Digital Commons Network^™

Big Five Aspect Personalty Scales And Social Anxiety Severity In A Nonpsychiatric Sample, Samantha Simpson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Personality can be explored hierarchically with higher- and lower-order factors. Recent research suggests the personality hierarchy is comprised of higher-order Big Five traits with two lower-order factors per Big Five trait, termed aspects. There is a lack of research examining the relationship between these lower-order aspects and social anxiety (SA) severity. To better understand these relationships, 443 university undergraduate students (72.2% female; mean age = 20.48, SD = 4.64) completed the Big Five Aspects Scale (BFAS) and the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory- 23 (SPAI-23), and were retained following exclusionary criteria. Path analysis, covarying for sex, age, and general anxiety …

Creativity As A Resource: How Creativity Influences The Appraisal Of Work Stressors And Subsequent Strain, Alyssa Perez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Although creative behaviors are known to have positive effects on general well-being, little research has looked at the relationship between an individual's creativity and stress within the context of work. This research explored how creativity may work as a buffer against the strain of job stressors. In study 1, six vignettes were developed using Role Stressor Theory (Kahn et al., 1964) and the Challenge/Hindrance Framework of stress (Cavanaugh et al., 2000). A sample of 164 undergraduate students responded to the vignettes and results showed that trait-level creativity was directly related not only to the creativity of the solutions the participants …

"A Penny For Your Thoughts?": Development And Validation Of A Revised Measure Of Rumination, Jenna Beltramo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The present research sought to demonstrate the utility, validity, and reliability of a new measure of rumination assessing both the intentionality and valence of ruminative thought. The Intentionality and Valence of Work-Related Ruminations Questionnaire (IV-WRRQ) is developed based on Martin and Tesser's (1996) goal progress theory of rumination and existing approaches across various sub-disciplines in psychology. Specifically, it is designed to assess four distinct forms of rumination: deliberate-positive, deliberate-negative, intrusive-positive, and intrusive negative rumination. Initial expert ratings provided insight into the initial construct validity, face validity, and readability of the items. The measure was further refined in a study among …

Modeling The Relationship Between Perceptual And Stimulus Space In Category Learning, Clay Killingsworth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Learning to categorize visual stimuli is a fundamental cognitive skill underlying both everyday functioning and professional competencies in domains such as radiology and airport security screening. Categories may be very simple or highly complex, with accurate categorization dependent on multiple interacting features. General recognition theory (GRT) models uniquely allow examination of feature dimension interactions, but basic questions remain about the applicability of such models and the 2x2 categorization tasks (four-alternative forced choice) employed in studies which use them. Findings in several studies that factorially combine 2 levels of 2 stimulus dimensions indicate a common pattern of perceptual advantage for the …

Will It Be Ok Boomers?: Effects Of Precarious Work On Older Job-Insecure Workers, Alissa (Gebben) Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The changing nature of work, in conjunction with union power decline, has resulted in increasing levels of job insecurity and precarious work among the global workforce (Benach et al., 2014; Hoffman et al., 2020). Additionally, research has shown that older workers experience work differently than younger workers (Ng & Feldman, 2012), and represent 44% of the workforce in the United States (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). The present study explores the extent to which the confluence of precarious work and age creates a scenario where these workers respond to job insecurity in ways which differ from what is typically depicted …

Sexual Orientation And The Disclosure Of Unwanted Sexual Experiences, Rebekah Kanefsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, and other non-heterosexual orientations (LGBQ+) are significantly more likely to experience a sexual assault. To date, research on barriers to sexual assault disclosure (i.e., telling someone about a sexual assault) has been conducted almost exclusively on heterosexual women. Participants ages 18 to 30 participated in a cross-sectional, online study that assessed unwanted sexual experiences, disclosure of those experiences, perceptions of the police and perceptions of belonging to the LGBQ+ community. Findings demonstrated that survivors who identified as LGBQ+ took longer to initially disclose their sexual assault and had greater negative perceptions of …

Examining The Indirect Effects Of The Big-Five Traits On The Change In Job Satisfaction Via The Change In Specific Work Characteristics, Jimmy Zheng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The present series of studies leveraged the ASTMA model (attraction, selection, transformation, manipulation, attrition), theory of purposeful work behavior, and work on job crafting to investigate the influence of personality on job satisfaction through the active and passive shaping of one's work environment (i.e., work characteristics). Study 1 integrates the ASTMA model and theory of purposeful work behavior perspectives to suggest that individuals who are conscientious, agreeableness, emotionally stable, open to experiences and extraverted become more satisfied with their jobs because each of these traits is associated with active and passive changes to specific work characteristics. These ideas were tested …

Loss Of Control Eating Predicted By The Interaction Between Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Distress Tolerance, And The Expectancy That Eating Reduces Negative Affect, Emily Burr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

A prominent theory of binge eating is the affect regulation theory, which posits that individuals binge eat to alleviate negative affect, and subsequently reduced negative affect reinforces the behavior. Although it is well-supported that individuals experience elevated negative affect pre-binge, findings do not consistently evince reduced negative affect after binge eating. Therefore, the affect regulation theory does not fully account for binge eating. However, habitual binge eating without reliable improvement in affect may be accounted for by expectancy theory. Expectancies may be predictive of behavior whether the outcomes of a behavior are inconsistent. Additionally, there is an increasing scientific awareness …

Empathy As A Buffer: The Moderating Effect Of Trait Empathy On Counterproductive Work Behavior, Amanda Grinley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

While much research has been dedicated to determining what may cause workers to engage in counterproductive behavior at work, fairly less attention has been paid to the factors which may influence individuals to refrain from enacting these behaviors. The current study was conducted to determine whether trait empathy may be one such factor and serve as a moderator of the relationship between work stressors and intentions to commit counterproductive work behavior (CWB). Using the theoretical framework of the stressor-emotion model of CWB it was hypothesized more specifically that empathy moderated the mediating effects of negative affect on relationships between stressors …

Initiation Of Alcohol Use In College Students, Gabrielle Lynch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Alcohol use contributes to widespread harm in college students, and postponing initiation of drinking can reduce negative consequences and risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (Palmer et al., 2010). This study focused on variables related to initiation of alcohol use among new students, and maintenance of abstinence among those who chose not to drink. Data was collected from 467 first year college students, 7.5% of whom initiated alcohol use in college, 33% had never consumed alcohol, and 59.5% started drinking before starting college. Several a- priori hypotheses were supported. Perceptions of peer drinking/attitudes mediated the relationship between academic involvement …

Measurement Invariance In The Cesd-8 And Assessment Of Mood Correlates Between American And Mexican Community Studies On The Multisystemic Geriatric Depression Cycle, Manuel Herrera Legon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The Health and Retirement Study is a longitudinal study that is conducted every other year in the United States and has served as a precursor to similar studies across the world, such as the Mexican Health and Aging Study. The purpose of the current project was evaluating the relationship between depressive symptoms, inflammation and physical activity levels using data from the HRS and MHAS studies. The current project was divided in two main studies. The first study aimed at establishing measurement invariance in a brief questionnaire about depressive symptoms, the CES-D 8. The second study looked at various theories of …

A Longitudinal Examination Of Depression Among Older Adults: The Role Of Working Memory And Sleep, David Brush

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Introduction: The development and regulation of depressive symptoms and the ability to regulate their development is a complex process. Both working memory and sleep disturbance relates to depressive symptom endorsement, though the mechanisms relating these variables have not been examined longitudinally. The current manuscript contains a series of three interrelated studies that aim to elucidate the relationship between potential emotion regulation resources longitudinally within the context of the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation of Emotion Regulation (SOC-ER) model. Study one examined the temporal relationship between working memory and depression, study two examined working memory and depression following loss of spouse, and …

Misinformation In The Media And Its Influence On Racism, Jared Champa

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of the current study was to examine how the media's positive and negative portrayals related to racism impact the viewer's attitudes regarding African Americans. Previous research has shown how misinformation in the media can implicitly affect one's level of racism. Previous research has also shown that gender and one's sociodemographic status can affect the way individuals perceive misinformation. This study aimed to address the relationship between misinformation depicting racist views directed toward African Americans and consumer's attitudes toward African Americans. It was hypothesized that exposure to misinformation will have a significant impact on participants' level of racism. A …

People, Places, And Things: The Relationship Between Presence, Demographic Factors, And Self-Concept On A University Campus, Lydell E. Kerbo Jr

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Within the framework of ecological psychology, environments are places, defined as landscapes of affordances, or the array of potential actions that can be executed. The feedback between direct perception-action and use of affordances results in the sense of presence in place. According to previous research, increased presence has been correlated with greater attachment and connectedness with the place as well as beneficial psychological states in a campus setting. However, it is unclear what factors, such as demographics, may influence differences in engagement with campus affordances, and hence, presence among individuals. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship …

Friendship Intimacy, Identity Development, And Romantic Attachment Among Emerging Adults, Tricia M. Crabtree

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study explores the relationships between Friendship Intimacy, Romantic Attachment, and Identity Development. Previous studies reveal potential associations between Parental Attachment as an infant and Romantic Attachment as an adult; however, this is the first study to examine Friendship Intimacy and its association with the other factors at hand. It was predicted that Friendship Intimacy and Identity would contribute to the prediction of Romantic Attachment. College students (N = 417) in psychology courses participated in an anonymous online survey for course credit. Romantic Relationship Avoidance was significantly predicted by Identity Exploration, and Romantic Relationship Anxiety was significantly predicted by …

Self-Affirmation Intervention On Eating Disorders, Stephanie Kaine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research studied the feasibility of a self-affirmation identity technique as an intervention in the treatment of eating disorders patients. Self-affirmations have been proven successful among various problems so this research examined the effectiveness it'd have on participants with eating disorders.

The Association Of Cultural Orientation With Identity Development And Psychological Adjustment, Madison M. Cooper

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The current study aimed to examine possible relationships between cultural orientation and identity formation. Late adolescent college students (N = 480) completed an anonymous survey online. Measures included the Cultural Orientation Scale, the Ego Identity Process Questionnaire, and the Identity Distress Survey. Contrary to predictions, neither identity exploration nor identity distress were found to be related to cultural orientation. However, identity commitment was significantly correlated with both individualism and collectivism. Further, a ONEWAY ANOVA suggested differences between identity statuses. An LSD post-hoc analyses found that the two committed statuses, Achievement (high in identity commitment after extensive identity exploration) and …

Sign Language And Language Development: A Meta-Analysis, Yasmin Sanchez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study takes a look at baby signing and its effect on caregiver responsiveness, considering how vital caregiver responsiveness is when it comes to language development. A meta-analytic review that quantitatively combines data was conducted to estimate the effect size between baby signs and caregiver responsiveness. There were no restrictions on geography or culture in which studies were conducted. However, the time period of publication was limited from 2009 to 2020 in an attempt to examine the most recent research possible. The following search terms were used: baby signing, gestures, caregiver responsiveness, caregiver interactions, and caregiver. For a study to …

Prevalence Rates Of Antisocial Behaviors In Generation Z, Adrianna J. Valencia

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A review of the scholarly literature suggests that mental health struggles in Generation Z have escalated in recent years. However, there is a lack of psychological research that examines antisocial behaviors in Generation Z. This study aims to determine the prevalence rates of antisocial behaviors in Generation Z. It was hypothesized that our sample of Generation Z students would show higher prevalence rates of antisocial behaviors than previous generations. We examined the data collected from our survey, which was composed of demographic and antisocial personality disorder questions. A one-way ANOVA, revealed significant differences in the categories of age, gender, school …

"To Love Or To Loathe": The Impact Of Childhood Bullying On The Quality Of Adult Romantic Relationships, Richelle M. Cruz Quetell

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The current study explored whether childhood bullying has a lasting impact on the quality of adult romantic relationships. A complete case analysis of 86 participant responses examined the association between bullying, insecure attachment, romantic relationship satisfaction, and trust. The findings partially supported study hypotheses. Specifically, a significant positive correlation between social manipulation, a type of bullying, and avoidant attachment was found. Physical victimization was also positively correlated with trust. However, no significant association between bullying and relationship satisfaction was found. Exploratory multiple regression analysis showed that both physical victimization and romantic relationship satisfaction predict the level of trust experienced in …

Gastrointestinal Symptoms And Belly Pain During The Phases Of The Menstrual Cycle In Healthy Young Females, Preethashree Anbukkarasu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There are significant differences between the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms between males and females. A recent review found that females report having more severe GI health problems compared to males. One explanation for the higher reporting rates of GI symptoms in females could be attributed to menstrual cycle influences rather than GI processes.

This research aims to examine the relationship between how gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms experienced by women covary with the different stages of the menstrual cycle. Additionally, a secondary purpose is to determine the moderating effect of health anxiety on the severity of menstrual and GI symptoms.

Responses …

Student Perceptions Of Instructor Support In Remote Learning Environments During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Christopher F. Sellas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The present study explored student perceptions of instructor support in remote learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic to better understand inequities in their learning experiences. Participants self-reported perceptions of instructor support, online learning experiences, mental health symptoms, and wellbeing. Bivariate correlation testing and linear regression modeling were used to analyze the data. Results indicate that students' student-instructor rapport is associated with higher perception of instructor support. Further, higher perceptions of instructor support were associated with significantly lower symptoms of depression, anxiety, and academic-related stress. Higher degrees of students' self-regulated learning behaviors were associated with lower perceived instructor support. There were …

Examining Motivation In Online Learning Amongst Traditional And Nontraditional College Students, Juan J. Echeverri

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Nontraditional students continue to grow as a population in universities across North America. These individuals are characterized as twenty-five years of age or older, have taken time off from school, and usually hold a job outside of their school duties. With our increased immersion in online environments, many individuals earning an educational degree through online participation, and previous studies calling upon further research, we decided to investigate this line of research. Specifically, the present study seeks to understand the motivational factors seen between traditional and nontraditional students, with an emphasis on intrinsic motivation. The results suggest that nontraditional students are …

Message, Messenger, Or Receiver: Effects Of Social Identity And Personality Characteristics On Foreign Policy Decision Making, Joseph Aromando Iv

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This project investigates the effects of social identity and personal characteristics on foreign policy decision-making. The two main US political parties, Democrats and Republicans, were used as markers for social identity. Participants were first instructed to read a scenario regarding a hostile fictional country followed by a speech regarding the same fictional country. Two speeches were created using a content analysis of speeches from Democrats and Republicans prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Participants were randomly placed into one of four conditions. One condition paired a Democratic-themed speech with a Republican speaker, another paired a Democratic speech with a …

Gender Identity, Discrimination, And Adjustment Among College Students, Nicole A. Coco

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research sought to test the notion that the non-cisgender population experiences an inordinate toll in regard to their mental well-being as a result of inaccurate or incomplete classification of their self-identified gender identity among US college students (N = 591). In accordance with the previous literature, the non-cisgender population experienced a significant increase of perceived experience of microaggressions and internalized symptoms. Contrary to expectations, there was no significance found for rates of identity distress. Previous literature did not reflect a significantly lower score of challenging the binary for Caucasians in relation to Hispanic and Asian ethnicities, as this …

The Effects Of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy On Irritability In Menopausal Women, Giavana Hanna

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The start of the menopausal transition involves the introduction of various somatic, urogenital, and psychological symptoms; of the symptoms, irritability is one of the main complaints reported by women. The use of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy has become more prevalent in society, specifically treating the somatic and urogenital symptoms of the menopausal transition. This study aims to determine the effects of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) on irritability in menopausal women. To test the hypotheses, an online survey was distributed to women via social media and word-of-mouth. Participants were asked to respond to various questions, which were then analyzed based …

Exploring Factors Of Acceptance Of Chip Implants In The Human Body, Radha D. Chebolu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The technology and telecommunication industries have made significant progress in the past few decades leading to several inventions and designs that have significantly improved efficiency in all aspects of human life. These innovations in science and technology improve our quality of life. Modern technology enables us to access vast amounts of information and services through a network of interconnected computers and machines. Recently, various technologies have been proposed to incorporate the human body into this incorporated network. One of these proposed technologies are chip implants meant to be inserted into the human body at various suitable body parts, such as …

News On Social Media, Rwa, And Anti-Asian Sentiment During Covid-19 Pandemic, Hang Duong

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examined the relationship between exposure to COVID-19 fake news, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), sociodemographic factors (i.e., race, biological sex), and xenophobia along with anti-Asian sentiment during the pandemic. Participants included 133 female and male college students. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) exposed to COVID-19 fake news, (2) exposed to real news related to COVID-19 news, and (3) no news exposure. All participants from three groups were then asked to complete a series of measures regarding their attitudes toward Asian Americans and xenophobia. Participants levels of RWA and sociodemographic variables of race and biological sex …

The Usage Of Social Media To Fulfill Social Needs In Introverts, Nathaly Rayo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the relationship between being introverted and the need to affiliate with others. Specifically, I sought to find out whether social media can be used as a replacement for face-to-face interactions. Previous studies have remained inconclusive on whether social media can be seen as a beneficial tool for individuals who tend to be more introverted. In the study, multiple measures were utilized to determine the correlation between social media usage and need fulfillment. The results indicated that individuals with social anxiety had a propensity towards being more introverted and having an increased amount …

Correlations Of Head Injuries In Criminal Offenders Of Sex Crimes Against Children, Emily D. Rohlf

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this research study, the correlation and significance of head injuries in adult sex offenders that have committed crimes against children were measured and compared to a group of criminal offenders that have committed non-sex-related criminal offenses. Data on 30 randomly selected individuals from each of the two groups (60 individuals total) were collected to measure and compare the number of individuals with a head injury in each group. The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of why criminally deviant behaviors occur in adults. This research also hoped to encourage further research on this topic or …