Collectivism and individualism are culturally-related psychological structures which have been used to distinguish people within and across various societies. From a review of the literature, it is argued that the most salient feature of individualism is valuing personal independence, which includes self-knowledge, uniqueness, privacy, clear communication, and competitiveness. Collectivism is associated with a strong sense of duty to group, relatedness to others, seeking others' advice, harmony, and working with the group. The purpose of the thesis is to explore how collectivist and individualist attributes affect the way people respond to Likert-type questionnaires. In the first study, a new measurement tool for individualism and collectivism was developed to address critical methodological issues in this field of cross-cultural psychology. This new measure the “Auckland Individualism and Collectivism Scale” defined three dimensions of individualism: (a) Responsibility (acknowledging one's responsibility for one's actions), (b) Uniqueness (distinction of the self from the other) and (c) Compete (striving for personal goals is one's prime interest); and two dimensions of collectivism: (d) Advice (seeking advice from people close to one, before taking decisions), and (e) Harmony (seeking to avoid conflict). The AICS avoids the need for measuring horizontal and vertical dimensions of collectivism and individualism, and the confounding effect of familialism on the collectivism-individualism constructs. The second study investigated the relationship between collectivism and individualism and various response sets that have been reported relating to the way in which individuals respond to Likert-type scales. Using structural equation modelling, the Collectivism-Individualism Model of Response Bias was developed. This model suggests two types of response sets: (a) the Impression-Response Bias which includes response sets such as social desirability and context, that affect the first four stages of responding to questions, namely receiving and retrieving data and making decisions; and (b) the Expression-Response Bias which includes response sets such as the extreme response set and the neutral response set that relate to the application of the responses, namely the actual answer chosen by the respondent. Collectivism is negatively correlated with context and with self deception enhancement whereas individualism is positively correlated with context and self deception enhancement and impression management. Context is positively correlated with extreme response set and negatively correlated with neutral response set. The Collectivism-Individualism Model of Response Bias suggests that collectivist and individualist attributes directly affect the Impression-Response Bias response sets and indirectly affect the Expression-Response Bias response sets. It was concluded that attributes of collectivism and individualism affect the decision made by the respondents and therefore lead to different responses to Likert-type questionnaires. Nevertheless, the effect of collectivism and individualism on the magnitude of the responses would be limited as it is mediated by the Impression-Response Bias response set. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate current practice of using profile analysis of the WISC-III in the diagnosis of processing deficit in earning disabled students. The types of processing deficit prescribed by school psychologists were examined. The validity of the profile analysis approach in processing deficit diagnosis was investigated. Statistical profile analysis, Cattel's r(p(k)) coefficient, and cluster analysis were used to determine whether the mean WISC-III subtest profiles differ among different processing deficit subgroups, and to determine whether individuals diagnosed with the same processing deficit have similar WISC-III profiles. This study was conducted on a sample of 134 non-Hispanic White students identified as learning disabled in a school district in the West Coast area. The results found numerous types of processing deficit, which were not limited to the eight types defined by the school district. About 50% of the individuals were identified with just one processing deficit, while the other half had two or more processing deficits in combination. In addition, the most frequently diagnosed processing deficits were deficits in auditory processing, visual processing and sensory-motor integration. The mean group profiles of the two largest groups with Auditory Processing Deficit (APD) and Visual Processing Deficit (VPD) were compared using the statistical profile analysis technique. The results showed that the mean profiles of the two groups are not parallel. Based on Cattel's r(p(k)) coefficient, both APD and VPD individuals resemble their own mean group profile more than the other group. However, only 52.5% of individuals matched the mean profile of the group in which they were diagnosed. A similar finding was found in cluster analysis. Only 50% of individuals could be correctly classified into their processing deficit groups based on profile similarities. These findings suggested that only half of the individuals diagnosed with the same processing deficit have similar WISC-III subtest profiles. Caution should be exercised in using the diagnostic information and the use of profile analysis technique in making processing deficit diagnosis. Future studies should be conducted to determine the validity of the various processing deficit diagnoses, and how they are related to the WISC-III subtests.

The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by upper airway occlusion during sleep, resulting in sleep disturbance, hypoxemia, and daytime sleepiness. This study investigated the neuropsychological (NPSY) functioning, daytime sleepiness and vigilance of 17 male subjects (mean age = 45.2) with moderate to severe OSAS (mean Respiratory Disturbance Index = 65.1). Subjects were assessed before, three days, and two months after treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. Groups received three assessments consisting of a NPSY test battery, measurement of physiological/subjective sleepiness, and vigilance. After baseline assessment, ten subjects were treated with CPAP for three nights, while seven control subjects remained untreated. Control subjects' data for the second assessment was used to estimate practice and placebo effects. After the second assessment, all subjects were treated. / Results revealed that subjects did not show significant NPSY impairment before treatment despite showing near pathological levels of sleepiness and impaired vigilance. / After three nights of treatment, subjects evidenced significant improvement on only 1 of 18 NPSY measures (visual memory). Correlational analyses revealed an association between decreases in sleep fragmentation after acute treatment and improvement on tasks assessing visual memory, attention and concentration and verbal intellectual functioning. A relationship between improvement in nocturnal oxygen saturation and neuropsychological tests assessing attention and concentration and verbal intellectual functioning was also found. Vigilance and sleepiness were not improved. / At follow-up, only modest improvements in visual and verbal memory were found. Vigilance had returned to normal levels and sleepiness was significantly reduced but had not returned to normal levels. / The present study did not find evidence of significant NPSY dysfunction in OSAS patients before treatment. After correcting for practice effects, little improvement was seen in NPSY function after two months of CPAP treatment. These results highlight the importance of a control group in studies utilizing a repeated neuropsychological testing protocol. Further, it suggests that previous studies may have overestimated the improvement in cognitive functions of OSAS patients after treatment with CPAP. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-12, Section: B, page: 6452. / Major Professor: Jack G. May, Jr. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.