Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons^™

Big Five Personality Traits, Pathological Personality Traits, And Psychological Dysregulation: Predicting Aggression And Antisocial Behaviors In Detained Adolescents, Katherine S. L. Lau

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study tested the utility of three different models of personality, namely the social and personality model, the pathological personality traits model, and the psychological dysregulation model, in predicting overt aggression, relational aggression, and delinquency in a sample of detained boys (ages 12 to 18; M age = 15.31; SD = 1.16). Results indicated that the three personality approaches demonstrated different unique associations with aggression and delinquency. The psychological dysregulation approach, composed of behavioral dysregulation, emotional dysregulation, and cognitive dysregulation, emerged as the overall best predictor of overt aggression, relational aggression, and delinquency. After controlling for the Big Five personality …

Gender, Self-Esteem And Athleticism As They Predict Binge Drinking Behaviors Among College Students, Catherine O'Brien

Honors Theses

There is a plethora of research focusing on athleticism, self-esteem and alcohol consumption but few studies have aimed to find a connection between these three dimensions. While much of the previous research focused on just two of these dimensions, the present study aims to uncover how these dimensions influence and impact one another. Students from Union College participated in a survey-based study in which they were asked to complete three surveys, one for each dimension. These surveys were used to identify level of athleticism, self-esteem and binge drinking behaviors among athletes and non-athletes at Union College. Based on previous research …

Early Life Stress, Drug Abuse, Exercise Effects On Bdnf And Sex-Influenced Excercise Differences, Karissa Dold

Honors College Theses

In 2011, the U.S. reported 3 million child maltreatment cases, an uncomfortably high but recurring figure each year. Research shows exposure to early life stress (ELS) increases an individual’s susceptibility to substance abuse, specifically of nicotine, alcohol, and cocaine. Increased susceptibility may result from dysregulation of the HPA axis sustaining activation into adulthood after ELS. Hyperactivation of the HPA axis significantly reduces hippocampal BDNF, a neurotrophin involved in neuronal growth and plasticity. Reduced hippocampal BDNF may be a factor in substance abuse vulnerability. Additionally, research shows exercise protects hippocampal BDNF from stress induced down-regulation. To explore these relationships, this study …

Exploring The Neural Basis Of Top-Down Guided Action In Macaque Monkeys, Jessica M. Phillips

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

To thoroughly characterize any brain mechanism requires an appropriate animal model for invasive studies. An invaluable model system used toward a comprehension of cognitive neurophysiology is the macaque monkey. It is important to delineate similarities and limitations for this model in relation to the human brain and cognition. In this thesis, we have thus conducted three experiments to investigate putative generalizations between monkeys and humans regarding the neural processes associated with top-down action control in monkeys.

Our daily behaviour is largely comprised of automatic routine actions. The frequent repetition of certain behaviours in response to particular contexts can give rise …

Teachers' Awareness And Skills In Addressing Students With Anxiety Symptoms, Looyee Figueroa

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study explored teachers' awareness toward students who may have mental-health needs, specifically with anxiety issues. This study also examined whether the teachers' training backgrounds, acquired degrees, stress levels, and years of teaching influenced their awareness and use of strategies in addressing students with attitudinal and behavioral issues and anxiety issues. In addition, this study examined teachers' perceptions on the importance of building relationships with students who have behavioral and attitudinal issues and anxiety issues. Results from the study found that teachers' awareness levels were inconsistent when teaching students who may have anxiety issues, and they were more consistent in …

The Effect Of Visual Wulst Lesions And Trigeminal Nerve Sectioning On The Discrimination Of Magnetic Inclination In The Homing Pigeon (Columba Livia), Merissa Acerbi

Honors Projects

The ability of homing pigeons to return to their loft from unknown places has fascinated scientists for centuries. It is well established that homing pigeons, like migratory birds, posses an innate magnetic inclination compass to determine direction by measuring the angle between the magnetic field vector and the Earth's surface. Recent work has indicated that the avian magnetic compass is light mediated and appears to mediate magnetic information to the brain. This occurs via a visual pathway with processing in the visual Wulst area of the forebrain. There is, however, also evidence from other avian species that magnetic direction may …

The Impact Of Warning Label Exposure On Attentional Bias To Smoking Cues In Smokers And Nonsmokers, Anna Kathleen Harris

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Brand And Caloric Information On Flavor Perception And Food Consumption In Restrained And Unrestrained Eaters, Kevin Vincent Cavanagh

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.