Viviany Silva Pessoa

Condutas desviantes e traços de personalidade: testagem de um modelo causal

The main purpose of this study was to test the adequacy of a causal model to explain socially deviant behavior (i.e. antisocial and criminal behavior), taking into account the contribution of personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, and sensation seeking). To this end, 755 high school and undergraduate students participated, most of them female (50.3%) and from private schools/universities (53%), with ages ranging from 16 to 26 (average=20.1; standard deviation=3.12). They answered a questionnaire in which three different measures were incorporated: Big Five Inventory, Sensation Seeking Scale, and Antisocial and Criminal Behavior Questionnaire. The main results demonstrated that the traits of neuroticism and sensation-seeking satisfactorily explained the antisocial behavior, and these directly predicated criminal behavior. It was confirmed that the personality traits, especially sensation seeking, are helpful in the understanding of socially deviant behavior. However, the need for further studies incorporating other variables and contexts should be emphasized.

Escala de Preferência Musical: construção e comprovação da sua estrutura fatorial

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi construir e conhecer os parâmetros psicometricos de uma escala para medir a preferencia musical de jovens. Participaram da pesquisa 480 estudantes do ensino medio, majoritariamente do sexo feminino (55,1%) e solteiros (95,8%), com idades variando de 13 a 28 anos (M=16,2; DP=1,60). Estes responderam a Escala de Preferencia Musical, alem de perguntas demograficas. A amostra foi dividida aleatoriamente em duas de igual tamanho, procurando conhecer a estrutura fatorial da escala (n1) e logo testa-la (n2). Os resultados de uma analise de componentes principais com a primeira amostra revelaram uma estrutura multifatorial, composta por quatro componentes de estilos musicais: musica de massa, musica alternativa, musica refinada e musica convencional, com indices de precisao satisfatorios e explicando mais da metade da variância total. Uma analise fatorial confirmatoria (ML) foi realizada com a segunda amostra, testando a estrutura previamente observada. Os resultados razoavelmente apoiam tal estrutura. Conclui-se que esta e uma medida adequada para fins de pesquisa, sendo util quando o proposito for conhecer a preferencia musical dos adolescentes. Por outro lado, apontam-se limitacoes e sugestoes para melhorar os parâmetros dessa medida. Palavras-chave: Musica; Preferencia; Adolescente; Escala. Music Preference Scale: development and psychometric parameters

Escala de conexão com a natureza: evidências psicométricas no contexto brasileiro

This article aimed to gather evidence of validity and reliability of the Connectedness to Nature Scale in Brazil. Two studies were conducted. A total of 204 people of mean age 33 years (Standard Deviation = 13.83) participated in Study 1 and responded to the demographic questions and Connectedness to Nature Scale items. The results of the principal component analysis showed a one-factor structure (a = 0.81). Two hundred and twenty undergraduate students of mean age 23 years (Standard Deviation = 5.82) participated in Study 2 and responded to demographic questions; an adapted version of the Connectedness to Nature Scale was used. Confirmatory factor analysis (ML estimation) confirmed the adequacy of the one-factor structure (Comparative Fit Index = 0.91, Root-Mean-Square Error of Approximation = 0.064), indicating satisfactory internal consistency (a = 0.83). In conclusion, the Connectedness to Nature Scale proved to be a psychometrically appropriate measure to assess general connectedness to nature, and it can therefore be used in future studies.

Sexo, estilos cognitivos e mapas cognitivos: avaliando suas relações na população geral

Gender, systemizing style and cognitive maps: examining their links in the general population. This study examined the extent to which men and women differ regarding systemizing and construction of cognitive maps. Participants were 214 people (57% women) from Joao Pessoa (Brazil), with mean age of 29.3 years. They were asked to list the Brazilian Federation Unities (BFUs) and their capitals, to indicate in a sketch map the BFUs, to estimate the distances between capitals, and to answer the systemizing quotient test and demographic questions. Results showed that men and women differ with respect to the number of BFUs-capital correctly listed, and on the systemizing score, with men showing more right answers and being more systemizing than women. Men and women did not differ in locating the BFUs in the map, but men had more correct answers overall. In terms of distance estimation once again men showed better spatial representation than women. These findings indicate the influence of sex and systematizing on the representation of cognitive maps.

Eu gosto da escola: um estudo sobre o apego ao ambiente escolar

This article aims to analyze the attachment level of students to the school environment. Therefore, it adopted the perspective of the person-environment relationship that seeks to contribute to the institutional aspect of educational psychology. Participants were 200 high school students with an average age of 15.15 (SD = 0.98), equally distributed between public and private schools in a northeastern capital. They answered to Attachment Place Scale to place in attachment to sociodemographic questions. The analyzes indicated that the level of addiction to school has been achieved in relation to the expected, showing a significant difference in the level of attachment to place depending on the type of education system (t (191) = -2.205; p≤0,03) , especially the private school (M = 3.36, SD = 0.603). Based on these results, it was possible to discuss the need to develop focused strategies to promote identity with the school, the school as a community perception and positive attitudes to school.

Escala de Procrastinação Ativa: evidências de validade fatorial e consistência interna

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo adaptar la Escala de Procrastinacion Activa (EPA) para el contexto brasileno, reuniendo evidencias de validez y confiabilidad. Participaron 216 estudiantes universitarios, con promedio de edad de 25,9 anos (DT=8,40), que contestaron la EPA y preguntas demograficas. Los resultados de analisis factoriales confirmatorios, comparando diferentes modelos, permitieron comprobar que la estructura con cuatro factores fue la mas adecuada: preferencia por presion (α=0,72), capacidad para cumplir plazos (α=0,72), satisfaccion con los resultados (α=0,66) y decision intencional (α=0,61), que presentaron indicadores de ajuste aceptables (GFI=0,91 y RMSEA=0,06). Estos factores presentaron evidencias de validez convergente, aunque dos de ellos no se diferenciaron satisfactoriamente. Se concluyo que estos hallazgos soportan la adecuacion psicometrica de este instrumento, que muestra evidencias de validez y confiabilidad.

Active procrastination scale: evidence of factorial validity and reliability

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo adaptar la Escala de Procrastinacion Activa (EPA) para el contexto brasileno, reuniendo evidencias de validez y confiabilidad. Participaron 216 estudiantes universitarios, con promedio de edad de 25,9 anos (DT=8,40), que contestaron la EPA y preguntas demograficas. Los resultados de analisis factoriales confirmatorios, comparando diferentes modelos, permitieron comprobar que la estructura con cuatro factores fue la mas adecuada: preferencia por presion (α=0,72), capacidad para cumplir plazos (α=0,72), satisfaccion con los resultados (α=0,66) y decision intencional (α=0,61), que presentaron indicadores de ajuste aceptables (GFI=0,91 y RMSEA=0,06). Estos factores presentaron evidencias de validez convergente, aunque dos de ellos no se diferenciaron satisfactoriamente. Se concluyo que estos hallazgos soportan la adecuacion psicometrica de este instrumento, que muestra evidencias de validez y confiabilidad.

Escala de Procrastinación Activa: evidencias de validez factorial y confiabilidad

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo adaptar la Escala de Procrastinacion Activa (EPA) para el contexto brasileno, reuniendo evidencias de validez y confiabilidad. Participaron 216 estudiantes universitarios, con promedio de edad de 25,9 anos (DT=8,40), que contestaron la EPA y preguntas demograficas. Los resultados de analisis factoriales confirmatorios, comparando diferentes modelos, permitieron comprobar que la estructura con cuatro factores fue la mas adecuada: preferencia por presion (α=0,72), capacidad para cumplir plazos (α=0,72), satisfaccion con los resultados (α=0,66) y decision intencional (α=0,61), que presentaron indicadores de ajuste aceptables (GFI=0,91 y RMSEA=0,06). Estos factores presentaron evidencias de validez convergente, aunque dos de ellos no se diferenciaron satisfactoriamente. Se concluyo que estos hallazgos soportan la adecuacion psicometrica de este instrumento, que muestra evidencias de validez y confiabilidad.