Psychology Commons^™

A Randomized Comparison Of Two Instructional Sequences For Imitation Intervention For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Elaine Espanola

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine differences in effectiveness and rate of skill acquisition between a recently developed and empirically validated instructional sequence, Motor and Vocal Imitation Assessment (MVIA), and a commonly used instructional sequence in a curriculum guide, Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP).

Methods: Children with ASD were randomly assigned to two treatment groups to determine difference in imitation performance. The treatment group followed the instructional sequence proposed in the MVIA. The comparison group followed the instructional sequence proposed in the VB-MAPP. Initial levels of imitation were assessed via the MVIA. The intervention …

Effects Of Amphetamine On Striatal Dopamine Release, Open-Field Activity, And Play In Fischer 344 And Sprague–Dawley Rats, Stephen M. Siviy, Lana S. Mcdowell, Samantha R. Eck, Alexandra Turano, Garnik Akopian, John P. Walsh

Psychology Faculty Publications

Previous work from our laboratories has shown that juvenile Fischer 344 (F344) rats are less playful than other strains and also appear to be compromised in dopamine (DA) functioning. To determine whether the dysfunctional play in this strain is associated with deficits in the handling and delivery of vesicular DA, the following experiments assessed the extent to which F344 rats are differentially sensitive to the effects of amphetamine. When exposed to amphetamine, striatal slices obtained from F344 rats showed a small increase in unstimulated DA release when compared with slices from Sprague–Dawley rats; they also showed a more rapid high …

Happiness In Modern Society: Why Intelligence And Ethnic Composition Matter, Satoshi Kanazawa, Norman P. Li

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Recent developments in evolutionary psychology suggest that living among others of the same ethnicity might make individuals happier and further that such an effect of the ethnic composition on life satisfaction may be stronger among less intelligent individuals. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health showed that White Americans had significantly greater life satisfaction than all other ethnic groups in the US and this was largely due to the fact that they were the majority ethnic group; minority Americans who lived in counties where they were the numerical majority had just as much life satisfaction as White Americans …

We Don’T Always Mean What We Say: Attitudes Toward Statutory Exclusion Of Juvenile Offenders From Juvenile Court Jurisdiction, Tina Zotolli, Tarika Daftary Kapur, Patricia A. Zapf

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

In the United States, juvenile offenders are often excluded from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court on the basis of age and crime type alone. Data from national surveys and data from psycholegal research on support for adult sanction of juvenile offenders are often at odds. The ways in which questions are asked and the level of detail provided to respondents and research participants may influence expressed opinions. Respondents may also be more likely to agree with harsh sanctions when they have fewer offender- and case-specific details to consider. Here, we test the hypothesis that attitudes supporting statutory exclusion laws …

Attachment And Pornography Use: The Influence Of Romantic Attachment Styles, Intimacy, And Pornography Use On Marital Satisfaction, Saudia Twine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The current study sought to answer the following research questions: First, what is the relationship between attachment, intimacy, pornography use, and marital satisfaction? Second, in what ways does intimacy influence marital satisfaction among pornography users with insecure attachment? Finally, is pornography used to regulate attachment emotions among pornography users with insecure attachment? The study revealed that Pornography Use caused an interaction in the relationship between Intimacy and Marital Satisfaction for those higher in Attachment Avoidance. Pornography Use accounted for 3% unique variance on Marital Satisfaction after controlling for Intimacy and Attachment Avoidance. Results also revealed Intimacy had a direct effect …

Butterfly Eyespots: Their Potential Influence On Aesthetic Preferences And Conservation Attitudes, Zoi Manesi, Paul A. M. Van Lange, Thomas V. Pollet

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Research has shown that the mere presence of stimuli that resemble eyes is sufficient to attract attention, elicit aesthetic responses, and can even enhance prosocial behavior. However, it is less clear whether eye-like stimuli could also be used as a tool for nature conservation. Several animal species, including butterflies, develop eye-like markings that are known as eyespots. In the present research, we explored whether the mere display of eyespots on butterfly wings can enhance: (a) liking for a butterfly species, and (b) attitudes and behaviors towards conservation of a butterfly species. Four online experimental studies, involving 613 participants, demonstrated that …

Being Environmentally Responsible: Cosmopolitan Orientation Predicts Pro-Environmental Behaviors, Angela K. Y. Leung, Kelly Koh, Kim-Pong Tam

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Much research has examined individuals' values and beliefs as antecedents or correlates of pro-environmental behaviors (PEB). We approach this question from the novel perspective of individuals' cosmopolitan orientation (CO). We define CO as made up of three essential qualities. First, cultural openness captures individuals' receptiveness to immerse in and learn from other cultures. Second, global prosociality denotes a sense of collective moral obligation to universally respect and promote basic human rights. Third, respect for cultural diversity concerns high tolerance of and appreciation for cultural differences. Across two studies, we validated the Cosmopolitan Orientation Scale (COS) with theoretically related criterion measures …

Controlling The Influence Of Stereotypes On One’S Thoughts (Preprint Title: Controlling Implicit Bias: Insights From A Public Health Perspective), Patrick S. Forscher, Patricia G. Devine

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Research on reducing or controlling implicit bias has been characterized by a tension between the two goals of reducing lingering intergroup disparities and gaining insight into human cognition. The tension between these two goals has created two distinct research traditions, each of which is characterized by different research questions, methods, and ultimate goals. We argue that the divisions between these research traditions are more apparent than real and that the two research traditions could be synergistic. We attempt to integrate the two traditions by arguing that implicit bias, and the disparities it is presumed to cause, is a public health …

Development And Validation Of A State-Based Measure Of Emotion Dysregulation: The State Difficulties In Emotion Regulation Scale (S-Ders), Jason M. Lavender, Matthew T. Tull, David Dilillo, Terri Messman-Moore, Kim L. Gratz

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Existing measures of emotion dysregulation typically assess dispositional tendencies and are therefore not well suited for study designs that require repeated assessments over brief intervals. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a state-based multidimensional measure of emotion dysregulation. Psychometric properties of the State Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (S-DERS) were examined in a large representative community sample of young adult women drawn from four sites (N = 484). Exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor solution, with results supporting the internal consistency, construct validity, and predictive validity of the total scale and the four subscales: Nonacceptance (i.e., …

Response Bias On Self-Report Measures Of Sexual Fantasies Among Sexual Offenders, Kindra Seifert, Jenna Boulas, Matthew T. Huss, Mario J. Scalora

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The impact of sexual fantasies in future risk and treatment response among sexual offenders has long been known. However, as we develop objective self-report measures of sexual fantasies, response bias is becoming an increasing concern. In examining a sample of institutionalized sex offenders, the present study suggests that offenders’ responses on these measures are prone to response bias, the bias does not negate their associations with other self-report measures of sexual deviance, and relationship of their sexual fantasies does not appear to relate to actual behavioral indications. Clinical and research implications for these findings are discussed.

Effects Of Life Review On Happiness And Life Satisfaction In Older Adults, Molly C. White

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Life review involves a systematic, chronological review of an individual’s life from birth to death as well as an examination of the meaningfulness of life experiences and events. The purpose of the current study was to discover the effects of life review on happiness and life satisfaction in the older population. Participants from 71 to 85 years of age completed a demographics questionnaire, the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). SHS and SWLS were completed every other day from the beginning to the end of the data collection process. Once a consistent baseline was reached …

Training Evaluation Investigating Core Self-Evaluations And Perceptions Of Training Transfer, Thomas P. Patterson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Although training evaluation is understood as an important way of determining the effectiveness of a training program, additional research in the area of training transfer and core self-evaluations (CSE) could provide insight on measuring the effectiveness of training programs. Training transfer differences and CSE were examined in training courses offered in a workforce development program. The goals of the study were to: (1) evaluate the validity of using CSE as a means of predicting perceptions of transfer, (2) test the previous findings that utility reactions measures are a stronger predictor of transfer than affective reactions measures, (3) determine which type …

Video Modeling For Teaching Imitation To Young Children With Autism: A Treatment Comparison And Analysis Of Potential Predictors Of Success, Logan S. Mcdowell

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Imitation is a prerequisite for the development of several important abilities. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit a distinct deficit in imitation. There has been a considerable amount of research into the most effective ways to teach this crucial skill. Unfortunately, there are drawbacks to many prevalent teaching strategies including difficulty with implementation and lack of generalization. The present study sought to determine whether video modeling (VM) might function as a successful alternative for teaching imitation to young children with ASD.

The literature on VM has demonstrated that it can be a highly effective technique for teaching a variety …

Least Among Brethren, Dami Onifade

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

I was in the second row of Dr. Jules Herrell’s psychology class on a brisk day in Washington DC when I heard about the prison experiment at Stanford University during a college lecture. Naturally, I was shocked to learn young men my age that had gone in as equals could turn on each other for a meager salary and free meals. I wanted to show this quality of people in situations involving intimidation, peer pressure and envy. My co-writers and I found a way into the narrative through the bond of two friends, Prince and Malachi. This allowed us a …

Paradoxical Interaction Between Ocular Activity, Perception, And Decision Confidence At The Threshold Of Vision, Aaron Schurger

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

In humans and some other species perceptual decision-making is complemented by the ability to make confidence judgements about the certainty of sensory evidence. While both forms of decision process have been studied empirically, the precise relationship between them remains poorly understood. We performed an experiment that combined a perceptual decision-making task (identifying the category of a faint visual stimulus) with a confidence-judgement task (wagering on the accuracy of each perceptual decision). The visual stimulation paradigm required steady fixation, so we used eye-tracking to control for stray eye movements. Our data analyses revealed an unexpected and counterintuitive interaction between the steadiness …

The Impact Of Treatment Exposure, Trauma, And Caregiver Involvement In Therapy On Children's Response To Behavioral Treatment, Mindy R. Chadwell

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Early childhood represents a time period during of rapid growth and development including physical development, language and communication, autonomy, and a wide variety of self-regulation skills (Campbell, 2006; Egger & Angold, 2006). Children vary in the rates at which they achieve these skills and they may challenge their parents through behaviors such as noncompliance and temper tantrums (Butler & Eyberg, 2006). Failure for children to adequately develop these basic skills can contribute to the development of behavior problems that lead to persistent problems throughout life (Whittaker et al., 2011). This study examined three factors that influence young children’s response to …

The Influence Of Texting And Virtual Peers On Adolescent Alcohol Use, Eric Steven Gregory

Dissertations

The Social Development Theory has guided substance abuse prevention planning and programming for the past two decades. One of the key risk factors cited in and targeted by Social Development Model strategies is that of the influence of peers on adolescent substance use. With the advent of modern cellular technology, the manner in which adolescents currently interact has shifted in preference from that of traditional face-to-face to interaction through text messaging. Recent research has suggested a link between the frequency of adolescent texting behavior and adolescent substance use. This shift in interaction may influence the mechanisms of peer influence and …

Physical Activity As A Contributing Factor To Engagement In Self-Harm Behaviors Among Youth, Shannon Danielle Boone

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study explored the potential for physical activity to be an effective, healthy coping strategy alternative to self-harm behaviors. Regression analyses were performed to assess how physical activity level related to risk factors (i.e., emotional dysregulation, self-esteem, and depression) and self-harm behaviors. The relationship between selfharm and exercise motivations was also examined. Participants were recruited from two high schools (n = 95) and one university (n = 72) in the southeastern region of the United States. Analyses were run using the following measures from a survey packet: adapted Exercise Questionnaire (Helmerhorst, Brage, Warren, Besson, & Ekelund, 2012), Exercise Motivations Inventory—Second …

Can Quantitative Assessment Of Moral Identity Be Improved?, David Adrion Baker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

According to results from Aquino and Reed (study 5, 2002) and Hall and Derryberry (2010), high means and very low standard deviations of the average score for each question for both the internalization and symbolization scales of the Moral Identity Scale (MIS) are common. This study attempts to measure the extent to which a person considers morality to be a central part of his or her self-concept. Because participants may feel pressure to respond in a certain way on the MIS, the role of social desirability to respond favorably is very plausible. The current study, therefore, attempts to reduce socially …

Using Critical Incidents: The Development Of A Behaviorally Based Training Program For Supervisor Citizenship Behavior And Feedback Skills, Jody J. Lecheler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

It has been argued (Greer, 2013) that supervisors are a critical component in organizational effectiveness. Supervisors are required to hold many roles within the organization (Evans, 1965). Specifically, employees often see supervisors as representatives of the organization, while the organization depends on supervisors to maintain production (Greer, 2013). Many supervisors also fill a variety of other organizational roles such as mentor, trainer, motivator, disciplinarian, evaluator, and leader (Evans, 1965). For these reasons, effective supervisors are crucial to organizational success. The present study developed a behaviorally based training program for supervisors for a poultry processing organization. The training program content included …

Further Evaluating The Effect Of Behavioral Observability And Overall Impressions On Rater Agreement: A Replication Study, Patrick Sizemore

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This replication study sought to analyze the effects of behavioral observability and overall impressions on rater agreement, as recently examined by Roch, Paquin, & Littlejohn (2009) and Scott (2012). Results from the study performed by Roch et al. indicated that raters are more likely to agree when items are either more difficult to rate or less observable. In the replication study conducted by Scott, the results did not support the relationship which Roch et al. found between observability and rater agreement, but did support the relationship previously found between item difficulty and rater agreement. The four objectives of this replication …

Estimation Of The Squared Population Cross-Validity Under Conditions Of Predictor Selection, Andrew J. Kircher

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study employed a Monte Carlo design to examine whether samplebased and formula-based estimates of cross-validated R2 differ in accuracy when predictor selection is and is not performed. Analyses were conducted on three datasets with 5, 10, or 15 predictors and different predictor-criterion relationships. Results demonstrated that, in most cases, a formula-based estimate of the cross-validated R2 was as accurate as a sample-based estimate. The one exception was the five predictor case wherein the formula-based estimate exhibited substantially greater bias than the estimate from a sample-based cross validation study. Thus, formula-based estimates, which have an enormous practical advantage over …

Too Materialistic To Get Married And Have Children?, Norman P. Li, Amy J. Y. Lim, Ming-Hong Tsai, Jiaqing O

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

We developed new materials to induce a luxury mindset and activate materialistic values, and examined materialism’s relationship to attitudes toward marriage and having children in Singapore. Path analyses indicated that materialistic values led to more negative attitudes toward marriage, which led to more negative attitudes toward children, which in turn led to a decreased number of children desired. Results across two studies highlight, at the individual level, the tradeoff between materialistic values and attitudes toward marriage and procreation and suggest that a consideration of psychological variables such as materialistic values may allow for a better understanding of larger-scale socioeconomic issues …

The Ultimate Love-Hate Relationship: Examining Sport Commitment In Collegiate Track & Field Athletes, Kara Walsh

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The purpose of this study was to examine sport commitment among collegiate track and field athletes in order to determine what factors influence continued participation throughout an entire college career. A survey was administered to 431 track and field athletes across each of the three NCAA divisions. The survey included a modified version of the Athletes’ Opinion Survey based on the Sport Commitment Model (Scanlan et al., 1993), which measures the relationship between sport commitment, sport enjoyment, personal investments, social constraints, social support, involvement alternatives and involvement opportunities. Additionally, the survey included a modified version of the Exercise Commitment Scale …

Bugs Are Not Loved, David Bober

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

The story The Metamorphosis is about Gregor, a young salesman, who turns into a giant insect. Over the course of The Metamorphosis, Gregor slowly begins to hate his change more and more. During his change, he slowly separates from his family to the point where they are relieved when he dies. This story is important because the protagonists has clear ordeals with change and how it affects him. From the story, I learned that most change is often resented, and when change is pushed, it usually ends negatively.

An Examination Of The Perceived Fairness Of Pregnancy Leave Practices, Pamela N. Wheeler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

As the number of women entering postsecondary education continues to increase (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014), universities will be tasked with ensuring that their pregnancy leave policies and practices are aligned with the principles of organizational justice. When organizations are aware of the perceptions of both decision makers and those affect by decisions, they are able to alter policies and practices in a way that promotes perceptions of fairness. The present study examines department head and faculty member perceptions of pregnancy leave practices in a university setting. This study is a replication/follow-up of two studies conducted in 2005 and …

Workplace Discrimination Climate And Team Effectiveness: The Mediating Role Of Collective Value Congruence, Team Cohesion, And Collective Affective Commitment, Anya T. Edun

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the relationship between workplace discrimination climate on team effectiveness through three serial mediators: collective value congruence, team cohesion, and collective affective commitment. As more individuals of marginalized groups diversify the workforce and as more organizations move toward team-based work (Cannon-Bowers & Bowers, 2010), it is imperative to understand how employees perceive their organization’s discriminatory climate as well as its effect on teams. An archival dataset consisting of 6,824 respondents was used, resulting in 332 work teams with five or more members in each. The data were collected as part of an employee climate survey administered in 2011 …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Discrete Trial Procedures For Teaching Receptive Discrimination To Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Desiree J. Sepulveda

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has found that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) show significant deficits in receptive language skills (Wiesmer, Lord, & Esler, 2010). One of the primary goals of applied behavior analytic intervention is to improve the communication skills of children with autism by teaching receptive discriminations. Both receptive discriminations and receptive language entail matching spoken words with corresponding objects, symbols (e.g., pictures or words), actions, people, and so on (Green, 2001). In order to develop receptive language skills, children with autism often undergo discrimination training within the context of discrete trial training. This training entails teaching the learner how to …

Lay Theories About Social Class Buffer Lower-Class Individuals Against Poor Self-Rated Health And Negative Affect, Jacinth J. X. Tan, Michael W. Kraus

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The economic conditions of one’s life can profoundly and systematically influence health outcomes over the life course. Our present research demonstrates that rejecting the notion that social class categories are biologically determined—a nonessentialist belief—buffers lower-class individuals from poor self-rated health and negative affect, whereas conceiving of social class categories as rooted in biology—an essentialist belief—does not. In Study 1, lower-class individuals self-reported poorer health than upper-class individuals when they endorsed essentialist beliefs but showed no such difference when they rejected such beliefs. Exposure to essentialist theories of social class also led lower-class individuals to report greater feelings of negative self-conscious …

The Motivation To Express Prejudice, Patrick S. Forscher, William T.L. Cox, Nicholas Graetz, Patricia G. Devine

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Contemporary prejudice research focuses primarily on people who are motivated to respond without prejudice and the ways in which unintentional bias can cause these people to act inconsistent with this motivation. However, some real-world phenomena (e.g., hate speech, hate crimes) and experimental findings (e.g., Plant & Devine, 2001; 2009) suggest that some expressions of prejudice are intentional. These phenomena and findings are difficult to explain solely from the motivations to respond without prejudice. We argue that some people are motivated to express prejudice, and we develop the motivation to express prejudice (MP) scale to measure this motivation. In seven studies …