Search Results (9)

This study introduces the Skeptical Optimism Scale (SkO) and presents preliminary evidence of its content, construct, and criterion validity. Skeptical optimism refers to dispositional tendencies of having general positive expectations about the future, conditional on critical analysis and in-depth exploration of (potential negative) outcomes. We developed an initial pool of 31 items that explore positive expectations in three main life domains (finding solutions to difficult problems, mastering novel and challenging tasks, and effectively dealing with general life challenges) that were subject to content analysis by eight independent raters. The remaining items were tested for criterion and predictive validity in two samples (N = 198 and N = 417 participants). Factor analyses supported a three-factor structure and the refined 17-item version of the scale showed good reliability and validity. To support applications in settings requiring brief instruments, we also developed a 9-item version, preserving the factorial structure and psychometric qualities of the original scale. The results show that the 17 as well as 9-item SkO scales have a good criterion validity as they positively and significantly correlate with the core self-evaluation scale, critical thinking disposition, and grit. Moreover, our results show that the SkO has good predictive validity as it is the only significant predictor of the creativity quotient in our sample. Full article

This study aims to investigate the development of empathy as a thinking skill among preservice teachers at the University of Kazakhstan. Empathy is one of the domains of critical thinking, and this article aims to reveal the domains of empathy of future teachers. The research used some questions developed by empathic abilities diagnostics The questions were tailored to the pedagogy students and their experiences, and only those related to expressing empathy skills, i.e., assessing the ability to empathize with and understand the thoughts and feelings of another person, were selected. In this article, the authors stress the importance of empathy skills and their expression for developing creative thinking skills in future teachers. The results of a study involving 114 prospective schoolteachers (80 women and 34 men) from one university in Kazakhstan are presented. The study explored preservice teachers’ perceptions of the development of empathy skills, which included areas such as the conditions and dispositions for empathy, the ability to empathize with others, and the identification of empathy expression. To summarize the empirical data, it can be said that preservice teachers are able to recognize the body language of individuals and understand others without words, react emotionally to disasters in the immediate environment, and are sometimes out of control in their vocabulary in the immediate environment (they may unintentionally offend others). Full article

Considering that creative thinkers are individuals who can think outside of the box, exhibit original thoughts, and demonstrate problem-solving skills, it is likely that there is a relationship between mathematical problem-solving beliefs (MPSBs) and creative thinking dispositions (CTDs). This study aimed to predict teachers’ MPSBs with their CTDs and some demographic features. Three different artificial intelligence models (fuzzy logic, artificial neural network (ANN), and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)) were developed, and artificial data were obtained. The inputs of the research were determined as CTD, gender, age, educational level, school level, and teaching experiences, and the output was determined as MPSBs. Afterward, whether there was a relationship between real and artificial results was examined with statistical analysis. The research results show that there is a statistically significant, positive, and moderate relationship between artificial ANN MPSB scores and real MPSB scores (r = 0.422; p < 0.05), as well as artificial ANFIS MPSB scores and real MPSB scores (r = 0.564; p < 0.05). These results are important sources of evidence indicating that artificial intelligence methods accurately predict teachers’ MPSB scores. Full article

Transformational coaching has been shown to increase the personal and social skills of adolescent athletes. Nevertheless, the latter’s dispositional characteristics, such us personal values, could have a moderating effect on this relationship. The main objective of this work was to examine perceptions of coaches’ transformational behaviors and the modulation of athletes’ personal values in their relationship with personal and social skills development. Adolescents (n = 309) of both genders (81.9% male) aged 13–19 years (M = 16.10; SD = 1.70) from 16 different basketball clubs participated in the study. All participants completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Transformational Coaching Questionnaire, the Portrait Values Questionnaire—Revised, and the Youth Experiences Survey for Sport. Results showed that, controlling for age and gender, transformational behaviors that highlight individual differences within the team, especially through fostering autonomy and creative thinking (i.e., intellectual stimulation), create contexts in which their athletes can develop personal and social skills to their fullest. However, in players with high self-transcendence and low self-enhancement, the increase in intellectual stimulation was not associated with higher personal and social skills, but social focus transformational behaviors (i.e., idealized influence and inspirational motivation) were. This study contributes to the field of positive adolescent development by showing evidence of both the individual and the social focus of transformational leadership behaviors to maximize personal and social skills, depending on which values their athletes consider important. Full article

Scientific interest in the relationship between analytic processing and creativity has increased in recent years. However, there is conflicting evidence on whether analytic processing reduces or enhances creativity. We hypothesize that differences in creativity measurement paradigms (divergent or convergent thinking tasks) and the research orientation of analytic processing (dispositional or situational) may explain the conflicting findings. The present study aims to investigate how priming analytic processing affects individuals’ performance on divergent and convergent thinking tasks and the moderating role of thinking styles. In Study 1 (N = 155), participants were assigned to either an analytic processing group or a control group and performed convergent thinking (Remote Associates Task) and divergent thinking (Alternative Uses Test) tasks after priming. In Study 2 (N = 119), we conducted a priming paradigm of analytic processing that differed from Study 1, and a personal experiential-rational thinking style was introduced as a moderator. Results showed that priming analytic processing promoted convergent thinking performance but decreased fluency and flexibility scores on the divergent thinking task (Study 1). Notably, the effect of priming analytic processing on divergent thinking performance was significant only for participants with higher levels of rational thinking style (Study 2). These results suggest that thinking styles and dimensions of creativity should be considered in the relationship between analytic processing and creativity. Full article

Intelligence, like creativity and wisdom, has an attitudinal component as well as an ability-based one. The attitudinal component is at least as important as the ability-based one. Theories of intelligence, in ignoring the attitudinal component of intelligence, have failed to account fully or accurately for why so many people who have relatively high levels of intelligence as an ability fail fully to deploy their ability, especially toward positive ends. The article reviews the need to view intelligence as comprising an attitude as well as an ability, and surveys reasons why people’s lack of an intelligent attitude hinders their deployment of intelligence. Suggestions are made for how things could change in a positive way. Full article

This study was conducted to investigate the correlations between social–emotional competence (SEC) and academic achievement (AA) among nursing students and to compare students’ level of each core skill of SEC (critical thinking disposition, self-directed learning, creativity, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and collaboration) and academic achievement (clinical performance and subjective academic achievement). A cross-sectional design was adapted. Data were collected from 195 nursing students in the junior and senior years who had participated in clinical practicum from four universities in South Korea. General characteristics, levels of critical thinking disposition, self-directed learning, creativity, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, collaboration, and academic achievement were collected via self-reported questionnaire. Canonical correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between SEC and AA. The canonical correlation coefficient between SEC and AA was 0.762. Critical thinking disposition (Rs = 0.89), problem-solving (Rs = 0.86), and cooperation (Rs = 0.80) made the most important contributions to SEC. Clinical performance (Rs = 0.95) and subjective AA (Rs = 0.57) were correlated with AA. SEC should be addressed to improve the AA of nursing students. All core skills of SEC should be regularly promoted. It is particularly urgent for nursing students to improve their creativity. Full article

In a social environment that requires young people to adapt to increasingly demanding situations, emotional education and creativity training may be key for both personal development and academic performance. Given that there are currently no known interventions that develop emotional and creative skills simultaneously in a youth population, the main objective of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate the Emotional Divergent–Convergent Thinking Program (EDICOP). The study design was quasi-experimental with a non-equivalent control group and pretest–posttest measures. The participants included 196 students between 16 and 24 years of age belonging to two centers of higher education. Our results showed that the EDICOP contributed to the improvement of the participants’ divergent-proactive style, positive affectivity, emotional predisposition, and attention, as well as to their preference for cognition. Overall, the EDICOP is, therefore, both relevant and useful, and further research on the mood–creativity link is merited to generate new contexts in higher education for the promotion of both the emotional and creativity dispositions and self-awareness, by combining three basic psychological processes (emotion, cognition, and motivation). Full article

Environmental education for young children has great potential for fostering the skills, values, and dispositions that support sustainability. While North American guidelines emphasize the importance of using the natural world for open-ended exploration, discovery, and play, this approach has been criticized for lacking the transformative power necessary for meaningfully contributing to sustainability issues. Four pilot studies were conducted exploring the influence of nature play in the context of nature preschools on children’s curiosity, executive function skills, creative thinking, and resilience. These studies used established quantitative instruments to measure growth in these constructs among nature preschool participants, comparing this growth with participants in high quality, play-based, non-nature preschools. The results suggest a positive contribution of nature play, with greater levels of curiosity, creative thinking, and resilience than what was observed in the non-nature preschool participants, and executive function skills similar to the non-nature preschool participants and exceeding national norms. Collectively, these pilot studies suggest the potential contribution of nature play in the context of education for sustainability. Full article