bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self constructing in adolescence
Authors: Vranjesevic Jelena
Published: July 2008

The aim of this study was to explore ?theories? adolescents have about themselves, i.e. about the changes in the ways they construe themselves in the period of middle adolescence: how they construe changes and estimate them according to some dimensions relevant for change (appreciation of change, its importance, expectancy, timing, comprehensiveness, intensity and visibility in social surroundings). The study was explorative and it was performed on the sample of 96 adolescents aged 15-17 (middle adolescence). Instruments used for the study were: interview and Role Construct Repertory Grid, adjusted to the need of study. The results show that the adolescents? construct system is highly monolithic and tight in regard to constructs (black and white construing), but at the same time vague and predictively unclear in regard to elements, i. e. the stated changes, meaning that adolescents are not able to construe those changes according to certain constructs. It seems that this study included the beginning of the loosening phase (creativity cycle) in which the system is still tight and, therefore, protects from threat and anxiety, while the elements are not predictively (this is what Erikson calls moratorium, i.e. the process of active experimenting). Changes which are fully predictively are those which refer to adults' roles, such as: self confident, experienced, independent and has responsibilities, worries. On the hand, changes which are predictably the most clear to adolescents (and not appreciated) are depression and nervousness. Adolescents face an implicative dilemma: positive implications of maturity are not enough, while negative implications, such as nervousness, depression and not trusting people are clear, predictable and negative. This dilemma can be the cause of their ambivalence towards growing-up and accepting the roles of adults.
Construction and co-construction in the zone of proximal development: Could both Piaget and Vygotsky be right?
Authors: Baucal Aleksandar
Published: July 2008

The main goal of the research is to get evidence to address the following issues: (1) What is the relationship between the Zone of Actual Development (ZAD) and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?, (2) Is the effect of the tasks joint solving relatively durable?, (3) Does the ZPD have predictive values for the future achievement over and above of ZAD?, and (4) What is more important for the prediction of future achievements - affective-motivational or cognitive help in joint solving? The experiment with parallel groups with 126 subjects is realised. Experimental treatment is consisted of solving of Raven matrices items with a gradual help given by experimenter according to previously defined plan. The results suggest: (1) there is positive and low correlation between ZAD and ZPD, (2) the effect of joint solving is relatively durable, (3) ZPD is significant predictor of future achievements over and above of ZAD, and (4) affective-motivational aspect of joint activity has stronger influence on future achievements than cognitive one.
Coping with stress: Basic conceptual and theoretical questions from the standpoint of the transactional theory
Authors: Zotovic Marija
Published: July 2008

The main aim of this paper is to review basic conceptual and theoretical questions in the field of coping with stress. Some of the questions are: how can we define coping and distinguish it from similar phenomena, and what are the most prominent categories of coping behavior. The contribution of personality and situation factors in shaping coping behavior, i.e. the issue of coping determinants, is also considered. Finally, question is raised of coping efficacy. In this paper coping is seen from the perspective of transactional theory of stress. According to the transactional theory, stress and its consequences are not connected directly, but indirectly, via coping. Theoretical and practical importance of coping, defined as stress mediator, is also discussed in this article.
Confidentiality in psychotherapy: Some of actual dilemmas
Authors: Vukosavljevic-Gvozden Tatjana
Published: July 2008

The article examines confidentiality principle from different perspectives: as the factor which plays a very important part in developing a productive therapist-client relationship, ethical and, in many countries, legal issue. Ways to maintain confidentiality in therapy are stated, as well as situations in which it is inevitably limited. Three dilemmas concerning confidentiality are explained and discussed. The first is when one should speak and when one should be silent and what we should do when we are in two minds. The second is whether the client should be informed about confidentiality limitations at the very beginning, or when the need arises during the treatment. The third is whether confidentiality limitation (when a client poses a threat to himself or to the society) should be legally regulated, as it is being done in many western countries.
Latent structure of the social anxiety scale and relations between social anxiety and irrational beliefs
Authors: Tovilovic Snezana
Published: July 2008

The research which was realized belongs to one of three research fields within framework of rational-emotional-behavioral therapy (REBT) - to the theory of emotional disorders. It was undertaken with the aim to establish presence and nature of relations between social anxiety, treated as dimension and the construct of irrational beliefs from REBT theory. The research was carried out on the sample of 261 students of Novi Sad University, both genders, age 18 to 26. First of all, the latent structure of newly constructed Scale of Social Anxiety (SA) of the author Tovilovic S. was tested. SA scale was proved to be of satisfying reliability (? =0.92). Principal-component factor analysis was conducted under gathered data. Four factors of social anxiety, which explain 44,09% of total variance of the items of SA scale, were named: social-evaluation anxiety, inhibition in social-uncertain situations, low self-respect and hypersensitivity on rejection. The other test that was used is Scale of General Attitudes and Beliefs of the author Maric Z. Reliability of the sub-scale of irrational beliefs that was got on our sample is ? =0.91 yet the subscale of rational beliefs is ? =0.70. Canonical correlational analysis was conducted under manifest variables of both scales. Three pairs of statistically significant canonical factors were got, with correlations within the span between Rc=0.78 and Rc=0.64. We discussed nature of correlation between social anxiety and irrational beliefs in the light of REBT model of social phobia, REBT theory of emotional disorder, researches and model of social anxiety in wider, cognitive-behavioral framework.
The profile of client's readiness for change and preference to typical processes of change
Authors: Gavrilov-Jerkovic Vesna
Published: July 2008

In the theoretical part of this paper author considers the difficulties to define phenomenon of patient's readiness to change and proposes dimensions of transtheoretical model of change, that is, stages of change and processes as conceptual frames for exceeding those difficulties. Through the research author investigates the possibility to identify typical profiles of patient's readiness from the data about measured levels of particular stages of change. The results infer that several typical profiles of readiness can be identified and that it is possible that these profiles could be connected with tendency of patients to prefer passive or action-restructure processes of change.
The effects of the personality traits and positive and negative feedback on the perceived self-efficacy
Authors: Smederevac-Stokic Snezana
Published: July 2008

The main purpose of this study was to determine the relation between the self-efficacy, feedback and personality traits. The participants were 114 psychology students attending their first and third year from the University of Novi Sad. In the first part of the research, all subjects completed The NEO-PI-R (Costa and McCrae, 1992.). In the second phase the subjects were asked to create a short measurement scale. Before and after this task, as well as after the given feedback, the students completed The Self-efficacy Questionnaire (Terry, 1995). The feedback was the criterion to divide subjects into three groups: the first group received the positive, the second negative, and third group received no feedback. Criteria variables in the MANCOVA (repeated measures) were the estimated success, difficulty and ability to perform the task in the three stages of measurement. Predictor variables were the type of the feedback and the personality traits, as covariates. The results suggest that before feedback, the impact of traits on the self-efficacy was significant. But after received feedback, self-efficacy was related to the type of received feedback only. These results showed that self-efficacy was significantly influenced both by personality traits and feedback context.
Construction of the new instrument for assessment of adult and adolescence attachment
Authors: Hanak Natasa
Published: July 2008

This paper describes the development of new instrument for assessment of adult and adolescent attachment. An attempt has been made to integrate development-clinical and social personality models in attachment research, and to construct Questionnaire for Assessment of Adult and Adolescent Attachment (in original - UPIPAV). UPIPAV scales were developed on the basis of a) analysis of the critiques and deficiencies of available self-report instruments; b) characteristics of coding scales for AAI (Adult Attachment Interview); and c) theoretical analysis of relevant attachment phenomena. We present results of the research that brought us to the final form of the Questionnaire. The final form consists of six scales: fear of loss of external secure base, parent idealization, unresolved family traumatization, negative self concept, negative other concept and use of external secure base. The critical assessment of the Questionnaire and recommendations for further improvement are given at the end of the paper. The enhanced version of UPIPAV might have only four scales: self model, other model, use of the external secure base and the existence of the internal secure base.
Metacognition: A new cognitive paradigm
Authors: Kankaras Milos
Published: July 2008

This article reviews concept of metacognition, defined as: (a) knowledge about ones own cognitive activity, (b) strategies to monitor and regulate cognitive activity and behavior, and (c) subjective or metacognitive experiences which comes from some changes or temporary difficulties in cognitive functioning. While describing different conceptualizations of metacognition, its development, fields of application, relation with intelligence, and its constrictions and ambiguity, we attempt to present new and emerging metacognitive paradigm, which is, for a relatively short period, succeeded to improve, expand, and redefine wide range of theoretical and practical fields in psychology, on new and original way. How do we become conscious of our own cognitive processes? What role and significance that consciousness has, what is the functional level above thinking processes and how that level, which monitor and control cognitive activity, works. Metacognition is concept that presents, as so far, the most important insight in those human mind areas, which, although very important, remained on the margin of psychological investigations until now.
Is it possible to eliminate guessing on entrance examinations?
Authors: Fajgelj Stanislav , Knebl Jasna
Published: July 2008

The purpose of this paper is psychometric and psychological analysis of guessing on entrance examinations, and especially evaluation of classical procedure for reducing guessing which has been used at Department of psychology in Novi Sad, which consisted of instruction against guessing and correction with Abbott formula. As first, we have tried to estimate guessing in several ways, according to classical test theory and item response theory. Besides of analysis of association between different indicators of guessing, we have performed a special form of criterion analysis, by correlating possible indicators of guessing with several personality traits. Basic conclusion of this paper is that guessing is not consistent behavior and because of this it is very hard to measure and eliminate it. The next conclusion is that the applied classical procedure has not been able to eliminate guessing, and that it probably disfavored several candidates.
Attitudes of psychology freshmen to mathematics
Authors: Tenjovic Lazar , Zoric Aleksandar
Published: July 2008

Two components of the attitude towards mathematics were examined on the groups of psychology and ethnology freshmen using the Attitude to Mathematics Questionnaire by L. Aiken: Enjoyments in mathematics and Value of Mathematics. The means of the psychology students on the two components of the attitude towards mathematics were almost in the middle between those of the civil engineering students on the one side, and those of the ethnology students on the other side. However, considering the markedly asymmetric result distributions on specific components of the attitude towards mathematics, with a view of more real positioning of the psychology students compared with the remaining two groups according to their relation to mathematics, all the subjects were clustered pursuant to their answers to the respective Questionnaire items. The cluster analysis results lead to the conclusion that in their attitude towards mathematics most of the psychology freshmen are closer to the students of those faculties who use mathematics as basic ''tools'' than to the students freshly enrolled in other fields traditionally not employing mathematical ''tools'' in their work. Likewise, a positive attitude towards mathematics prevails in the psychology freshmen.
One modification of the promax method for confirmative taxonomical analysis
Authors: Momirovic Konstantin
Published: July 2008

Paper presents one simple method for fuzzy or hard confirmative classification of some set of variables on the basis of hypothetical fuzzy or hard classification from that set which also enables an estimation of the similarities of taxons, collected by the same method. This procedure is defined by transformation of reparametrized matrix of object projections on principal components. The transformation is achieved by matrix of unconstrained Promax solution transformed in Mahalanobis form. The efficiency of computer program for that method was demonstrated with one numerical example.
Anxiety and depression: One, two or three disorders?
Authors: Novovic Zdenka
Published: July 2008

The study deals with theoretical psychiatric proposals about relations between anxiety and depressive disorders. Three theoretical positions developed on the basis of numerous evidence on relationship of anxiety and depressive disorders: unitaristic (anxious and depressive disorders represent one disorder with different clinical pictures or phases of the disorder), pluralistic (there are two classes of disorders with clearly recognizable boundaries) and anxious-depressive position (mixed anxious-depressive disorder represents also a single disorder). Possible reasons for antagonisms, connections (i.e. lack of connections) to some proposals of psychologists are commented upon, as well as the significance of this problem for classification of mental disorders in general.
Critical analysis of some models of employment of persons with special needs in the developed countries
Authors: Ljubenovic Misa
Published: July 2008

Three the most influential models of employment of persons with special needs -sheltered workshops, supported employment and self-employment - were recognized in the light of social constructionist views of language role, that is, of critical discourse analysis and ideological critique of modern society that is fostered by social model of disability. Sheltered workshops are presented as a relic of past and the main advocate of deficit language and medicalization of disability on which based the medical model (or model of personal tragedy). The others approaches are understood as alternative in the sense that they are put in the broader framework of anthropological optimism insisting on a self-actualized tendency and a saved (developmental) potentials hidden in each individual. Nevertheless, neither of them spared critical analysis since they are outcome of influence of self-regulatory mechanisms of modern society structure.
A review of psychoanalytic outcome research
Authors: Kordic Boris
Published: July 2008

A review is given from the beginning of psychoanalysis till our days. The main research projects till 1991. that had been conducted according to model of ?unified science? are reported. The major research contributions and shortcomings are given and Pfeiffer methodology developed exclusively for psychoanalysis is specifically discussed. Further, two contemporary researches are reported that correct the shortcomings of earlier researches due to the use of model of ?pluralism of science? and some new methodological innovations (for example, ?unfolded panel? design). In addition, the main results of two contemporary researches are given.
Microgenetic analysis of transparency perception
Authors: Markovic Slobodan , Gvozdenovic Vasilije
Published: July 2008

In this study the microgenesis of transparency perception was investigated. Two intersecting squares were used as a basic stimulus model. Three surfaces was defined: surface which had the shape of capital Greek letter gamma, surface which had the shape of mirrored L and the little square nested between gamma and L. The gray levels of these surfaces were varied, whereas the background was constantly black. The gray levels variation can produce either transparency, spotlight or mosaic perception. All three categories can be described both locally (three juxtaposed surfaces) and globally (two overlapping squares). The primed matching paradigm and the same-different task were used. The global (squares) and the local (gammas or mirrored Ls) test stimuli were given as same or different pairs. There were the two prime types: identical (equal to test stimuli) and perceptual (related to the transparency, spotlight or mosaic). Prime duration were 50 ms and 400 ms, and the ISI was 30 ms. Ten subjects were asked to respond whether the test stimuli are same or different. The main result indicate that the difference in RT between perceptually primed global and local test stimuli is highly significant in both prime duration conditions and for transparency and spotlight patterns, and is marginally significant for mosaic patterns. The difference was such that the global tests were processed faster than the local tests. These results suggest that complex perceptual descriptions (transparency and the spotlight) are generated very early in the perceptual process (50 ms).
Perception of illusory contour figures: Microgenetic analysis
Authors: Gvozdenovic Vasilije
Published: July 2008

Microgenetic analysis was used to investigate perception of illusory contour figures which represent whole, completed forms on the basis of segmented, incomplete stimulation. The analysis provided an experimental approach to this phenomenon which was standardly investigated phenomenologically. Experimental procedure consisted of two phases: a) priming phase and b) test phase which consisted of visual search task. Two types of visual search tasks were applied: (i) classic detection, in which subjects were detecting presence or absence of the target stimuli and (ii) two-alternative forced choice, 2AFC, in which subjects performed discrimination between two concurrent targets (target A vs. target B). Variation of exposition of prim stimuli was used as an indication of the percept formation period. Concepts like early vision, visual attention and feature binding were investigated. Four experiments were conducted. Their outcome showed that (i) perception of amodal figure requires visual attention, (ii) features binding precedes spatial attention and (iii) time period of percept formation is dependent of task properties and varies between 50 - 150 ms. Some results obtained in this research could be explained by feature-integration theory (Treisman & Gelade, 1980; Treisman, 1986). Furthermore, percept formation period data comply with data acquired in Elliott & M?ller's psychophysical research (1998).
Types of geometrical transformations and perceptual similarity of figures
Authors: Rangelov Dragan
Published: July 2008

In this study it was investigated which of several types of geometrical transformations emerge as dominant principle in grouping forms. It was assumed that forms which have more similar features would be grouped together more often. The stimuli consisted of basic form (O) and it?s transformation: (T1) rotation; (T2) projection onto horizontal plane; (T3) projection onto vertical plane; (T4) stretching and (T5) twisting. There were two groups of stimuli: (G1) asymmetrical planes and (G2) linear patterns. Stimuli varied in complexity (i.e. number of lines they contain): (S1) four; (S2) five and (S3) six.The sets of stimuli were created given by formula O-Tm-Tn. Subjects were asked to choose which of the stimuli from the set doesn?t go along with others. Results showed that the stimuli would be grouped together more often if they had more common features. These results were obtained for both groups of stimuli and all levels of complexity.
Efficiency in reading of Cyrillic and Latin text
Authors: Pasic Milena
Published: July 2008

Readability of visual units is not only identification of single letters.The success in reading of a text is result of the interaction between different factors.A one of the most important being phonological structure of sequence. The research is done on the sample of 395 primary schoolchildren, divided in to three age groups. There are no differences in success of reading of Cyrillic and Latin text for most of the variables which measured success in reading. The readers who don?t have greater difficulties in reading, use Cyrillic equally well as and Latin alphabet. Moreover, greater practice in uses of one alphabet is not a deciding factor. Differences in uses of one alphabet or the other are notified with inferior readers and are more emphatic in the beginning phases of the development of the reading and writing skill.
Stability of aesthetic preference of object position on pictures
Authors: Toskovic Oliver
Published: July 2008

The aim of this work is is to give answers to question is aesthetic preference of object position on pictures stabile, or is there a change of aesthetic preference with increase of number of objects and with the change of picture orientation (horizontal-vertical). In conducted experiments subjects had a task to put one, two or three circles on three different shapes of backgrounds (square, golden rectangle, rectangle), in such way that given configuration is the most beautiful one in their own opinion. In some experiments backgrounds were observed horizontaly, and in other verticaly. When the backgrounds were horizontal, aesthetic preference of golden section position did not change with increase of the number of circles. When the backgrounds were vertical golden section position was prefered one in cases with one and two circles, while in the experiment with three circles aesthetic preference of golden section position decreased. In most situations circles were ordered on backgrounds in such way to balance each other. Distance between two circles on same shapes of backgrounds, on repeated situations, is relativly constant in both orientations of backgrounds.
Judgments of paintings
Authors: Markovic Dragan , Markovic Slobodan
Published: July 2008

In this study, the structure of the judgements of paintings was investigated. In the preliminary study, the subjects were asked to describe their subjective experience of paintings producing a list of attributes. The set of 76 most frequent attributes was selected and transformed into a bipolar 7-step scale (e.g. beautiful-ugly, strong-weak, interesting-boring etc). In the central part of the study, 200 subjects judged paintings on 76 scales. The paintings were grouped into two subgroups, A (200 paintings) and B (200 paintings). This part of the study was conducted in two steps. In the first step, 200 subjects judged one of the 200 paintings from the subgroup A (each painting was judged only by one subject), whereas in the second step the same 200 subjects judged 200 paintings from the subgroup B (each painting was judged only by one subject).. Two simple data matrices, A and B, and one complex matrix A + B (string out matrix: matrix B is continued under the matrix A) were obtained. The factor analyses (Promax and Orthoblique rotation) have shown the consistency of a four factor extraction for three matrices (A, B i A+B) using both rotation methods: Evaluation (clever, balanced, interesting, etc.), Potency (rich, dense, relaxing etc.), Cognitive factor (clear, ordinary, stimulative, etc.) and Dynamics (provoking, tense, creative).
Judgement of paintings belonging to different tendencies in the 20th century painting
Authors: Radonjic Ana , Markovic Slobodan
Published: July 2008

In this study Trifunovic? hypothesis that there are three objective lines in the development of modern art was psychologically evaluated. According to Trifunovic, in the first line (C?zanne - cubism - neoplasticism - suprematism) the geometrization of form prevails, in the second (Van Gogh - expressionism - abstract expressionism) the use of color is dominant, whereas the main features of the third line (Gauguin - fauvism) are symbolic use of color and reduction of perspective. Fifteen reproductions of paintings that represent the three developmental lines were used as stimuli. The subjects were asked to judge the stimuli on nine bipolar 7-step scales. These scales constitute the three factors of instrument SDF 9: Evaluation, Arousal and Regularity (3 scales x 3 factors = 9 scales). Four clusters of paintings were obtained: Abstract-expressionistic (moderate Evaluation, high Arousal and low Regularity), Figural-expressionistic (very low Evaluation, low Arousal and high Regularity), Constructivistic (moderate Evaluation, low Arousal and high Regularity) and Realistic (high Evaluation, high Arousal and high Regularity). The results partially confirm Trifunovic? hypothesis indicating that, besides the formal features, the content (abstract vs. figural) is also significant factor of subjective clustering of paintings.
Psychological characteristics of adolescents with good or poor asthma control
Authors: Nisevic Sanja
Published: July 2008

The main purpose of this study was to investigate what are the psychological differences between adolescents with poor or good asthma control. One hundred and twenty one adolescents participated in the study, aged 12 to 16. Participants were assigned to one of three groups - one being a control group, with adolescents that had no medical illness, and two experimental, with adolescents either having poor or good control of their asthma. The assessment of asthma control was based on several criteria groups. It has been found that adolescents differ among each other across majority of variables - coping strategies, presence of depressive characteristics, anxiety, locus of control, as well as their perception of social support.
Evaluation of Big Five model in Serbian culture by FIBI questionnaire
Authors: Colovic Petar , Mitrovic Dusanka , Smederevac Snezana
Published: July 2008

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate personality dimensions, proposed by Big Five model, in our culture, by the use of the questionnaire FIBI, developed on the basis of the psycho lexical study of personality descriptions in Serbian language (Smederevac, 2000). There were 627 subjects in the study (407 females and 220 males), aged 17 to 77, and the inventory UKL7 (Smederevac, 2000) and the Big Five Inventory (BFI; John, Donahue, Kentle, 1991; John, Srivastava, 1999) were applied. The FIBI inventory was created from UKL7 by exclusion of evaluative items, items of probable artificial factor Emotional control and items with poor psychometric properties were excluded. Final solution with 69 items demonstrated solid psychometric properties. The construct validity of the FIBI has been assessed by examination of its relationship to the Big Five Inventory and results showed that scales Conventionality and Extraversion in those two inventories differ in content. Subscale Conventionality in FIBI was highly related to subscale Consciousness in BFI and showed no significant correlation to Openness to Experience of the BFI. The content of the FIBI's Extraversion scale includes positive self-evaluation, assertiveness and activity. Indicators of sociability, usually considered as dominant (or at least very important) markers of extraverted behavior, were omitted from the FIBI Extraversion scale. These content differences justify application of the emic approach in the personality psychology research. Although there are some other available instruments based on Big Five, FIBI represents product of our cultural background and seems to be worth of further examination and improvement.
Traumatic experience and the process of reconciliation
Authors: Biro Miklos , Milin Petar
Published: July 2008

The paper present the results of the survey that was designed to examine attitudes towards reconciliation, traumatic experience, as well as some basic values, attitudes and stereotypes in two cities of the former Yugoslavia where the nationalities that were in conflict live together. The survey was conducted on 400 subjects in Vukovar (inhabited by Serbs and Croats) and 400 subjects in Prijedor (Serbs and Bosniaks). The results show that the level of traumatic experience, as a single variable, has no correlation with the readiness for reconciliation. On the other hand, in General Linear Model, best predictors of the readiness for reconciliation were attitudes and values represented by the factors ?Non-Ethnocentric? and Non-Nationalistic/ Xenophobic?. Also, having friends among the ?opposing? nationality and having positive experiences with the members of opposing national groups is highly related to a readiness for reconciliation. Finally, a belief in war crime trials, combined with a readiness to admit the war crimes among its own nationality, was a significant predictor of readiness for reconciliation.
Difference between the attitudes towards minority groups among parents and their children
Authors: Micevic Jelena
Published: July 2008

The aim of this research is to establish if there are differences between discrimination attitudes of parents and their children towards various marginal groups (the Chinese, Roma, the rich, the poor, persons of different sex, disabled persons). 849 persons were examined in this research: 310 of children and 539 of parents. The questionnaire of identical form for parents and their children was used to examine these discrimination attitudes. The questionnaire contains the open-type questions and it is the part of questionnaire used in the investigation project of wider range. Independent estimators in the scale from 1 to 6 quantified these qualitative results obtained on the basis of open-type questions, by determine the intensity of these attitudes (in negative direction). So-called Canonical discrimination analysis was used, out of statistical methods. The obtained results show that parents and their children statistically differ significantly in discrimination attitudes towards the Chinese, male persons and disabled persons. Children express discrimination attitudes towards male sex and towards disabled persons, but do not have considerable discrimination attitudes towards the Chinese, but parents express discrimination attitudes towards the Chinese, but do not have considerable discrimination attitudes towards the male sex and towards disabled persons.
Predicting job-seeking intensity and job-seeking intention in the sample of unemployed
Authors: Maric Zorica
Published: July 2008

In this study Ajzen' theory (1991) of planned behavior was used to predict job - seek intention and behavior among unemployed people (N = 650). In addition to theory of planned behavior variables (job - seek attitude, subjective norm, self - efficacy and controllability of job seek process) we used several other psychological (financial pressure, self - mastery, self - esteem and depression) and demographic (gender, age, education, marriage and lent of unemployment) variables to build a model of predictors for both criterion variables. Financial pressure, intention to seek employment, job seek - self - efficacy, job - seek controllability, marriage and job - seek attitude predicted job - seeking behavior, while attitude toward job - seeking, subjective norm, job - seek self - efficacy and financial pressure predicted job seek - intention. Results are discussed in light of theory of planned behavior, current research of job - seeking behavior and recommendations are made for practice.
Problem discourse of textbook
Authors: Pesic Jelena
Published: July 2008

This paper deals with various reasons for treating the problematisation of textbook discourse as an important aspect of its educational design. These reasons are derived from: the nature of learning process, the nature of scientific knowledge and both motivational and cognitive saint achieved through a problematisation of learning material. Implications drawn from these considerations, along with textbook genre possibilities and constrains, lead us to define some basic strategies of textbook discourse problematisation. They refer to: way of presenting knowledge (problem structuring of text, presenting the history of knowledge and different perspectives); use of specific questions and tasks; metacognitive support of the learning process and specific type of textbook language (dialogical problem focused, language of thinking).
Profiling graduates of the future
Authors: Pesikan Ana
Published: July 2008

We are facing the fact that some of the teaching that is performed at the university level does not result in the effective learning. The basic reason for this is that our faculties are often places for delivering the lectures and exercises, instead of being, as it should, a learning place. This statement has several important implications, which is being discussed in the paper from the viewpoint of the Active Learning Project.
Dual elaboration models in attitude change processes
Authors: Zezelj Iris
Published: July 2008

This article examines empirical and theoretical developments in research on attitude change in the past 50 years. It focuses the period from 1980 till present as well as cognitive response theories as the dominant theoretical approach in the field. The postulates of Elaboration Likelihood Model, as most-researched representative of dual process theories are studied, based on review of accumulated research evidence. Main research findings are grouped in four basic factors: message source, message content, message recipient and its context. Most influential criticisms of the theory are then presented regarding its empirical base and dual process assumption. Some possible applications and further research perspectives are discussed at the end.
A review of the role of elementary verbal processes on the expression of verbal intellectual ability
Authors: Lalovic Dejan
Published: July 2008

A review of the literature was conducted to examine the role of elementary verbal processes on the expression of psychometrically assessed verbal intellectual ability. The review was organized with respect to level of language organization, so that the importance of the role of individual differences in elementary cognitive processing of sublexical and lexical language elements, as well as of sentences and discourse, respectively, on verbal intellectual ability was examined. It was concluded that further study of the role of elementary verbal processes on verbal intellectual ability appears to be a promising means, though certainly not the only means by which, to more fully understand complex cognitive abilities like verbal ability.
Problems of the defining the dimensions of the Gray's reinforcement sensitivity theory
Authors: Smederevac Snezana , Mitrovic Dusanka
Published: July 2008

Jeffrey Gray has modified Eysenck's system by rotating the dimensions of extraversion and neuroticism by 45 degrees, which resulted in two new dimensions: impulsivity (behavioral approach system) and anxiety (behavioral inhibition system). The main purpose of this study was to examine psychometric properties of the BIS/BAS scale, inventory for assessment of dimensions included in Gray's theory, in order to, also, test the foundation of the Gray's constructs themselves. 476 participants were included, age 17 to 77. All subjects completed The BIS/BAS scale (Carver & White, 1994) and The Big Five Inventory (BFI; John, Donahue & Kentle, 1991, according to: John & Srivastava, 1999). Analysis of the BIS/BAS scale failed to replicate the original four-factor solution. Three factors were extracted, named Behavioral inhibition system (BIS), BAS-Striving for excitement and BAS-Drive. Psychometric characteristics of the BIS/BAS scale are not satisfactory. Result of the joint factor analysis of dimensions of the BIS/BAS scale and dimensions of the BFI questionnaire are three factors named active striving for reward, sensation seeking and anxiety. In general results can be considered supportive rather to Eysenck than to Gray, but they could also be ascribed to the failure in questionnaire operationalisation of the constructs of Reinforcement sensitivity theory.
Social sciences in Serbia, with Momirovic and without him: A bibliometric portrait
Authors: Sipka Pero
Published: July 2008

Research performance of Konstantin Momirovic (1932-2004), a prominent Serbian psychologist and statistician was analyzed, based on one domestic (SocioFakt) and one international citation database (SSCI). His productivity was described in terms of number of papers published in various local journals, while his typical research interests were revealed by applying frequency analysis of his keywords, abstract terms, and international authors he had cited. In order to evaluate his impact in various research fields, his citations and heterocitations was cross-tabulated against all citing disciplinary journals. Finally, latent influence of his contribution on the structure of national social sciences was tested by deriving two co citation maps of local journals: one produced with, and the other without his papers and citations. The results show Momirovic'es exceptional output and its substantial influence on the structure of social factual sciences, particularly on the position of psychology as a discipline. His output turned out to be also specific one asking for careful treatment of leaders of hidden colleges in practical evaluation. Incidentally, results also revealed his intellectual relatedness with Hans Eysenck, a hidden finding which was possible to corroborate by perceived personalities of both, accompanied with some critical details from their biographies.
Sociocultural approach to textbook
Authors: Pesic Jelena
Published: July 2008

The aim of this paper is to present an overview of textbook research at the Institute of psychology, intended to postulate socio-cultural approach to textbook. Shifting the textbook from classical pedagogical-psychological context into the broader and more inspiring cultural context, has led to the conceptualization of textbook as a cultural-supportive system of individual development. We consider firstly, the theoretical background of this conception, founded in Vygotskian idea of cultural mediation of development and then, its operationalization through the concept of cultural-supportive tools. The transfer from theory to practice is presented through the most important practical implications, such as defining the genre specificities of textbook and principles of educational design of textbooks. As a distinctive issue, we also consider the way this approach to textbook (theoretical articulation, analytical concepts, and practical implications) contributes to development of socio-cultural paradigm in psychology.
Typological approach to the dimensions of evaluating others
Authors: Mitrovic Dusanka , Colovic Petar , Smederevac Snezana
Published: July 2008

This study examined the latent structure of interpersonal evaluation space from both dimensional and typological points of view, considering typological approach to be a complement of the dimensional. The Interpersonal Evaluation Questionnaire (containing 72 items, with 5-degree Likert scales, measuring the desirability of behaviour and personal characteristics of other people) was administered to the sample of 398 respondents of both sexes, aged 15 - 61. According to the Scree criterion, 8 principal components were extracted, which were interpreted as communicativeness, good manners, aggressiveness, self - love, leadership, kindness, reserve and intrusiveness. Second-order analysis singled out two factors, the first one representing the evaluation of the characteristics usually perceived as positive in social interaction, and the second one representing the evaluation of characteristics which make communication between equals difficult. Although the dimensions of interpersonal evaluation do not fit the circumplex structure, their content is similar to the content of Wiggins' dimensions. Using Ward's method of hierarchical cluster analysis, assuming that the evaluation of others reflects both basic personality structure and the characteristic pattern of personality processes, three prototypical personality organizations were identified: the group oriented towards power, the group oriented towards affiliation and the hostile group. The differences between the results of this study and the results obtained by self - estimation were determined by the evaluative nature of the process of estimating others.
Relation between European and national identity and rigidity as a personality trait
Authors: Janicic Bojan , Mihic Vladimir , Sakotic-Kurbalija Jelena
Published: July 2008

The research presented in this paper is a part of the project ?Condition, Factors and Development of European Identity in Serbia and Montenegro?, which started in 2002 with the financial support of the Ministry for Science and Protection of Environment of the Republic of Serbia. The research studied the relation between certain kinds of social identity ( European, i.e. national identity ) on the one hand, and the degree of rigidity of the subjects on the other. The sample consisted of 2685 inhabitants of Serbia and Montenegro, of both sexes, different levels of education and 18 to 43 years old. European, i.e. national identity was measured with the questionnaire EUROID2002, which consisted of 36 items related to different aspects of social identity. Factor analysis singled out five factors of social identity: pro-European orientation, advocating the preservation of national identity, confronting traditional values and technological civilization, globalization as a threatening factor for small and poor nations, and exclusive national attachment. Rigidity of the subjects was determined with the application of the RG-2 questionnaire which consists of 30 items related to the rigidity of thought in various life situations. Factor analysis singled out two factors of rigidity: rigidity toward oneself and others, as well as rigidity in one?s life habits. The relation between social identity and rigidity was determined with the technique of canonical analysis. Two significant canonical roots were singled out: the first canonical root includes two aspects of rigidity which were positively related to the factors implying a strongly pronounced national identity ( advocating the preservation of national identity and exclusive national attachment ). The second canonical root indicates a positive relation between rigidity in life habits and traditional standpoints and fear of globalization.
Discriminant possibilities of the Hamilton depression scale: ROC analysis
Authors: Novovic Zdenka , Janicic Bojan
Published: July 2008

The purpose of this study is to compare discrimination power of original and reconstructed version of Hamilton?s depression scale in separation of depressive vs. anxious patients and to suggest some possibilities which offer ROC analysis. The subjects of the study were 119 patients of Psychiatric clinic in Novi Sad. 67 of them were diagnosed with some of the forms of affective disorders and 52 with an anxious-phobic diagnosis. Results of ROC analysis suggest that both instruments can be used in distinguishing depressive from anxious patients, but reconstructed version shows greater sensitivity and specificity with optimal cut-off score. It also has more significant AUC, which refers to probability of prediction on the basis of the whole spectrum of the results. These data is commented in relation with current debates, between unitaristic and pluralistic oriented authors, about the nature of the anxious-depression relationship.
Structure of aesthetic experience
Authors: Polovina Marko , Markovic Slobodan
Published: July 2008

This study investigated the strructure of aesthetic experience and the relationship of this structure and other dimensions of the subjective judgements of paintings. Aesthetic experinece was defined by nine descriptors selected from relevant literature: fascinating, irresistible, unique, eternal, profound, exceptional, universal, unspeakable, I would like to have this painting. 24 paintings were judged of on nine unipolar seven-step scales that were made of the up-mentioned descriptors. The factor analysis extracted one principal component. Multiple regression has shown weak correlation between aesthetic expirience (averaged nine judgements) and the factors of the subjective judgements of paintings (the factors were measured by the instrument SDS 16; Radonjic & Markovic, 2005). Factor Arousal was a significant predictor of aesthetic experience, but the percent of explained variance was relatively low (circa 23%). The prediction of other factors, Regularity, Atraction and Serenity, was not significant. For the purpose of this analysis we used the data from the previous study (Radonjic and Markovic, 2005). Further regression analyses indicated the role of aesthetic experience in the similarity judgments of paintings: the distributions of the paintings within 2-D and 3-D MDS space were partially explained by the measure of aesthetic experience. The MDS data were taken from the previous study (Radonjic i Markovic, 2004). The results of this study suggest that the aesthetic experience is a unique and relatively independent phenomenon: internally, it is not dividable into components, and externally, it is weakly correlated with the other subjective dimensions.
Diachronic changes in word probability distributions in daily press
Authors: Stankovic Jelena , Kostic Aleksandar
Published: July 2008

Changes in probability distributions of individual words and word types were investigated within two samples of daily press in the span of fifty years. Two samples of daily press were used in this study. The one derived from the Corpus of Serbian Language (CSL) /Kostic, Dj., 2001/ that covers period between 1945. and 1957. and the other derived from the Ebart Media Documentation (EBR) that was complied from seven daily news and five weekly magazines from 2002. and 2003. Each sample consisted of about 1 million words. The obtained results indicate that nouns and adjectives were more frequent in the CSL, while verbs and prepositions are more frequent in the EBR sample, suggesting a decrease of sentence length in the last five decades. Conspicuous changes in probability distribution of individual words were observed for nouns and adjectives, while minimal or no changes were observed for verbs and prepositions. Such an outcome suggests that nouns and adjectives are most susceptible to diachronic changes, while verbs and prepositions appear to be resistant to such changes.