Western psychology has in its current position and definition laid claim to the “psychology” landscape, despite being the construction of one epistemology. This imposition allows western psychology to dominate and control the “psychology” landscape, to the detriment of other equally valid and “scientific” “psychologies”. We argue for redefinition of western psychology in terms of lived experience or soul, so that it can co-exist with other “psychologies”. This should co-facilitate the process of repositioning western psychology into a dialogically equal relationship with indigenous african psychology. Redefinition of western psychology is dependant on psychologist’s appreciation of the relativity of epistemological frameworks and ability to challenge their own subjectivities. This in turn requires epistemological curiosity. This study adopts a conceptual, autoethnographic approach and methodology. Our aim is not to provide answers, but rather create a context for dialogue. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Curiosity can be defined as a drive to engage in exploratory behaviors and has been associated with an increased state of arousal (Berlyne, 1954). Exploratory behaviors, such as feedback requests, are associated with an information gain and the reduction of uncertainty. Although previous research has demonstrated the effects of emotions on the value of information gain (Marvin & Shohamy, 2016), and that the manipulation of arousal affected confidence (Allen et al., 2016) suggesting uncertainty can be affected independent of task difficulty, no previous study independently manipulated arousal to test its effect on curiosity. Given the effects of curiosity on motivation and learning, understanding how arousal influence curiosity would be beneficial for applications in fields such as education. In the present study, we hypothesized that emotionally-induced arousal has an impact on curiosity by influencing uncertainty and the value of information gain. A sample of 17 students were presented with arousing supraliminal emotional cues prior to rating confidence about their answers to trivia questions and deciding on feedback choices. Feedback requests were associated with a time delay, in a way that participants were required to trade off time for information. Results showed that uncertainty levels did not reliably predict feedback choices. Further analyses failed to demonstrate an effect of arousal on feedback choices. Finally, the pupillary response to events suggested that arousal levels did not differ significantly across conditions. Results can be due to the small sample or the test sensitivity. Possible improvements to the experimental paradigm are discussed, and directions for future research are considered.

Curiosity is thought to be an intrinsically motivated driving force for seeking information. Thus, the opportunity for an information gain (IG) should instil curiosity in humans and result in information gathering actions. To investigate if, and how, information acts as an intrinsic reward, a search task was set in a context of blurred background images which could be revealed by iterative clicking. The search task was designed such that it prevented efficient IG about the underlying images. Participants therefore had to trade between clicking regions with high search target probability or high expected image content information. Image content IG was established from “information-maps” based on participants exploration with the intention of understanding (1) the main theme of the image and (2) how interesting the image might appear to others. Note that IG is in this thesis not identical with the information theoretic concept of information gain, the quantities are however probably related. It was hypothesised that participants would be distracted by visually informative regions and that images independently rated as more interesting would yield higher image based IG. It was also hypothesised that image based IG would increase as a function of time. Results show that participants sometimes explored images driven by curiosity, and that there was considerable individual variation in which images participants were curious about. Independent interest ratings did not account for image based IG. The level of IG increased over trials, interestingly without affecting participants’ performance on the visual search task designed to prevent IG. Results support that IG is rewarding as participants learned to optimize IG over trials without compromising performance on the extrinsically motivated search; managing to both keep the cake and eat it.

Please read the abstract in the dissertation. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Curiosity has long been a topic of interest in cognitive science and psychology research. Despite this, little is understood about the relationship between curiosity, behavior, and knowledge acquisition. Several theories propose that curiosity is an innate system of reward mechanism for closing knowledge gaps. This study examined whether observations of curiosity-driven behavior in an information-rich virtual environment could be used to predict knowledge gains without relying on assessment of what specific information led to those gains. A total of 54 participants were asked to complete a task in an online three-dimensional virtual environment, as well as pre-test and post-test questionnaires. The results show that the number of contacts with information sources predicts quantifiable knowledge gains without regard to the content of the information sources or qualitative assessment of knowledge gains. Future research should consider how to collect more nuanced data on knowledge gains as well as how qualitative research could be combined with a study such as this to help identify when behavior is driven by innate curiosity or external motivation. / Fastän nyfikenhet sedan länge har varit ett forskningsområde inom kognitionsvetenskap och psykologi, är relationen mellan nyfikenhet, beteende och insamlandet av ny kunskap fortfarande inte tydlig. Olika teorier föreslår att nyfikenhet är ett medfött system av belöningsmekanismer i syfte att minska och stänga kunskapsluckor. Denna studie undersökte huruvida observationer av nyfiket beteende i en informationsrik virtuell miljö kunde användas för att predicera kunskapstillökning utan att fastställa vilken specifik information ledde dit. Totalt uppmanades 54 deltagare ombads att genomföra en uppgift i en tredimensionell virtuell miljö online, samt att fylla i pre-test och post-test enkäter. Resultaten visade att antalet kontakter med informationskällor predicerar en kvantifierbar ökning i kunskap oberoende av informationskällornas innehåll eller kvalitativ bedömning av kunskapstillökning. Framtida forskning bör försöka att hitta möjligheter för att samla in mer nyanserade data om kunskapstillökningen samt hur kvalitativ forskning skulle kunna kombineras med en liknande studie för att identifiera när beteende är drivet av medfödd nyfikenhet eller extern motivation.

Aim and Background: This study aims to explore and answer how the Project Manager Identity is constructed and/or acquired from a social science, behavioristic perspective. On this account eleven project manager professionals and scholars have been selected to participate, due to their rich experience in the field and their highly exciting profiles as to share insights and knowledge. Theory: The theoretical frame of this study adopts personality dimensions as explained by Kajonius and Dåderman (2020), that is, Extraversion, Negative Emotionality (neuroticism), Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Openness to Experience. These are used due to their high degree of reliability and validity compared to other models. Method: The method used to conduct this study is an hour-long interview with each and every one of the interviewees to collect the data. Internet technology applications are used enabling, for the most part, an easier way to handle the planning interview process. The method used to analyze the data is a qualitative, inductive thematic analysis based on interviews and connected to the theoretical frame to reach results. Result and Conclusion: As a result, a Project Manager Identity Archetype emerges from the eleven interviewee narratives that reveals the identity of these Project Managers who strive for peak performance, are endlessly curious and possess a strong psychological shield. These three named themes above describe the Project Manager Identity Archetype of these eleven interviewees who are resilient against high pressure exerted by their work environment or project demands, focused to achieving their goal described as high performers while at the same time navigating into the project unknown by being endlessly curious. Their Project Manager identity is formed in a continuous infinity spiral process both by construct and acquisition, through an exchange between Individual identity and Project Manager Identity Archetype; two perspectives which coincide in a construct (micro) and acquisition (macro) symbiosis to merge information from both sides to form the interviewees’ Individual Project Manager Identity. / Syfte och Bakgrund: Denna studie syftar till att utforska och svara på hur projektledaridentiteten är konstruerad och/eller förvärvad, sett ur ett samhällsvetenskapligt, beteendemässigt perspektiv. Ur denna synpunkt deltar elva projektledare och forskare i studien för att dela insikter och kunskap, vilka valdes till följd av sin rika erfarenhet inom området och sina spännande profiler. Teori: Den teoretiska ramen för denna studie antar personlighetsdimensioner såsom dessa beskrivs av Kajonius och Dåderman (2020), det vill säga, Extraversion, Negativ Emotionalitet (neuroticism), Agreeableness, Samvetsgrannhet och Öppenhet för upplevelse. Dessa används med anledning av sin höga grad av tillförlitlighet och validitet jämfört mot andra modeller. Metod: Den metod som används för att genomföra denna studie är en timslång intervju med var och en av intervjuobjekten för att samla in data. Internet teknologi applikationer används för att, för det mesta, möjliggöra ett enklare sätt att hantera intervjuprocessens planering. Metoden som används för att analysera data är kvalitativ, induktiv tematisk analys baserad på intervjuer kopplat till den teoretiska ramen för att nå resultat. Resultat och Slutsats: Det resultat som uppstår är en Projektledaridentitetsarketyp från dessa elva intervjuobjekts berättelser något som avslöjar en projektledaridentitet för de intervjuade personer som strävar efter topprestation, är oändligt nyfikna och besitter en stark psykologisk sköld. Dessa tre nämnda teman ovan beskriver de intervjuade projektledarnas identitetsarketyp något som beskriver de som motståndskraftiga personer mot högt tryck något som kan utövas av deras arbetsmiljö eller projektkrav, de är fokuserad på att uppnå sina mål och högpresterande samtidigt som de projekt navigerar på okänd mark genom att vara oändligt nyfikna. Deras projektledaridentitet formas i en kontinuerlig oändlighets spiralprocess både genom konstruktion och förvärv, genom ett utbyte mellan Individuell identitet och Projektledaridentitetsarketyp, två perspektiv som sammanfaller i en konstruktion (mikro) och förvärv (makro) symbios för att sammanfoga information från båda sidor för att bilda den individuella projektledaridentiteten.

Syftet med denna studie är att lyfta fram hur förskolepersonal beskriver och uppfattningar om barns spontana nyfikenhet på naturvetenskapliga fenomen. Kvalitativa enkäter och semistrukturerade intervjuer användes som undersökningsmetod för att lyfta fram förskolepersonalens beskrivningar och uppfattningar. Totalt har tio anställda från tio olika förskolor svarat på enkäten och tre av respondenterna har ställt upp på en mer djupgående intervju. Respondenterna svarar att de ofta möter barns spontana nyfikenhet. Genom de tre fördjupade intervjuerna i denna studie, beskrivs hur barns spontana nyfikenhet bidragit till långa utvecklade naturvetenskapliga projekt. Studien visar att nyfikenhet kan ses genom barns frågor och kroppsspråk och tycks vara grunden till allt lärande. Genom ett positivt förhållningssätt och en närvaro som förskolepersonal kan de möta, lyfta och utveckla barns frågor och nyfikenhet. Enkätsvaren visar att biologi fortfarande är det dominerande naturvetenskapliga ämnet i förskolan även om skillnaderna var mindre än vad tidigare forskning visat. Något alla tre intervjupersoner lyfter kopplat till barns nyfikenhet är förskolepersonalensförhållningssätt, miljö och material samt användandet av naturvetenskapligabegrepp i undervisningen. / The purpose of this study is to highlight how preschool personnel describe and comprehend children's spontaneous curiosity about natural science phenomena. Qualitative survey and semi-structured interviews were used as research methods to obtain the preschool personnel's descriptions and perceptions. In total, ten employees from ten different preschools answered the survey and three of the respondents agreed to a more in-depth interview. The respondents answer that they often encounter children's spontaneous curiosity. Through the three in-depth interviews in this study, it is described how children's spontaneous curiosity contributed to long, developed natural science projects. The study shows that curiosity can be seen through children's questions and body language and seems to be the foundation of all learning. Through positive approach and preschool personnel that is present, they can meet, raise and develop children's questions and curiosity. The survey results show that biology is still the dominant science subject in preschool, although the differences were smaller than previous research had shown. Something all three interviewees mention in connection with children's curiosity is the preschool staff's approach, environment and materials as well as the use of scientific concepts in teaching.

The purpose of the study is to contribute knowledge about what characterizes a teaching situation that contributes to preschoolers' curiosity about bees and pollination. The study used variation theory and an important starting point for the theory is to understand how learning takes place. The study is based on developing a teaching situation that contributes to children's curiosity about bees and pollination, where we used the learning study as a method that enables a systematic improvement of the teaching situation. The participants in the study are 4-5 years old. The teaching situation carried out in three cycles. By using the learning study method, the data is analyzed to see what works better and what doesn't, a content analysis was used to be able to revise the activity. In the result, all teaching situations are reported in chronological order with associated analysis and revision for the next cycle. Through this, we could see in the results that the children's curiosity was aroused more in the last cycle compared to the first when the time span was doubled. In order to arouse the children's curiosity, the pedagogues' approach played an important role by being active and asking open questions. The results show that for a teaching situation to arouse the children's curiosity, there needs to be a space for the children's active participation, which means the children's questions, hypotheses and ideas. / Syftet med studien är att bidra med kunskap om vad som karaktäriserar en undervisningssituation som bidrar till förskolebarns nyfikenhet för bin och pollinering. I studien användes variationsteorin och en betydelsefull utgångspunkt för teorin är att förstå hur lärandet går till. Studien grundar sig i att utveckla en undervisningssituation som bidrar till barns nyfikenhet för bin och pollinering där vi använt learning study som metod som möjliggör en systematisk förbättring av undervisningssituationen. De deltagande i studien är 4-5 år. Undervisningssituationen genomförde i tre cykler. Genom att använda metoden learning study analyseras data för att se vad som fungerar bättre och inte, en innehållsanalys användes för att kunna revidera aktiviteten. I resultatet redovisas alla undervisningssituationer i kronologisk ordning med tillhörande analys samt revidering inför nästa cykel. Genom detta kunde vi i resultatet se att barnens nyfikenhet väcktes mer i den sista cykeln jämfört med den första då tidsspannet fördubblades. För att väcka barnens nyfikenhet spelade pedagogernas förhållningssätt en viktig roll genom att vara aktiva och ställa öppna frågor. Resultatet påvisar för att en undervisningssituation ska väcka barnens nyfikenhet behöver det finnas ett utrymme för barnens aktiva deltagande, vilket innebär barnens frågor, hypoteser och idéer.

Artworks that use found or appropriated images and objects often function as collections. These collections simulate the everyday collections of mementos and souvenirs that come to represent aspects of an individual's personality and past. The collections of objects mirror the individual's collection of memories that help to define himself and provide a means of communication with others. The artist as collector takes on roles similar to that of storyteller and anthropologist, providing a narrative of conscious preservation. Through various devices of display and denial a curiosity cabinet I Wunderkammer representing and simulating a Self is created and the role of collector is passed on to the viewer. / Art History, Visual Arts & Musicology / Thesis (M.A. (Art History))

Artworks that use found or appropriated images and objects often function as collections. These collections simulate the everyday collections of mementos and souvenirs that come to represent aspects of an individual's personality and past. The collections of objects mirror the individual's collection of memories that help to define himself and provide a means of communication with others. The artist as collector takes on roles similar to that of storyteller and anthropologist, providing a narrative of conscious preservation. Through various devices of display and denial a curiosity cabinet I Wunderkammer representing and simulating a Self is created and the role of collector is passed on to the viewer. / Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / Thesis (M.A. (Art History))