Doctoral Theses / Doktorsavhandlingar Psykologiska institutionen

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://gupea-staging.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/37

News

Nya avhandlingar!

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 162

Dealing with Intergenerational Disagreements. Parental Authority in Swedish Families
(Göteborgs universitet. Psykologiska institutionen, 2004) Jutengren, Göran; Göteborg University. Department of Psychology
This thesis examined two key aspects of intergenerational disagreements. The first aspect dealt with Swedish parents' preferences for discipline with respect to the national emphasis on child democracy. Parents of preschool children were interviewed so as to examine their responses to hypothetical situations typical of common child misbehavior and their use of three assertive disciplinary strategies (coercion, behavior modification, and verbal control) were examined.
Social adjustment of Kenyan orphaned grandchildren, perceived caregiving stresses and discipline strategies used by their fostering grandmothers
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2004) Oburu, Paul Odhiambo
The aim of the thesis was to examine whether experienced stress, adjustment of orphans and discipline strategies used by 328 grandmothers were linked to disruptions in life courses that occurs when children are orphaned and elderly caregivers are required to assume extensive parenting roles. For comparative purposes, 113 partially responsible grandmothers and 115 biological mothers were also included in the sample. Study I examined factors contributing to elevated levels of experienced stress by 128 full-time and 113 partially responsible grandmothers. The total stress experienced was investigated using Parenting Stress Index- Short form. Study II investigated the discipline strategies used by 128 full-time and 113 partially responsible grandmothers through self-reported Parent Discipline Interview. The study also determined whether significant levels of experienced stress increased full- time caregiving grandmothers’ propensity to employ easily instituted power assertive discipline strategies. Study III compared stress experienced by 136 caregiving grandmothers and 115 biological mothers. The adjustment levels of orphans raised by grandmothers and children living with their own biological parents were also assessed. The main aim of this study was to examine the links between experienced stress and child adjustment difficulties. Child adjustment was assessed using caregiver and teacher rated Strengths and Difficulty Questionnaire. Study IV compared the adjustment levels and composite risk factors that 128 orphaned and 113 non-orphaned children were exposed to. The degree of each child’s exposure to risk factors was quantified by integrating several measures of risks to form a composite risk factor index. Direct associations between risk factors and child adjustment and the interactive functions of protective parenting and family processes in moderating child risk factors were also investigated. Results of Studies I and III indicated that experienced stress was linked to caregiving load, perceived child behavioural difficulty, and perceived lack of emotional and instrumental support. In study II, older caregivers, those experiencing elevated levels of stress or possessing basic education preferred power assertive strategies especially when dealing with transgressions of children over 6 years old. Grandmothers with limited education, those below 62 years, and caregivers of children below 6 years favoured coercive and inductive strategies. There was lack of evidence in Studies III and IV to suggest that orphans raised by grandmothers were less adjusted than did the non-orphaned children. Child adjustment was linked to caregivers’ perception of competency, positive caregiver-child relations and availability of instrumental support.
Mental health aspects of paranormal and psi related experiences
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2004) Goulding, Anneli
This thesis aimed to investigate if paranormal beliefs and experiences represent signs of psychological ill-health or if they are neutral regarding psychological health. A further aim was to validate subjective paranormal experiences. The first part of the thesis compares two models for the construct schizotypy, a quasi-dimensional model and a fully dimensional model in the context of psychological health. The former views paranormal beliefs and experiences as pathological whereas the fully dimensional model is unbiased regarding health. Individuals were grouped according to their scores on a multi-dimensional schizotypy measure, the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences Scale (Mason, Claridge & Jackson, 1995). The schizotypy groups were compared regarding two mental health-related measures, the Sense of Coherence Scale (Antonovsky, 1991) and the Eysenck Personality Inventory (Bederoff-Petersson, Jägtoft & Åström, 1971) Neuroticism sub-scale, and a measure of paranormal beliefs and experiences, the Australian Sheep-Goat Scale (Thalbourne & Delin, 1993). The results support the fully dimensional schizotypy model. Noteworthy, a group of people with a high level of paranormal beliefs and experiences also reported a high level of sense of coherence in conjunction with low neuroticism, which signifies psychological health rather than ill-health. The second part of the thesis was designed to validate subjective paranormal experiences in the laboratory, where a Ganzfeld paradigm was used to induce psi. The psi Ganzfeld result was non-significant. Individual differences between successful and unsuccessful participants were investigated to explore the association between psi success and psychological health. The results of this thesis show that the relationships between the subjective reports of health-related sense of coherence, neuroticism, and subjective reports of strong paranormal beliefs and experiences are complex. It seems more likely that strong paranormal beliefs and experiences together with an inability to experience pleasure or cognitive disorganisation are related to perceived ill-health rather than strong paranormal beliefs and experiences on their own. The results support the notion of healthy schizotypy and the conclusion that paranormal beliefs and experiences should be viewed as neutral regarding mental health.
Nandrolone decanoate, behaviour and brain : animal experimental studies
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2004) Lindqvist, Ann-Sophie
Abstract: Abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) has been linked to psychiatric and physiological complications in humans. Studies have further found a relationship between AAS abuse and abuse of alcohol and other drugs. The main objective of this animal experimental thesis was to examine to what extent the AAS compound nandrolone decanoate (ND; Deca-Durabol® [15 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks]) induces behavioural and physiological changes in sexually mature male rats, when compared to oil-treated control rats. One aim was to investigate if ND stimulates establishment of dominance in a provocative and competitive test situation and if ND enhances reactivity towards physical provocations. Fleeing and freezing behaviours in response to a threatening stimulus were further studied. Another aim was to investigate whether ND stimulates voluntary ethanol consumption and if ND alters behavioural tolerance to ethanol. The results showed that ND stimulated dominance in a competitive and provocative situation, enhanced reactivity to physical provocations and decreased fleeing and freezing responses. ND treatment further increased ethanol consumption and induced behavioural tolerance to ethanol. This thesis also studied if NDinduced reactivity towards physical provocations and ethanol intake were altered when combining ND treatment with physical activity. It was found that physical exercise accentuated the enhancing effects of ND on reactivity and to some degree on ethanol intake. In this thesis, monoaminergic and opioidergic systems were also analysed. It was found that ND altered concentrations of serotonin, dynorphin B and enkephalin in various brain areas. Moreover, during the treatment period, ND-treated animals did not gain as much in body weight as controls. ND treatment also induced thymus atrophy and increased the weight of the adrenal glands. Taken together, the results from this thesis suggest that abuse of ND may constitute a risk factor for induction of behavioural complications, such as increased aggression and enhanced alcohol drinking. ND abuse may further affect physiological parameters like the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and neurotransmitter concentrations. These results hopefully bear relevance for further research and in clinical settings when in contact with individuals abusing AAS.
After the 1995 Swedish Mental Health Care Reform - a follow-up study of a group of severely mentally ill
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2004) Arvidsson, Hans; Göteborg University. Department of Psychology
Aims: The overall aim of this thesis was to follow up a sample of severely mentally ill persons after the 1995 Swedish mental health care reform and to assess if the observed changes were in accord with the aims of the reform. Methods: In 1995/96, 602 persons were surveyed and identified as severely mentally ill in a defined area of Sweden. In 2000/2001, 828 persons were surveyed using the same method. The surveyed persons were interviewed and their needs were assessed on both occasions. Study I involved the 378 persons surveyed on both occasions. The results of interviews and assessments of needs from the two occasions were compared. In Study II, the results of the interviews and need assessment in 1995/96 and in 2000/2001 were compared. The subset of the group surveyed in 2000/2001 that also was surveyed in 1995/96 (n=378) was compared to the group that was “new” in 2000/2001 (n=450). In study III the persons surveyed in 1995/96 but not in 2000/2001 (n=224) were investigated with respect to recovery. A small sample also participated in an interview particularly focusing on recovery. Study IV was a case register study, assessing the quantity of psychiatric care delivered during the period 1994-2003. Results: In general, the results were in accord with the aims of the reform. The number of met needs had increased and the number of unmet needs had decreased. Furthermore, efforts by psychiatric care and social services had increased for the target group of the reform. The objectives of the reform thus seemed to have been effectuated. There seemed to have been a change in the interpretation and application of the concept severely mentally ill between 1995/96 and 2000/2001. It appeared that the threshold for applying the concept had been lowered on the second survey. Only 14 % were considered to have recovered from being severely mentally ill between the two surveys. Conclusions: The findings were in accord with the aims of the reform. Why then is the reform commonly considered a failure in the public debate? The main argument for dubbing the reform a failure may be the fact that the severely mentally ill as a goup are still very underprivileged and that they are clearly not afforded opportunities equal to those enjoyed by society at large.
Psychological problems in adolescents and young women with eating disturbances
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2005) Ekeroth, Kerstin
Ekeroth, K. (2005). Psychological problems in adolescents and young women with eating disturbances. Department of Psychology, Göteborg University, Sweden This thesis investigated general psychopathology in adolescent and young adult female patients with eating disorders (ED) and in women from the general population with or without self-reported eating problems. First, an overview of different approaches for assessing and classifying psychopathology is presented. The thesis continues with a general description of eating disorders and co-morbidity in eating disorder patients. Since no appropriate standardized self-report measure of general psychopathology for adolescents was available in Sweden, study I provides normative data for the Youth Self- Report (YSR) when completed by Swedish adolescents and tests the impact of various demographical variables. In Study II, the YSR was used to assess general psychopathology and competencies in female adolescent ED patients compared to matched controls. Results showed that girls with ED reported less competence and more problems compared to controls. Patients with bulimia nervosa (BN) scored higher than both patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and those with an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) on most problem scales, and AN-bingers/purgers scored higher than pure restrictors on externalizing behaviors. About twice as many patients with BN and the binging/purging type of AN scored in the clinical range on total problems compared to pure restricting AN patients and EDNOS patients. Study III compared young adult women with EDs with controls from the general population with and without self-reported eating problems on general psychopathology, using the Symptom Check-List-90 (SCL-90). Results showed that controls with self-reported eating problems reported as many emotional and behavior problems as patients with ED. In study IV, a three-year follow-up was obtained on young adult patients and controls concerning eating related problems and general psychopathology. Results showed that after three years, patients with ED did not differ significantly from controls, while the elevated problem scores in women with self-reported eating problems from the general population, remained. Findings are discussed in relation to diagnosis, prevention and treatment.
Fibromyalgia and self-regulatory patterns. Development, maintenance or recovery in women
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2005) Wentz, Kerstin
Aims: The overall aim of this thesis was to elucidate psychological processes and development, maintenance or recovery related to fibromyalgia based on in depth interviews. In a next step women with fibromyalgia, women without long-lasting pain and women with long-lasting pain were compared using psychometric instruments selected or developed based on qualitative results. Methods: Twenty-one women with fibromyalgia and 8 women recovered were interviewed. Their narrations were analysed using Grounded Theory. Tentative theory was built. The I Myself Scale (IMS) was constructed to mirror self-regulation prior to onset of symptoms and complemented with an instrument on current self-regulation: Structural Analysis of Social Behaviour (SASB) and SF-36 mirroring health related quality of life, regarding the two pain groups. The groups were compared using analysis of variance, principal components analysis paired with discriminant analysis and profile analysis. Results: Analyses of the interviews resulted in core concepts of an “unprotected self” (current fibromyalgia) or a “strong but not enough to be weak” self (recovery). Data patterns indicated that the women as children were unprotected in relation to stimuli and affects. Relationships with the parents were characterised by strain and low levels of support. The recovery group had as children simultaneously been able to develop obvious competence and capability to receive help. Psychological vulnerability was in adult life compensated for through pronounced helpfulness and dissociation/repression including intense activity. An increase in mental load such as localised pain or psychosocial crisis preceded onset of fibromyalgia accompanied by impaired cognitive functioning. The state of fibromyalgia meant maintained high levels of mental load such as difficulties of the selfstructures, impaired cognitive functioning and somatic symptoms. The recovery group experienced substantial social support and often used mastering strategies to ease symptoms. A decrease in strain as improved life conditions and cease of overexertion preceded recovery. Health was thereafter maintained through careful management as seeking low levels of strain and pacing of activity. Recovery ‘on parole’ also meant personal growth and use of efficacious defences. Psychometrical testing confirmed qualitative data patterns of self-regulation connected to fibromyalgia. Impaired selfreference/ understanding of health needs and others not being asked for help and advice was reported before onset of symptoms. Dissociation or repression including intense activity and self-loading were also employed. SASB and SF-36 indicated that women with fibromyalgia experienced higher levels of mental “load” than the other pain group. Conclusion: Qualitative data indicated that life prior to onset of fibromyalgia and current fibromyalgia held qualities of impaired self-regulation in relation to mental and physical load. The state of recovery relied on improved self-regulation allowed by conditions of life. Quantitative data patterns confirmed qualitative results on impaired self-protection before onset of fibromyalgia and a specifically high level of mental load during the state of fibromyalgia. Psychological disregulation is discussed and hypothesised to cause but also later in the process parallel alterations in somatic homeostatic functions. Recovery could mean that biological regulation regarding strain is replaced with more of “psycho-social” regulation as careful pacing of work. Implications for treatment are suggested.
Maternal separation in the rat : long-term effects of early life events on emotionality, drug response and neurobiology
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2005) Marmendal, Maarit
Exposure to early stress and emotional trauma in humans are associated with an increased risk to develop psychiatric disorders, for example, anxiety, depression and drug abuse. Furthermore, disruptions in stress hormone and neurotransmitter levels as well as structural changes in the brain have been connected to early adversities. Animal models have been developed to experimentally investigate early experiences. In the rat, maternal separation of pups in early ages have been linked to anxiety-related behavioral, endocrinological and neurochemical disruptions in the rat. The aim of the thesis was to investigate these proposed disruptions in pups exposed to repeated maternal separation (MS; 3-4 h/day) during the first two weeks in life relative to controls exposed to brief (3-5 min) daily handling procedure. Behaviorally, anxiety-related behaviors, voluntary alcohol intake and sensitivity to amphetamine were investigated in adult Wistar rat offspring. Furthermore, brain opioid peptides, monoamines, corticosterone levels and weight of adrenal and thymus glands were measured. When separating pups as intact litters kept in incubators, there were mainly no alterations in emotionality, amphetamine-induced locomotor activity, opioid peptide levels or in plasma corticosterone levels in MS offspring, either in males or females. Alcohol intake was, however, intitially decreased in MS females, although total alcohol intake for one week was not affected. When separating pups in intact litters, MS males showed increased weight of adrenal glands, which may reflect a disruption of the HPA axis. When changing the experimental protocol, and separating pups in isolation, the manipulation caused decreased anxiety-related behavior in the offspring. Animals that experienced a temperature challenge while separated (i.e. isolated in room temperature instead of isolated in incubators) showed even more signs of decreased emotionality. There were no significant changes in alcohol intake or in brain monoamine and plasma corticosterone levels compared to controls with this protocol. Maternal care behavior has been reported to be disrupted by prolonged separation episodes. However, when studying the dams’ retrieval behavior of the pups in the present thesis, no negative effects were observed. With respect to the MS protocols used in the present thesis, the results do not provide support for the suggestion that MS manipulations causes enhanced anxiety or disruptions in endocrinology and neurochemistry in the adult rat. These findings could reflect a parallel to human conditions as relatively good psychosocial functioning is sometimes seen despite serious adverse experiences in childhood.
Communicating Your Way to a Theory of Mind. The development of mentalizing skills in children with atypical language development
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2005) Falkman, Kerstin W.; Göteborg University. Department of Psychology
This thesis aimed to study the development of theory of mind (ToM) in two groups of children with atypical language development, using a longitudinal design. The two groups were children with cerebral palsy and severe speech impairment (SSPI) (aged between 5 and 7 years at the first data collection) and deaf non-native, early signing, children (aged between 7 and 10 years at the first data collection), the emphasis being on the deaf children. In study I a 2-phase longitudinal study was conducted in order to explore the developmental aspects of ToM in children with SSPI. Using a three-stage developmental model of theory of mind suggested by Gopnik and Slaughter (1991) the question of deviance versus delay in the development of theory of mind was also addressed. The aim of Study II was to investigate ToM skills in non-native signing children who were offered what seems to be very good conditions for developing their language, given the lack of a signing deaf person in the home. If delays in the development of theory of mind would be found even in this group it would constitute a further strong support for the importance of conversational experience in a language common for the child and the family/caretakers. It has been argued that linguistic complexity of ToM tasks might mask a child’s underlying competence. In Study III therefore a ToM task less linguistically challenging was given to the same group of children as in study II in order to see if this would improve their results. A possible relationship between working memory, both verbal and visuo-spatial, and ToM performance was also explored. The aim of study IV was to examine the referential communication abilities in a group of non-native early signing, deaf children. A further aim was also to examine the possible role played by chronological and mental age, IQ, working memory and linguistic skill in the ability to complete the referential communication task. A comparison between referential communication and a standard theory of mind task was also done. Results from Study I indicated a non-deviant, but severely delayed ToM development in the children with SSPI. In Study II the results showed that the hearing children performed better than the deaf children on all ToM tasks and there was also very little development over time in the deaf group. Results in study III showed that lowering the linguistic demands of the ToM task did not help the deaf children. The deaf children’s performance on the spatial and verbal backward recall working memory tasks matched that of the hearing children, but they did not perform as well as the hearing children on the verbal working memory task, forward recall. Study IV showed that the hearing children were more efficient than the deaf children in the referential communication task. They also provided more relevant information and were better at judging whether enough information had been provided or not. These differences were significant and were not affected when age (chronological and mental), memory (verbal and spatial) and theory of mind was controlled for. The results speak in favour of the crucial importance of early communication using a language common for both child and family for the typical developmental trajectory of mentalizing skills, providing support for the early social-interaction hypothesis for the development of ToM. Keywords: cerebral palsy, deafness, early interaction, longitudinal design, mentalizing, theory of Mind.
Perception of Value of Money in Unfamiliar Currencies
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2005) Gamble, Amelie
The real value of money as well as the perceived value of money is subject to changes. Inflation and deflation are examples of changes in real value. It has been shown that these changes do not always correspond to changes in subjective value. The money illusion implies that the subjective value of money is biased by the nominal representation in times of inflation or deflation. This thesis examines the related euro illusion referring to an influence of the nominal representation on the subjective value of money when a small-unit currency (high nominal value) is compared to a large-unit currency (low nominal value) or the reverse. In addition the thesis investigates whether accuracy-effort tradeoffs affect the size of the euro illusion. In Study I participants were in four experiments requested to evaluate prices of consumer products in their domestic currencies (Swedish crowns or pound sterling) or in euros, or to make evaluations of prices of low-price and high-price essential and non-essential consumer products in fictitious currencies with different exchange rates. Either a positive or a negative attitude was induced. In three experiments Study II tested the effects of mood on choices between two fictitious currencies for making payment or obtaining a salary as well as on choices between low-price and high-price consumer products with prices expressed in fictitious currencies. Mood was induced in one experiment and in two experiments natural mood was assessed. Three experiments in Study III investigated the role of income on the euro illusion. A reverse euro illusion was hypothesized because when the income is known, the prices of consumer products would be compared to the income, and thus they would be evaluated as less expensive in a currency with a large nominal value than in a currency with a small nominal value (called the compression effect). In Study IV three experiments systematically varied either the actual or subjective value for the same nominal value of money. The results of the conducted studies demonstrated the expected bias toward the nominal representation of prices (the euro illusion) when prices were expressed in fictitious currencies. This was done for both evaluations of prices of consumer goods, of choices of currency, and of choices between consumer products. Furthermore, both changes and no changes in the nominal representation affected price evaluations. In support of the role of accuracy-effort tradeoffs, the euro illusion was reduced by a more important task (evaluation of prices of high-price essential products), a negative attitude, and an induced activated negative mood, as well as a simple exchange rate.
Interrogating to detect deception and truth : effects of strategic use of evidence
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2005) Hartwig, Maria
Several decades of research has shown that people are poor at detecting deception. This thesis, based on four empirical studies, aimed at exploring human deception detection accuracy in the context of interrogations. In three of the studies, there was a special focus on the presence of evidence in the interrogation, and how strategic use of this evidence affected the statements of the suspects as well as the accuracy of the lie-catchers. In previous research, the fact that there in real-life situations often exists evidence against a suspect has been neglected. It was expected that it would be beneficial for deception detection to withhold the evidence during the interrogation, and that this would lead to liars contradicting the incriminating information to a higher degree compared to truth tellers. Differences in statement-evidence consistency between liars and truth tellers could then serve as a cue leading to more accurate veracity judgments. In Study I, experienced police officers (N = 30) were set free to conduct interrogations with mock suspects in the manner of their own choice. They also watched a video-taped interrogation conducted by one of their colleagues. Both when interrogating and observing video, the police officers achieved deception detection accuracy levels (56.7%) similar to the level of chance. The aim of Study II was to examine the effects of disclosing the evidence at different stages of the interrogation. It was expected that disclosing the evidence late (vs. early) in the interrogation would provide a better basis for correct veracity judgments. The reason for this was that late disclosure of evidence would make liars and truth tellers differ in terms of statement-evidence consistency. Mock suspects (N = 58) were interrogated by experimenters. Lie-catchers (N = 116) who watched late disclosure interrogations (accuracy 61.7%) significantly outperformed those who watched early disclosure interrogations (accuracy 42.9%). In Study III, police trainees (N = 82) either were or were not trained in strategically using the evidence when interrogating lying or truth telling mock suspects (N = 82). Liars interrogated by trained interrogators were more inconsistent with the evidence compared to liars interrogated by untrained interrogators. Trained interrogators obtained a considerably higher accuracy rate (85.4%) than untrained interrogators (56.1%). In Study IV, the strategies reported by the suspects (N = 82) in Study III were examined. Guilty suspects, to a higher degree than innocent suspects, applied conscious strategies in order to appear truthful. Guilty suspects reported diverse strategies (such as to provide a consistent story or an alibi), while innocent suspects reported the strategy to tell the truth like it had happened, indicating a belief in the visibility of innocence (i.e., they thought that innocence shows). The results of the thesis show that when the evidence is not used strategically during an interrogation, deception detection accuracy is poor. However, when the evidence is used strategically, liars and truth tellers resort to different strategies, resulting in differences in statement-evidence consistency. This objective cue to deception provides a good basis for judging a suspect’s veracity.
Interviewing child witnesses
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2005) Larsson, Anneli S.
The general aim of this thesis was to examine interviewing techniques for child witnesses. Specifically, the effectiveness of the cognitive interview with children was investigated. In addition, the self-reported practice of police officers who interview child witnesses was explored. The principal objective of Study I was to explore how the cognitive interview affects children's recall after a long delay. In Study II the effects of the cognitive interview on the validity of a reliability assessment technique, the Reality Monitoring technique, was assessed. Study III examined whether the cognitive interview would be improved by physical reinstatement of sensations. Study VI investigated the self-reported practice of police officers who interview child witnesses in the United Kingdom , the Netherlands , and Sweden . In study I, 10-11-year-old children (20 girls and 29 boys) saw a film. Half of the children were interviewed after seven days and half after six months. At each test session, half were interviewed according to a cognitive interview (CI), and half according to a structured interview (SI). The children in the CI condition recalled significantly more correct information than the children in the SI condition, both after seven days and after six months. Study II examined whether the Reality Monitoring framework is a valid method for assessing the reliability of statements obtained from a CI. Fifty-eight 10-11-year-old children (27 girls and 31 boys) participated. One-third watched a film and were interviewed according to a CI and two-thirds made up a story and were interviewed according to either a CI or a SI. The CI statements based on observed events contained more visual, affective, spatial and temporal information compared to CI statements based on imagined events. The CI statements based on imagined events did not differ from the SI statements based on imagined events. Considerable developmental work is needed to turn the Reality Monitoring technique into a valid reliability assessment technique. In study III, 6-7-year-old children (38 girls and 37 boys) were presented with a smell, a song and a taste while watching a live event. Each child was allocated to one of five interview types; the CI , the SI , the CI while physically reinstating either the same smell, sound or taste as was present during the live event. No significant differences were found between the interview types. In study IV, 230 police officers (159 women and 71 men) from the United Kingdom ( n = 59), the Netherlands ( n = 49), and Sweden ( n = 123) completed a questionnaire on how to interview child witnesses. Significant differences were found between the three countries. Despite possible discrepancies between actual and self-reported practice, the results support that adequate training being available to practitioners is crucial. In sum, this thesis demonstrates that the cognitive interview can be used successfully with children, both after shorter and longer delays. The results also indicate that children's recall is sensitive to interviewer interference. Finally, practitioners and researchers are advised to work together to increase the benefits of future research on interviews with children.
Future urban sustainable mobility - Implementing and understanding the impacts of policies designed to reduce private automobile usage
(Department of Psychology, Göteborg University, 2005-05-10T13:59:08Z) Loukopoulos, Peter
The historically recent growth in interest in policies designed to reduce private automobile usage, policies coming under the rubric of travel demand management (TDM), is offset by a paucity of systematic research concerning the procedures by which to define and implement such TDM policies or measures, the consequences of such TDM measures and the nature of the ensuing adaptation process occurring upon implementation of any TDM measure. The present thesis’ conceptual framework for understanding the effects of TDM measures extends and complements previous work in the transportation literature by drawing on psychological theories of goal setting and adaptation. The framework views travel choices as being determined by bundles of attributes characterising travel options and by goals and implementation intentions formed over time in response to evaluations of the psychological, generalised costs of current travel. Study I utilised travel diary data to demonstrate that the specific instantiation of a TDM measure (i.e., its spatial and temporal parameters) is critical to the understanding of the ways in which the travel options of various sociodemographic groups for various trip purposes are altered. Taken together, Studies II and III, which utilised focus groups and Internet-based surveys, revealed that people tend to minimise any reductions to their car use wherever possible, with any reductions being achieved in a manner minimising the psychological costs that do occur. That is, evidence consistent with a cost-minimisation principle of adaptation was obtained. Study IV demonstrated that the implementation of long-term TDM measures, assumed to have a bearing on the mobility options and adaptation alternatives available to people, is well suited to participatory planning methods involving the evaluation of future scenarios that are the result of careful analysis of present trends and plausible future developments. The methods examined are a means by which to better project potential and expected futures, and a means by which to systematically understand and communicate preferences for these futures, with reference to both scientific and non-scientific knowledge bases. In conclusion, this research presents some tentative, initial steps towards the greater theoretical understanding of the nature of TDM measures, the changes they effect, the citizens they affect and the principles underscoring citizens’ adaptation process to such TDM measures, with clear and definite practical implications concerning which things to do, why and how.
Girls' and Boys' Views of Conflicts with Parents
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2005-09-09) Sorbring, Emma
The aim of the present thesis was to examine the perceptions, beliefs and agency of children between 6 and 9 years of age in transgression and conflict situations. An overall goal was to examine the importance of gender in their perceptions, beliefs and agency. This was achieved by means of four studies, both quantitative as well as qualitative. Each study contributed to a greater understanding of the general aim. Study I was designed to examine children’s perceptions of parental discipline methods, as well as their perceptions of child gender differences in parents’ choices of discipline methods. Results from those children who have other-sex siblings are compared with those who do not. The aim of Study II was to further examine the relation between discipline methods and the child’s beliefs about the importance of gender in transgression situations, when accounting for the influences of the child’s sex, socioeconomic status, type of siblings in the family, parental values and shared responsibility. In Study III boys’ and girls’ perceptions of mothers’ intentions in using physical punishment or reasoning, as well as their evaluation of the mother as a good parent, were examined. Variation due to the child’s sex, age, the nature of discipline, presented vignettes and mother’s childrearing-attitudes were all estimated. The aim of Study IV was to examine girls’ and boys’ active roles in and around conflict situations, using Kuczynski’s three criteria about the child: 1) as actively creating a meaning about what is happening, 2) as acting intentionally in the interaction and 3) as having an idea about the efficacy of its action. Briefly, the results revealed that children had variable perceptions and beliefs about what happens in the conflict situation, as well as about their own agency in the parent-child interaction. Children described how they actively choose whether or not to interact with the parent in the conflict situation and, if they did, which strategies they used to influence the situation and steer it in the direction of their preference. Children’s perceptions of discipline methods were influenced by the nature of the situation, the children’s age, and the parent’s childrearing-attitudes. Children were most accepting of and positive towards reasoning. Girls’ and boys’ reports about parental discipline methods were in many respects similar to each other. However, children indicated that their parents would choose a different response if they (themselves) were of the other sex. Both boys and girls reported that their parents would treat boys more harshly than they would girls. Children with siblings of the same sex as themselves were significantly more disposed to report child gender differences. Furthermore, the results indicated that lower socioeconomic status, as well as harsher discipline methods, such as behavior modification, physical restraint and physical punishment, related to children’s perceptions of gender differences in transgression situations.
Temperament - a psychobiological approach to harm avoidance and novelty seeking
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2006) Ray, Jeremy
This thesis explores if rats can be said to have a temperament, and if that is the case, how it changes with age and how it is related to brain neurochemistry. Using the hole board and canopy tests (considered to measure exploration and anxiety respectively), behaviour was studied in Wistar rats. In Study I Principal Components Analysis (PCA) revealed two temperamental dimensions reflecting Harm Avoidance and Novelty Seeking. Sex differences were apparent, in that nonestrous females were more active than males and nose poked more in the hole board. In regard to the two temperamental dimensions, sex differences could also be observed, with males exhibiting high levels of Harm Avoidance, and more females exhibiting a high Novelty Seeking/low Harm Avoidant profile. In Study II, a longitudinal study, behaviour was observed from the age of 6 to 52 weeks. Correlation analyses showed substantial behavioural consistency over time, with subjects showing considerable rank order consistency in behavioural measures from their 11th week and on. PCA analysis revealed two temperamental dimensions in adult rats. However, only one dimension reflecting Harm Avoidance was present in the juvenile and older rats. Several behavioural variables showed age-bound mean level profiles. In Study III connections between brain monoamines and temperamental dimensions were analysed using multivariate techniques. Harm avoidant subjects had low levels of striatal dopamine, and high levels of cortical noradrenaline and amygdaloid 5- hydroxyindoleacetic acid. High Novelty Seeking scores were linked to low levels of brainstem serotonin and dopamine, and to low levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in amygdala and accumbens. Moreover, rats scoring high on Novelty Seeking had higher-than-average levels of noradrenaline in the thalamus and of serotonin in the amygdala. Study IV went on to explore potential similarities in behaviour between male sibling rats, finding small and non-significant correlations. In contrast to this, weight correlated highly between siblings both at the start and the end of the testing period. Overall the findings in this thesis support the position that temperament is a temporally enduring dimension but that it also changes over the course of an organism’s life cycle. Tentative connections between chemistry and temperamental dimensions are made, and findings on siblings in Harm Avoidance and Novelty Seeking point in the direction of little or no temperamental similarity. Keywords: Harm Avoidance – Novelty Seeking – Continuity – Longitudinal– Monoamines - Siblings
The psychology of diversification : Novice investors’ ability to spread risks
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2006) Hedesström, Ted Martin
In order to reduce risk, portfolio theory prescribes holding a stock portfolio that is diversified across industries and countries. This thesis investigates novice investors’ ability to compile well-diversified portfolios and to what extent psychological factors may affect diversification. In Study I a sample of 10,999 randomly selected citizens’ choices of mutual funds in the Swedish public premium pension scheme (PPS) was analysed. Among those who did not choose the default fund it was typical to include as many funds as were allowed (five) in a portfolio and to use a 1/n heuristic, allocating investments evenly across the selected funds. While thus superficially well-diversified, portfolios were often home biased (overrepresentation of Swedish funds) and possibly influenced by extremeness aversion (overrepresentation of medium-risk funds). Study II replicated these findings in an Internet-survey where 392 university employees made a fictitious choice of PPS funds. Highly involved individuals included a larger number of funds in their portfolio but were not less home biased. Suggesting that investment experience does not improve diversification, individuals who own stock (outside the PPS) were not less home biased. In Study III undergraduates made hypothetical investments, choosing between stock funds that were stripped of all characteristics except for their past (Experiment 1) or expected (Experiments 1 and 2) returns. In Experiment 1 (N = 40) participants paid more attention to the volatility of individual funds than to the volatility of aggregated portfolios. In Experiment 2 (N = 46) a majority diversified even when this increased risk due to covariation between individual funds’ returns. In Experiment 3 (N = 48) nearly half of those who seemingly attempted to minimize risk diversified even when this increased risk. These results suggest that novice investors neglect covariation when diversifying across investment alternatives. Study IV replicated and modified Experiment 2 in Study III. Undergraduates (N = 160) were randomly assigned to one of five conditions with varying instructions. Being instructed to minimize risk, many diversified even when this increased risk. Choices were not markedly improved by informing participants of how covariation affects portfolio risk. Only when being instructed to systematically calculate the returns of diversified portfolios, was covariation neglect reduced. In sum, the results of Studies I-IV suggest that novice investors have an insufficient understanding of what portfolio diversification is essentially about: combining assets which returns are not likely to covary. The results hint at a deep-rooted inability to grasp the concept of covariation, possibly hampering acquisition of adequate knowledge. It is hypothesized that naïve heuristic diversification may be a residual of a default cognitive strategy to seek variety for the sake of learning about the environment.
On the relation between psychosocial work environment and musculoskeletal symptoms : a structural equation modeling approach
(Stockholm : Arbetslivsinstitutet, förlagstjänst, 2006, 2006) Larsman, Pernilla; Göteborg University. Department of Psychology
Distributive Preferences in Social Dilemmas
(2006) Kazemi, Ali
In research on social dilemmas and in game theoretic research, it was for a long time assumed that the rational decision is to choose an option with the most beneficial economic outcome to oneself. Yet, in group situations, individuals’ decisions have been shown to be influenced by non-economic motives. This dissertation starts from two premises: (i) in contrast to previous research positing maximization of economic benefits to oneself as the ultimate goal, it is argued that non-economic group goals (e.g., group performance, harmony, a sense of responsibility and social concern) favoring the collective interest are also important motives, and (ii) public good dilemmas can be decomposed into provision and allocation of the public good. Public good allocation has been largely neglected in previous research. Thus, the main question posed in this dissertation is whether people’s preferred allocations of a public good are related to the particular goal that the group pursues. In Study I, Experiment 1 revealed that fairness was related to how participants allocated the public good. Equity and equal final outcomes were more preferred than equality in the allocation of the public good. Inducing group goal in Experiment 2 proved to be effective in differentiating between the preferences for equity and equal final outcomes. Specifically, the goal of economic productivity resulted in equitable public good allocations and the goal of harmony resulted in allocations according to equal final outcomes. Equality was also preferred but only when it was conducive to realizing the goal of social concern. Study II tested the prediction that fairness and salience of a group goal would promote unselfish allocations of a public good. In support of this, Experiment 1 revealed no significant effects of self-interest on perceived instrumentality of allocation principles in fulfilling a certain group goal. Instead, instrumentality was related to perceived fairness. In Experiment 2, the group goal of economic productivity increased fairness of equitable public good allocations and the group goals of harmony and social concern increased fairness of equal public good allocations. Self-interest had no effects. In contrast to Studies I and II, Study III used an asymmetric public good dilemma paradigm in which participants had unequal endowments but provided evidence for similar effects of group goal on allocation preferences. Self-interest had no significant effects. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that fairness mediates the effect of group goal on allocation preferences, indicating that perceived fairness explains why people pursuing a certain group goal tend to prefer a specific allocation. In Study IV, Experiment 1 posed the question as to whether group goal also would account for allocation of negative outcomes. A factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure splitting group goal into relationship-oriented and performance-oriented goals. The former correlated with preferences for equal allocations, the latter with equitable allocations. Effects of group goal on allocation preferences were similar for distribution of positive and negative outcomes. Experiment 1 also revealed larger deviations from all distributive principles in allocation of negative outcomes. Further investigation of this result in Experiment 2 showed that as hypothesized allocations of negative outcomes were perceived as more difficult than allocations of positive outcomes, suggesting that in allocating negative outcomes people may experience a lower level of confidence in their allocations.
Criminal investigation : motivation, emotion and cognition in the processing of evidence
(Psykologiska institutionen, Göteborgs universitet, 2006) Ask, Karl
This thesis examines biases in judgments made in the context of criminal investigation, drawing theoretically on frameworks developed in social and cognitive psychology. Study I investigated the existence of confirmation bias in the interpretation of criminal evidence, and the need for cognitive closure (NFC) as a potential moderator. In two experiments, criminal investigators (N = 50) and undergraduate students (N = 68) were presented with one of two alternative hypotheses regarding a homicide case, and then read the same set of evidence from the investigation. Students displayed the predicted confirmation bias, interpreting the evidence in line with their initial hypothesis. In contrast, criminal investigators made incriminating interpretations of the evidence across conditions. Investigators high (vs. low) in NFC were somewhat more likely to identify exonerating information when it confirmed their hypothesis, but somewhat less likely when the information disconfirmed their hypothesis. In Study II, the notion that non-preferred (vs. preferred) witness evidence is more thoroughly scrutinized was tested. Criminal investigators (N = 49) rated their perception of a witness who either confirmed or disconfirmed the focal hypothesis of a homicide investigation. As predicted, the hypothesis-inconsistent witness was seen as providing a less reliable statement, although its background and witnessing conditions were identical to those of the hypothesis-consistent witness. High- (vs. low-) NFC investigators were less likely to accommodate their perception of the case to the witness evidence, indicating a stronger tendency to preserve their initial belief. Drawing on previous research on the hindsight bias, Study III tested the hypothesis that the identification of the suspect in a lineup (positive outcome) would increase the perceived suggestiveness of the lineup, whereas a non-identification (negative outcome) would decrease perceived suggestiveness, relative to no outcome knowledge. In a first experiment, undergraduate students (N = 50) showed the predicted influence of positive, but not negative, outcome. In a second experiment, where the lineup was presented as part of a case material, police trainees (N = 126) displayed the expected influence of negative, but not positive, outcome. In Study IV, the appraisal tendencies associated with anger and sadness were expected to (a) shift investigators’ attribution of witness-statement reliability towards either witness variables (anger) or witnessing-situation variables (sadness), and (b) promote either a heuristic (anger) or systematic (sadness) processing of the witness evidence. Experimental data from criminal investigators (N = 61) showed that, when judging statement reliability, sad participants relied on their perception of both witness and situational variables, whereas angry participants relied only on witness variables. Sad participants were sensitive to the consistency of the statement with the central hypothesis of the investigation, indicating systematic processing, whereas angry participants were not, indicating heuristic processing. Taken together, the research in this thesis suggests that investigative judgments are susceptible to motivational, emotional, and cognitive biases. This calls attention to the necessity of developing safeguards against excessive influence of subjective factors in criminal investigations.
Noise and Music - A Matter of Risk Perception?
(2006-10-05T09:03:49Z) Widén, Stephen E.
The prevalence of tinnitus and hearing impairments among adolescents seems to increase as a consequence of exposure to loud noise. Several studies have highlighted the negative auditory effects of exposure to loud music at concerts and discotheques, environments in which young people today spend considerable periods of time. The appreciation of loud music clearly involves health-risks. Previous research suggests that patterns of health risk behaviours differ in relation to socio-economic status. The purpose of this thesis is to gain a better insight into adolescents’ and young adults’ attitudes and health-risk behaviours regarding exposure to loud music. Four empirical studies were conducted. Permanent tinnitus and noise sensitivity were not found to be significantly related to socio-economic status, although significant age-related differences in the prevalence of experienced tinnitus and noise sensitivity were found, which might indicate that the problem increases with age. Of 1285 subjects a larger number (30%) reported the use of hearing protection when attending concerts. Our finding that adolescents’ attitudes and behaviours regarding the use of hearing protection differed between levels of socio-economic status and age is of considerable interest. Adolescents from low socio- economic backgrounds express more positive attitudes towards noise and report less use of hearing protection, in comparison to those with high SES. These differences in attitudes and behaviour may indicate future socio-economic differences in ear health. Comparisons between Swedish and American young adults revealed that attitudes towards noise differed significantly due to gender and country. Men had more positive attitudes towards noise than women, and men from the USA had the most positive attitudes. Least positive were the women from Sweden. In Sweden the use of hearing protection at concerts was substantially higher than in the USA, a result that can be explained by cultural and attitudinal differences between the countries. Young people’s experiences, attitudes and beliefs concerning risk-taking in musical settings have been investigated in a qualitative study. In a theoretical model, we suggest that background variables, such as gender, culture and social status may have an impact on the individual’s self-image, risk consideration, social norms and ideals. These variables, together with attitudes and experience of risk-behaviour, are considered as important factors in the understanding of health-risk behaviour.

Browse

Browsing Doctoral Theses / Doktorsavhandlingar Psykologiska institutionen by Issue Date