Contents
Application of the questionnaire «positions of perception» to assess the age and gender characteristics of personality development in terms of positions of perception.
1. Introduction
One of the aspects of a person’s perception of a situation in practical psychology is described by the concept of «position of perception».
There are five main, classic positions:
0. Zero position
This position was historically added after the first ones (hence the number) and denotes their absence. The zero position consists in a stereotyped reaction, submission to external forces, requirements, standards, traditions, one’s own habits and social stereotypes.
1. First position
Orientation to own, personal interests, initiatives, needs, desires.
2. Second position
Understanding and taking into account the interests, needs and desires of the interlocutor, partner,
3. Third position
A detached look «from the outside», assessing the situation as objectively and impartially as possible.
4. Fourth position
Summarizing previous approaches, systemic view. This position, being synthetic, is rarely used in analysis.
In addition, we introduced two more:
5. Passive first position
Uncontrolled dependence on one’s own, personal interests, needs, desires, the psychological need to make them the first priority.
6. Passive second position
Uncontrolled dependence on the interests, needs and desires of the interlocutor, partner, exposure to external influence.
Thus, the resulting set of scales was divided into two triads:
Scales I, II and III as active, controlled skills, abilities, skills and
Scales O, n1 and n2 as uncontrolled passive dependencies.
2. Methods
The questionnaire «Positions of perception» (own development) was used for the study. The questionnaire was presented through a web interface using the Internet to 1456 respondents, aged 12 to 70 years, 1025 women and 431 men.
The results obtained were stenised in accordance with the methodology.
3. Results
Separately for men and women, the following average scores were obtained:
Table 1. Gender differences in positions of perception.
Figure 1. Gender differences in positions of perception.
As follows from the theory and general considerations, men, on average, are characterized by higher values of scales I, III, and n1 (initiative, independence, managerial approach), while women are characterized by higher values of the O, II, and n2 scales (socialization, empathy, communication). All differences are statistically significant (p<.01>
To analyze age differences, the sample was divided into 2 groups: 792 respondents under 30 and 663 respondents aged 30 and over.
Table 2. Age differences in positions of perception.
Figure 2. Age differences in positions of perception.
For the younger age, increased values of n1 and n2 (independence, on the one hand, and subordination to authorities, on the other), were characteristic, all other scales have higher indicators for older ages, I and III in particular (independence and the ability to independently evaluate). This is consistent with theory and common sense.