Psychology Commons^™

Experiencing Sexism And Young Women's Body Esteem, Debra Oswald, Stephen L. Franzoi, Katherine Frost

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This two-study investigation examined the relationship between sexist attitudes and experiences with young women’s body esteem. Specifically, we examined whether young women's body esteem was related to their own and their parents' endorsements of benevolent and hostile sexist beliefs and also whether women’s body esteem was related to their actual everyday experiences with benevolent and hostile sexism. In Study 1, fathers' endorsement of benevolently sexist beliefs was positively correlated with daughters' weight-related and physical condition body esteem. No similar evidence was found for mothers or for either parent's endorsements of hostile sexist beliefs. In Study 2, young women’s body esteem …

Acute Stress Influences Neural Circuits Of Reward Processing, Anthony J. Porcelli, Andrea H. Lewis, Mauricio R. Delgado

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

People often make decisions under aversive conditions such as acute stress. Yet, less is known about the process in which acute stress can influence decision-making. A growing body of research has established that reward-related information associated with the outcomes of decisions exerts a powerful influence over the choices people make and that an extensive network of brain regions, prominently featuring the striatum, is involved in the processing of this reward-related information. Thus, an important step in research on the nature of acute stress’ influence over decision-making is to examine how it may modulate responses to rewards and punishments within reward …

Cusp Catastrophe Models For Cognitive Workload And Fatigue In A Verbally Cued Pictorial Memory Task, Stephen J. Guastello, Henry Boeh, Michael Schimmels, Hillary Gorin, Samuel Huschen, Erin Davis, Natalie E. Peters, Megan Fabisch, Kirsten Poston

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate two cusp catastrophe models for cognitive workload and fatigue. They share similar cubic polynomial structures but derive from different underlying processes and contain variables that contribute to flexibility with respect to load and the ability to compensate for fatigue.

Background: Cognitive workload and fatigue both have a negative impact on performance and have been difficult to separate. Extended time on task can produce fatigue, but it can also produce a positive effect from learning or automaticity.

Method: In this two-part experiment, 129 undergraduates performed tasks involving spelling, arithmetic, memory, and visual …

Neuropsychological Outcomes Of U.S. Veterans With Report Of Remote Blast-Related Concussion And Current Psychopathology, Nathaniel W. Nelson, James B. Hoelzle, Bridget M. Doane, Kathryn A. Mcguire, Amanda G. Ferrier-Auerbach, Molly J. Charlesworth, Gregory J. Lamberty, Melissa A. Polusny, Paul A. Arbisi, Scott R. Sponheim

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This study explored whether remote blast-related MTBI and/or current Axis I psychopathology contribute to neuropsychological outcomes among OEF/OIF veterans with varied combat histories. OEF/OIF veterans underwent structured interviews to evaluate history of blast-related MTBI and psychopathology and were assigned to MTBI (n = 18), Axis I (n = 24), Co-morbid MTBI/Axis I (n = 34), or post-deployment control (n = 28) groups. A main effect for Axis I diagnosis on overall neuropsychological performance was identified (F(3,100) = 4.81; p = .004), with large effect sizes noted for the Axis I only (d = …

Memory Modulation In The Classroom: Selective Enhancement Of College Examination Performance By Arousal Induced After Lecture, Kristy A. Nielson, Timothy J. Arentsen

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Laboratory studies examining moderate physiological or emotional arousal induced after learning indicate that it enhances memory consolidation. Yet, no studies have yet examined this effect in an applied context. As such, arousal was induced after a college lecture and its selective effects were examined on later exam performance. Participants were divided into two groups who either watched a neutral video clip (n = 66) or an arousing video clip (n = 70) after lecture in a psychology course. The final examination occurred two weeks after the experimental manipulation. Only performance on the group of final exam items that …

Individual Differences In Delay Discounting Under Acute Stress: The Role Of Trait Perceived Stress, Karolina M. Lempert, Anthony J. Porcelli, Mauricio R. Delgado, Elizabeth Tricomi

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Delay discounting refers to the reduction of the value of a future reward as the delay to that reward increases. The rate at which individuals discount future rewards varies as a function of both individual and contextual differences, and high delay discounting rates have been linked with problematic behaviors, including drug abuse and gambling. The current study investigated the effects of acute anticipatory stress on delay discounting, while considering two important factors: individual perceptions of stress and whether the stressful situation is future-focused or present-focused. Half of the participants experienced acute stress by anticipating giving a videotaped speech. This stress …

Capturing The Family Context Of Emotion Regulation: A Family Systems Model Comparison Approach, Gregory M. Fosco, John H. Grych

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Several dimensions of family functioning are recognized as formative influences on children’s emotion regulation. Historically, they have been studied separately, limiting our ability to understand how they function within the family system. The present investigation tested models including family emotional climate, interparental conflict, and maternal and paternal warmth and emotional support in relation to children’s emotion regulation, using a multimethod, multi-informant design with 150 ethnically diverse two-parent families. Mother, father, and child surveys and observational techniques were used to assess the variables of interest. Three theoretically informed comprehensive models were tested and compared. The best fitting model highlighted positive family …

The Power Of Subtle Interpersonal Hostility In Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: A Speech Acts Analysis, Timothy Anderson, Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, William B. Stiles, Tatiana Ordonez, Bernadette D. Heckmna

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This study compared participants' speech acts in low-hostile versus moderate-hostile interpersonal episodes in time-limited psychodynamic psychotherapy. Sixty-two cases from the Vanderbilt II psychotherapy project were categorized as low or moderate in interpersonal hostility based on ratings of interpersonal process using Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (Benjamin, 1996). Representative episodes were coded using a taxonomy of speech acts (Stiles, 1992), and speech acts were compared across low- and moderate-hostile episodes. Therapists in moderate-hostility episodes used more interpretations and edifications, and fewer questions and reflections. Patients in moderate-hostility episodes used more disclosures and fewer edifications. Content coding showed that therapist interpretations with …

Infant Responding To Joint Attention, Executive Processes, And Self-Regulation In Preschool Children, Amy V. Van Hecke, Peter Mundy, Jessica J. Block, Christine E.F. Delgado, Meaghan Venezia Parlade, Yuly B. Pomares, Jessica A. Hobson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Infant joint attention is related to behavioral and social outcomes, as well as language in childhood. Recent research and theory suggests that the relations between joint attention and social–behavioral outcomes may reflect the role of executive self-regulatory processes in the development of joint attention. To test this hypothesis two studies were conducted. The first, cross-sectional study examined the development of responding to joint attention (RJA) skill in terms of increasing executive efficiency of responding between 9 and 18 months of age. The results indicated that development of RJA was characterized by a decreased latency to shift attention in following another …

Effects Of Violence On Youths' Perceptions Of Peer And Sibling Aggression, Jessica Houston

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The present study examined the relationship between youth exposure to violence in the home and community and their perceptions of the acceptability of aggression in interactions involving peers and siblings. The importance of the context in which the violence occurs was investigated, as well the ability of parent-child attachment to buffer the effects of violence on aggressive attitudes. A diverse sample of 148 children, ages 9 to 14, completed measures of interparental, parent-child, and community aggression, as well as a measure of mother-child attachment. Youths also rated the acceptability of aggressive interactions between two peers and two siblings in written …

Treatment Of Dual Diagnosis Post Traumatic Stress Disorder And Substance Use Disorders: A Meta-Analysis, Joshua Dolan

Dissertations (1934 -)

The dual diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders affects a large number of people. Various treatments have been used for addressing these co-occurring disorders and have now been empirically tested. These treatments can be divided into two categories: sequential and integrated. The goal of this study was to meta-analytically examine the effectiveness of these treatments and compare these two categories of treatment. Secondary objectives included the exploration of potential moderator variables and the symptom interplay between the two disorders after treatment. The results of the study suggested that treatment for the dual diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder …

Applying Ajzen's Theory Of Planned Behavior To A Study Of Online Course Adoption In Public Relations Education, Ann Knabe

Dissertations (1934 -)

This study used Icek Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior to research public relations faculty intentions of teaching online. All of the main predictor variables (Subjective Norms, Attitude toward the Act and Perceived Behavioral Control) were statistically significant at varying degrees in predicting intent to teach public relations online. Of the three, Subjective Norms was found to be the strongest predictor of Intention. Collectively, Subjective Norms, Attitude toward the Act and Perceived Behavioral Control explained 49% of the variance in intent to teach a public relations course online. Subsequent tests, however, revealed a poor model fit when the Theory of Planned …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Standardized And Personally Relevant Stimuli In Two Mood Induction Procedures, Kathleen Hazlett

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The experience of emotion is a critical component of behavior, cognition, and general human functioning. In order to better understand emotional experience, researchers have utilized mood induction procedures (MIPs) to elicit specific emotional responses. Previous studies have reviewed the effectiveness of various MIPs; however, these studies do not account for more recently developed picture datasets and are limited in their examination of the impact that personal relevance has on MIP effectiveness. The present study examined changes in emotion using four different MIPs that varied based on stimuli type (either Picture or Vignette) and relevance to the participant (Personally Relevant or …

Effects Of Fashion Ads On Young Adults' Physical Self-Assessments, Michaela Engdahl

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This study examined the effects of fashion advertisements on young adults' physical self-assessments, including mood, leadership role selection, body esteem, and attributional style. Two hundred seventy seven participants, including 110 men and 167 women completed a series of questionnaires. Results indicated that both men and women who were exposed to images of same-sex physical exemplars responded with an externalizing attributional style after imagining a hypothetical "bad" blind date. Men's reported mood was consistent with their cognitive judgment, indicative of having engaged in the self-serving bias, while women's mood was discordant with their externalization of the event. Gender differences and similarities …

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Of Semantic Memory As A Presymptomatic Biomarker Of Alzheimer’S Disease Risk, Michael Sugarman, John L. Woodard, Kristy A. Nielson, Michael Seidenberg, J. Carson Smith, Sally Durgerian, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Extensive research efforts have been directed toward strategies for predicting risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) prior to the appearance of observable symptoms. Existing approaches for early detection of AD vary in terms of their efficacy, invasiveness, and ease of implementation. Several non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging strategies have been developed for predicting decline in cognitively healthy older adults. This review will survey a number of studies, beginning with the development of a famous name discrimination task used to identify neural regions that participate in semantic memory retrieval and to test predictions of several key theories of the role of the …

Exploring Body Comparison Tendencies: Women Are Self-Critical Whereas Men Are Self-Hopeful, Stephen L. Franzoi, Kris Vasquez, Katherine Frost, Erin Sparapani, Jessica Martin, Megan Aebly

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Our study examined similarities and differences in women’s and men’s comparison tendencies and perfection beliefs when evaluating their face, body shape, and physical abilities, as well as how these tendencies and beliefs relate to their body esteem. College students (90 women and 88 men) completed the Body Esteem Scale (Franzoi & Shields, 1984) and answered questions concerning their social comparison and temporal comparison tendencies related to face, body shape, and physical abilities evaluations as well as personal perfection body beliefs. As predicted, women were more likely than men to compare their face and bodies to other same-sex persons whom they …

Predictors Of Rehospitalization In High-Utilizing Patients In The Va Psychiatric Medical System, Nicholas W. Bowersox, Stephen M. Saunders, Bernard Berger

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

233 high-service-utilizing (HSU) psychiatric patients were recruited during an inpatient psychiatric treatment. They completed a questionnaire related to their treatment beliefs and were tracked via computerized medical records over 2 years. During the follow-up period, 79.8% were readmitted for additional inpatient psychiatric treatment. Survival analysis techniques were used to examine patients’ rates of readmittance during the follow-up period. Number of previous year inpatient psychiatric days served as a significant predictor of readmittance status and time to readmission. The survival plot was split by previous-year inpatient days to examine the effect of this variable on readmission. Implications of findings are discussed.

Freesurfer Vs. Manual Tracing: Distinguishing Stable From Cognitively Declining Elders Using Prospectively Measured Hippocampal Volume, Alissa Butts, Kristy A. Nielson, Nathan Hantke, Melissa A. Lancaster, Michael Seidenberg, John L. Woodard, J. Carson Smith, Monica Matthews, Sally Durgerian, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology is thought to begin years before symptom onset. Hippocampal volume is sensitive to age-related cognitive decline and conversion from MCI to AD. Measurement of hippocampal volumes has used either automated methods such as FreeSurfer (FS) or manual tracing (MT). We compared the ability of FS and MT in detecting baseline volume differences in cognitively intact older individuals who subsequently showed significant cognitive decline.

Participants and Methods: Seventy-five cognitively intact elders underwent baseline and 18-month follow-up structural MRI scan and neuropsychological testing. Participants were classified as Declining (n=27) or Stable (n=48) based on the baseline to …

Five-Year Changes In Brain Volume And Episodic Memory In Cognitively Intact Elders With And Without An Apolipoprotein Ε4 Allele, Monica A. Matthews, Michael Seidenberg, John L. Woodard, Sally Durgerian, Kristy A. Nielson, J. Carson Smith, Melissa A. Lancaster, Alissa Butts, Nathan Hantke, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The apolipoprotein ε4 allele is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. ε4 carriers diagnosed with AD or MCI exhibit an increased rate of atrophy on MRI relative to non-carriers. Few longitudinal studies have examined the rate of atrophy and cognitive change in older ε4 carriers who were cognitively intact at study entry. In this study, structural MRI and episodic memory testing were administered on two occasions separated by 5 years to 45 cognitively intact older adults, ages 65-90 years, divided into two groups: (1) carriers with one or both ε4 alleles (n=24) and (2) demographically-matched non-carriers (n=21). Longitudinal analysis of …

Youth Experiences Of Family Violence And Teen Dating Violence Perpetration: Cognitive And Emotional Mediators, John H. Grych, Ernest N. Jouriles, Renee Mcdonald, Victoria Mueller

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This article describes a conceptual model of cognitive and emotional processes proposed to mediate the relation between youth exposure to family violence and teen dating violence perpetration. Explicit beliefs about violence, internal knowledge structures, and executive functioning are hypothesized as cognitive mediators, and their potential influences upon one another are described. Theory and research on the role of emotions and emotional processes in the relation between youths’ exposure to family violence and teen dating violence perpetration are also reviewed. We present an integrated model that highlights how emotions and emotional processes work in tandem with hypothesized cognitive mediators to predict …

Toward A More Comprehensive Understanding Of Interpersonal Violence: Introduction To The Special Issue On Interconnections Among Different Types Of Violence, Suzanne Swan, John H. Grych

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Recent epidemiological work shows that most victims of interpersonal violence have experienced other forms of violence as well. Similarly, perpetrators of one type of violence often engage in aggression in other contexts, and many people report both perpetration and victimization. This special issue presents 8 studies on the leading edge of research investigating the interconnections among different forms of violence, abuse, and maltreatment. They examine links between sexual and physical abuse, intimate partner violence, teen dating violence, community violence, and violent media. Together, they suggest that focusing on the co-occurrence of different types of violence has the potential to advance …

Episodic Memory Measures Complement Structural And Functional Mri For Predicting Cognitive Decline In Apolipoprotein E Ε4 Carriers, John L. Woodard, Michael Seidenberg, Kristy A. Nielson, Michael Sugarman, J. Carson Smith, Sally Durgerian, Alissa Butts, Melissa A. Lancaster, Mary K. Foster, Nathan Hantke, Monica Matthews, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Apolipo-protein E (APOE) ?4 allele carriers demonstrate greater risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease than non-carriers. However, factors associated with risk of decline among APOE ?4 carriers are not well-known. In this longitudinal study, we investigated whether discrete aspects of baseline episodic memory performance and structural (sMRI) and function (fMRI) magnetic resonance imaging were associated with cognitive decline in older APOE ?4 carriers and non-carriers. Seventy-eight healthy older adults underwent cognitive testing at baseline and after 18 months, baseline serum APOE genotyping, manually-traced hippocampal volume measurement from sMRI, and task-activated fMRI. Cognitive decline was defined as a one SD …

The Contribution Of Blood Serum Biomarkers To The Prediction Of Cognitive Decline By Fmri And Apolipoprotein-E In Healthy Older Adults, Kristy A. Nielson, Michael Sugarman, John L. Woodard, Michael Seidenberg, J. Carson Smith, Sally Durgerian, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Biomarkers are a promising approach to the prediction and early intervention of Alzheimer's disease. We demonstrated that cortical functional MRI (fMRI) activation during a semantic memory task and apolipoprotein-E ?4 allele inheritance (APOE?4) effectively predicted cognitive decline after 18-months in healthy, asymptomatic elders. Hippocampal volume added modest prediction, while AD family history and demographics were ineffective. Previous studies have linked plasma homocysteine (tHcy), vitamin B12 and creatinine values to cognitive functioning, cortical atrophy, hippocampal atrophy and neuropathology, and vascular integrity. Here we incorporated total plasma homocysteine (tHcy), B12 creatinine values into our previous predictive models. Of 78 healthy elders, 27 …

Prediction Of Longitudinal White Matter Change In Healthy Elderly Individuals, Melissa A. Lancaster, Sally Durgerian, Michael Seidenberg, John L. Woodard, Kristy A. Nielson, J. Carson Smith, Monica Matthews, Alissa Butts, Nathan Hantke, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) studies have shown that significant alteration in white matter (WM) integrity differentiates healthy older adults from persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Most studies, however, have been cross-sectional and have not related longitudinal DTI changes to cognitive change. Here we report changes in WM integrity and cognition in healthy older adults over an 18-month interval. Sixty-seven cognitively intact elders underwent neuropsychological testing and DTI at baseline to follow-up on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (recall sum across trials 1-5, delayed recall) and Mattis Dementia Rating Scale-2. Declining participants (N=21) showed a …

Discrimination, Acculturation, Acculturative Stress, And Latino Psychological Distress: A Moderated Mediational Model, Lucas Torres, Mark W. Driscoll, Maria Voell

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Prior research has found that perceived discrimination is associated with adverse mental health outcomes among Latinos. However, the process by which this relationship occurs remains an understudied area. The present study investigated the role of acculturative stress in underlying the relationship between perceived discrimination and Latino psychological distress. Also examined was the ability of acculturation to serve as a moderator between perceived discrimination and acculturative stress. Among a sample of Latino adults (N = 669), moderated mediational analyses revealed that acculturative stress mediated the perceived discrimination-psychological distress relationship, and that the link between perceived discrimination and acculturative stress was moderated …

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, James B. Hoelzle

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Risk Factors For Alzheimer’S Disease And Longitudinal Memory Performance, M. K. Foster, M. Seidenberg, J. Woodard, Kristy A. Nielson, J. Smith, M. Lancaster, M. Matthews, N. Hantke, A. Butts, S. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Behavioral Factors Influencing Health Outcomes In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes, Jessica C. Kichler, Ashley Moss, Astrida S. Kaugars

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The Pediatric Self-Management Model provides an overview of how behavioral factors influence children’s chronic medical illnesses. This general framework is used to organize the present review of how self-management behaviors, contextual factors, and processes impact health outcomes for adolescent youth with type 1 diabetes. Adherence has been widely studied in the diabetes literature, and there are consistent findings demonstrating associations between aspects of self-management, adherence, and metabolic control, yet there are still equivocal approaches to adherence assessment methodology (e.g. global versus specific measures). Metabolic control is a hallmark health outcome for youth with type 1 diabetes, but additional outcomes need …

Peer Rejection And Friendships In Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Contributions To Long-Term Outcomes, Sylvie Mrug, Brooke S. G. Molina, Betsy Hoza, Alyson C. Gerdes, Stephen P. Hinshaw, Lily Hechtman, L. Eugene Arnold

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Even after evidence-based treatment, Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with poor long-term outcomes. These outcomes may be partly explained by difficulties in peer functioning, which are common among children with ADHD and which do not respond optimally to standard ADHD treatments. We examined whether peer rejection and lack of dyadic friendships experienced by children with ADHD after treatment contribute to long-term emotional and behavioral problems and global impairment, and whether having a reciprocal friend buffers the negative effects of peer rejection. Children with Combined type ADHD (N0300) enrolled in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) were …

Discrimination, Acculturation, Acculturative Stress, And Latino Psychological Distress: A Moderated-Mediational Model, Lucas Torres, Mark W. Driscoll, Maria Voell

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Prior research has found that perceived discrimination is associated with adverse mental health outcomes among Latinos. However, the process by which this relationship occurs remains an understudied area. The present study investigated the role of acculturative stress in underlying the relationship between perceived discrimination and Latino psychological distress. Also examined was the ability of acculturation to serve as a moderator between perceived discrimination and acculturative stress. Among a sample of Latino adults (N = 669), moderated mediational analyses revealed that acculturative stress mediated the perceived discrimination-psychological distress relationship, and that the link between perceived discrimination and acculturative stress was moderated …