2020, Volume 16
Projection of a specific class of human activity on a micro to macro scale as a presumption for a simple approach to measurements of mental and social health
Jarosław Klimczak1, Artur Kalina2
1Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Tourism, Recreation and Ecology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
2Plus-Rehabilitation Services Ltd., Cristal Lake, United States
Author for correspondence: Jarosław Klimczak; Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Tourism, Recreation and Ecology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland; email: klimczakwmrot@op.pl
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Abstract
Background and Study Aim: The dilemmas concerning measurements of mental health and social health are still open issues. Little progress has been made since the formation of the thesis 50 years ago by Michael M Pechowski, that all the attempts to determine the core of mental health lack a clearly and accurately defined theoretical scheme. The cognitive goal of our simulation study is to answer the question: do adult, intellectually and physically active women modify projection of their activities, depending on their changing activity scale, individual or collective threat and possible expansion of power in the changing social environment? The application objective involves methodological recommendations dedicated to mental health and social health measurements for initial preclinical studies.
Material and Methods: Sixty-four female second year students of sports science (aged 20 to 23 years) participated in the anonymous KS-4M projective (pictorial) test. In each simulated situations the task of the examined person (respondent) is: in micro scale (pictures 1 and 4), ”an indication of yourself" in the circumstances of interpersonal physical aggression; in medium scale (picture 2), indication of a specific solution (out of seven possible) in the event of threat of aggression of a foreign power; in macro scale (picture 3), indication of decisions in a highly attractive external situation – projection of six possibilities of unlimited power over people and things, albeit for a short period.
Results: In response to two simulated circumstances of interpersonal aggression in micro scale, the students indicated “verbal counteraction to physical aggression” (55% i 70%, under circumstances of simulated police intervention). Medium scale simulation (indicating a specific solution in cases of threat from an external superpower) was dominated (64%) by the projection involving “encouraging competent entities of the environment to defend and using one's own forces in a dignified manner”. Projection of actions in simulation of unlimited power over people and things, within a short period of time in macro scale has been already dispersed into three categories: “refraining from high responsibility” (34%); “common sense under highly tempting external circumstances in macro scale” (23%); "striving to satisfy excessive hedonistic needs" (22%).
Conclusion: The KS-4M projective (picture) test is not only a simple and easy to use tool allowing prediction of adult people’s actions, mainly under threat of physical aggression, from micro- to medium scale and possible escalation of aggression in macro scale (in cases of power expansion to such an extent). The research results ensuring real anonymity for the respondents and meeting the criterion of sample representativity in relatively homogenous social groups (soldiers, policemen, rescue service, athletes, teachers, etc.), can be reliable indices of mental health (simulations of micro scale) and social health (medium and macro scales simulations).
Key words: innovative agonology, physical aggression, pictorial simulation, preclinical studies