Ambulatory assessment of language use: Evidence on the temporal stability of Electronically Activated Recorder and stream of consciousness data

The ambulatory assessment offers a wide range of methods enabling researchers to investigate psychological, behavioral, emotional, and biological processes. These methods enable us to gather data on individual differences in language use for psychological research. Two studies were conducted with an aim to evaluate and compare the temporal stability of language measures extracted by LIWC software form data obtained by two frequently used methods for assessment of language use, i.e., Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR) and stream of consciousness (SOC) task. Additionally, we examined the amount of variance in language use (assessed by both methods) that can be attributed to intra-individual variability and stable individual differences. Study 1 was focused on investigating language use obtained from 74 respondents using the EAR for 3 consecutive days. Study 2 was conducted on 250 respondents participating in a SOC task where verbal production was collected at ten time points over a 2-month period. Results show that measures obtained using the SOC task have higher temporal stability and consistency, and to a certain extent enable better detection of individual differences. Taking into account certain situational variations improves the reliability of EAR measures

Psychometric evaluation of the Serbian dictionary for automatic text analysis - LIWCser

LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count) is widely used word-level content analysis software. It was used in large number of studies in the fields of clinical, social and personality psychology, and it is adapted for text analysis in 11 world languages. The aim of this research was to validate empirically newly constructed adaptation of LIWC software for Serbian language (LIWCser). The sample of the texts consisted of 384 texts in Serbian and 141 texts in English. It included scientific paper abstracts, newspaper articles, movie subtitles, short stories and essays. Comparative analysis of Serbian and English version of the software demonstrated acceptable level of equivalence (ICCM=.70). Average coverage of the texts with LIWCser dictionary was 69.93%, and variability of this measure in different types of texts is in line with expected. Adaptation of LIWC software for Serbian opens entirely new possibilities of assessment of spontaneous verbal behaviour that is highly relevant for different fields of psychology

Militant Extremist Mindset in Post-conflict Regions of the Balkans

This study explores the structure of Militant Extremist Mindset (MEM) within a sample of participants living in areas with enhanced risk of intergroup conflict. We were also interested in comparing members of three different ethnic groups (Serbs, Albanians, and Bosniaks) on MEM measures. A short version of the MEM scale was created for future use. We found that the factorial structure of MEM was replicated in the sample composed of people from both sides of a conflict. Ethnic groups did not differ significantly on the Grudge component of MEM. Group differences were pronounced on the Pro-violence and Utopianism factors. Albanians scored higher than Bosniaks and Serbs on these two dimensions. However, significant differences were obtained on the Ethos of Conflict (EOC) factor when groups of Serbs living within and outside areas of recent conflict were compared

Konstrukcija i empirijska provera testa homofobije

The paper presents development and empirical evaluation of the Homophobia scale (H25). The Homophobia scale consists of 25 items with a five-point Likert type scale. The sample of 476 subjects participated in the research. The results shown good psychometric properties of the H25 (KMO = .99, α = .97). Factor analysis revealed two highly correlated underlying dimensions of homophobia, which can be interpreted as 'homosexuality as a threat to a society' and 'homosexuality as a threat to me'. Convergent and predictive validities of the scale were also demonstrated. The H25 correlated with alternative measures of homophobia (feeling thermometer and connotative differential) as well as with discriminatory attitudes toward homosexuals. Additionally, homophobia was related to gender, political orientation, religiousness, contact with homosexuals and basic personality traits (i.e., Openness and Conscientiousness). In conclusion, the H25 proves to be a reliable and valid measure of homophobia in heterosexuals, which can be used for both research and practical purposes.U ovom radu predstavljena je konstrukcija i evaluacija Testa homofobije koji u sadržinskom smislu objedinjuje dosadašnja znanja i ideje o prirodi ovog fenomena. Test homofobije (H25) sastoji se od 25 stavki u formi tvrdnji kojima je pridružena petostepena skala Likertovog tipa. Na uzorku od 476 ispitanika proverene su psihometrijske karakteristike testa i njegova faktorska struktura. U celini test pokazuje dobre psihometrijske karakteristike (KMO = .99, α = .97). Faktorskom analizom ekstrahovana su dva visoko korelirana faktora, koja su interpretirana kao 'homoseksualnost kao pretnja za društvo' i 'homoseksualnost kao pretnja za mene'. Takođe, test je pokazao zadovoljavajuću konvergentnu validnost spram dve alternativne mere homofobije, kao i visoku predikciju diskriminatornih stavova prema osobama homoseksualne orijentacije. Dodatno, pokazano je da homofobija, merena konstruisanim instrumentom, ima veći broj socio-demografskih i personalnih korelata. Homofobiji su sklonije osobe muškog pola, religiozne osobe, osobe konzervativne političke orijentacije, zatim osobe koje imaju manje kontakta sa homoseksualnom populacijom, i osobe nižih skorova na dimeziji Otvorenosti, a viših na dimenziji Savesnosti. U celini, konstruisani instrument predstavlja pouzdanu i validnu meru heteroseksualnog stava prema homoseksualnoj populaciji, te predstavlja ekonomičan instrument pogodan za primenu, kako u istraživačke tako i u praktične svrhe

Razvoj srpske verzije rečnika za automatsku analizu teksta (LIWCser)

Automatic text analysis is a methodological approach in the analysis of individual differences in verbal behaviour. It enables extraction of statistically manipulable information about intensity and/or frequency of thematic and stylistic characteristics of verbal output. LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count), one of the widely used software solutions for automatic text analysis, performs analyses by matching word stems from incorporated software dictionary with those from text input. It provides information about the percentage of each of the predefined categories in the analyzed text. Research suggests that data obtained by automatic text analysis have potential in explaining the relationship between implicit and explicit measures, independently of the object of measurement (attitudes, pathological potential, assessment of basic personality traits etc.). The topic of this paper is the development of the Serbian LIWC dictionary. Development of the dictionary was performed in four phases: translation of English LIWC dictionary, forming lemmas, classification of word stems according to absolute consensus among four independent raters (where word stems could be categorized in more than one category, depending on the context), and revision of the content of categories and creation of final set of word stems. The final version of the LIWCser dictionary contains 12103 word stems classified into 65 categories (linguistic, psychological and personal concerns). Only four word stems (0.03%) were classified into eight categories, 22 (0.2%) into seven, 147 (1.2%) into six, and 568 (4.7%) into five. 1531 (12.6%) word stems were classified into four categories, 2913 (24.1%) into three, 4800 (39.7%) into two, while 2188 (17.5%) word stems were classified into only one category. Development of the LIWCser dictionary allows researchers to collect and analyze data on verbal behaviour and to study the relationship between implicit and explicit measures in different fields of psychology.Automatska analiza teksta je metodološki pristup analizi individualnih razlika u verbalnoj produkciji (ponašanju) koji omogućava ekstrakciju statistički manipulabilnih informacija o intenzitetu i/ili frekvenci tematskih i stilističkih karakteristika verbalnih produkata. LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count) jedan je od najzastupljenijih programa za automatsku analizu teksta, koji analizu obavlja upoređivanjem odrednica u rečniku sa odrednicama u tekstu i beleženjem relativne zastupljenosti svake od kategorija u datom uzorku teksta. Istraživanja ukazuju na to da mere dobijene obradom verbalnog ponašanja imaju potencijal da objasne odnose između mera dobijenih primenom implicitnih i tradicionalnih eksplicitnih mera, nezavisno od predmeta merenja (stavovi, psihopatološki potencijal, procena bazičnih dimenzija ličnosti itd.). Cilj ovog rada jeste konstrukcija rečnika za srpski jezik LIWCser. Konstrukcija rečnika odvijala se u četiri faze: prevod sadržaja engleskog rečnika, kreiranje odrednica, klasifikacija odrednica pomoću apsolutnog konsenzusa između četiri nezavisna procenjivača (jednu odrednicu moguće je klasifikovati u više kategorija u zavisnosti od konteksta u kojem se upotrebljava) i revizija sadržaja kategorija i formiranje konačnog skupa odrednica. Konačna verzija rečnika LIWCser sadrži 12103 odrednice, klasifikovane u 65 kategorija (lingvističkih, psiholoških i tematskih). Od ukupnog broja odrednica, samo četiri (0,03%) je klasifikovano u osam kategorija, 22 (0,2%) u sedam, 147 (1,2%) u šest, a 568 (4,7%) u pet kategorija. U četiri kategorije klasifikovano je 1531 (12,6%) odrednica, u tri 2913 (24,1%) odrednica, u dve 4800 (39,7%) odrednica, dok je 2118 (17,5%) odrednica klasifikovano samo u jednu kategoriju. Razvojem rečnika LIWCser otvara se mogućnost prikupljanja mera verbalnog ponašanja i dalja istraživanja odnosa implicitnih i eksplicitnih mera u različitim oblastima psihologije

Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) in Serbia: Nationally representative sample study

Although NSSI has been drawing the attention of researchers intensely for the last 30 years, to date there is no published study about rates of NSSI behaviors in countries of south-eastern Europe. The study aimed to explore NSSI in the Republic of Serbia. Data were collected using multistage random sampling. The final sample consisted of 2792 participants (57.4% female) while the NSSI subsample consisted of 405 participants (54.3% males). Results showed the NSSI rate in Serbia is 4.3% based on a percentage of people who answered affirmatively to lifetime NSSI engagement. However, when the percentage of people who reported at least one positive answer through the NSSI behaviors checklist, the rate rises to 14.5%. The most frequent NSSI behavior is wound picking. NSSI rate drops to 8.8% when wound picking is excluded. Those engaged in NSSI were more likely to report suicide attempts and seek professional help than those who did not report NSSI. Gender differences in NSSI frequency are found only in cases of headbanging and burning oneself. This study showed the scope of NSSI-related problems is similar in Serbia compared to other countries. It also raised questions about the lack of preventive programs and treatment strategies for dealing with NSSI in Serbia.[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772598722000320]Corresponding author. Institute for Educational Research, Dobrinjska 11/3, 11 000, Belgrade, Serbia. E-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected] (A. Radanović)

Developmental Stability Of Seven-factor Personality Structure

The vast majority of studies investigating personality structure is done using adult samples. If personality is assessed in children, parental ratings are preferably used method, while self reports are seldom used. Here we use self-report measures to study the developmental stability of the seven-factor personality structure defined by the HEXACO model and Disintegration trait. We focus on middle childhood children, young teens, and teenagers. Sample consisted of four groups: 1) age 10-11 (N=164, 49.4% female), 2) age 12-13 (N=195, 48.9% female), 3) age 14-16 (N=319, 59.2% female), 4) age 17-18 (N=201, 49.5% female). Data were collected in several elementary and high schools in Serbia and Montenegro. Personality traits were assessed using 60 items HEXACO, and 20 items DELTA questionnaires. The stability of the seven-factor personality structure was tested using orthogonal procrustes rotations, and the analysis was done on facets of all seven personality traits. Congruence coefficients and factor loadings were calculated for all facets for all six pairwise comparisons. Overall, the average congruence of factors ranged between .69 (Emotionality) and .96 (Disintegration). The average congruence of facets ranged between .41 (Sincerity) and .95 (Sentimentality), with the majority of facets having average congruence above .85. Average factor loadings for Disintegration range between .55 (Depression) and .85 (Perceptual Distortions), for Honesty between .20 (Sincerity) and .39 (Greed avoidance), for Emotionality between .19 (Anxiety) and .53 (Sentimentality), for Extraversion between .34 (Sociability), and .47 (Social self-esteem and Liveliness), for Agreeableness .34 (Patience), and .54 (Flexibility), for Conscientiousness .33 (Organization) and .53 (Diligence), and for Openness .53 (Creativity) and .67 (Inquisitiveness). As expected, personality structure is least stable in the first age group but stabilizes in groups 3 and 4. We discuss, in detail, stability and content of personality factors on different age groups, and practical implications on assessment these results have

Many Labs 2: Investigating Variation in Replicability Across Samples and Settings

We conducted preregistered replications of 28 classic and contemporary published findings, with protocols that were peer reviewed in advance, to examine variation in effect magnitudes across samples and settings. Each protocol was administered to approximately half of 125 samples that comprised 15,305 participants from 36 countries and territories. Using the conventional criterion of statistical significance (p < .05), we found that 15 (54%) of the replications provided evidence of a statistically significant effect in the same direction as the original finding. With a strict significance criterion (p < .0001), 14 (50%) of the replications still provided such evidence, a reflection of the extremely highpowered design. Seven (25%) of the replications yielded effect sizes larger than the original ones, and 21 (75%) yielded effect sizes smaller than the original ones. The median comparable Cohen’s ds were 0.60 for the original findings and 0.15 for the replications. The effect sizes were small (< 0.20) in 16 of the replications (57%), and 9 effects (32%) were in the direction opposite the direction of the original effect. Across settings, the Q statistic indicated significant heterogeneity in 11 (39%) of the replication effects, and most of those were among the findings with the largest overall effect sizes; only 1 effect that was near zero in the aggregate showed significant heterogeneity according to this measure. Only 1 effect had a tau value greater than .20, an indication of moderate heterogeneity. Eight others had tau values near or slightly above .10, an indication of slight heterogeneity. Moderation tests indicated that very little heterogeneity was attributable to the order in which the tasks were performed or whether the tasks were administered in lab versus online. Exploratory comparisons revealed little heterogeneity between Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) cultures and less WEIRD cultures (i.e., cultures with relatively high and low WEIRDness scores, respectively). Cumulatively, variability in the observed effect sizes was attributable more to the effect being studied than to the sample or setting in which it was studied.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Sociales::Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas (IIP

Predictors of students' self-esteem: The importance of body self-perception and exercise

The goal of this study was to explore the predictive validity of physical self-efficacy, social physique anxiety, and physical activity in the self-esteem of students, as well as to investigate potential gender differences. The Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (SES), Physical Self-Efficacy Scale (PSES), Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS), and a short questionnaire about physical activity were administered to a sample of 232 university students. The overall results show that students are moderately physically active (on the average, 2.75 times per week), have moderately high selfesteem and physical self-efficacy and lower social physique anxiety. No gender differences were detected in self-esteem. In other variables, gender differences are significant and mostly in favour of males. The analyses showed that self-esteem correlated positively with physical self-efficacy and physical activity, and negatively with social physique anxiety. The regression analyses indicated that physical selfefficacy, social physique anxiety and female gender were significant predictors of self-esteem. Physical activity was not a significant predictor of self-esteem. Future studies should investigate the relations of body self-perceptions, physical exercise, and domain-specific self-esteem

Irrational Beliefs

Irrational beliefs are often used as an umbrella term that comprises a variety of psychological constructs: from specific cognitive biases to a wider class of epistemologically suspect beliefs (superstitions, paranormal and pseudoscientific beliefs, conspiracy theories etc.) or cognitive styles (analytical versus intuitive thinking), but also unsubstantiated self-related beliefs. This collection of papers illustrates this diversity well. Apart from the descriptive portion of the data, which has merit on its own, the authors provide important methodological innovations in the way these beliefs are measured, but also look deeper in their functionality and consequences