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13PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
PECULIARITIES OF PERCEPTION SELECTIVENESS IN PEOPLE WITH NICOTINE ADDICTION
Akhmatkhanova H.H.,
a student of Pirogov Russian NationalResearch Medical University (RNRMU),
major «Clinical psychology» Russia, city of Moscow
Abstract. This article deals with one of the most important issue of contemporaneity, the problem of nicotine addiction. In our research we decided to explore the characteristics of attention in individuals with nicotine dependence.
Objective: to produce a comparative analysis of attention people with nicotine addiction and the norm. Thus, in the course of the study were obtained by the strong differences between the compared groups: people with nicotine dependence are characterized by lower levels of stability, selectivity, shifting attention. People with nicotine dependence have increased nervous tension, and therefore they are smokers. Psycho-emotional state (anxiety, excitement) participants, monitoring the experimenter could become factors affecting the results of the study.
The practical significance is that the results of this research can be used in the analysis of mechanisms to prevent nicotine addiction and the practical application of recommendations, assist psychologists. Theoretical significance: strengthening the knowledge about the effects of tobacco smoking on psychological development, namely the development of attention.
Preliminary results of this study were published in the International Conference of young scientists "Psychology of the XXI century: past and future» (20-April 23, 2015 onwards). We have increased the experimental and the control sample and received generally similar results.
In the future, we are planning a larger scale study to the attention of persons with addictive behavior.
Keywords: addictive behavior, nicotine addiction, attention, psycho-emotional state.
The nicotine addiction is one of the top problems nowadays. Nicotine is a narcotic drug with stimulating effect. As any other drug it causes a habit, dependence and addiction. It increases heart rates and blood pressure. The brain stimulation if followed by a sharp decrease up to depression that causes a desire to increase a drug dose. Such a two phase mechanism is characteristic of all narcotic stimulants: first they excite and then they exhaust. A complete refusal of smoking can be accompanied with a withdrawal syndrome for about 2-3 weeks as usual. The most frequent symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are irritability, sleep disorder, disturbance and reduced tonus. All these symptoms are not harmful for health and they fade and disappear by themselves. Renovation of smoking leads to a quick relapse of nicotine dependence (it is exactly the same how a new alcohol dose causes a disease relapse in former drunkards).
Nicotine addiction is widely spread among young people. Using narcotic drugs and also other psychoactive substances, cigarettes and tobacco among them, by under-aged and young people has become a real problem that is a serious threat for all population.
It is a great interest whether the attention level of people with nicotine dependence differs from the norm. At first let us define what we understand under attention. Attention is a target focus of perception on definite objects.
Earlier, at the Conference of young researchers «Psychology of XXI century: past and future» (20-23 April, 2015) we presented the preliminary results of our research with 60 participants: the experimental group was of 30 people and the control group consisted of 30 people.
We put a task to prove that the selective perception concentration of people with nicotine dependence was much different from the control group. We found out that the experimental group was characterized by a low level of attention stability and selectiveness. The methodical supply was not changed.
The research object is attention as a psychological process.
The research subject matter is peculiarities of attention in people with nicotine addiction.
The research goal is to perform a comparative analysis of peculiarities of attention in people with nicotine addiction to the norm.
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The research hypothesis: ЛюдиThe people with nicotine addiction are characterized by a reliably lower level of attention stability (concentration, selectiveness, focus shift) than people without nicotine dependence.
The sample characteristic: 80 people at the age of 25 - 30years old took part in the research, among them 40 people with strong nicotine addiction (women - 20, men - 20; by Fagerström test the nicotine dependence is 7-10 points) and 40 people of the control norm group, among them 25female people, 15 male people.
The research methods:
1. Observation
2. Anamnesis collection
3. Clinical interview
4. Experimental-psychological research
5. Data processing.
The methodical provision:
1. Fagerström test «The nicotine dependence intensity»
2. Bourdon test «Dot cancellation»
3. Method «Calculation of E. Kraepelin»
4. Method of H. Münsterberg
The research results: To receive the reliable results the research was individual without any external interference and other factors that could affect the research results.
The results of research by the «Dot cancellation» Bourdon test 70 % of respondents (28 people) with nicotine dependence showed low level of concentration, shift and stability of attention (the correctness indicator is 45 %). While 30 % people showed a middle result. By this test 80 % of the examined people from the norm group showed a high result. The correctness indicator is 1: the number of crossed and underlined letters is 365, no missed or crossed by mistake letter. 20 % of the same sample showed medium level. The similar results were obtained by calculation of E. Kraepelin method: 70 % addicted respondents showed low level of stability, shift of attention and 30 % had a medium result. The lowest results were got in first five intervals. Most likely it proves the fact that a man is inattentive and cannot quickly get down to work. As for the norm the same 32 people showed high result and 8 - medium. By the method of H. Münsterberg during the limited time period (2 minutes) all addicted respondents were able to find 9 - 10 words among the letters text. It proves a low level of attention selectiveness. And 40 people of the norm group showed high result (21- 24 words were found).
The received results are similar to the results that were obtained by use earlier. So, the experimental group was characterized by the fact that 80% have lower concentration level, attention shift, all respondents have low level of attention selectiveness.
Thus, during the research we received the difference between the groups compared: the people with nicotine addiction are characterized by a lower level of attention stability, selectiveness and focus shift.
It should be noted that people with nicotine dependence are very nervous and tensed that is why they smoke. Psycho-emotional state of the respondents (anxiety) in experimenter's opinion could become the factors that influenced the research results.
In our further research we are planning to enlarge the sample and study the peculiarities of the selective focus of perception in people with different intensity of nicotine addiction.
To our mind the practical significance of our research is that the results can be used at the analysis of mechanisms to prevent the nicotine dependence and their practice use for recommendations to help psychologists.
Theoretical significance: enlarging knowledge of tobacco smoking and its influence on psychological development and attention development in particular.
REFERENCES
1. Психология XXI века: академическое прошлое и будущее: Материалы международной научной конференции молодых ученых, 20-23 апреля 2015 г. — СПб.: Скифия-принт., стр. 20.
2. Психологическая защита в чрезвычайных ситуациях: Учебное пособие/Под ред. Л. А.Михайлова. - Спб. : Питер., 2009. - 256 с.
3. Табакокурение. URL: http://www.alcoholism.ru/smoking.html. Дата обращения: 1.12.2015 г.
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