The present study examined a psychosocial-cognitive model that integrates recent findings on the independent effects of early maladaptive cognitive schemas (EMSs; Young, 1994) and psychosocial factors/stressors; viz., social support, expressed emotion, stressful life events and daily hassles, on level of depressive symptoms in young adults. Consistent with Beck's theory of depression, the expectation was that individuals with the EMSs would be more likely to respond to psychosocial stressors with higher levels of depression. Questionnaires measuring the selected psychosocial factors and EMSs were administered to 244 (82 male and 162 female) undergraduate students, mean age 19. Previous findings on the direct relationships between stressful life events, social support and EMSs, and level of depression were replicated. Except for daily hassles, the moderator role of the EMSs was largely disconfirmed when a conservative statistical test (Bonferroni correction) was applied to moderator analyses. With regard to perceived social support received from family and friends, present results were promising for the moderator effect of the EMSs of self sacrifice, functional dependency/incompetence and abandonment. The prediction equation to the criterion of depression indicated independent contributions of stressful life events, and the EMSs of abandonment, functional dependency/incompetence, and insufficient self control, accounting for half of the variance in depression. Taken together, the present data provided little support for the moderator effect of the EMSs rather supported Young's theory (1990) that maladaptive cognitions in themselves can produce increased levels of depression regardless of the presence of triggering stressors. / Master of Science

Cette thèse soutient l'idée que dans l'acquisition linguistique, l’analogie en tant que processus cognitif a un rôle déterminant. Il ne s'agit pas de la simple ressemblance (A est comme B) mais d'un processus de calcul de quatrième proportionnel (trouver C, qui est à D comme A est à B). Elle se manifeste à tous les niveaux de l'analyse linguistique : phonologie, morphologie, syntaxe et lexico-sémantique. Ceci vaut pour l'acquisition de langue première et aussi pour l'apprentissage de langue seconde, mais cette fois dans des conditions différentes, la première langue jouant comme arrière-plan. L'analogie opère à partir d'exemples disponibles parce que rencontrés précédemment dans l'expérience linguistique. On rend compte ainsi de la régularité qui s'observe dans le langage sans devoir pour cela recourir à des règles. Le locuteur construit des représentations mentales (schèmes) pour chaque savoir rencontré qu’il intègre, produit et transforme par analogie, ce qui attribue à ce processus le caractère dynamique. / This thesis claims that, in language acquisition, analogy has a fundamental role as a cognitive process; not as a sheer resemblance but as a computation process aimed at computing a proportional fourth (find C, which is to D as A is to B). It operates at all levels of linguistic analysis: phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexico-semantics. This holds for L1 acquisition and L2 learning; in the latter, the conditions are different because L1 operates as a background. Analogy uses the examples that are available because that were previously met in linguistic experience. This accounts for the regularity that is to be observed in language without having to posit rules. The speaker constructs mental representations (schemas) for each knowledge he meets. He integrates, produces, and modifies the knowledge by analogy, which is why this process is dynamic.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional & Community Planning / Brent Chamberlain / Narratives of urban experiences influence understanding of space and urban form. Narratives give meaning to space, creating memories of places and helping to define an individual’s cognitive map. The representation of narratives within cognitive maps impacts day to day activities, as well as, emotional, cultural, and social characteristics of one’s self. Planners and designers play an important role in crafting narratives through the implementation of designs and policies that together shape urban form. This research investigates the relationship between spatial cognitive schemas and narratives within cognitive maps. Specifically, how college students develop and use narratives within their cognitive map to help with living in a new and initially unfamiliar place of residence. Through mixed method analysis of drawn individual cognitive maps, an online survey, and a group discussion, results show that different types of experiences within narratives influence the likelihood of it appearing within the spatial cognitive schema. The findings suggest that narratives created by peak emotional experiences contain a longer and clearer representation within cognitive maps because of their personal value. By better understanding the role of these emotional responses and their connection with urban form, design professionals can aim to frame projects toward influencing individual’s lives. Understanding how individuals develop narratives of their new city may influence planning and design with the goal of creating urban projects that provide social and cultural significance through meaning of place.

The relationship of attributional style to anxiety and depression in children and adolescents has received little attention in comparison to studies conducted with adult populations. However, preliminary studies suggest that children and adolescents evidence similar attributional style patterns to those expressed by adults. This study further examines the relationship of anxiety and depression to attributional style to determine the utility and applicability of the adult model to children and adolescents. In addition, this study examines the accuracy of obtaining attributional style ratings using hypothetical events (i.e., questionnaire method) versus real-life events. Further, this study was designed to study the relationship of emotional measures of anxiety and depression (Le., Children's Depression Inventory and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale) versus cognitive measures of anxiety and depression (Negative Affect Self-Statement Questionnaire). It was hypothesized that real life events (as measured by the Specific Life Events Schedule; SLES) would prove to be a concurrently valid measure of attributional style in relation to hypothetical events presented through a questionnaire method (as measured by the Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire; CASQ). As well, it was predicted that real life events of the SLES would prove to be a more accurate measure of attributional style than hypothetical life events of the CASQ, in relation to achieved depression scores. Furthermore, it was predicted that certain indices of attributional style and negative self-statements would prove to be significant predictors of depression (as measured by the CDI) and anxiety scores (as measured by the RCMAS). / Master of Science

Tiriant Lietuvos atvejį disertacijoje siekiama išsiaiškinti, kaip nuostatos politiniais klausimais susiformuoja(-mos) pokomunistinėje valstybėje, nepasižyminčioje aplinka, palankia ideologinėms mąstymo schemoms reikštis. Atspirties tašku konstruojant empirinį tyrimo instrumentą tampa išgryninta kognityvinių schemų teorijų prieiga. Pirmajame empirinio tyrimo etape pusiau struktūruotų kokybinių interviu metu atskleidžiamos dviem politikos klausimais, reprezentuojančiais socioekonominę bei socialinę-moralinę politikos sritis, nuostatas formuojančios kognityvinės schemos. Pirmieji rezultatai toliau plėtojami antrajame tyrimo etape, pasitelkus teiginių klasių rūšiavimo (Q-sort) metodą. Atskleidžiama, jog nuostatas politiniais klausimais formuoja dviejų tipų kognityvinės schemos: principiniame, įsitikinimų lygmenyje operuojančiosios bei pragmatiškoji racionalaus politikos pasekmių efektyvumo vertinimo schema (tyrime jos detalizuojamos ir palyginamos). Taip pat randamos penkios bendros veikiančios ideologinės įsitikinimų lygmens schemos, Lietuvoje veikiančios kaip schemų atskirais politiniais klausimais taikymą koordinuojantis ir jas paaiškinantis mechanizmas. Santykinai šias schemas galima pavadinti laisvos saviraiškos, tvirtos rankos, tradicinės moralės, globojančios valstybės bei pagrindinių teisių garantijų socialinėmis perspektyvomis. Dalis jų gali būti siejamos su tam tikromis „tradicinėmis ideologijomis“. Tačiau svarbiausia - jos leidžia teigti, jog nepaisant ideologiniam... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Main goal of the dissertation is to, by analyzing Lithuanian case, explore how attitudes towards political issues develop in a post-communist country where favorable conditions for the ideological thinking do not exist. The arranged approach of the cognitive schema theories is taken as a starting point for developing the research instrument. In the first stage of the empirical research, the method of semi-structured interviews is used to uncover the cognitive schemas that play a vital role in forming the attitudes on two political issues representing, respectively, socioeconomic and moral spheres of politics. These findings are further elaborated in the second round of the research by employing the Q-sort method. It turns out that the development of political attitudes in both political areas is being determined by two main types of cognitive schemas: one based on fundamental virtues, principle beliefs, and the pragmatic schema based on rational evaluation of the policy outcomes’ efficiency (both of these schemas are compared and analyzed in detail). It is also explored that the usage of these schemas are coordinated and can be explained by one or another of the five shared social perspectives (or ideological schemas) operating in Lithuania. Conditionally they can be named as perspectives of free self-expression, strong leader, traditional morality, patronizing state and basic rights’ assurance. Some of these schemas can be loosely linked to certain “classical” ideologies... [to full text]

Tiriant Lietuvos atvejį disertacijoje siekiama išsiaiškinti, kaip nuostatos politiniais klausimais susiformuoja(-mos) pokomunistinėje valstybėje, nepasižyminčioje aplinka, palankia ideologinėms mąstymo schemoms reikštis. Atspirties tašku konstruojant empirinį tyrimo instrumentą tampa išgryninta kognityvinių schemų teorijų prieiga. Pirmajame empirinio tyrimo etape pusiau struktūruotų kokybinių interviu metu atskleidžiamos dviem politikos klausimais, reprezentuojančiais socioekonominę bei socialinę-moralinę politikos sritis, nuostatas formuojančios kognityvinės schemos. Pirmieji rezultatai toliau plėtojami antrajame tyrimo etape, pasitelkus teiginių klasių rūšiavimo (Q-sort) metodą. Atskleidžiama, jog nuostatas politiniais klausimais formuoja dviejų tipų kognityvinės schemos: principiniame, įsitikinimų lygmenyje operuojančiosios bei pragmatiškoji racionalaus politikos pasekmių efektyvumo vertinimo schema (tyrime jos detalizuojamos ir palyginamos). Taip pat randamos penkios bendros veikiančios ideologinės įsitikinimų lygmens schemos, Lietuvoje veikiančios kaip schemų atskirais politiniais klausimais taikymą koordinuojantis ir jas paaiškinantis mechanizmas. Santykinai šias schemas galima pavadinti laisvos saviraiškos, tvirtos rankos, tradicinės moralės, globojančios valstybės bei pagrindinių teisių garantijų socialinėmis perspektyvomis. Dalis jų gali būti siejamos su tam tikromis „tradicinėmis ideologijomis“. Tačiau svarbiausia - jos leidžia teigti, jog nepaisant ideologiniam... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Main goal of the dissertation is to, by analyzing Lithuanian case, explore how attitudes towards political issues develop in a post-communist country where favorable conditions for the ideological thinking do not exist. The arranged approach of the cognitive schema theories is taken as a starting point for developing the research instrument. In the first stage of the empirical research, the method of semi-structured interviews is used to uncover the cognitive schemas that play a vital role in forming the attitudes on two political issues representing, respectively, socioeconomic and moral spheres of politics. These findings are further elaborated in the second round of the research by employing the Q-sort method. It turns out that the development of political attitudes in both political areas is being determined by two main types of cognitive schemas: one based on fundamental virtues, principle beliefs, and the pragmatic schema based on rational evaluation of the policy outcomes’ efficiency (both of these schemas are compared and analyzed in detail). It is also explored that the usage of these schemas are coordinated and can be explained by one or another of the five shared social perspectives (or ideological schemas) operating in Lithuania. Conditionally they can be named as perspectives of free self-expression, strong leader, traditional morality, patronizing state and basic rights’ assurance. Some of these schemas can be loosely linked to certain “classical” ideologies... [to full text]

Les théories implicites (TIs) sont des croyances sous-jacentes et interconnectées qui influencent les pensées conscientes et le comportement (Ward, 2000). Elles ont été étudiées chez les délinquants et les délinquantes sexuels, ainsi que chez les délinquants violents, mais pas chez les délinquantes violentes. La recherche montre que les cognitions des délinquants violents peuvent être organisées en quatre TIs: 1) Battre ou être battu, 2) Je suis la loi, 3) La violence est normale, et 4) Je perds le contrôle (Polaschek, Calvert & Gannon , 2008). L’objectif de la présente étude était de déterminer quelles sont les TIs des délinquantes violentes afin de mieux comprendre leur comportement. Des entrevues semi structurées ont été menées avec 21 femmes violentes incarcérées. Dans l'analyse, les cognitions des participantes ont été extraites en utilisant l’analyse du discours (Angers, 2005). Ces cognitions ont ensuite été plus profondément analysées pour en ressortir les TIs en suivant la méthode de la théorisation ancrée (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Les résultats suggèrent qu’il existe six théories implicites liées au comportement violent des femmes. Deux d'entre elles sont neutres, car aussi retrouvées chez les hommes: 1) la violence est normale et 2) je perds le contrôle. Les quatre autres sont sexo-spécifiques: 3) ceux qui agissent injustement méritent d'être battus, 4) j'ai besoin de me protéger et protéger les autres, 5) je ne suis pas violente, et 6) ma vie est trop difficile. En outre, les résultats suggèrent qu'il existe deux groupes distincts d’agresseures en ce qui concerne les cognitions: les « antisociales » et les « classiques ». Les implications et explications théoriques de nos résultats seront discutées. / Implicit theories are defined as underlying and interconnected beliefs that influence conscious thoughts and their related behaviors (Ward, 2000). Implicit theories have been investigated in male and female sexual offenders and male violent offenders, but never in female violent offenders. Research shows that male violent offenders’ cognitions can be organized into four implicit theories: 1) Beat or be beaten; 2) I am the law; 3) Violence is normal; and 4) I get out of control (Polaschek, Calvert & Gannon, 2008). The aim of this study was to examine the implicit theories of violent female offenders. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 convicted violent women. In the analysis, participants’ cognitions were extracted using the discourse thematic analysis method (Angers, 2005). These cognitions were then thematically organized into implicit theories using the Grounded Theory method (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Results show that women hold six categories of implicit theories. To of them are neutral, because there were also found in the male offender’s study: 1) Violence is normal and 2) I get out of control. The four other are gender-specific: 3) Those who act unfairly deserve to be beaten, 4) I need to protect myself and others, 5) I am not a violent person, and 6) Life is too hard on me. In addition, results suggest that there are two distinct groups of female offenders that differ in their cognitions: the “antisocial offenders” and the “classic offenders”. Implications and theoretical explanations of are results are discussed.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.(Psychology))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, 2013. / The research entailed a comprehensive study of vicarious trauma in short-term insurance claims workers, compared to trauma counsellors and a control group of holiday booking consultants. A well-known, comprehensive model of compassion fatigue/secondary traumatic stress, developed for therapists formed the basis of the study. The research attempted to determine whether this model can be applied more widely to include administrative populations exposed to traumatised clients on a regular basis. To this end, the model was deconstructed into its eleven constituent parts and each element was investigated in addition to other variables of interest to the study. This was done to determine the importance and applicability of each model element and other selected variables to the administrative context. A mixed methods approach was utilised, which combined quantitative and qualitative data. The results yielded by the study were collectively utilised to construct an etic and an emic voice from the research. At the same time, effects from vicarious trauma were considered from an overarching bio-psychosocial stance, systematically gauging effects on various levels of functioning. Scores from quantitative measures on secondary traumatic stress, negative cognitive schemas, empathy, social support and compassion satisfaction were statistically analysed, which revealed significant differences between the worker groups. Widely accepted relationships between the study variables were tested and found to hold true within and across groups. Regression analysis determined the roles of empathy, social support and compassion satisfaction in vicarious trauma, as measured by secondary traumatic stress and negative cognitive schemas. In addition, constructivist selfdevelopment theory was employed to interpret the negative cognitive effects from vicarious traumatisation. Qualitative data were utilised to further elucidate the role and nature of vicarious trauma in each of the worker groups. The themes of exposure to client suffering, detachment, level of empathic engagement, personal trauma history and difficult life demands were unearthed from the qualitative data, which illuminated the importance and role of each of these elements to claims workers. Other areas of interest, being utilisation of sick-leave as a means to cope, work-related illness, attitudes towards professional counselling, feelings evoked by traumatised clients, and the language utilised by workers in response to client traumata were investigated. Further effects on participants as well iv as effects that reach beyond the person were identified and examined. Effects on the social and work contexts were also elucidated. Finally, interesting themes that emerged spontaneously from the data were considered. The consideration of the various model elements and other areas of interest systematically revealed that administrative workers dealing with traumatised clients are also affected by the process of vicarious trauma. Furthermore, the model was found to be largely suitable to the context of claims workers. However, the model was expanded to augment its usability within the more general administrative domain. Finally, the overarching aim was to enrich, contextualise and elaborate on the experiences of claims workers within their unique work context, to facilitate insight and a deeper understanding of vicarious trauma in more administrative populations that have largely been overlooked in research.

Background. Previous research on the investigation of brand personality (BP) can be found to use the personification metaphor of brands through celebrities, occupations and animals. Brand image research aims to discover the human characteristics attached to a brand. In this regard, the author suggests that as music can tell much of the personality of a person, then it would be possible to know the personality of a brand through music. The rationale behind is that music elicits “extramusical” information, such as emotions, values, dress codes and stereotypes of people; in relation to musical-genres. Purpose. This research aims to explore how music can help to produce brand knowledge. In particular how the extramusical information conveyed by musical-genres can be used as language to talk about the personality of a brand. Methodology. The empirical research was developed within an Interpretive research paradigm to learn from the perspective of consumers of hip-hop music in Sweden, how brand knowledge can be obtained from music as cognitive schema (CS). The data was gathered using a mixed-method research design. Two different projective techniques were employed in group sessions. On one session (N=11), visual collages were used to visually represent the brands using images of musicians and their description with brand personality traits. The second session (N=12) consisted of an associative task using music, followed by the application of the brand personality scale. The interpretation and analysis of findings was done through the triangulation of the methods’ data. Conclusions. The use of music genres as CS to produce brand knowledge can provide insightful information on the lifestyle and type of users that buy, consume or wear the brand. Extramusical information helps understand characteristics of BP through the lifestyle and profile of the musician or music-fan that was associated with the brand. In particular, brand knowledge can be gained in terms of demographic and psychographic characteristics associated to the brand. However, several theoretical implications for further research were identified in order to consolidate the BP/consumer/music relationship.