bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social ties of Lithuanian students: A diagnostic research, using the matrix of a social network
Authors: Antinienė Dalia , Baršauskienė Viktorija , Merkys Gediminas
Published: January 2019

The given article analyses the definition of a social network and its treatment, discusses the tradition of empirical research, schools, as well as several contemporary studies. It also reveals the functional (applied) significance of social network research and conceptions.At present the social network has been analysed on different levels: individual, group, community, etc. However, the preferred methods are the ones that mark the individual’s establishment in the social structure, as well as the formation of this structure from separate micro-ties. Consequently, the research prioritizes egocantered (personal) network that is oriented towards a separate individual, or an ‘individual – individual’ relationship.Different scientists, especially in the West, carry out numerous social network research exploiting various methodologies. According to the authors of this article, diagnostic social network research is considered to be most advanced. Subsequently, one of research objectives was to initiate the modelling of a more reliable, valid, and economical instrument that would allow an overall evaluation of a definite person or group social network.The article presents the data of the Lithuanian students’ social network empirical research. The research instrument is the social network matrix that is comprised of 35 items. The answer table was filled in by 305 young adults at different Lithuanian universities, colleges, and higher educational institutions. The matrix involves 7 social network subjects, namely, parents, siblings, spouses, friends, relatives, neighbours, schoolmates, and 5 social network functions, such as financial support, accommodation, emotional (or similar) support. Two structures of the social network were revealed in this research. These are the close medium, involving parents, spouses, siblings, and friends, and the distant medium, involving schoolmates, neighbours, and relatives. Based on the Multi-Dimensional Scaling model, as well as on the other indices, the article presents several arguments for the matrix constructional validity. The asymmetrically marked domineering of the financial support function is evident. It might be explained in the terms of specificity of the student population, or the social and economic conditions in Lithuania. Empirically defined network structure is treated as culturally specific, and is tried to be interpreted in the context of materialistic and post-materialistic value theory and modernization concept. There emerged particular hypotheses that require more detailed cross-cultural studies.After the norming base has been supplied, the method of the social network matrix could be treated as an independent diagnostic instrument in the future. For this reason the authors of this article are ready to provide all interested researchers with the informatikon necessary for norming and correct intercultural comparison.
Pecularities of symmetry detection in polygons with different degree of symmetry
Authors: Gurčinienė Ona , Šoliūnas Alvydas
Published: January 2019

Though the mirror symmetry is investigated broadly the mechanisms of symmetry perception are not yet known. Most studies of symmetry perception are performed with dot patterns. This paper is devoted to extend the experimental data with different type of stimuli and procedures. The psychophysical experiment was conducted to determine the symmetry and asymmetry detection time and accuracy in the perfectly symmetrical and asymmetrical figures with different degree of symmetry. The figures (plane polygons) were constructed on a base of 3x3 square matrix and covered 5 squares area. The ratio of coincident with noncoincident elements of figures on both sides of axis of symmetry had three different values and indicated the degree of symmetry of asymmetrical figures. The symmetrical and asymmetrical figures were oriented vertically or horizontally and were of white colour on a black background. The exposition duration of figures was defined during the practice session individually for each subject so, that detection accuracy would be approximately 60–90% (it varied from 17 to 300 ms for different subjects). After the figure presentation the white masking square was presented for 500 ms covering the figure. The subject was asked to answer as fast as possible whether the figure was symmetrical or asymmetrical by pressing an appropriate key on a keyboard. Altogether 480 figures were presentated during the experiment that lasted about 40 minutes.The experimental results confirmed the advantage of vertical symmetry over the horizontal, that is the vertically symmetrical figures were detected more accurately and faster than horizontally symmetrical ones. Averaged results of all subjects indicated that the detection accuracy of asymmetry increased and the detection time decreased as the degree of symmetry of asymmetrical figures decreased. Depending on qualitative differences in the symmetry and asymmetry detection the subjects were divided into two groups. Majority of subjects detected asymmetry more accurately and faster than symmetry, and theirs detection time of asymmetry decreased as a degree of symmetry decreased. They detected the small deviation from perfect symmetry more accurately and theirs averaged detection time was shorter than it was for other subjects, which detected symmetry more accurately and faster than asymmetry. Last-mentioned subjects did not discriminate the asymmetrical figures with highest degree of symmetry from symmetrical ones, and the detection time of asymmetry almost did not depend on the degree of symmetry of asymmetrical figures. Detection time of symmetry and asymmetry was shorter for male than female subjects. The implications of individual differences in symmetry and asymmetry detection are discussed.
Organizational climate assessment possibilities in business organizations
Authors: Rekašiūtė-Balsienė Rita
Published: January 2019

Organizational climate has been widely discussed in the literature since the concept of social climate was proposed. They perceived organizational climate as a set of properties of the working environment which can be measured. In the article we present three set of theories of organizational climate concepts, which were found in the literature.The wide spectrum of organizational climate and performance surveys suggests that there are relationship between the climate dimensions and all kind of organizational performance indicators. It is suggested, that for a plan of activities for improving effectiveness of all organization may be used climate surveys.The purpose of this survey is to evaluate organizational climate is Lithuanian business organizations using the questionnaire which was created by the author of the article.Sample: 6 Lithuanian organizations from the service business sector, total of 591 employees. All organizations are among the firs seventh leaders of their practice field.Method: Organizational climate questionnaire (constructed by author of the article) was used in this survey. Factorial analysis distinguishes eight factors (scales): evaluations of employee attempts and performance; interrelations and respect; flexibility and quality of organization performance; employee struggle; goals knowledge; organization magnitude; cooperation; work organization. The research has been carried out in 2003–2004.Results of this survey shows, that all organizations have common peculiarities of organizational climate. Perceived as the best organizational climate aspects are organization magnitude, employee struggle, interrelations and respect; perceived as the worst organizational climate aspects are evaluation of employee attempts and performance and work organization. There was found significant differences in perceived organization conditions between managers and employees and between business departments and business support departments, what request more in depth survey. Organizational climate of two organizations are described in detail. It is suggested, that created questionnaire can be used to asses organizational climate and be useful tool for the organizational development practitioner and researcher. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are proposed.
Freud's 150 jubilee
Authors: Meškauskienė S.
Published: January 2019

This article presents information on Freud's 150 jubilee.
The analysis of psychometric properties of Human Figure Drawings’ Test
Authors: Nasvytienė Dalia
Published: January 2019

The present study investigated whether Human Figure Drawings (HFD) can be considered as valid and reliable devices to assess intellectual abilities as well as the emotional adjustment in the practice of child psychologists. HFD are most popular of all drawing techniques often included in test batteries as relatively short, easy-to-administer, friendly and non-threatening measures. Contradictory empirical evidence concerning their psychometric properties is presented with the aim to overcome the gap between large scale of practical use and a relatively small amount of scientific investigations. Draw-A-Person: A Quantitative Scoring System (DAP: QSS) and Draw-A-Person: Screening Procedure for Emotional Disturbance (DAP: SPED) created by Naglieri J. and colleagues were chosen as the most modern and objective scoring systems in regard to other HFD. Both techniques and WISC-IIILT were administered to a clinical sample consisting of 95 children aged 6–16 with emotional/behavioural disturbances and 70 children without clinical disturbances closely matched for the age and gender criteria. T-test, correlations, discriminant and exploratory factor analysis were applied for data analysis. Results suggest that DAP:QSS shortly meets standards of concurrent validity with WISC-IIILT as it was found no statistically significant correlations with the scores of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IIILT (p > 0.05). A additionally, noncognitive factors – liking to draw and clinical disturbance – can cause biased results of the assessment of intellectual abilities when using DAP: QSS: liking to draw correlates with the higher results as compared to WISC-IIILT scores, while intellectual abilities of the children with clinical disturbance were underestimated (p = 0.00). Standard error of estimation appeared to be higher when using DAP: QSS than WISC-IIILT. The total score of Draw-A-Person:Screening Procedure for Emotional Disturbance was significantly higher in the clinical sample (p = 0.00). It proves the validity of this instrument to screen the children for emotional maladjustment but the cases of false-negative screening cast doubt about its strength. Both devices showed good reliability (internal consistency as well as inter-scorer).
Factors of colour perception constancy: Contrast and background adaptation
Authors: Daugirdienė Aušra , Stanikūnas Rytis , Vaitkevičius Henrikas , Murray Ian J. , Kulikowski Janus J.
Published: January 2019

Colour constancy is the ability of the human visual system to comprehend the constant colour of an object with no regard to changes in the illumination spectrum. Each year witnesses the appearance of new scientific works in various countries. The works touch upon different aspects of the phenomenon. Although scientific research has been conducted for many years, there is no recognised theory explaining the mechanisms that are decisive for colour constancy. The aim of the present work was to establish the influence of contrast, adaptation and background structure upon colour constancy.All experiments were performed with the application of asymmetric matching. Five subjects took part in the experiments. Colour constancy was examined by performing experiments in three cycles. The test illuminants were two Planckian illuminants, standard illuminant A (u’= 0.2559, v’ = 0.5243), illuminant S (u’= 0.1744, v’= 0.3923) and illuminants r (u’/v’ = 0.2618/0.4533), g (u’/v’ = 0.1517/0.4667), v (u’/v’ = 0.2116/0.3766), y (u’/v’ = 0.1939/0.5180. The first set of 7/4 (value – 7/, chroma – /4) of 10 Munsell samples served as test stimuli in the experiments of the second cycle. Being 2° in size, they were generated in the centre of the monitor. The samples were surrounded by a neutral background, sized N7 20° (N meaning the colour being neutral, with the value of 7). Around the neutral background, subject of the experiment saw the non-radiating part of the screen, which we called the „black surround“ (Fig. 1). In the second set of the experiment, the subjects observed the stimuli througha cardboard tube (Fig. 2). Neutral N7 Munsell samples and a set of 7/4 (value – 7/, chroma – /4) of 10 Munsell samples served as test stimuli in the experiments of the third cycle.Colour constancy is quantitively evaluated on the basis of the Brunswik Ratio (BR) (Troost and de Weert, 1991). Higher values of BR were associated with longer adaptation periods, but only when a larger background was used (second cycle of experiments (Fig. 7)). Supplementary experiments showed that the changes in colour appearance were related to a slight shift in the perceived colour of the background. The timing of the colour shifts was modelled in terms of cone opponent responses.Our conclusions are:1. When stimuli are exposed for a short period of time (1 s), partial colour constancy takes place. It does not change (or changes insignificantly) when the stimulus is observed for a longer time (5 and 30 s). Such colour constancy is determined by fast processes which confirm the influence of simultaneous contrast on colour constancy.2. When the background is small, the influence of adaptation on colour constancy is little, even it the observation time is long (5 or 30 s).3. When the background fills the entire field of vision, adaptation results in a high colour constancy perception.
Ego functions and their connections with coping strategies in adolescents with conduct disorders
Authors: Kalpokienė Vaida , Gudaitė Gražina
Published: January 2019

Ego is one of the fundamental formations of personality, which secures inner and outer adaptation. Its role must be very strong in adolescence when a person must adjust with various inner and outer demands. Adaptation of adolescents with conduct disorders is largely dysfunctional, that’s why we raise a question about suchlike teenager’s Ego functions and their interconnection with coping strategies (which determines adaptation to external requirements). 38 adolescents with conduct disorders and 35 healthy adolescents participated in this research. Age of participants was from 14 to 16 years. Teenagers for the research were screened by using Youth Self Report Questionnaire (YSR11/18) (Achenbach and Rescorla, 2001). Ego functions (relations with objects, control of affects and impulses, defensive functioning, synthetic – integrative functioning) were evaluated using clinical interview for the assessment of Ego functions (Bellak et al., 1973). Coping strategies were evaluated with COPE questionnaire (Carver et al., 1989). The research data showed that Ego functions of teenagers with conduct disorders are more disturbed than Ego functions of healthy ones (p < 0.01), especially this is noticeable on the control of affects and impulses. Only two Ego functions of adolescents with conduct disorder are statistically correlated: object relations and synthetic-integrative functioning; while all Ego functions of healthy adolescents have statistically significant correlations. However after the comparison of correlative matrixes we found no statistically significant differences between those matrixes (χ2 = 10.1794, df = 6, p = 0.1173). Adolescents with conduct disorders are applying two less adaptive coping strategies regularly: behavioral disengagement (p = 0.001) and alcohol – drug disengagement (p < 0.001). Also they are using one emotion-focused coping strategy denial (p < 0.05). Healthy adolescents are applying two problem-focused coping strategies regularly: active coping (p < 0.05) and restraint coping (p < 0.05). They also are using emotion-focused coping strategy positive reinterpretation and growth (p < 0.05). Ailing teenagers are using less adaptive coping strategies more often (p < 0.05). The research showed, that coping strategies (problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping and less adaptive coping) are related with one of Ego functions-defensive functioning (teenagers with conduct disorders R = 0.619, R² = 0.383, p = 0.001; healthy adolescents R = 0.605, R² = 0.366, p = 0.002). This once more shows us that these psychological processes are closely related to each other and that adaptation needs interaction between conscious and unconscious processes.
Relationship between trauma exposure, posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic stress disorder
Authors: Kazlauskas Evaldas , Šimėnaitė Irma , Gailienė Danutė
Published: January 2019

Objectives: The notion that traumatic experiences may have an impact on the human mind is very old. Recent developments in psychotraumatology shifted the approach to a trauma from a purely negative to a more positive perspective. Research confirmed that traumatic events may lead not only to posttraumatic stress or other disorders but also to positive changes. The present research was based on the concept of Posttraumatic Growth developed by Calhoun and Tedeschi (1996), which is widely known in the field of traumatic stress. Although the number of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) research is growing rapidly, little is known about Posttraumatic Growth predictors. The present research was designed to find out the links between Posttraumatic Growth, Posttraumatic Stress and initial reactions to the traumatic event. We set up two goals of the study: 1) evaluation of how initial traumatic reactions predict PTG, and 2) assessment of links between PTG and PTSD. Methods: A group of 104 university students exposed to at least one-lifetime traumatic event participated in the study. The average time gap between exposure to a traumatic event and the time of research was 43 months. The intensity of initial reactions to a traumatic event was measured using a 10-item self-rating inventory developed by the authors of the present study. The Subjective Traumatic Experience (STE) inventory consisted of items covering cognitive, emotional and physiological reactions to a traumatic event. Posttraumatic Growth was measured using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PGI) developed by Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996). Previous research showed satisfactory psychometric properties of the Lithuanian version of PGI (Gailienė & Kazlauskas, 2005). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder was measured using the Lithuanian version of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). A recent validation of the IES-R on Lithuanian population showed its good psychometric properties (Kazlauskas et al., 2006). Results: Correlation analysis revealed positive correlations among all three variables – PTG, STE and PTSD. Path analysis with two path models from STE to PTG and from STE to PTSD provided an adequate fit to the data χ2(1) = 1.62; p = .20; RMSEA = .077; NFI = .95; CFI = 1.0. Subjective traumatic experiences predicted Posttraumatic Growth (β= .32; T = 3.35) and PTSD (β = .42; T = 4.62). The modified model with correlations between PTG and PTSD added provided an ideal fit, but changes of the model were not significant: χ2difference (1) = 1.62; p > .05. Path analysis was made using LISREL software. Conclusions: The most significant predictor of both PTSD, and PTG was the intensity of initial reactions to a traumatic experience. While we found a weak but significant correlation between PTG and PTSD, the Path analysis has revealed that PTG and PTSD are rather distinct posttraumatic processes, both predicted by a traumatic event.
The Role of Organizational Justice in Promotion Decisions
Authors: Lazauskaitė-Zabielskė Jurgita , Bagdžiūnienė Dalia
Published: January 2019

Organizational justice perceptions are important for organizations, because they help to predict organizationally important outcomes. However, justice regarding promotions in particular is studied less than other types of organizational justice. Therefore the research was conducted to examine the role of organizational justice aspects, i. e. distributive, procedural and interactional justice, in promotion decisions. The purpose of this study was to determine how perceived distributive, procedural and interactional justice are related to favourability of promotion decision and various levels of outcomes. In particular, this study explored the relationship between perceived distributive, procedural and interactional justice and job satisfaction, satisfaction with promotion opportunities, organizational commitment, turnover intentions, trust in supervisor and trust in management. 132 employees from various organizations participated in the study. The results of the study revealed that favourability of promotion decision (i. e. promotion or non-promotion) is related to perceived distributive justice (Z = –5.867, p ≤ 0.001), but not related to perceived procedural and interactional justice. While perceived justice of decision is related to decision favourability, fair procedures and fair interpersonal treatment is valued irrespective of it. The study also showed that different aspects of organizational justice are related to different outcomes. Perceived distributive justice is related to job satisfaction (β = 0.602, p ≤ 0.01) and satisfaction with promotion opportunities (β = 0.721, p ≤ 0.01). The more decision regarding promotion is considered as fair the more employees are satisfied with their job and promotion opportunities. Perceived procedural justice is the best predictor of organizational outcomes such as organizational commitment (β = 0.676, p ≤ 0.01) and turnover intentions (β = 0.687, p ≤ 0.01). When employees perceive promotion procedures as fair they are more committed to organization and less likely to leave. Moreover, perceived interactional justice is positively related to satisfaction with promotion opportunities (β = 0.138, p ≤ 0.01). Finally, when promotion decisions are made by supervisor, perceived interactional justice is positively related to trust in supervisor (β = 0.716, p ≤ 0.01). On the other hand when promotion decisions are made by upper-level manager, perceived interactional justice is positively related to trust in management (β = 0.682, p ≤ 0.01). Limitations of the study and possibilities for future researches and practical applications are discussed.
Changes of Perceived Line Orientation During Prolonged Viewing of Tilted Lines: The Normalization Effect
Authors: Švegžda Algimantas , Dzekevičiūtė Aldona , Kulikowski Janus
Published: January 2019

J. J. Gibson has noted that during prolonged viewing a line perceptually rotates towards the nearest vertical or horizontal meridian. This is known as the normalization effect, but the phenomenon remains poorly investigated. According to our experimental results, the adapting line perceptually rotates to the nearest of three orientations: vertical, horizontal or diagonal. The orientation of these three lines does not change during prolonged viewing. Furthermore, the orientation of lines tilted by either 22.5° or 67.5° does not change subjectively, either. Any changes in the orientation of these lines cause subjective drift towards the nearest vertical, diagonal (oriented by 45°) or horizontal line.
Binocular Rivalry and Neutral Dynamics
Authors: Blake Randolph , Lee Sang-Hun , Heeger David
Published: January 2019

The Gestalt psychologists were fascinated with dynamics evident in visual perception, and they theorized that these dynamics were attributable to ever-changing electrical potentials within topographically organized brain fields. Dynamic field theory, as it was called, was subsequently discredited on grounds that the brain does not comprise a unitary electrical field but, instead, a richly interconnected network of discrete computing elements. Still, this modern conceptualization of brain function faces the challenge of explaining the fact that perception is dynamic in space and in time. To pursue the question of visual perception and cortical dynamics, we have focused on spatio-temporal transitions in dominance during binocular rivalry. We have developed techniques for initiating and measuring these transitions psychophysically and for measuring their neural concomitants using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Our findings disclose the existence of waves of cortical activity that travel across the retinotopic maps that define primary and secondary visual areas within the occipital cortex, in correspondence with the subjective perception of spreading waves of dominance during binocular rivalry. This paper reviews the results from those studies.
The Big Five: Pro et Contra
Authors: Kairys Antanas
Published: January 2019

The field of the personality research is very active these days; probably more research is being conducted than ever. Most of the research studies are conducted referring to the Big Five model. Nevertheless, this model is controversial. Some researchers emphasize the merits of the Big Five model and the others name the shortcomings of the model. The main merits of the Big Five model are: empirical validity, cross-cultural validity, stability of individual differences and practical model value. Still the Big Five model receives criticism. The main critiques are: discussions about lexical hypothesis, orthogonality of factors, problems in cross – cultural research and prognostic value of the Big Five model. Despite the debates, nonetheless, the strongest arguments are for Big Five model. There is more empirical evidence still difficulties arise because of the research procedure or method inaccuracy. Most of the researchers confirmed that it is complicated to extract less than five factors in many research data. Five factors is the optimal number. There also have been determined many associations between Big Five traits and other mental / psychological phenomena. For a long time Big Five was only the research model, but presently initial theoretical interpretations were offered – R. R. McCrae and P. T. Costa Five Factor Theory also D. P. McAdams and J. L. Pals New Big Five. This was a substantial sally – Big Five has a potential to become the real personality theory, but there are still some problems left unsolved – extracted factor relevance to the individual in large samples is unclear, newly posed statements about personality structure lack empirical evidence. Alternative models to the Big Five model are offered: Biggest One, Big Two, Giant Three, HEXACO and Big Seven. Presently alternative models are not in competition with Big Five. Perhaps more promising is a HEXACO model with its theoretical interpretations. Alternative models to Big Five model play another important role – they encourage cross-cultural research, the search of the neurological correlates. Thus Big Five is very dynamic field of personality research, pretending to become very important and influential personality theory. Herewith it is obvious: there is an essential challenge against Big Five model– whether it will become one or not? Establishing Big Five or other close models’ theoretical interpretations give hope, but the final result is still to be expected.
Level of Hopelessness, Attitudes towards Suicide and Suicide Risk
Authors: Skruibis Paulius , Kazlauskas Evaldas , Gailienė Danutė
Published: January 2019

Objectives: There is a substantial level of evidence that affirmative attitudes towards suicide are connected to suicidality (suicide ideation, suicide attempts and completed suicide). Hopelessness is proved to be one of the best available predictors of the suicide risk. A hypothesis that attitudes can serve as mediating variable between hopelessness and suicidality was proposed in recent studies (Gibb et al., 2006). The main aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that interaction between attitudes towards suicide and hopelessness will be a better predictor of suicidality than hopelessness.Methods: Different aspects of attitudes towards suicide and suicidality were measured with Questionnaire on Attitudes Towards Suicide (ATTS). Hopelessness level was assessed with Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). The study was conducted in the sample of Lithuanian army conscripts (N = 368) aged between 18 and 26 (mean age was 20.46; SD = 1.29).Results: Suicidality index significantly correlated both with hopelessness (r = .45, p < .01) and various aspects of attitudes towards suicide. The strongest correlation was between acceptance of suicide and suicidality index (r = .36, p < .01), but we have also found significant correlations between five other aspects of attitudes and suicidality. Significant correlations between hopelessness and various aspects of attitudes towards suicide were found. Variables using hierarchical stepwise model were entered into multiple regression model. Hopelessness accounted for 21.1% of suicidality variance. Attitudes towards suicide, added into regression model on second step, increased prediction of suicidality to 34.2%.Conclusions: Results of this study show that different aspects of attitudes towards suicide correlate with the suicide risk. Correlation between hopelessness and suicidality was confirmed as well. Finally, the results indicate that attitudes towards suicide are significant predictors of suicide risk. Interaction of attitudes towards suicide and hopelessness predicts suicide risk better than hopelessness. Results of present study have confirmed, that attitudes towards suicide are significant mediators between hopelessness and suicidality.
The Peculiarities of Organizational Socialization Among Newcomers with Different Work Experience
Authors: Žukauskaitė Irena , Bagdžiūnienė Dalia
Published: January 2019

The aim of this study was to discover if there are any differences among organizational socialization of newcomers who already have work experience and employees who are new in labour market. And if the differences were found, to establish what organizational factors have the biggest impact on them. 71 participants took part in the study: 33 participants were working in the first jobs, 38 were working in the second or later jobs. Participants fill out the questionnaires at the end of the 3rd month within the organization. They were asked to evaluate their knowledge about the organization, the amount of experienced of work related anxiety, their attitudes towards the organization they work and towards their job, and the position in newcomer – seniority continuum (feeling of being real member of organization). Additionally they were asked to evaluate leadership style of their executives, quality of leader-subordinate relationship, organizational culture and work group climate. Work group size and mentorship system in organization were the variables which also were taken into analysis. As distinct from other surveys, the results showed no correlation between the work related anxiety and other parameters of organizational socialization. Should the longitudinal studies fail to prove the lack of correlations to be the result of unlinear dependability between time spent in organization and lessen job related anxiety, other emotional adjustment measures are to be considered. Despite the fact that newcomers with and without work experience equally rate themselves in newcomer – seniority continuum, this evaluation is the result of different issues. Those who start their work career have much more information about organization (Mann Whitney z = –1.98, p = 0.047) but still they feel stronger anxiety (Mann Whitney z = –2.29, p = 0,022) than those who already have work experience. The analysis of the organizational factors which affect new employee socialization suggests that the size of newcomer’s work group is negatively related to the results of organizational socialization – the bigger the work group, the worse the organizational socialization (regression analysis R = 0.492, R2 = 0.242, p = 0.000). The better leader – member Exchange evaluations, the more favourable group climate, the help of the official mentor during the first months working in organization, the mild exposure of innovative organizational culture, on the other hand, leads to better results of the organizational socialization (stepwise regression analysis R = 0.734, R2 = 0.539, p = 0.000). Yet again different factors contribute differently to the quality of new employee socialization when newcomers with and without previous work experience were analyzed separately. The results add more arguments for the individualized organizational socialization theory vs. collective one.
Psychometric properties of Global Transformational Leadership Scale: Lithuanian version
Authors: Stelmokienė Aurelija , Endriulaitienė Auksė
Published: January 2019

Nowadays, leadership is seen as a research object related to a successful functioning of a modern organization. Transformational leadership is valued as most appropriate in today’s changing business world. But practitioners and researchers are lacking a broadly applicable, concise instrument which would also be reliable and valid to assess leaders’ transformational leadership skills. So, this research has been targeted to evaluate the psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of the Global Transformational Leadership scale Lithuanian version. The research involved 550 Lithuanian employees from various organizations; 112 respondents participated in the first and 438 respondents in the second stage of the research. All participants filled up a questionnaire consisting of the Global Transformational Leadership scale (Carless et al., 2000) and socio-demographic questions. Questions about job satisfaction (Shim et al., 2002), intentions to leave (Meyer and Tett, 1993), N. F. Mott’s proposed situations to evaluate management effectiveness (quoted after Chauhan et al., 2005) and Transformational Leadership Behavior Inventory (Podsakoff et al., 1990) were added to the questionnaire only in the second stage. The results have shown that the Global Transformational Leadership scale is highly reliable (Cronbach α = 0.925). Besides, the stability of the test–retest results (r = 0.868; p < 0.01; t = 0.921; p > 0.05) was an important feature of this scale. Exploratoryand confirmatory factor analyses used in studying the content validity showed that all seven items of the scale explained one factor – transformational leadership. Construct validity was confirmed by strong correlations (r = 0.815; p < 0.01) between the Global Transformational Leadership scale and the Transformational Leadership Behavior Inventory and by proven relations between transformational leadership and subordinates’ higher job satisfaction, lower turnover intentions, and better evaluations of management effectiveness. Thus, the Global Transformational Leadership scale can be characterized as an instrument with appropriate psychometric properties for individual and group analyses for the purpose of research and practice.
Antisocial behaviour genesis from the social information processing perspective
Authors: Valickas Gintautas , Tarozienė Viktorija
Published: January 2019

Quite numerous research findings show that social information processing underlies different forms of prosocial and antisocial behaviour. Although most of data come from research of children of different age, interest in social information processing and behaviour in later periods of life markedly grows. More and more authors turn to the question of adult social information processing and antisocial behaviour, considering it as a promising field for criminal behaviour forecast and correction. Two aims ofthis paper are: 1) to describe the main developmental features of social information processing from early childhood to late adolescence and early adulthood; 2) to make assumptions on the connections between social information processing and the antisocial (criminal) behaviour of adults. In this article, we review findings of more than two last decades as it is the most intense period for the development of knowledge in this field. Analysis of the literature shows that patterns of social information processing of people with tendencies to prosocial and antisocial behaviour already differ in groups of children. These differences become more vivid in groups of adolescents as they tend to use antisocial thinking strategies more often and in more steps of information processing than younger children. We suppose that adults have similar but even more clear and vivid patterns of specific social information processing and behaviour than adolescents.Social knowledge of adults is more complex, abstract and differentiated to specific social situations in comparison with people of younger age. Moreover, their information processing is more rapid and complex as well as more tendentious and rigid. Automation of information processing might suspend the learning process and be a source of information processing mistakes in new social situations. We assume that adults, in comparison with children, must have a rather stable and effectively working social information processing directly linked to specific forms of prosocial or antisocial behaviour. We hypothesize that because of a longer antisocial (criminal) experience, some specific features of social knowledge and information processing might appear. Therefore, researches of social information processing that underlie specific forms of antisocial (criminal) behaviour seem to be most informative and useful in this field. Moreover, it is still very little known about the role of emotions in antisocial behaviour genesis. There is some eloquent data on their important impact on social information processing underlying antisocial behaviour, but we suppose that this impact might differ in particular stages of development.
Existential approach to group psychotherapy
Authors: Kočiūnas Rimantas
Published: January 2019

The review discusses a model of working with psychotherapeutic groups, based on the existential psychotherapy paradigm developed by the author and called “existential experience group”. Its main concept is the idea of the human being as being-in-theworld (Dasein). The process of psychotherapy has two major directions, the first being an attempt to understand the problems of participants in the context of the main dimensions – physical, social, psychological and spiritual – of human life, and the second exploration of participants’ life difficulties in the context of “givens” (universal conditions) of existence. The following “givens” are described as essential: “thrownness” in the world, relations to others, the finiteness of life, freedom and responsibility, anxiety, meaning and meaninglessness, experience of time. The existential experience group represents a structured life situation in which participants with their unique life stories and experiences, involved in transactions among themselves and with the therapist, attempt to develop a common group life. The “group life” is a concentrated expression of individual lives of participants. The problems of participants are treated as certain inadequacies of current ways of “being-in-the-world”, as distortions of individual relation to existential “givens”. The group discusses the problems of participants not in relation to their personal life story (though it is given consideration as well), but rather in the context of the collectively created group life. The author discusses the universal objectives of the existential experience group, the main points of its functioning and ways of work. The basic structure of the group work is provided by the most usual norms of groups (openness and sincerity, interrelatedness of freedom and responsibility, sharing responsibility among participants and the therapist, confidentiality and regulated communication of participants outside the group) and also by changes of “developmental periods” of the group (“childhood”, “youth”, “maturity” and “old age”). The contents of sessions of existential experience groups is not planned in advance. It is determined by participants’ therapeutic goals and interpersonal situations arising “here and now”. Also, the position of the therapist in an existential experience group is analysed, since it is a greatly significant part of the psychotherapeutic work. The author stresses the importance of the therapist as phenomenologically oriented, giving priority to the participants’ experience as conceived by themselves. The main attitudes of the therapist are empathy and neutrality. For the therapist, it is critical to remain a real person in the group, a live human being with his own obligations and specific responsibility in the group.In an existential experience group, therapeutic changes are pursued by constantly directing participants to consciously reflect the conditions of humans’ being-in-the-world. Changes in understanding oneself and life are considered most essential.
A cross-cultural comparison of perceived stress and self-efficacy across Japanese, U.S. and Lithuanian students
Authors: Kononovas Konstantinas , Dallas Theodora
Published: January 2019

A sample of 138 university students across Japan (45), Lithuania (50) and USA (43) were surveyed in order to compare their cultural orientations, self-efficacy and perceived stress levels. It was predicted that cultural orientations might differently affect participants’ levels of perceived stress and self-efficacy. Specifically, collectivists would have higher levels of stress and lower levels of self-efficacy in comparison with individualists. This study found that US students scored higher on individualistic scales, self-efficacy, and lower on perceived stress. In contrast, Lithuanian students had lower results on individualistic scales, self-efficacy, and higher on perceived stress. Lastly, Japanese students had significantly different results in comparison with Americans and in some cases with Lithuanians, scoring higher on collectivistic scales, perceived stress, and lower on self-efficacy. The implications of these results require an explanatory examination of the relationship between self-efficacy, stress and cultural orientation.
University undergraduates’ career choice commitment: An analysis of two samples
Authors: Urbanavičiūtė Ieva
Published: January 2019

Career development is a rather popular research area. Previous studies have revealed numerous factors that are relevant for the process of career planning during various stages of life. The constantly changing and challenging world, as well as the demand of new competencies in the labour market, draw attention to the time when an individual leaves school and sets future career goals preparing to enter the world of work. There is still an open question which psychological factors could be crucial for the smooth career goal setting at this time. The present study aims to explore one’s future career intentions after one has already chosen a study major. The study had the following goals: to analyse whether career choice commitment (having future career goals related to one’s major) can be predicted by the level of career choice satisfaction, expected real-ideal and real-prestigious job fit, and personality factors such as neuroticism and conscientiousness, conducting analysis in two samples; to explore the differences of the predictors of career goal commitment between Sample 1 and Sample 2. 185 Vilnius University undergraduates (131 females, 54 males) took part in the study. The primary sample was then subdivided into two parts, excluding the middle range data: Sample 1 consisted of participants whose career choice satisfaction was low (n = 55), and Sample 2 consisted of participants whose career choice satisfaction was high (n = 76). A two-step hierarchical regression model analysis was run in both samples. The results revealed multiple significant predictors of career choice commitment in Sample 1: the level of career choice satisfaction (low level in this sample), expected real-prestigious job fit, and, to a lesser extent, expected real-ideal job fit were significant predictors in the primary regression model. Adding neuroticism and conscientiousness to the regression model significantly changed it by increasing its R2, although only neuroticism was a significant predictor. On the contrary, in Sample 2, the level of career choice satisfaction (high in this sample) was the dominant predictor of career choice commitment, followed only by expected real-prestigious jog fit. Adding personality variables to the model didn’t produce a significant change in this case. The results provide the basis for further theoretical and practical implications in career counselling and set guidelines for the future research.
Depression in fathers and mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Mickevičienė Elena , Šinkariova Liuda , Perminas Aidas
Published: January 2019

Parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder is stressful for many reasons: difficulty with diagnosis, lack of information about autism and its treatment, deficit of social support, etc. It is impossible to review all the problems experienced by parents, so our study focused on depression in both parents of an autistic child.The purpose of this work was to compare depression in fathers and mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder and to compare our findings with results of the control group, i.e. parents of a normally developing child. Depression in our study indicates the intensity of the preclinical state of mind, manifested by sadness, pessimism and a decrease of activity. 120 persons participated in the study, 72 (60%) of them being mothers and 48 (40%) fathers of autistic children raging from 3 to 18 years of age. Control group consisted of 69 mothers (57.5%) and 51 fathers (42.5%) of normally developing children of the same age, selected in accordance with the gender and age of autistic children as well as the gender and age of their parents. The age of the participants ranged from 25 to 60 years (mean 39, SD 6.55). For evaluation of depression, we employed Cung’s depression scale. Additional questions on social-demographic factors were also included: age, education and employment status of participants; family composition; age and gender of child with diagnosed autism and occupation. The results showed that depression in mothers and fathers with autistic children did not differ. Both parents of an autistic child had a higher depression than both parents of normally developing children (p = 0,001). The age and education of parents with autistic children did not correlate with depression. The age of the autistic child correlated with depression of both parents differently: when an autistic child was 3–7 years old, depression in fathers and mothers did not differ; when an autistic child was 8–11 years old, depression in fathers was higher than in mothers; during adolescence of an autistic child, the difference of depression persisted, but its direction was opposite, mothers showing a higher depression than fathers. There are several limitations to this study. We should note that the sample does not represent the population of families with autistic children. Also, Cung’s depression scale might not be the best scale to evaluate depression in these families. Another limitation is that we did not consider all circumstances, such as marital status, the gender of children, occupation of parents and children, individual characteristics, social support, and the degree of severity of autism. The findings of this study require further research. However, the results indicate that parents of an autistic child need special understanding and support.