Head of Department: Professor O. A. Oeser STAFF
Full-time Officers
Professor OSCAR ADOLPH OESER, M.Sc. (S. Africa), Dr.Phil. (Marburg), Ph.D.
(Cantab.), M . A , F.B.Ps.S.
Readers:
PAUL LAFITTE, B.Sc. (Lond ), M . A , L i t t . D , A.B.Ps.S.
SAMUEL BA TTLE HAMMOND, B.A. (W.A.), Ph.D.
Senior Lecturers:
I A N KELL1E WATERHOUSE, B.A. (Svd.), M . A , Ph.D. (Yale), F.B.Ps.S.
A L A N CHARLES JEFFREY, M . B , B.S', B.Sc.
PHILIP D ACRES LANG LEY, B.A. (W.A.), B.Ed, A.B.Ps.S.
GODFREY GARDNER, B.A, Ph.D. (Lond.) ELWYN MOREY, Ph.D. (Calif.), M . A , B.Ed.
Lecturers:
EDGAR HOWARTH, M.Sc. (Manchester), Ph.D.
FRANK KNOPKELMACHER, B.A. (Bristol). Ph.D. (Lond.) FRANCIS NICOL COX. M.Sc. (Yale), M . A , A.B.Ps.S.
PATRICIA MARY LEAPER, M . A , A.B.Ps.S.
Senior Tutors:
VIRGINIA CONSTANCE PALMER, M.A.
NONA COLE, B.A. (W.A.) JULIUS MAREK. B.A.
JOHN STUART WESTERN, B.A, Dip.Soc.Stud.
MARGARET BRISTOW GILCHRIST, B.A.
DAVID GEORGE BESWICK. B.A.
MYRA DAVIDSON KING. B.A.
NORMA GRIEVE, B.A.
Tutors:
ELIZABETH MARGARET ALISON EDWARDS RICHARD CHARLES STEWART TRAHA1R
Members of thc Department have been active in all the major fields of Psychology, both in continuing projects in hand and in starting new work.
(1) Group Association and Popularity of Pre-Adolescent Boys Worker: D. G. Beswick
This project was reported in the 7957 Research Report as: 'Peer Group Behaviour of Primary School Boys'. The social connections of grade 5 boys in fifteen Melbourne schools were analysed in terms of 'Range of Acceptance' and 'Level of Association', and these variables were correlated with measures of family backgrounds, of emotional adjustment and of school achievement. I t is now completed.
(2) The Measurement and Analysis of Adjustment in 10-12 year old Boys
Worker: F. N. Cox
This project has been continued from 1956 and is now completed.
49
50 F A C U L T Y OF A R T S
The aim has been to define and to measure some of the parameters of 'adjustment'. Some attempt has also been made to analyse some of the family correlates of thc parameters of adjustment. The results show that there arc two main parameters, one being concerned with achievement, the other with social relationships. These two para- meters are quite uncorrelated; further, they arc related to quite different family and school correlates.
(3) Factors Determining for Psychology I (1958) Students the Choice of University Course and Career
Workers: G. Gardner and Virginia C. Palmer
A i m : to investigate variables associated with choice of university course and career. Method: questionnaire administered in thc form of an interview. Analysis of data is in progress.
(4) Extreme Deprivation and Learning Worker: L. S. Groh
This project, which was reported in the /057 Research Report, is now finished.
(5) A Study of Interviewers Worker: S. B. Hammond
The aim is to study the variation among well-qualified interviewers in the use of various explanatory concepts and to relate the findings to matters of training interviewers. Field-work is complete and the analysis is proceeding.
(6) An Investigation of the Relationship Between Personality Characteristics and the Electroencephalogram with especial reference to the Phenomenon of Alpha Splitting
Workers: E. Hoivarth and K. Andermann (Department of Mental Hygiene)
It is intended to sample normal EEG's in the resting phase and following questions chosen to produce particular changes in thc alpha rhythm of thc electroencephalogram. In general, relations will be sought between alpha, beta and theta rhythms and major personality dimensions including introversion-extroversion and neuroticism.
(7) Personality Research Programme Worker: P. LapZlte
The investigation of the system of values of intelligent adults (students) and of their relation to behaviour and to personality structure as assessed by tests. This is a new project. Preliminary analysis of thc results for 2S Australian students shows that the
P S Y C H O L O G Y 51
project is worth extending, and further work will be done with students from European and Asian countries.
(8) Some Personal-Social Determinants of Thought Processes in Children
Worker: Patricia M. Leaper
This was reported in the 7957 Rcscarcli Report, and is still in progress.
(9) The Attribution of Meaning to Movement Worker: J. Marck
Thc aim was to study the degree to which children attributed animation to film representations of moving objects; and with the conditions underlying such attribution. Thc responses of grade 5 boys from eight Melbourne schools were analysed. The project is completed.
(10) Mental and Social Development of Pre-School Mentally Defective Children living at Home
Worker: Elwyn A. M.orey
Thc fourth year of a 5-year study on 85 severely mentally handi- capped children living with their families. Its aim is to investigate patterns of mental development and socialization. Data include test and interview material from children and parents, social case histories (social worker), medical examinations and, where applicable, kinder- garten reports.
(11) Maternal Employment and Young Children Worker: Elwyn A. Morey
Exploratory work only, aiming to investigate thc conditions under which mothers of prc-school children go out to work, the arrange- ments made for the children, thc home atmosphere and personality development of the children, on a case study basis.
(12) Transition from School to Work Worker: Virginia C. Palmer
This project, which was reported in the 7957 Research Report, is now completed.
(13) The Value Systems of Primary School Children Worker: J. S. Western
This project, which was reported in the 7957 Research Report, is now completed.
52 F A C U L T Y OF A R T S PUBLISHED WORK
Books
1. LAFUTE, P.— Social Structure and Personality in the Factory.
London, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1958 (xii + 228 pp.) 2. OESER, O. A. and EMERY, F. E., with the assistance of T U L L Y ,
JOAN—Information, Decision and Action. Melb. Univ. Press, 1958 (xiii+ 132 pp.)
Articles
3. BESWICK, D. G. and Cox, F. N . — Reputed Aggression and De- pendence in Children. Aust. J. Psychol. 10: 144-50 (1958) 4. DANZIGER, K. and SHARP, N O M E — The Development of Chil-
dren's Explanations of Growth and Movement. Aust. J. Psychol.
10: 196-207 (1958)
5. DANZIGER, K.— The Child's Understanding of Kinship Terms:
A Study in the Development of Relational Concepts. / . Genetic Psychol, g i : 213-32 (1957)
6. Children's Earliest Conceptions of Economic Relation- ships (Australia). / . Soc. Psychol. 47: 231-40 (1958)
7. GARDNER, G. (with ARGYLE, M . and CIOFFI, F.) — Supervisory Methods Related to Productivity, Absenteeism and Labour Turnover. Hum. Relat. 11: 23-40 (1958)
8. KNOPFEI.MACHER, F.— The Significance of Modern Learning- Theory. Bull. Vict. Inst. Educ. Res. 3: 8-14 (1958)
9. Second Thoughts on Psycho-analysis. Prospect 2: 17-20 ('959)
THESES PASSED FOR HIGHER DEGREES DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 1. PALMER, VIRGINIA C. Transition from School to Work
This is thc report of an investigation which deals with the transition from school to work of a hundred and six boys from thc third forms of two urban junior technical schools in Victoria. Thc main purpose of the investigation was to describe and, when possible, explain thc behaviour and viewpoints of boys during this particular period of change in their lives. In order to achieve this aim an attempt was made to examine the boys' behaviour and viewpoints in relation to their total life context, including the family, the school and work.
The procedure used involved three interviews with each boy. This included: an initial interview prior to the boys' leaving school and two follow-up interviews. One of these interviews took place during the boys' first two weeks at work and the other was conducted six months later. Thc boys' parents were also interviewed. Additional data were obtained by means of observation, questionnaires and tests.
Thc analysis of thc data included categorization of thc replies obtained, the testing of interrelations between items: and, where possible, items which inter-corrclatcd were scaled.
The findings suggest that how boys behave or how they adjust during the move from school to work depends on a number of conditions including: features of thc work situation; whether the boys enter the job they expect to enter; whether the relations between the parents can bc described as adequate and how the boys get along with their fathers. It was found that boys who liked school tended to like work. Boys who were popular with their school peers tended to react favourably to
P S Y C H O L O G Y 53 thc other workers on the job. Finally, it was found that when boys enter full-time employment, changes occur in their attitudes and in their behaviour. They tend to become more independent in terms of making decisions and less 'home centered' in terms of their activities.
i . BESWICK, D . G.
CLARK, A . W.
VAN SOMMERS, MAREK, J.
WESTERN, j . S.
MASTER OF ARTS
Group Association and Popularity of Prc- Adolcsccnt Boys
\ A Contradictory Social Setting and Maladjust- J ment
A t t r i b u t i o n of Meaning to Movement Some Values of Pre-Adolescent Bovs