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Sexual Minority And Ally Brain Drain In Ohio: Survey Design And Pilot Study, Leah Miller, Gary Burns, Megan Morris Dec 2012

Sexual Minority And Ally Brain Drain In Ohio: Survey Design And Pilot Study, Leah Miller, Gary Burns, Megan Morris

Explorations – The Journal of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creativity at Wright State

The purpose of this project was to develop a study to examine sexual minority and ally college students’ intentions to relocate after graduation. Research questions asked whether sexual minorities and allies plan to leave Ohio after graduation and sought to determine which specific issues might cause this migration. In partnership with Equality Ohio, we developed a survey and database of potential participants and conducted a small pilot study. In the Fall of 2012 this data collection will expand across Ohio; in 2013 the project will expand to examine brain drain across all 50 states.


Capacity Coefficient Variations, Joseph W. Houpt, Andrew Heathcote, Ami Eidels, Nathan Medeiros-Ward, Jason Watson, David Strayer Nov 2012

Capacity Coefficient Variations, Joseph W. Houpt, Andrew Heathcote, Ami Eidels, Nathan Medeiros-Ward, Jason Watson, David Strayer

Joseph W. Houpt

The capacity coefficient has become an increasingly popular measure of efficiency under changes in workload. It has been used in applications ranging from psychophysical detection tasks to complex cognitive tasks, as well as in addressing questions in social and clinical psychology. The basic formulation compares response times to each stimulus property (or task) in isolation to response times with all stimulus properties (or tasks) at the same time. A number of variations on the basic capacity coefficient have been used, both in the experimental design and in the calculations, and many more are possible. Here we outline the theoretical reasons …


General Recognition Theory Extended To Include Response Times: Predictions For A Class Of Parallel Systems, Joseph W. Houpt, James T. Townsend, Noah H. Silbert Nov 2012

General Recognition Theory Extended To Include Response Times: Predictions For A Class Of Parallel Systems, Joseph W. Houpt, James T. Townsend, Noah H. Silbert

Joseph W. Houpt

No abstract provided.


Statistical Measures For Workload Capacity Analysis, Joseph W. Houpt, James T. Townsend Oct 2012

Statistical Measures For Workload Capacity Analysis, Joseph W. Houpt, James T. Townsend

Psychology Faculty Publications

A critical component of how we understand a mental process is given by measuring the effect of varying the workload. The capacity coefficient (Townsend and Nozawa, 1995 and Townsend and Wenger, 2004) is a measure on response times for quantifying changes in performance due to workload. Despite its precise mathematical foundation, until now rigorous statistical tests have been lacking. In this paper, we demonstrate statistical properties of the components of the capacity measure and propose a significance test for comparing the capacity coefficient to a baseline measure or two capacity coefficients to each other.


Bayesian Analyses Of The Survivor Interaction Contrast, Joseph W. Houpt, Andrew Heathcote, Ami Eidels, James T. Townsend Jul 2012

Bayesian Analyses Of The Survivor Interaction Contrast, Joseph W. Houpt, Andrew Heathcote, Ami Eidels, James T. Townsend

Psychology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Bayesian Approaches To Assessing Architecture And Stopping Rule, Joseph W. Houpt, A. Heathcote, A. Eidels, J. T. Townsend Jul 2012

Bayesian Approaches To Assessing Architecture And Stopping Rule, Joseph W. Houpt, A. Heathcote, A. Eidels, J. T. Townsend

Joseph W. Houpt

Much of scientific psychology and cognitive science can be viewed as a search to understand the mechanisms and dynamics of perception, thought and action. Two processing attributes of particular interest to psychologists are the architecture, or temporal relationships between sub-processes of the system, and the stopping rule, which dictates how many of the sub-processes must be completed for the system to finish. The Survivor Interaction Contrast (SIC) is a powerful tool for assessing the architecture and stopping rule of a mental process model. Thus far, statistical analysis of the SIC has been limited to null-hypothesis- significance tests. In this talk …


Bayesian Approaches To Assessing Architecture And Stopping Rule, Joseph W. Houpt, Andrew Heathcote, Ami Eidels, J. T. Townsend Jul 2012

Bayesian Approaches To Assessing Architecture And Stopping Rule, Joseph W. Houpt, Andrew Heathcote, Ami Eidels, J. T. Townsend

Psychology Faculty Publications

Much of scientific psychology and cognitive science can be viewed as a search to understand the mechanisms and dynamics of perception, thought and action. Two processing attributes of particular interest to psychologists are the architecture, or temporal relationships between sub-processes of the system, and the stopping rule, which dictates how many of the sub-processes must be completed for the system to finish. The Survivor Interaction Contrast (SIC) is a powerful tool for assessing the architecture and stopping rule of a mental process model. Thus far, statistical analysis of the SIC has been limited to null-hypothesis- significance tests. In this talk …


Juror Decision Making: The Impact Of Attractiveness And Socioeconomic Status On Criminal Sentencing And An Examination Of Motivated Reasoning In Mock Jurors, Jennifer M. Kutys Jan 2012

Juror Decision Making: The Impact Of Attractiveness And Socioeconomic Status On Criminal Sentencing And An Examination Of Motivated Reasoning In Mock Jurors, Jennifer M. Kutys

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Individuals are bombarded with stereotypes every day in the United States. It is impossible to eliminate the effect of these stereotypes in any situation; however, the criminal justice system strives to find ways to minimize the impact of these stereotypes in the courtroom. In this study, the effects of socioeconomic status and attractiveness of a female defendant on sentencing severity, perceived recidivism, and deservedness of punishment in a murder trial were examined. The study was also designed to investigate how jurors may engage in cognitive processes such as motivated reasoning when biases are pointed out to them. Attractiveness and socioeconomic …


General Recognition Theory Extended To Include Response Times: Predictions For A Class Of Parallel Systems, James T. Townsend, Joseph W. Houpt, Noah H. Silbert Jan 2012

General Recognition Theory Extended To Include Response Times: Predictions For A Class Of Parallel Systems, James T. Townsend, Joseph W. Houpt, Noah H. Silbert

Joseph W. Houpt

General Recognition Theory (GRT; Ashby & Townsend, 1986) is a multidimensional theory of classification. Originally developed to study various types of perceptual independence, it has also been widely employed in diverse cognitive venues, such as categorization. The initial theory and applications have been static, that is, lacking a time variable and focusing on patterns of responses, such as confusion matrices. Ashby proposed a parallel, dynamic stochastic version of GRT with application to perceptual independence based on discrete linear systems theory with imposed noise \citep{Ash89}. The current study again focuses on cognitive/perceptual independence within an identification classification paradigm. We extend stochastic …


General Recognition Theory Extended To Include Response Times: Predictions For A Class Of Parallel Systems, James T. Townsend, Joseph W. Houpt, Noah H. Silbert Jan 2012

General Recognition Theory Extended To Include Response Times: Predictions For A Class Of Parallel Systems, James T. Townsend, Joseph W. Houpt, Noah H. Silbert

Psychology Faculty Publications

General Recognition Theory (GRT; Ashby & Townsend, 1986) is a multidimensional theory of classification. Originally developed to study various types of perceptual independence, it has also been widely employed in diverse cognitive venues, such as categorization. The initial theory and applications have been static, that is, lacking a time variable and focusing on patterns of responses, such as confusion matrices. Ashby proposed a parallel, dynamic stochastic version of GRT with application to perceptual independence based on discrete linear systems theory with imposed noise (Ashby, 1989). The current study again focuses on cognitive/perceptual independence within an identification classification paradigm. We extend …


A Psychoeducational Approach To Improving College Student Mental Health, Harlan Keith Higginbotham Jan 2012

A Psychoeducational Approach To Improving College Student Mental Health, Harlan Keith Higginbotham

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Mental health problems among the college population continue to increase in terms of frequency and severity. At the same time, the number of high school graduates who enroll in institutes of higher learning is also increasing making the college years an ideal opportunity to address existing and emerging mental and psychological challenges. Traditional counseling center services--while shown to be effective--are not appropriate for all students and are too resource intensive to meet the full need of the college population. Creative strategies are necessary to address the growing need for mental health services among college and university students that are resource …


Predicting Premorbid Ability In African American Elders Using Demographic And Performance Variables, Hayley Kristinsson Jan 2012

Predicting Premorbid Ability In African American Elders Using Demographic And Performance Variables, Hayley Kristinsson

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Researchers and clinicians require a method of estimating an elderly individual's premorbid ability level in order to determine the amount of cognitive decline that has occurred. This issue has received a great deal of attention within the research literature; however, little attention has been paid to this issue specifically in elderly African American elderly adults. Although researchers have examined the predictive utility of demographic variables, few studies have examined whether including additional demographic variables (i.e., quality of education) improves prediction of premorbid ability. The current sample consisted of 46 African American elderly adults who did not exhibit any cognitive impairment …


Dating And Relationship Experiences Of Gay And Lesbian College Students, Aubrey D. Morrison Jan 2012

Dating And Relationship Experiences Of Gay And Lesbian College Students, Aubrey D. Morrison

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In response to an identified need in the psychological literature for current research on topics related to same-sex dating and relationships, this Professional Dissertation was developed to gain a better understanding of contemporary gay and lesbian dating and intimate relationships within the college/university student population. A total of 159 self-identified gay and lesbian college/university students in the United States and Canada completed an online survey about their dating and relationship experiences. The survey was developed by the researcher based on a review of the literature and was designed to collect broad-based quantitative and qualitative data on the topic of study. …


The Role Of Relationships In Completed Suicide: A Gendered Analysis Of Suicide Notes, Kolina J. Delgado Jan 2012

The Role Of Relationships In Completed Suicide: A Gendered Analysis Of Suicide Notes, Kolina J. Delgado

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Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death in the United States. As such, it has been described as a major health problem. In the United States the male to female suicide ratio is approximately 4:1. Comparative analyses of suicide between men and women are needed to provide a more complete understanding of the suicide phenomenon. The current study built upon the literature related to gender and the role of relationships in suicidality. Through the analysis of suicide notes written by individuals who completed suicide, this study provides new insight into the role of gender and interpersonal dynamics in suicide …


The Sexual Behaviors And Practices Of People With Obesity: A Pilot Study, Akers D. Adam Jan 2012

The Sexual Behaviors And Practices Of People With Obesity: A Pilot Study, Akers D. Adam

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The study was designed as a pilot of an online survey intended to assess the amount and type of sexual behaviors in which members of the obese community engage. Further, the study examined how this population may differ from individuals of typical weight with regard to sexual behaviors and practices, including risky sexual practices and self-esteem. As a pilot study, feedback from members of the population of interest was elicited in a fashion consistent with the principles of Participatory Action Research. The feedback provided by the participants was used to make improvements to the survey for the purpose of future …


The Concurrent Validity Of The Shipley-2 And The Wais-Iv, John K. Lodge Jan 2012

The Concurrent Validity Of The Shipley-2 And The Wais-Iv, John K. Lodge

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The recently developed Shipley-2 was compared to the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 4th edition (WAIS-IV) in order to determine the former's level of concurrent validity as a test of intellectual ability. A convenience sample of 25 clinical subjects were administered both measures at two participating outpatient clinics, and the sum results of this testing were tabulated and then correlated through the use of a statistical software package. Results showed very strong levels of correlation between the five Shipley-2 scores (Vocabulary, Abstraction, Block Patterns, Composite A, and Composite B) and the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) of the WAIS-IV (r = .549 …


Exploring Infidelity: Developing The Gem Rim (Gemmer's Risk Of Infidelity Measure), Stephanie J. Gemmer Jan 2012

Exploring Infidelity: Developing The Gem Rim (Gemmer's Risk Of Infidelity Measure), Stephanie J. Gemmer

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Divorce rates in America have soared with many divorces in the United States caused by infidelity; it is the number one reason cited for divorce. Due to the severe consequences of infidelity, researchers have attempted to determine its causes. For example, researchers from evolutionary theory, socialization theory, attachment theory, and investment theory have attempted to explain infidelity from a theoretical perspective. Conversely, based on a literature review Blow and Hartnett (2005) provided numerous categorical findings for infidelity including attachment and infidelity, attitudes towards infidelity, types of infidelity, and numerous demographic variables related to infidelity. Given the vast amount of research …


The Effects Of A Mindfulness-Based Program On Quality Of Life In African-American Older Adults: A Feasibility Study, Kurt A. Brickner Jan 2012

The Effects Of A Mindfulness-Based Program On Quality Of Life In African-American Older Adults: A Feasibility Study, Kurt A. Brickner

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The present study examined the effect of a modified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program on overall quality of life and self-reported medical and psychological symptoms among a sample of ten religious community-dwelling adults over age 65. This study served as a feasibility study to determine the efficacy of conducting similar groups over a longer time period. This 10-session group program was for individuals dealing with stress-related problems, illness, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, and incorporated aspects of religiosity germane to the sample of participants, such as recitation and reflection of scripture passages and the bidirectional relationship between one's religious practices and …


Cultural Competence And Clergy Unite: The Need For Multicultural Considerations For Seminarian Applicants, Monica Sue Richards Jan 2012

Cultural Competence And Clergy Unite: The Need For Multicultural Considerations For Seminarian Applicants, Monica Sue Richards

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The evaluation of candidates to Catholic seminaries prior to their admission is not an uncommon practice. However, in the past 40-50 years psychologists have played a vital role by adding psychological measures and their clinical perspectives to this evaluative process. Although these psychological evaluations have gathered insightful information that has better informed individuals in making a choice about a candidate, recent research suggests that many of the psychologists conducting these evaluations have not taken measures to ensure cultural competencies within these evaluations. This project outlined the ethical obligation psychologists have in providing culturally competent evaluations to these applicants and seminaries. …


Assessing Change In Socially Inhibited Interpersonal Subtype Through Focused Brief Group Therapy, David A. Yutrzenka Jan 2012

Assessing Change In Socially Inhibited Interpersonal Subtype Through Focused Brief Group Therapy, David A. Yutrzenka

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An outcome study of effectiveness was completed for the Focused Brief Group Therapy (FBGT) at a college counseling wellness service center concerning individuals who endorsed distress due to a specific interpersonal type, social inhibition. Pre-existing data from the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-32 (IIP-32) and the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS) was analyzed for these individuals prior to and after completion of FBGT. This researcher hypothesized that through the process of the groups, statistically significant decrease in scores of Social Inhibition, Total Interpersonal Distress, Depression, Social Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety and Academic Distress as a function of the group process …


Executive Dysfunction In Autism And Asperger's Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review Of Cognitive Planning, Ashley Jones Reno Jan 2012

Executive Dysfunction In Autism And Asperger's Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review Of Cognitive Planning, Ashley Jones Reno

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One of the most prominent theories of autism and Asperger's Disorder suggests that their symptoms arise from a primary deficit in executive functions (EF). While many researchers have argued that the executive dysfunction profile may be used as diagnostic support, there have been studies to suggest that autism and Asperger's Disorder may not be clearly differentiated from other clinical disorders on the basis of their executive functioning profiles (e.g., Booth, et al., 2003). Therefore, it is important to examine specific aspects of executive functioning (e.g., cognitive planning, etc.) among children diagnosed with autism and Asperger's Disorder in order to determine …


In Or Out? Ambiguous Loss And Boundary Ambiguity In Families During The Coming Out Process, Tarryn R. Moor Jan 2012

In Or Out? Ambiguous Loss And Boundary Ambiguity In Families During The Coming Out Process, Tarryn R. Moor

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This study investigated the family dynamics that occur following a child's disclosure of his/her same-sex sexual orientation. In particular, this study aimed to gain information regarding the possible presence of boundary ambiguity and subsequent ambiguous loss within families after their child/children comes out. Participants included individuals who identified as caregivers (i.e. parents, guardians) of a gay, lesbian, or bisexual child. Participants were given a survey in which many items were adapted from previous boundary ambiguity scales, in addition to qualitative items to fully capture the participants' experiences. Findings suggested that a majority of participants did not experience ambiguous loss or …


Examining The Social Distance Between Africans And African Americans: The Role Of Internalized Racism, Adaobi C. Iheduru Jan 2012

Examining The Social Distance Between Africans And African Americans: The Role Of Internalized Racism, Adaobi C. Iheduru

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African immigrants are continuously migrating to the United States and comprise a major part of the immigrant population. In a recent U.S. Bureau of Census report on foreign-born residents in the United States, African immigrants numbered 364,000 out of 1.6 million foreign-born people of African origin living in the United States (Rong & Brown, 2002). Much of the psychological literature about immigration is framed in terms of issues of adjustment. (Ward & Kennedy, 2001). Despite the growing number of African immigrants and the awareness of incidents of acculturative stress and adjustment difficulties among various immigrant groups, there are limited studies …


A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Childhood Obesity, Erinn J. Wright Jan 2012

A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To Childhood Obesity, Erinn J. Wright

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In the past two decades, the prevalence of childhood obesity has risen throughout the world. Factors that put children at risk for childhood obesity include genetics, parental weight and lifestyle, gender, age, and socioeconomic status. Various disciplines address treatment of childhood obesity differently. For example, the medical community focuses on potential consequences of childhood obesity; the mental health field conceptualizes the issue behaviorally, and social work research highlights the sociopolitical factors of the issue. Results of a needs assessment performed in the Dayton, Ohio and Montgomery County region from 2009-2010 revealed a lack of collaboration between various disciplines involved in …


Camp For Childhood Cancer Survivors And Their Families: A Program Conceptualization, Caprice S. Parkinson Jan 2012

Camp For Childhood Cancer Survivors And Their Families: A Program Conceptualization, Caprice S. Parkinson

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The intent of this program conceptualization is to create a theory-driven residential camp program for child cancer survivors and their families. Although the majority of families appear to adjust to the stressors of the cancer experience, it has been identified that there is a significant portion of the cancer population and their families that are experiencing psychosocial issues and are in need of support (Kazak, Boeving, Alderfer, Hwang, & Reilly, 2005; Levin Newby, Brown, Pawletko, Gold, & Whitt, 2000; Zeltzer et al., 2009). Some typical symptoms noted in this group of pediatric cancer patients and families are depression/anxiety; decreased sense …


Suicide As An Escape From Pain: An Analysis Of Suicide Notes And Case Files, Dustin R. Hamilton Jan 2012

Suicide As An Escape From Pain: An Analysis Of Suicide Notes And Case Files, Dustin R. Hamilton

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Schneidman (1957) wrote that acts of suicide were attempts to escape from unbearable and intense psychological pain, or "psychache." In this study, we analyzed suicides wherein we determined that the primary motivation for the suicidal act was escape from physical or psychological pain. The analysis incorporated information regarding the content of suicide notes, investigators' reports, and databases from an urban Midwestern metropolitan area coroner's office. The analysis contained demographics, expressed life problems of the decedents, characteristics of the suicide, suicide note contents and suicide note themes. We found that the samples in which escape was determined as the primary motivation …


Therapist Dialogue Wiith Female Clients About Financial Literacy And Self-Efficacy, Michelle M. Estes Jan 2012

Therapist Dialogue Wiith Female Clients About Financial Literacy And Self-Efficacy, Michelle M. Estes

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This dissertation will explore the connection between emotional well-being, financial literacy and self-efficacy. Specifically, it will delve into a gendered exploration of money, using Bandura's concept of self-efficacy as applied to financial matters. The connection between a client's financial situation and his or her clinical issues will be discussed, as will current practices related to discussing financial matters in clinical practice. Additionally, this dissertation will explore how psychologists frequently do not address the connection between a client's financial well-being and his or her clinical issues. Best practice guidelines will be offered to fill this gap. Finally, suggestions for future research …


Barriers To Group Psychotherapy For African-American College Students, Angela L. Harris Jan 2012

Barriers To Group Psychotherapy For African-American College Students, Angela L. Harris

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There is limited research on African-American college students and their participation in group psychotherapy in a university counseling center setting. This study examined the barriers to group psychotherapy for African-American college students. A 61 item survey was designed to obtain African-American college students' views on their willingness to participate in group therapy, expectations of group psychotherapy, expectations of group members, expectations of group leaders, coping skills when in distress, and multicultural considerations relating to group psychotherapy. Data collected from a sample (N = 108)was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses. Results of the this study found that coping strategies …


Minority Bias In Supervisor Ratings: Comparing Subjective Ratings And Objective Measures Of Job Performance, William Hernandez Jan 2012

Minority Bias In Supervisor Ratings: Comparing Subjective Ratings And Objective Measures Of Job Performance, William Hernandez

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Supervisor ratings of job performance and objective sales performance were examined to better understand the causes of observed differences in performance ratings between Men and Women and Caucasians and African-Americans. Sex and race did not significantly predict subjective ratings of job performance. Ratee sex and race accounted for less than 2% of the variance in subjective ratings of ratee job performance. However, it was found that Women performed significantly lower than Men, but the difference disappeared when women comprised greater than 30% of the workforce, suggesting a real difference in performance. No tokenism effect was found for Women or racial …


Examining Outcomes Following Batterer's Intervention: A Follow-Up Study Of The Path Program, Jessica B. Virzi Jan 2012

Examining Outcomes Following Batterer's Intervention: A Follow-Up Study Of The Path Program, Jessica B. Virzi

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This study will attempt to determine the effectiveness of the Preventing Abuse in the Home (PATH) batterer's intervention program through the collection of qualitative data from interviews completed by men who had previously had contact with the program. Interview questions were created based upon several variables that researchers were interested in gathering information on. Results highlighted differences based on how individuals who had completed the program and those who had not participated in the program spoke regarding their abusive behavior and behavior changes they had made. Results also indicated the importance of working with clients based on which stage in …