Romanian Journal of Applied Psychology Feed

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Arabic Version of Job Satisfaction Scale

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Job satisfaction constitutes a central construct in industrial and organizational psychology because of its significant implications for employee well-being, organizational effectiveness, and workrelated behaviors. Despite its importance, the availability of psychometrically sound and culturally appropriate instruments for assessing job satisfaction in Arabic-speaking contexts remains limited. The present study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Job Satisfaction Scale (JSS; Warr et al., 1979) for use among Moroccan employees. A total of 831 employees from both public and private sectors participated in the study. The scale was translated into Arabic using a forwardtranslation procedure involving multiple bilingual experts and independent evaluations of item equivalence. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to examine the factorial structure and construct validity of the adapted instrument. The findings supported the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the JSS and provided evidence for its applicability within the Moroccan organizational context. The adapted scale constitutes a robust instrument for assessing employees’ job satisfaction and may facilitate future research and evidence-based human resource practices in Arabic-speaking work environments.

Doubt’s Dual Triggers: A Pilot Experimental Study on Epistemic Beliefs Using a Climate-Related Controversy

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Facing the actual challenge of living in a post-truth era, the pilot study investigated correlates of epistemic doubt and epistemic change when integrating multiple sources of information, with particular focus on identifying the cognitive and affective responses associated with epistemic doubt. To evoke epistemic doubt, we manipulated the structure of information presentation, about causes of climate change, through three conditions: exposure to multiple conflicting sources (mixed arguments) or to consistent sources (solely human-caused or natural-caused climate change arguments). Epistemic doubt differed across conditions (η² = .153, p < .01), being highest after exposure to conflicting sources, and both confidence-weighted belief-information discrepancy and epistemic confusion accounted for unique variance in doubt, although these associations were condition-sensitive. Epistemic doubt predicted epistemic change (10%, p < .05), whereas experimental conditions and cognitive-affective responses predicted doubt but not epistemic change directly. In pooled analyses, confidence-weighted belief-information discrepancy and epistemic confusion predicted epistemic doubt more strongly than prior epistemic beliefs and comprehension, tentatively suggesting that situational responses to information may matter more than pre-existing epistemic sophistication. Despite the pilot study’s limitations, these exploratory findings offer preliminary evidence on the correlates of epistemic doubt and change, with implications for future research discussed.

Beyond Self-Reports: Using text analysis to explore first-year students’ subjective experiences during their first examination session

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study investigated first-yea r psychology students’ exam experiences through na rra tive a na lysis with a mixed-methods approach that combines manual thematic coding and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) with psychometric self -report assessments. Higher education marks a vital developmental phase during which students face increased academic stress especially when they take their first set of examinations. Although standardized self -report measures are the primary instrument in traditional research about coping and learning strategies, they do not effectively capture the full ra nge of students’ rea l-life experiences, because they are limited by the theoretical frameworks on which they were based. The research conducted interviews with 175 first -year students to identify eight categories of coping and learning strategies (Smarandache et al., 2021), including deep learning and problem-solving stra tegies (Spă ta ru et a l., 2024) a s well a s procra stina tion a nd a voidance (Kim et al., 2020). Our findings showed that linguistic patterns showed consistent relationships with motivational and affective variables, which proves the worth of textual data in supplementing traditional assessments methods. The present study demonstrates how natural language processing (NLP) methods can deliver advanced understanding of student adaptation to academic pressure and provides useful recommendations for implementing digital well-being programs and time management training and learning communities.

Social Media Engagement, ChatGPT Use, and Mind Wandering among Students: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In academic settings, digital engagement is often treated as a single source of distraction. This study challenges that notion by contrasting the association of social media engagement (SME) and ChatGPT use (CGU) on student cognition. Analyzing data from 1,027 participants, we found that SME correlates with reduced cognitive flexibility and increased mind wandering (M-W). In a revealing divergence, CGU was positively associated with cognitive flexibility. Mediation analyses confirmed that cognitive flexibility fully explains the link between CGU and lower M-W, while it also partially mediates the negative association of SME with M-W. This clear dichotomy suggests that unlike the distracting nature of social media, AI tools like ChatGPT can facilitate adaptive thinking processes that help maintain focus. The implications for education are significant; rather than imposing broad restrictions, a more thoughtful strategy that promotes positive uses of AI while limiting excessive social media engagement is necessary.

Borderline Features, Depression, and Anxiety in Non-clinical Young Adults: The Mediating Roles of Contingencies of Self-Worth and Emotion Dysregulation

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Borderline personality disorder and its varied manifestations cause subjective distress and lead to various psychopathological manifestations, such as depression and anxiety. Nevertheless, the relationship between these variables and how they are linked has been rarely studied in the general population. The aim of this study was to analyze the mediating role of contingencies of self-worth and emotional dysregulation in the relationship between borderline personality features and depression, respectively anxiety in a non-clinical sample of young adults. Two hundred non-clinical participants answered a self-report questionnaire. Borderline personality features correlated significantly with depression and anxiety. The relationship with anxiety was mediated by emotional dysregulation, while the association with depression was mediated by both a self-worth contingent on the approval of others, as well as by emotional dysregulation. This study reinforces previous findings that borderline personality features are related to depression and anxiety, while also highlighting the importance of emotional dysregulation and contingencies of self-worth as explanatory variables in a non-clinical sample. The results also show the need for psychotherapeutic interventions that tackle both variables at once.

Are You Impulsively Clicking Your Way to Shopping Ill-Being? Exploring the Link Between Risk-Taking, Apps, and Consumer Behavior

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The growing use of mobile shopping applications has transformed consumer behavior, highlighting the need to better understand the psychological factors that drive digital purchasing and its potential impact on well-being. This study examined the roles of impulsive buying, risk-taking, and shopping ill-being in digital consumer behavior among adult consumers using Structural Equation Modelling and mediation model. Results indicated that impulsive buying was the only consistent factor related to digital shopping engagement, being positively related to both the number of installed applications and openness to new applications. In addition, impulsive buying partially mediated the association between risk-taking and shopping ill-being. These findings underscore the role of impulsive buying behavior in shaping both digital engagement and shopping-related well-being, offering valuable insights into consumer-technology interactions.

Psychometric validation of the Nature relatedness scale short-form (NR-6) in Indonesia: Insights from the Rasch model

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study evaluates the psychometric performance of the 6-item Nature Relatedness Scale (NR-6) in Indonesian context using Rasch measurement theory. Nature relatedness is a key psychological construct associated with both human well-being and environmental sustainability, and the NR-6 provides a concise tool for its assessment. To address this, we applied the Rating Scale Model (RSM) to responses from 836 respondents (aged 17–56 years; M = 23.08; SD = 4.37) participated in this study. The analysis results indicated that all six items, the five-point Likert scale, and the reliability values met good psychometric criteria, with the assumption of unidimensionality being fulfilled and no differential item functioning (DIF) found based on gender or student status. However, NR-6 items tended to be easily endorsed by respondents, indicating a ceiling effect and limitations in measuring individuals with very high levels of nature relatedness. Additionally, this study provides a comprehensive item interpretation and the conversion of data from an ordinal to an interval scale. These findings are expected to contribute to improving measurement quality in environmental research in Indonesia.

Pre-Test Physiological Index Selection in the Concealed Information Test

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Concealed Information Test (CIT) is widely used in forensic contexts, particularly in Japan, to detect concealed knowledge through psychophysiological responses. Building on prior work on individual response specificity (IRS), this study examined whether pre-selecting diagnostic physiological indices based on performance in a preliminary demonstration (card) test influences the magnitude of subsequent CIT effects. Forty-six university students participated in a mock theft paradigm consisting of a card test and a watch trial. Skin conductance response (SCR), respiration speed (RS), and heart rate (HR) were recorded. Difference z-scores were used to index CIT effects. CIT effects were compared across three analytical patterns: using all three indices, using two indices excluding the weakest one, and using only the single most responsive index identified in the card test. Bayesian and frequentist repeated-measures analyses were conducted. Across both tasks, all three physiological indices showed positive CIT effects. Comparisons across index-selection conditions indicated differences in the magnitude of CIT effects. Results indicated that relying on a single, individually diagnostic index yielded numerically greater standardized within-subject differences between critical and noncritical items (i.e., larger CIT effects as indexed by difference z-scores) than combining multiple indices, although the associated Bayes factors and effect sizes were modest. Rather than focusing on detection accuracy, this study quantitatively examined differences in effect magnitude associated with index pre-selection using experimentally obtained within-participant data. The findings provide cautious support for IRS-informed index selection as a practical strategy for improving the interpretability of CIT outcomes.

Editorial: 2026 update: A growing landscape

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Building our Social World: Exploring group-level inferences of Competence and Warmth

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

This study investigates how individuals are evaluated based on stereotypical profiles differing in competence and warmth, the two core dimensions of the Stereotype Content Model (SCM). Participants assessed individuals described as either high in competence and low in warmth (HCLW) or low in competence and high in warmth (LCHW) across a broad range of traits.Consistent with the SCM, HCLW targets were perceived as significantly more competent but less warm, while LCHW targets were viewed as significantly warmer but less competent. Notably, LCHW individuals were rated as significantly more likeable, highlighting the primacy of warmth in interpersonal judgments. Several traits aligned predictably with the competence-warmth distinction, while others (e.g., such as honesty, calmness, and emotional stability) showed no significant differences, suggesting they may be viewed as universally desirable or trait-invariant.These findings extend prior research by demonstrating that warmth and competence stereotypes influence not only global evaluations but also specific personality trait inferences. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications, as well as future research directions.

Errata to the Paper on: “Effectiveness of interventions for school children with developmental dyscalculia: A systematic review and meta-analysis”

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Psychometric Properties Of The Need For Cognitive Closure Scale In A Peruvian Sample: An ESEM Approach To Achieve An Acceptable Factor Solution And A Shorter Scale

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Aim: This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Revised Need for Cognitive Closure Test (RT-NCC).Method: A non-probabilistic snowball sample of 328 Peruvian participants was used. Then, structural validity for previously reported models was assessed with a series of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Additionally, the most robust items were identified using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) with Factorial Simplicity Indices (FSI). Subsequently, a new CFA was performed for the short scale. Finally, the reliability of the short version was assessed using McDonald’s omega and Cronbach’s Alpha.Results: The models using all questionnaire items showed unacceptable fit. However, the short model showed acceptable fit and reliability indices.Conclusions: The short version of the RT-NCC is a valid and reliable instrument for psychological research. However, further studies are needed to obtain more evidence on the selected items.

The Effectiveness of Implementation Intentions Interventions on Speeding Using a Driving Simulator

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an implementation-intentions intervention in reducing speeding behavior using a driving simulator. A total of 78 participants completed both pre-test and post-intervention assessments. The study employed an experimental design with two groups: an experimental group (N = 38) that received the implementation-intentions intervention, and a control group (N = 40) that read a neutral text. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to examine whether the experimental group showed lower speed on straight roads and reduced speed at junctions during the post-test phase. The results revealed no significant effect of the intervention on speeding behavior. However, it highlights the need for future interventions to focus on personalized, context-sensitive strategies that target key psychological drivers of speeding. Expanding research to diverse populations and real-world conditions is essential for developing more effective road safety measures.

Evaluative Conditioning and Neuroticism: Investigating the Evaluative Responses to a Composed Ambivalent Stimulus

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Individuals high in neuroticism often display a negativity bias, giving more weight to negative information. This bias may contribute to the onset and maintenance of emotional disorders. Ambivalence, the co-occurrence of positivity and negativity within the same stimulus or context, seems to highlight the presence of negativity bias associated with neuroticism. Recently, previous research revealed such a bias by creating ambivalent conditioning scenarios using Evaluative Conditioning. In our experiment, we conceptualized ambivalence within one composed ambivalent stimulus. The stimulus is compounded by one CS (i.e., conditioned stimulus) conditioned with a positive US (i.e., unconditioned stimulus) and one CS conditioned with a negative US during an EC procedure. Thus, we aimed that the composed ambivalent stimulus would receive negative evaluations from participants high on neuroticism. We conducted pre- and post-test evaluations to assess the change in likeability scores, revealing significant differences in evaluations based on the CS-US pairings. Our results confirm the EC effect, indicating that the likeability of CSs was aligned with the valence of the US. While our hypothesis was not confirmed, a positive correlation emerged between worry levels and positive evaluations of the ambivalent stimulus. Supplementary analyses reinforced these findings, revealing no significant associations between personality variables and the evaluations of the main CSs. Our experiment did not emphasize the negativity bias associated with neuroticism in an ambivalent conditioning scenario. Still, it revealed some other intriguing results that invite us to reflect on the various methodologies used to investigate the relation between personality and EC.

Effectiveness of interventions for school children with developmental dyscalculia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for children with developmental dyscalculia (DD). The PsycINFO, ERIC, PubMed, Scopus, Science direct, Google scholar, and Google databases and search engines were searched. Studies employed experimental and quasi-experimental designs were reviewed. Thirty three studies with 1792 children aged 6–12 years were chosen. A large pooled effect size was found (Hedge’s g = .93; 95% CI [.38, 3.09]). There was no statistically significant moderator variable predicting the pooled effect size. Finally, publication bias was found, as shown by Egger’s regression test analysis. Overall, interventions have generally large effect in improving the numerical skills of children with DD.

(Un)Real: The role of cognitive biases in young people’s assessment of news accuracy

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT

This article explores the role that cognitive biases may play in the mechanisms through which individuals assess the truthfulness of news, both real and false. Using a quantitative survey conducted among 571 undergraduate and graduate students, this paper focuses on examining the relationship between three cognitive biases, namely confirmation bias, the third-person effect, and illusory superiority, and young people’s ability to accurately distinguish between real and fake news with a focus on news related with the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The findings indicate that confirmation bias is one of the psychological mechanisms that negatively impact young people’s ability to correctly identify real news and detect false news. In contrast, the effects of the illusory superiority bias are mixed: on the one hand, the absence of this bias enhances news detection abilities, while on the other, individuals who exhibit a stronger sense of superiority tend to perform better in assessing the truthfulness of news.

Is sexual orientation a categorical or spectrum dimension? An exploratory study of different sexual orientation measurements and scales

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

This study explored different sexual orientation measurement scales to determine how participants’ responses differ between them. 200 participants were recruited using social media. Sexual orientation was measured indirectly by a viewing time task (milliseconds), and directly by completing seven self-report scales. The main research question asked was: Is sexual orientation a categorical or spectrum dimension? Two hypotheses were proposed. H1: The method used to assess sexual orientation will influence participants’ self-identification. H2: Higher scores of sexual orientation uncertainty will be associated with greater indicators of sexual orientation fluidity. Both were supported. Fluidity was measured based on label changes across self-identification sexual orientation questionnaires, self-scores of uncertainty levels of sexual orientation, and reported change over the years of sexual orientation identification. The objective viewing time measure predicted selfidentification of sexual orientation. The sexual orientation continuum was supported by the larger sexual self-identification scales; however, age was not a factor influencing sexual orientation fluidity in this study. Research on sexual orientation should focus on raising awareness of the continuum aspect of sexual orientation and guide practitioners and professionals in assisting those identifying outside the main sexual orientation labels. Ultimately, self-reported sexual orientation should be treated as accurate since it is the participant’s own self-identity, however, these measures should be inclusive, clear, and sensitive enough to allow for a range of meaningful choices.

Consistency of aberrant response behavior: Are misfit persons consistent across two different questionnaires administered at the same time?

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Person-fit statistics are important statistics in the modern test theory, which are used to identify respondents with aberrant response behaviors, where, based on statistical evidence, classified as misfit persons. This study aims to determine whether misfit persons are consistent across two different questionnaires that administered simultaneously. The respondents in this study were 723 students in Indonesia. Respondents completed two instruments, namely the 24-item Metacognitive Skills Assessment in Research-Proposal Writing (MSARPW) and the 10-item Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), where the MSARPW was administered in the same Google Form as the RSES. Both instruments were analyzed using the Multidimensional Partial Credit Model (MPCM). The MPCM produced two person fit statistics, which were the focus of this research, namely person Outfit z and Zh statistics. The results of the regression analysis show that the regression coefficients between Zh MSARPW and Zh RSES are 0.375 (p < .001) and 0.424 (p < .001) for Person Outfit z MSARPW and RSES, respectively. To conclude, with a significant regression coefficient, this finding shows that misfit persons in responding to the MSARPW tend to be misfit persons in responding to the RSES, which indicates that the misfit persons are consistent between different measuring instruments administered at the same administration time. Limitations and implications for future research were also noted.

Dual-System Mechanisms Involved in Risk Estimations and Punishment Proposals for Rape

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Dual system models assume that human cognition is carried by two cognitive processing subsystems: System 1, which operates fast, automatically, and typically makes inferences based on heuristics, and System 2, which processes information in a controlled, analytical, manner. The present experiment investigates the role of several mechanisms from dual-system models, in evaluations related to a real rape case. More specifically, we found that, in persons that are more inclined to use System 1 (i.e., have an intuitive cognitive style): (a) fluency heuristic, that is, the ease of retrieving examples of rape cases, influences the estimated probability of a new rape case; (b) the increased salience of information and emotion related to a rape case automatically influences probability estimates for a new rape case and estimations of appropriate punishment for rape. Furthermore, we unsuccessfully tested a “debiasing” method, which aimed to reduce the estimated probability of a new rape case, by manipulating retrieval fluency. We discuss theoretical implications of these results for dual-system models and risk perception, and practical implications for reducing dysfunctional reactions (e.g., extreme distress) associated with rape-related risk perception.

Social Intelligence and Cultural Intelligence as Predictors of National Identity among Public University Students of Ethiopia

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

This study aimed to examine the predictive abilities of social intelligence (SI) and cultural intelligence (CQ) in relation to national identity (NI). We assessed the relationships among these constructs and their predictive power for NI among students at Ethiopian public universities. A total of 441 students were randomly selected from four universities to participate in the study. We used adapted and validated instruments to collect the data. We used the Pearson correlation to explore the strength and existence of linear relationships between the variables prior to testing the predictive model. We performed sequential multiple linear regression to determine the proportion of variance in the outcome variable explained by the independent variables. We also evaluated the degree of prediction to the criterion variable made by the key predictor variables (SI and CQ), while controlling for demographic variables. Overall, the model emerged as a significant predictor of national identity. Cultural intelligence possessed greater predictive power than SI. The study introduces a new framework of inquiry, highlighting the importance of SI and CQ in relation to NI. We recommend that researchers and stakeholders consider these constructs to enhance understanding in social cognitive studies and to promote togetherness and peaceful coexistence.