Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Center For Psychological Studies Adjunct Professor Publishes New Book, Lee Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

No abstract provided.

Building Skills, Knowledge And Confidence In Eating And Exercise Behaviour Change: Brief Motivational Interviewing Training For Healthcare Providers, Peta Stapleton, Elizabeth Edwards, Kelly Williams, Lauren Ball

Peta B. Stapleton

Obesity related health problems affect individuals, families, communities and the broader health care system, however few healthcare providers (e.g., doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors) receive formal training in obesity prevention interventions. We examined the effectiveness of training healthcare providers in brief motivational interviewing (brief MI) targeting eating and exercise behavior change. METHODS: 163 healthcare providers participated. 128 participants completed a one-day experiential brief MI training workshop followed by electronic peer-support and a further 35 matched controls did not receive the training. RESULTS: Participant's knowledge of brief MI and confidence in their ability to counsel patients using brief MI significantly …

Mentoring In The Social Context: Mentors' Experiences With Mentees' Peers In A Site-Based Program, Julia Pryce

Julia Pryce

Aging Out Of Care In Ethiopia: Challenges And Implications Facing Orphans And Vulnerable Youth, Julia Pryce

Julia Pryce

Development And Evaluation Of The Telephone Crisis Support Skills Scale, Taneile Kitchingman, Coralie Wilson, Peter Caputi, Alan Woodward, Tara Hunt

Taneile Kitchingman

Preventing Suicide Requires More Attention On Technology-Based Crisis Support Services, Taneile Kitchingman, Coralie Wilson, Alan Woodward, Peter Caputi, Ian Wilson

Taneile Kitchingman

Clinical Data Warehousing For Evidence Based Decision Making, Peta Stapleton, Sahama Tony, Lekha Narra

Peta B. Stapleton

Large volumes of heterogeneous health data silos pose a big challenge when exploring for information to allow for evidence based decision making and ensuring quality outcomes. In this paper, we present a proof of concept for adopting data warehousing technology to aggregate and analyse disparate health data in order to understand the impact various lifestyle factors on obesity. We present a practical model for data warehousing with detailed explanation which can be adopted similarly for studying various other health issues.

Common Storytelling Elements In The Journeys Of Heroes And Villains, Scott T. Allison

Scott T. Allison

In this paper, we review similarities and differences between the classic storytelling arc of heroes and that of villains. We propose some basic differences between the hero's journey and the villain's journey but conclude that the main difference resides in a temporal staggering of the two characters' journeys.

Knowledge Leadership In Innovation And Creativity - A Pioneering Creativity Conference In Pakistan, Rumman H. Ahmad

Rumman H Ahmad

This project focuses on the organization of Pakistan's first conference on corporate creativity and innovation. It will cover the objective of the conference, the process of organizing it and the learning derived from it. It is also the story of a journey of creative leadership, of discovering a potential for change, for pushing boundaries and achieving excellence, and for growing and learning. The conference, called Knowledge Leadership in Innovation and Creativity (KLIC), was a pioneering effort, with international presenters coming down to a country that is not one of the world’s most favored destinations. Its main objective was to introduce …

Defining Heroism: Objectively Possible Or In The Eye Of The Beholder?, Scott T. Allison, George R. Goethals

Scott T. Allison

A number of scholars have attempted to define heroism (see Franco, Blau, & Zimbardo, 2011). We applaud these efforts while also agreeing with Joseph Campbell (1988) that heroism is ultimately in the eye of the beholder.

The Initiation Of Heroism Science, Scott T. Allison

Scott T. Allison

In this article I describe the nascent field of heroism science, as part of a broader movement for the promotion of heroism in 21st century societies. I identify several markers of its emergence and offer reasons why the science is now coalescing into an established and autonomous field of inquiry. Moreover, I discuss the importance of maintaining a dynamic symbiotic relationship between the research and activist wings of the heroism movement. The aims and scope of heroism science are discussed, and reasons are offered for producing a science that is inclusive, transdisciplinary, and risk-taking. I examine all these issues within …

Pocahontas: The Unknown And Underestimated Hero Of Central Virginia, Meghan N. Dillon

Scott T. Allison

What Is Your Purpose In Life?, Scott T. Allison

Scott T. Allison

The Initiation Of Heroism Science, Scott T. Allison

Scott T. Allison

The Initiation Of Heroism Science, Scott T. Allison

Scott T. Allison

In this article I describe the emergent field of heroism science. I identify several markers of its emergence and offer reasons why the science is now coalescing into an established and autonomous field of inquiry. Moreover, I discuss the importance of maintaining a dynamic symbiotic relationship between the scientific and activist wings of the heroism movement. The aims and scope of heroism science are discussed, and reasons are offered for producing a science that is inclusive, transdisciplinary, and risk-taking. I examine all these issues within the metaphorical framework of initiation.

Physics Instruction Induces Changes In Neural Knowledge Representation During Successive Stages Of Learning, Robert A. Mason, Marcel Adam Just

Marcel Adam Just

No abstract provided.

Does The Villain's Journey Mirror The Hero's Journey?, Scott T. Allison, George R. Goethals

Scott T. Allison

We propose that the villain's journey both parallels, and is the inverse of, the hero's journey.

The Shared Experiences Of Counselors Who Practice In Natural Environments, Bonnie King

Bonnie King

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to gain a deep understanding of the shared experiences of therapists who provide counseling in non-traditional, natural environment settings. Eight participants shared their experiences about counseling in nature. The primary research question for this study was: What are the shared experiences of counselors who provide nature-based counseling? A review of the literature of nature-based counseling provided benefits to spending time in nature, descriptions of various types of nature-based counseling, and ethical and legal issues that affect nature-based counselors. Semi-structured interviews comprised of open-ended questions were used to collect data by phone and …

Suffering And Sacrifice: Individual And Collective Benefits, And Implications For Leadership, Scott T. Allison, Gwen Setterberg

Scott T. Allison

In this chapter, we review the ways in which suffering and sacrifice are beneficial to human beings. In our review, we draw from both ancient and modern spiritual traditions and a large body of psychological research on the determinants of happiness and mental health. Our review is necessarily an abbreviated one; a thorough treatment of this topic would surely fill an entire volume. This chapter represents an initial attempt to illuminate basic insights, using broad brushstrokes, about the ways in which suffering and sacrifice contribute to people’s emotional, behavioral, and spiritual wellness. In addition to describing the psychological and spiritual …

Parenting Stress And Child Behavior Problems Within Families Of Children With Developmental Disabilities: Transactional Relations Across 15 Years, Ashley C. Woodman, Helena P. Mawdsley, Penny Hauser-Cramc

Ashley C. Woodman

Parents of children with developmental disabilities (DD) are at increased risk of experiencing psychological stress compared to other parents. Children's high levels of internalizing and externalizing problems have been found to contribute to this elevated level of stress. Few studies have considered the reverse direction of effects, however, in families where a child has a DD. The present study investigated transactional relations between child behavior problems and maternal stress within 176 families raising a child with early diagnosed DD. There was evidence of both child-driven and parent-driven effects over the 15-year study period, spanning from early childhood (age 3) to …

Do Prosecutors Use Interview Instructions Of Build Rapport With Child Witnesses?, Elizabeth C. Ahern, Stacia N. Stolzenberg, Thomas D. Lyon

Thomas D. Lyon

This study examined the quality of interview instructions and rapport-building provided by prosecutors to 168 children aged 5–12 years testifying in child sexual abuse cases, preceding explicit questions about abuse allegations. Prosecutors failed to effectively administer key interview instructions, build rapport, or rely on open-ended narrative producing prompts during this early stage of questioning. Moreover, prosecutors often directed children's attention to the defendant early in the testimony. The productivity of different types of wh- questions varied, with what/how questions focusing on actions being particularly productive. The lack of instructions, poor quality rapport-building, and closed-ended questioning suggest that children may not …

Is It Me Or Her? How Gender Composition Evokes Interpersonally Sensitive Behavior On Collaborative Cross-Boundary Projects, Michele Williams, Evan Polman

Michele Williams

This paper investigates how professional workers’ willingness to act with interpersonal sensitivity is influenced by the gender and power of their interaction partners. We call into question the idea that mixed-gender interactions involve more interpersonal sensitivity than all-male interactions primarily because women demonstrate more interpersonal sensitivity than do men. Rather, we argue that the social category “women” can evoke more sensitive behavior from others such that men as well as women contribute to an increase in sensitivity in mixed-gender interactions. We further argue that the presence of women may trigger increased sensitivity such that men can also be the recipients …

Easing The Heavy Hand: Humanitarian Concern, Empathy, And Opinion On Immigration, Benjamin J. Newman, Todd K. Hartman, Patrick L. Lown, Stanley Feldman

Todd K. Hartman

The bulk of the opinion research on immigration identifies the factors leading to opposition to immigration among the American public. In contrast, we identify a key factor and condition under which citizens embrace more permissive and supportive positions on immigration. Past research indicates that humanitarianism is a core value orientation promoting support—albeit limited—for social welfare policy. Extending this research into another highly salient policy domain—immigration—we find that humanitarian concern serves as a significant source of support for permissive positions on government immigration policy. Relying upon secondary analysis of national survey data and an original survey experiment, we demonstrate that humanitarian …

The Leadership Leap: A New Approach For Homeland Security, R. Jeffery Maxfield, Rodger Broome, John R. Fisher

R. Jeffery Maxfield

The world is in chaos, and unfortunately, this most likely will continue. Recent news reports are replete with stories of crises. These events demonstrate the implicit and explicit need for leadership. We believe these crises and their accompanying uncertainty are the reasons people have sought strong leaders – to bring order and sanity to an otherwise uncontrollable world. This is particularly true in homeland security and the emergency services.

What Is The Attraction? Pornography Use Motives In Relation To Bystander Intervention, John D. Foubert, Ana J. Bridges

John D. Foubert

Use of pornography is common among adolescents and young adults, with most men and a growing number of women viewing regularly. A vast body of research suggests pornography use is associated with multiple attitudinal and behavioral variables. One of those associations, for both men and women, is higher pornography use is correlated with a lower likelihood of intervening to prevent sexual assault. The present study explored how motives for viewing pornography related to male (n = 139) and female (n = 290) college students’ willingness and efficacy to intervene to help prevent a sexual assault from occurring. We found that …

Contract Breach As A Trigger For Adjustment To The Psychological Contract During The First Year Of Employment, Stephanie C. Payne, Satoris S. Culbertson, Yvette P. Lopez, Wendy R. Boswell, Eric J. Barger

Yvette P. Lopez

No abstract provided.

Simulating Univariate And Multivariate Nonnormal Distributions Through The Method Of Percentiles, Jennifer Koran, Todd C. Headrick, Tzu Chun Kuo

Todd Christopher Headrick

This article derives a standard normal-based power method polynomial transformation for Monte Carlo simulation studies, approximating distributions, and fitting distributions to data based on the method of percentiles. The proposed method is used primarily when (1) conventional (or L) moment-based estimators such as skew (or L-skew) and kurtosis (or L -kurtosis) are unknown or (2) data are unavailable but percentiles are known (e.g., standardized test score reports). The proposed transformation also has the advantage that solutions to polynomial coefficients are available in simple closed form and thus obviates numerical equation solving. A procedure is also described for simulating power method …

Meta-Analytic Study: Student Connectedness Across On-Ground, Fully Online, And Hybrid Contexts, Hannah L. Smith, An H. Dang, R. M. Mueller

Reed M. Mueller, Ph.D.

Facebook Frets: The Role Of Social Media Use In Predicting Social And Facebook-Specific Anxiety, Lee Farquhar, Theresa Davidson

Lee Farquhar

Nimh Research Domain Criteria (Rdoc), Charles A. Sanislow, Kevin J. Quinn, Isaiah Sypher

Charles A. Sanislow, Ph.D.

The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project is a framework for studying domains of biological and behavioral function that cut across traditional psychiatric diagnostic boundaries with the long-term objective of creating a new nosology based on specific biobehavioral measures. The initial aim is to provide a framework to drive clinical research. One goal of RDoC is to facilitate the development of biomarkers that could eventually be used for practical clinical diagnostic purposes and allow the development of new treatments targeting specific mechanisms of mental illness. In this entry, RDoC, its development, and the ways that it may evolve are described.