Psychology Commons^™

Analysis Involving Categorical Attributes Having Many Response Categories, Fred B. Bryant, Paul R. Yarnold

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Attributes measured on a categorical response scale are common in the literature. Categorical scales for attributes such as, for example, political affiliation, ethnic origin, marital status, state of residence, or diagnosis may consist of many qualitative response categories. Such disorganized variables rarely appear in multivariable models: some effects are missed in analysis due to inadequate statistical power for the many categories, and some findings are dismissed due to inability of the investigator to recognize the dimension(s) underlying segmented categories. This research note recommends that such multi-categorical attributes are replaced by a new set of attributes created via content analysis. In …

How To Create An Ascii Input Data File For Unioda And Cta Software, Fred B. Bryant, Patrick R. Harrison

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

UniODA and CTA software require an ASCII (unformatted text) file as input data. Arguably the most difficult task an operator faces in conducting analyses is converting the original data file from (a) whatever software package was used to enter the data, into (b) an ASCII file for analysis. This article first highlights critical issues concerning missing data, variable labels, and variable types that users must address in order to convert their data into an ASCII file for analysis using ODA software. Specific steps needed to convert a data set from its original file-type into a space-delimited ASCII file are then …

Regrouping: Organized Activity Involvement And Social Adjustment Across The Transition To High School, Amy M. Bohnert, Julie Wargo Aikins, Nicole T. Arola

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Although organized activities (OAs) have been established as important contexts of development, limited work has examined the role of OAs across the high school transition in buffering adolescents' social adjustment by providing opportunities for visibility and peer affiliation. The transition to high school is characterized by numerous changes and OAs may provide an important setting for establishing and maintaining peer relationships during this tumultuous time. This study included 151 8th grade U.S. students (58% male) who were assessed across the transition to high school (spring of 8th and 9th grade). Continuous involvement in academic activities across the transition and becoming …

The Student's Perspective: Exploring Ethnic Group Variances In Bullying Behavior Using Mixed Methods Research, Stephanie Grunewald

Dissertations

Although bullying is a widely recognized problem among school-aged youth, current research has failed to adequately consider whether ethnicity impacts students' involvement in, and perceptions of, bullying behaviors. This study employed a mixed methodology to examine how an ethnically diverse sample of students in seventh and eighth grade described and perceived bullying within their school. Initially, the Student Comprehensive Assessment of Bullying Behavior-Revised (SCABB-R) (Varjas, Henrich & Meyers, 2008a) was administered to students attending a suburban middle school in the Midwest (N = 750; 391 males, 359 females). Individual interviews were then conducted to further explore students' perspectives of bullying …

Toward The Development Of The Stereotypical Roles Of Black Young Men Scale, Amber Hewitt

Dissertations

There is a significant amount of literature on identity development in general, but there is a dearth of research focusing on identity development in relation to how other processes and constructs influence the identity development of African American young men. One such construct is the presence of stereotypical roles. The primary purpose of this study was to create a reliable and valid measure of the stereotypical roles of African American young men. This study explored the relationship between the endorsement of stereotypical roles, stigma consciousness, and masculinity of African American young men. African American young men (n = 164) between …

Processes Underlying Syntactic Control: Evaluating Linguistically Diverse Children, Vanessa R. Raschke

Dissertations

The current study focused on the mechanisms involved in syntactic awareness development in monolingual and bilingual (English/Spanish-speaking) nine-year-olds. Inclusion of child language brokers (those who translate and interpret for non-English speaking family members) diversified the definition of "bilingual." Previous research has shown bilingual advantages in areas of metalinguistic awareness and executive function (e.g., Bialystok, 2010; Davidson, Raschke, & Pervez, 2010), however, child language brokers have not been distinguished in these studies. These children, due to early language-switching and translation duties, may have differential development of areas of inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory, areas suspected to aid in metalinguistic awareness …

Reducing Narcissistic Defensiveness Through The Activation Of Belonging, Jennifer Lee Smith

Dissertations

People with high levels of narcissism possess extremely positive self-evaluations that may mask underlying feelings of inferiority and a need for love and acceptance. People with high levels of narcissism defend their inflated self-evaluations through chronic self-enhancement processes, which can have negative consequences for their relationship functioning. The current research examined the effects of acceptance affirmation on self-enhancement of people with high and low levels of narcissism. Study 1 found that affirming acceptance reduced self-enhancement on trait ratings for people with high (vs. low) narcissism when they had a low need to belong, but the acceptance manipulation increased defensive self-enhancement …

Biases In Children's Cognitive Styles: Investigating Local, Global, And Rule-Based Processing In Autism Spectrum Disorders And Typical Development, Sandra Beatriz Vanegas

Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is classified as a pervasive developmental disorder that presents a triad of impairments across communication, social behavior, and restricted interests (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). To date, many attempts have been made to explain the cognitive profiles of children and adults with ASD. Three prominent theories, Weak Central Coherence (Frith, 1989), Systemizing (Baron-Cohen, 2002), and Executive Dysfunction Theory (Pennington & Ozonoff, 1996), may together provide a plausible explanation for the cognitive biases of individuals with ASD.

Weak Central Coherence (WCC) Theory proposes that individuals with ASD have difficulty learning new information due to a fixation towards local …

Gene X Environment Effects Of Serotonin Transporter, Dopamine Receptor D4, And Monoamine Oxidase A Genes With Contextual And Parenting Risk Factors On Symptoms Of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Anxiety, And Depression In A Community Sample Of 4-Year-Old Children, John V. Lavigne, Laura B.K. Herzing, Edwin H. Cook, Susan A. Lebailly, Karen R. Gouze, Joyce Hopkins, Fred B. Bryant

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Genetic factors can play a role in the multiple level of analyses approach to understanding the development of child psychology. The present study examined gene-environment correlations and Gene x Environment interactions for polymorphisms of three target genes, the serotonin transporter gene, the D4 dopamine reactor gene, and the monoamine oxidase A gene in relation to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and oppositional behavior. Saliva samples were collected from 175 non-Hispanic White, 4-year-old children. Psychosocial risk factors included socioeconomic status, life stress, caretaker depression, parental support, hostility, and scaffolding skills. In comparison with the short forms (s/s, s/l) of the serotonin transporter …

Lateralization Of Simulated Sources And Echoes On The Basis Of Interaural Differences Of Level, Raymond H. Dye Jr, Jacquelyn P. Hill, Leslie M. Ryan, Alexander E. Cupler, Kevin M. Bannon

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This experiment assessed the relative weights given to source and echo pulses lateralized on the basis of interaural differences of level (IDLs). Separate conditions were run in which the to-be-judged target was the first (source) or second (echo) pulse. Each trial consisted of two intervals; the first presented a 3000-Hz diotic pulse that marked the intracranial midline and the pitch of the target frequency. The second presented the sequence of a source followed by an echo. Target frequency was always 3000 Hz, while the non-target pulse was presented at 1500, 3000, or 5000 Hz. Delays between the source and echo …

The Effects Of Organized Activity Involvement On Latino Adolescent Well-Being, Maria D. Guzman

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between organized activity (OA) involvement, as measured by 10th/12th grade intensity and consistency of involvement, and 12th grade Latino adolescent well-being, as measured by self-perceptions (i.e. locus of control & self-worth) and academic perceptions (i.e. educational expectations & school belonging). Further, the moderating effects of primary home language, sex, and family SES, on the relation between OA involvement and 12th grade well-being were assessed. Finally, we examined a model of predictors of participation in which 10th/12th grade individual factors (i.e. academic and self- perceptions) predicted OA involvement in 12th grade, …

Perceived Social Class, College Interest, And Post-Secondary Goals: An Application Of The Scat Interest And Choice Model, Jason Daniel Hacker

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of perceived social class (PSC) in the educational development of 176 racially and economically diverse high school students. PSC was defined based on the tenants of differential status identity theory (Fouad & Brown, 2000) and then incorporated as a person variable in the interest and choice model of social cognitive career theory (Lent & Brown, 1996; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994). The study first examined the relation of PSC to students' choice intention to pursue a college degree via cognitive self-evaluations (college self-efficacy, college outcome expectations, college interest). Alternatively, PSC …

Personal And Contextual Resilience Factors And Their Relations To Psychological Adjustment Outcomes Across The Lifespan: A Meta - Analysis, Kristen Lamp

Dissertations

Research concerning resilience following trauma and adversity indicates that resilient adaptation occurs more often than originally hypothesized. Correlational studies have identified resilience factors including social support, self-efficacy, self-esteem, spirituality, and optimism. However, these studies have evidenced mixed findings regarding the relationships between resilience factors and adjustment outcomes including adjustment to trauma, psychological adjustment, and posttraumatic growth. In the present study, definitions and concepts in resilience research were clarified, and findings from the past five decades of lifespan resilience research were reviewed. A meta-analysis designed to summarize the existing research and uncover the true nature of the relationships among resilience factors …

A Qualitative Study Of Stakeholder Perceptions In Early Childhood Intervention Partnership, Ruth Schumacher

Dissertations

The first three years of life are a period where significant growth occurs in all areas of development to prepare infants and toddlers for further learning. Early experiences and relationships impact that early cognitive development. As the literature suggests, the greatest opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and decrease the achievement gap is to intervene early with at risk young children and families. In order to promote resiliency, it is imperative that children have at least one adult who is a consistent and reliable figure in their lives. Early childhood intervention programs serve to empower parents to meet that …

Neuropsychological, Psychological, And Injury Variables Associated With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Individuals Who Suffered An Electrical Injury, Jana Wingo

Dissertations

Electrical injury (EI) represents a major form of trauma that can greatly impact the individual cognitively, physically, and emotionally. EI can lead to a variety of cognitive impairments affecting attention, processing speed, motor skills, and memory. Furthermore, EI can lead to a variety of physical impairments from burns to cardiac injury. In addition to other psychiatric disorders, individuals who suffer an EI can eventually develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

This study examined a clinical sample of 143 individuals (86.0% male, 85.3% Caucasian, 44.1% diagnosed with PTSD) who have experienced an EI to determine the factors associated with the development of …

Relations Among Endogenous Attention, Executive Functioning, And Global Assessment Measures In Toddlers And Preschoolers Born Full-Term And Preterm, Nancy Wyss

Dissertations

Infants born prematurely now represent about 12% of all live births in the United States and are at risk for numerous developmental issues. For example, children born preterm are at an increased risk (2-3 times greater) for later attentional problems. With the high rate of attentional issues in later childhood, it is crucial to assess young children born preterm with a valid measure. Currently, global assessments are commonly utilized in neonatal follow-up programs as a broad-based assessment of children born preterm. However, they are often poor predictors of later functioning. There are many different components of attention, and experimental tasks …

Mothers' Nonstandard Work Schedules And Young Children's School Readiness, Kelly Haas

Dissertations

As the United States continues to move toward a 24/7 global economy, there is an increasing demand for employees to work outside of the traditional 9-to-5 weekday work schedule. However, scholars have only recently begun to address how these types of work arrangements may shape young children's development. The overarching goal of this study was to examine whether mothers' nonstandard work schedules were associated with preschool-aged children's early reading and mathematics skills and externalizing behavior problems. The current study investigated whether these linkages were especially salient for some groups as opposed to others. Specifically, the moderating roles of mothers' work …

The Role Of Self-Esteem, Perceived Social Support, And Coping Strategy In The Escalation Of Depressive Symptomatology During The First Year Of College, Catherine Lee

Master's Theses

The first year of college is a significant life transition that can be a particularly stressful experience, which may lead to the development or exacerbation of depressive symptoms. Due to the considerable negative outcomes that are associated with depressive symptoms across the lifespan, it is important to understand the mechanisms and pathways through which such symptoms arise. This prospective study examines how self-esteem, perceived social support, and coping strategies are associated with the development of depressive symptoms during the transition to college. The findings of this longitudinal study indicate that self-esteem may affect both perceived social support and disengagement coping …

The Relation Of Executive Functions To Active Coping Strategies And Internalizing Symptoms In A Community Sample Of African-American Youth, Arie Zakaryan

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the relations between stressor appraisals, active coping, executive functions, and internalizing symptoms in a community sample of low-income African-American youth. There is a dearth of studies assessing how executive functions influence the connection between coping and internalizing symptoms, notably in community and minority populations. When faced with distressing, uncontrollable settings straining the capacity to self-regulate, youth with executive functioning deficits may encounter greater challenges in coping with stressors. Yet, since typically adaptive active coping strategies do not benefit some youth and can result in negative outcomes, it is important to identify what …

Social-Environmental Predictors Of Health-Related Quality Of Life In Youth With Spina Bifida, Caitlin Beth Murray

Master's Theses

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a multidimensional construct including an individual's physical and mental health and psychosocial well-being (De Civita et al., 2005), and the measurement of HRQOL has been recognized as a key marker of health outcomes in pediatric populations (Eiser & Jenney, 2007). Due to medical and technological advances, an increasing number of individuals with chronic illnesses are living longer. As such, research that investigates improvements in HRQOL in youth with chronic illnesses has become essential. Indeed, the number of studies examining HRQOL in pediatric populations has increased markedly; spina bifida (SB) is one among several chronic …

Examination Of Presenter Characteristics On Satisfaction And Learning In A Treatment Readiness Program, Haley M. Siler

Master's Theses

Determining factors that encourage thinking and attending to information is an important aspect of working to help people learn more effectively. Characteristics of presenters have been found to be cues for information processing, related to the results of those being presented to. It was found that both client's liking and perceived expertise of the presenter were related to both program satisfaction and learning of educational materials. Determining factors that encourage thinking and attending to information is an important aspect of working to help people learn more effectively. Characteristics of presenters have been found to be cues for information processing, related …

Conspiratorial Thinking: How Worldview And Mortality Salience Affect Belief, Eric James Anderson

Master's Theses

Conspiratorial thinking is widespread throughout the world, though the major social sciences have thus far chosen not to study them for a variety of reasons. This study attempts to understand what, in fact, makes individuals believe in conspiracy theories. Using aspects of terror management theory, Kruglanski's theory of lay epistemology, participants' political worldviews, and conspiracy type, this paper will explore what triggers conspiracy-prone individuals to see the world the way they do. It is anticipated that individuals who have thoughts of their death primed in their consciousness will structure the world more rigidly, cling to their worldviews and respond to …

Secure And Insecure High Self-Esteem And Social Identity Affirmation In Response To Belongingness Threats, Reyna Jacqueline Pena

Master's Theses

The objective of this study was to examine the relation between implicit and explicit self-esteem on social identity affirmation among Latinos in response to belonging threats from other ingroup members. We predicted a three-way interaction between implicit self-esteem, explicit self-esteem, and belonging threat condition predicting social identity affirmation (collective self-esteem), compensatory conviction and ingroup bias. We predicted that individuals with insecure self-esteem (high explicit, low implicit) would affirm their social identity more, offer greater conviction and express more ingroup bias in response to recalled threats as compared to a control condition of non-threatened participants. A total of n=174 Latinos participated …

The Interactive Effects Of Coping Strategies, Gender, And Stress In The Prediction Of Internalizing Symptoms In African American Youth: An Application Of The Specificity Model, Cynthia Pierre

Master's Theses

The current study utilized a specificity framework in the examination of interactions among coping strategies, stressor domains, and participant gender in the prediction of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Participants were 273 African American adolescents (6th - 8th; mean age = 12.9; 58% female). Participants completed measures of universal and culturally-relevant coping strategies in response to a stressor. Stressors were coded by raters across dichotomous domains: interpersonality (interpersonal vs. non-interpersonal), duration (acute vs. chronic), controllability (controllable vs. non-controllable), and sexuality (sexual vs. non-sexual). T-tests were conducted to examine differences in reported coping across stress domains. Inconsistent with predictions, mean differences of …

The Effects Of Candidate Religiosity And Candidate Secularism On Voters' Support For The Political Candidate, Nathanael Gratias Sumaktoyo

Master's Theses

This study examines the effects of candidate religiosity, candidate secularism, and voter fundamentalism on voters' support for a political candidate. Seven effects were tested: 1) the religiosity effect, which suggests that a religious candidate will be supported more than a nonreligious candidate; 2) the secularism effect, which suggests that a secular candidate will be supported more than a nonsecular candidate; 3) the JFK effect, which suggests that a secular religious candidate will be supported more than a nonsecular religious candidate; 4) the deviant effect--an opposite of the JFK effect--, which suggests that a secular religious candidate constitutes a group deviant, …

Stereotypes And Patient-Provider Communication: Testing The Effects Of Depression, Socioeconomic Status, And Race, Amy N. Kerr

Dissertations

The current project included a pilot and primary study with experimental designs to explore the impact that a patient's race, mental health and socioeconomic status (SES) have on impression formation, affective reactions, and communication with patients. The

medical literature shows that health disparities exist for minorities and individuals with low socioeconomic statuses (Adler & Ostrove, 1999). In addition individuals with severe mental illness receive low quality care for their physical health in comparison to those presenting only a physical illness (Lawrence & Kisely, 2010).

To explore this phenomenon, pilot study participants read one of eight descriptions of a man visiting …

Semantic Distance Modulates The N400 Event-Related Potential In Verbal Analogical Reasoning, Matthew J. Kmiecik, Robert G. Morrison

University Libraries Undergraduate Research Paper Award

Computational accounts have traditionally focused on mapping between structured representations as fundamental to analogical processing. However, a recent connectionist model has been used to argue that structured representations may not be necessary to solve verbal analogies. Green and colleagues (2010) have shown that brain areas associated with analogical mapping become more engaged as semantic distance increases between verbal analogy source and targets. Herein, we had participants verify verbal analogies characterized for semantic distance while we monitored their brain waves using EEG. Our results suggest that the semantic distance between the source and target of a verbal analogy does influence early …