Purpose:The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the forms of youth activity (in a virtual environment and in the real world) and their mental health in the period of forced social isolation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings presented here are part of a larger international project (research-all.org). Methods: The subjects were students of primary and secondary schools in Kraków (N = 455), aged 11 to 18 (M = 15.38, SD = 2.10). The instruments used in this study were: the MHC-SF Karaś, Cieciuch and Keyes wellbeing scale, the Connor-Davidson CD-RSC resilience scale, and the DASS-21 Lovibond scale designed to measure depression, anxiety and stress. The participants also reported the amount of time they spent on eight types of activity (online and offline) during and before social isolation. Results: Correlation analysis showed that the more time students spend actively in a virtual environment, the higher the level of depression (r = 0.27; p < 0.001), anxiety (r = 0.25; p < 0.001), stress (r = 0.25; p < 0.001). The duration of online activity is also negatively correlated with psychological well-being (r = -0.13; p = 0.013), emotional well-being (r = -0.15; p = 0.003) and social well-being (r = -0.12; p = 0.026). Well-being increases with a higher number of activities that are not mediated by a screen medium (r = 0.17; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Social isolation resulted in an increase in online activity both in education and in the social life of young people. The results obtained indicate the intensification of negative affectivity in adolescents who spend more time in the online environments. Moreover, the protective role of non-Internet physical and social activities for the mental health of young people has been demonstrated.
Research conducted at the outset of the pandemic shows that people are vulnerable to unrealistic optimism (UO). However, the Weinstein model suggests that this tendency may not persist as the pandemic progresses. Our research aimed at verifying whether UO persists during the second (Study 1) and the third wave (Study 2) of the pandemic in Poland, whether it concerns the assessment of the chances of COVID-19 infection (Study 1 and Study 2), the chances of severe course of the disease and adverse vaccine reactions (Study 2). We show that UO towards contracting COVID-19 persists throughout the pandemic. However, in situations where we have little influence on the occurrence of the event, the participants do not show UO. The exceptions are those who have known personally someone who has died from a coronavirus infection. These results are discussed in terms of self-esteem protection and the psychological threat reduction mechanism.
Virtual reality can be used for educational purposes, particularly in demanding professions such as firefighting. Such virtual training may be useful for preparing trainees for distress, fear, or frustration experienced during real rescue operations. Evoking cognitive schemas, especially of other people, during training appears to be crucial as well, as the greatest stressors in the firefighting profession are social. Based on interviews with firefighters, two types of people (children and young women) were chosen as stimuli in the research design. In an experimental study with three iterations, the stimuli designed to evoke the schema of a significant other were implemented in a virtual reality simulator to evoke a cognitive schema in firefighters through emotions (positive and negative) and several dimensions of stress. The first iteration of the study did not yield expected results, as the stimulus (a child’s toy) was not as suggestive and vivid as it was expected. In the second attempt, the stimulus was improved and evoked feelings of challenge, harm, and loss in the participants. In the third iteration, the stimulus was changed once more (to a white dress) and this time it evoked negative emotions of fear, anger, guilt, and sadness. However, after correcting for multiple comparisons, only results regarding emotional response remained statistically significant. The results are discussed in light of cognitive schemas’ activation, and perspectives for further research in this scope are proposed. Due to research outcomes, the issues of manipulation checks in experimental psychology and limitations of the VR technology are taken into consideration.
Positive psychology points out the relation between experiencing the state of engagement in life, including social engagement, and the feeling of happiness and contentment in seniors. The purpose of the conducted study was to search for the relationship between the well-being of older adults and their individual life motives which were operationalized on the basis of the Japanese cultural phenomenon of ikigai. The participants in the study were seniors from three groups: members of the Active Senior Club, students of The Third Age University and inmates of a Care and Therapy In-patient Department (N = 138). The sense of meaning of life, satisfaction with life and resiliency were measured. Additionally, the participants were asked a question concerning the value they ascribed to their own life. The results of the study indicate that the seniors who declare they possess an individual life motive are generally more satisfi ed with their life and consider it to have more meaning. Senior citizens who are active in areas such as education or culture also present a higher level in those areas.
The importance of presence is growing along with the research on virtual environments. Measuring sense of presence may be crucial not only for designing better software, but also because a high presence level can determine other desired features such as transfer of skills with professional simulators. The authors conducted a translation and study that aimed to provide a Polish version of the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ-PL). The questionnaire was completed by 245 participants. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test two models – a three factor structure and a bifactor model with orthogonal rotation. Both models have satisfactory fit. The internal consistency of the scale is high and its external validity is satisfying. The obtained results indicate that the proposed Polish version of the IPQ is a valid tool for measuring the presence in virtual environments. Thus, it may be used in studies related to presence conducted on Polish samples.
Presence, defined as a psychological state of “being there”, is experienced during an interaction with Immersive Virtual Environments, particularly with Virtual Reality – the most popular type of such environment. Measuring presence is crucial because its level determines the effectiveness of virtual environments. The authors conducted a translation and a study (n = 245) that aimed to provide a Polish version of the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ-PL). The structure of the questionnaire and relations with other constructs were tested. The results indicate that IPQ-PL may be considered a valid tool for measuring presence and may beused in studies conducted on Polish samples.
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