PSICHOLOGIJA. (Psychology) 1999, vol. 19

The editorial board:
Eglė Rimkutė, Vilnius University
Danguolė Beresnevičienė, Vilnius Pedagogical University
Danutė Gailienė, Vilnius University
Feliksas Laugalys, Vilnius University
Virginijus Lepeška, Vilnius University
Jonas Pacevičius, Šiaulių University
Birutė Pociūtė, Vilnius University
Aldona Palujanskienė, Vytautas Magnus University
Mindaugas Rugevičius, Klaipėdos University

Contact address:
Didlaukio 47, Vilnius 2057, Lithuania

S U M M A R I E S

Ethnic Consciousness and Identity among Lithuanian-American/Canadian Adolescents

Eighty-two Lithuanian-American/Canadian adolescents responded in writing to eleven questions regarding their Lithuanian and American ethnic consciousness and identity. A phenomenological analysis of their written responses revealed a complex ethnic-identity-structure. The adolescents saw themselves as both Lithuanian and American. Their Lithuanian identity was based on three external components: descent (ancestry), ethnic involvement, and language, and the internal feeling of pride and satisfaction and sense of belonging and purpose. They regarded their Lithuanian identities as essential aspects of their personality, without which they would have felt empty and different. Their American identity consisted of three components: awareness of birthright, social involvement, and emotional ties. The relationship between the two identities was a dynamic one, each coming to the fore or receding as a result of context: e. g., an adolescent might feel more Lithuanian amongst fellow Lithuanians. Interestingly enough, there was little evidence of conflict between the two identities. The main complaint the participants expressed was that at times they felt overextended, that there was too much to do.

Media Reports on Suicide in the Major Dailies of Lithuania in 1994 and 1996

Socialinių moklų daktarė, docentė, Vilniaus universiteto Klinikinės ir socialinės psichologijos katedra,
Didlaukio g. 47, LT-2057 Vilnius, Tel./faks. 76 25 71, 76 18 90, El. paštas daga@pub.osf/lt

Psichologijos magistrantė,
Vilniaus universiteto Klinikinės ir socialinės psichologijos katedra, Didlaukio g. 47, LT-2057 Vilnius

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of issuing guidelines for suicide reporting on the actual practice of reporting in three main dailies of Lithuania.

In 1994 we conducted 12 months survey of suicide reporting in "Lietuvos rytas", "Lietuvos aidas" and "Respublika". In 1995 the results were presented in written guidelines for suicide reporting and in the seminars for journalists.

Following this intervention, a second, identical evaluation of suicide reporting covering three major dailies was carried out during the year 1996. The main variables on form, content and style of the newspaper reports before and after the intervention were compared (588 reports).

In 1996 1,7 times more publications on suicide were published. Positive and negative changes in the quality of reporting were found in the second period of analysis.

It is possible that the results were affected not only by the action of suicidologists, but also by the political action of one of the deputies of Lithuanian Seimas, who declared the intention to burn himself. This aroused a rather hot reaction in the society and in the newspapers.

Die wirkung der selbstmordmodelle in den medien auf kinder und jugendliche

Socialinių mokslų daktarė, docentė, Vilniaus universiteto. Klinikinės ir socialinės psichologijos katedra,
Didlaukio g. 47, LT-2057 Vilnius, Tel./faks. 76 25 71, 76 18 90, El. paštas daga@pub.osf.lt

Psichologijos magistrantė, Vilniaus universiteto Klinikinės ir socialinės psichologijos katedra,
Didlaukio g. 47, LT-2057 Vilnius

Mokslinė bendradarbė, Kauno medicinos akademijos Biomedicininių tyrimų institutas,
Eivienių g. 4, LT-3007 Kaunas

Psichologijos magistrantė, Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Psichologijos katedra,
Donelaičio g. 52, LT-3000 Kaunas

Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war, festzustellen, ob es Jugendliche und Kinder gibt, auf die die Selbstmordmodelle in den Medien starke emotionale Wirkung ausüben und bei denen dadurch Imitationsgedanken geweckt werden. Eine solche Wirkung konnte am meisten bei den fünfzehnjährigen (42,1%) und den drei zehnjährigen (40,5%), am wenigsten bei den elfjährigen (36,6%) und den zwanzigjährigen (20,3%) nachgewiesen werden. Die Gruppen, auf die die Selbstmodelle eine stärkere Wirkung ausüben, zeichnen sich durch deutlichere Selbstmordtendenzen und ein schwächeres Gefühl für den Sinn des Lebens aus.

Solution Peculiarities of Solving Multiplication and Division Word Problems

Socialinių mokslų daktaras, docentas,
Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Psichologijos katedra, Donelaičio g. 52, LT-3000 Kaunas

Psichologijos magistrantė, Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Psichologijos katedra,
Donelaičio g. 52, LT-3000 Kaunas

The main purpose of investigation was to evaluate the peculiarities of thinking of 9-11 years old children, when they are solving arithmetic word problems in mind without any opportunity to operate with visual aids. Problems of first two series were constructed analogical to the tasks by O. Frydman and P. Bryant.

Solving word problems our children did not try to imagine or express in drawings the situation described in a problem, i. e. they solved differently than 5-6 years old children in the investigation of O. Frydman and P. Bryant. It is possible to make a conclusion that it is particularly difficult correctly to interpret the ratio of object quantity for 9-11 years old children. They are tending to relate this dimensionless ratio with amount of things. The common multiples of the two quantities have no influence on problem solving. Some children interpret multiplicative relations additively.

Perception of Acute Angles

Technikos mokslų daktaras, Vilniaus universiteto Medžiagotyros ir taikomųjų mokslų instituto Bionikos ir keitiklių sektorius
Saulėtekio al. 9, LT-2040 Vilnius

Habilituotas socialinių mokslų daktaras, profesorius, Vilniaus universiteto Bendrosios ir pedagoginės psichologijos katedra,
Didlaukio g. 47, LT-2057 Vilnius

Gamtos mokslų daktaras, Vilniaus universiteto Medžiagotyros ir taikomųjų mokslų instituto Bionikos ir keitiklių sektorius,
Saulėtekio al. 9, LT 2040 Vilnius

Experiments are reported which examine the judgement of the mean orientation of a single straight line (test line) in presence of nearby lines of somewhat different orientations (induction line). It is shown, that perceived orientation of a segment of the test line is biased towards orientation of the induction line when the distance between the test and the induction line less than 0.1 deg. When this distance between 0.1-0.8 deg. a segment of the test line is biased from orientation of induction line and when this distance more 0.8 deg. the orientation of a segment of the test line remains unchanged.

Physical, Verbal, and Indirect Aggression: Gender Differences

Socialinių mokslų daktarė, vyr. asistentė Vilniaus Pedagoginio universiteto Psichologijos katedra,
Studentų g. 39, Vilnius

Gender differences regarding aggressive behavior were investigated in 154 school children three age cohorts: 8-9, 11-12, 13-14-year-olds through peer-rating technique DIAS (Lagerspetz, Björkqvist, 1992, Björkqvist, Österman, Kaukiainen, 1992).The principal finding was that girls made greater use of indirect means of aggression, whereas the boys tended to employ direct means of physical and verbal aggression. Indirect aggressive strategies were not fully developed among the 8-9 boys and girls, but they were already prominent among the 11-12 boys and girls, and much more developed among the 13-14 years-old girls.

Identity and Identity Crisis in Adolescence

Doktorantė, Vilniaus pedagoginio universiteto Psichologijos katedra,
Studentų g. 39, Vilnius

The purpose in a study of 263 secondary school students at age 16-17 was to assess the level of identity development in the middle adolescence. Methods used were an identity status questioning (EOMEIS-2) and Shostrom’s Personal Orientation Inventory (POI). In comparison with ideological sphere, interpersonal sphere occurred as more achieved in identity development. The results show statistically meaningful differences in identity development level between two spheres. Interpersonal sphere in a high degree is distinguished by adolescent crisis as period of explorations.

The correlation of identity achievement statuses with POI scales scores suggests that, identity achievement is related to the personal need to be inner-directed and self-actualizing.

Systemic Approach to Families Bringing up Disabled Child

Doktorantė, Vilniaus universiteto Klinikinės ir socialinės psichologijos katedra,
Didlaukio g. 47, LT-2057 Vilnius

Birth of a handicapped child is usually viewed as a common family crisis. Parents of a handicapped child are considered to deal with grief and adaptation to child’s disability reactions, and chronic stress later on. Valuable insights considering the psychological problems of the families with handicapped child may be derived from the systems theory. The present article deals briefly with the main concepts of the family with disabled child as a system. Also several causes of dysfunctional family system are analysed.

Association of Psychologist and its Inffluence to Psychology Development in Lithuania

Socialinių mokslų daktaras, docentas, Lietuvos teisės akademijos Psichologijos katedra,
Didlaukio g. 47, LT-2057 Vilnius

The article offers an overview of the milestones in Lithuanian Association of Psychologists foundation and development history. Spheres of activity, organised conferences, workshops and other events are destribed. The association influence to the deve lopment of psychology in Lithuania is highlighted.