European Journal of Behavioral Sciences

Mocking the Canon: Irony, Subversion, and Play in Iconoclastic Portraiture

Francis Ankyiah — 2023-12-05

This qualitative research paper examines how iconoclastic artists use techniques of irony, subversion, and play to undermine the conventions of traditional portraiture. Canonical portraiture aims to convey status and power through dignified representation. Iconoclastic portraiture rebels against this pretense through incongruous, caricatured, and role-reversed depictions designed to mock canonical norms. The paper analyzes selected artworks by Marcel Duchamp, Cindy Sherman, Yue Minjun, and others that exemplify iconoclastic approaches. Visual analysis reveals how incongruity introduces discordant elements to undercut meaning, caricature exaggerates features comically, and role reversal portrays subjects in undignified ways that contravene tradition. The paper interprets these techniques through the lens of postmodern theories of parody, carnivalesque inversion, and deconstruction. Findings demonstrate that by ironically mocking canonical conventions, iconoclastic portraiture destabilizes traditional hierarchies and reimagines portraiture as a critical, subversive art form. The research advances understanding of how iconoclastic artists deploy irony and play to contest establishment orthodoxies. This study elucidates iconoclastic portraiture’s aims and significances as a challenge to the canon’s pretensions and demonstrates humor and subversion as profound artistic strategies.

Unleashing Young Minds: Fostering Scientific Thinking in Early Childhood (Ages 5-9) through Experiential Learning in Kids Science Labs (STEM): Evaluation and Assessment

Aliya K. Salahova — 2023-12-05

Scientific thinking, characterized by purposeful knowledge-seeking and the harmonization of theory and facts, holds a crucial role in preparing young minds for an increasingly complex and technologically advanced world. This paper presents a research study aimed at fostering scientific thinking in early childhood, focusing on children aged 5 to 9 years, through experiential learning in Kids Science Labs (STEM). The study utilized a longitudinal exploration design, spanning 240 weeks from September 2018 to April 2023, to evaluate the effectiveness of the Kids Science Labs program in developing scientific thinking skills. Participants in the research comprised 72 children drawn from local schools and community organizations. Through a formative psychology-pedagogical experiment, the experimental group engaged in weekly STEM activities carefully designed to stimulate scientific thinking, while the control group participated in daily art classes for comparison. To assess the scientific thinking abilities of the participants, a registration table with evaluation criteria was developed. This table included indicators such as depth of questioning, resource utilization in research, logical reasoning in hypotheses, procedural accuracy in experiments, and reflection on research processes. The data analysis revealed dynamic fluctuations in the number of children at different levels of scientific thinking proficiency. While the development was not uniform across all participants, a main leading factor emerged, indicating that the Kids Science Labs program and formative experiment exerted a positive impact on enhancing scientific thinking skills in children within this age range. The study's findings support the hypothesis that systematic implementation of STEM activities effectively promotes and nurtures scientific thinking in children aged 5-9 years. Enriching education with a specially planned STEM program, tailoring scientific activities to children's psychological development, and implementing well-planned diagnostic and corrective measures emerged as essential pedagogical conditions for enhancing scientific thinking abilities in this age group. The results highlight the significant and positive impact of the systematic-activity approach in developing scientific thinking, leading to notable progress and growth in children's scientific thinking abilities over time. These findings have promising implications for educators and researchers, emphasizing the importance of incorporating STEM activities into educational curricula to foster scientific thinking from an early age. This study contributes valuable insights to the field of science education and underscores the potential of STEM-based interventions in shaping the future scientific minds of young children.

Talasínup: Exploring the Environmental Consciousness and Christian Environmentalism of Youth Ministers in Mabalacat City in Light of Laudato Si' for Post-COVID-19 Environmental Stewardship

Angelito Ortiz Waje — 2023-12-05

This research investigates the influence of Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si on the attitudes and behaviors of Catholics regarding environmental stewardship in a post-COVID-19 context. The study employs a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to comprehensively understand the impact of the encyclical and identify potential areas for future action and research in this critical field. The primary data collection involved a survey administered to 144 Catholic Youth Ministers in Mabalacat City, Pampanga. The survey included the Environmental Consciousness Scale and Christian Environmental Scale. Preliminary results indicate that Laudato Si has had a significant impact on Catholic perspectives and behaviors related to climate change and sustainability. The analysis of open-ended responses in the study provided valuable insights into the concerns and aspirations of the youth ministers. While personal aspects of life were the primary concerns for the youth, the youth ministers expressed deep concern about local pollution and the urban expansion on natural landscapes. They emphasized the importance of taking practical action to address these environmental issues and recognized the role of individual behaviors and societal structures in tackling these challenges. This research highlights the influential role of the Catholic Church in promoting environmental stewardship and the transformative power of religious teachings in elevating climate change concerns. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the influence of religious teachings on environmental attitudes and behaviors among Catholics. Furthermore, the insights generated in this study can inform policymakers, educators, and organizations seeking to promote environmental awareness and action among Catholic youth.

Attractiveness of Facial Symmetry in the Context of the Dominant Visual Field

Slavka Demuthova — 2023-12-05

One of the key features of an attractive face is symmetry. The presence of symmetry in living organisms reflects their ability to cope with various adverse environmental or genetic factors, thus a symmetrical face signals the hidden qualities of the organism. Despite the evolutionary basis for the attractiveness of facial symmetry, studies that have examined it have yielded diverse results. One reason may lie in the fact that the symmetrical stimulus faces are often composites that are created by using the mirror image of one, which can lead to contradictory outcomes. When evaluating human faces, the dominance of the left visual field (as a reflection of brain lateralisation functions) comes into play, which may modify the attractiveness of the composite depending on whether it was created as a left-sided mirror image (using the left half of the face) or a right-sided mirror image (using the right half of the face). The study aims to evaluate the attractiveness of left-sided and right-sided symmetrical facial composites and how the evaluator's visual field dominance affects the assessed attractiveness. The research was conducted on a sample of 1,921 participants aged from 15 to 77 (M = 23.57; SD = 9.52); 60.7% women using computerised facial composites in quasi-experimental research design. The results show that left-sided facial composites are significantly (p<0.001) more attractive than right-sided, for both female and male faces. Furthermore, it is noted that visual field dominance is not related to the type (left-sided vs. right-sided) of symmetry or the evaluation of its attractiveness – individuals with dominant left visual fields as well as those with dominant right visual fields universally rate the left-sided composite as significantly more attractive than the right-sided composite.