Browsing by discipline "Psykologi"

The hypnotic phenomena have long been debated. In scientific research, disagreements on the conceptual and methodological approach have led to controversial results and interpretations which heat up the debate. Additionally, hypnotic suggestibility is often measured only behaviourally, subjects are studied in masses and the role of individual responders is largely neglected. One way to reach beyond mere behaviour to the level of experience without losing the individual variability is by combining posthypnotic suggestions, self-reports, psychophysiological measurement techniques and a case study approach. The present study examined the effects of suggested changes in the visual colour perception of simple geometric shapes in the posthypnotic and the simulation condition as measured by self-reports, reaction times, error rates and event-related potentials (ERPs). The case study approach was chosen and the focus was set on two highly suggestible hypnotic responders. The comparative data for simulation were also obtained from a set of control subjects. Results indicated differences in processing between the posthypnotic and simulation condition seen in the behavioural performance and to a lesser extent in the posterior N2 and P3 peaks of the ERP waves. Evident dissimilarities were found also among highly suggestible hypnotic responders. These results support the occurrence of inimitable hypnotic modulations in some individuals and point out the need to examine hypnotic responders on a more individual basis.

Goals. The purpose of this study is to look at the association between binge eating disorder and functional impairment. Binge eating disorder is the most prevalent eating disorder and a new addition to the DSM 5. Functional impairment is an important factor in determining the damage caused by mental health disorders. Is there functional impairment in binge eating disorder and how much was examined in this study. The effect of sociodemographic factors (age, sex, work status and marital status) on the risk of binge eating disorder and the effect of sociodemographic factors and age of onset on the functional impairment caused by binge eating disorder were subsequently examined. Methods. The data was derived from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys, which is freely available and includes the prevalences and correlates of mental health disorders. The diagnosis of binge eating disorder was defined by the DSM-IV criteria based CIDI-interview. Functional impairment was measured by modified WHODAS-II-questionnaire and SDS-questionnaire meant specifically for the measurement of eating disorders. The association of sociodemographic factors and binge eating disorder was examined using the logistic regression. The association of sociodemographic factors and age of onset and the functional impairment caused by binge eating disorder was examined using the ordinal regression. Results and conclusions. There was functional impairment in binge eating disorder compared to general population but this functional impairment was mild. The disorder was more common in women, it affected people in every age category but not the older age cohorts and it was not linked to marital status. However it was associated to unemployment. The functional impairment caused by binge eating disorder was only explained by unemployment in the area of work and education. Otherwise, age, sex, age of onset and marital status was not associated to the functional impairment caused by binge eating disorder. The functional impairment present in binge eating disorder seems to be caused by other factors than sociodemographic factors or age of onset. The potential candidates might be other coexisting psychopathology.

Prenatal conditions alter fetal development in ways that may have long-term effects on the child's later physical and psychological development and health. According to the fetal programming hypothesis, the environment of the uterus may permanently affect the structure and operation of the organs of the fetus as well as its phenotype. One explanation for the disturbance in fetal development is the glucocorticoid hypothesis, which assumes that the increased glucocorticoid content in the mother's system during pregnancy has a negative effect on fetal development. According to research, early exposure to glucocorticoids may have a lasting effect on the offspring's neural development, and these effects may manifest in various ways in the child's development. The hypothesis states that one adverse factor to fetal development is the mother's prenatal depression, as depression is associated with increased amounts of glucocorticoid. Prenatal depression is a relatively common condition, but its effects on fetal development have not been widely studied and are not very thoroughly known. Research has indicated that prenatal depression has a connection to various developmental problems in the child, such as psychological disorders and impaired cognitive development. Prenatal depression has also been found to have a connection to a more negative (e.g. more timid) temperament in the child. The goal of this thesis is to study the connections between the mother's prenatal depression and the child's temperamental traits. The research material consists of 2 445 mothers, whose symptoms were charted a total of 14 times during the entire pregnancy and afterwards. In addition, the mothers assessed their child's temperament at the age of approximately six months. Based on the results obtained, a higher incidence of symptoms of depression strongly predicts a more negative affectivity in the child. In addition, symptoms of prenatal depression predict a lower orienting/regulation and a lower surgency/extraversion. The reasons for these links have not so far been explained, but a possible explanation is the damage in the early development of the central nervous system of the fetus caused by the mother's high prenatal glucocorticoid content. Especially damage in the hippocampus and amygdala could explain the child's elevated negative affectivity and, conversely, lower surgency/extraversion.

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has detrimental effects on one's course of life. Educational underachievement can be identified as one of the most salient disparities over time, and therefore studying the mediating mechanisms is crucial. In previous studies, comorbidities and above-average positive bias in self-evaluations have been demonstrated to be associated with poorer prognosis. However, there are only a few longitudinal studies extending over decades. This master's thesis investigates psychiatric symptoms and social competence reported by parents and youths themselves at 16 years of age. The study also examined how these and the bias in their reporting predict educational level at thirty years of age. The data consisted of persons born in Kätilöopisto (1971–1974) who experienced pre- and perinatal risks. In childhood, part of them (n=122) had diagnostic criteria fulfilling symptoms of attention deficits and hyperactivity. In the follow-up, a non-ADHD (n=738) and a healthy control group born in the same hospital during the same period of time (n=194) were also assessed and compared to an ADHD group (N=1054). Psychiatric symptoms and social competence were measured by the Child Behavior Checklist and the Youth Self-Report. Information regarding educational level in adulthood was available from 570 participants. The ADHD-group had more psychiatric symptoms and lower social competence in adolescence than other groups, according to self-reports and parental reports. Additionally, educational level in adulthood was lower. In this study, an ADHD-associated above-average positive bias was not found. The size of a bias predicted educational level when the effects of covariants were taken into account. However, the predictive power was weaker than for self-reports or parent reports only. Psychiatric symptoms and social competence explained 13–18 % of variance in educational level in the data. Investing in psychosocial interventions with adolescents suffering from ADHD could prevent underachievement in adulthood.

People have had supernatural beliefs through the ages. Explanation for supernatural beliefs is sought in the thinking styles. Studies in this area have systematically reported that intuitive thinking style is positively related to supernatural beliefs, while findings about connections between analytical thinking and supernatural beliefs are more controversial. From standpoint of dual-process theory analytical and intuitive thinking consist several dimensions. Moreover, thinking styles have been conceptualized and assessed different ways in different studies. These might be the explanations for controversial results. Research questions were: How are thinking styles related to supernatural beliefs? Are components of analytical thinking related to supernatural beliefs in the same way? How are these components related to each other? What is the role of participant's sex and age in moderating the association between thinking styles and supernatural beliefs? Participants (n=3084) were recruited via internet discussion forums and electronic students mailing lists. Recruitment message provided a link to the online questionnaire. Thinking style was measured using CRT-, REIm- and AOT -scales. Religious and paranormal beliefs were assessed by questionnaires. This study replicated previous results in order that analytical thinking was inversely related, and intuitive thinking positively related to supernatural beliefs. When all the other sub dimensions of different thinking styles were controlled, it appeared that only actively open-minded thinking and intuitive thinking (when assessed by self-report questionnaire) showed unique effects on supernatural beliefs. Regarding sub dimensions of analytical thinking and their mutual connections, only need for cognition and ability to reflect were related to each other moderately. Ability to reflect and actively open-minded thinking, as well as need for cognition and actively open-minded thinking were connected to each other only quite weakly. Results showed that subject's sex and/or age moderated partially connections between thinking styles and supernatural beliefs: With men need for cognition was more strongly connected to paranormal beliefs, than with women. In case of actively open-minded thinking the situation was opposite. In cognitive reflection there was no such sex-differences. Respondent's sex and age moderated the association between actively open minded-thinking and paranormal beliefs. This connection didn't occur anymore with men in elder age group but with women it existed. Connection between intuitive thinking and paranormal beliefs was also moderated by subject's sex and age. With men intuitive thinking was more strongly associated to religious beliefs, than with women. The current study contributes new information concerning the moderating role of subject's sex and/or age in the association between thinking styles and supernatural beliefs.

Background and aims. Most of the knowledge about neurocognitive processes of reading is based on artificial reading paradigms, such as serial presentation of isolated words or linguistic violation paradigms. The main aim of this thesis was to develop a novel approach to study the neural processes of reading. Specifically, a naturalistic reading task was employed due to concerns for ecological validity, that have been raised about the effects of task on the reading processes. A combination of methods was used to overcome difficulties introduced by this unconstrained reading approach. The second aim was to apply this novel paradigm to test if early differences in the neurocognitive processing of words from different word classes can be found during naturalistic reading. Early processing differences between word classes have been observed before, but they might be task-specific or due to processing related to linguistic violations. Methods. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and eye movements were recorded simultaneously while participants (8, 4 males) silently read a biographical novel presented on a computer screen. The eye movement recording was used to relate the MEG recording to specific word fixation events during reading. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to remove eye movement artifacts from the MEG recording and to extract activations of individual cortical areas. An automatic parser was used to extract word class information for all the words in the reading material. Event-related fields (ERFs) evoked by fixations on nouns and verbs were compared using nonparametric cluster-based permutation tests in time window of 0–250 ms after the fixation onset. Results and conclusions. The novel combination of methods used in this study proved to be a promising approach to examine neural processes of reading. In comparison to mainstream methodology of cognitive neuroscience of reading, the present approach has several theoretical and practical advantages. Statistically significant differences between nouns and verbs were found in the sensors above the left temporal cortex, in the 138–164 ms and 184–206 ms time windows after the fixation onset. The results confirm some of the earlier findings that were based on non-naturalistic reading settings and suggests that syntactic and/or semantic information is accessed remarkably early in the course of normal reading.

When studying hypnosis, it often needs to be known whether the subjects are hypnotizable or not. Hypnotizability can be predicted by suggestibility, which in turn can be estimated with various scales. Different scales yield different estimates of suggestibility. This creates a risk of incorrect comparison of the scores. The comparability of the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility (HGSHS:A) and Waterloo-Stanford Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility (WSGC) has not been studied much. Suggestibility is sometimes measured repeatedly with different scales and the order of their administration can affect the scores. This effect has not been studied on the HGSHS:A and the WSGC. This study aims to analyze whether 1) the scores yielded by these scales are affected by the order of their administration, 2) the scores are comparable and 3) corresponding suggestions and types of suggestions are passed equally often. It is expected that the order of administration does affect the scores and even more so for HGSHS:A, 2) the HGSHS:A score is higher than the WSGC and 3) the corresponding suggestions are not passed equally often. 58 subjects were studied, (67% female, 33% male). Both scales were administered to each subject. Half of the subjects were first administered the HGSHS:A and the other half the WSGC. The order of administration did affect the HGSHS:A score but not the WSGC. The hypothesis of the HGSHS:A score being higher was confirmed and the comparability of the scores proved to be less than desirable. There were no significant differences between passing the corresponding suggestions. These results imply that repeated testing might be futile if the right scale is chosen. It is recommended to use the WSGC even for subjects with not former experience of hypnosis. Alternatively, certain suggestions could be used separately to overcome the problems related to the common scales. Specific suggestions are recommended for assessing certain types of suggestibility. Furthermore, a summary of what to take into account when assessing the comparability of different studies is provided.

The study examined immigrants' attitudes towards acculturation, in other words the social and cultural changes that take place in the adaptation process. The perspective of acculturation studies was also expanded by examining immigrants' cultural values and their experiences of majority's expectations. In addition, special interest was directed to the relations between acculturation attitudes and values and both factors' relevance on psychological well-being. Indian born immigrants were selected as subjects as they are one of the fastest growing ethnic minorities in Finland. This minority has not been included in immigration studies previously. The seventy-five immigrants that participated as subjects represent a highly educated subgroup of Indian born immigrants. The study was carried out with posted questionnaires. Most of the subjects received an inquiry of their motivation to participate by e-mail or phone before the postal questionnaire. The results were in line with previous studies in Finland as the attitudes emphasising cultural integration were dominant. However, attitudes towards marriage, reflecting deeper and less flexible parts of culture, were dominated by separation motives. Immigrants' perceptions of majority's expectations reflected partly the real assimilation wishes demonstrated in previous studies. Against hypotheses, discrepancies between acculturation attitudes and experiences of majority's expectations did not predict immigrants' psychological well-being in a clear way. The highly educated Indian born immigrants emphasised self-direction and universalism in their values. This separates them from the traditional cultural values of India. The hypotheses made of the predictive relations between values and acculturation attitudes were partly confirmed. Also, the assumptions concerning both the stress buffering role of collectivistic values and the positive effect of achievement values on feelings of mastery were confirmed. Despite the limitations in the data, this study strengthens the view that cultural and personal values play a significant role in immigrants' adaptation process. Information about values can benefit individuals making hard decisions and coping with cultural change as well as officials modifying Finnish immigration policy and planning the support system for immigrants.

Adolescent delinquency is a prevalent concern, which carries with psychological and societal costs. Deviant peer affiliation and criminogenic attitudes, as well as personality traits are known to be associated with delinquency, but their interlinked effects are less studied. The present study examines the role of personality in a deviant socialization context. Specifically, I examine whether peer deviance and criminogenic attitudes (1) mediate and/or (2) moderate the associations of the Five-Factor Model personality traits with delinquency. The data included respondents (n=4855) to the cross-sectional Finnish Self-Report Delinquency Study 2012, aged 14-17 years. Delinquency was assessed on the basis of 17 different deviant behaviors; the reported frequencies of engaging in each of them were scaled using a graded response model. Peer deviance and criminogenic attitudes were assessed via respondents' selfreports; two distinct attitudinal indicators (deviant and neutralizing attitudes) were included. Personality was assessed with a 15-item BFI-S questionnaire. A structural equation model was conducted to examine the mediation pathways. The moderation effects were examined with linear regression analysis. Delinquency was associated with higher extraversion, lower agreeableness, lower conscientiousness, and lower neuroticism. Peer deviance and criminogenic attitudes partially mediated the associations of extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness with delinquency. The association between neuroticism and delinquency was fully mediated via criminogenic attitudes. Peer deviance strengthened the associations of low neuroticism, low agreeableness, and low conscientiousness with delinquency. Deviant and neutralizing attitudes strengthened the associations of high extraversion and low agreeableness with delinquent conduct. The findings suggest that personality may provide novel insights into the etiology of delinquency in a context of deviant socialization. Implications of the personality-based approach and directions for further research are discussed.

Goals As the proportion of the elderly population increases, studying biomarkers of cellular aging have become an important focus of research. However, these risk factors of age-related diseases have been difficult to identify. Recently an estimator of cellular aging, based on DNA methylation levels, the DNAm age, has been developed, and it has been linked to risk for both greater mortality and physical and mental health diseases. Effects of early life stress and later health on DNAm age have not yet been studied together. We set out to study, if early life stress and later quality of life and depression each separately or in combination associate with DNAm age. Methods The participants comprised Finnish males, of which 83 were separated from their families during the World War 2, and 83 non-separated controls belonging to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Genome-wide methylation profiles, Rand-36 quality of life and BDI-1 depression inventory were assessed during years 2001-2004. DNAm age was estimated using the Horvath procedure. Associations of separation status, Rand-36 scores and BDI scores on DNAm age were studied with linear regression after adjusting for chronological age, cell type counts, tobacco smoking and frequency of alcohol consumption. Results and conclusions The separation status did not associate with the DNAm age. The Rand-36 Bodily Pain –scale associated differently with DNAm age in the separated group compared to the non-separated group. In analyses stratified for separation status, mild-severe depressive symptoms associated with lower DNAm age in the separated group. Similarly, lower quality of life on Rand-36 Role Functioning-scale and Emotional and Role Functioning Physical -scale associated with lower DNAm age in the separated group. Results are in line with previous studies, which have shown that early life stress doesn't associate with the DNAm age, but the cumulative total life stress and later adulthood diseases do associate with the DNAm age. This study brings novel information of the associations of early life stress and later depression symptomatology and psychosocial quality of life on the DNAm age, and suggests the early life stress and later depression and poorer psychosocial quality of life to have a cumulative effect on the DNAm age. More studies and longitudinal follow-up is needed to clarify the role of DNAm age as a biomarker of cellular aging, especially when examining the effects of early life stress exposure and later health together.