Re: Dissertation

Michael J. Donovan, Ph.D. (donovanmj@worldnet.att.net)
Sun, 26 Apr 1998 18:33:11 -0700

I sugguest that you eliminate from your stimuli such terms as: behaves, conflict,
and situation,
e.g., A person who behaves violently in a conflict situation.
could change to
A person who is violent.
I would venture to guess that if you were present the present form of the items
and a simplified form to a sample of subjects, you world find that the responses
would be remarkably similar. The simplified stimuli,
however, would yeild constructs closer to those actually used by the persons in
"real life" and less
reflective of how they imagine they are "suppoused to" think.
Actually, to follow Kelley's example, be simple and specific to personal
experience,
e.g. The person you have know who was most violent.
Also change the form of the stimulus a bit from item to item,
e.g. Someone you know who is very powerful.
This would reduce the subjects attention to the form of the item and yield a more
personal response.
Good luck!
Mike

SAUD@mary.fordham.edu wrote:

> I am a doing a dissertation on the psychology of nonviolence. In the study,
> I will be investigating whether there are systematic variations in
> individual construals of dimensions deemed vital to understanding nonviolence
> as a belief system. Presently, I am trying to create a rep grid with elements
> which the literature in the psychology of nonviolence suggest are important
> for "principled nonviolence." The domains which the literature suggests are
> important are: truth, aggression, morality, benevolence, compassion, fear,
> anger, understanding, forgiveness, integrity, self control, etc. Do you have
> any ideas on elements for the rep grid? So far I am thinking about such
> elements as the following:
> A person who behaves violently in a conflict situation
> A person who behaves powerfully in a conflict situation
> A person who demonstrates self control in a conflict situation
> A person who behaves cowardly in a conflict situation
> A person who behaves morally in a conflict situation
> A person who behaves angrily in a conflict situation
> A person who behaves responsibly in a conflict situation
> A person who looks for "truth" in a conflict situation
> A person who behaves justly in a conflict situation
> A person who behaves fearfully in a conflict situation
> A person who behaves aggressively in a conflict situation
> A person who behaves assertively in a conflict situation
> A person who you admire because of the manner they handle conflict
> A person who you admire because of the manner they handle conflict
> Your ideal self in a conflict situation
> Your real self in a conflict situation
>
> Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions?
>
> Ketrin Saud

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