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The Effects Of Frequency & Source Of Feedback On Performance Under Goal-Setting Conditions, David Campshure

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Feedback and goal setting are both necessary for either to have an effect on performance (Erez, 1977). In the present study two attributes of feedback, frequency and source, were manipulated under goal-setting conditions to examine their effects on performance. It is generally assumed that performance can be enhanced by providing individuals with frequent feedback and by providing them with feedback that originates from a source close to themselves--that is, feedback from the task itself or self-administered feedback. A third variable of interest, subjects' perceived control over the task, was assessed via questionnaires.

Subjects worked on a problem-solving task. Each subject …

A Study Of The Interrater Agreement Of Therapists Using The Basic I.D. Profile As An Assessment Tool, Jimmy Mann

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In using the BASIC I.D. profile as an assessment tool, seven modalities of the client are assessed: Behaviors, Affect, Sensations, Imagery, Cognitions, Interpersonal relationships, and Drugs (physiological condition). The purpose of this s•udy was to assess the interrater agreement of the BASIC I.D. profile when used as an assessment approach in psychotherapy. The raters were 15 graduate students in clinical and school psychology at Western Kentucky University. Six actors served as subjects who simulated clients coming to a psychotherapist for his/her initial interview. Two experienced interviewers portrayed therapists conducting the initial interview with the subject. The interviews were videotaped and, …

Effect Of Internal Consistency On The Cpi Social Dominance Scale On The Predictability Of Dominance Behaviors, Jerry Guttman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to show that the degree of consistency that people demonstrate on personality measures is positively related to the degree to which behaviors representing the personality domains can be predicted. Thirty five female consistent personality scale respondents and Thirty eight female inconsistent scale respondents participated in small group discussions. The results showed that for all females, scale scores on the California Psychological Inventory subscaJe of dominance were predictive of three measures of dominance behaviors in the discussion group. Consistent personality scale respondents had no measures that were significantly correlated with the dominance scale score, whereas …

Weighted Application Blanks: An Empirical Approach For The Selection Of Delivery Personnel Psychology, Barton Lee Dahmer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a biographically weighted application blank for use in selecting delivery personnel. The England (1971) procedure for weighting biographical information was utilized. The criterion was a ratio of planned work time to actual work time. It was hypothesized that (a) significant derivation and cross-validities would be obtained, and (b) significant practical benefits in terms of correct placement of workers in the high and low criterion groups would result. The first hypothesis was partially supported in that a significant derivation validity was obtained (r = -.56, P < .05). However, the cross-validity (r = -.12) was not significant. Thus, the second hypothesis was not supported. A discussion of the results and recommendations for the implementation of the weighted application blank are provided.

Assessing Critical Thinking Processes In The Gifted: Predicting Gre Analytical Performance From Watson-Glaser Results, Susie Garrott

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the constructs measured by the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and the Graduate Record Examination Analytical Scale in "gifted" adolescents 15 to 17 years of age. There were three hypotheses addressed in this study: 1) "gifted" adolescents would be able to think critically as measured by college level norms when measured by the Watson-Glaser and the GRE-Analytical; 2) significant differences would exist between different levels of gifted populations; and 3) a factor or group of factors of the Watson-Glaser subscales would significantly predict performance on the GRE-Analytical Scale.

The Watson-Glaser …

Children's Anxiety Management Program (C.A.M.P.): A Year Long Study Of A Preventive Stress & Anxiety Program For Children, Karen Witty

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Children's Anxiety Management Program (C.A.M.P.) was designed as a preventive program to be carried out over an academic year with fifth and sixth grade children. The program was designed to help teach the children different methods of coping with stress and anxiety. It was written in a curriculum format allowing for integration into a daily classroom routine. Eighty-seven children were pretested and posttested with the Children's School Questionnaire (CSQ) which measured these factors: School Anxiety, Defensiveness, and Self-Disparagement. The CSQ along with student and teacher kept logbooks aided in the final evaluation of C.A.M.P.. The statistical evaluation of the …

Anisms Underlying Improvement Of Peripheral Visual Processing In Older Adults, David Ball

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The aim of this project was to examine the effects of perceptual learning, or practice, on the vision of older adults. Previous findings had indicated that older adults have restricted functional visual fields, but that practice in detecting peripheral targets can substantially improve their performance. Two possible explanations for poorer performance in the older age groups were examined: 1) slowed speed of central perceptual processing and 2) attentional deficit problems. Six observers in each of three age groups were tested and trained in performing a peripheral localization task while performing a concurrent central task. A progressive loss in the functional …

An Observational Analysis Of The Interactions Between Institutionalized Mentally Retarded Clients & Direct Care Staff, Lisa Ellis-Lake

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the interactions between direct care staff and the mentally retarded (MR) clients that they served in an institutional setting. It was hypothesized that (a) most of the staff-client interactions, regardless of quality (i.e., positive or negative) and/or level of intellectual functioning, would be instructional rather than conversational or no response interactions; (b) there would be an insufficient amount (i.e., duration and frequency) of conversational interaction, regardless of quality, across intellectual functioning levels; and (c) there would be a greater number of negative no response interactions (i.e., ignoring an appropriate client verbalization) than …

School Psychologists' Reports: Special Educators' Preferences, Claudia Downey

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Special educators were surveyed in order to determine which of two distinct styles of school psychologists' reports, (psychological vs. psychoeducational) was perceived to be most useful. The sample population consisted of 39 special educators employed by the Bowling Green (Ky.) Independent School District and the Warren County (Ky.) Board of Education. Teachers' rankings of the ten report sections (five per style of report) were compared by an analysis of variance. Results of the 2 (report style: psychological vs. psychoeducational) by 5 (report sections: referral vs. background and observations vs. tests/procedures vs. diagnosis or conclusions vs. recommendations) ANOVA revealed no significant …

A Comparison Of Illusory Halo Levels Between Conventionally-Developed And Factor Analytically-Developed Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales, Robert Baker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to compare halo levels between a set of behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) developed by conventional methodology with a set of BARS developed by factor analytic means. The conventionally-developed BARS were developed at the University of California-Berkeley by Department of Psychology faculty members in conjunction with undergraduate psychology students. The factor analytically-derived BARS were developed during the course of the research reported here. In Phase 1 of the present study, undergraduate psychology students rated their instructors on a 1-7 Likert scale using the individual anchors which comprised the conventional BARS. A factor analysis of …

Using A Weighted Application To Predict Success Of Big Brother/Big Sister Volunteers, Douglas Kuhn

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the predictive potential of the information gathered on the Big Brother/Big Sister volunteer application blank for the prediction of successful (matched 12 or more months) and unsuccessful (matched six months or less) volunteers. Two alternate application blank weighting procedures (England's 1971 weighting scheme and multiple regression analysis) were used and the results of these procedures were compared. It was hypothesized that both procedures would correlate significantly with a tenure criterion. This hypothesis was supported, although the England (1971) procedure failed to cross-validate. Additionally, it was hypothesized that the multiple regression procedure would …

A Comparison Between Children's Anxiety Management Program & Developing Understanding Of Self & Others: Effects On Children's School Anxiety, Self-Disparagement & Defensiveness, Bengt Ronnerman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Children experience unavoidable stress and anxiety. Excessive stress, or distress, and anxiety may negatively effect children's emotional, mental, and physical functioning. Examples of distress reactions in children include fears, aggression, frustration, low self-esteem, apathy, low academic achievement, poor peer relationships, fatigue, and developmental delays. Prolonged reactions to distress in children could cause severe emotional, mental, and physical problems when children reach adulthood. It is important that children learn effective strategies to cope with distress and anxiety. There is a dearth of research data regarding children and coping skills training for dealing with stress and anxiety. Therefore, the Children's Anxiety Management …