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Psychopathological Symptoms And Their Relation To Paranormal Belief And Illusory Judgment, Michael P. Cofrin

Doctoral Dissertations

The relationship between psychopathological symptoms and paranormal belief and abilities was explored in four studies. Study 1 investigated the relationship between depressive symptoms and paranormal belief. Study 2 shifted the investigation into the laboratory by testing participants' illusory judgments on a paranormal task and assessing the relationship between their judgments and depressive symptoms. Study 3 combined scale and lab tasks testing for additional psychopathological symptoms and illusory judgment on four paranormal tasks. Study 4 incorporated techniques to increase illusion of control induction and minimize context effects and fatigue. Psychosis proneness and mood symptoms were positively related to general paranormal belief …

Conflict And Threat Between Pre-Existing Groups: An Application Of Identity To Bias, Persuasion And Belief Perseverance, Brian R. Laythe

Doctoral Dissertations

The current research examines the role of identity in the context of threat towards further understanding bias, persuasion, and belief perseverance in what is defined as IRT (Immediately Relevant Threat) conditions. Using pre, middle, and post measurements, four groups of differing ideological student organizations across 4 university or college campuses were presented critical messages that were varied by the source being either an in-group or out-group presenter of the message. Messages were also varied by either presenting a message that criticized the entire group or only a few of its members. With the use of hierarchical linear modeling and conventional …

Rural Low-Income Mothers' Experiences With Foster Care, Talia Jennie Glesner

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study explores the grief experiences, parental views, supports, and barriers of 22 rural low-income mothers with children in foster care. The family ecology perspective framed the research. T-tests were utilized in a quantitative analysis comparing depression and parental support and confidence between mothers with children in placement and children not in placement.

Results indicated that the differences in mean depression scores were statistically significant between the participants and the control group. Depressive symptoms were found to be much more prevalent in mothers with children in placement than mothers with children not in placement.

The differences in mean scores between …

An Intervention Tool For Use Against Gender Stereotypes In Children, Sarah N. Muller

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study examines the occurrence of gender stereotyped beliefs and behaviors in young children and methods of intervening against gender stereotypes. Current literature on gender stereotype interventions is reviewed and evaluated. A new model of intervention, based on a coloring book made up of gender counterstereotypic images, is proposed. Implications and limitations are discussed.