Be Mindful What You Measure: Theoretical and Practical Approaches to Invariance Testing in R

Moderator: Johannes Karl
Language: English

The study of cross-cultural and cross-group differences has been a long-standing topic in psychology. However, historically, many of these comparisons lacked rigor, which can undermine the validity of findings. Therefore, it is essential to establish statistical equivalence when comparing constructs across different groups to ensure the comparability and appropriateness of the measures.

This workshop aims to provide an introduction to the core methods for cross-group testing in R, including Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis in lavaan and effect size estimation for non-invariant parameters. These methods are designed to help researchers evaluate the cultural comparability of psychometric measures, both theoretically and practically.

Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis is a statistical method used to assess the equivalence of constructs across different groups. It involves fitting a confirmatory factor analysis model separately to each group and comparing the models to determine whether the measurement structure is comparable across the groups. Effect size estimation for non-invariant parameters is a newer method that aims to quantify the magnitude of differences between groups when the measurement structure is not equivalent. This method can help researchers better understand the nature and size of differences between groups, even when the measures are not directly comparable.

Overall, this workshop seeks to provide participants with a foundation for conducting rigorous cross-group comparisons in psychology. The focus is on introducing key methods for assessing measurement equivalence and understanding the practical and theoretical challenges involved in this type of research. By the end of the workshop, participants should have a solid understanding of the methods used for cross-group testing in R and the importance of statistical equivalence in ensuring the comparability of psychometric measures across cultures and groups.

Dr. Johannes Karl is an Assistant Professor at Dublin City University whose research focuses on the origin and expression of individual differences in personality, values, and mindfulness. He has published works related to cross-cultural approaches to mindfulness, cross-temporal investigations of personality using text mining techniques on literary sources, and network perspectives on individual differences. His ongoing research projects include developing quantitative approaches to the philosophy of living, using network statistics in cross-cultural psychology, and examining state-trait interactions of mindfulness.

The Topology of Pop Culture and the Psychology of Video Game Design - Creating Real Narratives within Imaginary Spaces

Moderator: Ivica Milarić
Language: Serbian

Video game design, especially narrative design, involves understanding and incorporating psychological elements of popular culture. Like a geographical landscape, the topology of pop culture also segments this knowledge and defines it as operational elements that can be used in creating narratives. The workshop will present these mechanisms, as well as the psychological processes behind them. Additionally, this will occur through the active application of these mechanisms and the generation of a framework narrative for a potential video game.

Ivica Milarić is an associate teacher at the Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad. He has a degree in psychology and a master's degree in digital media art. He also works in the entertainment industry, where he has participated in the development of over thirty internationally published video games. In 2010, he received the Đura Đukanov Award for the best unpublished collection of stories for his work "Novi Sad Pleasures". His short film "Wire" was selected for the official programs of the 26th Videomedeja festival, First-Time Filmmaker Sessions in November 2022, and goEast 2022.

Perception of the quality of care through monitoring the play of parents and children

Moderator: Ksenija Krstić
Language: Serbian

The concept of Nurturing care assumes that in order for a child to reach their full potential, it is necessary to provide five key aspects of nurturing care: good health, adequate nutrition, safety and security, responsive care and opportunities for learning through play. Although these components are closely related and interdependent, within this workshop we will deal with one of them which is the key element of quality child care in whole - responsive care as a dimension of the quality of parent-child interaction. Responsiveness refers to the parent's skill to correctly and timely perceive and understand the child's signals, and then respond to them adequately, encouraging and supporting the child's initiative and interest. Such interactions, which bring satisfaction to both the child and the parent, enable the establishment of an emotional bond between them, which will be the basis for the child's learning and understanding of the world around him, and for learning about people and interpersonal relationships. Such social interactions also stimulate brain development during early childhood. Responsive care involves observing and responding to the child's movements, sounds, gestures and verbal signals. As such, it is the basis for providing a safe environment and protecting the child from injury and adverse experiences, including timely recognition of signs of illness, as well as providing an environment and opportunities for learning and building trust in social relationships.

During this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to become familiar with the concept of responsive care - what are the signals that the child sends, for example, signals for hunger or satiety, emotional distress, interest in play or pleasure - and then what it means to perceive adequately and understand the child's signals, and what is the adequate response. We will talk about how professionals, in their various roles, can support and encourage parents/caregivers to identify and use everyday activities and routines to interact, communicate and play with their child. Special attention will be paid to parent-child play, as a key context for the child's growth and development in the first months and years of life. Participants will also have the opportunity to analyze the indicators of responsiveness in different play situations and parent-child interactions and to discuss the importance of responsiveness for the proper growth and development of the child.

With formal education in psychology, Ksenija Krstić finished her PhD in Developmental psychology at the University of Belgrade. Currently, she is an associate professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Belgrade. She is teaching Developmental psychology, Emotional development, and Developmental psychology of adolescence at undergraduate, Master and PhD studies at the University of Belgrade. Her main fields of interest are socio-emotional development, especially attachment and close relationships, and early childhood development, parenting, and early childhood in specific socio-cultural contexts. She has more than 20 years of professional experience as a researcher in various research projects. In her research studies, she uses a mixed-method approach to study the complex interrelatedness of individual and social processes in socio-emotional development, with different groups of subjects, including adolescents, vulnerable groups, children, etc.

How does the story begin… or end? Dynamic storytelling as a methodological approach for exploring inclusive education

Moderators: Olja Jovanović & Tinde Kovač Cerović
Language: Serbian

Research with narrating builds on practices of daily life, where people use storytelling to do things — to connect with other people, to deal with social structures defining their lives, to make sense of what is going on around them, to craft a way of fitting in with various contexts, and sometimes to change them. Experiences, values and norms that people gain and hold in everyday life guide what they choose to mention in each narrative appropriate to the purpose, audience, and situation, which is particularly important when dealing with sensitive topics such as inclusive education.

“Dynamic” refers to the fact that people’s understandings of social situations are interactive processes, while “story” refers to the fact that the meanings of activities occur in relation to personal and collective histories and expectations. The dynamic storytelling design aims at engaging participants in different expressive activities from different relational positions, for different purposes, and with different intended audiences. In this process, stories integrate the perspectives of diverse individuals and groups with varied influence, experience, knowledge, and goals.

During the workshop, we will present dynamic storytelling activities which we have been using for different purposes, exploring the integrity of inclusive education, inclusiveness of local communities, development of a professional identity of Roma assistants, and educational experiences of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, different approaches to analysis will be presented and discussed.

Olja Jovanović, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Philosophy. Belgrade University, Serbia, where she teaches courses in Educational Psychology. Her research and publications address the role of education systems in the educational and life trajectories of children and youth from marginalized groups. Through engagement in different contexts and settings, she has gained extensive experience in educational research, with a particular interest in the participatory approach.

Tünde Kovács Cerović, Ph.D., is an associate professor of Educational Psychology and Policy in retirement and a researcher at Belgrade University. Her research studies and publications primarily address the excluded and vulnerable, such as education of Roma, migrants, refugees and children living in poverty or under unusual circumstances, including the COVID crisis. In addition, she served as Assistant Minister and State Secretary of Education, as Education Advisory Board member for Open Society Foundations, as senior advisor to the Roma Education Fund, and she was an education consultant for international organizations, primarily UNICEF. She is living in Austria.