Kinetikens tecken
en experimentell studie i samspelet mellan kroppens rörelser och dess försvarsmekanismer
PsychologyPsykologiDMT-Defence Mechanism TestDefense mechanismsQuasicommunicationBody movementsKineticsNonverbal communicationApplied and experimental psychologyTillämpad och experimentell psykologiSocial Sciences
Relationships between defence mechanisms and body movements were investigated in regard to three hypothesis; I. that a difference in frequency of body movements correlates to different signs of defence mechanisms, II. that themes of body movements can be identified in regard to signs of defence mechanisms, III. that no significant differences will be found between the different groups of gender. The aim of the study was to seek a relation between quasicommunicative body movements and defence mechanisms. The researchdesign was a modified replication built upon the work of Andrejs Ozolins (1989). The study encompassed 58 volunteer subjects, 29 men and 29 women. Participants were randomly assigned to different conditions; 30 to a control condition, 28 to a experimental condition. Signs of defence mechanisms were measured with the DMT - Defence Mechanism Test. Subjects were then exposed to two films, one expected to arouse feelings of discomfort, one not, during which time they were being filmed. A ratingform was thereafter administered. Body movements and selftouch was decoded by manuals. The results led to rejection of the first and last hypothesis, as the study suggests complex correlational patterns and large differences between groups of gender. The second hypothesis, it is concluded, is in need of further research as the results are vague and inconclusive.