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Osobní hodnoty a hodnotové systémy studentů a pracovníků humanitního zaměření

100%

Křeménková L.

Psychologie a její kontexty

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2015

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vol. 6

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issue 2

17-35

EN

Problem: The aim of this paper is to analyze the value orientation of university students and workers in humanities and then determine possible differences between these groups in the context of branches of occupation, school results and gender. Methods: The sample consisted of 158 university students aged 19-24 years (mean age = 20.8) and 170 humanities workers aged 29-48 years (mean age=36.8). Respondents were divided into following groups: men (N = 72), women (N = 256), students’ school results A (N = 43), B (N = 47), C (N = 35), D (N = 29), E (N = 4) and worker´s branch of occupation: teachers in the kindergarten (N = 34), special education teachers (N = 32), high school teachers (N = 47), educational workers (N = 31) and civil servants (N = 26). We used a Rokeach Value Survey (RVS) which is designed to measure two sets of values. One set is composed of 18 terminal values or desired end states of existence (e.g., an exciting life, national security), and the other set is composed of 18 instrumental values, or preferable modes of behavior (e.g., being ambitious, independent). Then, subjects are asked to rank order each value as to its importance as a guiding principle in their life. A 1 indicates the most important value and an 18 the least important. Scale responses are considered ordinal.Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: We analyzed the preference of values depending on the gender. Pearson’s ?2 analyses indicated that men are significantly more (often) „Effective Crusaders“ than women and women are significantly more (often) „Virtuous Advocates“ than men, ?2 (3) = 13.817, p= .003, ?c = .205. After that we analyzed the preference of values depending on depending on the type of employment. Pearson’s ?2analyses indicated that students are significantly more (often) „Virtuous Advocates“ than workers and workers are significantly more (often) „Effective Crusaders“ and „Independent Maximizers“ than students, ?2 (3) = 61.414, p= .000, ?c = .433.Subsequently we analyzed the preference of values depending on the student´s school results. Pearson’s ?2analyses indicated that there si no significant differences among students divided into groups according to the school results, ?2 (12) = 10.695, p = .555. Finally we analyzed the preference of values depending on the type of work. Pearson’s ?2analyses indicated that there si no significant differences among workers divided into groups according to the type of work, ?2 (12) = 12.456, p = .410. Discussion: Analysis confirmed differences in the preference of values depending on the gender and type of employment. These correspond with the results of earlier studies (cf. Rokeach, 1973; Broek & Moor, 1994; Inglehart, 1997; Hitlin & Piliavin, 2004; Schwartz & Rubel-Lifschitz, 2005, 2009; Schwartz, 2006; Hofmann-Towfigh, 2007). It appears that differences in the values ranking in relation to gender are conditioned by various social conditions, education and individual experiences. The last two research questions were focused on the preference of values depending on the study results and the type of employment. In both cases, the mentioned groups showed no significant differences. Thus, we assume that these factors do not affect the preference of specific values. Value orientation is thus more likely to be tied to a deeper personal characteristics or external determinants in socialization. The study results, as well as the choice of a particular job has probably been effected by different motivational factors than those who activate behavior in the direction of preference selected values. Conclussion: The concept of values is still an important issue in contemporary psychology. Although today's Western society is very focused on performance and the current trend tends to support other than the humanities, we believe that the analysis of the structure of values and value system of the humanities is also important because of the large number of students and staff working in these areas. Values are generally a topic that touches every human being and every human action relates to questions of values and how it fits into the broader concept of personality structure and external determinant. Due to the dynamic changes of today's society, it seems that the concept of values will acquire greater importance and probably will go through changes.

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Role víry v prožívání smysluplnosti života u vysokoškolských studentů

63%

Křeménková L., Novotný J. S.

Psychologie a její kontexty

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2015

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vol. 6

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issue 1

79-95

EN

Problem: The aim of this paper is to verify the existence of differences in experiencing life meaningfulness of believers and unbelievers and analyze how much faith affects life meaningfulness. Methods: The sample consisted of 213 university students aged 20-29 years (mean age = 23). Respondents were divided into three groups: Christians (N = 80), Buddhists (N = 25), atheists (N = 108). We used a Existential Scale (ES) questionnaire, 46-item tool, detecting a subjective measure of personal meaningful existence in two dimensions: Personality (sub-dimensions Self-distance and Self-transcendence) and Existentiality (sub-dimensions Freedom and Responsibility). Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: Using independent t–test, it was confirmed that life meaningfulness was significantly lower for unbelievers in dimension Personality, t(180,943) = 7,013), p < ,001 (this represented a strong effect, d = ,983) and ES Total Score, t(175,424) = 4,201, p < ,001 (this represented a medium effect, d = ,592). Subsequent independent one-way ANOVA (using Welch F) indicated that believers demonstrate a higher life meaningfulness in the dimensions Personality, F (2, 84,212) = 32,062, p < ,001, Self–distance, F (2, 69,585) = 8,556, p < ,001, Self–transcendence, F (2, 79,331) = 26,058, p < ,001, and in ES Total Score, F (2, 74,285) = 9,133, p < ,001. A post hoc Games–Howell indicated that believers (Christians and Buddhists) scored significantly higher in Personality (strong effect, ?2 = ,23), Self-transcendence (strong effect, ?2 = ,19), Self-distance (medium effect, ?2 = ,07), and ES Total Score (medium effect, ?2 = ,07) than atheists. In Personality and Self–transcendence Buddhists also scored significantly higher than Christians. A linear regression was further performed. The faith (Christianity and Buddhism) was a significant predictor of life meaningfulness in ES Total Score, dimension Personality and its sub–dimensions. The religion explains 7,6% (R2 = ,076) of ES Total Score variance, 18,7% (R2 = ,187) of Personality variance, 16,9% (R2 = ,169) of Self–transcendence variance, and 6,9% (R2 = ,069) of Self–distance variance. Finally, we analyzed the influence of gender on the relationship between faith and life meaningfulness. A Pearson correlation explored the relationship between faith and life meaningfulness. This analysis was found to be statistically significant in dimension Personality, r(209) = ,433, p < ,001, and ES Total Score, r(209) = ,276, p < ,001, indicating a strong positive relationship. This relationship was then subjected to a first-order partial correlation in order to explore the relationship controlling for the effects of social support. The first-order correlation was found to be statistically significant in dimension Personality, r(209) = ,432, p < ,001, and ES Total Score, r(209) = ,278, p < ,001, indicating that gender doesn’t affect a relationship between faith and life meaningfulness. Discussion: Analysis confirmed the differences in life meaningfulness depending on faith and corresponds with the results of earlier studies (cf. Mahoney & Grace, 1999; Fromm, 2001; Halama, Martos & Adamová, 2010; Yalom, 2006). Faith seems to facilitate understanding of one’s own world as meaningful, and through religious dogma, traditions and rules provides a firm meaningful life framework. Higher scores of meaningfulness at Buddhists can be explained by the fact that Buddhism compared with Christianity more potentiates the possibility of self-development and a positive perception of the world. The influence of faith on the perceived life meaningfulness is however rather smaller, but still significant. This is consistent with previous studies (cf. Byron & Miller-Perrin, 2009). The biggest influence is evident in the dimension Self-transcendence. Faith, therefore, affects more emotional than cognitive aspects. This is consistent with the fact that faith is more a matter of the heart than sense, rather a kind of sensed, animistic beliefs than rational logical conclusions. The research has some limitations. The research sample consist of specific group of university humanities students. More general population may therefore produce different results. Also the concept of faith (religiosity) was measured in simplex way. For future research it would be desirable to accurately distinguish the different forms of faith (spiritual beliefs) and also monitor their intensity. This could provide further/ deeper insight into the issue of relationship between faith and life meaningfulness. Conclussion: Believers and unbelievers university students significantly differ in their experience of life meaningfulness, especially in the domain of Personality. The actual impact of the faith is not too large and ranges from 6,9 to 18,7% of the explained variance of meaningfulness. The research results and lack of studies on certain aspects of this issue indicate the need for further investigation of the topic.

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Úskalí tvorby dotazníků pro děti a dospívající: zkušenosti z ohniskových skupin

63%

Křeménková L., Novotný J. S.

Psychologie a její kontexty

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2016

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vol. 7

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issue 2

87-98

EN

Diagnosis and assessment is an integral part of psychological practice and research. One of the specific areas is creating of diagnostic tools for assessment of children and adolescents. The aim of this paper is to illustrate some of the difficulties in creating of self-assessment questionnaires for child population, based on the experiences with the process of creating a new questionnaire for pupils of 7th grade of elementary school. We created new “Potential of entrepreneurial competencies questionnaire” (PPK-7T), tool that detects the presence of key prerequisites, abilities and skills of 7th and 8th grades pupils, which can be seen as a starting point (potential) of future entrepreneurial competencies. During the verification of the questionnaire, we implemented two focus groups with 63 primary school pupils (7th grade). The results pointed to several problematic issues of diagnosis in children and adolescents. A large number of items with same content and different formulations made most pupils apparent problems. Pupils reported this repeating items during the questionnaire filling already, and in subsequent debate this issue was one of the most mentioned. Some statements were angry with signs of frustration because of the apparently recurring items. In other situations were pupils so surprised by these items that it has slowed significantly the completing of the questionnaire. Regarding the cognitive abilities, the results showed that pupils are not able to work with the generalizing questions. The vast majority of pupils were not able to determine the general (dominant) trend. In this case, the cognitive abilities of pupils are sensitively set into a detailed analysis of situations (up to literal accuracy), and it is very difficult and problematic to get rid of them. Semantically similar problem appeared for the items that were vague or too general, where pupils were unable to clearly answer. This also applies to items that cover a wide range of possible activities at different times, and/ or are linked to the social environment. Another problem is the tendency of pupils to seek complexity where it isn’t, i.e. look for “trick questions”. Likewise problematic appears the occurrence of foreign words (e.g. “chaotically” or “impulsively”). This problem is multiplied by the fact that most pupils have not the courage to ask for the meaning of unknown words. The construction of scales is also related to the evaluation of questionnaire. In our case the 4-point scale without the mean value was used. A wider scale (e.g. 6-point) is unnecessarily difficult (from developmental perspective), and mean value often leads to its overuse in the moments when the pupils are not sure how to answer. This potential tendency was also confirmed within the focus groups (pupils would have selected mean value if it had been available). In conclusion, it is appropriate to apply some principles for questionnaire items when creating assessment tools for children and adolescents. These principles include use of 1) simple, specific and unambiguous questions/items that minimize the risk of multiple possible interpretations, 2) items with low demands on abstraction and generalization, 3) fewer semantically identical or similar items, and 4) minimal use of foreign terms. The verification of clarity of and understanding the items by respondents shows also as necessary. This can be done e.g. by applying the focus groups.

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3 Psychologie a její kontexty

3 Křeménková L.

2 Novotný J. S.

1 2016

2 2015

Osobní hodnoty a hodnotové systémy studentů a pracovníků humanitního zaměření

Role víry v prožívání smysluplnosti života u vysokoškolských studentů

Úskalí tvorby dotazníků pro děti a dospívající: zkušenosti z ohniskových skupin