Europe’s Journal of Psychology (PsychOpen)
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Is It You or Is It Me? Contrasting Effects of Ridicule Targeting Other People Versus the Self
No full textIn this paper, we describe a program of research on the topic of ridicule, which explored the differing effects of observing either ridicule directed at other people or self-disparaging ridicule. In three studies, participants listened to humor that either ridiculed another person, ridiculed the self (the person expressing the humor), or involved no ridicule. Results in two studies showed that observing ridicule that targeted another person led participants to conform more to the alleged attitudes of others and to behave in ways suggesting a heightened fear of failure, compared to self-ridicule or no ridicule. In contrast, results in a third study showed that observing self-disparaging ridicule led participants to generate more creative ideas, compared to other-ridicule or no ridicule. The implications of these “inhibiting” effects of other-ridicule and “disinhibiting” effects of self-ridicule are discussed
Bad Humor, Bad Marriage: Humor Styles in Divorced and Married Couples
No full textHumor has been found to play a key role in close relationships, including marriage. The objective of the present work was to investigate the role of specific humor styles, i.e. affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, earthy, and self-defeating, with regard to (a) relationship quality among married and divorced people and (b) divorced versus married status. We compared men and women from 98 married and 48 divorced couples (total N = 292) who evaluated their humor styles, anxiety and avoidance in attachment, marital satisfaction, and (ex-)spouse’s humor styles. Constructive humor (self-enhancing and/or affiliative), especially among men, was related to increased relationship satisfaction and to non-divorced status. Self-defeating humor, especially among women, predicted marital satisfaction but also divorce. Use of antisocial humor (aggressive and earthy), especially by men, predicted divorce and was related to low (retrospective) relationship quality among divorced couples. Humor styles were unique predictors of divorce beyond the impact of insecure attachment. Finally, partner similarity in the high or low use of self-defeating humor and the (transgressing social norms) earthy humor was observed in both the married and divorced, but the latter were dissimilar in the high or low use of humor styles implying positive or negative quality in interpersonal relations. Partners’ humor styles provide unique and gender-specific information to our understanding of factors influencing marital stability and dissolution
1st Global Conference: The Value of Work
No full textFriday 5th November – Sunday 7th November 2010 Prague, Czech Republic This conference aims to bring together people from a wide range of disciplines, professions and vocations to focus on a fundamental aspect of human life: work. Work has pervasive influence on human life. Where we live, how we live, how we learn and see the world is strongly shaped by the work we do. Since the industrial revolution some of the expected benefits of the implementation of technology, and contemporary management have not been realised. While working hours are generally not what they were in the Industrial revolution, actual working hours for many people have not decreased in the last 10-15 years. This is because many people work more than their formally specified hours in order to meet their job requirements. A common feature of contemporary management is an ongoing expectation of ‘doing more with less’. This means many people are working at an increased pace of work, and or are working longer
Women’s subjective experiences of food and eating on the island of the ‘Mediterranean diet’
No full textThe purpose of this research was to explore and develop an understanding of Cretan women’s subjective experiences regarding food and eating behaviors. On average, 43 community group participants provided reflective written feedback after eleven consecutive meetings. The participants ranged in age from 20 to 85 years. The group engaged in experiential activities and critical reflection with the aim of construction and generation of meanings regarding women’s subjective experiences of food, eating, nutrition and body image. The women expressed worry and confusion concerning what the ‘right’ foods are, and balancing ‘tradition’ with new and conflicting ‘lifestyles’. Younger women were more concerned with diet and body image, middle age participants with preparing ‘appropriate’ foods for their families, and older participants with the changing practices in traditional cuisine. This study offers a conceptual understanding of how a sample of women living within a culture considered privileged to possess ‘a medically sanctioned’ diet, subjectively experience food and eating
Personality as moderator of the relationship between communication and couple stability
No full textIn this longitudinal study, we examined the moderating role of personality in the relationship between communication behaviors (withdrawal, dominance, criticism, support, and problem solving) and couple stability. At Time 1, 135 couples completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. These couples were also videotaped during a 15-minute problem-solving discussion. Approximately 2.5 years later, these same couples were contacted to assess their relationship status – intact, or separated or divorced. Results show that women’s Time 1 extraversion moderates the relationship between couple stability and men’s withdrawal and problem solving. Men’s neuroticism moderates the relationship between women’s problem solving and couple stability. Men’s agreeableness moderates the relationship between women’s withdrawal and couple stability
Counselling psychology and disability
No full textThis article addresses disability-related theory and research associated to attitudes and social action, equality of opportunity, respect and inclusion. It highlights the significance of disability in counselling psychology and that counselling psychologists (as other such professionals) need to be mindful of the wider disability issues that may be related to even those clients who do not apparently present with disabilities. Issues of terminology and conceptualisation of the terms disability versus handicap are then addressed. Linking issues of equality of opportunity, inclusion & respect to disability, as a psychosocial construct, leads to the exploration of individuals owning their own and their families’ disabilities and, consequently, challenging the positioning of disability outside the personal. Counselling psychologists’ approaches to working with disability are then discussed and four examples are explored. It is concluded that counselling psychologists can use their skills to intervene at preventative and organisational as well as psychological counselling/therapy level and that they are also contributing significantly as translators of medical jargon, mediators between clients and medical personnel, and as educators
Perceived Parental Warmth and Rejection in Childhood as Predictors of Humor Styles and Subjective Happiness
No full textThis research examined maternal and paternal warmth (acceptance) and rejection (hostility and aggression, indifference/neglect, and undifferentiated rejection), as remembered by young adults, in relation to humor styles and subjective happiness. A total of 283 Lebanese college students completed the Arabic versions of the Adult Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire for Mother and Father, the Humor Styles Questionnaire, and the Subjective Happiness Scale. As predicted, parental warmth correlated positively and parental overall rejection and specific rejection scores correlated negatively with subjective happiness ratings. Parental warmth tended to correlate positively with use of adaptive humor styles, and negatively with use of maladaptive humor styles, while parental rejection tended to correlate positively with use of maladaptive humor styles and negatively with use of adaptive humor styles. In addition, self-enhancing humor mediated the relationships between parental warmth and rejection and subjective happiness. Overall, the findings are consistent with the view that parental warmth and rejection might contribute to the development of particular styles of humor, which in turn may contribute to later happiness and well-being
Multitasking in work-related situations and its relevance for occupational health and safety: Effects on performance, subjective strain and physiological parameters
No full textIn the area of occupational health and safety multitasking becomes more and more important. Studies have shown that multitasking leads to a decrease in performance. However, studies often try to identify underlying mental mechanisms. Multitasking and its consequences for occupational health and safety are rarely considered. In this study, the effects of multitasking were investigated using two work-related scenarios. Changes were assessed in relation to three areas: performance values, subjective strain and physiological parameters. Data was also analyzed with respect to possible gender and age differences. Due to a focus on people of working age, the participants were aged between 21 and 60 years old. Multitasking led to reduced performance and increased levels of subjective strain. Changes in physiological parameters appear to be dependent on the type of task. There were no gender and virtually no age differences regarding the single-task compared to the multitasking condition. Overall, the data suggests that multitasking in the workplace should be minimized, at least for certain tasks, in order to prevent mistakes and potential accidents as well as mental strain. Further research should be carried out to investigate the long-term effects of multitasking on performance and health
Ideas that shape contemporary psychology: Interview with Prof. Robert Sternberg
No full textProfessor Robert Sternberg is a scholar that needs no introduction for all those who are in contact with fields such as intelligence and creativity, thinking and problem solving, social relations and leadership, and thus, more generally, with the discipline of psychology. His prodigious scientific activity has greatly shaped our understanding of the human mind, of intelligent and creative behaviour, of the development of the intellect. Professor Sternberg’s research stands out not only as a fundamental contribution to psychological theory but, above all, as an example of how psychological research can be extremely useful for different fields of human activity, from educational to organisational settings. In this interview Professor Sternberg talks about the past an present of intelligence and creativity research, and also about his career and current projects, a source of inspiration for graduate students, young scholars and psychologists at large