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The Power Of Words: Unpacking Language's Role In Educational Inequities, Zara Yokohama, Liz Beccari, Malcolm Jasmin

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

The language used to describe racial disparities in education may inadvertently influence how we address them. Framing such disparities as “achievement gap” rather than as “inequality in educational outcomes” assumes a deficit thinking mindset, shifting focus from the structural injustices contributing to education disparities to individuals, resulting in decreased prioritization of racial equity (Quinn & Desruisseaux, 2022). We aim to replicate this prioritization effect, specify the language driving the effect, and examine the impact of frames on perceptions of how to achieve racial equity. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions framing racial equity concerns as: a racial achievement gap, racial …

We The People. Who? The Face Of Future American Politics Is Shaped By Perceived Foreignness Of Candidates Of Color, Patrizia Chirco, Tonya M. Buchanan

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Pursuing a more equitable political representation of a country's demographics is essential both as a matter of principle and pragmatism (i.e., realpolitik). As such, the goal of the present study was to replicate and expand on research on the impact of voter race/ethnicity and ideology on voting behaviors and interpersonal judgments of political candidates of color from different racial and ethnic groups. After participants (N = 282) saw the same political candidate of color (randomly assigned to identify as Mexican American vs. African American), we assessed interpersonal judgments and behaviors (e.g., expertise, voting intentions), perceived Americanness, and memory for skin …

An Investigation On The Effects Of Psychological Contract (Pc) Towards Site Safety In The South Indian Construction Industry, M. G. Soundarya Priya, K. S. Anandh, Sathyanarayanan Rajendran, K. N. Sen

Engineering Technologies, Safety, and Construction Faculty Scholarship

The construction sector is India's second-largest industry, contributing to the country's economy and providing many job opportunities. However, construction has been described as a hazardous industry with a high rate of injuries, accidents, and fatalities compared to other sectors worldwide. The "psychological contract of safety (PCS)" is one of the safety climate (SC) variables that influence worker safety behavior (WSB) actions on construction sites to improve safety. This research investigates the influence of SC factors on PCS and PCS on WSB in construction site safety. A quantitative research method has been adopted in this study, and the data is collected …

Altering Age And Gender Stereotypes By Creating The Halo And Horns Effects With Facial Expressions, Mary Katherine Radeke, Anthony John Stahelski

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

This study examined the impact of a variable, facial expression, on the social perception and personality trait stereotypic inferences made to age and gender. Twelve facial photographs of young and old female and male models posing with either smiling, scowling, or neutral facial expressions were presented to participants who judged various social perceptions and personality traits. Results indicated that facial expression is strongly associated with two very different inference groupings. Smiling induced positive inferences, creating a Halo Effect, scowling induced negative inferences, creating a Horns Effect. Smiling influenced the age and gender inferences in a positive direction, and scowling did …

Exploring Locus Of Control In Offender Cognition And Recidivism Paradigms, Anistasha Lightning, Danielle Polage

All Master's Theses

Working with four Washington State county jails to administer surveys to currently incarcerated inmates, we investigated locus of control and beliefs in the likelihood of continued legal involvement as possible antecedents to criminal recidivism. The surveys examined whether there was any connection between legal involvement frequency and the externalization of locus of control. We investigated external locus of control with specific respect to involvement with the law, the prospect of future incarceration, and feelings concerning the overall cause of original and/or sustained legal involvement utilizing the Revised Causal Dimension Scale (McAuley, Duncan, & Russell, 1992). We identified statistically significant interactions …

Music, Video And Perception: An Investigation Into Shaping Attitudes Toward Fish And Their Natural Habitat, Kayla-Ann Hemmings

All Master's Theses

The current study investigated the influence of music and video on perceptions of fish, willingness to help aquatic conservation efforts, and attitudes about the marine environment. Participants were randomly distributed to one of six groups which varied by presenting information about marine life in a video format or through printed text (i.e., video or pamphlet) and on the background music that played during the presentation of that information (i.e., ominous, uplifting, or no sound). Participants, then, completed several counterbalanced measures, including rating how much six different words (i.e., three positive and three negative) applied to fish, Willingness to Conserve questions …

Depictions Of Genetic Research In Film Across Film Genres, Jennifer Lund

Undergraduate Honors Theses

When people do not have personal experience to draw on, the experiences of characters in film can serve in the mind as a substitute. This research sought to determine what kind of impression films depicting genetics research leave on the audience. These genres were romance (Code 46, 2004), horror (Splice, 2009), thriller (Children of Men, 2006), and drama (Gattaca, 1997). Scenes from the films were analyzed to determine their likely effect on the audience perception of genetics. The researcher hypothesized that the drama and romance films would portray genetics research as neutral, but the science …

The Use Of Test Anxiety Assessment And Anxiety Reduction Training To Predict And Improve Performance Of Collegiate Pilot Trainees, Teresa Ann Sloan, Michael Lundin, Dale Wilson, Randy Robinnette

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Written, oral, and practical flight tests, along with challenging flying tasks, place pilot trainees in stressful situations. The initial goals of this research were to determine assessment tools for identifying pilot trainees who might perform poorly in stressful flight testing environments, and measure the efficacy of a test anxiety (TA) workshop on anxiety levels and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) knowledge assessments of pilot trainees. The researchers determined that: Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) scores marginally predict facilitating anxiety levels, and FAA knowledge tests, taken in authentic testing environments, correlate significantly with debilitating anxiety, facilitating anxiety, and FAA exam scores. The researchers …

An Examination Of The In-Group Hypothesis In Facial Expression Inferences Using American And Indian Samples, Scott Lehrman

All Master's Theses

The relationship between culture and evaluations of facial expressions were assessed using American and Indian participants. Based on Ekman (1972) and others’ (cf. Elfenbein & Ambady, 2002) research that supports general cross-cultural agreement of facial expression evaluation, it was hypothesized that participants will be able to accurately evaluate a smiling face as happy and a scowling face as angry and that American participants would be more accurate overall due to the In-Group Hypothesis (Elfenbein & Ambady, 2002). Results showed that both cultures were able to accurately assess both facial expressions, although American participants had stronger evaluations across personality traits.

Emergence Of Stimulus Equivalence And Topography-Based Responding Following Lecture Instruction, Justin Dale Krzmarzick

All Master's Theses

The present study examined the emergence of stimulus equivalence using both selection-based and topography-based tests following a lecture or control condition. This study also evaluated generalization to novel stimuli in both selection-based and topography-based response formats, and evaluated the social validity of the instructional procedure. Twenty undergraduate students who were at least 18 years of age were assigned to a lecture or control condition. Participants in the lecture condition were exposed to a lecture on the topic of generalization. Participants in the control condition watched the video Martin Seligman: The New Era of Positive Psychology that did not relate to …

A Punishment-Free, Toilet-Training Protocol For Children With Developmental Disabilities, Chelsea Lynn Pearsall

All Master's Theses

The present investigation adapted a behaviorally-based toilet-training protocol for use with two male children with developmental disabilities. Positive practice and verbal reprimands were eliminated, and reinforcement, scheduled sits, and a urine alarm were utilized. Data were collected on the number of intoilet urinations, urinary accidents, and self-initiations. Results show that both participants exhibited significant improvement in their toileting skills and met the final success criteria rapidly. These results were maintained through follow-up. Implications for the elimination of punishment procedures in future toilet training protocols are discussed.

Passing Pains: Revenge, Retaliation, And Redirected Aggression In A New Light, Lixing Sun

Biology Faculty Scholarship

A review of David P. Barash and Judith Eve Lipton, Payback: Why We Retaliate, Redirect Aggression, and Take Revenge, Oxford University Press: New York, 2011, 209 pp., US$24.95, ISBN 019539514X (hardcover).

A Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Sense Of Humor And Positive Psychological Capacities, Larry W. Hughes

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Business

The constructs of sense of humor (Lefcourt, 2002) and positive psychological capacities (PsyCap; Luthans, 2002a) have been heralded as important phenomenon within the growing field of positive psychology, especially within the organizational sciences. Additionally, a sense of humor has been found to be related to positive affective experiences. Leaders can develop followers' confidence, hope, optimism and resiliency for what Avolio and Luthans (2006) called sustainable, veritable performance. The hypotheses presented and tested here will advance the theoretical and empirical discussion of leadership in organizations by linking several emerging constructs of interest, both in academe and practice. This study marks an …

The Benefits Of Bibliotherapy: Textsets And Accompanying Guides For Students And Teachers, Angela Lee Maurina

All Graduate Projects

In this project, bibliotherapy (the use of literature in helping children cope with emotional problems or change) was investigated. Its history, with a specific focus on past and current uses in professional clinical and educational practice, was researched and outlined. In addition, a review of the psychological social and emotional needs and development of fourth through eighth graders ( early adolescence) was conducted. A summative argument supporting the use of bibliotherapy as a tool to meet the specific needs of early adolescents in the classroom setting was put forward. Limitations were noted. Upon completion of the research, an implementation guide …

Experimenter Bias Effect At Varying Levels Of Motivation, Leslie Marie Slade Gray

All Master's Theses

This study examined the effects of experimenter motivation upon the experimenter bias effect on a person perception task. It was hypothesized that the experimenter bias effect would decrease as reward and threat of punishment increased.

Thirty-five experimenters were randomly assigned to five treatment groups including a control group, two reward groups, and two punishment conditions. Each experimenter administered the photo task to two subjects. The results failed to support the experimental hypotheses.

The Effects Of Truth Table Pretraining And Intradimensional Variability On Rule Learning And Attribute Identification Tasks, Eric S. Gebelein

All Master's Theses

Ss were required to sort geometrical patterns into positive or negative instances. According to (a) an attribute identification problem (wherein one of three conceptual rules was given: Disjunctive, Conditional, or Biconditional) or (b) Rule learning problem (wherein the two relevant attributes were given: either yellow, triangle or blue, circle). Intradimensional variability for each condition was either five, seven, or nine levels. The Rule effect was the only significant source of variance even though performance did worsen as intradimensional variability was increased.

A Comparison Of Verbal And Geometric Stimuli In Concept Learning, Robert William Greenway

All Master's Theses

Subjects classified stimulus patterns into positive or negative instances of the concept according to either an attribute identification (AI) problem or a rule learning (RL) problem. Four types of stimulus materials were used: verbal stimuli (V), geometric stimuli (G), or two combinations of these modes, verbal geometric (VG) or verbal colored (VC). The only main effects that were significant were the Type of rule and Type of problem. Some interactions were obtained between these factors and the stimulus mode employed.

The Effect Of A Learning Skills Course Including Group Counseling On Low Achievers In The Community College, Paul E. Borg

All Master's Theses

A Learning Skills course consisting of study skills, goal direction, and self-understanding was tested among volunteer community college low achievers. Treatment integrated didactic, group discussion, and affective experiences in 18 hour-long sessions. Nineteen subjects received treatment; 25 subjects formed a matched control group; and 41 non-volunteers formed two additional control groups. An apparent trend toward GPA improvement was noted for all groups, but all measurements on GPA and a study survey were non-significant.

Intradimensional Variability With Numbers And Alphabetical Letters In Conceptual Rules, Thomas Henry Clayton

All Master's Theses

Subjects were assigned to bidimensional rule problems that contained either 5, 10, or 15 levels of intradimensional variability. The stimuli consisted of numbers and alphabetical letters. There were no performance differences by either males or females when the number of levels within each rule was increased. There was a significant difference in performance among the three rules (disjunctive, conditional, and biconditional), however, the conditional was more difficult than the biconditional which is inconsistent with earlier research.

False Physiological Feedback And Acceptance Of A High Fear Message, Michael T. Gray

All Master's Theses

This paper presents an attempt to differentiate between the drive reduction and parallel response theories as explanations of results obtained in fear communication research.

Forty-eight subjects were divided into four equal groups and while listening to a high fear message, three groups received false GSR feedback. The fourth group (control) received no feedback. The results failed to differentiate between the two theoretical models and also failed to support findings of an earlier study which used similar feedback techniques.

It was concluded that further research using false feedback techniques needs to be done.

Time Sampling Technique Applied To Counseling Practicum, William David Thomas

All Master's Theses

The analysis of interactions between individuals was developed primarily within the structure of classroom education. The historical development and refinement of educational interaction analysis was examined to set its use in the counseling situation into appropriate perspective. Many forms of interaction analysis have been used to investigate a wide range of variables. The review of the literature revealed discrepancies in the reported changes, if any, that took place in the verbal behavior of student counselors as a result of practicum training. To clarify this situation somewhat, this study attempted to observe student counselor verbal behavior change in association with practicum.

Duration Of State-Dependent Learning Induced By Ncfs-Ecs, Larry Wayne Morris

All Master's Theses

This paper investigated the course of the state-dependent function induced by NCFS-ECS at 24 hr. time intervals, beginning at 24 or 48 hrs. after NCFS-ECS treatment and terminating at 120 hrs. Results of both experiments indicate a state-dependent effect lasting up to 72 hrs., was absent at the 96 hr. retention test but, apparently returned by the 120 hr. retention test. Recommendations included investigation of fixed time intervals after the 120 hr. retention test.

The Cathartic Effects Of Aggressive Responses Directed Toward An Inanimate Object, Timothy William Creston

All Master's Theses

This study was intended to test the catharsis of aggression hypothesis which in part holds that aggressive responses directed towards an inanimate object will have a tension reducing effect and result in a lowering of residual hostility.

The Relationship Of Dogmatism And Internal-External Control To Psychological Reactance, Edward J. Schau

All Master's Theses

One hundred ninety-two Introductory Psychology students volunteered for credit to complete the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale and the Rotter I/E Scale. The students were also asked to fill out a questionnaire, obstensibly from the administration, asking them to rate the favorability of the first five periods of the day on a scale of 1-100. Two weeks later 94 of the above students, serving as controls, were asked to fill out the identical questionnaire again. They were told that the previous ones had been lost. The 98 remaining students, serving as experimental subjects, received additional information. E said that he had heard …

The Effects Of Cs Habituation And Duration Of The Directional Modification Of The Cardiac Response In The Guinea Pig (Cavia Procellus), Ray Charles Larson

All Master's Theses

The present experiment examined the effects of CS habituation and two different levels of CS duration (60 versus 6 sec) on the directional modification of the conditioned cardiac response in the guinea pig. The results indicated that the only reaction to the CS, regardless of prior habituation or CS duration, was a decelerative conditioned HR response. However, habituation to a CS prior to classical aversive conditioning was found to attenuate the magnitude of the bradycardia CR that developed. The bradycardia CR was discussed in terms of being a cardiac component of the orienting response.

Sub-Aversive Response Contingent Foot Shock As A Positive Reinforcer, Robert Lea Fulwiler

All Master's Theses

Forty-eight rats were divided into 8 groups; four were maintained under normal conditions and the other four under sensory deprivation and tested at o, 3, 6, and 9 days after condition institution. The response was placing the head through a hole in the operant chamber and the stimulus (0, 1.2, 4, or 12 Vac) was contingent upon the response. Analysis ot variance disclosed significant differences (p<.01) between the deprived and the non-deprived groups at days 6 and 9; and a significant interaction between deprivation condition and time of test. No differences were shown between the stimulus intensities indicating that the stimulus did not have a reinforcing effect.

The Use Of Selected Films And Film Discussions In Modifying Social Distance In Elementary School Children, Stanton C. Baker

All Master's Theses

When conflicts involving interpersonal relationships arise within the school setting, it would appear appropriate to attempt to cope with these conflicts within the framework of the school; particularly the classroom. Many methods of modifying behavior through group procedures have been attempted with varying degrees of success. It was the purpose of this study to investigate the effectiveness of one such method; a fiIm-discussion technique. This program was developed to modify behaviors, attitudes and/or perceptions which interfere with the development of constructive interpersonal relationships within an elementary classroom.

Television-Mediated Aggression And Its Effects On Children’S Level Of Aggressiveness, Thomas M. Ferguson

All Master's Theses

It was hypothesized that subjects viewing film-mediated aggressive models would perform more aggressive behaviors in the test situation, than either of the other two groups, despite the low similarity factor. Results failed to confirm this hypothesis. It was found that boys were more aggressive than girls across all treatment levels.

Effects Of Nurturance On Incidental Imitative Behavior, Ronald Raymond Monti

All Master's Theses

The purpose of the present study was twofold. It was hypothesized that a prior nurturant interaction with an adult model (M) would significantly increase incidental imitation in a child subject (S) receiving this positive relationship over Ss who interacted with a non-nurturant M, or Ss who received no interaction with M. Secondly, the length of the experimental nurturant relationship was manipulated in an attempt to determine its importance in obtaining increased imitative behavior.

The Effects Of Motivation Level And Task Difficulty On Performance On A Vigilance Task, Donald C. Johnston

All Master's Theses

Although many variables affecting vigilance behavior have been identified, there has not been substantial agreement on the importance of these variables as contributors either to performance decrements often found in laboratory research or to performance levels in industrial inspection tasks. Two variables of presumed importance are level of motivation and task difficulty. The purpose of the present experiment was to assess the main and interactive effects of these variables on performance on a task which approximated more closely an industrial inspection task than have the bulk of traditional vigilance studies.