The sick building syndrome (SBS) comprises eye, nose, skin, and throat symptoms, headache and fatigue. Gender, personality aspects, and psychosocial factors at work have lately been at focus in health research. The main aim of this thesis was to investigate the relationships between SBS and personal factors, personality traits, and psychosocial work stress. Two different populations were studied: a cohort of 195 subjects working in suspected “sick buildings” followed 1988-1999, and a random sample of 695 subjects from the Swedish population, 20-65 y. Two personality scales were used; the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) and the Sense of Coherence (SOC). Two stress questionnaires were used: the 3-dimensional demands-control-support model (DCS) and the Assessment of Perceived Psychosocial Work Environment (PPWE). SBS and personal factors were assessed by a postal symptoms questionnaire and a symptom score (SC) was calculated. Personality was assessed by means of two verbal personality scales, the KSP and the SOC. Females in problem buildings had more SBS than men, and females had a lower SOC and more anxiety and aggressivity in the KSP. Females and males in the general working population reported differences in psychosocial work environment. Moreover, the associations between personality traits and SBS, and between DCS and SBS, differed between males and females. Over all, the investigated occupants of suspected sick-buildings were within the normal range for both KSP and SOC norms. However, those with symptoms showed prominent personality vulnerability, especially in anxiety, aggressivity, and lower SOC, compared to those that were not reporting symptoms. Female gender, low age, asthma, and a history of atopy were related to SBS in the general working population. A combination of low social support and either passive, strained, or active work situation, as well as a combination of high social support and active work situation, were associated with SBS. In conclusion, measurements of personality and psychosocial work environment could be of value in future studies on environmental syndromes. Moreover, the demans-control-support model can predict SBS, but in a more complex way than indicated by earlier research.

Diante do cenário de crise econômica vivenciado no Brasil nos últimos anos, a preocupação em minimizar os seus efeitos na vida financeira da população tornou-se fundamental. Assim, evidenciar fatores que possam ter contribuído para um maior nível de impacto pelo choque é importante para que se formule campanhas de conscientização financeira, visando maior bem estar da população. Com base nisso, este trabalho testa, através de uma regressão logística ordinal, a influência do comportamento do indivíduo no nível de impacto por choques econômicos. Para isso foram utilizados 366 questionários aplicados na região da Grande Porto Alegre. Foram, assim, analisadas e comparadas as principais características de quatro categorias de impacto: não afetados pelo choque financeiro, afetados de forma fraca, moderada e forte. Os principais resultados apontaram diferenças de comportamento significativas entre as pessoas menos afetadas e aquelas mais impactadas no que se refere a lócus de controle e comportamento financeiro, confirmando que as variáveis testadas podem ajudar a explicar o nível de impacto. / Given the economic crisis scenario that Brazil has been facing in recent years, the concern to minimize its effects in the financial life of the population has increased greatly. Therefore, to evidence factors that might have contributed to a higher level of impact caused by its shock is important to create campaigns promoting financial awareness which aim to improve the population's well-being. Thus, the present work aims to analyze, through an ordinal logistic regression, the powerful influence of the behavior in the impact of economic shocks on people. To achieve this purpose, 366 questionnaires were applied in the region of great Porto Alegre. The main characteristics of four impact categories were analyzed and compared: those not affected by the financial shock, those who were weakly affected, those who were partially affected and those who were strongly affected by the financial shock. The main results showed significant differences in behavior among the least affected people and those most impacted regarding the control locus and financial behavior, confirming that the variables tested can help to explain the levels of impact.

This study attempted to understand how personal and sociocultural factors related to heterosexual women's number of lesbian friends. The relationships between levels of Extraversion, homophobia, heterosexism, and opportunity for friendships, and the number of lesbian women identified as acquaintances were assessed to examine how these variables related to participants' reported number of lesbian friends. It was expected that Extraversion would positively correlate with number of lesbian friends while heterosexism and homophobia would negatively correlate with number of lesbian friends. The number of lesbian acquaintances one had was expected to moderate these relationships. Female Women's Studies students who identified as heterosexual completed items from the International Personality Item Pool, the Attitudes Toward Lesbians Scale, the Modern Homonegativity Scale, the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding Impression Management scale, a Number of Friends and Acquaintances form, and a demographics questionnaire using an internet-based survey host. To test the hypotheses, partial correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted. It was found that heterosexism and homophobia but not extraversion were significantly related to the number of lesbian friends participants reported. The expected moderation by the reported number of lesbian acquaintances was not significant for any of these relationships. A number of exploratory analyses were conducted, which revealed a variety of interesting findings. The personality domain Openness was related to the reported number of lesbian friends, as were previous, positive experiences with lesbian women, and one's religious subscription. Conclusions can help future research improve social support for lesbian girls and women. Research should be extended to examine cross-orientation relationships among those of different social identities.

The concept of social axiom represents generalized beliefs regarding individuals, agencies and other social institutions, and the spiritual world. The relationship between social axioms and social and mental well-being has not been widely investigated. The aim of this research is to consider the role of culture in four distinct areas of study: 1) The role of social axioms and their dimensions in predicting mental well-being (subjective and psychological well-being) as well as the mechanism of the relationship between social axioms and well-being through controlling the variables of Iranian and UK students and the big five personality factors. 2) The mediation role of mindfulness and perspective taking. 3) The scope of influence of one's attachment to national or ethnic identity on well-being. 4) The understanding of the participants of various social beliefs, especially of the concept of divine providence and its impact on one's well-being. As method, the first three goals were addressed by correlational studies while the fourth goal was investigated using grounded theory. The research sample for the first study consisted of 73 Iranian students (37 females and 36 males) residing in Iran and 66 students (45 females and 21 males) living in the UK. The sample for the second study included 72 Iranian students (34 females and 38 males) who reside in Iran, and in the third study the sample was composed of 66 Iranians (35 females and 31 males) who live in the UK. In the qualitative research (fourth study), the participants were 14 Iranians living in the UK for at least 3 years (4 male and 10 female). Instruments used were the Social Axiom Survey (SAS; Leung et al., 2002), Big Five Inventory (BFI; John, Donahue, & Kentle, 1991; John & Srivastava, 1999), Psychological Well-Being Scale (Ryff, 1989), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985), Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Mroczek & Kolarz, 1998), the perspective taking subscale of the Empathy Questionnaire (Davis, 1980), the acceptance subscale of the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale (Cardaciotto et al., 2008), Paullhus's Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR; Paulhus, 1984), and the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised (MEIM-R; Phinney & Ong, 2007). In the qualitative research, a structured interview was used. Results show that: 1) In both samples of students who live in the UK and in Iran iv social cynicism and fate control are related with well-being. Also, in the Iranian case reward for application, social complexity, and religiosity have significant relationships with well-being but in the UK based students this is not the case. Results also showed that social axioms can predict well-being over and above the role of country and personality traits. 2) The mediation role of mindful acceptance was not endorsed in the relationship between social cynicism and subjective well-being. It was found that the predictor (social cynicism) and the mediator (mindful acceptance) were not significantly correlated with the outcome (subjective well-being). However, the mediation role of perspective taking in the relationship between social complexity and psychological well-being was endorsed. 3) The moderation role of attachment to national identity in the relationship between social axioms and subjective well-being was endorsed. 4) The qualitative study indicated that Iranian immigrants have an indigenous strategy for attaining mental well-being in the face of complications and difficulties, relying on their national identity and religious background. This strategy is based on the concepts of free will and predestination of life events. Paying attention to negative events and ignoring positive events and inefficient problem-solving strategies can account for the relationship between social cynicism and low well-being and inattention to cultural elements. However, the Iranian collective culture, optimal coping style, and excessive insistence on religious elements as a cultural attribute can explain the relationship between religiosity, reward for application, and well-being in the Iranian sample. On the other hand, surrendering to divine will and the belief in divine will and predestination of life events along with the belief in human free will account for the role of attachment to national identity in the relationship between social axioms and well-being in the Iranian sample. In conclusion, it seems that though social axioms are related to well-being, different aspects of social axioms seem to be related to different aspects of well-being in different ways and this relationship is influenced by cultural attributes.

Det har betydelse att förstå reaktioner på otrogna beteenden. Forskning visar att män upprörs av sexuell otrohet, kvinnor mer av emotionell. Skillnaderna kan med Sexual Economics Theory (SET) förklaras av olika roller i heterosexuella samspel. Syftet med denna studie var att se hur otrohet och partneregenskaper uppfattas hos studerande i Sverige samt om resultatet relaterar till SET. Ett tillgänglighetsurval på 84 kvinnor och 63 män gjordes på en högskola i Mellansverige. En enkätstudie med vinjett varierade bedragarkön och otrohetstyp. Resultatet visade att män och kvinnor reagerar mer på sexuell otrohet. Bedömning av otroget beteende skiljer sig inte åt beroende på manlig eller kvinnlig bedragare. Partnerattraktivitet är vanligare önskan hos män, engagemang vanligare hos kvinnor. Slutsatserna innebär likheter i otrohetsuppfattning hos studerande i Sverige samt svag olikhet vad gäller könsskillnader i önskvärda egenskaper. Vidare studier föreslås testa SET relaterat till otrohetsuppfattning och partneregenskaper i olika jämställda samhällen.

Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) are intelligent software entities with an embodiment used to communicate with users, using natural language. Their purpose is to exhibit the same properties as humans in face-to-face conversation, including the ability to produce and respond to verbal and nonverbal communication. Researchers in the field of ECAs try to create agents that can be more natural, believable and easy to use. Designing an ECA requires understanding that manner, personality, emotion, and appearance are very important issues to be considered. In this thesis, we are interested in increasing believability of ECAs by placing personality at the heart of the human-agent verbal interaction. We propose a model relating personality facets and hidden communication goals that can influence ECA behaviors. Moreover, we apply our model in agents that interact in a puzzle game application. We develop five distinct personality oriented agents using an expressive communication language and a plan-based BDI approach for modeling and managing dialogue according to our proposed model. In summary, we present and test an innovative approach to model mental aspects of ECAs trying to increase their believability and to enhance human-agent affective communication. With this research, we hope to improve the understanding on how ECAs with expressive and affective characteristics can establish and maintain long-term human-agent relationships.

This work is the result of a correlational study and a comparison between participants in order to set dates in which were considered two main sets of variables: criterion (aggressiveness behavior) and background (clinical and non-clinical situation - anxiety diagnostic and neuroticism degree), and it aimed to investigate the influence of personality traits, especially neuroticism, in levels of anxiety and aggressiveness displayed in contrasted groups (clinical and non-clinical). This research relied on a sample of 113 subjects, 49 (43.4%) males and 64 (56.6%) females, aged from 18 to 57 years old (M = 25,32, DP = 8,80) and it was used three psychometric scales of measurement: IGFP-5, STAXI-2 and BAI. The data’s collection occurred in two Federal Public Universities from different Capitals, in Maceió city and Belo Horizonte city (non-clinical group), and also in School Clinics and Private Clinics in Maceió city (clinical group). On the personality traits theory, specifically the one of The Big Five Personality Factors (BFF) or Big Five, it’s focused, in special, the "neuroticism" trait, following with the correlation of this one and the constructs "anxiety", as an emotional modulation factor, and "aggressiveness." It is a study in the Cognitive Psychology area, through the integration of individual differences in relation to statistical and psychobiological factors, assuming that personality traits, having them genetic factors in connection with environmental aspects, overlap themselves and are responsible for the maturation and constant flexibility on the personality development, taking three important functions: summarize the way how individuals differ, to predict future behavior and to explain a person’s conduct, as an anxious or aggressive behavior, for example. The neuroticist trace predicts in the individual, in this context, at a high level, abrupt, frequent and dramatic mood changes, especially in negative character, possibly by being among other things related to insufficient function in some specific brain areas that are involved with negative emotion and emotional deregulation, anxiety, stress and depression, besides it provides the increase of sensitivity to the error possibility, threat and punishment. The conclusions point to the fact that neuroticism (IGFP-5) is positively correlated with anxiety (BAI) and some questions of the aggressiveness (STAXI-2) and especially (inversely) with the aggressive response control (outwards and inwards), which can be related to impulsivity, in other words, inability in the inhibitory control. It appears that despite advances on the studied area, new models of research with interdisciplinary protocols may bring new answers to this issue, seeking a larger field for the psychology professional about the differences, advantages and similarities between the personality theories presented and their role models, and a more powerful qualification with interconnection of knowledge focusing on this theme, such in neuropsychological, genetic, psychological and by functional imaging (neuroimaging), as in a bigger connection between executive functions, personality traits and behavioral changes, for example. / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O presente trabalho é resultante de um estudo correlacional e de comparação entre participantes, em que foram considerados dois conjuntos principais de variáveis: critério (comportamento de agressividade) e antecedentes (situação clínica e não clínica – diagnóstico de ansiedade e grau de neuroticismo), e que teve por objetivo verificar a influência dos traços de personalidade, especialmente o neuroticismo, nos níveis de ansiedade e agressividade apresentados em grupos contrastados (clínico e não clínico). Contou-se com uma amostra de 113 indivíduos, 49 (43,4%) do sexo masculino e 64 (56,6%) do sexo feminino, com idade variando de 18 até 57 anos (M=25,32, DP= 8,80) e foram utilizados três escalas de medida psicométricas: IGFP-5, STAXI-2 e BAI. A coleta de dados ocorreu em duas Universidades Públicas Federais, nas Capitais Maceió e Belo Horizonte (grupo não clínico), e em Clínicas Escola e Particular, na Capital Maceió (grupo clínico). Na teoria dos traços de Personalidade, especificamente a dos Cinco grandes fatores de personalidade (CGF) ou Big Five, é enfocado, em especial o traço “neuroticismo”, seguindo-se com a correlação deste e os construtos “ansiedade”, enquanto fator de modulação emocional, e “agressividade”. Trata-se de um estudo na área de Psicologia Cognitiva, através da integração das diferenças individuais em relação a fatores estatísticos e psicobiológicos, partindo do pressuposto de que os traços de personalidade, por possuírem fatores genéticos em conexão com aspectos ambientais, se sobrepõem e são responsáveis pela maturação e flexibilidade constante no desenvolvimento da personalidade, assumindo três funções importantes: resumir o modo como os indivíduos diferem, prever o comportamento futuro e explicar a conduta de uma pessoa, como a conduta ansiosa ou agressiva, por exemplo. O traço neuroticista, neste contexto, em um nível alto, prediz no indivíduo mudanças bruscas, frequentes e dramáticas de humor, especialmente de cunho negativo, por estar possivelmente, entre outros aspectos, relacionado ao funcionamento insuficiente em algumas áreas cerebrais específicas, que são envolvidas com emoção negativa e desregulação emocional, ansiedade, estresse e depressão, além de propiciar o aumento da sensibilidade à possibilidade de erro, ameaça e punição. As conclusões apontam para o fato de que o neuroticismo (IGFP-5) se correlaciona positivamente com a ansiedade (BAI) e alguns quesitos da agressividade (Staxi-2) e principalmente (inversamente) com o controle de resposta agressiva (para fora e para dentro), o que pode estar relacionado com a impulsividade, ou seja, incapacidade no controle inibitório. Constata-se que apesar dos avanços na área estudada, novos modelos de pesquisa com protocolos interdisciplinares possam trazer novas respostas a esta temática, visando um maior domínio do profissional de Psicologia a respeito das diferenças, vantagens e semelhanças entre as teorias de personalidade apresentadas e seus modelos de atuação, e um maior fortalecimento na qualificação e interconexão de saberes com foco nesta temática, tanto nos estudos neuropsicológicos, genéticos, psicológicos e de imagens funcionais (neuroimagem), quanto em uma maior conexão entre funções executivas, traços de personalidade e alterações no comportamento, por exemplo.

Diante do cenário de crise econômica vivenciado no Brasil nos últimos anos, a preocupação em minimizar os seus efeitos na vida financeira da população tornou-se fundamental. Assim, evidenciar fatores que possam ter contribuído para um maior nível de impacto pelo choque é importante para que se formule campanhas de conscientização financeira, visando maior bem estar da população. Com base nisso, este trabalho testa, através de uma regressão logística ordinal, a influência do comportamento do indivíduo no nível de impacto por choques econômicos. Para isso foram utilizados 366 questionários aplicados na região da Grande Porto Alegre. Foram, assim, analisadas e comparadas as principais características de quatro categorias de impacto: não afetados pelo choque financeiro, afetados de forma fraca, moderada e forte. Os principais resultados apontaram diferenças de comportamento significativas entre as pessoas menos afetadas e aquelas mais impactadas no que se refere a lócus de controle e comportamento financeiro, confirmando que as variáveis testadas podem ajudar a explicar o nível de impacto. / Given the economic crisis scenario that Brazil has been facing in recent years, the concern to minimize its effects in the financial life of the population has increased greatly. Therefore, to evidence factors that might have contributed to a higher level of impact caused by its shock is important to create campaigns promoting financial awareness which aim to improve the population's well-being. Thus, the present work aims to analyze, through an ordinal logistic regression, the powerful influence of the behavior in the impact of economic shocks on people. To achieve this purpose, 366 questionnaires were applied in the region of great Porto Alegre. The main characteristics of four impact categories were analyzed and compared: those not affected by the financial shock, those who were weakly affected, those who were partially affected and those who were strongly affected by the financial shock. The main results showed significant differences in behavior among the least affected people and those most impacted regarding the control locus and financial behavior, confirming that the variables tested can help to explain the levels of impact.

Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) are intelligent software entities with an embodiment used to communicate with users, using natural language. Their purpose is to exhibit the same properties as humans in face-to-face conversation, including the ability to produce and respond to verbal and nonverbal communication. Researchers in the field of ECAs try to create agents that can be more natural, believable and easy to use. Designing an ECA requires understanding that manner, personality, emotion, and appearance are very important issues to be considered. In this thesis, we are interested in increasing believability of ECAs by placing personality at the heart of the human-agent verbal interaction. We propose a model relating personality facets and hidden communication goals that can influence ECA behaviors. Moreover, we apply our model in agents that interact in a puzzle game application. We develop five distinct personality oriented agents using an expressive communication language and a plan-based BDI approach for modeling and managing dialogue according to our proposed model. In summary, we present and test an innovative approach to model mental aspects of ECAs trying to increase their believability and to enhance human-agent affective communication. With this research, we hope to improve the understanding on how ECAs with expressive and affective characteristics can establish and maintain long-term human-agent relationships.

Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) are intelligent software entities with an embodiment used to communicate with users, using natural language. Their purpose is to exhibit the same properties as humans in face-to-face conversation, including the ability to produce and respond to verbal and nonverbal communication. Researchers in the field of ECAs try to create agents that can be more natural, believable and easy to use. Designing an ECA requires understanding that manner, personality, emotion, and appearance are very important issues to be considered. In this thesis, we are interested in increasing believability of ECAs by placing personality at the heart of the human-agent verbal interaction. We propose a model relating personality facets and hidden communication goals that can influence ECA behaviors. Moreover, we apply our model in agents that interact in a puzzle game application. We develop five distinct personality oriented agents using an expressive communication language and a plan-based BDI approach for modeling and managing dialogue according to our proposed model. In summary, we present and test an innovative approach to model mental aspects of ECAs trying to increase their believability and to enhance human-agent affective communication. With this research, we hope to improve the understanding on how ECAs with expressive and affective characteristics can establish and maintain long-term human-agent relationships.