Research master thesis | Psychology (research) (MSc)
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The link between anxiety in parents and children is well established, yet the physiological correlates of this intergenerational link in anxiety remain underexplored. This study examines the...Show moreThe link between anxiety in parents and children is well established, yet the physiological correlates of this intergenerational link in anxiety remain underexplored. This study examines the physiological correlates of emotion processing between parents and children. The primary aim of the current study was to explore the link between parents' and children's pupil responses to negative versus positive expressions. The secondary aim was to study the links of parental anxiety to the child’s pupil responses to emotional expressions. A community sample of 90 children (8–12 years old, M = 10.13, SD = 1.32, 47 girls) and their parents (47 mothers) viewed positive and negative dynamic facial expressions while an eye-tracker recorded their pupil dilation. Parents were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their anxiety. Both parents and children exhibited stronger physiological responses to fearful and sad faces compared to happy faces, suggesting heightened arousal to these negative emotions. In contrast only parents, but not children exhibited a significantly stronger physiological reaction to anger. The link of parental anxiety to children's pupil responses varied by emotion type. The strength of the link between parental anxiety and pupil responses was the strongest for fearful expressions, followed by happy and sad expressions, and weakest for angry expressions. The study is the first to show a link between the physiological correlates of emotion processing between parents and children and support the idea that parental anxiety explains variance in child emotion processing.Show less
Previous research into the relationship of conscientiousness and self-estimated cognitive ability has yielded discrepant results. An analysis of past research seems to suggest a moderating effect...Show morePrevious research into the relationship of conscientiousness and self-estimated cognitive ability has yielded discrepant results. An analysis of past research seems to suggest a moderating effect of age. Indeed, age seems to be positively correlated with conscientiousness and negatively with self-estimated cognitive ability, implying a negative effect of age on the relationship of conscientiousness and self-estimated cognitive ability. The current study examines this moderating effect of age on the relationship between conscientiousness and self-estimated cognitive ability. We hypothesized to find a correlation between conscientiousness and self-estimated cognitive ability only in the young participant group (<=25). Conscientiousness (BFI-2), self-estimated cognitive ability and several demographic variables including age were established of 135 participants. The average age was 39.8 (SD = 16.7) and 63 percent of participants were female. We found that, in general, participant’s self-estimated their own abilities higher than that of their peers. A positive correlation between age and conscientiousness was present (r= 0.240, p= 0.005). No correlation between conscientiousness and self-estimated cognitive ability was found in the older or younger participant group, and we were unable to demonstrate a moderating effect of age. Our findings suggest no correlation between conscientiousness and self-estimated cognitive ability and no moderating effect of age. Future research should consider the possibility that there exists in fact no effect and further investigate the validity of our findings. More knowledge of the interaction between conscientiousness and self-estimated cognitive ability might help better understand the influence of conscientiousness in mental health and whether self-estimations of cognitive ability can play a role in understanding and predicting cognitive decline, especially as people grow older.Show less
This study delves into the landscape of teacher bullying within South Korea’s education system, examining the Child Welfare Act, the Student Human Rights Ordinance, and the Teacher Rights...Show moreThis study delves into the landscape of teacher bullying within South Korea’s education system, examining the Child Welfare Act, the Student Human Rights Ordinance, and the Teacher Rights Restoration Bill. Its primary goal is to illuminate the prevalence, root causes, and consequences of teacher bullying while proposing effective interventions to foster a healthier educational environment. Through an analysis of these legislative frameworks, including qualitative data from interviews, survey outcomes, experts’ reaction to the situation, and policy analysis, this research aims to shed light on the dynamics of teacher bullying. By identifying various forms of bullying experienced by teachers and highlighting the challenges they face, this study contributes to a better understanding of the complexities surrounding this issue. Moreover, it seeks to provide actionable insights for policymakers, teachers, and stakeholders to implement proactive measures that promote a supportive and respectful school environment, balancing teachers’ well-being and students’ well-being.Show less
