Interamerican Journal of Psychology

Social identity and political protest at mexicans democratic transition

Se realizó un estudio para analizar la influencia del componente de la identidad social en las acciones de protesta política en el marco del desafuero del alcalde de la Ciudad de México. De los elementos que componen la identidad social sólo la estructura de la situación intergrupal y la identificación grupal resultaron ser variables con capacidad predictiva, así se evidencia que la pertenencia a organizaciones, el grado de inclusión en la identificación y la valoración política no impactan en la decisión de participar en acciones de protesta.

A study was done to analyse the influence of the social identity component in the protest actions, on the come about of the desafuero of Mexicos City Mayor, it means, to permit to be judge by authorities without any legal protection inherent to his charge. From the element that composes social identity only the structure of the intergroup situation as well as the group identification resulted to be variables with predictive capacity. Highlighting that the belonging to organizations, the degree of inclusion on the identification and the political value dont have an impact on the decision to participate on protest actions against the desafuero of Mexicos City Mayor.

Individualism and collectivism, justice perceptions and commitment in latin american organizations

O presente trabalho investigou os efeitos das percepções de justiça no comprometimento afetivo e normativo, assim como o papel moderador do individualismo em tais relações. A amostra foi composta por 203 trabalhadores argentinos, 411 brasileiros e 383 mexicanos pertencentes a empresas públicas e privadas. Foi observado que a justiça processual e a distributiva relacionaram-se positivamente com o comprometimento afetivo e normativo, embora a justiça processual tenha apresentado maior poder preditivo. O individualismo não atuou como moderador em nenhuma das relações estudadas. Um resultado inesperado foi o efeito positivo do coletivismo no comprometimento afetivo. Os dados obtidos foram interpretados à luz dos modelos de dois fatores e sistema-agente de justiça organizacional. À guisa de conclusão, são discutidas implicações para a pesquisa e a prática na área.

The main effects of justice perceptions on affective and normative commitment, as well as the role of individualism as a moderator of these relations were examined. Two hundred and three Argentinean, four hundred and eleven Brazilian and three hundred and eight three Mexican workers from private and public companies participated in this study. Results indicated that procedural and distributive justice were positively related to affective and normative commitment, although procedural justice had showed greater predictive power. The individualism did not moderated any of the investigated relations. An unexpected finding was the positive effect of collectivism on affective commitment. Findings were interpreted in the light of two-factor and agent-system models of organizational justice. As conclusion, implications for research and practice are discussed.

Attributive criteria of sanction and “professional culture”: comparative approach in the naive versus “expert” justice

Parler de culture de métier renvoie généralement aux normes et valeurs des individus exerçant un même métier. Nous faisons ici l’hypothèse que magistrat et psychologue possèdent chacun une culture de métier spécifique les conduisant, pour infliger une sanction, à utiliser des critères qui leur sont propres. Pour le vérifier, nous avons soumis à trois populations (étudiants en psychologie, en droit, et participants tout-venant) un questionnaire à huit situations où un individu commettait une infraction légale ou normative. Chaque situation se terminait par la présentation de trois critères utilisables (18 critères au total), la tâche consistant à infliger une sanction au délinquant. Nous observons effectivement que, pour cette attribution, chacune de nos trois populations utilise des critères autres que ceux prévus par la loi, et que ces critères diffèrent selon la population considérée. Ces différences peuvent alors constituer une des explications à l’incompréhension parfois ressentie face à certains verdicts judiciaires.

Speaking about professional culture generally makes reference to the norms and values of individuals practising a same profession. We make here the hypothesis that the magistrate and the psychologist possess a specific professional culture driving them, when sanctioning, to use their own criteria. To verify it, we submitted to three populations (students in law, in psychology, and naive people) a questionnaire of eight situations in which an individual committed an infringement to a legal or normative rule. Each situation ended by the presentation of three information related to three criteria (a total of 18 criteria) and the task consisted to inflict a sanction to the delinquent. Our results show that, in order to this attribution, each of our populations use others criteria that those anticipated by the law, criteria which also differ between the three populations. These differences can constitute one of the explanations of the incomprehension that we sometimes feel with regard to some verdicts returned by the courthouses.

Honesty in multicultural counseling: a pilot study of the counseling relationship

Este estudio investigo las destrezas de consejería y las relaciones humanas (la orientación relacional) en un grupo de 17 consejeros en preparación durante un curso de 14 semanas. Los resultados indicaron que las destrezas de esto consejeros en preparación cambian cuando ellos llegan a tener más conocimiento de sí mismos durante la supervisión de grupo multicultural.

This study assessed counseling skills and human relationships (relational orientation) in a group of 17 counselorsin- training during a 14-week counseling course. The results indicated that counselor trainees’ counseling skills change as they become more aware of themselves during multicultural group supervision.

The social psychology and the work in communities: limits and possibilities

Este artigo discute a implicação, a escuta e a autoria como ferramentas teóricas e metodológicas da Psicologia Social tomando como campo empírico dessa reflexão uma experiência de trabalho com jovens moradores de uma comunidade situada na periferia da cidade de Porto Alegre/Brasil. Parte-se de proposições segundo as quais os modos de habitar e de se deslocar no território da cidade têm efeitos subjetivos e de que é possível constituir uma estratégia de intervenção baseada em ações coletivas de circulação e de reflexão desses deslocamentos. Quando as ações coletivas de circulação e de reflexão operacionalizam espaços exercícios de autoria assistimos tanto a uma reconfiguração subjetiva dos sujeitos quanto a dos próprios profissionais. Chegando a conclusão que estratégias que visem à ampliação dos territórios de circulação da cidade são necessárias não somente aos moradores das periferias das mesmas, mas também aos psicólogos sociais.

This paper discusses implication, listening and authorship as theoretical and methodological tools of Social Psychology. The empirical data on which this discussion is based on comes from the experience of working with youths who reside in a community located on the outskirts of the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. This deliberation begins from two propositions according to which the modes of inhabiting and dislocating in the citys territory has subjective repercussions and that it is possible to constitute a strategy for intervention established on collective actions of circulation and reflection on those dislocations. When collective actions of circulation and reflection operate spaces and exercises of authorship, we observe as much a subjective reconfiguration of the subjects as much as of the professionals themselves. Reaching the conclusion that the strategies that seek to amplify the citys territories of circulation are necessary not only for the inhabitants of the outskirts, but also for Social Psychologists.

Strengths and vulnerabilities of a sample of gay and bisexual male adolescents in Puerto Rico

La adolescencia es un proceso de desarrollo de múltiples dimensiones que incluyen los significados sociales que se le atribuyen colocando a la juventud en un limbo social; no son niños o niñas pero todavía no son adultos. Es importante contextualizar las dificultades que enfrentan los adolescentes gay debido a su identidad sexual, su vulnerabilidad social asociada a su particular etapa de desarrollo y su etnicidad. Exploramos las vulnerabilidades y fortalezas de una muestra de jóvenes adolescentes gay puertorriqueños. Participaron 61 jóvenes gay y bisexuales de alto nivel educativo, que residían en Puerto Rico. Examinamos los niveles de depresión, el apoyo social percibido, el uso de alcohol y drogas y la conducta sexual. Los resultados demuestran que el 45% de los participantes informaron altos niveles de depresión. Sin embargo los participantes también mostraron un bajo consumo de alcohol y drogas, poca o ninguna actividad sexual de riesgo y una gran satisfacción con el apoyo social recibido. Los participantes mostraron gran resiliencia asociada a sus redes de apoyo social, el uso consistente de protección en las conductas sexuales de alto riesgo y capacidad para integrar su orientación sexual en su desarrollo personal en una sociedad latina y heterosexista. A pesar de que los resultados no pueden generalizarse a toda la población de jóvenes adolescentes gay en Puerto Rico, esta información es útil para apoyar la necesidad de intervenciones a nivel de comunidad que manejen las fortalezas de esta población.

Adolescence is a developmental process with multiple psychosocial dimensions and the social meanings attributed to it place youth in a social limbo; they are not children but not yet adults. It is important to contextualize the difficulties gay adolescents face due to their sexual identity, their social vulnerability associated to their particular developmental process, and their ethnicity. We explore the vulnerabilities and strengths of a sample of Puerto Rican gay and bisexual (GB) male youth. Participants were 61 highly educated GB youths living in Puerto Rico. Levels of depression, perceived social support, alcohol and drug use, and sexual behavior were assessed. Results show that 45% of participants reported high levels of depression. However participants reported low levels of alcohol and drug consumption, no unprotected sexual behavior, and high satisfaction with social support. Participants showed a high level of resilience associated to their social networks, consistent use of protection for high-risk sexual behavior, and capacity to integrate their sexual orientation to their overall development in a heterosexist Latino society. Although results cannot be generalized to all Puerto Rican GB youth, they are useful to support the need for community level interventions addressing the strengths of this population.

Bullying awareness in pre-School teacher training

Para el éxito de la prevención e intervención de la intimidación es necesario tener conciencia sobre el problema; el objetivo del presente trabajo fue conocer la relación entre el nivel de conciencia sobre intimidación y el programa “Bully Busters, Un Manual Para Maestros”. Participaron 150 estudiantes para maestras de párvulos en la ciudad de Guatemala. Se llevó a cabo un estudio pre-test/post-test de series temporales interrumpidas formando un grupo control y uno experimental, se utilizó como instrumento de medición el Inventario de Habilidades y Conocimientos para Profesores (TISK siglas en inglés). Los resultados se analizaron a través de pruebas “t” de medias para grupos independientes, encontrando diferencias entre las medias de ambos grupos. Las alumnas que recibieron el programa incrementaron la conciencia respecto al nivel inicial y en comparación al grupo control. Se recomienda incluir en la formación de los profesores el entrenamiento sobre intimidación, con el fin de detectar y prevenir episodios de violencia en el aula.

The success in prevention and intervention on bullying requires awareness about the problem. The goal of this study is to determine the relationship between the level of bullying awareness and the application of the “Bully Busters Program, a Teacher’s Manual”. 150 pre-school teacher students from Guatemala City participated. To assess the effectiveness of the program, the Teacher Inventory of Skills and Knowledge (TISK) test was used.A pre/post-test reversed-treatment control group sequence of tests was done. Paired sample “t-tests” for independent groups were employed. TISK results indicate differences between the media of both groups. The findings indicate a relationship between bullying awareness and the application of the program, since the students exposed to the program, increased their awareness from the initial level and compared to a control group. In order to detect and prevent episode of violence in the classroom, the study concludes the need to include bullying awareness training in the teacher study curriculum

Empathic and non-empathic preschool boys: parents’ empathy and rearing procedures

Este estudo analisa a influência da empatia e procedimentos educativos de pais e mães sobre o repertório pró-social e empático de meninos pré-escolares que constituíram dois grupos contrastantes: 11 muito empáticos (GME) e 11 pouco empáticos (GPE), com idade de quatro a cinco anos. A empatia dos pais foi aferida por questionário e os procedimentos por entrevista e por registro, em vídeo, de comportamentos educativos em situação estruturada de “sala de espera”, onde foram criadas demandas para comportamentos educativos. Efetuou-se análise de conteúdo, categorização e tabulação de ocorrência dos relatos e registros que foram transformados em escores, permitindo comparação estatística entre os grupos (Mann-Witney, p<0.05) e entre pais e mães (Kruskal-Wallis, p<0.05). Os resultados mostraram diferenças favoráveis aos pais GME nos escores de exigência, empatia e suporte e maior empatia dos pais GME, mas não das mães. São discutidas as implicações práticas e de pesquisa desses resultados.

This study analyzed the influence of mothers and fathers’ empathy and their rearing procedures on preschool boys’ prosocial and empathic repertoire. The boys, four to five years old, composed two contrasting groups: 11 highly empathic (GME) and 11 lowly empathic (GPE). Parents’ empathy was assessed by questionnaire and their rearing procedures were evaluated in an interview and a structured “waiting room” situation, recorded in VHS, where it was created demands for educative behaviors. After a content and categorizing analysis, classes occurrence were tabulated and converted in scores which allowed statistic comparison between groups (Mann-Witney, p<0.05) and fathers versus mothers (Kruskal- Wallis, p<0.05). Results showed favorable differences for GME, with parents’ scores greater than mothers’ on requesting, empathy and support classes. Research and practical implications of these results are discussed.

Applications of structural modelling to the study of reading and writing behaviours

Se presentan modelos estructurales de variables asociadas con la adquisición de la lengua escrita y con el desempeño en dominios de la lectura y la escritura. El propósito de nuestro trabajo es fundamentar con ejemplos derivados de situaciones y temas reales, la utilidad potencial de los modelos estructurales en la investigación en lengua escrita, tanto en lo que al diseño de la recolección de información corresponde, como para el análisis y la interpretación de los datos. También nos interesó mostrar cómo el análisis de las relaciones funcionales entre distintas variables permite al investigador ir más allá de los supuestos acerca de las relaciones causales en el inicio de la alfabetización formal.

This paper presents a series of structural models representing the acquisition of writing language and the performance and mastery of reading and writing tasks. The first aim of our paper is to illustrate - by using examples from actual situations - the usefulness that structural models have for researchers in the area of written language. The application of these models concerns both the design of the data collection strategy and the data analysis procedure. A second purpose is to show the importance of the analysis of functional relations between variables influencing the acquisition and mastery of writing and reading tasks. This analysis suggests going beyond the assumption of causal relations between two or more variables in studying written language, when formal education starts.

Development of factorial scale for the measurement of happiness

Este artículo describe el desarrollo y validación de una escala de medida de la felicidad, integrada por 27 ítems de tipo Likert con cinco alternativas. La escala se administró a 709 estudiantes universitarios, hombres y mujeres, de 20 a 30 años de edad. El análisis ítem-test encontró correlaciones altamente significativas para cada uno de los reactivos (p<.001), lo que indica que los ítems miden indicadores de un mismo constructo. La Escala de Felicidad presenta elevada consistencia interna (a de Cronbach=.916); la validez convergente se evaluó través de correlaciones entre puntajes de felicidad y dimensiones del Inventario de Personalidad de Eysenck, se encontró una correlación positiva y significativa entre felicidad y extraversión (r=.378; p<.01), con neuroticismo fue negativa y significativa (r=-.450; p<.01). Entre felicidad y afectos positivos la correlación fue positiva y significativa (r=.48; p<.01) y con afectos negativos fue negativa y significativa (r=- .51; p<.01). Ambos resultados están de acuerdo con los obtenidos por otros autores. La validez de constructo se estableció por Análisis Factorial, el análisis de componentes principales y la rotación ortogonal (Varimax) extrajeron cuatro factores identificados como: 1. Sentido positivo de la vida; 2. Satisfacción con la vida; 3. Realización personal, y 4. Alegría de vivir.

This paper describes the development and validation of a measurement scale for the happiness, integrated by 27 items of type Likert with five alternatives. The scale was applied to 709 university student, men and women (aged 20-30 years). The item-test analysis found highly significant correlations for each one the items (p<.001). The Happiness Scale present high internal consistency (Alpha=.916); the convergent validity was evaluated through correlations between scores a positive association between happiness and extraversion (r=.378); p<.01), and negative association with neuroticism (r=- .450; p<=.01). Between happiness and positive affect the correlation was positive and significant (r=.48; p<.01); and with negative affect it was negative and significant (r=-.51; p<.01). Both results agree with those obtained by other authors. The construct validity has been established by Factorial Analysis, and the Principal Components Analysis and Orthogonally Rotation (Varimax) extracted four factors, identified as positive sense of the life, satisfaction with the life, personal realization, and happiness of living.

Brazilian test of figural creativity: instrument proposal

A criatividade é um fenômeno multidimensional, valorizado por promover o desenvolvimento completo do indivíduo. Este estudo visou a criação, validação e precisão de um instrumento de avaliação da criatividade figural para crianças, com amostra de 120 participantes (60M/60F), da 1ª a 4ª série do Ensino Fundamental localizada no Estado de São Paulo. Os participantes responderam a dois testes: Teste Pensando Criativamente com Figuras de Torrance (TPCF) e Teste Brasileiro de Criatividade Figural (TBCF), elaborado neste estudo, que permitem avaliar 14 indicadores cognitivos e emocionais da criatividade. Os resultados da validade simultânea, comparando os 2 testes pela Correlação de Pearson foram altamente significativos (r=0.81 a 0.94. p<0.001). A precisão pelo teste e reteste para o TBCF foi também significativa (r= 0.84 a 0.99. p< 0.001). A Análise da Variância demonstrou efeitos de sexo, série e interação no desempenho dos participantes no TBCF. Concluiu-se que o TBCF pode ser considerado como uma forma paralela ao TPCF, existindo a necessidade de normas específicas para ser usado pelos psicólogos brasileiros na avaliação da criatividade de crianças.

Creativity is a multidimensional phenomenon and important to promoting the individual´s development. The purpose of this study was to create an instrument for evaluate figural creativity among Brazilian children and to investigate the validity and reliability of it. The sample was composed of 120 children, 60 male, 60 female, who were estuding at public Brazilian middle school located in Sao Paulo state. The children answered two instruments: Thinking Creatively with Pictures of Torrance (1990) and Brazilian Test of Figural Creativity, elaborated in this study. Both permit evaluating 14 creative cognitive and emotional characteristics. Concurrent validity for the Brazilian test was verified throught Pearson Correlation (r=0.81 to 0.94; p<0.001) and Reliability coefficient ranged from r=0.84 to 0.99 (p<0.001). The Analisys of Variance indicated that effects of sex, grade and their interaction on the test. Concluding, the Brazilian test of figural creativity could be considered a paralell form to the Torrance Test and the need to be normed in order to be used for Brazilian psychologist to assess children´s creativity.

Factor structure of the maslach burnout inventory - human service survey -in Chile

El presente estudio verificó la validez factorial del Maslach Burnout Inventory - versión Human Services Survey - (MBI-HSS) en una muestra de 155 asistentes sociales chilenos. El análisis factorial exploratorio confirmo la estructura trifactorial propuesta para el MBI-HSS . Sin embargo, el órden de la configuración de la estructura factorial encontrada fue diferente a la propuesta por los autores del MBI-HSS. Las tres subescalas del MBI-HSS presentaron aceptables niveles de consistencia interna.

The present study tested the factorial validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey version - in a sample of 155 Chilean social workers. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the 3-factor structure indicated for the MBI-HSS by their authors. However, the configuration of the factor structure founded was different those proposed for the MBI-HSS for their authors. Internal consistencies of the subscales of the MBI-HSS were acceptable.

Psychological resilience: literature review and analysis on scientific production

Este artigo traz uma revisão da literatura sobre a resiliência psicológica, apresentando um extenso levantamento das pesquisas publicadas, desde a introdução do conceito no campo das Ciências da Saúde. O levantamento abrange publicações nacionais e internacionais indexadas nas Bases de Dados Medline, Lilacs, APA, SciELO e, teses e dissertações constantes no Banco de Dados da CAPES e Universia. É realizada uma análise sobre a evolução dos temas pesquisados e apresentadas propostas para futuras pesquisas no assunto.

This paper brings a literature review on psychological resilience, with a large survey about the researchs published since the concept was introduced in Health Sciences field. The survey includes national and international publications indexed in Medline, Lilacs, APA, SciELO Data Bases and, thesis and dissertations from Data Bases of CAPES and Universia. It is presented an analysis about the evolution of resilience issues and proposals for following researches.

Therapy as social construction: an interview with Sheila McNamee

In this interview, Sheila McNamee presents an important review of her trajectory in both the fields of communication and psychotherapy. She presents a personal history of the emergence of social constructionism and its applications in psychotherapy, specifically in Family Therapy. In this journey, she describes important features of a social constructionist discourse, pointing to its central assumptions and inviting voices of different authors into a dialogue, through which a broader, pragmatic view of social constructionist discourse emerges. She also addresses present dilemmas and issues in the field such as the possibility of a “social constructionist therapy,” the idea of “theories as conversational resources”, and the notion of psychological change. Finally, Sheila McNamee talks about how she conceives the future of social constructionism, inviting us to remain engaged in dialogue about its limits and possibilities, thus entertaining different scenarios, imagining and creating its future and bridging incommensurate discourses with other theories and practices.

En esta entrevista, Sheila McNamee presenta una revisión importante de su trayectoria en los campos de la comunicación y de la psicoterapia. Ella presenta una historia personal de la aparición del construccionismo social y de sus usos en psicoterapia, específicamente en terapia de la familia. En este viaje, ella describe las características importantes de un discurso construccionista social, señalando sus asunciones centrales e invitando las voces de diversos autores en un diálogo, con el cual una vista más amplia, pragmática del discurso construccionista social emerge. Ella también trata los actuales dilemas en el campo tal como la posibilidad de una “terapia construcionista social”, la idea de “teorías como recursos conversacionales” y la noción del cambio psicológico. Finalmente, Sheila McNamee habla de cómo ella concibe el futuro del construccionismo social, invitándonos a que sigamos enganchados en diálogo sobre sus límites y posibilidades, produciendo diversos panoramas, imaginando y creando su futuro y tendiendo un puente sobre discursos inconmensurables con otras teorías y prácticas.

La ciencia y los científicos: una perspectiva psicológica de Rubén Ardila