Velibor Bobo Kovac

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2026). Consensus and divergence concerning history teaching in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Interviews with history teachers. European Educational Research Journal. doi: 10.1177/14749041261425818. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  There currently exists limited research adopting a qualitative approach to investigate the practice of history teaching in Bosnia and Herzegovina across all three educational programs (i.e. Croatian, Serbian, and Bosniak). The aims of this study are twofold: (1) to identify common perspectives across groups, and (2) to compare pattern-based differences between groups concerning the challenges associated with history teaching in all three ethnic groups. The theoretical framework is grounded in Social Identity Theory, which explores how social categorization leads to the formation of ingroups and outgroups, stereotyping, and broader societal division. The data consist of 21 individual interviews with high school history teachers. The analysis reveals three main themes: (1) common issues and perspectives across groups, (2) differences between groups, and (3) intrapersonal inconsistencies and contradictions. The overall pattern emerging from the interviews portrays teachers as professionally competent individuals who are aware of the challenges concerning the transmission and interpretation of history but are not contributing to their escalation. The teachers in the study also exhibit resignation, acceptance of the current ethnically based education, limited critical reflection, and minimal pedagogical risk-taking. The results are discussed in the context of the choice between ethnic democracy and a shared cooperative future.

• Pardede, Saga & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2025). A Conceptual Relation Between the Need to Belong and Sense-of-Belongingness. Psychological Reports. ISSN 0033-2941. p. 1–20. doi: 10.1177/00332941251320281. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  All humans have a fundamental need to belong (NTB), that is, forming and maintaining social connections. However, having these positive social bonds does not necessarily equal one’s sense-of-belongingness (SOB). Contemporary literature frequently uses NTB and SOB interchangeably, or SOB is seen as a by-product of NTB satisfaction. This conceptual paper aims to (1) provide the arguments that there exists a difference between the “Need to Belong” as a universal construct of fundamental psychological need and “sense-of-belongingness” as a sensation that arose from distinct belongingness conditions, and (2) argue that these differences bear on human action under specific situations and contexts. Two hypothetical life situations are presented to illustrate the divergence of one’s motivational need to belong compared to the specific self-processes regarding one’s sense-of-belongingness. We concluded that there are arguments to claim that NTB and SOB, under specific social conditions, might be conceptually and empirically opposed or unrelated to one another.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2024). “Us” vs. “Them”: a systematic analysis of history textbooks in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina across three ethnic educational programmes. Journal of Curriculum Studies. ISSN 0022-0272. doi: 10.1080/00220272.2024.2436353. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2024). Parents’ Perspectives on their Child’s Involvement in Bullying in Preschool. Child Care in Practice. ISSN 1357-5279. p. 1–16. doi: 10.1080/13575279.2024.2371375. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Horverak, May Olaug (2023). Online chat-support for bullying prevention and follow-up: an analysis of the characteristics of chat-users and their experiences. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. ISSN 0267-3843. 28(1), p. 831–843. doi: 10.1080/02673843.2023.2292060. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The purpose of this study was to examine data registered at an online bullying support chat-service over a three-year period to determine the characteristics of users and their experiences. The service was contacted 12,687 times during this period, leading to 7,641 chat-dialogues with counsellors, 57% of which (n = 4,388) were directly related to bullying. Findings indicate that 76% of chat-users were female and 89% were victims of bullying (ages 12–17). The extent of bullying experienced was extensive, typically occurring on a daily basis at school. More than 30% had not sought help prior to contacting the service. Verbal, relational, and physical bullying were all common, although verbal bullying was by far the most prevalent, occurring in 65% of cases. Consistent with survey research on bullying, boys were significantly more likely than girls to have been the victims of physical bullying, while the opposite was true for relational bullying.

• Pardede, Saga & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2023). Distinguishing the Need to Belong and Sense of Belongingness: The Relation between Need to Belong and Personal Appraisals under Two Different Belongingness–Conditions. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education. ISSN 2174-8144. 13(2), p. 331–344. doi: 10.3390/ejihpe13020025. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  People are frequently caught in the hold between the need to belong and the fear of exclusion. However, these needs might be expressed differently under different belongingness conditions, where other powerful social processes are accentuated. Thus, the need to belong and social exclusion are concepts that are subjectively appraised based on one’s social relations. The present study aims to examine the relationship between the need to belong and five personal appraisals under two different belongingness conditions: (1) social-emotion support and (2) social-value representation. A total of 201 participants from two different groups were presented with 69 different items measuring five personal appraisals (exclusion, shame, social-worthiness, emotional self-expression, and prosocial-relating behaviour). Condition 2, social-value representation with social worthiness being appraised, offered the strongest connection as a significant predictor amongst all appraisals in both conditions, despite both exclusion and shame being indicated as significant predictors, to begin with. Thus, highlighting the appraisal of social worthiness in support of one’s need to socially represent oneself by not being compared to others while being valued as an alternative motive for realising a sense of belongingness. The empirical and theoretical limitations and implications are also discussed.

• Kostøl, Elin Marie Frivold & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2023). Co-regulation in dyadic parent–child relationships: a video analysis of well-functioning interactions. Early Child Development and Care. ISSN 0300-4430. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2023.2282357. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Nome, Dag Øystein; Jensen, Andreas Reier & Skreland, Lisbeth Ljosdal (2023). The why, what and how of deep learning: critical analysis and additional concerns. Education Inquiry. doi: 10.1080/20004508.2023.2194502. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The concept of deep learning has become a popular and well recognised term in contemporary educational literature and inter-national political documents. Deep learning typically induces posi-tive connotations and represents the learning strategy that educational institutions should adopt in order to assure a sustainable future in modern societies. However, a major chal-lenge with deep learning is the fact that the concept is used in many different scientific fields with a variety of definitions, under-standings and applications. Thus, there is an imbalance between the quantity of governing documents in education that endorse the use of deep learning as a main learning strategy and the amount of academic theory and research examining its defini-tional clarity and related unresolved questions. The aim of the present theoretical analysis is threefold. First, we examine the concept of deep learning in light of the three fundamental ques-tions “why”, “what”, and “how” and make assessments concerning its status in contemporary literature. Second, we discuss the com-patibility between the idea of deep learning and the concepts of educational inclusion and adapted instruction. Finally, we make several recommendations for future development and application of the term deep learning in educational contexts.

• Andreasen, Johan Kristian; Tømte, Cathrine Edelhard; Bergan, Ingvild & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2022). Professional digital competence in initial teacher education: An examination of differences in two cohorts of pre-service teachers. Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy. 17(1), p. 61–74. doi: 10.18261/njdl.17.1.5. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Initial teacher education plays a vital role in preparing pre-service teachers (PSTs) to integrate technology into their classroom practice. In the present study, we examine how PSTs perceive their professional digital competence (PDC) in the context of a major teacher education reform in Norway. Survey data was collected from two cohorts, consisting of primary and lower secondary PSTs, both before (cohort 1) and after (cohort 2) the teacher education reform. Several theoretical concepts were selected to operationalize PDC, including technological pedagogical knowledge, confidence in the use of ICT, ICT self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, and ICTand inclusion. The overall results show a significant increase in the pre-service teachers’ professional digital competence in cohort 2. The findings indicate that partnership initiatives between university faculty staff and school-based mentor teachers are associated with the preservice teachers’ development of PDC. Several development initiatives in initial teacher education that are relevant to other higher education institutions are also discussed.

• Haraldstad, Åse; Tveit, Anne Dorthe & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2022). Democracy in schools: qualitative analysis of pupils’ experiences of democracy in the context of the Norwegian school. Cambridge Journal of Education. ISSN 0305-764X. 52(1), p. 73–89. doi: 10.1080/0305764X.2021.1935738. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  A limited number of empirical studies have explored pupils’ democratic practice and the direct experiences of school children using a qualitative approach. The aim of the present study has been to analyse pupils’ experiences of the practice of democratic rights in the context of the Norwegian school. The study adopts a qualitative methodology, using semi-structured interviews with pupils. Three prominent school arenas were focused on: the mandatory pupil-teacher dialogue, the pupil council and classroom discussions. Three main markers of democracy have been used in the data analysis: contextual openness, participation and the ability to engage in democratic discussions. The findings reveal that all three markers of democracy, although variously distributed, were visible in these school arenas. The findings in the study are discussed in terms of implications for the development of pupils’ future democratic competencies and the educational mandate schools have in preparing young people for adult participation in society.

• Kovač, V.B. & Cameron, David Lansing (2021). Are We Talking about the Same Thing? A Survey of Preschool Workers’ Attitudes and Beliefs about Bullying. Child Care in Practice. ISSN 1357-5279. doi: 10.1080/13575279.2021.1951167. Full text in Research Archive
• Jortveit, Maryann & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2021). Co-teaching that works; Special and General Educators’ Perspectives on Collaboration. Teaching Education. ISSN 1047-6210. doi: 10.1080/10476210.2021.1895105. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Kostøl, Elin Marie Frivold (2020). Helping children in bullying situations: The role of intersubjective understanding and co-regulation. School Psychology International. ISSN 0143-0343. 41(3), p. 295–309. doi: 10.1177/0143034320903789. Full text in Research Archive
• Andreasen, Johan Kristian; Andreasen, Eva Mari & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2020). Emosjonell kompetanse i gruppeveiledning. NORDVEI: Nordisk tidsskrift i veiledningspedagogikk. 5(1). doi: 10.15845/ntvp.v5i1.3049. Full text in Research Archive
• Tveit, Anne Dorthe & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2020). Organisational Challenges for School Development and Improvement: The Obstructing Role of Sub-Groups and an Overly Positive School Culture. International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning. ISSN 2232-5107. 9(1), p. 27–42. Full text in Research Archive
• Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2019). Teoretisk og praktisk forståelse av systemrettet arbeid i PPT. In Bjerklund, Monica; Groven, Berit & Åmot, Ingvild (Ed.), PPTs systemrettede arbeid i barnehagen. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215030418. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  «PPTs systemrettede arbeid i barnehagen» handler om barnet som en del av en sosial kontekst. En av oppgavene til Pedagogisk psykologisk tjeneste (PPT) er å bistå barnehagen med kompetanse- og organisasjonsutvikling. Bistanden skal bidra til å tilrettelegge barnehagens tilbud til barn med behov for særlig tilrettelegging eller spesialpedagogiske tiltak. Slike tiltak går under betegnelsen systemrettet arbeid. Boka viser at det ikke er en todeling mellom system- og individrettet arbeid. Forfatterne tar for seg PPTs systemrettede arbeid både i et historisk og et teoretisk perspektiv. De ser også nærmere på barns medvirkning, og de belyser systemrettet arbeid i møte med både mangfold og ledelse samt kompetanse- og organisasjonsutvikling. Antologien er forskningsbasert og praksisrelevant. Boka er skrevet for studenter innenfor spesialpedagogikk og velferdsfag, samt forskere og tilsatte i PPT og barnehager.

• Andreasen, Johan Kristian; Bjørndal, Cato R. P. & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2019). Being a teacher and teacher educator: The antecedents of teacher educator identity among mentor teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education : An International Journal of Research and Studies. ISSN 0742-051X. 85, p. 281–291. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2019.05.011. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Although teachers’ professional identities have been the subject of extensive study, the field still lacks knowledge about the development of a professional identity for mentor teachers. These teachers take on multifaceted professional roles as teachers and teacher educators. In the present paper, we investigate the professional identity of mentor teachers partnered with two universities in Norway. The study adopts a quantitative approach and report on survey data from the mentor teachers. The results demonstrate that school climate, individual beliefs about the role, and university collaboration predict the development of a teacher educator identity.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Vaala, Lene Birgit (2019). Educational inclusion and belonging: a conceptual analysis and implications for practice. International Journal of Inclusive Education. ISSN 1360-3116. doi: 10.1080/13603116.2019.1603330. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Omdal, Heidi & Lund, Ingrid (2018). Directional motion: An empirically based model of development in educational institutions. Improving Schools. ISSN 1365-4802. 21(2), p. 127–140. doi: 10.1177/1365480218772637. Full text in Research Archive
• Olsen, Anne Karin Vikstøl; Spieler, Kristin & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2018). The role of individual processes and learning environment in the prediction of grades in a sample of Norwegian students. Cogent Education. 5(1), p. 1–16. doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2018.1542954. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2018). “Schooling through democracy”: Limitations and possibilities. Education. ISSN 0013-1172. 139(1), p. 1–14. Full text in Research Archive
• Spieler, Kristin & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). Individual, Technological, and Organizational Predictors of Knowledge Sharing in the Norwegian Context. International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning. ISSN 2232-5107. 6(1), p. 5–26. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). Parents and preschool workers’ perceptions of competence, collaboration, and strategies for addressing bullying in early childhood. Child Care in Practice. ISSN 1357-5279. 23(2), p. 126–140. doi: 10.1080/13575279.2016.1259156. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). Metacognitive habits: Contradiction in terms or valid theoretical concept? The role of metacognition in habitual behavior. Basic and Applied Social Psychology. ISSN 0197-3533. 39(3), p. 167–175. doi: 10.1080/01973533.2017.1307195. Full text in Research Archive
• Lund, Ingrid; Helgeland, Anne & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). På vei mot en ny forståelse av mobbing i et folkehelseperspektiv. Acta Didactica Norge. 11(3), p. 19–19. doi: 10.5617/adno.4691. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Cameron, David Lansing & Jortveit, Maryann (2017). “Bridging old relations”: the (de)construction of ethnic identity in the educational context of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the teachers' point of view. Journal of Language, Identity & Education. ISSN 1534-8458. 16(1), p. 32–44. doi: 10.1080/15348458.2016.1260456. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Olsen, Anne Karin Vikstøl & Spieler, Kristin (2017). Prediction of college grades in the sample of Norwegian students, Proceedings of the3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances. ITACA - Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. ISSN 9788490485903. p. 399–404. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Lund, Ingrid & Omdal, Heidi (2016). Learning Environment in Light of Positional, Institutional, and Cultural Interpretations: An Empirically-Based Conceptual Analysis. Educational Studies. ISSN 0013-1946. 53(1), p. 78–94. doi: 10.1080/00131946.2016.1264400. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Nesmann, Mats (2016). Privatister hvem er de, og hva motiverer dem til å lykkes på eksamen? Kartlegging av bakgrunnsvariabler og deres intensjon i lys av en utvidet versjon av teorien om planlagt atferd. Nordisk tidsskrift for pedagogikk og kritikk. 2, p. 53–71. Full text in Research Archive
• Lund, Ingrid; Helgeland, Anne & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2016). Empirically based analysis of methodological and ethical challenges in research with children as participants: the case of bullying in kindergarten. Early Child Development and Care. ISSN 0300-4430. 186(10), p. 1531–1543. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1110817. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Cameron, David Lansing & Høigaard, Rune (2016). The extended Theory of Planned Behaviour and college grades: the role of cognition and past behaviour in the prediction of students’ academic intentions and achievements. Educational Psychology. ISSN 0144-3410. 36(4), p. 792–811. doi: 10.1080/01443410.2014.923557. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2016). An examination of parents’ and preschool workers’ perspectives on bullying in preschool. Early Child Development and Care. ISSN 0300-4430. 186(12), p. 1961–1971. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2016.1138290. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2015). Transition: A conceptual analysis and integrative model. In Cameron, David Lansing & Thygesen, Ragnar (Ed.), Transitions in the field of special education. Theoretical perspectives and implications for practice. Waxmann Verlag. ISSN 9783830931171. p. 19–33. Full text in Research Archive
• Høigaard, Rune; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Øverby, Nina Cecilie & Haugen, Tommy (2015). Academic self-efficacy mediates the effects of school psychological climate on academic achievement. School psychology quarterly. ISSN 1045-3830. 30(1), p. 64–74. doi: 10.1037/spq0000056. Full text in Research Archive
• Rise, Jostein; Halkjelsvik, Torleif & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2015). Mental States of Addiction: Conceptions in the Adult Norwegian Population. Contemporary Drug Problems. ISSN 0091-4509. 42(4), p. 289–298. doi: 10.1177/0091450915608446. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  An increasing number of studies have examined lay meanings of addiction. The purpose of this study was to explore whether a generalized conception of an addiction mind-set was evident in the beliefs of a sample of 1,062 Norwegian adults responding to an online survey. The respondents were given a rating task in the following form: “Addiction to [substance/behavior] is/represents [descriptive term].” For each of the nine different addictive behaviors (cocaine, cannabis, alcohol, gambling, smoking, amphetamine, sedatives, snus, and heroin), the respondents rated their endorsement of 11 descriptive terms (mental states): reduced self-determination, obsession, strong urge, strong appetite, strong craving, reduced moral competence, reduced rational decision making, compulsion, habit, conflicting desire, and reduced willpower. Principal components analyses identified two distinct factors for six addictive behaviors: cocaine, cannabis, alcohol, gambling, amphetamine, and heroin. The endorsement levels of the descriptive items of the two factors were consistently high. Sedatives, smoking, and snus did not fit into the two factors. Norwegian adults thus seem to ascribe to a model of an addiction mind-set comprising two distinct versions, the irresistible, involuntary (Craving-compulsion version), and the voluntary resistible dimensions of addiction (Reduced agency version).

• Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2014). “Two Schools under one Roof” in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Exploring the Challenges of Group Identity and deliberative Values among Bosniak and Croat Students. International Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0883-0355. 66, p. 103–112. doi: 10.1016/j.ijer.2014.03.004. Full text in Research Archive
• Hukkelberg, Silje Sommer; Hagtvet, Knut Arne & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2014). Latent interaction effects in the Theory of Planned Behavior applied to quitting smoking. British Journal of Health Psychology. ISSN 1359-107X. 19(1), p. 83–100. doi: 10.1111/bjhp.12034. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Objectives This study applies three latent interaction models in the theory of planned behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1988, Attitudes, personality, and behavior. Homewood, IL: Dorsey Press; Ajzen, 1991, Organ. Behav. Hum. Decis. Process., 50, 179) to quitting smoking: (1) attitude × perceived behavioural control on intention; (2) subjective norms (SN) × attitude on intention; and (3) perceived behavioural control × intention on quitting behaviour. Methods The data derive from a longitudinal Internet survey of 939 smokers aged 15–74 over a period of 4 months. Latent interaction effects were estimated using the double-mean-centred unconstrained approach (Lin et al., 2010, Struct. Equ. Modeling, 17, 374) in LISREL. Results Attitude × SN and attitude × perceived behavioural control both showed a significant interaction effect on intention. No significant interaction effect was found for perceived behavioural control × intention on quitting. Conclusions The latent interaction approach is a useful method for investigating specific conditions between TPB components in the context of quitting behaviour. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed. Statement of contribution What is already known about the subject? Although research on quitting smoking in the context of TPB is gradually growing, the exploration of latent interaction effects of TPB variables on quitting intentions and subsequent quitting behaviour is scarce. The double-mean-centred unconstrained approach is proposed as a new and user-friendly alternative to estimate interaction effects. This study investigated three latent interaction effects in TPB, as applied to quitting smoking using a double-mean-centred unconstrained approach.

• Rise, Jostein; Aarø, Leif Edvard; Halkjelsvik, Torleif & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2014). The distribution and role of causal beliefs, inferences of responsibility, and moral emotions on willingness to help addicts among Norwegian adults. Addiction Research and Theory. ISSN 1606-6359. 22(2), p. 117–125. doi: 10.3109/16066359.2013.785532. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The purpose of this study was to explore the distribution and role of causal beliefs, inferences of responsibility, and moral emotions on deservingness of help to addicts among Norwegian adults using the social motivational model of Weiner. The data derives from a web panel survey of Norwegian adults aged 20 to 69 years (N = 1062, response rate 67%) in 2011. They responded to a questionnaire tapping into the above measures for nine different addictions in terms of a hypothetical person: "Think of a person addicted to-." The respondents mainly located the cause of the addictions inside the person and attributed the responsibility for the problem to the individual. In general, addicted persons did not receive a high mean level of sympathy, whereas a high mean level of willingness to provide help and assistance was reported. However, there were substantial variations among the nine addictions as to mean rating levels, with snus and sedatives as the two extreme counterparts. Separate SEM analyses for the nine addictions showed support for Weiner's mediation model with inferences of responsibility and sympathy (moral emotion) as effective mediators for deservingness of help. This pattern was stable across the nine addictions. Implications for interventions and possible limitations are discussed.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2013). The more the 'Merrier': A multi-sourced model of addiction. Addiction Research and Theory. ISSN 1606-6359. 21(1), p. 19–32. doi: 10.3109/16066359.2012.691581. Full text in Research Archive
• Skogseid, Elisabet; Skogseid, Ernst Martin & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2013). "Jeg vil, jeg vil, men hva skal til?" Kvalitativ studie av frafall på yrkesfag. FoU i praksis. ISSN 1504-6893. 7(3), p. 105–124. Full text in Research Archive
• Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Cameron, David Lansing (2012). “Ja takk, begge deler” PPTs individ- og systemrettede arbeid i barnehagen. Spesialpedagogikk. ISSN 0332-8457. 77(4), p. 43–56. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Artikkelen belyser hvordan forholdene ligger til rette for at PPT kan arbeide systemisk i barnehagen. Spørreskjema ble sendt til ansatte og ledere ved PPT-kontor i Norge med ansvar for barnehagealder. Resultatene viser at (a) flertallet av ansatte har både barnehage og skole som ansvarsområde og at halvparten ikke har regelmessig kontakt med barnehager, (b) støtte med utgangspunkt i enkeltbarn utgjør en stor andel av tjenestens totale arbeidstid og (c) tjenesten ønsker å opprettholde andelen individrettede arbeid og samtidig øke systemrettet innsats. Vår konklusjon er at forholdene ikke synes å ligge godt til rette for systemarbeid. Teoretiske og praktiske implikasjoner er diskutert.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2012). “Fuelling” cognitive judgments: Worry as a mediator between risk perceptions and intentions to quit smoking. Europe's Journal of Psychology. 8(3), p. 391–401. doi: 10.5964/ejop.v8i3.479. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The aim of the present study was to assess the importance of cognitive and affective risk perceptions along with measures of self-prediction of future smoking status and confidence in one’s ability to quit on intentions to quit smoking. Additionally, the purpose was to explore the mediating effect of worry on the relation between risk perception and quitting smoking intentions. The data consist of 415 participants defined as daily and “sometimes” smokers who were interviewed by telephone. The results showed significant direct effects of risk perception, worry, confidence, and self-prediction of future smoking status on intentions to quit smoking. Furthermore, the results showed a significant mediating effect of worry on the relation between risk perception and quitting intentions. The results are discussed in relation to the general role of cognitive and affective processes in influencing behavioural decisions. The implications and limitations of the present analysis are also discussed.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2012). Pairing Incompatibles: The Cooperative Contributions of Desires, Automaticity, and Explicit Cognitions in Self-Regulatory Failures of Addictive Behaviors. In Columbus, Alexandra M. (Eds.), Advances in Psychology Research, Volume 94. Nova Science Publishers. ISSN 9781620816967. p. 55–79. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2012). Evolve or perish: A theoretical propositon for development of Bildung concept. Uluslararası İnsan Bilimleri Dergisi. 9(1), p. 585–607. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The contemporary idea of Bildung is in danger of becoming a concept of mere historical significance as its content is poorly elaborated upon in terms of underlying processes. The main aims of the present paper are to (1) argue that this concept must evolve by specifying its content or perish from contemporary use in educational settings (2) present a model of Bildung which builds on a combination of current global educational movements and basic adaptive psychological processes common to all people regardless of their diverse backgrounds. The present conclusions point in the direction that Bildung, if sufficiently outlined, might be of significant importance for future educational contexts by providing an overarching perspective in terms of values and clear directions in terms of practice. The theoretical and practical implications are also discussed along with the possible limitations of the current analysis.

• Thygesen, Ragnar; Briseid, Lars Gunnar; Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2011). Er generell pedagogisk kompetanse tilstrekkelig for å sikre en inkluderende skole? Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0029-2052. p. 104–114. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2011). The Role of Desire in The Prediction of Intention: The Case of Smoking Behavior. Swiss Journal of Psychology. ISSN 1421-0185. 70(3), p. 141–148. doi: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000049. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper is based on the notion that desire represents an important motivational aspect of the decision-making process. Thus, we examined the hypotheses that desire (1) predicts behavioral intentions and (2) mediates the effects of theory of planned behavior (TPB) components and past behavior on an individual’s intention to quit smoking. The analysis is based on three separate conditions in which the intention to quit smoking during the next 1, 4, or 6 months, respectively, was measured; the three conditions contained identical variables. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis show that there are sufficient grounds for including desire as an additional predictor in the TPB model. The results also show that desire mediates the effects of attitudes, norms, and past behavior on intention. However, the mediating role of desire was not obtained for the relationship between PBC and intention. Theoretical implications and recommendations for future research are suggested.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2011). Predicting the Intention to Quit Smoking in a Norwegian Sample: An Extended Theory of Planned Behaviour in Light of Construal Level Theory. Nordic Psychology. ISSN 1901-2276. 63(3), p. 68–82. doi: 10.1027/1901-2276/a000040. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The aim of the present study was to examine the relations between an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the intention to quit smoking in light of Construal Level Theory (CLT). The basic reasoning of CLT is that psychological distance influences people’s thoughts and behaviour. 192 Norwegian students with daily smoking habits were asked to complete a questionnaire. Half the students responded to intention to quit smoking in 1 month, the other half, to quit in 6 months. As predicted by the CLT, the results showed that there was an overall tendency in favour of significantly stronger correlations between the theoretical predictors and intention to quit in 6 months than for the intention to quit in 1 month. Also consistent with CLT, this pattern did not hold for the relationship between perceived behavioural control (PBC) and intention, with significantly stronger correlations for the 1-month condition. The results may have important implications for the prediction of long-term versus short-term intention and the inclusion of additional predictors in the TPB.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Jortveit, Maryann (2011). The "Why, What, and How" of inclusion from the practitioner's point of view: inclusion of immigrant children in the Norwegian educational system. Power and Education. 3(3), p. 291–305. doi: 10.2304/power.2011.3.3.289. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The aim of the article is to explore teachers' perceptions of the concept of multicultural inclusion. The study adopts a qualitative approach where 14 individual semi-structured interviews have been used to assess and analyse teachers' reflections when considering the 'why, what and how' questions surrounding inclusion. The overall findings indicate that teachers view multicultural inclusion as a desirable and positive process which should be practised in contemporary schools. However, the findings also indicate that teachers use rather common and imprecise terms and generally hold that this process is straightforward and unproblematic in terms of its definition. This is further supported in reported tendencies to implement inclusive measures in a fairly unorganized and intuitive manner. The challenges associated with definitions and practices of inclusion are discussed along with the positions of teachers in terms of power. The article concludes with outlining the possible limitations and implications of the study.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Rise, Jostein & Moan, Inger Synnøve (2010). From Intentions to Quit to the Actual Quitting Process: The Case of Smoking Behavior in Light of the TPB. Journal of applied biobehavioral research. ISSN 1071-2089. 14(4), p. 181–197. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-9861.2010.00048.x. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The purpose of the present paper was to examine the path from intentions to quit smoking to the actual quitting process in light of the theory of planned behavior. Data derives from a longitudinal internet survey (N = 939) over a period of 4 months. Attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and past behavior emerged as significant direct predictors of quitting intention (R2 = 34%). Ordinal regression analysis showed that intention, PBC, planning, past quit attempts and habit were significant predictors of the subsequent quitting process. Consistent with previous research the results show that addicted individuals have serious problems in sticking to their initial plans. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Langfeldt, Gjert (2010). Educational evaluation in the light of construal level theory: The case of cognitive tuning. Studies in Educational Evaluation. ISSN 0191-491X. 36(3), p. 93–100. doi: 10.1016/j.stueduc.2011.01.001. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Rise, Jostein & Moan, Inger Synnøve (2010). Premeditated automaticity: the role of explicit cognition in the development of obsessive smoking. Uluslararası İnsan Bilimleri Dergisi. 7(2), p. 971–984. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of explicit cognitions in relation to the development of obsessive smoking passion. Data derives from a longitudinal internet survey conducted among 939 daily smokers over a period of four months. Mental representations were the strongest predictor of obsessive smoking passion (ß=.47, p<.001) followed by habit strength (ß=.25, p<.001) and number of cigarettes smoked (ß=.09, p<.01). Altogether the variables accounted for 48% of the variance in obsessive smoking passion. The results indicated that mental representations, along with automatic processes, play an important role in the prediction of obsessive smoking passion. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Kristiansen, Aslaug (2010). Trusting Trust in the Context of Higher Education: the potential limits of the trust concept. Power and Education. 2(3), p. 276–287. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  There is a convincing body of empirical evidence supporting the benefits of trust. A number of recent publications have paid a great deal of attention to possible negative consequences of the trusting process, but there has been little interdisciplinary focus on the potentially unconstructive aspects of the trusting process between learners and teaching authorities. The authors argue here that unmonitored student trust in a teacher?s expertise in the context of higher education might sabotage the use and development of higher cognitive skills (for example, the ability for critical thinking), and that the direct consequence of this is a further amplification of the existing asymmetrical distribution of power which exists between students and teaching stuff. In the first part of the article, the authors briefly review the literature on trust and specifically focus on contributions emphasizing its potentially negative consequences. In the second part, the authors present arguments which support the idea that excessive trust limits students? abilities to think critically. The limitations of the present analysis are discussed and areas of potential future research on this topic are outlined. The article concludes by stating that there are sufficient grounds to pursue this idea further in terms of theoretical and empirical research.

• Rise, Jostein; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Kraft, Pål & Moan, Inger Synnøve (2008). Predicting the intention to quit smoking and quitting behaviour: Extending the theory of planned behaviour. British Journal of Health Psychology. ISSN 1359-107X. 13. doi: 10.1027/1901-2276/a000040. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The present study examined the ability of the TPB to predict the intention to quit smoking and quitting behaviour. In addition, the predictive power of future orientation, number of cigarettes smoked, planning, past behaviour and the interactions between intention and other predictors was examined. Material and methods. The data were derived from a longitudinal survey among 103 daily smoking students at the University of Oslo (mean age 24.6 years, mean number of years of smoking = 8 years). These data were collected by means of self-administered questionnaires at T1 (October 2003) and at T2 (February 2004) in terms of recording actual quitting. The TPB components accounted for 30% of the variance in quitting intentions, and affective attitude and descriptive norm emerged as the strongest predictors of quitting intention. Ordinal regression analysis showed that intention was a borderline significant predictor of subsequent quitting behaviour, while the impact of PBC was non-significant (model 1). The inclusion of the additional variables improved the fit of the model, with number of cigarettes and planning appearing as significant predictors of behaviour (model 2). As predicted, there was a significant interaction between perceived control and intentions on quitting (model 3). Nagelkerke R2 increased from .07 in model 1 to .54 in model 2, and finally to .58 in model 3. Conclusions. The results indicate that affective attitude and descriptive norm play a more crucial role than the other TPB predictors in motivating smokers to quit. The results also indicate that self-regulatory strategies are important in relation to addictive behaviours.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2008). The role of explicit cognition in addiction: development of the Mental Representations scale. Addiction Research and Theory. ISSN 1058-6989. 16(6), p. 595–606. doi: 10.1080/16066350801896263. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract. We argue that explicit cognitions in the form of mental representations (MR), in addition to habits, constitute an important aspect of smoking. Two studies were performed with the aim of developing a measure of MR in the context of smoking behaviour. MRs refer to explicit and conscious cognitive processes which involve the strength of thoughts, planning, anticipation and self-awareness regarding future actions. In Study 1 we generated a pool of items assumed to assess smokers¿ MRs, and explored the factor structure and internal consistency of the MR scale. In Study 2 we further expanded the theoretical aspects of the scale, and we explored the psychometric properties of the MR scale in terms of temporal stability and convergent and discriminant validity. The results indicated that these properties were satisfactory, thus encouraging the further use of the MR scale in the domain of addictive behaviours. Implications of the results are discussed.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2007). The relation between past behavior, intention, planning, and quitting smoking: the moderating effect of future orientation. Journal of applied biobehavioral research. ISSN 1071-2089. 12(2), p. 18–18. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-9861.2007.00015.x. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The present study examined the moderating effects of two measures of future orientation on the relation between intention, planning, and past behavior on the one hand, and quitting smoking on the other. The degree of future orientation was assessed by the Consideration of Future Consequences (CFC) Scale and the Stanford Time Perspective Inventory (STPI). Both CFC and STPI significantly moderated the intention¿quitting behavior and past behavior¿quitting behavior relationships. CFC also moderated the relation between planning and quitting behavior, whereas STPI failed to moderate the planning¿quitting relation. The results indicate that the extent to which a person is future oriented represents an important moderating variable when it comes to the relation between deliberative processes and actual behavior. The implications of the results are discussed.

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• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2022). Hvordan vet du det? : vitenskapelig tenkning og forskningsmetoder. Fagbokforlaget. ISBN 9788245045413. 234 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2016). Basic motivation and human behaviour: Control, affiliation and self-expression. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781137470553. 249 p. Full text in Research Archive

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• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2026). History teaching in Bosnia and Hercegovina A two-study project. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2025). Consensus and divergence concerning history teaching in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Interviews with history teachers from three different educational programs. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2024). “Us” vs. “Them”: A systematic analysis of history textbooks in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina across three ethnic educational programs. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2022). Rollen av eget ståsted i inkludering. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Horverak, May Olaug (2021). An exploration of the patterns of bullying among users of a chat-support service in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Haraldstad, Åse; Tveit, Anne Dorthe & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2019). Pupils experiences with democratic arenas in school. Educating democratic citizens? Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Cameron, David Lansing (2019). Mobbing i barnehagen: En kvantitativ undersøkelse av holdninger hos ansatte og foreldrene. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2019). Bullying (mis)conceptions. Is there a need for consensus in early childhood education? Full text in Research Archive
• Andreasen, Johan Kristian; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Bjørndal, Cato R. P. (2018). Teacher and teacher educator - developing a professional identity. Full text in Research Archive
• Olsen, Anne Karin Vikstøl; Spieler, Kristin & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). Predicting college grades through a sample of Norwegian students. Full text in Research Archive
• Andreasen, Johan Kristian & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). Factors influencing how cooperating teachers’ develop teacher educator identities. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Lund, Ingrid & Omdal, Heidi (2016). Directional motion: An empirically based model of development in educational institutions. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2015). Kartlegging av barnehageansatte og foreldres perspektiver på mobbing i barnehage. Spørreundersøkelse blant ansatte og foreldre. Full text in Research Archive
• Olsen, Anne Karin Vikstøl; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Haugen, Tommy & Høigaard, Rune (2015). Development of occupational identity of Preschool teacher students before and after their practise period. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2015). Self-expression motivation. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Tveit, Anne Dorthe & Jortveit, Maryann (2015). “Bridging old relations”: The (de)construction of ethnic identity in the educational context of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing; Lund, Ingrid; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Nome, Dag Øystein; Helgeland, Anne & Godtfredsen, Marianne (2014). Understanding Bullying in Early Childhood: How do We Promote Positive Relationships among Children and Adults? Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The issue of bullying has received worldwide attention in recent years. However, research on bullying in early childhood is sparse. Indeed, the use of the term “bullying” to describe negative behaviours such as targeted, relational, and physical aggression among preschool-age children is not without controversy (Alberti-Espenes, 2010). Yet, it has been argued that bullying can be distinguished from other forms of aggression in that it reflects a form of unequal coercive power (Olweus, 1993), a condition that is clearly incompatible with the creation of inclusive, high quality early childhood services. Thus, there is a need to investigate the behaviours and conditions associated with bullying within this context. This presentation will describe findings from a Norwegian research project comprising three investigations: (a) Preschool children’s experiences with relationships, well-being, and play interactions; (b) Childcare workers’ relationships with children in the attachment process, and (c) A survey of parents and preschool workers’ perspectives on bullying in preschool. The first study comprised individual and focus-group interviews with children from 4 to 6 years of age in which emphasis was placed on children's experiences and perceptions related to teasing and bullying. The second investigation applied a critical ethnographic approach in which two preschools were observed over several weeks and reflective conversations were conducted between the researcher and caregivers based on video recordings of their interactions with children. The third study comprised a quantitative survey of childcare workers (n = 94) and parents (n = 257) drawn from six preschools. Results shed light on several important questions within the field, including: How are positive, inclusive relationships among preschool children created and maintained? What is the role of adults in this process? What factors predict preschool workers and parents’ attitudes towards bullying?

• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2013). Teachers' ratings of the causes & support needs of youth with internalizing & externalizing behavior problems. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Tveit, Anne Dorthe (2013). Two Schools under one roof: A case study of Segregation among Bosniak and Croatian Secondary School Students. Full text in Research Archive
• Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2011). A study of the Educational Psychological Services’ work with Preschool in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Rise, Jostein & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2007). Timely, refreshing, ambitious, and above all challenging. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (NAD). ISSN 1455-0725. 24. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2006). Psykologisk avhengighet. Rus og avhengighet. 1, p. 22–24. Full text in Research Archive
• Rise, Jostein & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2005). Predicting intentions to quit smoking: The TPB and temporal construal. Psychology and Health. ISSN 0887-0446. p. 1–1. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2005). Time perspective and the intention-behaviour relation: The case of quitting smoking. Psychology and Health. ISSN 0887-0446. p. 1–1. Full text in Research Archive
• Rise, Jostein; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Kraft, Pål (2004). Bridging the intention-behaviour gap of addictive behaviours: the case of quitting smoking. Full text in Research Archive
• Brehmer, Mareike; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Meyer, Jennifer (2024). The Complex Antecedents of Bystander Intentions in Higher Education Bullying. A Multidimensional Investigation of Socio-cognitive, Emotional and Moral Determinants Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Universitetet i Agder. Full text in Research Archive
• Lund, Ingrid; Helgeland, Anne; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Cameron, David Lansing & Godtfredsen, Marianne (2019). Dialog og samarbeid i arbeidet mot mobbing i barnehagen. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788271179359. Full text in Research Archive
• Lund, Ingrid; Helgeland, Anne; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Cameron, David Lansing & Nome, Dag Øystein (2015). Hele barnet, hele løpet. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788271178109. Full text in Research Archive
• Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Tveit, Anne Dorthe (2011). En undersøkelse om PP-tjenestens arbeid med barnehagen. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788271176839. Full text in Research Archive
• Allerup, Peter; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Kvåle, Gro; Langfeldt, Gjert & Skov, Poul (2009). Evaluering av det Nasjonale kvalitetsvurderingsssystemet for grunnopplæringen. Edgar Høgfeldt. Full text in Research Archive
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2008). Some psychological aspects of addiction in the light of smoking behaviour. Unipub forlag. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The main purpose of the present thesis was to examine (i) the role of psychological processes in quitting addiction, and (ii) the psychological processes which play a role in the development of obsessive smoking passion. Although the thesis focuses on smoking behaviour in particular, the underlying theoretical ideas should be applicable to all forms of strong attachments. There are five research questions which are central to the present thesis. First, papers 1, 3, and 5 examined the role of motivational processes in the formation of intention to quit smoking. Second, papers 1, 2, and 5 examined the role of important motivational and self-regulatory processes in self-reported quitting behaviour. Third, papers 1, 2, and 3 examined the role of future time perspective and time construal in the formation of intention to quit smoking, and in self-reported smoking cessation. Fourth, in papers 4 and 5 we attempted to develop a measure to assess explicit cognition in relation to strong attachments. And fifth, in paper 5 we attempted to examine the interplay of automatic and cognitive processes in the development of obsessive passion for smoking. The main theoretical reasoning chosen to illuminate these research questions was derived from several theoretical frameworks. First, the general ideas which underlie the majority of so-called social cognition models were used in order to examine the role of motivational and self-regulatory processes in smoking cessation. In particular, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was applied in papers 1, 3, and 5 with the aim of obtaining a better understanding of the processes which facilitate the development of intention to quit smoking and smoking cessation. Second, the ideas which accentuate the role of automatic processing were used in order to understand the stability of addictive attachments. Third, detectable in several papers was the influence of ideas derived from behavioural economics in general and time-discounting theories in particular, in relation to addictive behaviours. And finally, the theoretical influence of self-regulatory literature in general, with particular focus on the delay of gratification paradigm and Action Identification theory, played an important role in the conceptualization of the MR construct (paper 4 and 5). The thesis is based on questionnaire data from three different studies. The first two data collections included a student population, while papers 4 and 5 were based on internet surveys and included a more general population. All three surveys were longitudinal with 4, 6, and 4 months between measurement points, respectively. With regard to the quitting process, the results imply that present accounts of smoking cessation in terms of motivational and self-regulatory processes are insufficient. This is indicated by the low percentage of explained variance in quitting behaviour and the relatively low predictive values of the most important variables in the model in comparison to the meta-analysis of studies on non-addictive behaviours. Thus, it seems that motivational and self-regulatory efforts are particularly unstable when it comes to addictive behaviours such as smoking. However, the results also indicate that the predictions of intention to quit smoking in terms of motivational processes are reasonably well understood, in that the explained variance in quitting intentions was in line with previous findings in the health behaviour domain. The results also indicate that the concept of time is important in both the motivational and self-regulatory phases. For instance, in study 2 we examined the moderating effects of two measures of future orientation (Consideration of Future Consequences scale and Stanford Time Perspective Inventory) on the relation between intention, planning, and past behaviour on one hand, and quitting smoking on the other.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2000). Motivational systems of control, affiliation, and self-expresssion: An integrative approach. Unipub forlag. Full text in Research Archive

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