Digital Commons Network^™

How Chess Relates To Theory Of Mind, Noemi Trevino

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to investigate the how playing chess relates to Theory of Mind. By design, the study will call for 160 participants recruited through social media, email, and SONA system. 60 of the participants are USCF rated players. The other 100 participants are not be USCF rated. Pending the results, the hypothesis being tested are that chess players would have a higher ToM score and that higher rated players would have a higher ToM score.

When Social Media Takes Your Money: In-App Shopping And Buyer’S Remorse Study, Catie Jaffe

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Art & Psychology: How The Brain Revolutionizes And Transforms The Arts, Emma G. Beck

Honors Capstones

Art and Psychology: How the Brain Revolutionizes and Transforms the Arts, a high school art curriculum, explores how the theories of psychology can be applied and adapted to an art class and create a critical educational experience for students. Students will explore this curriculum through 3 units, Biopsychology and Art, Motivation and Art, and Social Psychology and Art. Each unit explores a variety of medium and theme all based around applying personal reference to real world issues.

The Limits Of Sociality, Johnna B. Mcgovern

Theses

There is a longstanding tradition in Western philosophy of emphasizing the capacity for reflection in theories about humans’ characteristic nature. In Talking to Ourselves: Reflection, Ignorance, and Agency, John Doris attempts to shift the focus to an emphasis on human sociality. Particularly, Doris argues that sociality, both implicitly and in the form of collaborative reasoning, is what makes humans best equipped for moral improvement. This collaborativism possesses a defining role in his account of agency and responsibility. This thesis attempts to gain an understanding of how sociality affects moral behavior and to argue that it is not conducive to agency …

The Epistemic And Psychological Mechanisms Perpetuating Racism Within The Criminal Justice System, Danielle Walker

Theses

Abstract

Many attempts have been made by philosophers, political activists, psychologists, historians, social advocates, and others to explain the mechanisms at play in the perpetuation and resulting manifestations of systemic and institutional racism. On one side of the debate there lies a theory that there is an epistemic failure at the root of racial bias towards Blacks, white ignorance, a collective amnesia regarding what has and does take place in society, as it pertains to their oppression and isolation, like the view of philosopher Charles W. Mills. According to Mills, this type of ignorance, or non-knowing, is a cognitive phenomenon …

Constraint And Control, Patricia Ayres

Theses and Dissertations

I have long considered themes of the body. Drawing on my knowledge as a fashion designer, I bring materials and hardware from the fashion industry into my artwork transforming and rendering them non-functional. My sculptures relate to stories of isolation, separation, and confinement. The following pages will analyze how the United States penal system controls, constrains and restricts the body through physical and psychological wounds. Furthermore, they will examine how the Catholic Church controls people’s minds and behavior through a ritualistic belief system.

Revitalizing The Church Through Reaching Men With Families, Mike Conan

Doctor of Ministry

Churches today face a unique crisis as most of them are either declining or plateaued, and the culture around them has changed, and men have not responded with faith and godliness, but instead with fear and withdrawal. Churches, especially conservative evangelical churches, who can overcome the worldview struggles and learn to embrace the postmodern, and overcome the struggles of patriarchy and learn to see how the power bestowed by society can be used for good, can see revitalization that will bring renewal to every part of their churches. Reaching these men usually brings new life to the entire church, as …

Optimism For Church Growth: Encouraging Lessons From Christian Revivalists For Generations Primed To Flourish, Michael L. Wilson

Doctor of Ministry

Negativity is contributing to the numerical decline of the Christian church in America. Dogmatism, judgmentalism, hypocrisy, and pessimism have added to the image problem that repels pre-Christians. The common self-critiquing statement of many Christians, that Christianity has become known more for what it is against than what it is for, identifies part of the error that has led to the image problem that burdens the Christian church, but it stops short of diagnosing the full spectrum of the limiting effects of negativity.

In vision-casting, tone matters, and it’s difficult to trust a sinking ship. Reversing the judgmental and pessimistic tone …

Users' Obstacles To Ict Adoption In Egyptian Construction Companies., Ahmed Azzam

Theses and Dissertations

Construction companies often face resistance from some employees when adopting a new Information and Communication Technology “ICT” at the workplace. Technology Acceptance Models in the literature indicated the factors affecting the employees’ behavior. However, none of these models were applied in the Egyptian Construction Industry context to test their validity. In this thesis, 10 factors were collected from different Technology Acceptance models and their validity were tested in the Egyptian Construction Industry context through questionnaires survey. The behavior of employees in Egyptian Construction companies was validated to be consistent with the described behavior in the literature. The 10 factors were …

An Investigation Of Perspectives On Mental Illness Across Race And Ethnicity, Emily Stark

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

"Previous research done on mental illness stigma and race and ethnicity has failed to properly recognize the complexity of identity and cultural influences and how these factors impact people’s perceptions of mental illness. These studies tend to insinuate that any differences of beliefs found between groups are due to race or ethnicity, when in fact this is an imprudent conclusion. In this thesis, a critical analysis of the literature on mental illness stigma and race and ethnicity determines that categorizing people into large homogenous groups based on race or ethnicity results in an inaccurate picture of what people believe about …

Six Of One, Une Demi-Douzaine De L’Autre: Detecting Cross-Language Code-Switching In A Continuous Narrative, Melissa Kadish

Senior Independent Study Theses

This Independent Study examined how cross-language code-switching is processed and perceived. The following experiment compared how long English-French bilinguals, English monolinguals, and English-speaking French-language-learners took to detect instances of French/English code-switching in a semantically-rich narrative. Bilinguals displayed shorter change-detection response latencies than language learners and monolinguals, but the latter two groups did not significantly differ. These results provide insight into how the observed cognitive differences between bilinguals and monolinguals may develop, and offer support for the multi-language lexical processing theory of language interference. This study also addresses potential sociocultural origins of the observed language-level differences in code-switching perception by examining …

Examining Effects Of Parental Sexual Abuse On Female Juvenile Delinquency Using A Social Developmental Perspective, Michelle Nagle

Theses and Dissertations

Delinquency has traditionally been viewed as a male phenomenon, often defined in androcentric terms, and neglecting females in studies regarding delinquent behavior. However, females are the fastest growing subpopulation of the correction population, which amplifies the importance of understanding the nature and etiology of their offending. Recent research has suggested that predictors of male juvenile delinquency do not adequately explain delinquency in females, because the androcentric research ignores the damaging impact of sexual childhood abuse and other prominent family factors on female juvenile delinquents. This study aimed to examine the impact of childhood parental sexual abuse on female juvenile delinquency …

Mortality Salience And The Effects Of Autonomy On Death Anxiety, Dylan Earlin Horner

ETD Archive

The present research built on prior work suggesting that mortality salience (MS) can undermine psychological well-being and explored the previously-untested hypothesis that autonomy can mitigate that effect. Specifically, the study investigated the effects of primed autonomy on measured death anxiety following a reminder of mortality. Participants (n = 119) were randomly assigned to either an MS or control condition and then, following a delay, were primed with the concept of either autonomy or being controlled. Death anxiety was then measured. Results found that MS increased death anxiety among those in the controlled prime condition, but not among those in the …

The Effects Of Mortality Salience And Autonomy Priming On Worldview Defensiveness, Joseph P. Conti

ETD Archive

Terror Management Theory posits that people are motivated to defend against death awareness by maintaining cultural beliefs and behaviors that transcend mortality— sometimes motivating hostile, even militaristic, defenses of one’s culture. In contrast, self-determination theory suggests that autonomous regulation (self-determination) serves as a platform for personal growth and well-being. However, the present thesis suggests that, in addition to fueling growth, self-determination may also help buffer against the awareness of mortality, thus mitigating the impact of death awareness on hostile cultural worldview defense. To test this hypothesis, American participants were randomly assigned to be reminded of mortality or a control topic, …

Effects Of Self-Determination On Work/Life Balance, Sarah M. Hawke

ETD Archive

In recent years the workforce has experienced many changes, mostly as a result of the proliferation of technology. With the ever changing work environment and the increased blurring of work and home boundaries, more research is imperative in helping organizations hire, retain, and keep the right employees satisfied. The present study aims to examine the interactions and moderating effects of motivation on boundary management preferences and behaviors. Respondents were asked to complete three questionnaires assessing their motivation towards their current work, preferred boundary management styles, and their enactment of boundary management techniques while present in the work and home domains. …

Psychological Abuse In Same-Sex Couples Compared To Heterosexual Couples: Implications For Depression Outcomes, Kristyn Oravec

ETD Archive

Many studies have documented the mental health repercussions of intimate partner violence (IPV) on heterosexual individuals, with depression being one of the most prevalent outcomes of IPV victimization (Campbell, 2002; Golding, 1999; Mechanic, Weaver, Resick, 2008). There are very few studies that examine the mental health outcomes of IPV within same-sex relationships (Gehring & Vaske, 2017), because much research is rooted in traditional frameworks. In order to bridge gaps in the research, this project will extend work on IPV to focus on LG populations to examine the relationship between recent psychological abuse and mental health outcomes, specifically depression. Participants comprised …

Self-Compassion And Depression Across Culture: Comparisons Of Emerging Adults In China And The United States, Han Na Lee

ETD Archive

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is one of the most common mood disorders and affects over 300 million individuals across the world in a given year. MDD is marked by sadness, loss of pleasure or interest, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, fatigue or loss of energy, and poor concentration that leads to functional impairment, which can potentially have a debilitating impact on individual’s educational, occupational, social and psychological areas of life. Not only is depression highly prevalent in the U.S., but it is also a global concern, including countries such as China. Estimates of lifetime prevalence …

The Effect Of Self-Compassion In The Experience Of Anxiety And Fear During An Interpersonal Stressor, Arishna Agarwal

ETD Archive

At its core, Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is an intense fear where an individual is afraid of being rejected, humiliated, embarrassed, or negatively judged by others in social situations. Due to these feelings, those affected by SAD avoid interpersonal situations, which maintain and worsen the disorder. SAD affects 15 million adults and impairs daily functioning in countless aspects. Through various research studies, evidence has shown that individuals who suffer from SAD have difficulty managing their emotional states such as fear and anxiety and are less willing to accept and forgive themselves than their healthy peers. Willingness to accept, be kind, …

Do Borderline Personality Disorder Features Predict Emotion Regulation Use And Outcomes In Daily Life? An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study, Kayla Scamaldo

ETD Archive

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is associated with emotion dysregulation, reflected by frequent use of maladaptive responses and infrequent use of adaptive responses. However, studies on emotion regulation (ER) use and BPD have primarily employed survey methodology and it’s unclear whether these responses are deployed in daily life. Further, it is unclear if there are differences in the effectiveness of various ER responses among individuals with elevated BPD symptoms. Therefore, this study examined whether BPD symptoms predict increased use of maladaptive strategies, including rumination, suppression, and substance use, and decreased use of adaptive strategies, distraction and problem solving, in daily life. …

Culture Shift: Values Of Generation X And Millennial Employees, Brent A. Stevenor

ETD Archive

The current study measured levels of individualism and collectivism among Millennial and Generation X employees. With the Millennial generation being the most scrutinized in history, previous research suggests that Millennial and Generation X employees hold differing cultural values, causing the two generations to clash at work. This study revealed mixed findings in which there were certain instances where Millennial employees were more collectivistic than Generation X employees, and others in which they were more individualistic. In addition to the limitations and implications of the current study, a concluding remark on the current state of generational research is offered.

Arousal Or Relevance? Applying A Discrete Emotion Perspective To Aging And Affect Regulation, Sara E. Lautzenhiser

ETD Archive

While research in the psychology of human aging suggests that older adults are quite adept at managing negative affect, emotion regulation efficacy may depend on the discrete emotion elicited. For instance, prior research suggests older adults are more effective at dealing with emotional states that are more age-relevant/useful and lower in intensity (i.e., sadness) relative to less relevant/useful or more intense (i.e., anger). The goal of the present study was to probe this discrete emotions perspective further by addressing the relevance/intensity distinction within a broader set of negative affective states (i.e., fear and disgust, along with anger and sadness). Results …

Development And Validation Of The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale In A Sample Of Social Media Users, Megan Nicole Mancini

ETD Archive

This study examined the psychometric worth of a piloted measure, Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale for Social Media Users (STSS-SM). The STSS-SM is a 17-item instrument designed to measure intrusion, avoidance, and arousal symptoms associated with indirect exposure to traumatic events via social media use. Young adult social media users (N = 144) completed a survey containing the STSS-SM and measures of depression, trauma history, social media use, and demographics. A confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor model of secondary traumatic stress in social media users. Additionally, evidence for internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity were found. These findings suggest …

A Grounded Theory Investigation Of Supervisors’ Perspectives On Multicultural Strength-Based Supervision, Erica D. Wiley

ETD Archive

This study addressed an area of supervision that is important to the identity of Counseling Psychologists: multicultural strength-based clinical supervision. Clinical supervision is instrumental to the development of psychological skills and knowledge and is an essential component of masters and doctoral training in psychology. This research explored the ways that clinical supervisors attempt to incorporate strength-based clinical supervision in conjunction with multicultural supervision strategies and concepts into their work with students, which has not previously been done. This study was a qualitative investigation using grounded theory and adapted consensual qualitative research methodology and analysis. Participants included 14 diverse licensed psychologists …

High School Discipline Policies And The Teacher-Student Relationship, Sara Elizabeth Nardone

ETD Archive

Relationships play a central role of human development by fostering connection and growth in individuals (Josselson, 1992). Adolescence is a stage of development in which relationships are perhaps most integral because they help youth navigate the changes that come with this developmental phase. Teacher-student relationships are one of the most influential relationships for youth because teacher-student relationships impact students’ academic achievement and educational experience (Ellerbrock et al., 2015; Wilkins, 2014). There are many factors that contribute to positive teacher-student relationships. An area of research that has not gained as much attention regarding teacher-student relationships is discipline in schools. High schools …

Trauma Sensitive Schools And The Psychoeducational Evaluation, Barbara Jordan

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences, commonly referred to as ACEs, negatively impacts various physical and psychological aspects of the body and can result in a number of detrimental life outcomes including disease, mental health disorders, and even early death. The negative effects of ACE exposure begin long before adulthood, often resulting in academic and behavioral difficulties for school-aged children. Since school psychologists strive to advocate for the needs of all students, ensure correct special education categorization, and promote trauma-sensitive practices in schools, it is beneficial for them to have knowledge of ACEs and trauma that impact the students they serve. …

B.F. Skinner's Theory Of Performance Excellence: A Radical Behavioral Perspective, Thomas Fritze

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Burrhus Frederic (B.F.) Skinner was a revolutionary in the field of psychology, particularly noted for his development of a philosophy of science and an approach to psychological study labeled radical behaviorism (Rachlin, 1995). To Skinner, psychology was synonymous with an organism's interactions between its environment and its own behavior - and behavior was defined accordingly. This way of studying psychology differed greatly from preceding behavioral iterations in psychology and kept up with advances in ·established fields of science. Due to the deficiencies of the behavioral tradition coming before Skinner, misunderstandings by many psychologists and scientists of the Skinnerian approach were …

Further Exploration Of The Relationship Between Worry And Contrast Avoidance, Anna E. Snyder

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The Contrast Avoidance Model of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) proposes that individuals with GAD are sensitive to negative emotional contrasts (i.e., sharp shifts from neutral or positive emotional states to negative emotional states). These individuals prefer to remain in a negative emotional state to avoid these negative contrasts. They stay in this state by worrying. The present study aimed to directly test the Contrast Avoidance Model of GAD by using an experimental manipulation and also to further develop the literature on the relationship between contrast avoidance, worry, and GAD. Results of this study showed mixed support for the model overall; …

Learned Helplessness In Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Relationships With Locus Of Control, Self-Efficacy, And Feedback-Seeking Behavior, Nicholas Kovacs

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have suggested that self-efficacy and feedback-seeking behavior (FSB) are effective in enhancing performance. To improve performance in the workplace, research should focus on how psychologists can enhance these constructs in employees. Though locus of control (LOC) relates to self-efficacy and increased FSB, research has revealed issues in LOC (e.g., failure to predict performance, range restriction, failure to predict behaviors). The current study examined the effects of perceived “lack of control”, learned helplessness, over LOC on both self-efficacy and FSB in two different samples: a student sample (N = 321) and a work sample (N = 794). Learned helplessness accounted …

Cowboys And Tiaras: The Role Of Child Gender Nonconformity On Evaluations Of Same-Sex And Different-Sex Families, Andrew David White

Senior Independent Study Theses

No abstract provided.

In Defense Of Grass Grows: A Play About Mental Illness, Amanda Grace Hughes

Honors Program Theses

My mission as a mentally ill theatre artist is to challenge the commonly-perpetuated fictions that restrict public perception of mentally ill persons [MIPs]. A meta-analysis of plays from the Greek, Medieval, Victorian, Melodramatic, Naturalist, and Post- Naturalist eras reflected just how little progress has been made at exposing and eliminating popular myths about mental illness. While the theatrical canon offers evidence for the inadequacy of current representations of MIPs, the psychological literature offers steps forward for the artists telling these stories. Efforts to improve artist sensitivity to the complex realities of mental illness fail to educate with fact alone (Dale, …