Adult attachment, popular narcissists, and university sports
How can we measure people’s self-image using artificial intelligence? What might be behind the stigmatisation of mental illness? What are the implications of the internationalisation of higher education with regard to education science and teacher training? These are some of the questions that are answered by the studies published by ELTE PPK’s researchers in August.
- The relationship between authoritarianism and the stigmatisation of mental illness
- "Everything is so dull without me”: popular narcissists
- The role of adult attachment styles in the development of suicidal behaviour
- Artificial intelligence in the service of psychology: measuring self-image with pictures
- Internationalisation of doctoral schools of education in Hungary
- Expectations, trends and innovations in university sport services
The relationship between authoritarianism and the stigmatisation of mental illness
We know from various statistics that in Hungary, a relatively large number of people experience symptoms that threaten their mental health, yet the overwhelming majority of these people either do not seek or do not receive professional help. A central contributing factor is the stigma surrounding mental health symptoms, which discourages people from seeking help. The authors of this study sought to understand the extent to which this stigma is shaped by the perceiver’s views on broader social functioning. They captured this through variables such as authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, system justification, and conservative political ideology. Results show that the more authoritarian a person is, the more they tend to stigmatise individuals displaying symptoms of schizophrenia, depression, or alcoholism. This suggests that, for them, these symptoms somehow threaten the “established order” by deviating from what is “normal” and by displaying a sense of “otherness” with regard to the rest of society: this is a type of threat that is difficult to reconcile with authoritarianism. The implication of this research is that stigma is embedded in social context, which must be taken into account when planning interventions.
“Everything is so dull without me”: popular narcissists
The study of personality configurations labeled as aversive or “dark,” such as narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism, is often problematic because research on the mild, so-called subclinical, forms of these personality traits is mostly conducted through either self-report or in experimental settings that leave much to be desired in terms of realism. The authors of this study examined individuals from groups that had been together for years (9 high school classes, 184 students) to see how self-reported dark personality traits related to their status within the group. The most important finding was that students who identified more strongly with narcissistic traits were indeed more popular among their peers. Although the authors can only offer speculative explanations for the results at this stage, it seems that narcissism helps students form positive social relationships during this formative period of their lives.
The role of adult attachment styles in the development of suicidal behaviour
Suicide is a multicausal event that cannot be explained by a single factor. This research focused primarily on the psychodynamic background factors of suicide, such as the relationship between childhood trauma, adult attachment styles, and personality dimensions. Based on the aforementioned factors and in an adult psychiatric sample, the researchers compared groups that had attempted suicide with those that had not. Childhood trauma often has long-term effects on an individual’s emotional regulation and relational functioning. These experiences often lead to insecure attachment styles, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues in adulthood, which can increase the risk of suicide. According to the results, novelty seeking can be considered a risk factor among the personality traits examined, showing a correlation with impulsivity. In terms of attachment styles, the study highlights the protective role and therapeutic implications of secure attachment styles. Regarding attachment patterns, a supportive human and therapeutic relationship can act as a corrective factor. A rich social network and positive human relationships reduce the risk of suicide.
Artificial intelligence in the service of psychology: measuring self-image with pictures
The present research aimed at developing a new, creative method for measuring self-image that examines people’s self-perception using artificial intelligence capable of generating artistic quality pictures (Midjourney). This method combines the traditions of psychological self-description, art therapy, and computerised body image assessments.
Participants were asked to write prompts for the AI software, which then created images of the participants based on these instructions. These prompts were subjected to category analysis, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants. This exploratory study demonstrated that the pictures showed significant individual differences. Subsequent research will focus on determining whether these differences are linked to such personal characteristics as the individual’s sensitivity to the state of flow.
Participants evaluated the process very positively: they experienced the use of AI as a sort of self-awareness discovery process and an opportunity to experiment with various aspects of their identity; many were astonished by their own creative abilities and the potential of the technology. In the future, this method could be used to measure not only self-image but also other attitudes, and it may even be applicable as a tool in art therapy.
Internationalisation of doctoral schools of education in Hungary
The study presents the results of a pilot study. Researchers collected personal narratives from lecturers teaching in doctoral schools of education about how they have experienced recent significant changes to their programmes in education science and teacher training. Efforts to internationalise higher education are gradually and inexorably transforming the formerly national-minded doctoral programmes as well: this presents a threat to the local flavour of these programmes and the milieu that used to characterise them. From the subjective perspective of the lecturers involved in the study, the results showcase the effects of the organisational changes brought about by internationalisation at the level of the doctoral programmes of education science and teacher training, which is a rather rare approach in this type of research. Since the results show that the internationalisation of education science and teacher training research in formerly socialist countries has unique characteristics that differ from those in the West, this research can also contribute to the novel discourse on this subject at both general professional and local levels.
Expectations, trends and innovations in university sport services
Universities are not only strongholds of research and learning, but also a crucial space in the day-to-day life of a continuously broadening and increasing numerous age group. A wide spectrum of solutions for healthy lifestyle, sustainability, and individual well-being is present in university life as well, supported by the trends prevailing in university sport services. This study presents the actions generated by international organisations and the prevalent trends of Hungarian university sport services.