APPRENTISSAGE DE LA CONSERVATION DES QUANTITÉS LIQUIDES CHEZ DES ENFANTS RWANDAIS ET CANADIENS-FRANCAIS1

Three groups of 16 subjects (rural school Rwandese, rural unschooled Rwandese and urban school French-Canadian children), classified as preoperational on a pretest including eight tests of conservation, were trained on the conservation of liquid quantities by a method based on anticipation of levels and compensation of dimensions. It was found that a) the performance of all three groups, when compared with controls, was significantly higher on two successive post-tests (two months interval); b) the three groups did not differ from one another either in global scores on both post-tests or in number of training sessions required for learning; c) the types of justification were based predominantly on perceptual features and on identity in non-conservation and conservation judgments, respectively. Results are discussed mainly in terms of the kind of justifications given by the three groups, the relative effectiveness of the two types of training given, and the genuineness of the conservation induced.     

SENTIMENT D'AUTO-EFFICACITÉ ET EXERCICE DES PROCESSUS D'AUTORÉGULATION CHEZ DES ÉTUDIANTS DE NIVEAU COLLÉGIAL*

This study examines the influence of self-efficacy on the self-regulatory mechanisms exercised during a verbal concept formation task. High or low-self-efficacy is experimentally induced among sixty four college students who subsequently have to solve, aloud, different problems of concept formation. Self-regulation was examined based on the utilization of the cognitive strategies required to solve the task, the monitoring strategies applied over the cognitive enterprise and the metacognitive experiences emerging along the resolution. Both groups exhibite similar cognitive strategies, yet some of their monitoring strategies and metacognitive experiences are affected by their self-efficacy judgments. The nature of self-efficacy should be considered when studying the relationship between metacognitive knowledge and self-regulation as applied during the task resolution.     

CARACTÉRISTIQUES PSYCHOLOGIQUES DE LA PRISE DE RISQUE MONÉTAIRE DES JOUEURS ET DES NON-JOUEURS À LA ROULETTE*

This study compares different dimensions of the personality, the perception of control and risk-taking behavior of gamblers and non-gamblers exposed to American roulette. The analyses of the data revealed that no significant differences emerged among the two groups on personality or perception of control. Although gamblers started the game by stacking more money than non-gamblers, the latter rapidly bet as much as the regular gamblers. Furthermore, risk-taking behavior increased as the game progressed. The practical implications of the data are discussed in relation to the psychology of gambling.     

ÉTUDE INTERCULTURELLE DES PRÉFÉRENCES MUSICALES

The question of socio-cultural relativism or universalism in aesthetic judgment is dealt with in a cross-cultural study of musical preferences. Four groups of subjects were compared: Japanese expert musicians, French professional musicians, French students in music and French non-musician students. Their task was to state their preference for one of the elements in ten pairs of excerpts of traditional Japanese music, representing three levels of complexity (Koto, Trio, Gagaku). In addition, the subjects were asked to give a general appreciation of the three styles. The analysis of the preferences was performed in three ways: intra-group and inter-groups variabilities were computed as well as the variability due to the musical style. The results can be summarized as follows: as far as a group judgment is possible in one or another culture (intra-group agreement), the preferences of two culturally different groups do not contrast as long as the judgment concerns rather simple objects; the degree of inter-cultural agreement, far from increasing with musical competence, decreases. On the other hand, the judgments of more complex pieces show an agreement only in groups with musical skill and, in this case, the preference of Japanese and French musicians are contrasting. Finally, it is pointed out that a minimal attractiveness of the material presented is necessary to obtain from the subjects valid comparisons instead of artificial.     

CORRECTION DES VERBALISATIONS IRRATIONNELLES CHEZ DES JOUEURS DE POKER-VIDEO*

Earlier studies have shown that irrational thinking dominates rational thinking during gambling. The present study evaluated the effects of cognitive restructuring on gambling behaviors among video poker players. Within a single case experimental design across subjects, the results showed that irrational verbalizations decreased during treatment while rational verbalizations increased. Three out of four players reduced their frequency of gambling following treatment. The theoretical and clinical implications of these results are discussed.     

LA FONCTION PSYCHOMÉTRIQUE DES ÉNIGMES TRADITIONELLES AFRICAINES

Within the context of the problems raised by the use of tests in Africa, this study attempts to demonstrate how traditional practices can improve the situation, by proposing that enigmas be used as a psychometric instrument. In fact, this well known and widely used game in Africa is one of the major components of the oral tradition and as such, performs various important functions, as, for instance, the acquisition and evaluation of basic knowledge and vocabulary, while favoring the acquisition of a sense of competition in children. Presenting a new outlook on the practice of this traditional game in the African milieu, this paper describes the process by which the author, through many experimental studies carried out in Zaïre, is attempting to build a test measuring creativity.