51
SOME SOCIAL ORIENTATIONS IN TIME PERSPECTIVE OF LAST 10 YEARS AND IN DEPENDENCE ON SOME COGNITIVE FACTORS
Veiko S. Rus*
SUMMARY
Attitudes of students of psychology (n = 40 ) and sociology (n = 33) toward hierarchy in (global) society (variable A) and toward the symbolism of values (variable B) obtained in the year 1991 were compared with the same attitudes, identified by similar groups in the year 1983 ( n = 115) in the year 1985 (n = 115) and in the year 1988 ( n = 117). Comparison showed significant differences and polarisation between the attitudes of variable A, but also between attitudes of variable B. Correlation between these two variables is always influenced by one of two conditions: 1 -instructions explicitely define object of measurement and 2 - object is not mentioned at all in the instructions.
INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS
Scales of attitudes were constructed and applied in the preliminary form in the year 1981. The short definitions of the both attitude objects are presented in the framework of the applied instructions.
Perceptions of the problems of the social hierarchy (with the relations of exclusive power monopol included) and of value symbolism have been changing in the time from the year 1981 just to the 1993/94. The perceptions of the value symbolism, as it is defined in the actual article, in the beginning of the eighties seemed to be the unimportant or even "artificially constructed" variable. Later, experiences showed, that value symbolism became one of the dominant global social orientations on the levels of the new historical processes.
' Department for Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Askrceva 12, University of Ljubljana, R Slovenia
52 PSIHOLOŠKA OBZORJA - HORIZOIS OF PSYCHOtOGY 93/3, ¦<
Problem of the research: How the attitudes toward the social hierarchy and symbolism of values (measured with the instruments, presented on the poster) change during the time ? (The instruments have been in preliminar form constructed just in 1979).
How do the instructions about the object of the measurement influence attitudes toward the same object and how does it influence the relations between the attitudes measurin different objects?
HYPOTHESES:
Attitudes toward social hierarchy and toward symbolism of values significantly change in time.
There is a significant difference in attitude scores between the different groups of respondents.
Instructions about the object of measurement influence the attitude score and attitude structure toward the same object, so as the relation between the attitudes measuring different objects.
APPLIED INSTRUCTIONS:
For the attitudes toward the social hierarchy:
The statements, which are before you, express different attitudes toward the diffrent aspects of social hierarchy. The term of the social hierarchy is probably known to you. As you know, the hierarchical relations on different areas manifestate in the re-altions between the individuals, so as in the relations between the small and great groups. You'll express your attitude about the question, how ceratin aspects of the (social) hierarchy are necessary or unnecessary. You'll express your opinion on 5 point scale of agreement (desagreemnt) with the content of the following statements:
For the attitudes toward symbolism of values:
The attitudes, which are before you, express different attitudes toward different aspects of "value symbolism". In our case, the "value symbolism" means the the degree of the manifestation of the certain basic values (or their opposities) through the different characteristics of the behaviour or through certain personal characteristics. With other words: how much do certain personal characteristics symbolise certain basic value. With your answers on 5 point degree, you'll express your (dis)agreemnt with their content.
* Respondents were in two conditions: in the condition of the presentation ("with instructions") and in the condition of the non presentation ("without instructions") of the instructions.
Applied instruments:
The sample of statements from Adorno's F scale:
Means and standard deviations of corresponed groups are also presented (except of the missing parameters):
; SOCiAl ORIENTATIONS IN TIME PERSPECTIVE OF LAST lOYEARS
53
12 3 4
Psychologists   Sociologists Psycholog. Psycholog.
1991 1991 1988 1983
n=54 n=34 n=117 n=115
2/An insult to our honour should always be punished. 2
X 2.6 2.8
SD       1.15 1.19
3/A person, who has bad manners, habits and breeding can hardly expect to get along with decent people: 1 2 3 4 5
3
X 3.3 4.0
SD        1.00 0.96
4/ Obedience and respect for authority are the most important virtues children should learn: 1 2 3 4 5
4
X 1.7 3.0
SD       0.80 1.10
5/ No sane, normal, decent person could ever think of hurting a close relative or friend: 1 2 3 4 5
5
X 2.1 2.3
SD        1.20 1.30
6/Science has its place, but there are many important things that can never possibly be understood by the human mind: 1 2 3 4 5
6
X 3.6 4.0
SD        1.30 1.20
7AVhat youth needs most is strict discipline, rugged determinantion, and the will towork and fight for family and country: 1 2 3 4 5
7
X 2.1 2.5
SD        1.10 1.15
8An my opinion, patriotism and loyality are the first requirements of a good citizen: 1 2 3 4 5
8
X 2.0 2.6
SD       1.00 1.30
54 PSIHaOSKAOBZORJA-HORIZONS OF PSYCHOLOGY 93/3, 4
The statements with the succesive number from 9 to 40: the attitudes toward the acceptance of the social hierarchy (the statements were preliminary constructed (as Likert scale with the adequate measurement characteristics) in the scholastic year 1979/80).
12 3 4
Psychologists   Sociologists     Psycholog.      Psycholog. 1991 1991 1988 1983
n=54 n=34 n=117 n-115
9/Effort against the unjustified social differences has not a sense, because in the different way they always appear:
9
X 2.4 2.3 1.9 1.8
SD        1.23 1.18 1.04 1.03
10/Accentuated relations of subordination and supraordination are not so urgent, that they should exist in any social group:
10
X 2.5 1.9 2.1 2.7
SD        1.25 1.00 2.30 1.32
11/The tendencies to more equal rights each society sooner or later leads into the great disorder:
11
X 2.3 2.8 2.3 1.9
SD        1.17 1.30 1.30 1.17
12/Social privileges have above all the function of the human creativity's stimulation:
12
X 1.9 2.2 2.0 2.6
SD        1.10 1.00 1.11 1.41
13/ There is no doubt, that such groups and fields of action can exist, where almost all involved people could decide about almost all:
13
X 3.0 3.0 1.8      2.1
SD        1.40 1.21 1.45 1.32
14/Factually, people are the crowd, which always needs some completely supraordinated leader:
14
X 2.5 2.8 2.4 2.7
SD        1.30 1.30 1.20 1.37
15/The majority of the daily human problems is also connected with the problems of the too great social diffrences:
SOCIAL ORIENTATIONS IN TIME PERSPEaiVE OF LAST 10 YEARS
15
X 3.0 2.3 2.4       2.3
SD        1.00 1.20 1.10 1.10
16/ The differences between the developed and the underdeveloped parts of the world are correct, because the underdevelopement is above the all the guilt of the underdeveloped parts:
16
X 2.0 1.7 1.5 1.6
SD        1.00 0.83 0.80 0.90
17/ Equal human and social rihts are urgently needed:it's no utopical and redundant social goal:
17
X 2.6 2.3 1.7 1.9
SD        1.70 1.20 0.86 1.14
18/From the point of the social development, the cultural subordination to the technologically more developed regions are today urgent:
18
X 2.0 2.2 2.1 2.3
SD        1.20 1.00 1.10 1.10
19/Today, the majority of the people are so independent and responsable, that they do not need a leader, to whom they would be unconditionally subordinated:
19
X 3.0 2.9 2.8 2.6
SD        1.10 1.20 1.23 1.26
20/ Every kind of social differentiation stimulates the development of the individuality:
20
X 2.7 2.8 2.4 2.4
SD        1.13 1.30 1.19 1.30
21/Today,the social processes are so complicated, that only the small groups of the competent people can decide about the important social questions:
21
X 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.6
SD        1.13 1.30 1.19 1.30
22/ statement, that society can exist only as exclusively divided to commanding and executing roles is not true.
22
X 2.0 1.9 1.7 2.1
SD        1.00 1.10 1.00 1.37
56 PSIHCXOSKAOBZOiyA-HORIZONS OF PSYCHOLOGY 93/3, 4
23/ Because there are more and more people in the world, the principle of the equality of the rights doesn't offer any perspective to the mankind:
23
X 2.8 2.7 2.0 1.9
SD       1.24 1.10 1.00 1.13
24/ Degree of the between the classes wealth's differences is important also in the case, when the whole society is reach enough:
24
X 3.0 2.6 2.2 2.3
SD        1.20 1.20 1.12 1.40
25/ There is no self esteem without the esteem of those with higher social status and greater social power:
25
X 2.0 2.3 2.2 2.4
SD        1.20 1.40 1.30 1.40
26/ Statement, that each nation has the leader whom it merits, is insulting for that nation.
26
X 3.0 2.6 2.5 2.5
SD        1.35 1.50 1.30 1.30
27/There is no social development without the technological one: that's why the commanding and executing social roles will have to be more and more separated:
27
X 2.5 2.8 2.3
SD        1.00 1.00 1.10
28/The way of the "wealth obtaining" is importanz also in the case, when the majority of the people is satisfied with their status:
28
X 2.3 1.9 2.4 2.2
SD        1.10 1.60 1.30 1.40
29/The majority of the people will never be mature enough for the self management:
29
X 2.6 3.3 2.7 2.7
SD        1.20 1.20 1.30 1.40
30/Everybody should resist to the fact, that the others decide about his essentially important questions:
30
X 2.1 2.0 1.6 1.8
SD       1.12 1.17 1.00 1.05
SOME SOCIAL ORCNTATIONS N TIME PERSreCTlVE OF LAST 10 YEARS
31/Experience affirms, tliat right human values correspond with the people with higher social status.
31
X 1.5 1.8 1.5
SD       0.90 1.10 0.90
32/Great social power in the hands of the small group is dangerous also in the case, when it's not abused:
32
X 2.8 2.6 2.2
SD        1.13 1.20 1.24
33/The leader can be successful only in the case, when the followers are completely subordinated:
33
X 1.5 2.3 1.9
SD       0.7 1.50 1.30
34/Good working conditions are much more important than the disposition with the realized value:
34
X 3.0 3.3 3.6
SD        1.10 1.10 1.12
35/ Appertenance to the high classes ordinarly stimulates also more positive personal characteristics:
35
X 1.8 2.2 1.7
SD       0.90 1.20 0.90
36/ Majority of the social differences are only the consequence of the fact, that people are differently capable, talented and busy:
36
X 2.0 2.4 2.0
SD        1.10 1.20 1.14
37/ Everybody could be free only in the society, where he's able of the responsable decision about the things, which are very important for him:
37
X 2.0 1.5 1.6
SD        1.00 0.56 1.30
38/ Only the person, which feels to be socially more influental than the others, could really respect himself:
38
X 1.4 1.5 1.4
SD       0.70 0.90 0.60
58 PSiHOlOSKA OBZORJA - HORIZONS OF PSYCHOLOGY 93/3,1
39/ Individual personal culture is without doubt worse above all because of the individual's appartenence to the less reputable social class:
39
X 1.8 2.0 1.9
SD     1.00 1.00 1.15
40/Each society has to be accepted as it is and not to be lost in the questions, how it has to be like:
40
X 2.6 2.8 2.3
SD       1.30 1.50 1.18
Statements with the succesive number from 41 to 69: attitudes toward the value symbolism ( as Likert scale with the adequate measurement characteristics): attitudes toward the question, how the different characteristics of the behaviour represent certain values or their opposities (the statements were preliminary constructed in the scholastic year 1979/80):
12 3 4
Psychologists   Sociologists Psycholog. Psycholog.
1991 1991 1988 1983
n=54 n=34 n=117 n=115
41/ Little attentions are the most important expression of the estimation in the relation between the sexes:
41
X 3.5 4.0 3.7 4.1
SD        1.00 1.00 1.12 1.03
42/ The number of the used foreign words in the language is not the essential indicator of the love for the proper nation:
42
X 2.0 2.0 2.5 2.7
SD        1.30 1.10 1.30 1.40
43/ Life maturity, that's also not to laugh for each amusing "litde thing": 43
X 1.6 2.5 2.3 1.9
SD       0.93 1.40 1.26 1.30
44/ The listener, who in conversation "between four eyes" doesn't look the speaker, is in any way an insulting communicator: 44
X 2.3 3.1 2.6 2.5
SD        1.23 1.40 1.22 1.30
45/ Staying in the bad, awaken in the morning, isn't any serious yielding to the human weakeness:
SOME SOCIAL ORIENTATIONS IN TIME PERSPECTIVE OF LAST 10 YEARS 59
45
X 2.4 2.6 2.3 2.3
SD        1.50 1.40 1.13 1.30
46/ Writing almost reliably express the human character: 46
X 3.8 3.2 2.9 2.4
SD        1.00 1.20 1.18 1.2
47/ The politeness is urgently needed, but not very important characteristics of the human behaviour:
47
X 2.6 3.3 2.8 2.7
SD        1.00 1.38 1.20 1.42
48/ The people, who even do not introduce themselves in the society, in such a way surely demonstrate their contempt toward the actual social environment:
48
X 2.0 3.0 2.4 2.2
SD        1.00 1.20 0.95 1.10
49/ The people, who controll themselves in eating (by food), controll themselves also in the other human weaknesses:
49
X 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3
SD        1.00 1.30 1.15 1.27
50/ The respect of the national customs themselves couldn't be a realible assurance of the love toward the own people:
50
X 2.0 2.4 2.3 2.4
SD        1.20 1.15 1.11 1.30
51/ To be against the injustes in the sport means also to be against the injustes on the other fields of the life:
51
X 2.3 2.6 2.4 3.6
SD        1.30 1.30 1.30 1.30
52/ No complete conclusion about someone's character is possible only on the basis of his signature:
52
X 2.1 1.9 1.6 2.4
SD        1.00 1.00 1.04 1.20
53/Too load talking in the caffee is factually a very egoistic act:
¿0 PSiHOlOSKA OBZORJA - HORIZONS OF PSYCHOLOGY 93/3, 4
53
X 2.7 3.4 2.9 2.8
SD 1.20 1.40 1.30 1.20
54/ Happy and talkative man is surely not revendicating and resentful: 54
X 2.2 2.4 2.3 2.3
SD        1.30 1.40 1.14 1.11
55/ Every kind of behaviour ( except of the insult and the vandalism) seems me to be permitted in the amusing society:
55
X 2.8 2.9 2.7
SD        1.22 1.20 1.30
56/ Menacing with the digit during any serious conversation is an sufficient expression of the authoritarian personality:
56 -
X 2.6 2.8 2.5 2.3
SD        1.30 1.30 1.21 1.11
57/ The people, who like to sing, are usually also good people: 57
X 2.4 2.6 1.7 2.5
SD        1.30 1.10 1.50 1.30
58/ Seriousness in the amusing society is a very insulting behaviour: 58
X 1.9 2.7 2.0
SD        1.00 1.10 0.99
59/ Life maturity of an individual couldn't only be judged on the basis of the calm way of his expression:
59
X 2.2 2.4 2.2 1.6
SD       1.30 1.40 1.10 0.97
60/ To go away without the salutation from the society of the collègues means a serious violation of the fundamental social norms:
60 -
X 2.7 3.6 3.2 2.7
SD        1.18 1.30 1.27 1.40
61/ To address one another with "thou" is not an essential characteristic of the friendship between the people:
61
X 2.4 2.2 2.6 2.3
SD       1.30 1.20 1.38 1.47
SOME SOCIAL ORIENfTATIONS IN TIME PERSPECTIVE Of LAST 10 YEARS ó 1
62/ The ability of the social relax is a capability of the personally more positive people:
62
X 3.2 3.5 3.1
SD        1.40 1.20 1.05
63/ A goodwill is a characteristics of the open and honest people: 63
X 3.1 3.2 2.9
SD       1.20 1.30 1.18
64/ Estimation of the different protocols and customs has many times no real connection with the essentaial human values:
64
X 2.1 2.4 2.0
SD        1.20 1.20 1.10
65/ To be able to speak kindly in any society also means to be someone who really likes the people:
65
X 2.4 3.2 2.7
SD        1.10 1.20 1.29
66/ Love for roses is also a love for everything beautifull: 66
X 2.4 2.7 2.0
SD        1.18 1.30 1.53
67/ I'm sure, that human character couldn't be easily "read" from the face: 67
X 2.0 2.0 1.8
SD        1.00 1.30 1.16
68/ Reading of the comics is the most characteristics sign of the personal individual unculture:
68
X 1.7 1.8 2.3
SD 0.98 1.10 1.16
69/ A slack handshake indicates nothing serious about the human character: 69
X 3.5 2.9 2.0
SD 1.12 1.40 1.49
62 'SIHOLOSKA OBZORJA - HORIZONS OF PSYCHOLOGY 93/3, 4
	1		2	3		4
	Psychologists		Sociologists	Psycholog.		Psycholog.
	1991		1991	1988		1983
	n=54		n=34	n=117		n=115
	t	t	t	t	t	t
	1-2	1-3	1-4	2-3	2-4	3-4
8	-2.52*					
9	0.40			1.80		1.34
10	2.50*			- 3.45*		-2.77*
11	-1.89	0.21	2.23*	2.32*	3.94*	2.65*
12	-1.31	-0.40	-3.50*	1.18	-1.87	-3.90*
13	0.00	0.60	0.45	0.60	0.45	-1.77
14	-0.16	0.05	-0.11	1.73	0.41	-1.95*
15	2.87*	3.64*	4.05*	-0.46	0.00	0.74
16	1.63	3.11*	2.22*	1.03	0.25	-0.19
17	1.18	4.90*	3.50*	2.97*	1.84	-1.58
18	-0.86	-0.52	-1.51	0.55	-0.53	-1.48
19	0.39	1.06	2.00*	0.45	1.29	1.29
20	-0.38	1.61	1.50	1.73	1.65	0.00
21	-0.39	-0.52	-0.48	0.00	0.00	0.00
22	0.41	1.86	-0.52	0.93	-0.84	-2.62*
23	0.40	4.26*	4.47*	3.49*	3.74*	0.69
24	1.52	5.55*	3.27*	1.82    1	.26	-0.63
25	-1.05	-1.01	-1.87	0.40	-0.38	-1.21
26	0.23	0.26	0.27	0.74	0.33	0.00
27	-1.28	1.14		2.5*		
28	2.10*	-0.52	0.50	-3.50*	-1.80	1.20
29	-2.67*	-0.48	-0.27	2.77*	2.78*	0.24
30	0.40	2.78*	1.59	1.93*	0.93	-1.55
31	1.39	0.00		1.55		
32	0.89	4.46*		1.82		
33	-3.19*	-2.78*		1.58		
34	-1.28	-2.18*		-3.64*		
35	-1.64	0.64		2.36*		
36	-1.56	0.00		1.82		
37	2.77*	2.19*		-0.69		
38	-0.55	0.00		0.63		
39	-0.91	-0.57		0.54		
40	-0.64	1.42		1.87		
41	-2.27*	-1.20	-3.49*	1.56	-0.50	-2.97*
42	0.00	-2.38*	-3.12*	-2.40*	-3.15*	-1.20
43	-3.41*	-1.22	-1.98*	0.80	2.12*	2.23*
44	-2.87*	-1.62	-1.01	2.00*	2.31*	0.65
45	-0.64	0.32	0.43	1.05	1.12	0.20
46	2.40*	5.07*	7.53*	1.35	3.50*	3.44*
47	-2.65*	-1.14	-0.30	2.08*	3.66*	0.86
55	-0.38	0.50		0.89		
T - TESTS BETWEEN THE FOUR GROUPS OF RESPONDENTS
SOME SOCiAl ORIENTATIONS IN TIME PERSPECTIVE Of lAST 10 YEARS ¿3
56	-0.70	0.49	1.46	1.25	2.07*	1.44
57	-0.79	3.24*	-0.46	4.16*	0.46	-4.71*
58	-1.30	-0.62		1.16		
59	-0.68	0.00	2.9*	0.81	3.19*	4.46*
60	-3.30*	-2.60*	0.00	1.65		
61	0.74	-1.10	1.92*	-1.88	-0.25	2.1
62	-1.06	0.46		1.35		
63	-0.38	1.03		1.35		
64	-1.17	0.54		1.82		
65	-3.10*	-1.64		2.14*		
66	-1.00	1.98*		2.88*		
67	0.00	1.20		0.84		
68	-0.44	-3.57*		-2.47*		
69	2.34*	7.75*		4.07*		
	<0.05					
M	SD	n
65.1	11.6	115
72.9	23.3	44
77.0	10.1	33
Different conditions of the examination differently influence the valence of the attitudes toward the social hierarchy and of the value symbolism:
SH (attitudes toward social hierarchy - all the respondets together):
1/students of psychology (1984): 2/students of psychology (1992): 3/students of sociology (1992): (the first year)
t 1-2 = -3.3, p< 0.05 t 1-3 = -3.2, p<0.05 12-3 = -0.4 , p > 0.05
SV (symbolism of values - all the respondents together):
M SD n
1/students of psychology (1984): 75.0 15.7 115
2/students of psychology (1992): 71.5 12.0 44
3/studentsof sociology (1992): 80.0 13.1 33
(the first year)
tl-2= 1.54, p> 0.05 t 1-3 = -1.87, p> 0.05 12-3 = - 3.06 , p < 0.05
SH (attitudes toward social hierarchy): without instructions about the object of measurement:
1/students of psychology (1984): 2/students of psychology (1992):
t = - 2.57, p < 0.05
M	SD	n
70.4	13.7	115
77.9	6.4	44
PSlHOtOSKA OBZOiyA - HORIZONS OF PSTCHOtOGY 93/3, 4
SH (attitudes toward social hirarchy): with instructions about the object of measurement:
1/students of psychology (1984): 2/students of psychology (1992):
t = - 2.29, p < 0.05
SH (attitudes toward the value symbolism): without instruction about the object of measurement:
M	SD	n
65.1	11.6	115
72.9	23.3	44
M	SD	n
77.5	15.6	115
72.9	11.6	44
1/students of psychology (1984): 2/students of psychology (1992):
t= 1.19, p> 0.05
SV (attitudes toward the value symbolism): with instructions about the object of measuremnt:
M SD n
1/students of psychology (1984):        73.1 12.2 115
2/students of psychology (1992):        67.5 11.2 44
,t=  1.48, p> 0.05
Attitudes of students of psychology ( n = 40 ) and sociology ( n= 33 ) toward hierarchy in ( global ) society and toward symbolism of values, obtained in the year 1991 were compared with the same attitudes, identified by similar groups in the year 1983 ( n = 115 ) and in the year 1988 ( n = 117 ).
Many significant differences between single items, appeared in comparison of the year 1991 with the years 1983 and 1988. We can speak also about significantly greater polarisation of attitudes toward social hierarchy in the year 1991, than in the years 1983 and 1988. No similar trend was discovered in the case of atitudes toward symbohsm of values.
In the years 1985,1988 and 1991 a very clear tendency was discovered in all tested groups : in the condition, when respondents had before the test been informed about object of measurement, ( social hierarchy and symbohsm of values ) no significant correlation between attitudes toward hierarchy and attitudes toward symbolism of values was discovered in any case. In the condition without prior information about object of measurement significant correlations between previously mentioned variables was always discovered ( from r = > 0.30 to r = < 0.40).