The objective was to examine students’ attitudes versus the concepts of free will and determinism, and to juxtapose these to anxiety and religiosity.An online survey was filled in by 162 Swedish students aged between 18 and 20 in an upper secondary high school. To measure the concepts of free will and determinism the Paulhus & Carey FAD-Plus scale (2011) has been used. Anxiety was measured with two types of the short STAI-index.The factor analysis did not support the idea of an extra division of the original FAD-plus index into the factors ‘free will without moral responsibility’ and the fac-tor ‘moral responsibility’. Some minor sex differences were notices in that females scored higher on fatalistic determinism as well as anxiety. The correlation be-tween free will and scientific determinism were very small negative and not sig-nificant, implying that the two concepts are compatible to at least some respond-ents. The same week correspondence were noticed between scientific determin-ism and moral, showing that the dichotomy between the concepts having low support among students.The traditionally seen opposite concepts of fatalistic and scientific determin-ism were surprisingly positively and significant corresponding.Conclusion of the survey results support the view that the question on free will and determinism is more complex than a simple two way street as shown by Paulhus & Carey (2011) and Nichols & Knobe (2007). Moral responsibility is strongly connected to free will, but is not negatively correlated to determinism showing an interesting paradox in the traditional view of these concepts.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There has been an increase in the popularity of adventure programming over the past few years, with the result that the practice of high-risk recreational activities is growing phenomenally. This study examined how students who are enrolled in a full time adventure education programme involving high-risk recreational activities would differ in terms of sensation-seeking, locus of control and self-efficacy when compared to their non-participative peers. The research group devoted a whole year towards an adventure-based gap year programme that utilises high-risk recreational activities as a core aspect of the programme’s curriculum. It was hypothesised that the research group will measure higher in sensation-seeking, locus of control and self-efficacy when compared to the research equivalent group. For this cross- sectional quantitative study, the research group consisted of 25 students participating in the high-risk iALA recreational adventure programme. The research equivalent group consisted of 34 first year university students. The two sample groups were assessed in terms of their attribute differences on Zuckerman’s Sensation-Seeking Scale, Sherer’s General Self-efficacy Scale, and Rotter’s Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. MANOVA and ANOVA analyses were performed in order to analyse the data. The study indicated that there was a significant difference in sensation-seeking between the two samples. There was, however, no significant difference in levels of locus of control and self-efficacy between the two samples. The study’s significant findings support trends in previous studies concerning greater sensation-seeking among participants of high-risk recreation activities. Important considerations for the results obtained are provided together with implications for further research in this field. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Avontuurprogramme het die afgelope paar jaar in gewildheid toegeneem en het tot gevolg dat daar al hoe meer van hoë-risiko ontspanningsaktiwiteite gebruik gemaak word. Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe studente wat aan hoë-risiko ontspanningsaktiwiteite deelneem, verskil ten opsigte van die soeke na sensasie, lokus van kontrole en self-effektiwiteit in vergelyking met hul niedeelnemende portuurs. Die eksperimentele groep het vir ʼn jaar deelgeneem aan ʼn gapingsjaar-avontuurprogram met hoë-risiko ontspanningsaktiwiteite wat ʼn kernsaspek van die kurrikulum uitmaak. Die hipotese was dat die eksperimentele groep hoër sou meet in die soeke na sensasie, lokus van kontrole en self-effektiwiteit as die kontrolegroep. Vir die doel van hierdie kwantitatiewe studie het die eksperimentele groep uit 25 studente bestaan wat aan hoë-risiko ontspanningsaktiwiteite deelgeneem het gedurende die gapingsjaar-avontuurprogram. Die kontrolegroep het uit 34 eerstejaar universiteitstudente bestaan. Ten einde die verskil tussen die twee groepe te assesseer, is Zuckerman se Sensation-Seeking Scale, Sherer se General self-efficacy scale, en Rotter se Internal external locus of control scale gebruik. ʼn MANOVA en ANOVA is gebruik om die data te analiseer. Die studie het getoon dat daar ʼn betekenisvolle verskil tussen die twee groepe was ten opsigte van die soeke na sensasie. Daar was egter geen betekenisvolle verskil in die vlakke van lokus van kontrole en self-effektiwiteit tussen die twee groepe nie. Bevindings van die huidige studie oor die soeke na sensasie het bevindings van vorige studies rakende die soeke na sensasie en hoë-risiko ontspanningsaktiwiteite ondersteun. Belangrike afleidings kan gemaak word uit die resultate wat verkry is wat moontlikhede bied vir verdere navorsing in hierdie veld.

Visual Analytics is a multi-disciplinary field that uses interactive visualisations to promote and assist the analytic reasoning and generate insights. Understanding the perceptual and cognitive factors is key to the progress in this field. This research focuses on understanding the benefits of interaction in terms of insight generation Moreover, this investigation explores the compounding effects individual differences have with interaction when analysing data to generate insights. This study investigated the individual differences in two sets; psychometric set measures, and a sensorial preferences multimodal learning style. Interaction was analysed from an information visualisation perspective, exploring the Visual Mapping and View Transformation interaction, by isolating interaction as an independent variable. Moreover, the View Transformation experiment used two different visual representations 2D and 3D. Additionally, the individual differences were analysed using the aptitude-by-treatment interaction (ATI) methodology. The ATI approach enabled the assessment of the performance gains in terms of insight generation according to pre-defined set levels of individual differences measures. This thesis confirms the benefits of interaction in generating more insights and increasing their accuracy, whilst facilitating the generation of insights requiring lower mental effort. Further, the results show significant conjoint effects between interaction and individual differences. Furthermore this research revealed a performance difference between 2D and 3D visual representation in the serious game problem solving context. Overall, this thesis provides tangible proof that both visual mapping and view transformation interaction are beneficial to visual analytics in generating insights. Strengthening the view that interaction with the problem-set improves understanding, and the number of insights gleaned into the problem and that more research into the use of individual differences, as a performance predictor in Visual Analytics is beneficial.

The world of work is changing at a whirlwind speed with mergers, acquisitions, new markets, products, growth as well as many similar business activities being at the order of the day, all aimed at improving income and profits. Fierce competition, and optimisation of resources by businesses, has led to corporations realising that economic and social sustainability cannot be achieved through technology alone and attention has to be given to human needs. Peoples' capacities we progressively being optimised as a strategic important business element and when this resource is neglected, it can have detrimental effects for businesses. This confirms a growing interest and call for wellness and well-being efforts by employers to find out just how happy people are, and what can be done to improve employees' satisfaction. Since employee satisfaction is recognised as important to the success in the workplace, efforts to improve and maintain high levels of job satisfaction will contribute to the overall success of a business. Limited research that can guide interventions in the chemical factory environment to improve general satisfaction in the workplace exists about the relationship between satisfaction in the workplace and subordinate structures influencing job satisfaction and the effect job satisfaction has on general satisfaction in the workplace. This study aimed at investigating satisfaction or wellness in the workplace by focussing on the different layers of satisfaction and how the satisfaction on a level is affected by the level of satisfaction on subordinate levels. To enhance the results of the study, the two primary questionnaires were also validated for use in the chemical factory environment, and sense of coherence and job satisfaction in the chemical factory were analysed at the same time. The research approach followed in this study focussed on a literature study, followed by an empirical analysis of data collected that was related to the specific area of study. A survey design was used to collect the data, using a questionnaire booklet that was distributed to a crosscut sample of employees working in the chemical factory environment. The sample represented all the demographic groups in the organisation ( N = 583). The questionnaires used were the Orientation to Life Questionnaire, Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Health Questionnaire, Work Locus of Control Scale, and Satisfaction with Life Scale, Affectometer, and a biographical questionnaire. In Article 1 and Article 2, two questionnaires considered primary to the study were tested for use in the chemical factory environment. The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire's structural equivalence for use in a multilingual population, and the construct validity of the Orientation to Life Questionnaire in an abbreviated 11-item format, were confirmed. The different levels of job satisfaction and sense of coherence for different demographic subgroups were also determined. Job satisfaction was found to differ significantly between the different language groups, certain age groups, as well as for different job levels. Moreover, while intrinsic job satisfaction increased with age and job level, extrinsic job satisfaction decreased with the level of education. Sense of coherence differed also significantly between some demographic groups, namely language, qualification and job level. In Article 3 the relationship between job satisfaction, sense of coherence, affect and locus of control were tested as an indication of the hierarchical structure of subjective well-being. The hierarchical structure of subjective well-being was confirmed, deducted from the correlation between different variables and the percentage of variance in successive levels of satisfaction explained by the level of satisfaction in subordinate levels. Recommendations were made to the host organisation and for future research. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Locus of Control (LOC) is operationalized as a dispositional trait remaining stable throughout life, but may also be conceptualized as a domain specific state. Widowed persons' support groups, consisting of recently conjugally bereaved older adults (N=22) and one high functioning, long-term widowed peer group leader, were utilized to test LOC malleability. A significant increase in one State measure subscale, Desire for Control, was noted. Trait LOC remained stable. The change in State and Trait LOC change did not significantly relate to psychological symptom reduction. However, Trait LOC Internality related to fewer symptoms whereas State LOC Internality related to more symptoms.

The problem of this study was to identify variables in the family environment that may describe depressed adolescents' families. This study was based on Adlerian theory. The Family Environment Scale (FES) was used to measure the family atmosphere. The Lifestyle Scale (LS) was used to examine the adolescent's unique system of beliefs, values, and attitudes. The Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (IE) was used to measure the extent of external control exhibited by the adolescents and their parents. The subjects of this study were 31 depressed adolescents from 2 suburban psychiatric hospitals and one of each of the adolescent's parents. The subjects were from a homogeneous socioeconomic population showing no significant variation in the demographic categories of sex, race, chronological birth order, or marital status of the parents. Scores were compared with normative data. Product moment correlations were calculated between the results of the subscales on the 3 instruments. A principal components factor analysis was performed to determine if any patterns existed.

This study sought to determine the extent a relationship exists between locus of control and the rate of completion for proposal and dissertation defense among doctoral students. Levenson's Internal, Powerful Others, and Chance scales were utilized to identify locus of control orientation. Findings indicated that: (1) a majority, 102, scored highest on the Internal scale; (2) Internal scale scores above the median related to increased probability of a proposal and dissertation defense and to reduced time in reaching those points; (3) no significant difference was found between male and female defensive externals in completing the proposal or dissertation defense; and (4) females tended to score higher than males on the Internal scale. Among conclusions drawn are: (1) Internal scale scores above the median relate to a reduced length of time to complete the proposal and dissertation defense; and (2) few doctoral candidates scoring higher on the Powerful Others or Chance scales were identified in this doctoral program after the point of qualifying examinations.

The theoretical part of the diploma thesis presents some selected approaches to career counseling with emphasis on the French method bilan de compétences . This method is based on an approach that combines the competence analysis, psychological assessment, individual empowerment and career counseling. Finally, a resumé of most in uential research studies examining mental processes active during this method is presented. Results of the research study conducted on a sample of 31 (28-49 years) unemployed, participants of a six week bilan de compétences programme are presented in the second part of the thesis. We measured the evolution of self-e cacy, locus of control and psychological well-being during the programme. These variables were measured in three phases: prior to the programme, at the end of the programme and on month following the end of the programme. At the end of the programme participants showed signi cantly higher level of self-e cacy and psychological well-being as compared to the situation before the start of the programme. One month after its end, however, values returned to its original level. We also examined relationship between satisfaction with the programme, level of acquired knowledge and observed psychological variables. No signi cant relationship was discovered. Results...

Introdução O câncer é uma doença crônica que ocupa posição de destaque. A adesão, as atitudes e o comportamento dos pacientes têm sido freqüentemente relatadas como um fator determinante para o sucesso da terapia com antineoplásicos orais. Objetivos Caracterizar o perfil de pacientes com terapia antineoplásica via oral, aspectos da doença, atitudes, crenças e percepções frente à doença e tratamento. População e Método Foram estudados 61 pacientes com diagnóstico de câncer sob terapia antineoplásica via oral em um ambulatório de hospital particular da cidade de São Paulo. Os instrumentos de avaliação usados foram Teste Morisky e Green, Escala de Lócus de Controle da Saúde e um questionário sobre fatores que podem interferir no tratamento medicamentoso. Valores de p<0,05 foram considerados estatisticamente significantes. Resultados Os pacientes estudados eram 64% mulheres, 54,8±15,6 anos, 95% brancos, 74% casados; 80% com ensino superior; 37% com renda entre 5 a 10 salários mínimos; 29% ocupavam atividades administrativas e comerciais; 34% tinham câncer gastrintestinal; 34% dos pacientes faziam uso do medicamento Capecitabina; tempo de doença de 37,1 ± 62,2 meses; tempo de tratamento 14,4 ± 25,1 meses; e tempo de tratamento com antineoplásico oral 8,6 ± 14,8 meses. O Teste Morisky e Green foi positivo em 28% dos pacientes e 25% afirmaram interrupção do tratamento. Na Escala de Lócus de Controle da Saúde os valores do lócus de controle interno (21,7±4,3) e externo-outros poderosos (22,5± 4,1) foram semelhantes e o menor valor foi no domínio externalidade-acaso (16,5±6,0), além de que os pacientes informaram poucas dificuldades que podem influenciar a adesão ao tratamento com antineoplásico oral. Houve as seguintes associações estatisticamente significantes (p<0,05): 1-Pacientes com teste de Morisky e Green positivo tinham maior tempo de tratamento e em relação ao medicamento oral, a positividade ocorreu com dois pacientes em uso de Mercaptopurina e cerca de um quarto em uso de Dexametasona, Talidomida e Hormonioterápicos. 2-Na Escala de Lócus de Controle de Saúde os pacientes que apresentaram maiores índices de internalidade eram do sexo masculino, que não realizaram cirurgia, não faziam massagem, com menor tempo de doença e de tratamento. Os pacientes com maiores índices no domínio de externalidade-outros poderosos interromperam o tratamento. Os pacientes que apresentaram maiores índices de externalidade-acaso faziam uso de antineoplásico oral continuamente e não praticavam rituais religiosos como outras formas de tratamento. 3-O questionário que avaliou aspectos frente ao tratamento mostrou que os pacientes que apresentaram mais dificuldade, tinham mais tempo de tratamento com antineoplásico via oral. Conclusões Os pacientes apresentaram atitudes positivas frente ao tratamento com medicamentos antineoplásicos orais e relataram poucas dificuldades no manejo da terapia / Introduction Cancer is a chronic disease ranked in an outstanding position. Patients’ compliance, attitudes and behavior have been frequently reported as a determining factor for the success of the therapy with oral antineoplastic drugs. Objectives Characterize oral antineoplastic therapy patients’ profiles; disease aspects and behavior, beliefs and perceptions with regard to the disease and the treatment. Population and Method Sixty-one patients diagnosed with cancer undergoing oral antineoplastic therapy in the out-patient unit of a private hospital in the city of São Paulo were studied. Assessment instruments applied were Morisky and Green Test, Health Locus of Control Scale and a questionnaire on factors that can interfere in drug treatment. P<0.05 values were considered statistically significant. Results Patients studied were 64% women, 54.8±15.6 years, 95% white, 74% married; 80% university graduated; 37% with monthly income between US$ 817.75 to US$ 1635.50; 29% worked on business and administrative activities, 34% had gastrointestinal cancer; 34% took Capecitabine; length of time of the disease was 37.1 ± 62.2 months; length of time of the treatment 14.4 ± 25.1 months; and length of time of oral antineoplastic therapy 8.6 ± 14.8 months. Morisky and Green Test was found to be positive in 28% of the patients and 25% stated having interrupted the treatment. In the Health Locus of Control (HLC) Scale, the scores of internal HLC (21.7±4.3) and powerful others externally HLC (22.5± 4.1) were similar. The lowest score was observed in the dimension of chance external HLC (16.5±6.0). Besides, patients reported few difficulties that can influence on their compliance with oral antineoplastic treatment. The following statistically significant (p<0.05) associations were observed: 1-Patients showing positive Morisky and Green test were longer under treatment in relation to the oral drug. Positive tests were observed in two patients using Mercaptopurine and in roughly one fourth, using Dexamethasona, Thalidomide and Hormonietherapics. 2-In Health Locus of Control Scale, men who did not undergo surgery, did not use to have a massage and with shorter time of disease and treatment were those who showed higher scores in Internal HLC. Patients with higher scores in the dimension of powerful others external HLC interrupted the treatment. Patients who showed higher scores in the dimension of Chance External HLC used oral antineoplastic drugs continuously and did not took part in religious rituals as other forms of treatment 3-The questionnaire that assessed aspects related to the treatment revealed that patients who showed more difficulties, were being treated with oral antineoplastic drugs for a longer time. Conclusions Patients showed positive attitudes regarding the treatment with oral antineoplastic drugs and reported few difficulties to lead with the therapy

The aim of this study was to test whether criminogenic needs change over the course of a cognitive-behavioural sexual offender-specific treatment programme (ROS) within a group of adult, incarcerated or on probation, male sexual offenders in Sweden. To measure criminogenic needs 25 offenders completed Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale (LCB), 26 Hypersexuality Behavior Inventory-19 (HBI-19) and 25 respectively 27 completed Relationship Scale Questionnare (RSQ), 2-factor. Therapists rated 46 sexual offenders using The Therapist Rating Scale-2 (TRS-2). The results demonstrated that participants showed non-significant increased internal locus of control, significant decreased hypersexual thoughts and behaviours (small to medium effect size), but no change regarding attachment styles, post-treatment. Results from The Therapist Rating Scale-2 showed that therapists rated significant decrease in all criminogenic needs post-treatment with medium to large effect size. Conclusions are that ROS appears to be effective, inducing change in criminogenic needs. ROS’s specific elements targeting sexual self-regulation seems to be successful resulting in significant reduction of hypersexual thoughts and behaviours, especially for participants with severe problems. Implications of results are discussed and theoretically analyzed from a perspective of cognitive theory, learning theory, attachment theory and affect theory. / Studiens syfte var att undersöka förändring i kriminogena behovsområden hos en grupp sexualbrottsdömda män som under sin verkställighet på anstalt eller inom frivård medverkat i Kriminalvårdens KBT-baserade behandlingsprogram ROS. För att mäta förändringen fyllde 25 deltagare i Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale (LCB), 26 stycken Hypersexuality Behavior Inventory-19 (HBI-19) och 25 respektive 27 stycken Relationship Scale Questionnaire (RSQ), 2-faktormodellen, före och efter behandling. Behandlarna bedömde förändring hos 46 deltagare enligt The Therapist Rating Scale-2 (TRS-2). Resultaten från deltagarnas självskattningsformulär visade att deltagarna efter behandling fick en icke-signifikant ökning av intern kontrollokus. Tankar och beteenden kopplade till hypersexualitet minskade signifikant med liten till medelstor effekt. Det gick inte påvisa förändring vad gäller relationsstilar. Resultaten av TRS-2 visade att behandlarna bedömde att det hade skett en signifikant förändring i positiv riktning med medel till stor effekt vad gäller samtliga kriminogena behovsområden. Slutsatsen är att ROS verkar vara effektivt genom att åstadkomma förändring inom kriminogena behovsområden. De specifika element i ROS som adresserar sexuell självreglering tycks vara lyckosamma då tankar och beteenden kopplade till hypersexualitet reducerats signifikant, särskilt för deltagare med svårast problem. Implikationer av resultaten diskuteras och analyseras teoretiskt utifrån kognitiv teori, inlärningsteori, anknytningsteori och affektteori.