Psychology Commons^™

Religiosity, Knowledge Of Evolution, And Political Ideology As Predictors Of Attitudes Towards The Evolution V. Creationism Controversy, Nikolaus Philip Schuetz

Theses (6 month embargo)

Since Darwin On the Origin of Species over 150 years ago, evolution via natural selection has gained essentially unilateral support among scientists, with 97% of scientists agree that life evolved over time, while a mere 12% to 29% of the general public accepts evolution via natural selection. About three-quarters of the public support teaching creationism in public school science classes--a violation of the First Amendment--and a recent survey shows that just 28% of high school biology teachers advocating for evolution in their classroom, as per the national guidelines.

The present study aims to investigate and clarify certain relationships that lead …

Neighborhood Disadvantage And Perceptions Of Neighborhood As Predictors Of Aggression In Urban African American Youth: A Multilevel Analysis, Edna Y. Romero

Theses (1 year embargo)

The link between aggression and criminal activity in urban, low-income African American neighborhoods has resulted in many studies examining the predictive role of individual and neighborhood characteristics in the development of aggressive behaviors. Factors such as neighborhood violence, poverty, perceptions of neighborhood danger have consistently been linked to poor behavioral outcomes in urban youth (Colder, Mott, Levy, & Flay, 2000; Sampson, Raudenbush, & Earls, 1997), whereas perceptions of neighborhood cohesion have been associated with reduced externalizing behavior in children (Silk, Sessa, Sheffield Morris, Steinberg, & Avenevoli, 2004). The purpose of this paper was to examine, through the use of multilevel …

Introversion And The Use Of Parasocial Interaction To Satisfy Belongingness Needs, Carol Laurent Jarzyna

Dissertations (6 month embargo)

Individuals usually satisfy the universal need to belong through close personal relationships (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). However, introverts engage less in the social behaviors that provide the opportunity to establish and maintain these relationships (Mehl, Gosling, & Pennebaker, 2006; Rusting & Larsen, 1995). Some evidence suggests that the close relationships of introverts are less fulfilling than those of extraverts (Berry, Willingham, & Thayer, 2000; Watson, Hubbard, & Wiese, 2000). Thus, supplementary ways of filling belongingness needs might benefit introverts. According to the Social Surrogacy Hypothesis, one such way is through parasocial interaction (Derrick, Gabriel, & Hugenberg, 2009), i.e., the one-sided …

Constructs Of Parenting In Urban Ghana, Molly Pachan

Dissertations (6 month embargo)

The current study explores models of parenting constructs in a sample of contemporary urban Ghanaian adults who are raising at least one child between the ages of five and twelve years old. Parenting practices that include high levels of responsiveness to children's needs, as well as high levels of demandingness and firm limits, have been associated with a range of positive outcomes in youth in the United States, Canada, and Western European countries. This parenting style, termed Authoritative parenting, has been promoted by public and private institutions in Euro-American societies for close to forty years. However, research on cultural minority …

Neuropsychological Functioning, Parenting Behaviors, And Healthcare Behaviors Among Youth With Spina Bifida, Lauren Kelly O'Hara

Dissertations

Objective This study was designed to examine whether neurocognitive functioning (attention and executive functions) and parenting behaviors (acceptance, behavioral control and psychological control) are associated with medical adherence and autonomy among preadolescents and adolescents with spina bifida. Methods Questionnaire and observational data were collected from a sample of 8 to 15 year olds with spina bifida (n = 139) and their mothers, fathers, and teachers. Youth also completed neuropsychological testing. Results Youth with spina bifida demonstrated impairment on measures of attention and executive function, based on questionnaire and test data. Attention, executive function, and parenting behaviors were associated with medical …

Measures Of Executive Functioning And Their Relation To Functional Outcomes In A Sample Of Youth With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Add), Amy Marie Lyons Usher

Dissertations

The current study examined two commonly used neuropsychological assessments of executive functioning in a sample of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) is a performance-based, objective measure of executive functioning, and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) is a subjective, parent-report measure. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to establish the factor structures of these measures to determine their appropriateness with a sample of youth with ADHD. The association of these assessment tools with functional outcomes (academic achievement, social functioning) was examined to establish their ecological and incremental validity. …

A Mediational Model Predicting Adjustment In Affluent Adolescents: The Role Of Parental Perfectionism, Perceived Parental Pressure, And Organized Activity Involvement, Edin Randall

Dissertations

The current cross-sectional study evaluated the relative contributions of parental perfectionism (i.e., self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed), perceived parental pressure, and organized activity involvement (i.e,. intensity) on depressive symptoms, anxiety, substance use, and life satisfaction in a sample of affluent adolescents. Findings indicated that parental perfectionism, and specifically other-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism, is an important contextual factor negatively influencing affluent adolescent adjustment. Additionally, perceived parental pressure was found to have robust associations with adolescent adjustment and to explain the link between parental perfectionism and adolescent adjustment. Furthermore, the current study revealed a synergistic association between intensity of organized activity …

Cultural Competence--Does It Matter?: Lessons From A Mixed-Methods Study Of Wraparound Practice, Jennifer James Rose

Dissertations

This mixed methods study investigated whether caregivers' ratings of wraparound fidelity and satisfaction with the wraparound process differed based upon their facilitators' self-assessed cultural competence and caregivers' reported stress. An explanatory sequential design was used. The quantitative phase was completed first. Survey methodology was used to measure reported cultural competence, wraparound fidelity, satisfaction with the wraparound process, and parental stress. Facilitators (n=58) completed a self-assessment instrument, the Multicultural Counseling Knowledge and Awareness Scale (MCKAS; Ponterotto, 1997). The MCKAS survey yielded a 43% response rate. The MCKAS descriptive data found levels of reported cultural competence comparable to previously published studies. Telephone …

You Had Me At Helen: The Name Letter Effect In Judgments Of Humor, Jenna Ryan

Dissertations

The present study demonstrates that implicit egotism is relevant to not only letter attractiveness ratings on the Name Letter Test (NLT), but also to judgments of humor--albeit to a lesser degree. Respondents participated as "mock" judges in a simulated cartoon caption contest and evaluated writers' caption submissions for two cartoons. It was hypothesized that participants would exhibit biases toward captions submitted by writers with whom they shared a first initial letter, and additionally, their gender. A name letter effect was found in participants' judgments of humor and on the NLT. Shared gender with a caption writer--when coupled with a shared …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Influence Of Racism On Identity Development For African American Adolescent Males, John Corey Steele

Dissertations

The life circumstances facing African American adolescent males are reported with a fair amount of frequency by numerous media outlets in our society. Reports generally communicate negative circumstances facing African American adolescent males in the educational, economic, social, and political arenas. These sorts of life experiences have the potential to have a tremendous impact on the lives and development, particularly identity developmental process of young African American men; however, few research efforts have been devoted to specifically exploring the identity development process of African American adolescent males. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the meaning of being …

An Exploratory Evaluation Of A Culturally Specific Model Of Psychological Well-Being For An African American Population, Kyle J. Telander

Dissertations

Research related to eudaimonic or psychological well-being (PWB) has relied heavily upon the Scales of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB), a rationally developed multidimensional measure intended to assess the extent to which individuals are achieving their optimal potential over the lifespan. However, questions remain regarding the proposed dimensional structure of the SPWB, as well as the extent to which the measure is situated within a specific, Eurocentric cultural context. This study sought to explore the factor structure of the 42-item version of the SPWB when combined with items measuring constructs relevant to African Americans, including communalism, spirituality/religiosity, and critical consciousness. Utilizing a …

Internet Support Groups For Parents Of Children With Add: An Examination Of The Characteristics Of Group Members And The Impact Of Social Support On Parent Functioning, Kriston B. Schellinger

Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders and is associated with a variety of difficult behaviors. In addition, parents of children with ADHD experience significantly greater parenting stress and psychological distress than parents of children without ADHD. However, social support is a beneficial coping tool associated with increased mental and physical well-being in those experiencing stress. Although many turn to family and friends for social support, people sometimes go outside of their immediate support network and seek support groups. In recent years, Internet support groups have become a popular alternative to face-to-face support groups. However, …

Explaining The Longitudinal Association Between Puberty And Depression: Sex Differences In The Mediating Effects Of Peer Stress, Colleen S. Conley, Karen D. Rudolph, Fred B. Bryant

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This research investigated whether exposure to peer stress serves as one pathway through which pubertal development contributes to depression over time, differentially for girls and boys. Youth (N = 149; 9.6–14.8 years) and their caregivers provided information at two waves, 1 year apart, on puberty (Wave 1), peer stress (occurring between Waves 1 and 2), and depression (Waves 1 and 2). Structural equation modeling analyses examined sex differences in the extent to which peer stress mediated the impact of pubertal status and timing on subsequent depression (i.e., tests of moderated mediation). Significant sex-moderated mediation was found for both pubertal status …

Are We Having Fun Yet? Savoring, Type A Behavior, And Vacation Enjoyment, Jennifer L. Smith, Fred B. Bryant

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Although studies of Type A behavior ceased in the early 1990s because of failures to replicate its connections with heart disease, the Type A behavior pattern of speed, impatience, perfectionism, drivenness, and hostility may nevertheless be important in understanding individual differences in the subjective quality of life. The present study tested the hypothesis that Type A behavior undermines the enjoyment of leisure time and that this detrimental effect is mediated by savoring responses that hamper enjoyment. Confirming hypotheses, analysis of self-report survey data (N = 764) revealed that: (a) higher levels of Type A impatience in social situations predicted …

Positive State Mindfulness: A Multidimensional Model Of Mindfulness In Relation To Positive Experience, Timothy D. Ritchie, Fred B. Bryant

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The present research tested Langer’s theory of mindfulness in the context of positive experiences: positive state mindfulness. In Study 1 (N1 = 586, N2 = 415) confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a three-factor model (Focused Attention, Novelty Appreciation, Open-Ended Expectations) fit the data well and explained responses better than a one-factor model. In support of construct validity, Study 2 (N3 = 239, N4 = 126) suggested that each dimension had a different pattern of associations with unidimensional trait measures of mindfulness, savoring beliefs, trait absorption, uncertainty tolerance, need for structure, and need for cognition. Study 3 (N5 = 46) revealed …

A Qualitative Exploration Of African American Men's Attitudes Toward Marriage, Rabiatu Barrie

Dissertations

The decline in the rate of marriage in the African American community has been documented in both the empirical literature and pop culture. Initially researchers postulated that the upward mobility of African American women had diminished their to marry, but studies found opposing evidence to that theory and so the focus switched to African American men. Early studies about African American men and marriage indicated that the sex-ratio imbalance, the educational disparity between African American men and women that leads to economic frailty was the major cause of the disparity in marriage (James et al 1999, Davis, Emerson, & Williams, …

A Structuralist Controversy: Althusser And Lacan On Ideology, Won Choi

Dissertations

Slavoj Zizek argues that, if Althusser was an adamant structuralist who reduced subject to a mere function of ideology, Lacan was a genuine critic of such a position, who showed how the subject can separate itself from the symbolic structure of ideology. Zizek's portrayal of the debate, however, is not only based on a misapprehension of Lacan's own theory but also fails to notice that, when the two theorists collided on the question of structuralism in the late 1960s, the issue was not the separation, but how ideology as a social practice is to be situated in relation to other …

The Relationship Between Infant Crying And Father Well-Being, Leslie Katch

Dissertations

Infant excessive crying and fussing has been linked to adverse maternal outcomes such as increased depression and stress, and decreased feelings of parenting self-efficacy. Infant crying has also been identified as the number one trigger caregivers report prior to an abusive action, placing infants who cry excessively at risk. Fathers and male caregivers have been identified as the primary offenders in the majority of infant abuse cases, suggesting a particular risk between fathers and infants who cry excessively. However, the relationship between excessive crying and fathers has not been explored to the same extent as mothers. In an effort to …

Intimate Partner Violence As A Risk Factor For Ptsd In Female Survivors Of Domestic Violence: A Meta-Analysis, Selena Tramayne

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct two meta-analyses investigating the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology in female survivors of domestic violence. The first meta-analysis investigated the relationship between physical violence and PTSD symptomatology while the second meta-analysis investigated the relationship between psychological abuse and PTSD symptomatology. A moderator variable, recruitment setting, was investigated to see whether recruitment setting changed the relationship between physical violence and PTSD symptomatology and/or the relationship between psychological abuse and PTSD symptomatology. For both meta-analyses, a medium to large effect size was found. Recruitment setting was not …

Social Cognitive Functioning And Social Competence In Children And Adolescents With Spina Bifida And Hydrocephalus: Social Cognitive Neuroscience As A Model, Caitlin Reid Roache

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine social cognition in children with spina bifida and congenital hydrocephalus (SBH) and to determine whether deficits in these domains are associated with poor social competence, utilizing concepts from social cognitive neuroscience. To build upon extant literature, multi-method assessments, multi-informant data, and a developmental, biopsychosocial perspective were utilized. Distinct aspects of social competence, as defined by social performance, social skills, and social adjustment, were considered.

The current study was designed to investigate: (1) differences in social cognition between children and adolescents with SBH and the general population, (2) potential neuroanatomical predictors of …

The Development Of Science Identity: An Evaluation Of Youth Development Programs At The Museum Of Science And Industry, Chicago, Sam Cole

Dissertations

The following dissertation presents findings from a year-long evaluation of informal scientific education programs at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. Science identity, rather than scientific knowledge, was the analytic lens through which the programs' effectiveness was assessed. A goal of the Museum generally, and the programs specifically, is to increase public identification with the field of science. Science identity was assessed using a novel survey instrument and three focus groups. Hierarchical linear models found a positive relationship between time enrolled in the Science Minors program and the development of science identity. These analyses also point to …

Yo Hablo Ingles: The Influence Of Motivation And Group Cohesion On Learning English In A Workplace Setting, Adam Henry Dehoek

Dissertations

Immigration reform is a current and controversial issue in the United States and around the globe. Although it is unlikely that comprehensive immigration reform is immediately forthcoming in the United States, plans proposed by both liberal and conservative law-makers require those applying for long-term residency to hold employment and demonstrate a working knowledge of the English language. Given that these goals are often difficult to achieve in tandem, enacted immigration reform may suggest that businesses offer English language courses on the job in order to facilitate the legalization process. Answering important questions regarding the process of successful language acquisition, particularly …

Exposure To Community Violence And Social Maladjustment Among Urban African American Youth: The Role Of Emotion Dysregulation, Devin Colleen Carey

Master's Theses

The goal of the present study was to further previous research that has focused on the detrimental outcomes of violence exposure by identifying the mechanisms that influence children's psychosocial vulnerabilities. Specifically, it examined emotion regulation as a possible mediator of community violence exposure to social adjustment. Moreover, because of the evidence that children living in inner city communities are chronically exposed to violence, this study longitudinally explored the reciprocal and perpetuating relationship between exposure to violence and child social maladjustment. Participants were 268 African American students (M age = 11.65 years, 40% males and 60% females) from six inner city …

Gender Differences In Depressive Symptoms: The Interaction Of Cognitive Avoidance Coping And Specific Stressor Domains During Freshmen Adaptation To College, Daniel Dickson

Master's Theses

The first year of college can be a stressful experience that can lead to depressive symptoms in emerging adults. Due to the significant impairments that are associated with depressive symptoms across the lifespan, it is important to understand the elements of the first-year college experience that contribute to depressive affect. The goals of the current prospective study are to examine sex differences in the relationship between life stressors (i.e., social and achievement stressors) and cognitive avoidance coping in the development of depressive symptoms in first-year college students. The findings suggest that although cognitive avoidance is predictive of more depression, there …

Justice Efficacy And Argument Strength In Mock Juror Decision-Making In A Civil Trial, Katharina Kluwe

Master's Theses

In 2005, 48,300 state and federal civil jury trials occurred in the United States (National Center for State Courts, 2009). Approximately 15% of the verdicts juries render are inaccurate (Spencer, 2007). Therefore, it is of utmost important to increase juror accuracy. The current thesis investigated jurors' justice efficacy as it relates to persuasion. Mock jurors' levels of justice efficacy were manipulated by giving them false feedback on a moral reasoning task. Participants read a civil trial summary, and received weak or strong statements by potential other jurors. The relation between argument strength and verdict did not depend on the feedback …

Organized Activity Involvement Across The Transition To College: Multiple Dimensions Predicting Adjustment, Nicole Arola

Master's Theses

Utilizing a sample of first semester first year college students, this study examined the relation between multiple dimensions of college organized activity (OA) involvement (i.e., intensity, breadth, identity relevance, and continuity) and measures of adjustment (i.e., depressive symptoms, optimism, positive affect, and negative affect). This study also explored whether the degree of association between the OA dimensions and the adjustment variables was moderated by gender and residential status. Additionally, this study examined whether adjustment at the start of college was associated with patterns of OA involvement in college. Participants completed measures of depressive symptoms, optimism, positive affect, negative affect, and …

Perceived Partner Commitment And Implicit Self-Esteem Predicts Connectedness Accessibility In Response To Relationship Threat, Norma L. Reyes

Master's Theses

The current research examined the impact of perceived partner commitment, implicit self-esteem, and relationship threat on connectedness. The present study predicted that individuals with high (versus low) implicit self-esteem are more likely to access connectedness goals (on an unconscious level) after experiencing a relationship threat, when they perceive their significant others are highly committed to the relationship. This relation between implicit self-esteem and connectedness goal accessibility will not be evident in the control condition. The findings reveal perceived partner commitment moderated the relation between implicit self-esteem and relationship threat on accessing connectedness goals. However, people with high implicit self-esteem were …

The Influence Of Adult- Versus Child-Directed Television Programs On Distractibility In Preschoolers, Kathryn Joyce O'Toole

Master's Theses

Research in the field on children's attention to television has suggested that discerning between two different types of programming is crucial for understanding how children attend to TV. Child-directed television consists of programs designed with the purpose that children are the intended viewers. In contrast, adult-directed television is not designed for children; these programs are directed toward an older audience. The current study investigated how children divided their attention between cognitive tasks and a distractor. The distractor was either an adult-directed TV program, a child-directed TV program, or there was no distractor. The results revealed that the both distractors reduced …

Agreement And Disagreement In Parent And Child Perceptions Of Spina Bifida Medical Responsibilities During The Transition To Adolescence, Alexandra Psihogios

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of informant discrepancies by evaluating levels of parent-child agreement and disagreement over who takes responsibility for SB medical tasks in relation to family conflict and medical adherence. Participants were 140 preadolescents with SB. Data used in this study are taken from the first wave of data collection (when adolescents were between the ages of 8-15) in a larger longitudinal study. Although disagreement levels predicting family conflict and medical adherence were non-significant (p > .05), a significant main effect of agreement and two significant Agreement x Conflict interactions predicting medical adherence were …

Towards Observational Measurement Of Social Competence In Youth With Chronic Health Conditions: Development Of Peer Interaction Scales For Youth With Spina Bifida, Christina E. Holbein

Master's Theses

This study aimed to create observational scales that were then validated with comparisons to relevant self-report measures in a sample of 106 children with spina bifida and their peers. Dyads completed questionnaires, interviews, and videotaped interaction tasks, the latter of which were coded on a variety of social functioning items. Five scales (i.e., Conflict, Prosocial Skills, Positive Affect, Conflict, and Dyadic Cohesion) were rationally derived. Internal consistency and inter-rater reliability at the scale level were good-to-excellent. Interscale correlations were in the low-to-moderate range for four scales, although Dyadic Cohesion was highly correlated with two other scales and was dropped. Convergent …