Foundations of Psychology: Individual Differences Lab Report

This laboratory report explores the concept of individual differences, specifically examining how the need for structure impacts how individuals perceive and interact with the world. It delves into the Personal Need for Structure (PNS) scale and its relevance to psychological studies. The report outlines methods, including studies on discriminant validity and social/non-social information sources, to understand the relationship between cognitive and personal variations. It discusses the cognitive concept, highlighting how individuals with high cognitive structure handle unfamiliar situations. The results section reveals the varying reactions of individuals to different situations based on their PNS, including factors like neuroticism and introversion. Ultimately, the report concludes by emphasizing how understanding these cognitive structures can explain why people react differently to uncertain situations. The report references various sources like Brown & Taylor (2008), Carlson (2008), and Kashdan & Ciarrochi (2013).

FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY
A LABORATORY REPORT

Table of Contents
ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................3
METHODS...............................................................................................................4
DISCUSSION...........................................................................................................5
RESULTS.................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................6
References................................................................................................................7

ABSTRACT
Individual differences regarding the requirement or desire for a simple structure or simple
framework, may create an impact on people as regarding the way they understand, interact and
give their reactions to the general world outside as to its various issues and prevailing practices
and instances(Collin, 2012). Various studies made in this aspect give us a clear information and
idea that the Personal Need for Structure scale or the PNS scale contains several factors which
are relevant to the psychological studies and conditions of every individual. In this aspect due
interest and importance is given in the tracing of a relationship between cognitive and personal
variations and the mathematical interpretations about the concepts of fractions of freshman.
INTRODUCTION
The ability if different individuals to deal with different kinds of situations in a different manner
can be used so as to draft the proper structure of studies as regarding their behaviour and
attributes ti the circumstances in which they are made prone to. The cognitive concept in this
regard refers to the ability of a concerned person to deal with a situation to which he is not
known to or he is not aware of(Gardner & Moore, 2007). A person possessing high level of
cognitive structure has a high potential to deal with situations which appear suddenly without
any paricular intimation of knowledge to the concerned person who is supposed to deal with it.

METHODS
The first and the second studies include factors such as, discriminant validity, convergent
aspects and reliable liability(Heilbrun, Grisso & Goldstein, 2009). The third and the fourth
studies, factors such as Ss high, which is an important feature and factor in PNS scale and
studies. They mainly focus on the social and the non social sources of information, and make an
attempt to organise them in simple and less complex manner. It also includes and deals with
matters like stereotyping others, be it individuals so affected, or factors so associated, and also
emphasises the timely completion of their research requirements(Carlstedt, 2012). The datas so
achieved and attained give a clear idea that every individual have a chronic wish or desire for a
simple structure for every associated matter which may differ as according to every individual,
and this difference may affect or put its impact the socio cognitive as well as the behavioral
implications of every associated or concerned individual and person(Santrock & Mitterer, 2006).
Theoretical interpretation or integration of several factors such as personality, motivation, affect
and social implication or social impact can be given an emphasis or momentum by a
consideration by a thorough study and analysis of the various motives regarding information
processing.
Theoretically constructing Personal Need For Structure, is required to have its base on the
presumptions and assumptions on a particular individual’s capability to bring down the level or
possibility of uncertainty in any referred or possible in any situation, which is in turn related to a
more important capacity or ability to face various new and different types of situations and also
to deal effectively and efficiently to those situations which are stressful. PNS has a distinctive
feature, which are known as cognitive individual variables, and is characterised by various
features such as, presentation and explanation of simplified information, a thorough analysis and
figuring out of past experiences, formatting the available informations into simple and easily
understandable categories which are generally used by people in ambiguous situations which are
exceptionally new as to its existence as well as to keep his or her position intact or certain.

The research works related to PNS is basically related to aspects bearing several variables such
as bias and stereotypes(Kashdan & Ciarrochi, 2013). An excessive need for a well defined
structure is related to the requirement of rapid, simple and exact outputs, as well as to avoid and
ignore unambiguous and uncertain data, so that the individual feels comfortable and easy with
the situation in which he is dwelling.
DISCUSSION
‘Desire for the structure’ or the F1 factor in such researches is defined as the extent of the limit
to which every particular individual desire to establish a well defined format in their everyday
lives. The people who have a great desire and wish for a well defined are efficiently structured.
The formats in their lives specify a certain place for everything in their lives, are put in the F1
category. ‘Response to the lack of structure’ comprises the F2 factor and refers to the limit or
extent to which every individual respond to the unpredictable and the ambiguous, as well as
unstructured situations(Gleitman, Reisberg & Gross, 2007). People who do not prefer
unascertained or unpredictable situations, make a change as to the plans taken up by them at the
very last moment with an intent to achieve high range of profits which arises in such complex
situations.
RESULTS
A comprehensive and detailed research and study of all the researches associated with the two
approaches of F1 and F2 studies reveal that both these factors which comprise the PNS scale
show different reactions and carry different relations to the behavioral aspect of different
individuals in reflection to different features associated with them(Brown & Taylor, 2008). The
various factors which affect the aspects of the researches include those which respond to the lack
or unavailability of structures which correlate with various issues such as neuroticism and

introversion. However the desire for a well framed structure does not form part of the factors
affecting the research.
Researches prove that rigidity scale has a better connection and relation to the F1 factor rather
than the F2 factor. F1 factor basically emphasizes on the need or desire of people in having a
well defined, a well structured, and a well known environment. On the contrary, the F2 factor
relates or is concerned with the human tendency and habit of adaptability, which means adapting
to any unascertained or unpredicted situation along with a unstructured and unpredictable
environment (Weinberg & Gould, 2015). It was also established that, people with a high rate of
influx towards personal need, always represent a lowered tendency towards adaptability and
flexibility. A negetive relation between the verbal intelligence and structure for need is also
brought up as a result in these researches.
CONCLUSION
As a conclusion to the entire study it is essential to draw the attention towards to a very crucial
issue which deals with the simplified and popular cognitive structure of related procedures and
their mathematical implications and such related concepts which give a well defined solution as
to why different people react to unascertained situations differently, some face it with due
enthusiasm and vigour, whereas other get stressed up and create immense negligence and
mistakes when it comes to handling them (Carlson, 2008). Thus, it also shows distinctive
reactions of different persons in a varied range of situations.

References
Brown, F., & Taylor, C. (2008). Foundations of playwork. Maidenhead, England: McGraw
Hill/Open University Press.
Carlson, N. (2008). Foundations of physiological psychology. Boston, Mass.: Allyn and Bacon.
Carlstedt, R. (2012). Evidence-Based Applied Sport Psychology. New York: Springer Pub. Co.
Collin, C. (2012). The psychology book. New York [N.Y.]: DK Pub.
Gardner, F., & Moore, Z. (2007). The psychology of enhancing human performance. New York:
Springer Pub.
Gleitman, H., Reisberg, D., & Gross, J. (2007). Psychology. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Heilbrun, K., Grisso, T., & Goldstein, A. (2009). Foundations of forensic mental health
assessment. New York: Oxford University Press.
Kashdan, T., & Ciarrochi, J. (2013). Mindfulness, acceptance, and positive psychology. Oakland,
CA: Context Press.
Santrock, J., & Mitterer, J. (2006). Psychology. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.
Weinberg, R., & Gould, D. (2015). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. Champaign,
IL: Human Kinetics.