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The Relationship Between Quality Of Maternal Care And The Development Of Infant Sociability In A Captive Group Of Western Lowland Gorillas, Liza Veliz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Maternal factors, e.g., quality and behavior were examined in order to determine if a relationship with enhanced infant social development exists. Gorilla mothers were each nursery reared and are full siblings, providing an unusual opportunity to examine the individual differences that may play a role in infant socialization. Observational data collected during three-time blocks by means of focal animal sampling were used to analyze social behaviors and identify initiators and receivers of contact behaviors, thereby determining a relationship between maternal care and infant sociability. Results indicated that mothers who provided successful maternal care produced more sociable offspring. Findings from this …

2008 U.S. Presidential Election: Persuasive Youtube Interactions About War, Health Care, And The Economy, Lindsey Zimmerman

Psychology Theses

Persuasive appeals posted to United States presidential candidates’ YouTube videos were coded using a grounded theory mixed-methods design. 37,562 comments about education, energy, Iraq, health care, the economy, and the presidential debates were randomly collected by date and time for three studies using coding analysis: pilot, presidential primaries, and the presidential election. Seven argument types were identified and theoretically refined according to dual process models of persuasion: reason-based, candidate-based, emotion-based, endorsements, enthusiasmheuristic, other-interest and self-interest. Theoretical comparisons and hypothesis testing of argument types were conducted by issue and election event. Consistent with impression involvement, reason-based appeals were more frequent during …

Time Delays And System Response Times In Human-Computer Interaction, Noah Stupak

Theses

This study sought to determine a type of graphical representation of system response time that would be most beneficial to the user in terms of task performance. Specifically, I examined which type of progress bar would allow the user to return to working with the system most efficiently while performing other concurrent tasks, and how well the user performed these tasks. The different types of progress bars studied included segmented and continuous progress presentations, and linear, accelerating, and decelerating progress behaviors. The results indicate that different representations of system response time affected performance on the two tasks, with the continuous …

The Relationship Of Level Of Traumatic Exposure, Perceived Stress, And Resilience With Salivary Cortisol And Salivary Alpha-Amylase Diurnal Rhythm In Palestinian Children 10-12 Years Exposed To Chronic War Violence, Mohammad R. Asia Phd, Rn

Dissertations

Political violence, war, and genocide exist across the world and often the innocent children and civilians become victims. War and long-term violence have potentially harmful psychological and physiological effects on children. There are limited studies on the effect of prolonged armed conflict on the child's physiologic and psychologic stress responses. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between level of trauma, stress and resilience with salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) diurnal patterns in Palestinian children, ages 10-12, living in a long standing war zone. Salivary cortisol, a surrogate marker of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) activity, and salivary …

Adult Sexual Adjustment After Experiencing Sexual Abuse In Childhood, Liliana G. Moyers-Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

A sample of 465 Junior and Senior college students was tested at the University of Texas-Pan American to test our primary hypothesis that argues that individual who had suffered CSA rely more on cybersex activities as a means of sexual gratification to cope with the long term effects of sexual abuse as a result of adulthood sexual maladjustment, as opposed to individual who did not suffered CSA. The statistical analyses performed failed to reject the null hypothesis of this thesis that the experience of CSA has no effect on adult use of internet cybersex. Further research is suggested using measures …

The Relationship Between Darkness Of Skin Tone And Mediators Of Elevated Blood Pressure, Brandy Trevino

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Numerous studies have found that blood pressure is higher in persons with darker skin tone but the reasons for this remain unclear. This study attempted to investigate this relationship in Hispanics. If such a relationship was found, then it will be addressed whether or not one or more mediators, e.g., hostility, locus of control and perceived racial discrimination mediated the relationship. No such relationship between darkness of skin tone and blood pressure was found. However, statistically significant positive relationships between perceived racial discrimination, locus of control, and hostility were revealed. Discussion of these results focused on the plausible explanation of …

Trajectory Of Quality Of Life In Advanced Parkinson's Patients Receiving Bilateral Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation, Karl S. Chiang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Quality of Life (QOL) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients after Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) neurosurgery generally improves between 3 to 24 months post-operatively. However, QOL beyond 2 year follow-up is generally unknown. This study examined the QOL in 16 advanced PD patients who received DBS at an average of 7.5 year follow-up with the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). Participants had an average Disease Duration of 20.57 years (SD 5.7) and a mean Age of 63.50 (SD 8.05). Linear regression analyses suggested a constellation of changes involving Time, Age, and Disease Duration. As Time progressed since DBS intervention, the PDQ-39 Cognitions …

Racial Discrimination, Skin Tone, Locus Of Control, And Acculturation Among Mennonite Latino/As Of The Rio Grande Valley, Nancy Rivera

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study assessed the relationship between perceived racial discrimination, and skin tone, locus of control and acculturation among Latino/a Mennonites of the Rio Grande Valley. Eighty nine Latino/a Mennonites were recruited. The following measures were used: Schedule of Racist Events, Intrinsic Spirituality Scale, a short version of the revised Acculturation Scale for Mexican Americans-II, and Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. A window tint meter assessed skin tone. Multiple regression analysis and multivariate analysis of variance was used to determine how rates of perceived discrimination among Mennonite Latinos/as were related to skin tone, locus of control and acculturation. The results …

Overcoming The Challenges: Toward A Truly Theistic Psychology?, Brent S. Melling

Theses and Dissertations

Several psychologists have attempted to articulate a theistic psychology or one consonant with their religious beliefs. Unfortunately, confusion over the concept of theism and a persistent naturalism in the discipline create substantial obstacles towards achieving a serious theistic psychology. It is suggested that these challenges can be overcome through examining alternative philosophies and methodologies for scientific psychology, exploring seminal articulations of God's activity, and providing a practical example of a theistic psychological research program.

The Culture Of Habits And Dispositions: Associationist Psychology And Unitarian Education In Gaskell's Wives And Daughters, Lori Ann Dickson

Theses and Dissertations

Although Victorian psychology has been the subject of much recent scholarship, Elizabeth Gaskell's work has not been considered in relation to nineteenth-century theories of mind. In this thesis, I argue that Gaskell's final novel, Wives and Daughters, deals with associationism, an early branch of psychology that played a key role in public debates over cognition that took place throughout the century. Gaskell was exposed to associationism through her Unitarian faith, and Unitarian educators in particular articulated associationist principles in their writings about cognitive development. Gaskell was preoccupied with a similar model of learning throughout her fiction, and I read …

Evaluation Of A Social Support Measure That May Indicate Risk Of Depression During Pregnancy, Lori Spoozak

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Kendler Social Support Interview modified for administration to pregnant women and to assess the relationship between social support and depression in the first trimester of pregnancy. Subjects were administered the Modified Kendler Social Support Interview (MKSSI) and the Composite International Diagnostic Index to diagnose depression. Principal components analysis was employed to construct the MKSSI score. Cronbachs coefficient alpha and principal factor analysis were run for items included in the MKSSI score. The relationship between a depressive diagnosis and the MKSSI score and subscales was assessed by logistic …

The Human Side Of Change: Towards A Pragmatic, Evolutionary Conception Of Cognition And Emotion In Organizational Change, Jason Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation synthesizes and analyzes an emblematic sample of three prevalent psychological approaches to organizational change and learning, giving particular attention to the conception of cognition and emotion. It also explores some of the philosophical and psychological assumptions undergirding these approaches. A web model depicting various epistemological influences is offered as a tool for exploring influences on the psychological research within and beyond this study. A second conceptual model is also offered as a tool for considering the hierarchical treatment and preferential placement of cognition over emotion theory and practice. The project draws on general philosophy, psychology, evolutionary theory, and …

Detection Of Malingering Via Cognitive Cues, Birgit M. Smart

Doctoral Dissertations

Malingering is a frequently encountered problem of faking psychological or physiological symptoms or exaggerating existing conditions for external gain. Malingerers typically are seen in clinical and forensic settings and create a burden to our society due to loss of economic resources or professional time. The impact of malingering is difficult to calculate due to problems with identifying actual cases of malingering. Psychological tests traditionally have been used in the assessment of malingering. Despite major improvements in instruments and clinical interviewing techniques, however, no failsafe assessment tool has been identified for the accurate detection of malingering. Cognitive studies of lie detection …

Examining Subjective Understanding Of Participants And Trained Coders In Adolescent Romantic Couples' Interactions, Joseph Warren Dickson

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the similarities and differences of adolescent romantic couple members' and trained coders' subjective understanding and to assess simultaneously their unique contributions to predicting relationship satisfaction and whether couples were dating a year later. Data were collected from 211 couples over two years (median age = 17 years of age; median week dating = 31.5 weeks). Couples and trained coders used Video-recall procedures, which included recording couples' conversations and ascertaining couple members' and trained coders' understanding of the conversations. Individual couples were followed up approximately 1 year after Time 1 data collection. Multilevel …

An Empirical And Theoretical Investigation Of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy And Neuroleptic Medication For The Treatment Of Schizophrenia, Eric J. Peters

Doctoral Dissertations

Since the early 1950s, biopsychiatric conceptualizations have dominated empirical, theoretical and therapeutic efforts to understand the treatment of schizophrenia. The contemporary preeminence of biopsychiatric conceptualizations of schizophrenia have overshadowed other perspectives that might contribute fruitfully to our capacity to understand and aid individuals suffering with this devastating emotional disorder. The origin of modern biopsychiatric conceptualizations is deconstructed by illuminating the non-epistemic underpinnings of Emil Kraeplin's dementia praecox concept, which is the forerunner of the modern schizophrenia construct. Two widely held assumptions of the biomedical model, namely: 1) that schizophrenia is a degenerative, organic brain disease; and 2) that neuroleptic medications …

The Dark Side Of Control Assessing Control In Relationships From A Dyadic And Longitudinal Perspective, Ivelina N. Naydenova

Doctoral Dissertations

Psychological research suggests that, other things being equal, the desire for or exercise of control over consequences is advantageous to the individual. However, in the context of relationships the preference and enactment of control may be more problematic. The primary purpose of the present research was to advance the study of control in relationships through the validation of a self-report instrument specifically designed to measure it. Specifically the goals of this research project included: (a) to further validate the Control in Relationships Scale (CIR) using a dyadic and longitudinal approaches, (b) to further differentiate the control and power construct, and …

The Effects Of Task Exposure And Simulated Grasping Experience Upon The Emergence Of Reaching, Joshua L. Williams

Masters Theses

Based on previous research, three-month-old infants who received simulated grasping experience via "sticky mittens" showed increased object-directed activity relative to infants who did not receive experience (Needham et al., 2002). The current study wanted to examine the importance of the "stickiness" aspect of the "sticky mittens" experience. Thirty pre-reaching infants were followed for 16 consecutive days. Each infant was randomly assigned to one of three groups: Velcro (grasping simulation), non-Velcro (no grasping simulation), or Control (no experience). On the first day of the study all infants visited our laboratory for a baseline assessment without mittens to ensure they were unable …

A Historical Analysis Of Physician Dissatisfaction, Lisa Mcdonald

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Given the growing levels of physician dissatisfaction and attrition, this study was conducted to ask what was the historical development of the events that gave rise to the problematic conditions, what are the characteristics of the current daily practice environment that create dissatisfaction, and what are the consequences of physician dissatisfaction? This research was conducted by literature review compiled from both the lay and scientific sectors, however, when possible primary sources were employed. As a science, medicine undoubtedly has improved over the last century. However, this review would suggest that developments in the last 30 years have created a contemporary …

Exploring Teachers' And Black Male Students' Perceptions Of Intelligence, Patrick Anthony Williams

Open Access Dissertations

This study explored teachers' perceptions of intelligence of 11th-grade Black male students and how students themselves perceived their own intelligence in light of Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligence. Qualitative research methods were used to gain novel understanding of the students' and teachers' feelings, and perceptions as outlined in the research questions. Two versions of ecological systems theory provided the underpinnings for the framework of this study: 1) Brönfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, and 2) Spencer's PVEST (Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory) model, which is an adaptation of the ecology model to Black students in the United States. In a …

De-Masking The Silence - Drama Therapy: For Children With Asd, Joshua M. Galligan

Theses and Dissertations

This dynamic form of pedagogy attempts to cross the interdisciplinary boundaries between theatre, psychology, and modern medicine. What I attempt to present in this thesis is a systematic developmental framework for the theoretical use of drama therapy with children suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder. This approach has been based on in-depth interdisciplinary study which makes use of the most current research looking at the neurological makeup of the autistic brain. This systematic approach examines the mirror neuron system which has been labeled as a major defect in children with ASD. Through the use of theatrical techniques such as acting, movement, …

A Qualitative Study Of The Hispanic Gender Role And Social-Cultural Factors Influencing The Attraction Process: The Recruitment Of The Latina To Meet 21st Century Labor Shortage Challenges In America, Olga Chapa

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Approximately one-fourth of the 303,824,640 individuals representing the labor workforce in the United States (U.S.) are part of the baby boom cohort (Toossi, 2004). Seventy eight million individuals are credited for the shifting demographics in the U.S. The largest gap in the labor force will be seen in the professional arena (Hilton, 2008). In order to proactively meet the challenge of a future labor shortage, organizations will need to focus their recruitment effort on the remaining replacement pool of qualified individuals. For a variety of reasons, the recruitment of the Hispanic as a sustainable and growing replacement pool offers many …

Nietzsche's Ubermensch In The Hyperreal Flux, Anthony Pate

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Analyzes how Nietzsche's philosophy of the Ubermensch and Baudrillard's ideas about simulation and hyperreality apply to the journeys undertaken by the protagonists of the films, Blade Runner, Fight Club, and Miami Vice. Explores how the protagonists adapt and master their unique worlds through self-awareness, self-reliance, and strength resulting from radical self-exposure to hardship.

Use Of Distractor Analysis In Evaluating Instructional Effectiveness: A Method For Diagnosing Item Error Response Patterns To Improve Teaching And Learning, Eduardo Cancino

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the use of a method of distractor analysis for diagnosing item error response patterns and determine the effect of this intervention on student achievement levels on state administered spring mathematics assessments. Distractor Pattern Functioning was the treatment provided to teachers in this research study to evaluate examinee group performance on the incorrect answers by determining categorical patterns of group distractor selection. Methodology. This quantitative research reviewed four years of 3rd , 4th , and 5th grade mathematics Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) data. Three school districts selected for this study …

Sociological And Psychological Predispositions To Serial Murder, Katie Marie Krueger

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This paper looks specifically at the true definition of a serial killer, attempting to clarify the misleading depiction that has come from the media influence. Twenty-one people, including infamous murderers such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, as well as more obscure killers, such as Carl Panzram, were studied in depth. Data was gathered from a variety of published sources on each convicted serial killer focusing on his/her life prior to the beginning of the killing spree. Unlike previous research on the topic, this investigation looked at a larger sample of serial killers, as well as a more complete set …

Perceptions Of Spirituality And Perceptions Of God Image: A Qualitative Study, Christopher Elson Peck

Theses and Dissertations

The vast majority of people living in the U.S. report that spirituality is an important part of their life. Ironically, the field of psychology has largely ignored the spiritual beliefs and experiences that so many people see as central to their well-being. Empirical study of spirituality, along with people's differing perceptions of their relationship to God, is a viable area of study for psychologists. This dissertation examines both spirituality and God image and the relationship between these two constructs using qualitative hermeneutic analysis. Findings showed a difficulty defining spirituality among other themes. Findings also showed that individuals' experiences with God …

An Examination Of Factors Affecting Weight And Health In Exercising Adults, Cynthia West Dupuis

Doctoral Dissertations

Obesity is a significant problem in American society with approximately 65% of the population classified as overweight and the obesity rate exceeding 30% of all American adults. Obesity is associated with widespread physical and mental health problems which lead to increased healthcare costs, increased work absenteeism, and decreased work productivity. The factors of genetics and diet have been studied extensively by researchers in relation to weight gain and health. Physical exercise also has been established as a factor that affects weight and health, but exercise programs of all types suffer from an average attrition rate of approximately 50%. The additional …

Do Actions Speak Louder Than Knowledge? Action Manipulation, Parent-Child Discourse And Children’S Mental State Understanding In Pretense, Dawn K Melzer

Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014

In the current study children 3-5 years of age (N = 75) participated in a mental state task to investigate the effect of action saliency on young children's appreciation of mental states during pretend play activities. They also engaged in a parent-child interaction period, including storybook reading and pretend play activities, in order to examine the relation between mental state term utterances and performance on the mental state task. Two actors appeared side-by-side on a television screen, either in motion or as static images; one actor had knowledge of the animal he was pretending to be; the other actor did …

Understanding Occlusion Inhibition: A Study Of The Visual Processing Of Superimposed Figures, Destinee L Chambers

Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014

This study investigates a phenomenon that I have termed occlusion inhibition. This research and a small number of earlier studies suggest that, in some experimental conditions, when an attended (target) object is partially occluded by a distractor object, there is less attention allocated to the occluded region of the target object than to the visible parts of that object. In the literature, there are mixed results concerning this attentional effect. Some studies find it and others do not. This study investigates the differences between those conflicting studies with the goal of identifying the factor or factors that govern when occlusion …

A Qualitative Study Of Coping With Unemployment, Mark Baddeley

Master's Theses and Capstones

Unemployment is among the largest stressors of adult life. There are many factors that help determine how people cope with unemployment, and several models have been developed to provide schema for understanding the coping strategies people use. In this qualitative study, in-depth individual interviews yield rich detail of how men who have been highly successful in their careers cope with unemployment. The participants offer unique perspectives on their common experience. The concept of self-determinism provides a useful framework for understanding the coping behavior of the participants and for the absence of reported distress.

Masculine Gender Roles And Therapy: A Conceptual Workshop, Sara Lindsey Gray

Master's Theses and Capstones

Traditional gender stereotypes, no matter how inaccurate they may be, still greatly affect how we view ourselves as men and women in our society. While all these stereotypes are constricting male stereotypes present some of the most limiting expectations for individuals. Within the realm of counseling and psychotherapy, these stereotypes conflict with such ideals as self exploration and emotional awareness and expression.

This paper reviews past and recent research and theories on the development and reiteration of male stereotypes as well as how these expectations play a role in therapeutic techniques. A conceptual workshop model is also presented as an …