud. Can a "mischievous" child also experienced positive? Another issue that is relevant to my dilemma is if we educators must always be consistent or is it arbitrary to make exceptions? To understand my dilemma, I have used a phenomenological method, which means that I, along with the preschool curriculum, relevant literature and personal experience can understand my thoughts and actions from multiple perspectives. That way, I have gained a greater understanding of how crucial preschool standards and my response is for the children's development and self-reliance. Both in terms of rules and boundaries. Being a responsive educator with the ability to take the children's perspective makes it easier to convey a message without violating someone's privacy.

This thesis contributes with a countryside perspective to queer research by highlighting the countryside as a context where queer lives are lived. In the thesis I problematize the city/countryside divide with a view of the concept of queer as dependent on space and time.  The empirical materials are generated through a workshop on queerness, gathering people living within a countryside context; the materials consist of a discussion and written responses to questions on queerness and the city/countryside binary. Theoretically and methodologically, the thesis is inspired by the notion of agential realism (Barad 2007) and situated knowledge, (Haraway 1988); the use of creative writing, inspired by Richardson (1994 and 2000), has also been central to the development of the thesis. The analysis is carried out within themes focusing on conditions for queerness within city/countryside experienced by people situated in the countryside. The analysis shows how space, time, contexts and intersections are entangled and queering the city/countryside divide.