Faculty of Philosophy

Sukurta: 09 September 2013

fsf9/1 Universiteto, LT-01513 Vilnius
Tel. 266 7601, fax 266 7600
E-mail:
www http://www.fsf.vu.lt

Dean – Prof. Dr. Arūnas Poviliūnas

STAFF

83 teachers (75 holding research degree), 6 research fellows (4 holding research degree), 77 doctoral students.

 

RESEARCH AREAS

Nature, Role and Historical Genesis of Contemporary Philosophy
Psychological Factors of Society, Community and Personality Development
Educational Policy in Lithuania: Coherency Issues within National and Global
Sociological Analysis of Social Structure and Change
Social Work and Development of Social Welfare

DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS MAINTAINED IN 2014

T. Chulitskaya. Narratives of social justice in non-democratic regime: case of Belarus.
V. Petrušauskaitė. Early withdrawal of Roma children from school in Vilnius city: analysis of an educational field.
T. Jasiukevičiūtė. Reconstruction of identity of alcohol-dependent individuals in the period of abstinance.
U. L. Orlova. Factors of life quality of elderly socially dependent people.
N. Stasiulis. The meaning of the philosophy of Aristotle in the thinking of Heidegger.
J. Butvilienė. Non-formal adult education in Lithuania: public and private teaching sectors.
J. Lozovska. Reflecting on psychotherapeutic changes: therapeutic factors and the transformation of anger expression.
V. Domankaitė Gota. Long-term psychological after-effects of participation in war activities.
I. Bieliauskienė. Qualitative study of the effectiveness of psychotherapy: therapeutic factors from the perspective of male and female clients.
M. Tvarijonavičius. Psychological empowerment of employees: its antecedents and role in organization.
V. Silius. Contemporary philosophical controversy on the nature of early Confucian ethics.
I. Vasilionytė. The possibility of a moral theory compatible with common-sense morality.
Ž. Svigaris. Philosophical heritage of Vincas Vyčinas.
K. Čunichina. Crime victims’ perceived fairness of judge’s behaviour.
D. Čiupailaitė. Housing developments as a new space in the postsocialist city.
L. Šumskaitė. Fathering practices of men.
E. Rimkus. Kantian conception of experience and its reception.
R. Breidokienė. The biological and psychosocial factors of early self-regulation.
B. Jakubkaitė. Prospective group therapists' experience diversity in a long-term experiential group.

MAIN CONFERENCES ORGANIZED IN 2014

International conference The Moral Domain: Conceptual Issues in Moral Psychology. Vilnius, October 9–11, 2014, http://moral-domain.xphi.lt/program/.

International seminar Concepts and Conceptual Analysis. Vilnius, October 16–17, 2014, http://www.fsf.vu.lt/dokumentai/Conceptual_Analysis.pdf .

Conference The Phenomenon of Arvydas Sliogeris’ Philosophy, Vilnius, October 27th, 2014, http://www.fsf.vu.lt/dokumentai/naujienos/2014/Sliogeris_programa.pdf

International seminar Family Change in Times of the De-bodering and Mobility: Resources and Practices. Vilnius, October 17–19, 2014. (organized within the research project Emigration and Family: Challenges, Family Resources, Ways of Coping with Difficulties (2012–2014), supported byn the Research Council of Lithuania).

International conference White Task Force on the Development of Skills of the Social Welfare Professionals Working with Vulnerable Groups. 25–27 June.

5th international group relations conference in Lithuania A Light in the Shadow of History: Leadership and Identity in Organisations and Communities, organised in cooperation with Tavistock Institute of Human Relations. Vilnius University, June 28–July 2, 2014.

Scientific – practical conference Youth in Global Society: Challenges and Changes, organizing partners: Vilnius University, Vytautas Magnus University, Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences, Lithuanian Youth Council and Department of Youth Affairs. Kaunas, 26 November, 2014.

Organizational psychology conference Psycologist in Organization: towards Novel Ideas. Vilnius, April 12, 2014.

11th conference for young scientists in psychology Research in Psychology: Significance to Society – a Challenge to the Researcher. Vilnius, April 25, 2014.

5th annual Vilnius trauma psychology conferenceTrauma across the Lifespan.Vilnius, March 28, 2014

MAIN SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2014

International conference The moral domain: conceptual issues in moral psychology. Vilnius, October 9–11, 2014, http://moral-domain.xphi.lt/program/

Conference The phenomenon of Arvydas Sliogeris’ Philosophy, Vilnius, October 27th, 2014, http://www.fsf.vu.lt/dokumentai/naujienos/2014/Sliogeris_programa.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY

9/1 Universiteto, LT-01513 Vilnius
Tel. 266 7605, fax 266 7600
E-mail:

Head – Prof. Dr. Gintautas Valickas

STAFF
Professors: Prof. Dr. A. Bagdonas, Prof. Dr. G. Valickas.
Associate professors: Dr. R. Bliumas, Dr. L. Bulotaitė, Dr. D. Čekuolienė, Dr. I. Čėsnienė, Dr. M. Dovydaitienė, Dr. G. Gintilienė, Dr. S. Girdzijauskienė, Dr. R. Jusienė, Dr. A. Kairys, Dr. F. Laugalys, Dr. V. Pakalniškienė, Dr. B. Pociūtė, Dr. R. Stanikūnas, Dr. A. Švegžda.
Lecturers: Dr. R. Berniūnas, Dr. D. Blažys, D. Butkienė, K.Čunichina, Dr. M. Dovydaitienė, K. Dragūnevičius, Dr. V. Mikuličiūtė, Dr. V. Navickas, L. Rakickienė, Dr. K. Vanagaitė.
Doctoral students: G. Ambrulaitienė, R. Černovaitė, D. Jančiūrė, J. S. Jasiulionė, I.Juodkūnė J. Kaliatkaitė, V.Jurkuvėnas, T. Maceina, A. Lošakevičius, J. Narmontienė, D.Petkevičiūtė-Barysienė, V.Rimienė, J.Stasiukynienė, O.Zamalijeva.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Influence of colour contrast, adaptation and location of stimuli in visual field on colour perception (on colour constancy)
Selection and registration of psychophysical parameters for estimation of effectiveness of human being activity
Procedural justice in criminal and civil proceedings
Development of asocial personality
The problems of psychological functioning of students and teachers in the system of Higher Education of Lithuania
Development of language and thinking
Intelligence testing with children
Psychopathology of early relationships
Addiction psychology: early detection and intervention
Cognitive development and social cognition in adolescence
Career psychology
Emotion and behavioural problems of Lithuanian schoolchildren

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2014

Projects Supported by University Budget

The Investigation of the Static and Dynamic Features Involved in the Cognitive Processes. Dr. R. Stanikūnas. 2011–2015.

Inter-modality effect in temporal perception of visual and auditory stimuli was investigated. The “optimal integration hypothesis“ was challenged. The hypothesis deals with inter-modality effects between vision and audition and predicts that the nervous system weights information from each modality to minimize perception uncertainty – the source of information is direct of variance of information quality from sensory modalities.
Participants of the experiments were asked to judge the change in the frequency of visual and auditory   stimuli using visual flicker and auditory flutter stimuli. The experiments were performed on the visual judgment condition, in which subjects judged the direction of change in the flicker rate of visual stimulus under the influence of different auditory stimulus.
It was found that direction of change in the flicker rate of flicking sound induces a similar change in the apparent flicker rate of flashing light. It was confirmed that when ambiguous auditory cues were presented the change in the frequency of the visual stimuli was also associated with a perceived change in the frequency of the auditory stimuli.

Main publications:

Murray, Ian. J., Daugirdienė, A., Panorgias, A., Stanikūnas, R., Kulikowski, J. J., Kelly, M.F. 2014. Lightness constancy and its link with cone contrast. Journal of the Optical Society of America A. Optics, Image Science & Vision, vol. 31, iss. 4, A350–356.

Matuzevičius, D., Vaitkevičius, P. H. 2014. Vector model for mapping of visual space to subjective 4-D sphere. Journal of physics: Conference series, vol. 490, no 1, 012124.

Psychological Factors and Outcomes of Social Interaction. Prof. Dr. G. Valickas. 2011–2015.

0One research examined how the prosecutors (n=349) of different Lithuanian regions and various divisions assess the reformation of prosecution service in the years 2010–2012. The obtained results show that prosecutors’ evaluations of the prosecution service reformation was negative: in their estimation the reform did not stimulate positive effects, created various unfavourable results, after reformation didn’t occurred essential changes in prosecution service, etc.
The second research examined the characteristics of social information processing demonstrated by adult male offenders convicted for different offences and adult males against whom not a single action has ever been brought. The study involved 131 males: 98 convicts, and 33 control group participants. The findings indicate that: a) convicts, compared to persons against whom not a single action has ever been brought, process social information in ambiguous situations in a more tendentious way; b) adult males convicted for various offences process social information in ambiguous situations more or less differently.
The third research examined personal and situational factors associated with the perceptions of judge’s behaviour procedural and distributive justice. The quasi-experiment based on scenario method was conducted (n=392). Participants were divided into three groups. Each group was shown one of three 20-minute movies depicting trial process. The scenarios of the movies differed only in judge’s behavioural compliance with procedural justice. Afterwards the participants’ perceived justice of judge‘s behaviour, decision and personality traits were measured.

Main publications:

Valickas, G., Vanagaitė, K. 2014. Prokurorų požiūris į Lietuvos Respublikos prokuratūros reformą. Teisė, vol. 91, 7–19.

Valickas, G., Vanagaitė, K., Navickas, V. 2014. Žudikų ir kitus nusikaltimus įvykdžiusių nuteistųjų socialinės informacijos apdorojimo ypatumai. Kriminologijos studijos, vol. 1, 122–151. 

Čunichina, K., Valickas G., Justickis V. 2014. Teisėjo elgesio, priimto sprendimo teisingumo vertinimų ir asmenybės bruožų sąsajos. Socialinių mokslų studijos, vol. 6 (1), 177–196.

Psychological Well-Being of Students: Learning, Behaviour and Health Problems. Dr. L. Bulotaitė. 2011–2015.

Psychological aspects of risky behaviour. The aim of our study was to analyse students’ risky behaviour and reveal the impact of psychological variables to such behaviour. 664 university students from 8 Universities in Lithuania participated in the survey. Students’ mean age was 20.4 years (SD=2.2); 76% females, 24% males. We used specially designed questionnaire, Sensation Seeking Scale – V (Zuckerman, 2007), Time Perspective Inventory (Zimbardo, 1988) and Multidimentional Health Locus of Control Scale (Walston etc., 1978). We analyzed 12 types of students’ risky behaviour. The results showed that 94.8% of students are risk takes. The majority of students involved in any given behaviour also were engaged in other risk behaviours. Significant relations between different types of risky behaviours and psychological variables were found. Model of predictive factors of students’ risky behaviours was made.

Main publications:

Bulotaitė, L. 2014. Rizikingas elgesys. Monografija. Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 160 p.

Bulotaitė, L. 2014. Studentų rizikingo elgesio paplitimas ir jo tarpusavio sąsajos. Quo Vadis, Psichologija? Lietuvos psichologų kongresas, Kaunas, 19.

Kairys, A., Bulotaitė, L. 2014. Time perspective and risky behaviour: cluster analysis approach. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Time Perspective: Diversity of approaches. Unity of Passion, Poland, 29 July–1 August, 179–180.

Test Adaptation and Standardization. Dr. G. Gintilienė. 2011–2015.

The research study of 122 pre-school children (5-6-year-olds) and 105 first grade schoolchildren using was carried out in order to study psychometrical properties of TCT-DP for the assessment of creativity of young children. The results of this study showed impact of residence place factor to the results and indicated the importance of data collection based on representative sample. This study will be continued.
Lithuanian version of Students Style Questionnaire of 99 items is prepared for the development of adequate psychometric properties of this instrument. The preliminary data is based on sample of 531 students from different regions of Lithuania.
SPM plus norms was established for representative sample of 3414 schoolchildren aged from 11 to 16 years and APM norms were established for representative sample of 820 schoolchildren aged from 14 to 16 years. Data from this study is presented in the article Eismontaite K., Gintiliene G. Relationship between Errors on Raven’s Progressive Matrices (SPM Plus and APM) and Eductive Ability .

National Research Projects

Moral Responsibility: Attribution Practices and Cognitive Models. Contract No MIP-009/2003/LSS-250000-855. PhD student R. Berniūnas. 2013–2015.

The aim of this project was to construct a cognitive model of folk attributions of moral responsibility on the basis of theoretical and empirical analysis of factors influencing folk practices of attribution of moral responsibility. Our empirical results from two studies (total N=1579) support a new cognitive model of folk ascriptions of moral responsibility. This new model stresses the role of normative expectations and covers both typical and untypical cases of ascriptions of moral responsibility and blame. The model differs from the most influential current theories in three main respects. First, it does not depend on the assumption that "event detection" must be conceptually prior to attributions of normative expectations. Second, attribution of causality is not understood as a necessary precondition for the ascriptions of moral responsibility. Third, "agent detection" is also dependent on normative expectations in the given context. Empirical studies conducted in the course of the project provide support to the first two components of the model. Project results will be summarized in two academic articles.

Psychosocial Antecedens of Student Professional Identity Formation. Contract No MIP-017/2013/LSS-250000-854. Assoc. Prof. B. Pociūtė. 2013–2015.

This study is aimed at analysing the psychosocial antecedents of professional identity formation in the context of educational transitions within a diverse sample of high school, vocational school and undergraduate university / college students. During the period covered by this report, project activities were focused on the methodological work, survey design, and
The deliverables were prepared as planned in the project proposal. Five conference presentations (one poster presentation and four oral presentations) were held both at national and international (ICAP’2014, Paris; ISPA’2014) events. In addition, two publications were prepared and submitted to peer-reviewed scholarly journals. Finally, a national seminar was organized at Vilnius University, which was aimed towards the researchers and practitioners specializing in career guidance. 

Main publications:

Urbanaviciute, I., Kairys, A., Pociute, B., Liniauskaite, A. 2014. Career adaptability in Lithuania: a test of psychometric properties and a theoretical model. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 85(3), 433–442.

Pociūtė, B., Kairys, A., Urbanavičiūtė, I., Liniauskaitė, A. 2014. Vyresniųjų klasių mokinių profesinis tapatumas ir karjeros adaptyvumas. Acta Paedagogica Vilnensia, 33, 46–59.

Social Perception of Judges’ Behaviour and Image. Contract No MIP-015/2013/LSS-250000-431. Prof. G.Valickas. 2013–2015.

In 2014 we developed the three research methods: a) modified version of DAST (Draw-A- Scientist-Test) and semi-structural interview for 7-10 years children; b) the questionnaire to assess perceived procedural justice of litigants of civil proceedings (the questionnaire consist of 101 questions); c) the questionnaire to assess perceived procedural justice of litigants of administrative proceedings (the questionnaire consist of 100 questions). In this year we also conducted the three research works. The first research examined the peculiarities of 7–10 years children’s perceived image of judges’ and courts’ (n=224). The second research examined the perceived image of judges’ and courts’ of different groups of adult subjects: a) 18–25 years (n=254); b) 26–49 years (n=243); c) older than 50 years (n=297). The third research examined the peculiarities of judges’ behaviour during civil court proceedings (n=185).

Delineating the Moral Domain: a Study in Cross-Cultural Moral Psychology. Contract No. SF-PD-2012-12-31-0394. PhD student R. Berniūnas. Supervisor Prof. G. Valickas. 2013–2015.

The aim of this project is to get a clearer conception of the moral domain. E. Turiel and colleagues developed an account of everyday moral judgments that dominated in moral psychology for couple of decades. They suggested that people make a clear distinction between two types of social domains – the moral domain and the conventional domain, and that the moral domain can be characterized by concepts harm and justice. But recent criticism exposed certain methodological shortcomings and challenged this characterization of the moral domain. Critics argue that many people in other cultures or of different socio-economic background might conceptualize the moral domain differently. The claims of this dispute was tested in Mongolia and in Lithuania; new qualitative evidence is analyzed, new experimental studies are in progress.

Main publications:

Berniūnas, R. 2014. Delineating the moral domain in moral psychology. Problemos (Supplement).

Modulated Light Influence on Color Perception. Contract No MIP-013/2012/ LSS-250000-426. Dr. R. Stanikūnas. 2012–2014.

The temporal sensitivity of human visual system was investigated. The two separate lights flashing at different temporal intervals were presented under neutral background. Results show that knowing of stimulus flash order increases sensitivity for temporal discrimination and reduces decision errors. When the flash order is not known, perceptual errors are made during period of uncertainty. All stimulus timing presentation and three expectation instructions were presented in pseudo random order. We found that temporal discrimination threshold was affected by expectation. Lowest thresholds were when expectation coincided with flash presentation and highest thresholds were when expecting opposite stimulus presentation.
Changes in the Benham colours following full-field chromatic light adaptation were investigated. The Benham’s disk rotation at optimal speed produces four rings with different colours. We found that hue and saturation of the Benham colours change when chromatic illumination is switched on. After complete chromatic adaptation some ring colours appear the same as under D65 illumination, while others exhibit a significant difference. The colour constancy phenomenon doesn’t extend to all pattern-induced flicker colours when complete adaptation is achieved.

Main publications:

Stanikūnas, R., Švėgžda, A., Kulbokaitė, V., Bliumas, R., Daugirdienė, A. 2014. Expectations change the temporal discrimination of flashing stimuli. Abstracts of the Vision Sciences Society meeting Journal of Vision, vol. 14, no. 10, 997.

Stanikūnas, R., Švėgžda, A., Kulbokaitė, V., Daugirdienė, A., Bliumas, R. 2014. Changes in the Benham colours following full-field chromatic light adaptation. Proceedings of the 37th European Conference on Visual Perception. Perception, vol. 43, suppl, p. 32.

Early Development of Self-Regulatory Skills. Contract No MIP-014/2012/ LSS-250000-427. Dr. R. Jusienė. 2012–2014.

The early factors of self-regulatory skills of preschool children were in the scope of this project. We evaluated self-regulation and cognitive abilities of 4 years old children with well-known psychological tests widely used in the outstanding researchers over the world. Also we obtained prospectively the information about children‘s development, social environment and everyday functioning as well as behavioral and emotional problems during their first five years of life. The final stage of this project in 2014 was mainly devoted for analysis and presentation of results of young children‘s self-regulation nationally and internationally. Results are presented at the Conference of World Association of Infant Mental Health, in Medimond Proceedings, at several national scientific conferences and in the journal „Psichologija“. Also they were comprehensively analysed at the dissertation and monograph study.

Main publications:

Jusienė, R., Breidokienė, R., Butkienė, D. 2014. Vaikams jau ketveri: Lietuvoje atliekamo tęstinio tyrimo rezultatai ir rekomendacijos tėvams bei specialistams. Vilnius: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla. 

Breidokienė, R. 2014. Ankstyvosios savireguliacijos biologiniai ir psichosocialiniai veiksniai: daktaro disertacija. Vilnius: Vilniaus universitetas.

Breidokienė, R., Jusienė, R. 2014. Vaiko temperamento ir motinos elgesio su vaiku strategijų reikšmė keturmečių gebėjimams atidėti malonumą. Psichologija, 49, 100–114.

Grant of Research Council of Lithuania / EU for journal of Psichologija (Psychology). Prof. G. Valickas. 2011–2014.

In 2014 one volume of the journal Psichologija (2014, vol. 49) was published.

International Research Projects

COST Action IS1302. Towards an EU Research Framework on Forensic Psychiatric Care. Dr. I. Čėsnienė, MC member.

The Action aims at establishing a European network of researchers, clinicians and service providers about long-term forensic psychiatric care.
The Working Groups started during the meeting in Giessen (Germany) in February 2014. Because of the lack of an all-accepted definition of long-term forensic psychiatric care patients, strategies were discussed and methods compared in order to reach a working definition. The three Working Groups are collecting information concerning definition, characteristics, system differences and information on present literature and instruments on long-term forensic care. Several countries members collect information about patient needs and quality of life through depth-interviews along a semi-structured pattern.
When the characteristics of the target group are defined it would be possible to advise policymakers concerning best practices for this group which could reduce costs but also provide ways of selecting these potentially costly and dangerous psychiatric disturbed perpetrators at an early stage and offer them treatment tailored to their needs.

MAIN RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION PARTNERS

Child Development Centre (Lithuania)
Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania)
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester (UK)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Prof. A. Bagdonas –

Prof. G. Valickas –

  • editor–in–Chief of the journal Psichologija (Psychology), http://www.vu.lt/leidyba/lt/mokslo-zurnalai/psichologija/redakcine-kolegija;
  • member of the Board of the journal Psychology and Law („Психология и право“), Russia, http://psyjournals.ru/psyandlaw/editorialboard/;
  • member of the Senate of Vilnius University;
  • member of the Committee of Science of Vilnius University;
  • expert of the Lithuanian Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education;
  • member of the Board of Centre for Criminological Studies of Vilnius University;
  • member of the Board of Lithuanian Association of Criminology;
  • member of the Lithuanian Psychological Association, http://www.psichologusajunga.lt/;
  • member of the Committee of Prosecutors’ Ethics, Prosecution Service of the Republic of Lithuania.

Assoc. Prof.  R. Bliumas –

Assoc. Prof. L. Bulotaitė –

Assoc. Prof. D. Čekuolienė –

Assoc. Prof. I. Čėsnienė –

Assoc. Prof. M. Dovydaitienė –

Assoc. Prof. R. Jusienė –

Assoc. Prof. G. Gintilienė –

  • member of ISSBD, www.issbd.org/;
  • member of the International Study Group on Special Education Needs;
  • board member of the Lithuanian Psychological Association, www.lps.vu.lt/;
  • member of Certification Commission of School Psychologists under the Ministry of Education and Science;
  • affiliate member of International School Psychology Association, www.ispaweb.org/.

Assoc. Prof. S. Girdzijauskienė –

Dr. A. Kairys –

Assoc. Prof. F. Laugalys –

Dr. V. Pakalniškienė –

Assoc. Prof. B. Pociūtė –

Dr. K. Vanagaitė –

  • member of the Lithuanian Association of Criminology.

Assoc. Prof. R. Stanikūnas –

Assoc. Prof. A. Švegžda –

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCOLOGY

9/1 Universiteto, LT-01513 Vilnius
Tel. 266 7625
E-mail:

Head – Prof. Dr. Lilija Duoblienė

STAFF

Professors: Habil. Dr. V. Aramavičiūtė, Habil. Dr. V. Targamadzė, Habil. Dr. R. Želvys, Dr. L. Duoblienė.
Associate professors: Dr. T. Bulajeva, Dr. I. Stonkuvienė
Lecturers: V. Būdienė (part-time), K. Kaminskas (part-time), dr. V. Venslovaitė (part-time), Š. Nagrockaitė (part-time), O. Iljina (part-time).
Doctoral students: C. Barbierato R. Bartaševičius, S. Bieliūnė, D. Gervytė, H. I. Tjatjitua Kaimu, S. Kairė, S. Kontrimienė, Š. Nagrockaitė, O. Iljina, V. Žilionė.

CENTRE FOR EDUCATION POLICY
9/1 Universiteto, LT-01513 Vilnius
www.svietimas.lt
Research assistant: Prof. Dr. Lilija Duoblienė

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Transformations of education policy in Lithuania
Research of curriculum development
Educational management in Lithuania
Sustainability in education
Studies of Lithuanian educational heritage
Dialogue between cultures in education
Problem of personal identity
Globalization and localization in education
Philosophy of education
Higher education
Child’s socialization
Gender differences in education and science
Education culture

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2014

Projects Supported by University Budget

Educational Policy in Lithuania: Coherency Issues within National and Global. 2010–2014.

The main aim of the research in 2014 was the analysis of changes in Lithuanian education policy and management while implementing the EU and Lithuanian strategic goals. Some data of theoretical and empirical research are published in research papers written by Tatjana Bulajeva, Lilija Duoblienė, Irena Stonkuvienė, Vilija Targamadzė, Rimantas Želvys and analyzing issues of education policy and culture. The papers were published in Lithuanian and international educational journals. Also some analysis of education policy and culture are presented in the monograph “Lithuanian General Education at the Crossroads: Quagmires and Pathways” (2014), writtenby Vilija Targamadzė.
The staff of the Education Department presented their research findings at different national/ international conferences held in Lithuania and foreign countries (England, Georgia, Italy, Turkey etc.). All the international visits were supported by Vilnius University. On purpose to broaden visibility of accomplished research and to strengthen the collaboration in future research the Education Policy Center (established by Department of Educology) renewed the membership in the Network of Education Policy Centers (NEPC).

Main publications:

Bulajeva, T. Hogan-Brun, G. 2014. Internationalization of higher education and national building: resolving language policy dilemmas in Lithuania. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, vol. 35, no. 4, 318–331, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/01434632.2013.874431.

Duoblienė, L. 2014. National and supranational education policy from a Lithuanian perspective. The International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, vol.5, no. 2, 211–227. http://libjournal.uncg.edu/index.php/ijcp/article/view/22.

Želvys, R., Leišytė, L., Zenkienė, L. 2014. Re-contextualization of the Bologna process in Lithuania. European Journal of Higher Education, vol. 4, no. 1, 1–19. http://doc.utwente.nl/92074/.

Projects, Programmes, Issues Supported by the Research Council of Lithuania

Dominant and Demotic School Culture: Analysis of Tension Fields. Research leader: Prof. L. Duoblienė. 2014–2015.

The aim of this project is to reveal the links and intersections among teachers’ dominant culture from the above and students’ demotic culture from the bottom in Lithuanian schools. The main activities in 2014 are initial analysis of theoretical approach, research methodology creation, and empirical data collection.

International Research Projects

TEMPUS: Development and Introduction of Multilingual Teacher Education Programs at Universities of Georgia and Ukraine (DIMTEGU). Contract No 530360-TEMPUS-1-2012-1-GE-TEMPUS-JPCR. The coordinator of the project is Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (Georgia). VU – partner (coordinator prof. V. Targamadzė). 2012–2015.

TEMPUS: Modernization and Development of Study Programs on Teacher Training and Education Management in Central Asia. National coordinator prof. R. Želvys. 2012–2015.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

Bristol University (UK)
Twente University (The Netherlands)
University of Verona (Italy)
University of Haifa (Israel)
University of Nottingham (United Kingdom)

 OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Prof. V. Aramavičiūtė –

Assoc. Prof. T. Bulajeva –

Prof. L. Duoblienė –

Assoc. Prof. I. Stonkuvienė –

Prof. V. Targamadzė –

Prof. R. Želvys –

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

9/1 Universiteto, LT-01513 Vilnius
Tel. 266 7617, fax 266 7600
E-mail:

Head – Prof. Dr. Albinas Plėšnys

STAFF

Professors: Habil. Dr. emeritus E. Nekrašas, Dr. A. Plėšnys, Habil. Dr. emeritus A. Šliogeris, Dr. S. Jankauskas.
Associate professors: Dr. M. Gutauskas, Dr. L. Jakavonytė, Dr. A. Mickevičius, Dr. N. Milerius, Dr. K. Sabolius.
Lecturers: Dr. J. Čiurlionis, V. Gustas, V. Pivorius, Dr. M. Stoškus, J. Tuleikytė.
Doctoral students: A. Dovydėnas, V. Gustas, A. Kaziliūnaitė, J. Kučinskas, E. Rimkus, P. Rimkevičius, I. Šatkauskas,  J. Tuleikytė, L. Valantiejūtė, V. Valinskaitė.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

General trends in the development of philosophy and specific manifestations of these trends at the turn of the Millennia
The problem of value-neutrality of science in philosophy of science, sociology of science and analytical metaethics
Historical change of the fundamental structure of Western metaphysics
The impact of metaphysics on the rise of modern natural science
Philosophical reflection of everyday world
Philosophy of cinema
The problem of dialogue in the hermeneutical philosophy
Language as fundamental philosophical problem
The place of philosophy in the process of globalization
Methodical problems in the teaching of philosophy at secondary and higher schools

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2014

Projects Supported by University Budget

Analysis of the Impact of Globalization Processes upon Culture. Prof. A. Šliogeris, Assoc. Prof. K. Dubnikas, Prof. Dr. A. Plėšnys 2009–2014.

The main research titles accomplished in 2014: philosophical analysis of the concepts of animality and welfare state, research of  issues in the speculative realism.

Main publications:

Gutauskas, M., 2014. Philosopher and animal: Nietzche, Heideggeris, Derrida. Problemos, nr. 86.

Plėšnys, A. 2014. The Welfare State Models in Contemporary Culture Tradition. Filosofija.Sociologija, vol. 25, issue 3.

Sabolius, K. 2014. Quentinas Meillassoux and the radical (im)possibility of art. Problemos, nr. 85

National Research Projects

Research Council of Lithuania. Innovative Practices of Imagination: Art and Philosophy. Contract No. MIP-086-2013/LSS-250000-1443. Assoc. Prof. K. Sabolius. 2013–2014.

This project aims at analyzing the most innovative cases of imagination use developed by worldwide renowned today’s artists.

Main publications:

Sabolius, K. 2014. Total recall. New practices of memory and imagination in Venice Biennale 2013. Religija ir kultūra, vol. 12, 97–109.

Sabolius, K. 2014. Carlos Reygadas: the cinematographic practice of imagination.Athena, Nr. 9. 118–133.

Sabolius, K. 2014. Imagine Agente. The practices of imagination in the epoch of technology. A Methodical Tool for E-teaching and E-learning. Vilnius: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, Open access. 

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

European Humanities University, Vilnius (Lithuania)
Belarusian State University, Minsk (Belarrussia)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

J. Čiurlionis –

Assoc. Prof.  M. Gutauskas  –

Assoc. Prof. L. Jakavonytė –

Assoc. Prof. K. Sabolius –

  • member of the Lithuanian Philosophical Society, http://www.filosofai.lt/
  • member of the Lithuanian Association of Phenomenology.

Assoc. Prof.  A. Mickevičius –

Assoc. Prof. N. Milerius –

Prof. E. Nekrašas –

Prof. A. Plėšnys –

Prof. A. Šliogeris –

DEPARTMENT OF LOGIC AND HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY

9/1 Universiteto, LT-01513 Vilnius
Tel. 266 7617
E-mail:

Head – Prof. Dr. Marius Povilas Šaulauskas

STAFF

Professors: Dr. M. P. Šaulauskas, Dr. A. Jokubaitis (part-time), Dr.  V. Radžvilas (part-time), Habil. Dr. Emeritus V. B. Pšibilskis.
Associated professors: Dr. J. Dagys, Dr. K. Dubnikas (part-time), Dr. N. Kardelis, Dr. K. Kirtiklis (part-time), Dr. N. Radavičienė, Dr. L. Šabajevaitė.
Lecturers: V. Dranseika (part-time), L. Jokubaitis, M. Kubilius, Dr. D. Viliūnas.
Doctoral students: J. Bujokas, M. Burnytė, D. Caturianas, M. Gilaitis, L. Jokubaitis, G. Kurlavičiūtė, D. Markevičius, M. Markuckas, T. N. Mickevičius, V. Petuška, I. Straukaitė, J. Žalgirytė.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Philosophy in classical and modern civilizations
Modern – postmodern controversy
Information society studies
Analytical philosophy and hermeneutics
Logic
Postmodern philosophy
Social and political philosophy
Contemporary Christian philosophy
Ethics
Religion studies

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2014

Projects Supported by University Budget

Methodological Research on the Historical and Contemporary Development of Philosophical Discourse. Prof. M. P. Šaulauskas. 2011–2015.

The main research titles accomplished in 2014: contemporary methodological controversies on the interpretation of Confucian ethics; recent development and the current stance of Lithuanian philosophy; fundamental issues of contemporary moral and political philosophy.

Main publications:

Radžvilas, V. 2014 Eros and Revolution: Psychoanalysis and Biopolitics in H. Marcuse’s Critical Social Theory: a Research Study, Vilnius, VUL, 102 p.

Jokubaitis, A. 2014 The Failure of Ronald Dworkin’s Philosophical Revolution, in: Problemos, Issue 86, Vilnius, VUL, 36–43.

Kirtiklis, K., Kazakevičiūtė, E. 2013. Vilnius: Discredited Capital of Culture.In Pete Bennett, Julian McDougall (eds.) Barthes’ Mythologies Today: Readings of Contemporary Culture, Series: Routledge Research in Cultural and Media Studies, vol. 52. New York: Routledge - Taylor & Francis Ltd, 126–130.

National Research Projects

Research Council of Lithuania. Publication of the Scholarly Philosophical Journal Problemos. Contract No. LIT-2-56. Assoc. prof. N. Radavičienė. 2013–2015.
Project results 2014: 2 volumes (vol. 85, 86), 2x170 copies (35 author sheets) and the Supplement 2014 (10 author sheets, 170 copies) published. Journal included in DBs: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (Web of Science, Thomson Reuters list), Central & Eastern European Academic Source, Humanities International Complete, Humanities International Index (EBSCO list), The Philosopher’s Index (OCLC list), CEEOL, SCOPUS.
Research Council of Lithuania. Translation of Classical Works in Philosophy into Lithuanian: Student Workshop. Project is funded by the Research Council of Lithuania (The National Lithuanian studies development programme for 2009–2015) Contract No. LIT-6-16/LSS-250000-154. Assoc. Prof. Dr. K. Kirtiklis, Lect. V. Dranseika. 2013–2015.
The workshop is run by young philosophers experienced in translation, a professional translator, and subject consultants who read lectures and provide help in solving practical problems of translation. In the year 2014 the excerpts from Gnomic fragments by Pindar and On Philosophy. To Dorothea by Friedrich Schlegel was translated.
Research Council of Lithuania. Information Society Research: a New Methodological Paradigm? Contract No. MIP-072/2014. Assoc. prof. Dr. K. Kirtiklis. 2014–2016.
The project aims at the analysis of differences between the conceptions of earlier forms of society and the conceptions of information society in order to find out whether these differences might be considered paradigmatic. This aim is pursued through the analysis of the principles of theorizing information society, the analysis of the connections of conceptions of information society to classical sociological paradigms, and the analysis of methodological innovations in the research of virtual communities.
Research Council of Lithuania. Moral Responsibility: Attribution Practices and Cognitive Models. Contract No. MIP-009/2013/LSS-25000-855. Lect. V. Dranseika. 2013–2014.
The aim of this project is to construct a cognitive model of folk attributions of moral responsibility on the basis of theoretical and empirical analysis of factors influencing folk practices of attribution of moral responsibility.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

University of Zurich (Switzerland)
Nitra University (Slovakia)
Bilkent University (Turkey)
Jagiellonian University (Poland)
Institute of Philosophy at the Nikolaus Copernicus University, Torun (Poland)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Assoc. Prof. J. Dagys –

  • executive secretary of the editorial board of the journal Problemos, http://www.leidykla.vu.lt/index.php?id=39;
  • member of the board of Lithuanian Philosophical Society, http://www.filosofai.lt/;
  • member of the Appeals Committee of the Faculty of Philosophy at Vilnius University;
  • member of the Philosophy Master Study Programme Committee.

Lect. V. Dranseika –

Assoc. Prof. K. Dubnikas –

Prof. A. Jokubaitis –

Assoc. Prof. N. Kardelis –

Assoc. Prof. K. Kirtiklis –

Assoc. Prof. N. Radavičienė –

 Prof. M. P. Šaulauskas –

DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

9/1 Universiteto, LT-01513 Vilnius
Tel. 266 7605, fax 266 7600
E-mail

Head – Prof. Habil. Dr. Danutė Gailienė

STAFF

Professors: Habil. Dr. D. Gailienė, Dr. R. Kočiūnas, Dr. G. Gudaitė.
Associate professors: Dr. D. Bagdžiūnienė, Dr. R. Barkauskienė, Dr. R. Bieliauskaitė, Dr. E. Kazlauskas, Dr. Dr. A. Laurinavičius, Dr. R. Sargautytė.
Senior assistants: Dr. N.Grigutytė, Dr. J. Lazauskaitė – Zabielskė, dr. R.Rekašiūtė-Balsienė, Dr. P. Skruibis, Dr. A. Zbarauskaitė, Dr. I. Žukauskaitė.
Doctoral students: S. Dadašev, I. Dulinskaitė, J. Eimontas, O. Geležėlytė, R. Geležinytė, L. Gervinskaitė-Paulaitienė, B. Jakubkaitė, V. Klimaitė, E. Mažulytė, M. Miselytė, R. Tomkevičienė, P. Želvienė.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Investigation of the DSH (deliberate self-harm) and effects of long lasting traumatisation Research in existential-phenomenological psychology and psychotherapy in cross cultural context
Developmental psychopathology
Work and organizational characteristics as antecedents of employee work motivation, attitudes toward work and organization, citizenship and in role behaviour, job insecurity

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2014

Projects Supported by University Budget

Psychological Disfunction and Experience of Extreme Stress: Psychosocial Background, Psychodinamics and Coping. Prof. D. Gailienė. 2011–2015.

Results of investigation of risk and protective factors after stressful life events, cultural traumas and effectiveness of long-term psychotherapy were analysed and published. Data on transgenerational effects of traumas and berievement after traumatic loss were collected.

Projects, Programmes, Issues Supported by Research Council of Lithuania

Psychological Effects and Coping of Extreme Trauma and Social Transformations. Contract No Nr. VP1-3.1-ŠMM-07-K-02-023/ LSS-250000-2257. Prof. D. Gailienė. 2012–2015.

Exploratory studies and methodological designs were composed for 3 tasks of the Project: to analyze factors of traumatic experiences, mental health and coping in different age groups; links between unresolved traumas and suicide risk; traumatic experiences and coping factors of specific social and ethnic groups. Scientists took part at 5 international conferences in 2014 and made 6 presentations. National conference Trauma and route of the life was organized in March 2014.

Main publication:

Mažulytė, E., Skerytė-Kazlauskienė, M., Eimontas, J., Gailienė, D., Grigutytė, N., Kazlauskas, E. 2014. Trauma Experience, Resilience and Optimism in Lithuanian Sample. Psichologija. Mokslo darbai, Nr. 49, 20–33.

Revelation of Personality’s Integrity: Problem of Relation with Authority and Psychotherapy. Contract No NR. MIP–080/2014/LSS-250000-488. Prof. G. Gudaitė. 2014–2016.

The aim of the project is to explore the experience of relation with the authority (in connection with the consequences of Lithuanian historical heritage) and reconstruction of this relation in psychotherapy. As the aim of the project is to explore a dynamic phenomenon, which depends on objective and subjective conditions, quantitative and qualitative (thematic and case analysis) research methods are combined in the project design. 240 participants are intended (200 in quantitative research and 40 in qualitative one). Results of the project are promising for science and practice as well. Exploration of relation with authority is important for further development of differential personality diagnostics and elaboration of personality transformation research.

Brief Adjustment Disorder Psychosocial Intervention Effectiveness Study. Contract No MIP-079/2014/ LSS-250000-644/03-21. Dr. P. Skruibis. 2014–2016.

The aim of this study is to develop and adapt an Internet-based psychosocial intervention for adjustment disorder (BADI), according to the update to the concept of adjustment disorder initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO), which will be included in the newest version of International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). During the first year of this project researchers have analyzed the updated concept of adjustment disorder and presented the purpose of this study at a national conference for Lithuanian psychologist. Researchers were also developing the psychosocial intervention method and initiated solutions for this intervention to be carried out online.

Psychological Difficulties Dynamics in Childhood: Personality Traits, Attachment and Mentalization. Contract No MIP-016/2012/ LSS-250000-428. Dr. R. Barkauskienė. 2012–2014.

The aim of the study is to reveal the developmental trajectories of psychological difficulties in childhood as related to child’s personality traits, attachment, and parental mentalization. The study is longitudinal and includes three measurements. In the year of 2014 the final phase of data collection was completed. Data analysis was carried out in the following directions: (1) personality traits structure and their link to psychological difficulties levels in diverse groups under study; (2) the role of mother reflective function (mentalization) for psychological difficulties and personality traits; (3) child’s attachment and the development of psychological difficulties in two years perspective.

Main publication:

Barkauskienė, R., Kundrotaitė, G., Grauslienė, I., Gervinskaitė-Paulaitienė, L., Čekuolienė, D., Zbarauskaitė, A. 2014. Elgesio sunkumai ir asmenybės bruožai vaikystėje. Psichologija, vol. 50, 18–32.

Psychological Job Insecurity: its Dimensions and Individual and Organizational Outcomes. Contract No MIP-015/2012/ LSS-250000-429. Dr. D. Bagdžiūnienė. 2012–2014.

The main aim of this project was to investigate the phenomenon of psychological job insecurity (a perceived threat of losing one’s job and/or certain favourable job features), its main dimensions and outcomes at individual and organizational levels. In the year of 2014 the second phase of data collection was completed, psychometric properties of Lithuanian version of qualitative and quantitative job insecurity scales were proved, and data analysis was finished. It was focused on the analysis of employee job insecurity according to organizational and demographic characteristics, and also on its individual and organizational level antecedents and consequencies. The model of quantitative and qualitative job insecurity including main antecedents and outcomes was updated. Directions for future research of psychological job insecurity and practical implications were highlighted.

Vilnius BEPP Efficacy Study: Comparison with Internet-Based Psychotraumatology Program. Contract No MIP-011/2012/ LSS-250000-425. Dr. E. Kazlauskas. 2012-2014.

Vilnius study on the effectiveness of a Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (BEPP) was conducted. We found a significant reduction of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms after the BEPP treatment. Positive effects of BEPP intervention were not only the changes in posttraumatic stress reactions, but also included the increase of subjective well-being, better functioning, and the decline of problems and destructive tendencies. Study results indicated the effectiveness of BEPP treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder in Lithuanian sample.

Effectiveness in Psychotherapy: Analysis of Personality Change and the Underlying Factors. Contract No MIP-107/2012/ LSS-250000-2150. Prof. G. Gudaitė. 2012–2014.

This study aimed at revealing the dynamics of personality change in the process of psychotherapy. The scientific study was designed applying the integrative paradigm: the evaluation of objective changes in the mental state of psychotherapy clients was supplemented with revealing their subjective experience of the therapeutic process. Quantitative and qualitative (case analysis) research methods were combined. 100 participants took part in the quantitative research and 36, in the qualitative ones. The results indicate that gender and age of the client influence the estimation of psychotherapy. Changes in the course of psychotherapy are related with the deep personality structures. The results show that depth presumptions of behavior of individual can reach not only early childhood experience, the historical-cultural context of the individual is also important. During the period of the project 5 presentations were made at international conferences and 6, at national ones; two publications printed. The first collective monograph on efficiency of psychotherapy in Lithuania was published.

Main publications:

Gudaitė, G. (ed.) 2014. Psichoterapijos veiksmingumas: terapiniai veiksniai ir subjektyviai išgyvenami pokyčiai. Vilnius: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 272 p.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

Oslo University (Norway)
Umea University (Sweden)
University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
University of Trondheim (Norway)
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Lithuania)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Prof. D. Gailienė –

Prof. G. Gudaitė –

  • member of Lithuanian Psychological Association, http://www.psichologusajunga.lt/;
  • individual and full member of the International Association of Analytical Psychology, www.iaap.org/;
  • member of the Lithuanian Association of AP;
  • board member of the Lithuanian Society of Psychotherapy;
  • board member of Lithuanian Association of Gestalt Therapy.

Prof. R. Kočiūnas –

Assoc. Prof. D. Bagdžiūnienė –

Assoc. Prof. R. Barkauskienė –

  • member of Lithuanian Psychological Association, http://www.psichologusajunga.lt/;
  • National Representative at EFPA Standing Committee of Ethics;
  • member of the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities, www.iarld.com;
  • member of International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development, www.issbd.org;
  • member of Lithuanian Dyslexia Association;
  • representative from Lithuania in the Psychotherapy Committee of European Federation of Psychological Assotiations, http://www.efpa.eu/.

Assoc. Prof. R. Bieliauskaitė –

  • member of the Lithuanian Psychological Association, http://www.psichologusajunga.lt/;
  • member of the Lithuanian Society of Individual Psychology;
  • member of the Board of Experts of the Inspector of Journalists’ Ethics.

Assoc. Prof. E. Kazlauskas –

Assoc. Prof. A.Laurinavičius –

Lect. N. Grigutytė –

Lect. J. Lazauskaitė-Zabielskė –

  • member of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology, www.eawop.org;
  • Board Member of Baltic Area Alliance Board at European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology;
  • member of International Society for Justice Research, www.isjr.org;
  • member of the Lithuanian Psychological Association, www.lps.vu.lt/;
  • chair of Organizational Psychology Committee at Lithuanian Psychological Association;
  • member of Lithuanian Society of Young Researchers.

Assoc. Prof. R. Sargautytė –

Dr. P. Skruibis –

Lect. A. Zbarauskaitė –

  • member of Lithuanian Psychological Association, http://www.psichologusajunga.lt/;
  • individual and full member of the International Association of Analytical Psychology, www.iaap.org/;
  • member of the Lithuanian Association of Analytical Psychology, http://www.lapa.lt ;
  • member of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology, www.eawop.org;
  • Board member of Baltic Area Alliance Board at European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology;
  • member of International Society for Justice Research, www.isjr.org;
  • chair of Organizational Psychology Committee at Lithuanian Psychological Association;
  • member of Lithuanian Society of Young Researchers.

Dr. I. Žukauskaitė –

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK

9/1 Universiteto, LT-01513 Vilnius
Tel. 266 7610,
E-mail:

Head – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jolita Buzaitytė-Kašalynienė

STAFF

Professors: Dr. B. Gruževskis (part-time), Dr. R. Lazutka (part-time), Dr. L. Žalimienė.
Associate professors: Dr. J. Buzaitytė-Kašalynienė, Dr. V. Gevorgianienė, Dr. L. Gvaldaitė, Dr. E. I. Laumenskaitė (part-time), Dr. V. Lepeškienė (part-time), Dr. D. Skučienė, Dr. E. Šumskienė, Dr. B. Švedaitė-Sakalauskė.
Lecturers: Dr. E. Dunajevas, Dr. V. Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė (part-time), V. Jakutienė (part-time), Dr. J. Mataitytė-Diržienė (part-time), Dr. U. L. Orlova (part-time), Dr. D. Petružytė, E. Ruschhoff (part-time), L. Šumskaitė (part-time) , A. Vareikytė (part-time).
Senior assistants: D. Beliukevičiūtė, T. Kukuraitis, T. Kurapkaitis.
Doctoral students: I. Adomaitytė-Subačienė, S. Krutulienė, D. Mažeikaitė, J. Navickė, S. Šabanovas.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Development of social services in Lithuania
Analysis of social policy, social security, pensions
Social support for vulnerable people
Social rehabilitation and integration
Social inclusion
Community development and empowerment
Social prevention and work in dealing with family problems
Rehabilitation and integration of drug and alcohol users
Social and cultural integration of disabled
Dealing with consequences of migration
Intercultural learning and communication
History of social work
Integration into labour market
Labour market policy
Evaluation of the effectiveness of programs and services
Risk factors of young people’s successful socialization
Promoting factors of youth participation
Human rights
Stigma, stereotypes and discrimination
Policy of mental health
Developmental cooperation and education in social work
Motivation, identity, development of social work profession
Power relations in social work

Projects Supported by University Budget

Searching for Effective Social Work Strategies How to Organize Social Services under Conditions of Welfare Pliuralism. Dr.  L. Žalimienė. 2011–2014.

It was the last year of the research theme and the research has been focused on five major topics: implementation of subsidiarity principle in family policy; importance of personal competencies in multidisciplinary team work; parenting competencies of mothers; possibilities of using contacts with dogs in the process of intervention; management of social work organizations; and power and powerlessness of social work profession. Results of research were published in scientific journals, presented on national or international conferences or used in preparation of practical recommendations for social policy, social work practice or teaching aids. 

Main publications:

Gvaldaitė, L., Švedaitė-Sakalauskė, B., Buzaitytė-Kašalynienė, J. 2014. Management of social work: consequences for social workers and professional activities.  Tiltai, Nr. 67, 109–125.

Gvaldaitė, L., Kirilova, A. 2014. Manifestations and perspectives of subsidiarity in Lithuanian family policy. Tiltai, nr. 1, 249–273.

Gevorgianienė, V., Raščepkina, I. 2014. Parenting competencies of mothers of children with autistic disorder. Specialusis ugdymas, Nr. 2.

Modernization of Labour Market and Social Welfare Systems. Dr. R. Lazutka. 2009–2014.

It was the last year of the research theme and the research has been focused on five major topics:  evaluation of policy measures for integration into the labour market; the issues of aging population and the challenges for the state welfare system; quality of life in social care institutions for elderly; barriers and setbacks of deinstitutionalization of mental health system; and discriminatory attitudes toward vulnerable groups. 11 papers were published in scientific journals and the results were presented in 12 national and international conferences and workshops. 

Main publications:

Šumskienė, E., Pūras, D. 2014. Check out the way it shouldn’t be managed: mental health policy development and outcomes. Socialinis darbas. Patirtis ir metodai, Nr. 13(1), 75–90.

Pocius, B., Gruževskis, B. 2014. Trend in the development of employment and unemployment according to gender and age of the population in Lithuania and the evaluation of integration into the labour market. Building the Socially Responsible Employment Policy in the Baltic States, 80–114.

Orlova, U. L., Gruževskis, B. 2014. Self-reliance as factor of quality of life of elderly people living in long-term care institutions. Socialinis darbas. Patirtis ir metodai, nr. 13(1), 113–132.

International Research Projects

EC Directorate DG Employment Social Affairs and Inclusion Progress Programme. WIT - White Task Force on the Development of Skills of the Social Welfare Professionals Working with Vulnerable Groups. Assoc. Prof. V. Gevorgianienė, Prof. L. Žalimienė, PhD student I. Adomaitytė-Subačienė. 2014.

The WIT project aimed to expand and strengthen skills and knowledge of social care professionals. In order to support innovation in the organization management models and the definition of renewed training pathways for social sector professionals, WIT activities have stimulated the debate among experts, professionals, policy makers and no profit sector in the field of social innovation and research, called to confront themselves on specific issues. 4 international conferences and international seminars on the topic of emerging needs for competences of social field professionals were organized in the framework of the WIT project – Vilnius, Milan, Sofia and Berlin.

Main publications:

Wit White Book. Recommendations on How to Foster Future Skills In Social Work.
http://witproject.eu/attachments/article/146/WIT%20White%20Book.pdf .

ERASMUS+ project of Strategic Partnerships. REFLECT - Reflection as Core Transferable Competence in Higher Education and Adult Education (No. 2014-1-LT01-KA200-000547).  Assoc. Prof. J. Buzaitytė-Kašalynienė 2014–2016.

There are 8 partners from 4 countries: Lithuania, Italy, Belgium and Island. REFLECT aims at developing an adequate problem and needs analysis why reflection often does not work in higher and adult education. The project started in November 2014.

Main publications:

Šumskienė, E., Augutienė, R., Jonutytė, J., Šumskas, G. 2014. The research of situation of women with disabilities. Vilnius: Equal Opportunities Ombudsman’s Office, 155 p.              

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

Hanze University Groningen, University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands)
University of Applied Sciences fo Social Work, Education and Nursing, Dresden (Germany)
The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations (United Kingdom)
Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Italy)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Prof. B. Gruževskis –

  • Chairman (Prezes) of the Association of the Polish Scholars in Lithuania Stowarzyszenie Naukowców Polaków Litwy (SNPL) http://snpl.lt/~bogr/;
  • Council Member of the Lithuanian Social Research Centre, http://www.dsti.lt/darbuot.html;
  • editorial board member of the journal Socialinis darbas (Social Work), http://www.mruni.eu/lt/mokslo_darbai/sd/redaktoriu_kolegija;
  • editorial board member of the journal Human Resources Management (Zarządzanie Zasobami Ludzkimi), Academy of Sciences of Poland, http://zzl.ipiss.com.pl;
  • editorial board member of the journal Issues of Business and Law / Verslo ir teisės aktualijos, http://www.ttvam.lt/lt/moksline-veikla/leidiniai/mokslo-darbai/verslo-ir-teises-aktualijos/redaktoriu-kolegija.

Prof. R. Lazutka –

Prof. L. Žalimienė –

Assoc. Prof.  J. Buzaitytė-Kašalynienė –

Assoc. Prof.  V. Gevorgianienė –

Assoc. Prof. I. E. Laumenskaitė –

Assoc. Prof. V. Lepeškienė –

Assoc. Prof. D. Skučienė

Assoc. Prof.  E. Šumskienė –

Assoc. Prof.  B. Švedaitė-Sakalauskė –

Lect.  E. Dunajevas –

Lect. V. Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė –

Lect. L. Gvaldaitė –

  • member of the Lithuanian Catholic Academy of Science, www.lkma.lt.

Lect. D. Petružytė –

D. Beliukevičiūtė –

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

9/1 Universiteto, LT-01513 Vilnius
Tel. 266 7626
E-mail:

Head – Prof. Dr. Arūnas Poviliūnas

STAFF

Professors: Dr.  A. Dobryninas, Dr. I. Juozeliūnienė, Habil. Dr. A. Matulionis, Habil. Dr. Z. Norkus, Dr. A. Poviliūnas, Dr. (HP) A. Valantiejus.
Associate profesors: Dr. R. Žiliukaitė.
Senior assistants: Dr. L. Žilinskienė, Dr. A. Čepas.
Assistants: Dr. A. Pocienė, Dr. G. Rapolienė, Dr. D. Čiupailaitė
Doctoral students: A. Girkontaitė, R. Juras, M. Pivoriūtė, M. Šupa, V. Urbonaitė-Barkauskienė, I. Budginaitė, G. Valatka, J. Valenčius, D. Tatarelienė, T. Šarūnas, K. Jonutis, M. Lankauskas.

RESEARCH INTERESTS AND TRENDS

Analysis of theoretical discourses (social constructivism, theories of (post)modernity, critical theory, criminological discourses)
Sociology of education
Sociology of deviations and crime
Rural and urban sociology
Sociology of communities and rural community development
Sociology of science
Sociology of professions
Sociology of youth
Sociology of ageing
Sociology of health and illness
Theoretical and empirical issues in the research on family
Corruption and anti-corruption activity
Policy analysis of social inclusion
Social economy
Role of mass media in contemporary society
Post communist social transformation in Lithuania in the comparative perspective
Social theory of Max Weber
Methodology of comparative historical sociological research
Rational choice approach in sociology
Comparative historical sociological imperiology

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2014

Projects Supported by University Budget

Sociological Discourses, Social Control and Time Structures. Prof. A. Poviliūnas. 2012–2016.

Research in the field of the history of sociology and analysis of the theoretical discourse was continued. The issues of migration and family life were analyzed. The members of the department were participating in the research programmes of criminology and deviance. Conceptualization of the social status and role of the architectural profession in post-socialist society. The analysis of the turn towards market democracy from state socialism changes the material and symbolic conditions of the architectural profession. The Lithuanian social policy and social policy discourse were critically analyzed.

Main publications:

Čiupailaitė, D. 2014.  Architektų vaidmens ir statuso dilemos posocialistiniame mieste. Santalka: Filosofija. Komunikacija, vol. 22, nr. 1, 15–37.

Poviliūnas, A. 2014. Investing in children - breaking the cycle of disadvantage: a study of national policies: Lithuania. European Union, 49 p. http://csdle.lex.unict.it/Archive/LW/Data%20reports%20and%20studies/Reports%20%20from%20Committee%20and%20Groups%20of%20Experts/20140505-112856_NetworkIESI2013-2_Lithuania_report_April14pdf.pdf

National Research Projects

Reception of Criminal Justice in Society. Contract No VP1-3.1-ŠMM-07-K-01-049. Prof. A. Dobryninas. 2011–2014.

Content analysis of Lithuanian media: (1) Continuation of the monitoring of TV presentations of Criminal Justice issues; (2) Analysis of the internet portal “lrytas.lt” presentations of Criminal Justice issues in 2011-2012 years. 30 semi-structural interviews with Criminal Justice experts, “well-informed citizens” (politicians, journalist, etc.), public leaders. Continuation of the analysis of previous results of the survey on public attitude towards Criminal Justice (2012). Analysis of resent publications on the problems of the perception of Criminal Justice in society. Finalizing the research results.

Main publications:

Čėsnienė, I., Dobryninas, A., Giedraitis, V. R. 2014.  Macroeconomic factors and the perception of criminal justice in society: the role of shadow economies. Kriminologijos studijos, Nr. 1, 112–151.

Dobryninas, A., Čėsnienė, I., Dobrynina, M., Giedraitis, V. R., Merkevičius, R. 2014.  Kriminalinės justicijos suvokimas visuomenėje: monografija. Vilnius: Vilniaus universitetas, 228 p.

Dobryninas, A., Čėsnienė, I., Dobrynina, M., Giedraitis, V. R., Merkevičius, R. 2014.  Perception of Criminal Justice in Society: [monograph]. Vilnius : Vilnius University, 222 p.

Two Decades of Independence: Kaunas (1918-1940) and Vilnius (1990-2012) Republics of Lithuania from the Viewpoint of Comparative Historical Sociology. Contract No VP1-3.1-ŠMM-07-K-01-010. Prof. Z. Norkus. 2011–2014.

The research project was completed, publishing monograph by Norkus, Z. Main finding of the analysis was the persistence of Lithuania’s semi-peripheric world-systemic position during the third and fifth Kondratieff waves of global economic changes despite the fundamental transformation of its social class structure and the consolidation of liberal democracy due to its membership in European Union.
The findings of the research were presented at conference  Lithuania – 10 years of membership in the European Union at the Republic of Lithuania President’s Office, XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology Facing an unequal world: challenges for global sociology,  Yokohama, Japan;  at the Ail Aarelaid-Tart memorial conference Cultural Patterns and Life Stories at Tallinn University (Estonia), at the conference Transdisciplinary Discourse in the Social Science-2014 (TDSM-4) at the Kaunas University of Technologicy, at the National conference of the Lithuanian Sociological Society Sociological Forms of the Space and Time at Vilnius University.

Main publications:

Norkus, Z. 2014.  Du nepriklausomybės dvidešimtmečiai: Kapitalizmas, klasės ir demokratija Pirmojoje ir Antrojoje Lietuvos Respublikoje lyginamosios istorinės sociologijos požiūriu. Mokslinė monografija. Vilnius : Aukso žuvys, 704 p. http://web.vu.lt/fsf/z.norkus/files/2014/02/Du20me%C4%8Diai.pdf 

Norkus, Z. 2014.  Europinis skirtumas? Dviejų Lietuvos nepriklausomybės dvidešimtmečių palyginimas. Lietuva - 10 metų Europos Sąjungoje. Proceedings of the conference. Vilnius : Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo kanceliarija, 14–37.

Norkus, Z. 2014. Kada Lietuva labiau praturtėjo? : ūkio pažangos Pirmojoje ir Antrojoje Lietuvos Respublikose tarptautinis palyginimas. In  Viktorija Daujotytė, Eugenijus Jovaiša, Giedrius Kuprevičius, Zenonas Norkus, Aleksandras Vasiliauskas, Nerimas 2 : tautiškumas ir demokratija: tikros ir apgaulingos. Vilnius: Lietuvos edukologijos universiteto leidykla, 117–215.

Emigration and Family: Challenges, Family Resources, Ways of Coping with Difficulties. Contract No VAT-39/2012/ LSS-250000-643. Prof. I. Juozeliūnienė. 2012–2014.

Based on the survey from 2013 (1,003 respondents were surveyed in target groups of three generations families, using international research instrument VOC-IR), the comparative international data analysis with 15 countries of the world was carried out. The analysis, performed on issues of migration experience, migration related problems, conceptualization and social reception of migrant families, three generation family solidarity, family networks and family memory, was presented at the ISA Congress and International seminars. Five families with different migration experience were selected for the qualitative case study research as a part of a mixed-methods research study.

Main publications:

Juozeliūnienė, I. 2014. Žemėlapių metodai vaizdu grįstame tyrime. Monograph. Vilnius: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 260 p.

Juozeliūnienė, I., Tureikytė, D., Butėnaitė, R. 2014. Vizualieji metodai migracijos ir šeimų tyrimuose. Textbook. Vilnius: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 144p.

Juozeliūnienė, I. E., Tureikytė, D. Žilinskienė, L., Butėnaitė, R., Novikas, S. 2014.  Emigrantai: „atstumtieji“ ar nauji socialiniai veikėjai? Filosofija, sociologija, vol. 25, Nr. 4,  254–262.

Fostering of the of Lithuanian Sociology’s Tradition in the Journal Sociologija. Mintis ir veiksmas(Sociology. Thought and Action). Contract No LIT-13031. Prof. A. Valantiejus. 2013–2015.

Postdoctoral internship Deteritorisation of Ethnic and National Identity: the Cases of Periphery and Migration. Postdoctoral student D. Daukšas. Supervisor A. Valantiejus. Contract No VP1-3.1-ŠMM-01-V-01-001.

Remembrance of Soviet Times in Life Stories: Relationship between Public and Private Discourse. Contract No VAT 18/2010, senior researcher Dr. L. Žilinskienė.

The research of the collective memory incorporated biographic methodology. The biographies of Lithuanian people and Soviet-time migrants who left Lithuania for Israel, Poland, and Germany were explored. The research expanded the geography of collective memory surveys and was a comparative one in its nature. Sociologists and historians participated in the project. Material obtained during the research was used as a basis for the formation of biographic archives, which are to continue functioning after the end of the project. 

Main publications:

Žilinskienė, L. 2014. . Sovietmečio atminties diskursai masinėse medijose. Sovietmečio atmintis gyvenimo istorijose, 59–81.

Žilinskienė, L. 2014.  (Ne)prisitaikymo sovietmečiu kontekstai gyvenimo istorijose. Sovietmečio atmintis gyvenimo istorijose, 156–180.

Lithuanian National Election Study. Contract No VAT-MIP-017/2012. Assoc. Prof.  R. Žiliukaitė (senior researcher). 2012–2014.

The project was aimed at the analysis of electoral behaviour of Lithuanian population. Implementing the project, the methodologies of the panel pre and post-election web-survey and the post-election representative survey of Lithuanian population were prepared. The surveys were conducted in 2012. The results of the project were published in the monograph How do Voters Select in Lithuania? Ideas, Interests and Images in Politics.

Main publications:

Žiliukaitė, R. 2014. Balsavimas rinkimuose ir rinkėjų socialinių tinklų charakteristikos. Politologija, Nr. 1, 98–128.

Žiliukaitė, R. 2014. Kas Lietuvoje (ne)balsuoja? Dalyvavimo rinkimuose veiksniai. In A.Ramonaitė (ed.) Kaip renkasi Lietuvos rinkėjai? Idėjos, interesai ir įvaizdžiai politikoje. Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 65–88.

Ramonaitė, A., Žiliukaitė, R. 2014. Partinė tapatybė ir socialinė aplinka. In A.Ramonaitė (ed.) Kaip renkasi Lietuvos rinkėjai? Idėjos, interesai ir įvaizdžiai politikoje. Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 107–125.

EU SF global grant project Invisible Society in Soviet Lithuania: Revision of the Distinguishing Between Informal Systemic and Anti-systemic Networks. Contract No. VP1-3.1-ŠMM-07-K-02-053). R.  Žiliukaitė (senior researcher). 

The main objective of the project is to reveal the principles of (self-)organization of soviet society by implementing research on informal mircostructure of Lithuanian society during late soviet period. 
Preparation of methodology for the representative survey of Lithuania population on retrospective evaluation of soviet period. Analysis of the survey data on informal blat relations in Lithuanian society during soviet period. The presentation “Blat Relations in Lithuania during Soviet Time” given in Annual Conference of the Lithuanian Association of Sociologists in the conferences and the presentation on blat relations given at the international conference Disclosing Invisible Society: Informal And Concealed Social Networks Under Communism.

International Research Projects

The Project is funded by National Science Center in Poland. Resurgence of Peripheral Postindustrial Cities. No. 2011/01/B/HS6/02538, Project manager: Prof. Paweł Starosta UNIVERSITY OF LODZ.

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

Department of Sociology, University of Jyväskylä (Finland)
Department of Social Psychology, University of Helsinki (Finland)
Department of Sociology, Eastern Caroline University (USA)
Political Science and Sociology, National University of Ireland, Galway (Ireland)
Oslo University College (Norway)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES

Prof. A. Dobryninas –

Prof. I. Juozeliūnienė –

  • member of the Family Research Committee (RC 06) of the International Sociological Association (ISA);
  • member of the Nordic Family Research Network (NFRN).

Prof. A. Matulionis –

  • member-Expert of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences;
  • member-Expert of the Latvian Academy of Sciences;
  • editorial Board Member of the Journal Filosofija. Sociologija (Philosophy, Sociology), http://www.lmaleidykla.lt/filosofijasociologija/2010/3/ ;
  • editorial board member of the journal Socialiniai mokslai (Social Sciences);
  • editorial board member of the journal Sociologija (Sociology), http://www.ku.lt/sociologija/ ;
  • member of the International Sociological Association (ISA).

Prof. Z. Norkus –

Prof. A. Poviliūnas –

Prof. A. Valantiejus –

Assoc. Prof. R. Žiliukaitė –

Dr. A. Čepas –

Dr. G. Rapolienė –

  • National representative in the COST IS1402 activity Ageism - a Multi-national, Interdisciplinary Perspective Management Committee (2014 – 2018);
  • member of the Lithuanian Sociological Association.

Dr. L. Žilinskienė –