Psychology Commons^™

Ambivalent Sexism And Condom Use Self-Efficacy Amongst Men Who Bottom: A Serial Mediation Model, Elliott Nolan Devore

Doctoral Dissertations

The effects of gendered power dynamics between men and women during sexual encounters are well documented in the literature. Specifically, internalizing sexist beliefs about masculine dominance and feminine submission is related to worse sexual health outcomes. Less is known, however, about gendered power dynamics between men having sex. Those who engage in anal sex as the receptive partner (i.e., bottom) are feminized and shamed in various cultures, viewed as submissive, and may have internalized sexist beliefs and, thus, sexual role prejudice. Consequently, bottoms may feel less sexual autonomy, which influences their condom use self-efficacy. This is important given that bottoms …

Self-Objectification And Alcohol Use In Young Adult College Women, Rachel Carretta

Doctoral Dissertations

Although there is a sizeable body of research identifying the gender convergence of drinking rates, fewer studies have explored factors contributing to women’s increasing alcohol consumption. Consequently, scholars have called for more research on gender-related predictors of women’s drinking behaviors and associated consequences (Iwamoto et al., 2018). One potential gender-relevant factor is self-objectification or the perspective toward the self that the body is primarily valued for its appearance and sexual appeal (Frederickson & Roberts, 1997). Thus, our study investigated the link between self-objectification and young adult college women’s alcohol use and alcohol use prior to casual sexual activity or “hooking …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And College Adjustment: A Moderated Mediation Model, Pamela Rosecrance

Doctoral Dissertations

Although the effects of adverse childhood experiences have been widely studied in the general population, researchers have just recently begun to examine their effects on college students. Even fewer studies have looked at the impact of adverse childhood experiences on college adjustment. The present study sought to examine mental health concerns as a mediator, first-generation status as a moderator, and the moderated mediation link between adverse childhood experiences and college adjustment. Using this same model, the subconstructs of college adjustment – academic, relational, and psychological functioning – were also investigated. Additionally, we sought to examine differences in the rates of …

An Evaluation Of Writing Self-Efficacy And Writing Apprehension Self-Report Instruments, Jada Kennice White

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the Writing Self-Efficacy Scale (WSES) and the Daly-Miller Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) as measures of writing self-efficacy and apprehension for middle school students. The purpose of this study was to expand on previous research regarding the reliability and validity of both the WSES and WAT to account for changes in student profiles as well as writing expectations throughout the years. The goal of this study was to evaluate current reliability and validity of the WSES and WAT to determine whether they remain appropriate measures for writing self-efficacy and apprehension. Data were collected from were examined for 65 …

The Role Of Intimate Partnership Among Older Adults On Pain Severity And The Engagement In Preventative Health Behaviors, Lauren Fox

Doctoral Dissertations

Bodily pain is a frequently disabling condition among older adults, which has broad biopsychosocial implications on health and wellbeing. As adults age, diminishing support systems can result in poor health outcomes and the presence of an intimate partner relationship can positively impact physical health, including influencing pain severity. The number of adults in the United States over 65 is expected to double by 2030, meaning that a significant portion of the population will be entering a stage of increased healthcare utilization. Therefore, behaviors which improve physical health will only become increasingly important over time. While previous research has pointed to …

Investigating Person-Specific Profiles Of Readiness-To-Exercise: Exploring Associations With Hypothetical Experiential Outcomes And Perceived Relevance, Cory Beaumont

Doctoral Dissertations

Autoregulation is a person-adaptive strategy wherein exercise workloads are adjusted to match one’s readiness (e.g., acute mental, physical, perceptual state). Prior work demonstrated that structural features of readiness profiles (i.e., which factor(s) are most important) differ across individuals. As this work relied on mathematical modeling, research is needed to understand the informational utility of person-specific profiles (PSPs) of readiness. Purpose: Model heterogeneity in PSPs of readiness (Aim 1), explore associations between PSP factor scores and forecasted experiences to hypothetical muscle-strengthening exercise (Aim 2), and explore participants’ perceptions of relevance and utility regarding their PSP (Aim 3). Methods: For …

Questing And Defense Against Death Anxiety, Connor Logan Smith

Doctoral Dissertations

In his seminal work The Denial of Death, Ernest Becker suggested that the primary motivation behind human behavior is a fear of dying. This claim has been operationalized into an empirically based theory entitled Terror Management Theory (TMT). TMT outlines how self-esteem and cultural worldviews play an important role in how humans manage death anxiety. One especially important cultural worldview is religion. TMT research suggests that religious beliefs help provide protection again death anxiety. Religious orientation research outlines three orientations to religion: extrinsic, intrinsic, and quest. In the present study, I investigate whether a quest-like state of mind may help …

Reducing Homonegative Prejudice Towards Gay And Bisexual Men By Targeting Diverse Sexual Orientation Beliefs: A Replication And Extension Study, Kevin Matthew Fry

Doctoral Dissertations

This study aimed to replicate and extend the first true experiment to investigate the impact of diverse sexual orientation (SO) beliefs on homonegativity (Fry et al., 2020). We performed an experiment to determine if targeting multiple types of SO beliefs could be more effective in reducing homonegative prejudice towards gay men, binegativity towards bisexual men, and infrahumanization towards gay and bisexual men than just focusing on beliefs about biogenetic determinants of SO. We randomly assigned 200 participants (57% men, 78% white) to a treatment or control condition. Participants in a treatment condition read an essay that summarized: (1) research implying …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Upsr, Shelby Miller

Masters Theses

Person-Centered Theory (PCT, Rogers, 1959) provides the understanding of how growth-promoting relationships facilitate holistic well-being through the provision of unconditional positive regard (UPR), genuiness, and empathy. Through coaches’ provision of UPR, athletes have reported experiencing an increase of motivation, enhanced performances, and greater trust in their coach (McHenry et al., 2022). Most intriguingly, athletes created a relationship with themselves (i.e., self-regard) that mirrored their coaches’ treatment of them (McHenry et al., 2021). While UPR has just recently been studied in the coach-athlete relationship, little to no attention has been given to the relationship an athlete has with themselves (i.e., self-regard). …

Sexual Harassment As A Narrative Contest, Christine Vossler

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines how stories shape both the perpetration of sexual harassment and the experiences of victims during and after sexual harassment. During and after the experience of sexual harassment, a narrative contest transpires between the harasser, victim, and others who contribute to the contest by engaging in the formal and informal conversations that follow known experiences of harassment in the workplace. I analyze 22 public statements, interviews, and investigative reports, including statements from men accused of sexual harassment, women who were sexually harassed, and bystanders. A narrative framework, including concepts of narrative believability and story credibility, is used to …

Depression, Anxiety, And Stress Severity Impact Social Media Use And Tiktok Addiction, Skylar L. Maguire, Hollie Pellosmaa

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Expressive Writing On Reducing Anxiety About Attending Intergroup Dialogue On Race And Racism, Cemal Arda Aksoy

Masters Theses

This experimental study examined the effects of expressive writing (EW) on the level of anxiety that White college students experience for their anticipated participation in a dialogue about race and racism with a racially diverse group of people. Ninety-one undergraduate college students, aged 18 to 25 years, living in the United States and identifying their race as White/European American were randomly assigned to an experimental or control condition for this online study. In both conditions, participants were informed that they would be participating in an online dialogue about race and racism with a racially diverse group of people after they …

From Mission To Competition: The Experiences Of 10 Lds Missionary Student-Athletes Returning To Competition In The National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, Matthew J. Moore, Leslee A. Fisher, Lindsey A. Miossi, Zach T. Smith, Jacob C. Jensen,

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

The purpose of the current study was to explore the experiences of LDS missionary student-athletes returning to competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI). Using Consensual Qualitative Research methods (CQR; Hill, 2012) including a semi-structured interview guide, 10 DI student-athletes/returned LDS missionaries were interviewed regarding their experience (i.e., mean age of 25 years; baseball, cross-country/track and field, football, and swimming). A research team with five members constructed four domains and 16 categories representing DI student-athlete/returned LDS missionary chronological identity changes during this experience: (a) the development of an LDS missionary identity; (b) challenges associated with returning …

Representing Uncertainty: Beliefs And Habits In The International Development Evaluation Context, Christina Peterson

Doctoral Dissertations

Evaluation can be imagined as an uncertainty management strategy and evaluators as a class of professionals whose role is reducing uncertainty for decision-makers. In the development sector, uncertainty about the efficacy of various interventions exists and evaluations are needed to improve organizational resource utilization. Representations of uncertainty impact decision-making. Evaluator beliefs and routines regarding uncertainty representation in evaluation reports contribute to the ability of evaluation to influence decisions about development programs and policies. This study aimed to explore these beliefs and habits and to understand how they are influenced by the evaluation context. Social Representations Theory is used to situate …

Human Dimensions Of Natural Resources: A Case Of Farmers In Northern Rwanda, Jean Francois Regis Nisengwe

Doctoral Dissertations

As food demand increases globally, the world faces the challenge of feeding everyone without harming the environment. Meeting this challenge requires increased food production. Paradoxically, increased food production can harm the environment and natural resources. Change in consumption patterns offers an opportunity to reconcile the increase in food production and environmental protection. However, consumption patterns can only change if they are perceived first, then acted upon. Research shows that people who perceive their consumption of natural resources are more likely to conserve them as they can see how much they are consuming. This study investigated perceptions of natural resources and …

The Unfamiliar Familiar | An Exploration Into The Architectural Uncanny, Jessica P. Peters

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Two Sides To Every Story: Investigating Changes In Cultural Attitudes Using Discourse Analysis In Computer-Mediated Infidelity Discussions, Michaela J. Dipillo

Masters Theses

Despite overt cultural consensus on the reprehensible nature of infidelity, prevalence rates of infidelity behavior remain elevated— highlighting a substantial discrepancy between widely-accepted infidelity practices and actual behavior. To understand this incongruence and elucidate the cultural meaning of infidelity, communication surrounding infidelity warrants extensive scrutiny. The study employs methods of discourse analysis to investigate three Reddit threads from 2017, 2019, and 2021, that address infidelity. I make a case that recent changes in the discourse surrounding infidelity reflect changes in broader societal attitudes and accepted practices concerning infidelity. Using empirical methods of discourse analysis, I conducted three analytical procedures to …

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Attachment Styles On Digital Sexual Coercion In College-Aged Adults, Laura Elizabeth Stanley

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Trauma Of Premature Exposure To Violence: The Destruction Of Innocence In The Hunger Games, Riley Woody

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression In C57bl/6j Mice: The Role Of Prefrontal Cortex Cholinergic Transmission In The Wakefulness Stimulus For Breathing, Wilton Sun

Select or Award-Winning Individual Scholarship

Opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD) is the primary cause of death from opioid overdose. Opioids depress breathing by diminishing the wakefulness stimulus for breathing in humans and mice. Cholinergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) promotes cortical EEG activation, increases wakefulness, and stimulates breathing. However, no previous studies have tested whether increasing cholinergic transmission in the PFC can mitigate respiratory depression caused by systemically administered fentanyl in mice. The series of studies comprising this honors thesis is split into two phases. The first phase included a concentration response study evaluating the effects of fentanyl on breathing in C57BL/6J mice breathing room …

Buprenorphine Effects On Anxiety-Like Behavior In B6 Mice, Megan K. Thibert

Select or Award-Winning Individual Scholarship

Buprenorphine, a semi-synthetic opioid prescribed for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), has been suggested as a potential pharmacological treatment for anxiety. Some preclinical and clinical studies provide support for the anxiolytic effects of buprenorphine, but research in this area is scarce, and findings to date have been mixed. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that buprenorphine alters anxiety-like behavior in C57BL/IJ (B6) mice measured using the elevated zero maze (EZM). Adult, male mice (n=10) were given subcutaneous injections of saline (control) and three doses of buprenorphine (0.3, 1, and 10 mg/kg). One hour following injection, …

Soul-Training: The Why, What, And How Of Spiritual Formation In Sports, Elizabeth Bounds

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Sportspeople know how to train and prepare their bodies for competition. The question this article seeks to explore is how sportspeople should approach training and preparing their souls. The Willardian corpus provides sportspeople a framework for understanding spiritual formation. This article examines the “why,” “what,” and “how” of soul-training, how Christians in sports can engage in spiritual formation. Sportspeople train their souls to experience God’s presence and worship him on and off the competition stage (why). In order to do so, they train their souls by following Christ as his apprentices, leading to transformation into his likeness (what) by cooperating …

Religiosity And Ways Of Coping With Sport Injuries Among Christian Athletes, Diane M. Wiese‐Bjornstal, Kristin N. Wood, Francesca M. Principe, Emma S. Schwartz

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Although research evidence supports religiosity’s predominantly positive mental and physical health benefits to patients coping with varied health problems, there are few studies exploring the influence of religiosity on coping with sport injuries among athletes identifying with specific religions. This study examined the relationships between religiosity and the use of religious and non-religious ways of coping with sport injuries by athletes affiliated with diverse Christian denominations. Within a concurrent mixed methods design, adult athletes (N = 88) responded to an online survey asking about several religiosity factors, their most serious or challenging sport injuries, and their ways of coping …

Beyond ‘Help-Seeking,’ Toward ‘Engagement’: Understanding Barriers To Mental Health Equity Among Sexual Minority Individuals, Elliot Spengler

Doctoral Dissertations

The finding that 57.4% of adults living in the United States with a diagnosable mental health disorder do not receive mental health care (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2018) opens important questions as to what structural and individual factors contribute to this “treatment gap” and individuals’ willingness and/or ability to seek out traditional mental health care. Sexual minority (SM) individuals experience inequitable mental health outcomes and report more unmet mental health needs and more barriers to health care than heterosexual individuals. Thus, there is a need to understand the process of mental health care engagement (MHCE) for SM …

Am I Stigmatized? An Experimental Examination Of High-Status Experiences Of Stigma., Christopher F. Silver

Doctoral Dissertations

Stigma is a highly researched aspect of social psychology primarily focusing on outgroup perceptions of stigma or the behaviors associated with high-status individuals toward low-status individuals. Two studies sought to explore high-status perceptions of perceived stigma, focusing on the common variables associated with stigma within low-status groups. This was to address a growing perception among high-status individuals that they experience stigma given their identity. As a focus, this study sampled White Males (Study One) and Christians (Study Two) from the United States. As part of experimental manipulation, we presented participants with three potential conditions. Condition one where participants read an …

“The Only Way I Feel Connected Is Through Other Latinx Friends”: Latinx Ethnic Identity, Social Connection, And Sense Of Belonging At A Southeastern Predominantly White Institution, Jasmine M. Koech

Masters Theses

Research demonstrates that Latinx students enrolled in Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) face challenges in locating a sense of belonging and creating social connections on campus (e.g., Dueñas & Gloria, 2020). A lack of sense of belonging and limited access to affirming social connections can have negative consequences on ethnic identity development (e.g., Jones & Galliher, 2014). Our study sought to further investigate the experiences of Latinx students at a southeastern PWI, their experiences with locating a sense of belonging and social connections on campus, as well as their experiences navigating their ethnic identity development. Focus group data was collected from …

The Desire To Train: A Motivational Profile Of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Players, Terrance Tarver

Masters Theses

Combat sports, such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, require intense physical, mental, and emotional tasking within its training. With the degree of difficulty ingrained within the sport, as well as the performance-focused climate that this sport may be practiced within, many participants that once were intrigued by the sport may lose this interest and enjoyment if their goals are not met. This leads to much interest into what factors drive the motivation of those that continue to participate within Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The purpose of this study is to develop a motivational profile of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu players. 216 participants from …

Preterm Birth Among Opioid-Using Women And High-Risk Controls: The Potential Moderating Role Of Borderline Features, Summer Victoria Shore, Rachel Hickman

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Opioid use is a growing problem within this country (Maeda, Bateman, Clancy, Creanga, & Leffert, 2014). One implication of this is an increased incidence of preterm birth, defined as birth before 37 weeks gestation (Kramer et al., 2000; Norwitz & Robinson, 2001). Previous research supports an association between opioid use and preterm birth (Nørgaard, Nielsson, & Heide-Jørgensen, 2015). No research has evaluated the role mental health diagnoses aside from anxiety and depression (Benningfield et al., 2010) play in conjunction with opioid use in exacerbating the risk of preterm birth. In the proposed study, the focus is on Borderline Personality Disorder …

Interactional Synchrony In Romantic Couples: Linking Dynamic Systems Of Nonverbal Behavior With Outcome Data, Darren J. Garcia

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

The aim of this study was to bridge the growing body of research on interactional synchrony with variables reflecting relationship quality in romantic couples. Video data from 116 romantic couples who participated in a short-term relationship intervention (Gordon et al., 2019) and their self-report assessments of relationship satisfaction, emotional intimacy, and constructive communication patterns were used for analyses. Movement was objectively quantified for each partner using Motion Energy Analysis (MEA; Ramseyer & Tschacher, 2011), an automated frame-differencing method. Cross-lag correlations of the time-series data were then aggregated and operationalized as interactional synchrony. Empirical relationships between interactional synchrony and relationship …

Audiovisual Speech Processing: Implications For Speech Perception And Language Development, Ryan Andrew Cannistraci

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation aims to empirically assess the complex, multileveled relationships between audiovisual speech perception and early language development. The majority of extant language development research has justifiably focused on infants’ ability to learn language from auditory input, and indeed, infants are precocious auditory learners (Saffran & Kirkham, 2018). Complementary to auditory speech, however, are the necessarily redundant facial movements used to articulate speech. Outside of language development research, multimodal processing has been theorized to facilitate perceptual learning and cognitive development (Bahrick & Lickliter, 2000), but only a small number of empirical studies have investigated how audiovisual speech perception in infancy …