Psychology Commons^™

A Study Of The Function Of Visual Imagery, Type Of Mediator, And Associative Frequency In Induced Mediation Paradigms, Ted Christiansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bugelski and Sharlock (1952) credit McGeoch with saying that although the concept of mediation was an old one, it had generated more discussion than experimentation. Bugelski and Sharlock in commenting on McGeoch's statements had this to say, "The concept of mediation is of great potential value for the psychological analysis of learning, thinking, and insight." (Bugelski and Sharlock, 1952, p. 334) The views of Bugelski and Sharlock represent the current thinking in verbal learning circles relevant to the importance of mediation in symbolic forms of behavior. The experimental emphasis, at the present time, is upon the conditions underlying the process. …

The Use Of "Fashion Therapy" As Adjunctive Therapy In The Rehabilitation Of Psychiatric Patients, Virginia Geddes Eyestone

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mental illness is one of the greatest public health problems and foremost challenges of our time. However, because of improved medical practices and modern research methods, more mental patients are now being released and returned to society than at any other recorded period.

The mentally ill person loses touch with reality. Things that once were of primary concern are no longer important. Many mental patients become accustomed to carelessness in dress and personal habits. This state of deterioration often remains as a mark of mental illness, and the resulting inappropriate dress frequently limits the activity of the individual. The patient …

Suggestibility Of Placebo Reactors And Non-Reactors In The Autokinetic Situation, Lee Glenn Mason

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The phenomenon of not relying solely up on one's own judgment and of distorting one's perception toward a perceived social norm has been observed to take place with a rather large percentage of subjects participating in a number of research projects. Both Asch and Sherif have done extensive work showing this distortion of perception when an individual is placed in a group setting and finds himself in a contradictory position between his own perception and that of the other group members.

Factors Related To First Year College Success In A Selected Group Of Scholarship Recipients, Laverl C. Giles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The idea of a scholarship program is almost as old as the oldest institution of higher learning. The universality of such a program is almost completely comprehensive throughout the world. Although the purpose of scholarship programs has varied as much as each of the institutions varies, in most of the situations the programs have been well acclaimed. The success of these programs in terms of the student has often been tested or at least scrutinized. This type of study has been attempted several times. However, both Harris (11) and Endler (7), in reviewing the literature from 1931 to 1959, report …

A Comparison Of The Academic Achievement And Social Adjustment Of Mentally Retarded Students, C. Thomas Musgrave

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Public awareness of the problem of mental retardation is relatively new. Professional services in this area are less than one hundred and fifty years old in America. In essence, the treatment of the mentally retarded since ancient times has been very harsh. The Spartans from ancient Greece left all defectives exposed to the elements to die. They were treated with aversion and subjected to many indignities.

The Verbal-Quantitative Differential As An Indicator Of Personality Maladjustment, Robert W. Spencer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Counseling centers at many universities are constantly trying to improve their value to the universities by identifying the students who have problems, and by making known to students the services that are available. Since many counseling centers are in direct contact with large numbers of students during the admissions testing program, it would seem that data gathered at this time should be carefully examined for clues that would aid a student in making a healthy and profitable adjustment to his university environment.

Informational And Teaching Effects On Changes In Prejudice Of College Students, Nolan E. Ashman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An attempt was made in the present research to investigate the effects of informational source, instructional differences, environment in the college, and awareness of ethnic and religious attitudes as the result of the administration of the test instrument.

Subjects used in the study were drawn from courses in general psychology and basic orientation courses in engineering. All subjects were presented with a revision of the Bogardus Social Distance Scale following the fall quarter of instruction (1960-61 academic year). All but a control group taken from one psychology section received the same scale at the beginning of the instructional period.

Since …

The Programmed Text As An Aid To Teaching Spelling In Junior High School, Gordon Howard Nicholls

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Organized education, historically, has been slow to commit itself to any sort of intensive examination of how learning can be both analyzed and substantially improved. But today Komoski (1960) tells us that we are looking beyond the traditional approaches to teaching. If a newly developed method is shown to be more effective than the techniques which have traditionally been employed, it is carefully considered for incorporation into the current education program.

Programmed instruction is just such an example of a recently developed teaching method which claims it will contribute much to education. It dates back to Pressey's report (1926) of …

The Self-Concept And Failure In The Junior High School, Milton C. Madsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

From the observations of counselors and teachers within our school district there seem to be these indications: (a) That many failing students are experiencing personal adjustment problems due to a faulty self concept and that they tend to behave in terms of how they perceive themselves, or according to the role forced on them by others. So if they have been labeled as a failing student this is the role they perceive for themselves and they tend to behave in terms of the role they perceive for themselves. (b) Non-promoted students who have been retained seem to have a lower …

A Description And An Evaluation Of The Admissions Policy At Utah State University As It Relates To Low Performing Students, Vincent Eugene Erickson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It has been evidenced by the increased amount of contacts being made in Counseling Services of Utah State University that students have been very much concerned about whether or not they should be in college. The discussion concerning which college to attend has been heard often among high school graduates, and for many, Utah State University has been a first choice. An increased drop-out rate among students has been found in the past few years. This study has been accomplished to determine which of the entering students at Utah State have been sufficiently prepared to enter into a course of …

Children's Friends In Ability Vs. Randomly Grouped Classrooms, Nolan Kay Griffin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For over forty years ability grouping has been of professional concern to educators in the United States (Reisner, 1936). There have been fundamental changes in educational theory and practice during that time, one of which is the recognition that educational practices must adjust to individual differences. The interpretation of "equal opportunity" in education has gradually changed from meaning the same methods, standards, and course content for all children, to meaning the full opportunity for each child to develop his own potential in a school program suited to his individual capacities and needs.

The interpersonal relationships and social development of school …

Pupil Attitudes Toward School, Peers, And Teachers Under Ability-Grouped And Random-Grouped Systems In Weber And Ogden School Districts, Val R. Christensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Attitudes are usually defined as feelings for or against something (Remmers and Gage, 1955). They are very important in the lives of people because they help determine future success in an individual's life. Because of them one works to get the things he wants, one votes for or against certain issues, one joins a cause, opposes something, or attempts to influence others.

A Further Study Of Perceptual Defense, Alma L. Carlisle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For many years, psychologists have been trying to find the relationship between perception and different factors of personality. Different experimental techniques were constructed to measure these concepts. One of the tools used to measure personality factors and their effect on perception was the tachistoscope. Through the use of this instrument, words or pictures could be flashed on a screen at varying rates of speed, or illumination. The subject upon watching these flashes, would relate the information which he perceived.

An Analysis Of The Achievement Gains Made By Students In Ability-Grouped Vs. Random-Grouped Classroom Units, Luan H. Ferrin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Because of the rapid advancements being made in the field of knowledge, educators, as well as those in other fields, must periodically take inventory. Current practices, policies, and methods must be carefully scrutinized to determine if they are the most effective. The group or class method of instruction is one such area.

A Comparison Of Aspiration Levels Of Students In Ability-Grouped And Randomly-Grouped Schools, George Aaron Jeffs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Grouping students with in the school setting has long been a concern to all those associated with the educative process. Much investigation has been devoted to the position of level of aspiration as influential motive forces for educational, occupational, and social achievement. Many avenues of grouping have been investigated and some very thoroughly. However, research concerning grouping in relation to level of aspiration in the school setting appears to be extremely limited. This study is designed to further investigate this issue. It might be said that this study consists of essentially two phases: (1) the development of instruments for measuring …

Educational Grouping And Students' Self Concept, John N. Giboney

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The question of ability grouping in education has achieved prominence, especially in recent years. Much of the emphasis placed on grouping students according to ability rather than chronological age is a product of modern times and progressive education. Although not accepted by all educators, there is a definite movement toward such a procedure in public schools today. It is held by the advocates of ability grouping that students will benefit more in a situation where they proceed at a rate prescribed by their ability rather than a hypothetical average or norm. Several well-controlled studies (3, 33, 44) have shown that …

An Evaluation Of Social Stars, Regulars, Neglectees, And Isolates In Ability-Grouped And Random-Grouped Classrooms, Benjamin W. Standing

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Education in the United States attempts to present maximum opportunities for learning in a democratic atmosphere. Many great educators have sought means to accomplish this end. Today, because of the stimulating force of other nations, even greater pressure is being brought to bear to achieve these goals. The plan of grouping pupils according to their abilities has been presented as one way to facilitate learning.

Ability grouping is the assigning of pupils who are essentially alike to special grade levels and to parallel sections of the same grade. Although it may be thought that ability grouping is a new procedure, …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Effects Of Heterogeneous And Homogeneous Elementary School Grouping Practices On Selected Personality Variables, Clarence D. Swaner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relative advantages or disadvantages associated with the practice of grouping school children according to ability level has long been the subject of considerable discussion among educators. The general tendency has been for educators to divide into two camps: Those who expound the various merits of homogeneous grouping, and those who favor and support heterogeneous grouping practices. Less common, but acknowledged, are those educators who favor a combination of the two methods. Research dealing with the relative value of either method has usually been concerned with only one aspect of the problem--that of academic achievement. However, the efforts of several …

A Comparison Of Underachievers And Normal Achievers At The Upper-Elementary And Seventh-Grade Level, M. Nephi Manning

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

That each is born with differing capacities and potentials is self-evident. Both students and teachers should accept as their right and duty the task of bringing to full fruition these latent potentialities.

It is a cause of concern in the nation, among parents and teachers, and in later years among students themselves, that many of our youth fail to achieve that of which they are capable. This is a loss to society and a disappointment to the individual.

The purpose of this study is to add to the growing fund of knowledge concerning factors related to this important area of …

The Teaching Machine As A Study Aid At The College Level, John R. Cragun

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One of the most interesting and challenging problems to confront those interested in the learning process in recent years is the entire area of the self-instructional device, or "teaching machine." The idea of the teaching machine is not new, for Pressey (49) in 1926 wrote concerning a device he had developed, and at the same time indicated that he had had such a device in mind for "a number of years." After this introduction by Pressey, the teaching machine movement lay dormant for several years with only an occasional article written that had any direct relationship to this area. This …

Predicting Mathematics 34 And 35 Grades At Utah State University, Donald N. Jensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Incoming freshman students are confronted early in their college career with the problem of selecting a program of study that fits their needs, capacities and interests. Counselors and advisors have found that a large number of students do not give prior deliberation to the selection of a major field of study. For the most part, students use a trial and error method in making their choices. That is, their choice is a result of success in previous class work. Although some effort is being made by educational personnel to resolve this problem, a large amount of objective research remains to …

A Survey Of The Use Of Standardized Tests In The Junior High Schools Of Weber County, Ashlaug J. Jackson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is evident from the literature reviewed that there is a need for better understanding and utilization of standardized test results. It seems that unless tests contribute to the learning process they are not justifiable. Merritt (12, p. 66) says the main objective of all endeavor is to promote learning. Ultimately, the worth of any activity carried on in the schools has to be judged by the contribution this activity makes toward the improvement of learning. Testing is no exception. In a broad sense, desirable learning has taken place when behavior has been changed in socially approved directions. Testing is …

Comparison Of The Utah State Agricultural College Mathematics Entrance Examination Computational Form Versus Multiple-Choice, Wilson Walker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is the standard practice in colleges and universities to administer to all entering students a battery of tests which are designed to measure the aptitude and ability of students. Each institution uses in its test battery those tests which are best suited to its particular needs, but in the main they consist of measures of general mental ability, the ability to understand and use the English language and the ability to understand and to use mathematical symbols. These tests are available to the institution through companies which construct and standardize tests of all kinds. In addition to these tests, …

Certain Basic Concepts In The Educational Philosophy Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints 1830-1930, Wendell O. Rich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study is an attempt to search out and define, where possible, certain basic concepts in the educational philosophy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints during its first century from 1830 to 1930. Commonly known as the Mormon Church, the membership numbered approximately one million two hundred thousand in 1954. While concentrated largely in the Western United States area, it has many congregations across the United States and scattered in countries throughout the world. Showing an active interest in education, the Church has sponsored a program both formal and informal in nature. This program, with its accompanying …

The Development Of The Blackfoot Clinical Rating Scale For Evaluating And Recording Personality Changes In Mentally Ill Patients, John R. Cochran

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The problem discussed in this thesis is the conception, development, and application of the Blackfoot Clinical Rating Scale, together with methods employed in establishing reliability and validity.

A Study Of The 1947 American Council On Education Psychological Examination And Its Usefulness In Predicting The Grades Of Utah State Agricultural College Freshmen, Russell B. Bateson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Prediction of future performance is attempted in almost every field of endeavor. The accuracy varies in different lines of study, and perhaps none is as subject to variability as those attempted with human beings as subjects.

When an attempt is made to ascertain in advance the performance of college students in their schoolwork, a multiplicity of complicating problems are introduced. Whereas intelligence can be fairly well isolated, it is difficult to control or even enumerated all the other factors that come into the problem of predicting grades from scores received on an intelligence examination. Among the factors that are difficult …

A Study Of The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory As An Index Of Maladjustment In Certain Areas Of College Life, Glenn Rogers Hawkes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is apparent to college workers that inadequate adjustment to college loses many potential scholars to the world. It is further apparent that many students fall short of realizing their full capabilities because of lack of adjustment. To meet this condition, more and more colleges and universities are instituting and developing counseling services. Because of the increases cost of such service and the extended time involved, it has become apparent that any device which improves the efficiency of counseling is highly desirable.

Elements Of Personality Maladjustment Among Freshmen Students Entering Utah State Agricultural College, 1947, William R. Dobson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For the past number of years, in attempting to diagnose maladjustment, psychologists have made and used a great number of tests. These tests have ranged from the simple question-answer test up to complicated projective tests. In any personality test an inescapable question is its validity. Especially is this question important in the so-called personality inventories where the person taking the test merely answers yes or no to a number of questions about himself. In this situation it is easy to see how a person could, if he wished, make himself appear to be "better" than he actually is.

The Effects Of Serial Testing Upon The Results Of The Standford-Binet Tests Of Intelligence, Betsey Rogers Mccullough

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Revised Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale probably is the best instrument we now have for measuring the general intelligence of young people. Using this scale we can foretell to a large degree a child's future mental growth; and with this knowledge as an important part of the total knowledge needed for prediction, we can more scientifically plan his further education and his vocational choice.

An Evaluation Of The Guidance Tests Given At Utah State Agricultural College For The Year 1946-1947, Robert L. Egbert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The guidance tests given at Utah State Agricultural College are used in helping students in the selection of their vocational objectives and in helping in the planning of a program of study. The problem of this thesis is threefold: (1) to determine the value of the entrance tests given at the Utah State Agricultural College in the Fall of 1945-47 for predictive purposes in counseling students on vocational choices; (2) to compare by statistical analysis, using the entrance tests as criteria, students from the various high schools, and to compare by similar analysis the quality of students entering the various …