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O pensamento contrafactual em idosos: Atores versus ouvintes
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
A presente investigação teve como objetivo estudar as diferenças entre o nível etário
(idosos vs. jovens adultos) em relação ao foco do pensamento contrafactual, quando inseridos
na condição de ator versus ouvinte.
Participaram neste estudo um total de 80 sujeitos, em que 40 eram idosos e os restantes
40 eram jovens adultos. Em ambos níveis etários os participantes foram divididos
aleatoriamente por duas condições: atores ou ouvintes.
Em relação à condição de ator, os participantes tiveram de escolher entre dois envelopes,
em que foi dito que num continha uma multiplicação difícil e noutro uma multiplicação fácil,
mas na verdade ambos os envelopes continham uma multiplicação difícil e igual (68×76).
Posteriormente, os participantes eram estimulados a pensar numa realidade alternativa, cujo
resultado fosse positivo para os mesmos. Já, em relação à condição de ouvinte, os participantes
ouviram uma história cujo protagonista escolhe um envelope (em que é dito que existe um com
uma multiplicação fácil e outro com uma difícil) e falha na resolução da multiplicação. Depois,
era pedido aos ouvintes que desenvolvessem uma realidade alternativa na qual a protagonista
da história teria sucesso na resolução da tarefa.
Os resultados vão ao encontro do esperado na condição de ouvinte, i.e., ambos os grupos
(idosos e jovens adultos) focam principalmente a Escolha do envelope, imaginando que se
tivessem escolhido o envelope com a conta fácil teriam melhor resultado. Já, na condição de
ator, tal como esperado, os jovens adultos focam mais a Situação (e.g., “Se tivesse mais tempo”;
“Se tivesse uma máquina de calcular”), enquanto que os idosos focam mais o Sujeito (e.g., “Se
eu fosse mais rápido a fazer contas”; “Se eu fosse mais novo”). Em conclusão, os idosos
apresentam maior propensão para mudar coisas relacionadas com o próprio, quando
confrontados com um resultado negativo e na posição de ator, contrariamente aos jovens
adultos, que mudam mais coisas relacionadas com a situação. Na posição de ouvinte, os
resultados seguem o mesmo padrão encontrado na literatura com leitores (Girotto et al., 2007;
Pighin et al., 2011).
ABSTRACT: The present research aimed to study the differences between the age level (elderly vs. young adults) in relation to the focus of counterfactual thinking, when inserted in the condition of actor versus listener. A total of 80 subjects participated in this study, in which 40 were elderly and the remaining 40 were young adults. At both age levels the participants were randomly divided by two conditions: actors or listeners. As for the actor’s condition, participants had to choose between two envelopes, where it was said that one contained a difficult multiplication and in another an easy multiplication, but in fact both envelopes contained a difficult and equal multiplication (68×76). Subsequently, participants were encouraged to think of an alternative reality whose outcome was positive for them. In turn, in the condition of listener, the participants heard a story whose protagonist chooses an envelope (being instructed that one would present an easy multiplication and the other a difficult one) and fails in the resolution of the multiplication. Then listeners were asked to develop an alternate reality in which the protagonist of the story would succeed in solving the task. The results are in line with what was expected, in which, as a listener, both groups (elderly and young adults) focus mainly on Choice. As for the actor condition, as expected, young adults focus more on the Situation, while elderly focus more on the Subject. In conclusion, the elderly are more likely to blame themselves when faced with a negative outcome, as opposed to young adults.
ABSTRACT: The present research aimed to study the differences between the age level (elderly vs. young adults) in relation to the focus of counterfactual thinking, when inserted in the condition of actor versus listener. A total of 80 subjects participated in this study, in which 40 were elderly and the remaining 40 were young adults. At both age levels the participants were randomly divided by two conditions: actors or listeners. As for the actor’s condition, participants had to choose between two envelopes, where it was said that one contained a difficult multiplication and in another an easy multiplication, but in fact both envelopes contained a difficult and equal multiplication (68×76). Subsequently, participants were encouraged to think of an alternative reality whose outcome was positive for them. In turn, in the condition of listener, the participants heard a story whose protagonist chooses an envelope (being instructed that one would present an easy multiplication and the other a difficult one) and fails in the resolution of the multiplication. Then listeners were asked to develop an alternate reality in which the protagonist of the story would succeed in solving the task. The results are in line with what was expected, in which, as a listener, both groups (elderly and young adults) focus mainly on Choice. As for the actor condition, as expected, young adults focus more on the Situation, while elderly focus more on the Subject. In conclusion, the elderly are more likely to blame themselves when faced with a negative outcome, as opposed to young adults.
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Keywords
Pensamento contrafactual Idosos Ator vs ouvinte Counterfactual thinking Elderly Actor vs. listener