Psychology Commons^™

Full Issue

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

No abstract provided.

The Etiology Of Mdd In Sexual Minority Youth And Its Implications For Treatment, Keith Burns

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Greater tolerance and understanding of homosexuality, transgenderism, and other forms of gender nonconformity have sparked an increased effort to reach out to and help sexual minorities (i.e., groups whose sexual identity, orientation, or practices differ from cisgender heterosexuality), especially those who experience mental health challenges. Despite immense progress in society, deeply rooted social stigma, prejudice, and discrimination have often left sexual minorities feeling bullied, ostracized, and isolated, which tends to reinforce a host of negative mental health outcomes, such as increased risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) and suicidality (Hatchel et al., 2018). While mental health clinicians have become increasingly …

Experiences Of Nonbinary And Gender Nonconforming Individuals Within The Healthcare System, Chloe B. Lacey

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Though nonbinary and gender nonconforming people are becoming increasingly recognized in North America, specialized healthcare—specifically gender-affirming procedures—are not becoming available to them. Researchers have examined the subjective experiences of these individuals as they have navigated the healthcare system in order to further understand possible limitations for nonbinary and gender nonconforming populations. Methods include assessing the procedures available to participants and their interpersonal experiences with healthcare professionals and family members. Scientific resources on this topic are limited, and the results are overwhelmingly represented by self-report. Furthermore, the content of the results is majorly negative toward the participants’ experiences. Participants report verbal …

The Unintentional Cost Of A Free Public Sex Offender Registry, Rebekah E. Leavitt

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

This literature review analyzes the efficacy of modern legislation guiding public access to sex offender registries and draws on research utilizing surveys, interviews, and statistical observations of convicted sex offenders to determine sources of ineffective practices at the legislative level. By utilizing Braithwaite’s reintegrative shaming theory (1989), in which stigmatizing shame is significantly less efficient in criminal contexts, current legislation and its impact on common issues experienced by sex offenders (including sexually addictive behaviors and childhood sexual abuse) are examined. The discerned prevalence of stigmatizing shame in modern legislation, which focuses on the individual rather than the undesirable behavior, indicates …

The Events Of Child Sexual Abuse Disclosure, Mia R. Urmston

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide issue leading to problems shortly following abuse and well into the victims’ lives. Specific barriers have been found to delay one’s disclosure of CSA. Common reasons for delayed CSA disclosure among recently abused children and adult survivors of CSA are the fear of not being believed and not having a trusted adult with whom they can disclose their CSA experience. Feelings of shame brought on by comments from the perpetrator were also common among those who delayed CSA disclosure. Action is needed to transition CSA disclosure from being an event into more of …

Failure To Report: The Detrimental Effects Following Sexual Assault, Lindsey R. Osborne

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Sexual assault is a prominent issue in society, yet many people remain unaware of the serious effects following sexual assault. Victims who report to legal authorities tend to experience disbelief and blame because of the prevalence of rape myths. Due to the severity of the trauma, hormones released by the brain hinder proper brain functioning and can cause a little-known evolutionary response termed tonic immobility (TI). The psychological outcome of sexual assault commonly results in or worsens several psychological conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and drug and alcohol abuse. Guilt, self-blame, and adverse emotions are accelerated with negative interactions while …

Love On The Telephone: Sexting And Intimacy In Committed Couple Relationships, Katharine G. Davidson

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

This literature review explores research on sexting—the sending of nude or partially nude photographs or sexual messages via technological mediums—within couple relationships. While sexting has often been touted as an unhealthy or deviant practice among adolescents and adults, recent attitudes and research suggest that sexting in committed couple relationships may be associated with some positive outcomes, such as higher sexual satisfaction. This paper focuses on the relationship contexts in which sexting is more likely to have positive or negative outcomes. Insecure attachment, lower emotional commitment, and negative motivations for sexting may lead to less intimacy in the relationship instead of …

Girls Will Be Girls: Perceptions Of Sexuality And Friendship Based On Gender, Rachel C. Baltes

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Note from the Editor:

Most of the manuscripts that Intuition publishes are literature reviews and research papers. However, Intuition accepts a wide variety of manuscripts, including book reviews, essays, and psychology-themed creative works such as poetry. Thus, the following manuscript is an editorial article and will differ greatly in both content and tone from other pieces published in this issue.

First Fictional Crush: Effects Of Parasocial Attachments On Female Adolescent Relationships, Emily J. Burnham

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Romantic movies, TV shows, and mature novels are endorsed and consumed by many individuals in society—particularly women. However, media may not always portray reality accurately, which might mislead adolescent females who are still developing socially, sexually, emotionally, and cognitively. Studies have indicated that young women may naturally turn to parasocial romantic relationships (PSRRs)—one-sided emotional attachments to fictional characters in media—to explore their developing romantic expectations and sexuality in a way that appears to be harmless and free of consequence (Erickson et al., 2018). However, several effects of PSRRs may have a detrimental impact on adolescent females whose emotions become extremely …

Sociocultural Factors Of Female Sexual Desire And Sexual Satisfaction, Matysen Evensen

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Historically, research on the human sexual-response cycle has not accounted for individual differences in gender and context. As a circular female response cycle was introduced in the latter end of the 20th century, differentiation between male and female sexuality was embraced, and individual variation between women became commonly known for the first time. As part of this historical shift, sexual desire became an integral part of the sexual experience (Basson, 2000). Most research on female sexual desire focuses on low desire and diagnosable conditions, but, among researchers, there is a growing consensus for additional focus into the roots of female …

Front Matter

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

No abstract provided.

Full Issue

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

No abstract provided.

Incorporating Religion Into Therapy To Better Treat Depression, Jacob Tubbs

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common treatment option for depression. Often, CBT is only effective at masking the symptoms of depression without helping the person overcome depression altogether; thus, it may benefit CBT patients if alternative therapies are combined with CBT. Incorporating the patient’s religion into therapy is an alternative that may help many people. A large percentage of Americans are still religious or spiritual. This literature review discusses methods of building a personalized version of CBT that incorporates the patient’s religion, or religiously integrated CBT (RCBT), and the effects …

Judicious Vulnerability: How Humility, Teachability, And Awareness Impact Teams In Organizational Settings, Mac Strachan

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

In some professions, such as medicine, law enforcement, athletics, and education, maintaining high performance standards while being emotionally stoic often leads to work fatigue and burnout. This state of being can be detrimental to the health of both the professionals and the organization that employs them, bringing into question the necessity of a culture driven by competition and ego. As such, this paper explores the concept of vulnerability as a means to explain cognitive and emotional processes that positively affect relational behavior and organizational culture. Judicious vulnerability sits at the intersection of humility, teachability, and awareness and has the capacity …

Birth Order: Shaping Lives One Sibling At A Time, Savannah Sarvey

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Personality development, and even intelligence, is influenced by family members once a child is brought into the world. The family, especially the siblings, has a notable impact on the child’s development. Siblings provide the first social interactions children have, both positive and negative. Siblings affect the personality and intellectual development of individuals via differences in family responsibilities and changes that arise in the home environment as more children are added to the household. Older siblings will likely have stronger leadership skills because of these responsibilities, and younger children may not receive as many benefits in intellectual abilities because of these …

Socially Prescribed Perfectionism: A Threat To University Students’ Success, Kelsie J. Richards

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) can lead to increased rates of dropout among university students. Perfectionistic expectations can create chronic stress and various negative emotions, which can lead to mental health problems. In addition, students with SPP may feel a strong obligation to pursue higher education and may therefore be less intrinsically motivated to learn, placing more importance on obtaining high grades than on learning. Unfortunately, this prioritization of grades over learning may also increase the risk of cheating among these students. Procrastination of homework and avoidance of situations that can expose their imperfections to others may impact these students’ performance …

Put The Score On The Back Burner: Coach–Athlete Relationships And Anxiety, Tiffany Peterson

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Anxiety is a very prevalent mental disorder among adolescents and can be unfavorable to their developing mental, cognitive, and social health. Although it comes in many forms, social anxiety disorder, which can affect peer relations, academic success, and sport performance, can be especially difficult during teenage years. More specifically, high school sports provide many situations and stressors that can trigger social anxiety. Some major aspects of high school sports that can trigger social anxiety are working with teammates and learning from coaches. This review seeks to provide a better understanding of the effect that the coach–athlete relationship has on anxiety …

Helping Babies: The Mental And Physical Effects Of Massage Therapy On Preterm Infants, Sadie Johnson

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

The purpose of this paper is to address and review the literature regarding the effects of massage therapy on preterm infants. Each of the studies done focused on infants aged 0–12 months. The literature specifically looks at irritability states, stress, analgesia, weight-gain, sleep-wake cycles, cognition, and gastrointestinal function. In accordance with the studies reviewed in this article, I deduce that massage therapy can be used with preterm infants to reduce irritability and stress, increase weight-gain, support greater rest, facilitate short-term cognitive improvement, and create a greater improvement in gastrointestinal function. Massage therapy can also reduce pain in infants who have …

Anxiety Disorders: A Review Of Neurobiological Structures, Neurocognitive Expressions, And Treatment Options, Lucy A. Jessee

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

There are many types of anxiety disorders, all of which are most recognizable by their display of excessive fear or worry. In order to fully recognize and treat anxiety disorders, individuals must understand the neurobiological causes and neurocognitive expressions of the disorder. This review examines 16 studies on the neurobiology, cognitive symptoms, and treatment options for anxiety disorders. This revealed that the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, visual cortex, and superior temporal gyrus play a substantial role in anxiety disorders. These biological substrates are then linked to common cognitive symptoms of anxiety disorders, including executive function deficits. Finally, both neuropharmacological therapy and …

Efficacy Of Narrative Exposure Therapy Among Refugees With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Jarom J. R. Hickenlooper

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent among refugee and asylum-seeker populations. Narrative exposure therapy (NET) has been effective in reducing PTSD symptoms in multiple trials. The present review analyzed 19 studies from the PsychInfo database, in which NET was utilized for exclusively refugee or asylum-seeker populations in locations of resettlement. Studies demonstrated effectiveness in reducing PTSD symptoms. In most studies, NET was more effective than other mental health treatments. Results indicated moderate to insignificant symptom reduction in other measures as well, including measures of depression. Discussions in each of the studies were examined for common themes regarding efficacy. Implications for …

Assessing The Health Effects Of Police Violence On Black Communities In America: A Literature Review, Darian Hannig

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Police-related mortality rates are disproportionately higher among Black populations than among any other racial group in the United States. While official data on non-fatal encounters with police is lacking, current evidence suggests these encounters are more common among Black individuals and often result in signs of immediate psychological and physical damage, as well as triggering long-lasting physiological stress responses and psychological trauma among these individuals and their communities. The aim of this literature review is to assess if police interactions are associated with poor mental and physical health outcomes among Black Americans. Using scholarly electronic databases, 13 articles were analyzed …

Empathy And Fairness In Nonhuman Primates: Evolutionary Bases Of Human Morality, Colt Halter

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Darwin offered an evolutionary perspective on the origins of human morality, suggesting that humans share a biological foundation with nonhuman primates. This paper reviews the current literature on moral and prosocial behaviors of nonhuman primates, specifically examining whether nonhuman primates exhibit behaviors that are typical of empathy and fairness. The literature documents that nonhuman primates exhibit empathetic behaviors regarding emotional contagion and sympathetic concern. There is also evidence that nonhuman primates have a sense of fairness, seen in their reciprocal behaviors and aversion to inequity. Taken together, this suggests that there are evolutionary roots of morality, lending empirical support to …

Guilt By Obesity: A Closer Look At Obesity Stigmas, Loriana Goulding

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Obesity stigmas have led to an increased interest in the body-positivity movement in recent years. However, despite the decreasing discrimination and shaming of the obese, many people still consciously and unconsciously adhere to obesity stigmas and myths. These false beliefs are harmful not only to obese individuals but also to society, given that over 1/3 of the U.S. adult population is now obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). These stigmas can be especially harmful to obese individuals who are victims of wrongdoings and to obese individuals who are accused of a wrongdoing (Yamawaki, Riley, Rasmussen, & Cook, 2018). …

The Comorbidity Of Drug And Alcohol Consumption In Relation To Mental Health Disorders, Sydney Dawson

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

The constantly increasing use of drugs and alcohol in young adults has created great controversy in the medical community on the long-term effects of these substances. The average brain development of adolescence and young adults is not complete until the age of 25, though drug and alcohol intake occur across the United States at younger ages each year. Impulsive behavior and underdeveloped neural pathways create a strong pull for addiction formulations and the development of severe mental-health problems. This paper reviews the positive and negative effects of illicit drugs and alcohol intake and their comorbidity with mental health disorders. There …

Specific Challenges Faced By Females With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Brad W. Davis

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complicated developmental condition. ASD is typically known as a male-associated disorder with three to four times as many males diagnosed with the disorder than females (Loomes, Hull, & Mandy, 2017). Recent studies on the differences between males and females with ASD have recognized an underdiagnosis of females with ASD. Researchers have found that females with ASD have a specific set of mannerisms and struggles that differ from their male counterparts, which may be “camouflaging” the females into society (Lai et al., 2019). Many undiagnosed females with ASD are not receiving the mental, emotional, and …

Exploring The Relationship Between Wealth And Happiness In An International Context, Madison Coleman

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

This paper explores the literature regarding the relationship between wealth and happiness in cross-cultural or international contexts. A search on several online databases found 23 articles relevant to the topic. The authors studied this wealth-happiness relationship using varying definitions of subjective well-being (SWB) and life satisfaction to measure happiness, and using absolute income, relative income, consumption, or national income to measure wealth. This review discusses several theories that discuss the relationship between wealth and happiness and the causal factors that may explain it. These include the fulfillment of basic needs, social comparison, and the presence of certain demographic markers or …

Scrupulosity And Latter-Day Saints: The Potential Benefits Of Tolerating Uncertainty, Madeline R. Christensen

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Many religious individuals, including members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS individuals), suffer from a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) known as scrupulosity. Scrupulosity is characterized by a cycle of anxiety-producing fear of sinful or immoral behavior and compulsive attempts to soothe that anxiety through religious means. While several therapeutic methods have proven effective for various dimensions of OCD, treatment of individuals with scrupulosity has been less successful. Increasing amounts of research indicate that an intolerance of uncertainty (IU) may play an important role in many psychological disorders, including OCD and, potentially, scrupulosity. IU may be …

Exposure To Nature: An Underutilized Component Of Student Mental Health, Jeremy S. Bekker

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Nature-exposure interventions on university campuses may serve as an effective addition to overburdened counseling and student support centers. Nature-exposure interventions can work as a preventative health measure on campuses, which can be used adjacently with existing health resources. This paper outlines the potential benefits of nature exposure for students’ physical health, mental well-being, and academic success. Previous research has demonstrated that nature exposure may help reduce cognitive load, decrease negative psychological symptoms, increase psychological coping ability, and lead to better physical health. Many campuses already contain green spaces, defined as any part of an environment that is predominately made of …

Balanced Parenting: The Effects Of Family Functioning On Suicide And Non-Suicidal Self-Injury In Adolescents, Stephen Bahr

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents. Suicidal behavior is also highly correlated with non-suicidal self-injury. Many studies show a correlation between the level of family functioning and these adolescent self-harming behaviors. In this review specifically, a compilation of synthesized studies shows that two factors of family functioning—cohesion and flexibility—have a high association with self-harming behavior in adolescents. Families with low levels of cohesion (disengaged) frequently cause feelings of loneliness and isolation, which may lead youth to self-harm. Inversely, adolescents of families with extremely high levels of cohesion (enmeshed) often feel unable to express their true feelings …

Front Matter

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

No abstract provided.