RJAP

Abstract: Using a longitudinal design, we investigated the joined effect of general mental ability and personality as predictors for job performance in case of welders. We predicted that people who have a low level of openness and a high level of conscientiousness obtain the best job performances. Further, we hypothesized that due to welders’ job characteristics there is no relationship between general mental ability level and job performance. The results were consistent with our assumptions, excepting for conscientiousness, which played a moderated, but not a direct role on job performance. The results are discussed from a person-situation interaction model which seems to provide an excellent framework for analysis when designing selection procedures.

Keywords: job performance, personnel, selection procedures, GMA, intelligence, personality, big five, five-factor model of personality

Address of correspondence: afsava@socio.uvt.ro

Abstract: Proponents of trait activation theory suggest that moderate levels of job demands result in the highest levels of performance. Accordingly, we investigated the joint effects of general mental ability (GMA) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) on task performance. We predicted a curvilinear relationship between OCB and task performance such that engaging in high levels of OCB overloads employees, resulting in lower task performance. Further, we hypothesized that this relationship would be strongest among low GMA employees. The results revealed that although there were no curvilinear main effects, there was a significant interaction between OCBO and GMA. Implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.

Keywords: performance, GMA, organizational citizenship

Address of correspondence: emily.m.david@gmail.com

Abstract: The present research analyses the psychological effects of computer error messages. Starting from the Attentional Control Theory (Eysenck et al., 2007), we expected to find an interaction effect between emotional and cognitive effects of computer error messages. Using a 3X3 mixed design, we identified a significant effect that supports the ideas stated by Eysenck et al. (2007). Our results showed that error messages lead to a decrease in user’s processing efficiency. This phenomenon is correlated with the implicit association between error messages and anxiety.

Keywords: computer error messages, computer anxiety, attentional control theory

Address of correspondence: lmaricutoiu@socio.uvt.ro

Abstract: So far, psychoanalysis has had a relatively minor role regarding the psychology of genocide. Only recently, scholars, researchers and analysts such as Jacques Semelin, Slavoj Žižek, Dominick LaCapra, Dan Stone, J.S. Kerstenberg, or Steven Baum, have initiated new conceptualizations derived—more or less directly—from psychoanalysis. Their purpose is to deepen and diversify our understanding of social “decontamination” phenomena, whose extreme forms have been regarded by many as incomprehensible. Such a goal requires the rethinking of modern genocide and mass murder, firstly by moving them from the space of exception, into the very fabric of modern societies’ ethos and cultural frameworks. To the Freudian concepts already employed, the present study adds negative transference as present psychological experience of hostile emotions of unconscious past origin. Among the suggestions, there are the analytical implications of (collective) negative transference’s capacity to channel the destructive energies it triggers, towards a fantasy figure that “embodies” the individuals’ idiosyncrasies.

Keywords: transference, genocide, fantasy-figure, destructive impulses and energy, (de)contamination, violence

Address of correspondence: florin.lobont@tiscali.co.uk

Abstract: This research aimed to highlight links between reckless behavior and sensation seeking (personality trait with physiological foundations), as with some socioeconomic and cultural variables (income, type of education received in childhood and the level of self-perceived religiosity), to the population of Timisoara. The non-experimental correlational research was performed on a sample of 76 participants, aged between 19 and 25 years, using The Life Style Questionnaire and The Sensation Seeking Scale; also, four aspects of reckless behavior were analyzed: consumption of alcoholic beverages, consumption of cigarettes, the variety of sexual partners and consumption of soft drugs (marijuana). Research results have shown that a high need for new sensations associated positively with all four aspects of reckless behavior, income correlates positively with the consumption of alcoholic beverages, a permissive type of education received in childhood is associated positively with the consumption of soft drugs, and high self-perceived religiosity negatively correlated with the consumption of alcoholic beverages, soft drugs and cigarettes. Directions are suggested for further research.

Keywords: reckless behavior, sensation seeking, self-perceived religiosity, education, income

Address of correspondence: alexandra_negut@yahoo.com

Abstract: The aims of the study were to (i) examine the differences between two types of religious groups, at mental health and social level, taking also into account the variables of type label and (ii) obtain a potential profile of individuals affiliated with groups of minority religion. 60 persons (30 Christian-Orthodox and 30 individuals from different new religious movements) filled out measures for mental health (Death Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Rosenberg Scale, and Guilt Inventory) and a questionnaire designed for this study measuring interpersonal and label variables. Individuals from minority religious group had a positive mental health in comparison with those from majority religious group. Female sex, 18 years, low frequency of social contacts, poor economic situation and experiencing turning points in their lives (death of a close one, change of residence or employment), emerged as predictor of religious affiliation. Minoritary religious group has a better mental health compared to the majority religious group in the anxiety, depression and guilt level.

Keywords: religion, mental health, interpersonal relationships, differences, minority /majority religious group

Address of correspondence: patricia.albulescu@yahoo.com

Abstract: The study investigates the relationships between „D.A. 3.” questionnaire, a self-report measure developed after Karl Leonhard’s (1972) model of accentuated personality traits and other three personality scales measuring the Big Five factors „Big Five 3”, self esteem „A.S.I.” and social desirability - „D.S.” (Social Desirability Scale). „D.A. 3.” is a psychological assessment tool, concerned with the accentuated personality traits, vulnerabilities that can impact the employee performance of the employees or can disrupt the work environment; by analyzing these tendencies, both incompatibilities and personal resources for the job could be identified. The internal consistency of the scale and correlation obtained on a sample of 272 participants between the subscales of the questionnaires and the other three scales are considered from the point of the convergent validity. The practical value, advantages and limitations of the instrument are also discussed.

Keywords: personality, big five, personality disorders, accentuated personality traits

Address of correspondence: tconst@uaic.ro

Abstract: Thought suppression is a mental control strategy that we use to alter our thoughts, emotions, motives or other psychological states, according to consciously represented goals. The outcomes of suppression attempts illustrate the efficiency of this strategy, but also its failure under numerous circumstances. Experimental results regarding suppression have had a considerable effect on recent conceptualizations of emotional problems, particularly in the case of disorders characterized by the recurrence of unwanted thoughts, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, phobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The aim of this study was to assess the suppression of personally relevant thoughts in individuals diagnosed with depression (N=40). Our results indicate that suppression attempts are in fact associated with an increase in the frequency of unwanted thoughts, supporting the role of suppression in psychopathology. Beyond theoretical clarifications, an informed perspective on mental control and psychopathology could prove useful from the point of view of transferring fundamental research data into applied research in order to develop new therapeutic strategies for various psychological disorders.

Keywords: thought suppression, depression, ironic effects

Address of correspondence: auroraszentagotai@psychology.ro

Abstract: This paper is dealing with social axioms topic in the educational area, examining the way in which different subscales of social axioms could be related with several personality dimensions, like self-determination, independence-interdependence, self-monitorization, and machiavellism. The research has been conducted on a sample composed by 524 participants (260 from universities and 264 from secondary school) in the Western part of Romania. Our study has underlined higher scores for social cynicism, religiosity and fate control, and moderate scores for reward for application. Social cynicism of teachers from universities is significant higher than the one of teachers from secondary schools. This outcome suggests acquiring of deceptive and disengagement patterns through secondary socialization in “school”. At the same time, it could be observed a positive correlation between social cynicism and self-monitorization and social cynicism and Machiavellism, on the one hand, and a negative correlation between social cynicism and independence, on the other hand. The teachers at the university level prove to be more interdependent and machiavellic than the teachers from secondary schools. The results suggest a tendency to modulate the people from educational Romanian system in a dependent and duplicity manner, at the same time in the relational and in the institutional register.

Keywords: social axioms, personality dynamics, secondary socialization

Address of correspondence: agavreliuc@socio.uvt.ro

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to analyze, within the frame of the impression management theory, the relation between young women’s concern for tan, personal dimensions and implications for physical health. Specifically, we have been looking for: analyzing the differences between self-monitoring and fear of negative evaluation between both groups of participants; the relation between self-monitoring and social desirability, as well as the relation between fear of negative evaluation and self esteem at young women in an non-experimental design. The groups of participants had been represented by one of 30 young women that have never used tanning booths and another of 30 that had been using it frequently. The results have shown a higher fear of negative evaluation at young women that use the tanning booths. Regarding the young women in general, it has been observed a negative relation between self-monitoring and social desirability, as well as between self esteem and fear of negative evaluation. The conclusions of the study underlines the fact that young women who use tanning booths do not try to control others’ impressions more than young women who do not use tanning booths do, but they tend to be more vulnerable at others’ evaluations. As for young women in general, it has been discovered that when they do not establish a personal and specific objective out of controlling others’ impression, they will show much more desirable behaviors, and those that are socially anxious and fear what others will think of them, are actually less confident in their own resources and capacities.

Keywords: impression management, social desirability, fear of evaluation, self-esteem, self-monitoring

Address of correspondence: tatu.anamaria@gmail.com

Abstract: Social factors such as social cohesion, the role of the voluntary services and social engagement cannot be influenced by traditional preventive and health promotion initiatives. There is a need for innovative strategies in health promotion. Taking account of the variety of approaches observable in European countries, the idea has arisen of starting a multinational project to develop new solutions to the problem of implementing healthy lifestyles in the local communities of different countries. The project involves 10 partners from six countries: Germany, Great Britain, Sweden, Austria, Latvia and Romania. The following results present an analysis of some comparative data of the Swedish and Romanian communities. Attitudes about health and behavior in terms of maintaining health are very different in Romania and Sweden. These differences very likely reflect the level of information on health, nutrition, physical activity and sources of information. The study highlighted some differences in the eating habits of the two groups of subjects.

Keywords: community health, health promotion, eating behavior

Address of correspondence: mona.vintila@socio.uvt.ro

Abstract: The citizens in Danume Delta are living with the latent and permanent concern about a flood. In this study we were interested to reveal significant aspects of citizens’ attitudes in relation with the probable natural risk, in particular the anticipations of flood occurrence, the behavior during the event, evaluations of consequences, support factors and subjective vulnerability (vulnerability out of danger). A non-probabilistic convenient sample of 143 participants was investigated in a field investigation based on an open-ended questionnaire containing both demographic variables and perceptions about the probable risk. Content analysis revealed concrete aspects of subjects’ perceptions (correlations between attitudes, differential perceptions).

Keywords: flood, citizen, subjective vulnerability

Address of correspondence: eugenavram@yahoo.com

Abstract: In the present paper we investigated the relationship between work-family and family-work conflicts on one hand, and the level of satisfaction regarding job, family (marital) and life. A secondary objective was to assess the role of job vs. marital satisfaction in obtaining a higher level of life satisfaction, as well as potential gender differences in relation to this aspect. Measures of above mentioned variables were collected from 120 participants (60 males and 60 females) based on a convenient non-probabilistic sample. Data analysis revealed that work-family conflict in particular is a better predictor than family-work conflict in establishing the level of job and marital satisfaction. Similarly, gender moderates the role of job vs. marital satisfaction in predicting general life satisfaction. While males seem to put much more emphasis on job satisfaction, females rely both on marital and job satisfaction when it comes to predict their level of life satisfaction.

Keywords: work-family conflict, family-work conflict, job satisfaction, marital satisfaction, life satisfaction

Address of correspondence: oana_dobrita87@yahoo.com

Abstract: Presently, the entrepreneurial issue is approached in various fields of science, like economy, psychology, sociology, anthropology. The study proposed here attempts to expand the cognitive psychology perspective to include the entrepreneurial behavior, by focusing on irrational beliefs as potential predictors of entrepreneurial decision. Studies conducted so far show that (1) the entrepreneurial decision is a behavior that almost always involves considerable risk, and (2) behaviors supposing taking risks are associated with the presence of irrational beliefs. Consequently, our first objective is to investigate the relationship between illusion of control and the entrepreneurial decision. The second objective consists of exploring the relationship between entrepreneurial decision and irrational beliefs (need for achievement, need for justice, need for comfort). Results confirm the relation of illusion of control to the entrepreneurial decision, emphasizing the effect such cognitive bias has on experimentaly simulated entrepreneurial decision. Furthermore, the study provides empirical evidence for the involvement of two distinct irrational beliefs in the entrepreneurial decision: need for achievement and need for justice.

Keywords: entrepreneurial decision, illusion of control, irrational beliefs, need for achievement, need for justice, market entry game

Address of correspondence: sebastianpintea@psychology.ro