A CONTRADICTED HYPOTHESIS RELATED TO SZONDI'S THEORY: The Szondi Test as used on alcoholics

R amfalk , C. W., and R udhe , L. A contradicted hypothesis related to Szondi's theory. The Szondi Test as used on alcoholics. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1961, 2 , 100–104.—(1) The Szondi test was applied to 18 alcoholics, 18 total abstainers, and 18 'normals'. (2) According to the definition of consistency proposed in this study there is no consistent relation at the 1 per cent level of significance between any two selections of photographs made by alcoholics. (3) The results contradict theoretical claims based on Szondi's technique.     

MEASUREMENT OF CATHECTIC DISCRIMINATION

R amfalk , C. W. Measurement of cathectic discrimination. Scand. J. Psychol ., 1961, 2, 191–202—-(1) One of the hypothetical constructs of a personality theory is preliminarily explored. The constructs are based on an experimental model in which the main concepts can be operationally defined and objectively measured by cathectic discrimination technique. (2) In order to stabilize the technical part of the project, change in cathectic orientation during (pre-) adolescence was selected as a suitable first object for the investigation. (3) Deviation from normal development in changes of cathectic orientation seems to be related to absence from school, anxiety, guilt and identification.     

STUDIES IN PERSONALITY. II

Experimentally determined fixation-ambivalence measures are related to some anxiety estimates obtained from a projective test in a group of male adolescents. It is shown that (i) fixation increases with increase in corporal injury anxiety when ambivalence is kept constant, (ii) ambivalence increases with increase in separation anxiety when fixation is kept constant, (iii) extremely hetero-fixated subjects show presence of intense guilt and absence of aggression towards the mother; one effect of this system of organizers seem to be suicidal tendencies, (iv) extremely ambivalent subjects have intense separation anxiety; one effect seems to be suicidal tendencies combined with high ambition and impaired cognitive capacity.     

STUDIES IN PERSONALITY: A bio-psychological and experimental approach to problems of human adaptation in modern society

(a) Four hypothetical constructs of a theory of personality are defined within a biological frame of reference, (b) Three of the constructs are based on an experimental situation, (i) in which objective observations are made, and (ii) a scaling procedure utilized, which keeps cognitive factors constant. (c) Predictions concerning the genesis of normal or deviating development of the male personality are deduced and confirmed; i.e. predictions related to the genesis of 'neuroticism', 'delinquency', and their correlatives 'alcoholism' and 'accident-proneness'.