The golden section and an algebraic model of ethical cognition
type: Item
instance of: scholarly article
title: The golden section and an algebraic model of ethical cognition
zbMATH Open document ID: 0568.92029
DOI: 10.1016/0022-2496(85)90010-0
author: Vladimir A. Lefebvre
published in: Journal of Mathematical Psychology
publication date: 1985-01-01T00:00:00Z
review text: In experimental investigations related to \textit{G. A. Kelly's} theory of constructs [The psychology of personal constructs. (1955)] a special constant was discovered. It was found that subjects on the average choose a positive over a negative pole with the probability 0.62 [\textit{F. Adams- Webber} and \textit{F. Benjafield}, Can. J. Behavioral Science 5, 234-241 (1973)]. The same constant was also found in other experiments related to the choice of elements marked ''good'' and ''bad''. \textit{F. Benjafield} and \textit{F. Adams-Webber}, Br. J. Psychology 67, 11-15 (1976), hypothesized that the precise value of this constant coincides with ''golden section'' \(\approx 0.6180.\) In this paper it is shown that if we suppose that the subjects actualize mechanisms of choice described by the algebraic model of ethical cognition (which was constructed without any relation to the constant 0.62), then the existence of this constant is mathematically explained. Under very broad assumptions its value is 0.625, and under more constrained conditions it is equal to the golden section ratio precisely.
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 91E99
zbMATH DE Number: 3908238
zbMATH Keywords: personality theory
zbMATH Keywords: mechanisms of choice
zbMATH Keywords: algebraic model of ethical cognition
zbMATH Keywords: golden section ratio
MaRDI profile type: Publication
full work available at URL: 0022-2496(85)90010-0
OpenAlex ID: W2027448956
cites work: An algebraic model of ethical cognition
cites work: Q3322066
description: scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3908238