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Degree

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Psychology, 1992.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to describe the relationship among creativity, dream recall frequency and relaxation ability as it was affected by allocentricity and anxiety in a group of undergraduate students. An allocentric attitude involves an objective (as opposed to a subjective) view of objects; receptivity to ideas and people; a non-judgmental attitude; and an ability to focus attention completely on the subject at hand. Anxiety was measured by performance on the state-trait anxiety inventory. The effect of gender on the relationships among these factors also was examined. Sixty-three undergraduate subjects recruited from introductory psychology courses completed a series of questionnaires measuring allocentricity, creativity, dream recall frequency, self-reported subjective relaxation level, state and trait anxiety levels and demographic variables. Each subject then participated in a 20-minute relaxation exercise employing autogenic training. Changes in subjects' hand temperature were measured with biofeedback equipment to provide an objective, non-intrusive measure of relaxation. The data were analyzed in two parts. First, the overall relationship between allocentricity, creativity, dream recall frequency, relaxation ability and anxiety were examined. Allocentricity was unrelated to creativity, dream recall frequenc y or objective relaxation. Greater allocentricity was positively correlated with greater subjective relaxation and lower state and trait anxiety. Greater creativity was associated with greater subjective relaxation. Finally, greater subjective relaxation was associated with lesser state and trait anxiety. Second, in order to explore the impact of allocentricity and state anxiety on the relationships established in the first part of the study, the subjects were split into high- and low-allocentric, and high- and low-anxious groups, based on their allocentricity and anxiety measure scores. High allocentric individuals scored higher on the subjective relaxation inventory than did low allocentric individuals. Low allocentric individuals perceived themselves to be much more relaxed following the relaxation exercise relative to high allocentric individuals. High anxious individuals were more allocentric than low anxious individuals. High anxious individuals were less objectively relaxed after the relaxation exercise than low anxious individuals. However, both high and low anxious individuals rated themselves as being more relaxed after the relaxation exercise, with high anxious individuals rating themselves as much more relaxed after the exercise, relative to low anxious individuals.

Subject Headings

Psychology, Clinical

Keywords

creativity; dream recall; relaxation ability

Advisor

Elizabeth Short

Pages

111p.

Document number: case1056636683
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1056636683

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