Applied Psychology
Year:2011 | Volume:5 | Issue:1 (17)|Papers Count:8

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediatory role of narcissism on the relationship between empathy and the quality of interpersonal relationships. Method: Method of the present study was correlational and the statistical population included all students living in the University of Tehran dormitory during the 2010-2011 academic year. 609 university students (165 males, 399 females, 45 unknown) were included in this study. All participants were asked to complete the Emotional Empathy Scale Ali, et.al .(2009), the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Horowitz et.al. (1988), and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory Raskin & Terry (1988). Data was analyzed using Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient, variance-covariance matrix, and structural equation modeling (path analysis). Results: Results indicated that the initial hypothetical model had a good fit with the observed data and that all the paths had significant coefficients in the hypothetical model. The results showed that empathy had a significant positive correlation with the quality of interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, narcissism had a significant negative correlation with the quality of interpersonal relationships. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that empathy indirectly affected the quality of interpersonal relationships via narcissism. Conclusion: Empathy and narcissism are of importance to the quality of interpersonal relationships and these factors can account for a high amount of variance in the quality of interpersonal relationships.

Aim: The present study investigated the relationship between the five factors of personality and tendency to violence and the role of identity status as a possible mediating variable. Method: Method of the present study was correlational and the statistical population included all single postgraduate students studying in state universities in the City of Tehran. Using cross sectional sampling, 458 students (267 girls and 218 boys) were selected. Participants completed the short form of NEO McCrae and Costa (1987) Personality Inventory, The extended version of the Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status Adams (1985) and the Violence Index of Youth Risk Factors Questionnaire Zadeh Mohammadi, Ahmadabadi (2011). Results: Neurotic personality factor had a positive relationship with violence and openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness personality factors showed a negative relationship with violent tendency index. Path analysis showed an indirect significant effect of neurosis and conscientiousness on tendency to violence with a mediating effect of diffused status of identity. Also result showed an indirect effect of extroversion and openness personality factors on violence with a mediating effect of moratorium status of identity. Conclusion: The present study confirms the relationship between personality and tendency to violence and the mediating role of identity in the relationship between personality and violence.

Aim: This research was conducted with the purpose of investigating the model of relationship between job-person unfit with emotional exhaustion and turnover intentions as the evidences for model of stress – unequilibrium-compensation. Method: Research method was correlational )covariance matrix analysis) and research statistical population was the male employees of two work shifts of Dena Rubber Company in autumn 1388 (with 800 persons). Among them 300 persons were selected using convenience sampling and research instruments including: turnover intentions Tekleab & et.al (2005), person-job unfit and emotional exhaustion Mulki & et.al (2006) were administered to them. Data were analyzed with the use of Pearson's correlation coefficient, structure equation modeling (SEM) and mediation analysis. Results: results revealed that there are positive significant relations between person-job unfit with emotional exhaustion and turnover intentions. Research structural model consisted of: direct relationships between job-person unfit with emotional exhaustion and intention to turnover and a direct relationship between emotional exhaustion with intention to turnover. Mediation analysis supported the partial mediation role of emotional exhaustion in relation between person-job unfit with turnover intentions. Conclusion: Results of this research provided support for model of stress-unequilibrium- compensation. This model asserted that for preventing the emotional exhaustion and turnover, jobperson fit should be concentrated on planning.

Aim: The present study aimed to compare directionality of drawing moving objects in preschool and elementary school students according to their handedness. Method: A comparative –causal method was used. Statistical population included 459294 pre and elementary school students in Tehran during the 2008 – 2009 academic year. Of these, 160 children (83 girls and 77 boys) with an average age of 7.96 were chosen randomly. The instruments used in this study were the Chapman Handedness Inventory (1987) and the Direction of Mobile Objects Scale (researcher made according to shapes scale of Snodgrass &Vanderwart (1980)). Results: Data was analyzed using two way analysis of variance and results indicated that there was a significant difference between right hand and left hand students in the directionality of drawing mobile objects. Also directionality of drawing mobile objects in preschool students was different from elementary school students, but was not influenced by handedness. Conclusion: Results confirm the effect of Persian writing direction on drawing mobile objects and also has important applications in teaching drawing and painting to Iranian left and right handed children.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine early maladaptive schemas and avoidance coping behaviors in men with opioid dependence and to compare these schemas and behaviors with non-dependent men.Methods: The method of the study was Causal-comprative (Expost facto). Out of 187 clients of three Addiction Recovery Centers, who received diagnosis of substance dependence, 56 patients were selected randomly, and were compared with 56 non-dependent men in terms of Early maladaptive schemas and avoidance coping behaviors. Schemas were assessed using the short form of the Young Schema Questionnaire, 2005 and the avoidance coping behaviors were assessed using Young-Rygh’s Avoidance Inventory, 1994.Results: Results of multivariate analysis of variance showed that schemas differed significantly between opioid addicts and nonaddicts, and chi-squared tests showed that avoidance strategies were more common in opioid addicts.Conclusion: Early maladaptive schemas may increase risk for substance abuse. Also, Avoidance coping behaviors are more common in opioid addicts than non- addicts. It is argued that since these behaviors are considered to be maladaptive ways of coping with difficulties, interventions techniques should aim to change these behaviors so that early maladaptive schemas would not be reinforced and the addict could be helped to change these schemas.

Aim: The purpose of this study was studying the role of quality of attachment to fathers in predicting behavioral and emotional problems in adolescents. Method: The type of this research was correlation and the population was all the third middle school and first high school grade girls and boys in Tehran (123718 people). For this, 320 adolescents (girls=170, boys=150) from 5 educational region in Tehran have selected by multiphase cluster sampling and completed (a) the Youth Self-Report Achenbach& Rescola (1987) and inventory of parent and peer attachment Armsden & Greenberg (2001).Results:Result showed that attachment to father and its components in girls more than boys is related to internalizing and externalizing syndrome. In girls, attachment to father and alienation of him were most important negative and positive predicting factors of internalizing and externalizing syndrome. In boys, alienation of father, both for internalizing and externalizing yndrome, was most important positive predicting factor.Conclusion: In total, result showed attachment to father have significant role in predicting psychological problems in both girls and boys. However the nature of this relationship is different for them. It seems also alienation of father is the most important component of attachment quality in predicting of psychological problems in adolescent.

Cooper, 2001) that has been introduced to explain the contradictions between different perspectives about the role of the “Self” in cognitive dissonance processes. Methods: This study used a quasi-experimental design with pretestposttest and a control group. The statistical population consisted of all undergraduate students of psychology at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran (250 students in all( in the 2009 – 10 academic year. A sample of 150 students was selected via purposeful sampling. Participants were divided into high and low self-esteem with regard to selfesteem scores obtained from Rosenberg’s Self esteem Scale (1965)) .Then they were assigned to four experimental and one control groups. They got cognitive dissonant through Induced Compliance Paradigm. According to the predictions of the SSM, then, some nutral and positive selfattributes were made accessible for the subjects in a brief intervention and eventually, their dissonance reduction was measured. Results: Data analysis showed that in the groups for which neutral self-attributes had been accessible; self esteem did not play a significant role in dissonance reduction. However, self esteem did play a significant role in the other groups. In the other groups, Conclusion: This findings support the predictions of SSM, i.e. this model can explain contradictions between new perspectives about cognitive dissonance. Thus, we can contribute to the dissonance reduction and solving the consequent conflicts in dissionance erousing situations by introducing tasks containing personal or normative standards depending on the client self-esteem level.