The development of modern technologies has facilitated positive functioning in various aspects of everyday life. However, in addition to positive changes, there are also issues related to problematic behavior associated with new technologies and new media, such as problematic Facebook use (PFU) and problematic video gaming (PVG). Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to present the specificity of these problematic behaviors in a group of gamers and to determine their predictors and interrelatedness. In addition, the aim was to analyze the differences between male and female gamers. The study comprised 1,270 gamers (684 female gamers; age range from 15 to 34 years; M = 19.17 years; SD = 2.91 years). The intensity of PFU was assessed using the Facebook Intrusion Scale, and intensity of PVG was assessed using the Problem Video Game Playing Questionnaire. Results, showed that 6.4% of females had high levels of PFU compared to 3.1% of males, and that 1.8% of females had high levels of PVG compared to 5.8% of males. Structural equation modeling showed different predicators for PIU and PVG, despite the correlation between both problematic behaviors. The present findings enable better understanding of the relationship between PVG and PFU among gamers and differences between female and male gamers.

The development of new technology has contributed to changes in everyday functioning. However, one possible negative aspect of new technologies is their problematic, uncontrolled use. Dysfunctional self-control is a critical aspect of problematic behavior. Consequently, the present research investigated the relationship between problematic video gaming (PVG), problematic Facebook use (PFU), and self-control dimensions among female and male gamers. The study comprised 830 videogame players (350 female gamers) aged from 15 to 31 years. PFU was assessed using the Facebook Intrusion Scale, and PVG was assessed using the Problem Video Game Playing Questionnaire. Self-control dimensions were assessed using the 50-item Nowy Arkusz Samowiedzy (Self-Knowledge New Sheet; NAS-50). Findings showed that lower goal maintenance was associated with higher PFU, whereas lower initiative and persistence was associated with higher PVG among both groups. Additionally, there was a negative association between inhibition and adjournment and problematic behaviors among male gamers. In contrast, PFU was associated inhibition and adjournment among female gamers. The findings demonstrate the difference between both genders in the relationship between PVG and self-control. These findings enable a better understanding of the relationship between problematic behaviors and self-control among gamers and the differences between female and male gamers.

This study investigated the relationship between fear of the coronavirus, belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and dimensions of the need for cognitive closure. As there is evidence of associations between these variables, we hypothesized that the relationship between the need for closure dimensions and coronavirus fear may be mediated by conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19. We analyzed the results from 380 individuals who completed online versions of three scales: the Fear of COVID-19 Scale: a short version of the Need for Closure Scale: and—designed for this study—the Conspiracy Theories about the Coronavirus Scale. The results showed that belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories fully mediated the relationship between the fear of the coronavirus and avoidance of ambiguity, as well as closed-mindedness. The findings provided evidence that beliefs in conspiracy theories may play a significant role in reducing the level of coronavirus fear in people with high levels of these traits. In addition, a partial mediation between the fear of the coronavirus and the need for predictability was found. The limitations and implications of the research are discussed.

Lexical research based on the assumption that all the main human characteristics are encoded in the natural language constitutes one of the alternative ways of developing a taxonomy of individual differences in psychology. The majority of studies to date, including Polish ones, have been restricted to the analysis of the adjective lexicon, which means their results are at risk of reductionism. The aim of the presented research was to develop a classification of the complete Polish lexicon of person-descriptive terms (adjectives, participles, adverbs, nouns, and verbs). participants and procedure We analyzed 100,000 entries found in a universal dictionary of Polish and identified 27,813 terms used to describe human characteristics. The identified person-descriptive terms were classified by a team of 13 trained judges into 16 subcategories. The judges' taxonomic decisions were tested for validity and reliability. results Personality (dispositional) descriptors (5,598) constitute 20.1% of the Polish lexicon of person-descriptors; this includes 1,641 adjectives and participles, 612 adverbs, 1,442 attribute-nouns, 1,029 type-nouns, and 916 verbs. The analysis of the semantic redundancy of terms representing different parts of speech but having the same common morpheme among dispositional descriptors revealed 1,979 morphemes with distinct meanings. Only 64% of these morphemes are represented by adjectives. conclusions Adjectives constitute the largest group of personality (dispositional) descriptors but do not account for the entire Polish personality lexicon. The results of the study are a point of departure for research into the specificity of the structure of personality descriptions in the Polish language using various linguistic categories and for a comprehensive study on the entire Polish personality lexicon.