The multidimensional driving style inventory (MDSI), assessing four broad dimensions of
driving ... more The multidimensional driving style inventory (MDSI), assessing four broad dimensions of
driving styles, was originally built in Israel. In line with other previous adaptations of this
instrument in different cultural contexts (such as Argentina), our research aimed to
develop a valid and reliable Romanian version of the MDSI and to evaluate its external
and construct validity. We conducted two studies aimed at this objective. Study 1
(n = 1237) first tested the factorial adequacy of the previous MDSI versions in our
Romanian sample. Then, the culture-specific version of the MDSI that emerged from the
factor analysis was examined in terms of its structure, internal consistency, item proprieties,
and associations to socio-demographic variables and self-reported traffic crashes
and offenses. Study 2 (n = 835) examined the associations between the driving styles
assessed by this newly developed measure and several relevant personality traits: sensation
seeking (both general and in traffic), desire for control, driving anger, normlessness,
dutifulness and frustration discomfort. The results of the two studies support the validity
and reliability of this culture-specific version of the MDSI. In comparison to the previous
versions, the Romanian MDSI version addresses a supplementary driving style, concerning
the violation of rules perceived as irrational in the respective situation. The reasons for the
emergence of this distinct driving style in the Romanian driving context, as well as its relationships
to the high traffic crashes rate in this country are discussed.
The theory of emotional intensity suggests that the intensity of affective states depends on the ... more The theory of emotional intensity suggests that the intensity of affective states depends on the magnitude of their current deterrents. Our study investigated the role that fluency* the subjective experience of ease of information processing*plays in the emotional intensity modulations as reactions to deterrents. Following an induction phase of good mood, we manipulated both the magnitude of deterrents (using sets of photographs with pre-tested potential to instigate an emotion incompatible with the pre-existent affective state*pity) and their processing fluency (normal vs. enhanced through subliminal priming). Current affective state and perception of deterrents were then measured. In the normal processing conditions, the results revealed the cubic effect predicted by the emotional intensity theory, with the initial affective state being replaced by the one appropriate to the deterrent only in participants exposed to the high magnitude deterrence. In the enhanced fluency conditions the emotional intensity pattern was drastically altered; also, the replacement of the initial affective state occurred at a lower level of deterrence magnitude (moderate instead of high), suggesting the strengthening of deterrence emotional impact by enhanced fluency.
The aim of the present research was to investigate the impact of illness perceptions
on quality o... more The aim of the present research was to investigate the impact of illness perceptions on quality of life and heart-focused anxiety, in patients with cardiovascular disease (N = 106) admitted in the hospital, undergoing medication or who had undergone surgery. The influence of the type of treatment on the heart-focused anxiety and on the quality of life was mediated by illness perceptions. Consequently, patients who have undergone cardiac surgery have a better quality of life and lower levels of heart-focused anxiety than those relying only on medication to treat their illness.
All over the world, there is still a great discrepancy between the number of
people waiting for a... more All over the world, there is still a great discrepancy between the number of people waiting for an organ transplant and the number of donated organs. In order to reduce this gap, people‟s attitudes towards posthumous organ donation for transplantation need to be properly assessed, in order to elaborate efficient interventions designed to increase the frequency of consent organ donation from deceased family members. This present article reports the multi-step development of such an attitude measure on Romanian samples. Across three successive studies, we generated a belief-type attitude instrument including statements relevant for the population under scrutiny and investigated and tested its factorial structure. The results of the third study, in which we performed a confirmatory factor analysis on the structure extracted in an exploratory manner in the second, confirm the factorial validity of the instrument. The newly developed scale assessing the attitude toward posthumous organ donation for transplantation in Romania includes four factors: altruism, lack of information, transgression of the sacrality of the donor‟s body and the relieving of the donor‟s family suffering.
Objectives. Romania ranks near the bottom of the European hierarchy of posthumous
organ donation ... more Objectives. Romania ranks near the bottom of the European hierarchy of posthumous organ donation rates. Objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to assess the willingness to donate (WTD) a family member’s organs in the inhabitants of a large Romanian city (Iasi) and to analyze its factors; and (2) to determine the most important behaviors of the medical staff for our respondents in a hypothetical donation decision scenario. Methods. The study included a representative sample of the Iasi population. The instrument addressed WTD a family member’s organs, both in general and in the particular situation of knowing that the deceased had a positive attitude toward organ donation, knowledge of transplantation-related issues, endorsement of beliefs concerning organ donation, and the importance of a set of medical staff’s behaviors. Results. The questionnaire was completed by 1,034 participants, 48% (n ¼ 496) of whom would most likely consent to donate a family member’s organs, 18% (n ¼ 191) would most likely refuse and 34% (n ¼ 347) were unsure. The following factors were found to influence this variable: believing in the possible reversibility of brain death (P ¼ .004); believing that body integrity should be preserved after death (P < .001); believing that part of the deceased continues to live through the organ recipients (P ¼ .001); and being concerned about mutilation after donation (P < .001). Conclusions. The WTD the organs of a deceased next of kin in the Iasi population, even when the deceased had positive attitudes on the matter, is lower than that reported by other studies in other European countries. It is mainly influenced by knowledge and concerns regarding the posthumous manipulation of the body. Consent in a potential donation situation also depends on the way in which the medical staff interacts with the bereaved family.
The main goal of our research was to develop a new measure of persistence and to
assess its const... more The main goal of our research was to develop a new measure of persistence and to assess its construct validity and psychometric proprieties. First, we discuss the history of the psychological construct of persistence, defined here as the tendency to remain engaged in specific goal-related activities, despite difficulties, obstacles, fatigue, prolonged frustration or low perceived feasibility. The developed scale, measuring motivational persistence, contains three-factors: long-term purposes pursuing, current purposes pursuing and recurrence of unattained purposes. The results of the two validation studies conducted, employing both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, advocate the hypothesized structure. Also, the Pearson and canonical correlations between the three factors of the new self-report scale and other three related measures (and their factors) indicate good levels of convergent and divergent validity of the new scale.
The deception of participants – implying the transgression of the informed consent norm,
essentia... more The deception of participants – implying the transgression of the informed consent norm, essential in the biomedical research – has generated numerous critiques in all the research fields which involve human participants. In Psychology, it has been accepted upon certain conditions inspired by the utilitarian calculus of the costs versus the scientific gains of the study in all the versions of the research ethics code elaborated by the American Psychological Association. This code represents the main reference point in setting the acceptability limits of the worldwide empirical research methodologies. This acceptance of deception stems, at least partially, from its frequent use in the studies developed in the dominant trend of psychology, even from the beginnings of its elaboration. These political aspects of psychological science with consequences on ethical regulations are accompanied by an empirical level of debating between the critics and the defenders of the practice of deception. Thus, the specificities of the field created the circumstances in which all ethical debates regarding this practice are accompanied by empirical arguments, derived mostly from studies investigating its psychological consequences on participants. The article presents a synthesis of these empirically based ethical controversies, concerning, among others, the benefits of the deceiving procedures and their negative effects on participants, the limitation versus the promotion of their autonomy, the decrease or increase in validity of the studies using it. Given the relative ambiguity, induced by the plurality of ethical stances and empirical arguments as well as the conditioned legitimacy of this practice – instituted by the psychological research ethics code – the final decision concerning its use represents the psychologist’s responsibility, who has the complicated task to estimate the parameters of the costs / benefits balance in each particular case.
The personal approaches, experiences and modifications of the human body represent topics that ha... more The personal approaches, experiences and modifications of the human body represent topics that have catalyzed empirical research efforts of representatives of all social sciences. Accordingly, any research endeavour should adopt an inter-disciplinary and integrative perspective on the topic, which would benefit from the integration of the empirical results of the psycho-social studies in this area. We present an overview of the insertions of the religion topic in the empirical psycho-social approaches on the body, at various levels: body image, body satisfaction, body-related behaviours, body modifications and organ donation. In each case, the research context, the main research findings and their explanations are presented, as well as their connections (sometimes contradictory) to the theoretically-driven assumptions in Sociology and Anthropology on the same particular issues. Most of the psycho-social research revealed positive effects of religiosity on one"s relationship to his or her body, ranging from the emotional to the health, behavioural or social sphere. Nevertheless, associations of religiosity to negative aspects have also been pointed out.
We present a synthesis of the contemporary approaches on the topic of corporal
beauty, by dividin... more We present a synthesis of the contemporary approaches on the topic of corporal beauty, by dividing them into eight major research lines, each illustrated by a set of most representative theories and results: evolutionary, sociocultural and body image approaches, researches on the cross-cultural standards of beauty, on its factors, effects, personal benefits and media representations
Given the multiplication of social science investigations on the body, the topics of research and... more Given the multiplication of social science investigations on the body, the topics of research and the interpretation grids employed have become more and more diverse. We compare two major perspectives on the body–related experiences and behaviors – the psychological and the cultural studies approaches – emphasizing a set of important differences in the topics that have drawn the scholars’ interest and, in general, in the manners of conceptualizing the body. We present the core conceptual networks of each approach and some of the illustrative investigations carried out so far in the respective areas. Both highlight a set of significant differences on several layers, such as the external / internal localization of relevant factors of body-related experiences, the neutral / pathologically – oriented discourse on these experiences, the degree of exploration of their phenomenological realm, the more or less extended focus on the aesthetic evaluation of one’s body and the prevalent search for causes / purposes of the body experiences and uses.
The aim of our research program is to investigate the socio-psychological interrelations between ... more The aim of our research program is to investigate the socio-psychological interrelations between female/male beauty and aesthetic surgery in various social groups differentiated not only as a function of gender and education variables (female and male, young people with university training in Arts, Informatics and Sport) in three European countries (Italy, Spain and Romania), but also on the basis of psychological dimensions, like self-rated attractiveness, level of self involvement in the topic of aesthetic-plastic surgery, self-identification with salient cultural referents (like Beauty, Body, Culture, Nature, Soul). The Social Representation framework offers a wide range of heuristic and methodological tools especially called for by both the intimate and social nature of the topics under scrutiny. The study is part of a wider research design following an integrated multi-steps path from exploration to experimentation: 1) a study concerning content, structure, polarity, imagined and emotional dimensions of the Social Representations of female and male beauty and of aesthetic surgery; 2) a study focused on internet discussion forums on the topic of plastic/aesthetic surgery and aimed at investigating the construction of social discourse and negotiation among members of "virtual communities"; 3) a study employing the "body map" tool, an innovative tool with a graphical referent concerning the aesthetic surgery ranking of the various parts of the human body; 4) an experimental study focused on the generative activity of mental images and emotions in the S.R. of beauty and aesthetic surgery. The results here presented come from the multi-method research plan obtained in the first step through: a) the "Associative Network", using "female/male beauty" and "plastic/aesthetic surgery" as inductive words; b) the "Involvement level scale"; c) the "Selfattractiveness Scale"; d) the "Self Identification Conceptual Network". The data were explored by means of multi-step data analysis, including the lexical correspondence analysis. The results highlight cultural sharing and differences between groups, which give meaning to the interrelated objects of social representations in terms of contents, evaluations, emotional dimensions and referential system of values. They also show evidence of the influential variables in terms of gender, education, psychological dimensions (such as self-identification with cultural referents) and participants' countries with a different familiarization with the aesthetic surgery massive phenomenon. The cultural differences are also discussed with regard to the diffusion of aesthetic surgery in the three countries illustrated in the introductory section, presenting some epidemiological data.
The multidimensional driving style inventory (MDSI), assessing four broad dimensions of
driving ... more The multidimensional driving style inventory (MDSI), assessing four broad dimensions of
driving styles, was originally built in Israel. In line with other previous adaptations of this
instrument in different cultural contexts (such as Argentina), our research aimed to
develop a valid and reliable Romanian version of the MDSI and to evaluate its external
and construct validity. We conducted two studies aimed at this objective. Study 1
(n = 1237) first tested the factorial adequacy of the previous MDSI versions in our
Romanian sample. Then, the culture-specific version of the MDSI that emerged from the
factor analysis was examined in terms of its structure, internal consistency, item proprieties,
and associations to socio-demographic variables and self-reported traffic crashes
and offenses. Study 2 (n = 835) examined the associations between the driving styles
assessed by this newly developed measure and several relevant personality traits: sensation
seeking (both general and in traffic), desire for control, driving anger, normlessness,
dutifulness and frustration discomfort. The results of the two studies support the validity
and reliability of this culture-specific version of the MDSI. In comparison to the previous
versions, the Romanian MDSI version addresses a supplementary driving style, concerning
the violation of rules perceived as irrational in the respective situation. The reasons for the
emergence of this distinct driving style in the Romanian driving context, as well as its relationships
to the high traffic crashes rate in this country are discussed.
The theory of emotional intensity suggests that the intensity of affective states depends on the ... more The theory of emotional intensity suggests that the intensity of affective states depends on the magnitude of their current deterrents. Our study investigated the role that fluency* the subjective experience of ease of information processing*plays in the emotional intensity modulations as reactions to deterrents. Following an induction phase of good mood, we manipulated both the magnitude of deterrents (using sets of photographs with pre-tested potential to instigate an emotion incompatible with the pre-existent affective state*pity) and their processing fluency (normal vs. enhanced through subliminal priming). Current affective state and perception of deterrents were then measured. In the normal processing conditions, the results revealed the cubic effect predicted by the emotional intensity theory, with the initial affective state being replaced by the one appropriate to the deterrent only in participants exposed to the high magnitude deterrence. In the enhanced fluency conditions the emotional intensity pattern was drastically altered; also, the replacement of the initial affective state occurred at a lower level of deterrence magnitude (moderate instead of high), suggesting the strengthening of deterrence emotional impact by enhanced fluency.
The aim of the present research was to investigate the impact of illness perceptions
on quality o... more The aim of the present research was to investigate the impact of illness perceptions on quality of life and heart-focused anxiety, in patients with cardiovascular disease (N = 106) admitted in the hospital, undergoing medication or who had undergone surgery. The influence of the type of treatment on the heart-focused anxiety and on the quality of life was mediated by illness perceptions. Consequently, patients who have undergone cardiac surgery have a better quality of life and lower levels of heart-focused anxiety than those relying only on medication to treat their illness.
All over the world, there is still a great discrepancy between the number of
people waiting for a... more All over the world, there is still a great discrepancy between the number of people waiting for an organ transplant and the number of donated organs. In order to reduce this gap, people‟s attitudes towards posthumous organ donation for transplantation need to be properly assessed, in order to elaborate efficient interventions designed to increase the frequency of consent organ donation from deceased family members. This present article reports the multi-step development of such an attitude measure on Romanian samples. Across three successive studies, we generated a belief-type attitude instrument including statements relevant for the population under scrutiny and investigated and tested its factorial structure. The results of the third study, in which we performed a confirmatory factor analysis on the structure extracted in an exploratory manner in the second, confirm the factorial validity of the instrument. The newly developed scale assessing the attitude toward posthumous organ donation for transplantation in Romania includes four factors: altruism, lack of information, transgression of the sacrality of the donor‟s body and the relieving of the donor‟s family suffering.
Objectives. Romania ranks near the bottom of the European hierarchy of posthumous
organ donation ... more Objectives. Romania ranks near the bottom of the European hierarchy of posthumous organ donation rates. Objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to assess the willingness to donate (WTD) a family member’s organs in the inhabitants of a large Romanian city (Iasi) and to analyze its factors; and (2) to determine the most important behaviors of the medical staff for our respondents in a hypothetical donation decision scenario. Methods. The study included a representative sample of the Iasi population. The instrument addressed WTD a family member’s organs, both in general and in the particular situation of knowing that the deceased had a positive attitude toward organ donation, knowledge of transplantation-related issues, endorsement of beliefs concerning organ donation, and the importance of a set of medical staff’s behaviors. Results. The questionnaire was completed by 1,034 participants, 48% (n ¼ 496) of whom would most likely consent to donate a family member’s organs, 18% (n ¼ 191) would most likely refuse and 34% (n ¼ 347) were unsure. The following factors were found to influence this variable: believing in the possible reversibility of brain death (P ¼ .004); believing that body integrity should be preserved after death (P < .001); believing that part of the deceased continues to live through the organ recipients (P ¼ .001); and being concerned about mutilation after donation (P < .001). Conclusions. The WTD the organs of a deceased next of kin in the Iasi population, even when the deceased had positive attitudes on the matter, is lower than that reported by other studies in other European countries. It is mainly influenced by knowledge and concerns regarding the posthumous manipulation of the body. Consent in a potential donation situation also depends on the way in which the medical staff interacts with the bereaved family.
The main goal of our research was to develop a new measure of persistence and to
assess its const... more The main goal of our research was to develop a new measure of persistence and to assess its construct validity and psychometric proprieties. First, we discuss the history of the psychological construct of persistence, defined here as the tendency to remain engaged in specific goal-related activities, despite difficulties, obstacles, fatigue, prolonged frustration or low perceived feasibility. The developed scale, measuring motivational persistence, contains three-factors: long-term purposes pursuing, current purposes pursuing and recurrence of unattained purposes. The results of the two validation studies conducted, employing both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, advocate the hypothesized structure. Also, the Pearson and canonical correlations between the three factors of the new self-report scale and other three related measures (and their factors) indicate good levels of convergent and divergent validity of the new scale.
The deception of participants – implying the transgression of the informed consent norm,
essentia... more The deception of participants – implying the transgression of the informed consent norm, essential in the biomedical research – has generated numerous critiques in all the research fields which involve human participants. In Psychology, it has been accepted upon certain conditions inspired by the utilitarian calculus of the costs versus the scientific gains of the study in all the versions of the research ethics code elaborated by the American Psychological Association. This code represents the main reference point in setting the acceptability limits of the worldwide empirical research methodologies. This acceptance of deception stems, at least partially, from its frequent use in the studies developed in the dominant trend of psychology, even from the beginnings of its elaboration. These political aspects of psychological science with consequences on ethical regulations are accompanied by an empirical level of debating between the critics and the defenders of the practice of deception. Thus, the specificities of the field created the circumstances in which all ethical debates regarding this practice are accompanied by empirical arguments, derived mostly from studies investigating its psychological consequences on participants. The article presents a synthesis of these empirically based ethical controversies, concerning, among others, the benefits of the deceiving procedures and their negative effects on participants, the limitation versus the promotion of their autonomy, the decrease or increase in validity of the studies using it. Given the relative ambiguity, induced by the plurality of ethical stances and empirical arguments as well as the conditioned legitimacy of this practice – instituted by the psychological research ethics code – the final decision concerning its use represents the psychologist’s responsibility, who has the complicated task to estimate the parameters of the costs / benefits balance in each particular case.
The personal approaches, experiences and modifications of the human body represent topics that ha... more The personal approaches, experiences and modifications of the human body represent topics that have catalyzed empirical research efforts of representatives of all social sciences. Accordingly, any research endeavour should adopt an inter-disciplinary and integrative perspective on the topic, which would benefit from the integration of the empirical results of the psycho-social studies in this area. We present an overview of the insertions of the religion topic in the empirical psycho-social approaches on the body, at various levels: body image, body satisfaction, body-related behaviours, body modifications and organ donation. In each case, the research context, the main research findings and their explanations are presented, as well as their connections (sometimes contradictory) to the theoretically-driven assumptions in Sociology and Anthropology on the same particular issues. Most of the psycho-social research revealed positive effects of religiosity on one"s relationship to his or her body, ranging from the emotional to the health, behavioural or social sphere. Nevertheless, associations of religiosity to negative aspects have also been pointed out.
We present a synthesis of the contemporary approaches on the topic of corporal
beauty, by dividin... more We present a synthesis of the contemporary approaches on the topic of corporal beauty, by dividing them into eight major research lines, each illustrated by a set of most representative theories and results: evolutionary, sociocultural and body image approaches, researches on the cross-cultural standards of beauty, on its factors, effects, personal benefits and media representations
Given the multiplication of social science investigations on the body, the topics of research and... more Given the multiplication of social science investigations on the body, the topics of research and the interpretation grids employed have become more and more diverse. We compare two major perspectives on the body–related experiences and behaviors – the psychological and the cultural studies approaches – emphasizing a set of important differences in the topics that have drawn the scholars’ interest and, in general, in the manners of conceptualizing the body. We present the core conceptual networks of each approach and some of the illustrative investigations carried out so far in the respective areas. Both highlight a set of significant differences on several layers, such as the external / internal localization of relevant factors of body-related experiences, the neutral / pathologically – oriented discourse on these experiences, the degree of exploration of their phenomenological realm, the more or less extended focus on the aesthetic evaluation of one’s body and the prevalent search for causes / purposes of the body experiences and uses.
The aim of our research program is to investigate the socio-psychological interrelations between ... more The aim of our research program is to investigate the socio-psychological interrelations between female/male beauty and aesthetic surgery in various social groups differentiated not only as a function of gender and education variables (female and male, young people with university training in Arts, Informatics and Sport) in three European countries (Italy, Spain and Romania), but also on the basis of psychological dimensions, like self-rated attractiveness, level of self involvement in the topic of aesthetic-plastic surgery, self-identification with salient cultural referents (like Beauty, Body, Culture, Nature, Soul). The Social Representation framework offers a wide range of heuristic and methodological tools especially called for by both the intimate and social nature of the topics under scrutiny. The study is part of a wider research design following an integrated multi-steps path from exploration to experimentation: 1) a study concerning content, structure, polarity, imagined and emotional dimensions of the Social Representations of female and male beauty and of aesthetic surgery; 2) a study focused on internet discussion forums on the topic of plastic/aesthetic surgery and aimed at investigating the construction of social discourse and negotiation among members of "virtual communities"; 3) a study employing the "body map" tool, an innovative tool with a graphical referent concerning the aesthetic surgery ranking of the various parts of the human body; 4) an experimental study focused on the generative activity of mental images and emotions in the S.R. of beauty and aesthetic surgery. The results here presented come from the multi-method research plan obtained in the first step through: a) the "Associative Network", using "female/male beauty" and "plastic/aesthetic surgery" as inductive words; b) the "Involvement level scale"; c) the "Selfattractiveness Scale"; d) the "Self Identification Conceptual Network". The data were explored by means of multi-step data analysis, including the lexical correspondence analysis. The results highlight cultural sharing and differences between groups, which give meaning to the interrelated objects of social representations in terms of contents, evaluations, emotional dimensions and referential system of values. They also show evidence of the influential variables in terms of gender, education, psychological dimensions (such as self-identification with cultural referents) and participants' countries with a different familiarization with the aesthetic surgery massive phenomenon. The cultural differences are also discussed with regard to the diffusion of aesthetic surgery in the three countries illustrated in the introductory section, presenting some epidemiological data.
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Papers by Holman Andrei
driving styles, was originally built in Israel. In line with other previous adaptations of this
instrument in different cultural contexts (such as Argentina), our research aimed to
develop a valid and reliable Romanian version of the MDSI and to evaluate its external
and construct validity. We conducted two studies aimed at this objective. Study 1
(n = 1237) first tested the factorial adequacy of the previous MDSI versions in our
Romanian sample. Then, the culture-specific version of the MDSI that emerged from the
factor analysis was examined in terms of its structure, internal consistency, item proprieties,
and associations to socio-demographic variables and self-reported traffic crashes
and offenses. Study 2 (n = 835) examined the associations between the driving styles
assessed by this newly developed measure and several relevant personality traits: sensation
seeking (both general and in traffic), desire for control, driving anger, normlessness,
dutifulness and frustration discomfort. The results of the two studies support the validity
and reliability of this culture-specific version of the MDSI. In comparison to the previous
versions, the Romanian MDSI version addresses a supplementary driving style, concerning
the violation of rules perceived as irrational in the respective situation. The reasons for the
emergence of this distinct driving style in the Romanian driving context, as well as its relationships
to the high traffic crashes rate in this country are discussed.
on quality of life and heart-focused anxiety, in patients with cardiovascular disease
(N = 106) admitted in the hospital, undergoing medication or who had undergone
surgery. The influence of the type of treatment on the heart-focused anxiety and on
the quality of life was mediated by illness perceptions. Consequently, patients who
have undergone cardiac surgery have a better quality of life and lower levels of
heart-focused anxiety than those relying only on medication to treat their illness.
people waiting for an organ transplant and the number of donated organs. In order to reduce
this gap, people‟s attitudes towards posthumous organ donation for transplantation need to
be properly assessed, in order to elaborate efficient interventions designed to increase the
frequency of consent organ donation from deceased family members. This present article
reports the multi-step development of such an attitude measure on Romanian samples.
Across three successive studies, we generated a belief-type attitude instrument including
statements relevant for the population under scrutiny and investigated and tested its
factorial structure. The results of the third study, in which we performed a confirmatory
factor analysis on the structure extracted in an exploratory manner in the second, confirm
the factorial validity of the instrument. The newly developed scale assessing the attitude
toward posthumous organ donation for transplantation in Romania includes four factors:
altruism, lack of information, transgression of the sacrality of the donor‟s body and the
relieving of the donor‟s family suffering.
organ donation rates. Objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to assess the willingness
to donate (WTD) a family member’s organs in the inhabitants of a large Romanian city
(Iasi) and to analyze its factors; and (2) to determine the most important behaviors of the
medical staff for our respondents in a hypothetical donation decision scenario.
Methods. The study included a representative sample of the Iasi population. The
instrument addressed WTD a family member’s organs, both in general and in the particular
situation of knowing that the deceased had a positive attitude toward organ donation,
knowledge of transplantation-related issues, endorsement of beliefs concerning organ
donation, and the importance of a set of medical staff’s behaviors.
Results. The questionnaire was completed by 1,034 participants, 48% (n ¼ 496) of whom
would most likely consent to donate a family member’s organs, 18% (n ¼ 191) would most
likely refuse and 34% (n ¼ 347) were unsure. The following factors were found to influence
this variable: believing in the possible reversibility of brain death (P ¼ .004); believing that
body integrity should be preserved after death (P < .001); believing that part of the
deceased continues to live through the organ recipients (P ¼ .001); and being concerned
about mutilation after donation (P < .001).
Conclusions. The WTD the organs of a deceased next of kin in the Iasi population, even
when the deceased had positive attitudes on the matter, is lower than that reported by
other studies in other European countries. It is mainly influenced by knowledge and
concerns regarding the posthumous manipulation of the body. Consent in a potential
donation situation also depends on the way in which the medical staff interacts with the
bereaved family.
assess its construct validity and psychometric proprieties. First, we discuss the history of the
psychological construct of persistence, defined here as the tendency to remain engaged in
specific goal-related activities, despite difficulties, obstacles, fatigue, prolonged frustration or
low perceived feasibility. The developed scale, measuring motivational persistence, contains
three-factors: long-term purposes pursuing, current purposes pursuing and recurrence of
unattained purposes. The results of the two validation studies conducted, employing both
exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, advocate the hypothesized structure. Also, the
Pearson and canonical correlations between the three factors of the new self-report scale
and other three related measures (and their factors) indicate good levels of convergent and
divergent validity of the new scale.
essential in the biomedical research – has generated numerous critiques in all the research fields
which involve human participants. In Psychology, it has been accepted upon certain conditions
inspired by the utilitarian calculus of the costs versus the scientific gains of the study in all the
versions of the research ethics code elaborated by the American Psychological Association. This
code represents the main reference point in setting the acceptability limits of the worldwide
empirical research methodologies. This acceptance of deception stems, at least partially, from its
frequent use in the studies developed in the dominant trend of psychology, even from the
beginnings of its elaboration. These political aspects of psychological science with consequences
on ethical regulations are accompanied by an empirical level of debating between the critics and
the defenders of the practice of deception. Thus, the specificities of the field created the
circumstances in which all ethical debates regarding this practice are accompanied by empirical
arguments, derived mostly from studies investigating its psychological consequences on
participants. The article presents a synthesis of these empirically based ethical controversies,
concerning, among others, the benefits of the deceiving procedures and their negative effects on
participants, the limitation versus the promotion of their autonomy, the decrease or increase in
validity of the studies using it. Given the relative ambiguity, induced by the plurality of ethical
stances and empirical arguments as well as the conditioned legitimacy of this practice –
instituted by the psychological research ethics code – the final decision concerning its use
represents the psychologist’s responsibility, who has the complicated task to estimate the
parameters of the costs / benefits balance in each particular case.
beauty, by dividing them into eight major research lines, each illustrated by a set of most
representative theories and results: evolutionary, sociocultural and body image approaches,
researches on the cross-cultural standards of beauty, on its factors, effects, personal benefits and
media representations
driving styles, was originally built in Israel. In line with other previous adaptations of this
instrument in different cultural contexts (such as Argentina), our research aimed to
develop a valid and reliable Romanian version of the MDSI and to evaluate its external
and construct validity. We conducted two studies aimed at this objective. Study 1
(n = 1237) first tested the factorial adequacy of the previous MDSI versions in our
Romanian sample. Then, the culture-specific version of the MDSI that emerged from the
factor analysis was examined in terms of its structure, internal consistency, item proprieties,
and associations to socio-demographic variables and self-reported traffic crashes
and offenses. Study 2 (n = 835) examined the associations between the driving styles
assessed by this newly developed measure and several relevant personality traits: sensation
seeking (both general and in traffic), desire for control, driving anger, normlessness,
dutifulness and frustration discomfort. The results of the two studies support the validity
and reliability of this culture-specific version of the MDSI. In comparison to the previous
versions, the Romanian MDSI version addresses a supplementary driving style, concerning
the violation of rules perceived as irrational in the respective situation. The reasons for the
emergence of this distinct driving style in the Romanian driving context, as well as its relationships
to the high traffic crashes rate in this country are discussed.
on quality of life and heart-focused anxiety, in patients with cardiovascular disease
(N = 106) admitted in the hospital, undergoing medication or who had undergone
surgery. The influence of the type of treatment on the heart-focused anxiety and on
the quality of life was mediated by illness perceptions. Consequently, patients who
have undergone cardiac surgery have a better quality of life and lower levels of
heart-focused anxiety than those relying only on medication to treat their illness.
people waiting for an organ transplant and the number of donated organs. In order to reduce
this gap, people‟s attitudes towards posthumous organ donation for transplantation need to
be properly assessed, in order to elaborate efficient interventions designed to increase the
frequency of consent organ donation from deceased family members. This present article
reports the multi-step development of such an attitude measure on Romanian samples.
Across three successive studies, we generated a belief-type attitude instrument including
statements relevant for the population under scrutiny and investigated and tested its
factorial structure. The results of the third study, in which we performed a confirmatory
factor analysis on the structure extracted in an exploratory manner in the second, confirm
the factorial validity of the instrument. The newly developed scale assessing the attitude
toward posthumous organ donation for transplantation in Romania includes four factors:
altruism, lack of information, transgression of the sacrality of the donor‟s body and the
relieving of the donor‟s family suffering.
organ donation rates. Objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to assess the willingness
to donate (WTD) a family member’s organs in the inhabitants of a large Romanian city
(Iasi) and to analyze its factors; and (2) to determine the most important behaviors of the
medical staff for our respondents in a hypothetical donation decision scenario.
Methods. The study included a representative sample of the Iasi population. The
instrument addressed WTD a family member’s organs, both in general and in the particular
situation of knowing that the deceased had a positive attitude toward organ donation,
knowledge of transplantation-related issues, endorsement of beliefs concerning organ
donation, and the importance of a set of medical staff’s behaviors.
Results. The questionnaire was completed by 1,034 participants, 48% (n ¼ 496) of whom
would most likely consent to donate a family member’s organs, 18% (n ¼ 191) would most
likely refuse and 34% (n ¼ 347) were unsure. The following factors were found to influence
this variable: believing in the possible reversibility of brain death (P ¼ .004); believing that
body integrity should be preserved after death (P < .001); believing that part of the
deceased continues to live through the organ recipients (P ¼ .001); and being concerned
about mutilation after donation (P < .001).
Conclusions. The WTD the organs of a deceased next of kin in the Iasi population, even
when the deceased had positive attitudes on the matter, is lower than that reported by
other studies in other European countries. It is mainly influenced by knowledge and
concerns regarding the posthumous manipulation of the body. Consent in a potential
donation situation also depends on the way in which the medical staff interacts with the
bereaved family.
assess its construct validity and psychometric proprieties. First, we discuss the history of the
psychological construct of persistence, defined here as the tendency to remain engaged in
specific goal-related activities, despite difficulties, obstacles, fatigue, prolonged frustration or
low perceived feasibility. The developed scale, measuring motivational persistence, contains
three-factors: long-term purposes pursuing, current purposes pursuing and recurrence of
unattained purposes. The results of the two validation studies conducted, employing both
exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, advocate the hypothesized structure. Also, the
Pearson and canonical correlations between the three factors of the new self-report scale
and other three related measures (and their factors) indicate good levels of convergent and
divergent validity of the new scale.
essential in the biomedical research – has generated numerous critiques in all the research fields
which involve human participants. In Psychology, it has been accepted upon certain conditions
inspired by the utilitarian calculus of the costs versus the scientific gains of the study in all the
versions of the research ethics code elaborated by the American Psychological Association. This
code represents the main reference point in setting the acceptability limits of the worldwide
empirical research methodologies. This acceptance of deception stems, at least partially, from its
frequent use in the studies developed in the dominant trend of psychology, even from the
beginnings of its elaboration. These political aspects of psychological science with consequences
on ethical regulations are accompanied by an empirical level of debating between the critics and
the defenders of the practice of deception. Thus, the specificities of the field created the
circumstances in which all ethical debates regarding this practice are accompanied by empirical
arguments, derived mostly from studies investigating its psychological consequences on
participants. The article presents a synthesis of these empirically based ethical controversies,
concerning, among others, the benefits of the deceiving procedures and their negative effects on
participants, the limitation versus the promotion of their autonomy, the decrease or increase in
validity of the studies using it. Given the relative ambiguity, induced by the plurality of ethical
stances and empirical arguments as well as the conditioned legitimacy of this practice –
instituted by the psychological research ethics code – the final decision concerning its use
represents the psychologist’s responsibility, who has the complicated task to estimate the
parameters of the costs / benefits balance in each particular case.
beauty, by dividing them into eight major research lines, each illustrated by a set of most
representative theories and results: evolutionary, sociocultural and body image approaches,
researches on the cross-cultural standards of beauty, on its factors, effects, personal benefits and
media representations