Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Influence Of Flow On Standard And Adaptive Performance In Teams, Jennifer N. Baumgartner

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The purpose of this study was to examine flow as it relates to different types of performance in teams. Participants (N = 165) in teams of five engaged in an airport simulation that included an unforeseen change during the second session. Flow was expected to be positively correlated with standard and adaptive performance and predict performance along with cognitive ability and personality. Positive affect was expected to mediate the relationship between flow and performance. Flow was positively correlated with the number of aircraft departed under standard conditions, negatively correlated with aircraft departed under adaptive conditions, and positively correlated with subjective …

Not All Forms Of Misbehavior Are Created Equal: Perpetrator Personality And Differential Relationships With Cwbs, Caleb Braxton Bragg

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Most research has lumped counterproductive work behaviors into a single or a few categories. The present study, however, used dominance analysis to examine whether aggression, industriousness, dishonesty and self-control had differential predictive relationships with the Gruys and Sacket (2003) 11-Factor CWB model. I hypothesized that various CWBs would be differentially predicted by various personality traits, and that those predictive relationships would be moderated by self-control. The results indicated all CWBs are not created equal and should not be lumped into a single all-inclusive category. Counterproductive work behaviors are multidimensional, with unique predictors and covariates, and are best understood and predicted …

Individual Differences In The Use Of Remote Vision Stereoscopic Displays, Marc Winterbottom

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With the introduction of the next generation of aerial refueling tankers, such as the KC-46, boom operators will use relatively recently developed indirect view stereo displays in place of direct view crew stations. Existing vision standards for boom operators were developed during the 1950s and may not be adequate for medical screening for KC-46 boom operators. Mild anomalies in binocular alignment, currently allowed by USAF vision standards, may permit stereopsis, but may also predispose those individuals to visual complaints such as eye-strain or headaches when viewing stereoscopic displays.

The purpose of this research was to measure individual differences in performance …

Free To Hate Freedom And The Survival Of Liberalized States Confronting The Emergence Of Political Islam; Effective State Solutions To The Rise Of Islamic Political Violence In Democratic Societies, Lauren R. Bowen

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The following research addresses the susceptibility of liberalized nations to encounter Islamic political violence associated with the behaviors they direct toward Islamic minorities. Democratic values, theoretically, weaken the ability of free regimes to defend against the emergence of Islamic extremism and terrorism. Experiences with these phenomena are, however, specific to multicultural or assimilationist democratic states that esteem civil liberties and individual freedom. This study presents diverse data sets to understand the interaction of state behaviors shaped by the adoption of multiculturalism or assimilationist polices concerning Islamic minorities and violent outcomes. The findings suggest that state behaviors affecting Islamic populations are …

Barriers To Group Psychotherapy For Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual College Students, Sarah Peters

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While research has been conducted into the utilization and efficacy of group therapy with college students and with individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB), there is very limited research on their intersection. The purpose of this study was to determine barriers to group psychotherapy with college students who identify as LGB. Twenty-eight LGB undergraduate and graduate students from colleges and universities nationwide were recruited to complete an online survey including: a modified version of the Barriers Scale (Harris, 2013), which examined willingness to participate in group therapy, expectations of group psychotherapy, expectations of group members, expectations of …

Cognitive Analysis Of Multi-Sensor Information, Elizabeth Lynn Fox

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Multispectral imagery can supply an observer with different components of information to, in combination, lead to critical decisions. Human observers can be presented with two fusion techniques: 1) cognitive fusion presents the two sensor images within 5 degrees of visual angle and 2) algorithmic fusion aims to enhance image quality by combining relevant information from two individual sensor images into one composite image. Researchers have used methods such as comparing performance across different algorithms or comparing algorithmic fusion to a single-sensor image. However, cognitive fusion is a technique that provides all of the sensor information and, if utilized efficiently, may …

Once Careless, Always Careless? Temporal And Situational Stability Of Insufficient Effort Responding (Ier), Kelly Ann Camus

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In the current paper, I examined insufficient effort responding (IER) as a substantive construct rather than as a methodological nuisance as other researchers have done. Specifically, I focused on the relationship between personality traits and IER and the temporal and situational stability of IER. I hypothesized that agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, and extraversion would be negatively associated with IER and that neuroticism would be positively related to IER. Also, I predicted that the extent to which a given participant engages in IER would be relatively stable across time and across tasks. The current sample (N = 288) consisted of students from …

A Fight For Equity: School Desegregation, Public High Schools, And Why African-American Males Have Lower Academic Achievement, Tanisha S. Pruitt

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The objective of this thesis is to examine the lowered academic achievement of African- American males since the Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka Kansas court decision that ruled in favor of school desegregation. The research shows that school desegregation was intended to allow African Americans educational equity with their White counterparts. Since Brown v. Board, there has been increased academic achievement for African-American females and lowered achievement among males. Predictions were made that poverty and low motivation affect academic achievement for African-American males. Regression analyses yielded results showing poverty and motivation were statistically significant; however, neither of the variables …

A Study Of Exercise: Intentions And Behavior, Michael Raymond Hoepf

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Health concerns associated with obesity are becoming an increasingly large societal problem. Engaging in physical exercise is one effective way to combat obesity, but most people do not exercise enough to derive significant health benefits. In order to increase participation in exercise activities, it is first necessary to have a good understanding of why people are not exercising. The current research builds on prior research by investigating the proposition that conflict from work, family, and school roles can reduce time spent exercising. To accomplish this goal, I created exercise conflict scales by taking existing items from the work-family conflict literature …

Why The Rise In Drones, Sean David Duffy

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What are the reasons for the increasing number of drone strikes between 2002 and 2012 by the United States? This study examines the various aspects of the United States government which led to this increase in the number of strikes. Specifically, this study examines the military capabilities, the military leadership bureaucracy and presidential aspects of drone use. Through the division of this time period into three sections, this study seeks to find explain the events which led to the increase in the use of drones by the United States. This study concludes with a discussion on what the future may …

Bridging The Gap: Exploring The Need For Better System Representations In Higher Education, Corinne P. Wright

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Higher education constitutes a sociotechnical system. Some students enter with cultural experiences that support the new endeavor whereas others are woefully under-supported. Student preparedness often is tightly coupled with student background. Some ethnic minorities and students from impoverished backgrounds enter the university setting with a high risk of not persisting or completing their higher education pursuits (e.g., Kuh, Kinzie, Bridges, & Hayek, 2007). Traditional conceptualizations of risk identify immutable factors, such as SES, with little opportunity for immediate mitigation. Traditional interventions to mitigate risk include either fitting the student to the system (e.g., Tinto, 1993) or fitting the system to …

Detecting Structure In Activity Sequences: Exploring The Hot Hand Phenomenon, Taleri Lynn Hammack

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Can humans discriminate whether strings of events (e.g., shooting success in basketball) were generated by a random or constrained process (e.g., hot and cold streaks)? Conventional wisdom suggests that humans are not good at this discrimination. Following from Cooper, Hammack, Lemasters, and Flach (2014), a series of Monte Carlo simulations and an empirical experiment examined the abilities of both humans and statistical tests (Wald-Wolfowitz Runs Test and 1/f) to detect specific constraints that are representative of plausible factors that might influence the performance of athletes (e.g., learning, non-stationary task constraints). Using a performance/success dependent learning constraint that was calibrated to …

Understanding Paths Toward Strategic Success In Nvr Campaigns: A Comparison Of Palestinian And South African Resistance, Archibald A. Grieve

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The following paper fills a gap in the literature of nonviolent resistance (NVR) by investigating when and under what circumstances it is necessary for nonviolent resistance campaigns to enlist the support of outside actors in order to achieve strategic success. Using Gene Sharp's pillars of power theory as a comparative framework, the author pairs the method of process-tracing with a most-similar-systems design in order to fashion a time-series experiment measuring the strength of each pillar of power propping up the target regimes of South Africa and Israel. The results reveal that these variables are interacting. The paper also reveals that …

Barriers To Group Psychotherapy Among Racially And Ethnically Diverse College Students, Raghav Suri

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Group psychotherapy has become a preferred modality of direct clinical psychological services offered by many University Counseling Centers (UCCs), primarily because of the effectiveness of group psychotherapy in addressing the unique developmental issues that college students experience. However, there is a need for empirically supported data to identify barriers to group psychotherapy among college students, particularly related to multicultural identity variables. The present study examined barriers that college students face when considering joining a psychotherapy group. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and either the original or the modified version of the Barriers Scale, (Harris, 2012). Participants were divided into three …

Testing In Adoption Evaluations: Selections And Usage Determined From Surveying Psychologists, Erin Marie Sylvester Nichting

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A significant amount of children are adopted each year both within the United States and internationally. In fact, the United States Department of State reported that 242,602 international adoptions had taken place from 1999 to 2012 and also indicated that in 2012 alone, 52,035 children had been adopted domestically. However, research is lacking in many areas of the adoption process. One such area includes an absence of knowledge in regards to adoption evaluations, even though they may be required for both prospective parents and adoptive children during the adoption process. Another area includes how psychological instruments are incorporated into these …

An Interview With Three Deaf Lesbians: Intersectionality And Saliency Of Identity Variables, Amanda L. Schaad

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LGBQ and Deaf communities have experienced parallel histories of oppression, medicalization, and discrimination that results in poor access to sexual health information and support around sexuality. Moreover, when the two identities intersect the impacts are magnified. Both populations experience vulnerabilities to sexual abuse, and inadequate sexual health information and /or sex education, compared to the majority population. Therefore, there needs to be a better understanding of their experiences with sex education and how mental health services could be helpful, particularly when these identities intersect. The aim and purpose of this study was to explore the interaction between LGBQ (Lesbian, Gay, …

Burnout, Work Engagement, And Well-Being In The Healthcare Professions: A Proposal For A Digital Intervention, Eric T. Reinhart

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Burnout is a chronic problem for individuals in the helping professions and is particularly pronounced in healthcare settings. Burnout is an extreme stress response characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization of patients, and a decreased sense of personal accomplishment. Factors unique to healthcare settings include high patient to staff ratios, evaluations of effectiveness based on patient outcomes, and the competing demands of policy makers, patients, and clinicians. Work engagement is a product of the positive psychology movement and developed out of the study of burnout. Work engagement is an affective-emotional state of work-related well-being and is characterized as being positive and …

The Predictive Power Of Non-Pathological Psychological Variables In Weight Loss Surgery, Tiffany Milligan

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According to the World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health, obesity is a global health problem. Worldwide, obesity is the fifth-leading cause of death. Weight loss surgeries such as gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy, and gastric bypass surgery have become increasingly popular methods to manage intractable obesity in the United States. Such surgeries have inherent risks, both medical and psychosocial, and as a result, candidates for weight loss surgery routinely undergo pre-surgical evaluations to determine their suitability for weight loss procedures. The current study was done in partnership with Kettering Bariatrics in Kettering, Ohio, and is an analysis of the …

The Effectiveness Of "The Tunnel Of Oppression": An Exposure Approach To Increasing Awareness Of Oppression Among Freshman Students At Wright State University, Jennifer B. Stoyell

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While diversity-training programs have gained popularity in the US, limited research has been done to establish the effectiveness of these programs in increasing awareness of oppression. The present study explored the effectiveness of the Tunnel of Oppression in increasing awareness of oppression among freshman students at Wright State University. Participants (N= 1736) were given a survey before and after participating in the Tunnel where they rated their awareness of levels of oppression for nine different oppressed groups. Data for this survey was analyzed employing descriptive and non-parametric statistics to determine significance in change of scores (Wilcoxon Signed-Rank and Wilcoxon Rank-Sum) …

Chat Communication In A Command And Control Environment: How Does It Help?, April M. Courtice

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Military command and control (C2) teams are often faced with difficult, complex, and distributed operations amidst the fog and friction of war. To deal with this uncertainty, teams rely on clear and effective communication to coordinate their actions; two current conduits for communication in distributed military teams include voice and chat. Chat communication is regarded by many in the C2 world as the premier method of communicating with the power to lessen some of the traffic and disturbances of current voice communication, and its usage continues to exponentially increase. Despite this operational view, countless laboratory studies have demonstrated detrimental effects …

Women With Disabilities Who Have Been Sexually Assaulted: What Responders Need To Know, Kaitlyn Mccarthy

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Information about women with disabilities who have been sexually assaulted is vastly missing from psychological research and literature. This gap in literature is very concerning as more information is needed to ensure that women with disabilities are receiving care, and that prevention and care giving programs are tailored to meet their needs. Women with disabilities encounter unique sexual assault experiences that at times go unnoticed because their experiences are not often discussed in the literature, nor are they appropriately assessed. Through a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, the present study attempted to respond to these issues by modifying an existing …

Effect Of Localized Temperature Change On Vigilance Performance, Jessica Spencer Pack

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This study examined the influence of localized temperature change on vigilance performance. Additionally, the effect of stressor appraisals on the relationship between localized temperature change and vigilance performance was investigated. A total of 36 male and female participants between the ages of 18 and 45 completed a stressor appraisal scale before completing a 40-minute simulated air traffic control vigilance task. Depending on the condition, either a hot, cold, or neutral temperature change was induced using a thermoelectric pad and blanket 20 minutes into the vigilance task. Although localized temperature change did not have a significant effect on vigilance performance 25-30 …

A Multi-Disciplinary Analysis Of Web 2.0 Technology Use In Egypt & China, 2005-2010, Monica D. Morales

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Taking a cue from scholars' suggestions to focus on the intersections of various fields of study, this research aims to find the commonalities among representative theories of democracy, mass media and social movements. Assessment of each reveals that all three areas of study encompass space for the interface of the media and the public. The confluence of these elements, when paired with Information and Communication-based technologies, yields what is introduced here as the Integrative Conceptual Model of Internet Analysis. Using this model gives way to a focus on Internet-mediated scenarios through a framework that evaluates the type of agent interaction, …

Reasonable Reasoner: The Influence Of Intervention Strategy, System Parameters And Their Representation On Causal Understanding, Beth Cristina Bullemer

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The following study assessed how contingency and delay influence people's reasoning strategy and outcomes after interacting with a representation of a discrete and continuous system environment, in the context of controlling hypertension. The related causal reasoning and system dynamics research adopt different measurement paradigms and employ different system dynamics, making it difficult to resolve the empirical findings. Specifically, the causal reasoning literature has traditionally considered systems in which previous inputs do not influence future outcomes (e.g., a discrete system condition) while the system dynamics literature removes this constraint (e.g., a continuous system condition). Also, the system dynamics literature has focused …

Self-Determination In The People's Republic Of China: Elite Responses, 1949-2012, Hanna M. Tarbert

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This work addresses the historical response of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to perceived irredentist threats in its contested territories. This is assessed through a comparative case analysis. The four cases are Taiwan, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet. The response of the first four generations of CCP leaders: Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, are analyzed through a framework that evaluates domestic and international priorities, domestic self-determination sentiment, strength of domestic self-determination movements, and the status of self-determination. The findings of this framework are used to project the response of current CCP leader and President of the …