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Behavioral Cues Associated With Lies Of Omission And Of Commission: An Experimental Investigation, Brianna Ratliff

Dissertations

Deception is a universal communication behavior across and within species. In humans, the purpose of verbal deception, or lying, is to intentionally mislead, and this behavior can be intuitively broken down into two unique categories based on the method used to mask the truth: omission and commission. Lies of omission involve the intentional exclusion of important information, whereas lies of commission involve the intentional generation of false information. Because these two types of deception involve contrasting methods of delivery, it is possible that lies of omission and lies of commission could result in differing behavioral presentations. Accordingly, the purpose of …

Understanding Captive-Takers Motivations, Methods And Targets, Jean Garner Larned

Dissertations

Understanding Captive-Takers Motivations, Methods and Targets is the ultimate goal in order to help those who train, manage and prevent hostage taking events which include police officers, negotiators, recovery personnel, academics and psychologists. The overall lack of literature relating to the topic of captive-taker motivations is another impetus for this dissertation. There is a dearth of scholarly material in any of the main areas of understanding kidnapping/captive-taking/hostage-taking from the perspective of the perpetrator within law enforcement, psychology, private sector or academia. It is anticipated that this research study and the data garnered from it will assist academics, psychologists, private corporations, …

Classwide Functional Analysis And Comparison Of Function-Based Interventions With Preschoolers, Veena Yamasani Poole

Dissertations

Few studies have used experimental functional analysis procedures and function-based treatments using the class as a unit of analysis. Two kindergarten classrooms, one Head Start classroom and their teachers participated in the study. Both the assessment and intervention included teacher-implemented functional analyses and intervention using the class as the unit of analysis. Functional assessment procedures included a direct-descriptive screening observation, teacher interviews, and functional analyses. Assessment data were used to develop function-based interventions. An alternating treatment design with a verification phase was used to evaluate treatment effects. Function-based interventions, specifically, differential reinforcement of appropriate behaviors (DRA), resulted in decreases in …

Movement Ecology Of An Intercontinental Migratory Bird During Spring Stopover, Emily Beth Cohen

Dissertations

Movement ecology is a component of nearly all aspects of animal behavior and an animal’s decision to move is likely influenced by a complex combination of exogenous and endogenous factors. Therefore, an examination of the causes and consequences of organismal movement provides a conceptual framework for understanding complex behavioral strategies. My dissertation research is focused on the movement ecology of an intercontinental migratory songbird during spring migration. I adopted experimental approaches to study the factors influencing how a songbird migrant, red-eyed vireos (Vireo olivaceus), makes decisions in unfamiliar landscapes from the initiation of spring stopover.

I simulated the …

A Moderational Model Investigating Child Temperament, Executive Functioning, And Contextual Predictors Of Externalizing Behaviors In Preschoolers, Ferne Arlene Pinard

Dissertations

Child externalizing behavioral problems (e.g., ADHD symptoms and aggressive behaviors) often appear early in life, are relatively stable, and are associated with maladaptive outcomes in many domains of functioning. Research has shown that, for a subset of children who demonstrate these early behavioral patterns, the course is often more pervasive and persistent. Consequently, a better understanding of externalizing behavioral problems during the preschool period is essential. The current study examined whether biologically-based correlates (i.e., child temperament and executive functioning/neurocognitive attention; EF/Attention) would moderate the relation between the contextual correlates (i.e., socioeconomic status and parenting practices) and externalizing behaviors (i.e., ADHD …

Utility Of The Inventory Of Callous-Unemotional Traits In Adolescent Offenders And Non-Offenders: An Item Response Theory Analysis, Lisa Laurence Ansel

Dissertations

The current study utilized Item Response Theory (IRT) analyses to examine the item functioning of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU; Frick, 2003) in the assessment of psychopathy-linked traits in adolescents. Self-report psychopathy measures, such as the ICU, have become increasingly common for use with adolescents. However, questions remain regarding their reliability and utility for accurately assessing these traits (Poythress, Dembo, Wareham, & Greenbaum, 2006). IRT analyses offer unique methods of investigating test and item functioning in regards to the underlying trait an inventory purportedly assesses. The current study examined and compared the item functioning of the ICU for the …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Two Pbis Token Reinforcement Systems On Appropriately-Engaged Behavior, Kathryn Marie Menousek

Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of two token reinforcement systems typically used in Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) within-class procedures on Appropriately Engaged Behavior (AEB). A nonconcurrent multiple baseline comparison across four classrooms was utilized to assess and compare each classroom’s mean percentage of observed intervals of appropriately engaged behavior across intervention phases and to assess for crossover effects. Each classroom’s mean percentage of observed intervals of AEB across two different intervention phases, including a store and a lottery, was assessed and compared. Results suggested that both interventions (i.e., store and lottery) were …

Circadian Rhythm And Vigorous Activity: Do They Make A Difference In Executive Function?, Janie Sue Ryland

Dissertations

PL 107-110, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, a federally mandated accountability system based on standards, attendance, and dropout rates has forced educational leaders to explore new avenues of student improvement. Research suggests that all three factors are impacted by scheduling preferences that are relative to time of day. The aim of this study was to extend evidence of executive function as it is impacted by time of day and diurnal preference when exposed to vigorous exercise conditions. Data were collected from a sample that included 100 sixth graders (60 females and 40 males) during the spring semester …

Differential Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior In Preschool Settings: Evaluation Of A Pre-Teaching Component, Matthew William Legray

Dissertations

This current study investigated the effectiveness of pre-teaching behavioral expectations prior to the implementation of a differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) intervention. The ultimate goal of the intervention was to decrease inappropriate behavior while simultaneously increasing appropriate behavior. Intervention that included pre-teaching with DRA was compared to the implementation of DRA in isolation using single case methodology, and intervention data suggest clear differences in beneficial outcomes for each student. The current study offers preliminary data on the utility of pre-teaching behavioral expectations to students prior to intervention. By actually teaching appropriate replacement a behavior prior to intervention, students are …

Further Validation Of The Larson Driver Stress Profile, Michael Paul Moore

Dissertations

Much of the literature on unsafe driving has focused on studying the role of single variables (e.g., driving anger, sensation seeking, etc.) and the degree to which they may increase one’s propensity to engage in aggressive or otherwise risky driving behavior. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that motor vehicle accidents and accident-related behavior are sufficiently complex as to require the use of multiple predictors. The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Driver Stress Profile (DSP; Larson, 1996), a brief self-report scale designed to assess four variables of interest in the driving literature. The DSP and measures of …

An Electrophysiological Investigation Of The Cognitive Processes Underlying Provoked Aggression In Humans, Jennifer Renee Fanning

Dissertations

Recently, the event-related potential (ERP) technique has been applied to questions of social information processing. Several studies have examined standard and social information processing variables in aggressive individuals, but little is known about the neurophysiological processes that take place in real-time during an aggressive encounter. In this study, 48 men and women high and low in aggression history exchanged noise blasts of varying intensity with a (fictitious) opponent in a modified version of a well-validated laboratory-controlled behavioral measure of aggression, the Taylor Reaction-time Task (Taylor, 1967), while ERPs were simultaneously being recorded at scalp sites. Mixed model ANOVAs were used …

The Relations Among Laterality, Cortisol, And Approach-Avoidance Behavior In Garnett's Bushbaby (Otolemur Garnettii), David Burton Hanbury

Dissertations

Many studies to date have demonstrated that approach and avoidance behaviors are processed asymmetrically in the brain and may be reflected in measures such as handedness. The purpose of this study was to extend work in primates on this topic to Garnett’s bushbaby, a prosimian species. Furthermore, to determine whether measures in addition to handedness relate to approach-avoidance behavior, lateralized differences in tympanic membrane temperature were assessed. Cortisol measures were also obtained to determine whether it was related approach-avoidance behavior and handedness. Eleven captive-born Garnett’s bushbabies (Otolemur garnettii) were evaluated for handedness and responsiveness to novelty. Moreover, the …

Does Psychopathy Predict Desirability In Speed Dating Situations? A Social Relations Analysis, Kathleen Tucker Payne

Dissertations

Psychopathy is a multifaceted construct that can lead to a number of consequences including many that could interfere with interpersonal relations and romantic attractions. The speed-dating paradigm allows researchers to study various aspects of interpersonal relations. The present study examined how the two-factor structure of psychopathy, as measured by the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI; Lilienfeld & Andrews, 1996), may influence evaluations of initial romantic attraction during speed-dating events. Factor I, or “fearless dominance,” is characterized by the affective and interpersonal aspects of psychopathy, whereas factor II on the PPI represents “impulsive antisociality” and is characterized by the more antisocial features …

A Comparison Of Social Stories With And Without A Reinforcement Component, Erin Cuneo Perry

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to compare the effectiveness of Social Stories ^TM (Gray, 2004) used in isolation and when combined with a reinforcement component to increase appropriate behaviors and decrease inappropriate behaviors. Treatment effects for socially inappropriate behaviors and appropriate replacement behaviors were tracked. The setting of the current study was in a school district. The diagnoses of two of the participants included Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), and the other two participants were diagnosed with Autistic Disorder. All participants read a social story to their teacher prior to the time at which the target …

The Readiness Of Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder For Self-Directed Learning, Melissa Sue Wright

Dissertations

This study investigated the readiness for self-directed learning of adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as their overall educational experiences. Using Guglielmino’s Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Adults (SDLRS-A), the researcher investigated whether the following factors were significantly related to adults with ADHD and their readiness for self-directed learning: gender, age of diagnosis, treatment for a period of at least six months, level of education, and the existence of co-morbid conditions. Fifty-four adults who were at least 18 years old and self-reported a formal diagnosis of ADHD participated in this study. There were 22 (41.5%) males and …

The Role Of Attachment And Language In Analogical Reasoning, Tamra Elizabeth Beckman

Dissertations

The present study examined the relationships between attachment and analogical reasoning within two domains: social reasoning and physical reasoning. Verbal reasoning was assessed as a possible mediator of these relationships. This study was conducted with 67 typically-developed children between the ages of nine to 11 years of age who were recruited from The University of Southern Mississippi's student population and from schools in Hattiesburg, MS and Ocean Springs, MS. Attachment security was assessed using the Kerns Security Scale (Kerns, Klepac, & Cole, 1996), and verbal reasoning was assessed with the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children-3rd edition (Weschler, 1991). Analogical reasoning …

The Structure Of Equine Personality, Rachel Etta Kristiansen

Dissertations

The current study was designed to investigate the structure of equine personality. Two personality questionnaires were replicated from previous studies and implemented simultaneously to test the theory that different questionnaires may extract different personality structures. Breed and sex differences were also hypothesized to be significantly different for some personality dimensions. A total of 827 horses were rated on a 90-item personality questionnaire. Participants were recruited online via email and completed the survey at their own convenience. An additional 121 respondents rated a horse that had already been rated; these results were used to calculate inter-rater reliability.

After data collection was …

Intergroup Forgiveness In The Middle East: Cognitive And Affective Antecedents To Intergroup Forgiveness And The Relationship Between Intergroup Forgiveness And Psychological Well-Being Among Israeli Jews, Alon Rice

Dissertations

In the past three decades, there has been a burgeoning interest in the scientific study of interpersonal forgiveness. However, only a few studies have elucidated cognitive and affective variables related to intergroup forgiveness. Moreover, no study has examined the degree to which intergroup forgiveness may contribute to one’s psychological well-being, nor has any study thoroughly examined intergroup forgiveness in Israel. Current study results have shown a significant relationship between quality of intergroup contact between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs/Palestinians, and Israeli Jews’ forgiveness attitudes toward Palestinians, a relationship mediated by Israeli Jews’ trust, attitudes, and empathy toward Palestinians, as well …

Assessing The Validity Of The Communalism Scale Using Cultural Groups, Lashawn Thompson

Dissertations

Communalism has become a very important variable for research investigation recently because the field of cultural psychology has been searching for new models to foster a clear understanding of culture or for ways to improve current models. This study investigated the validity of using The Communalism Scale to assess the communal (group focus rather than individual focus) aspect of culture in specific ethnic groups. Until now, the scale was used only with African Americans; however, the current study assessed the validity of the scale with several cultural groups. Results from previous studies have demonstrated clear internal consistency for The Communalism …