Psychology Commons^™

Putting The 'A' In Prosocial: Development And Validation Of A Measure Of Trait Altruism, Laura K.D. Johnson Msc

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Trait altruism reflects the tendency to perform behaviours with the goal of improving another’s welfare. Altruism is commonly measured using scales that assess how frequently the test-taker has performed specific prosocial actions. However, these scales assume that these behaviours are altruistically motivated and fail to consider what is known in the literature about the attitudes, values, and emotions that characterize altruistic individuals. Accordingly, altruism research would benefit from a new scale that draws upon the large body of interdisciplinary research and follows current best practices in scale development, as summarized in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 presents a review of the …

The Initial Development, Factor Structure, And Psychometric Validation Of The Impostor Phenomenon Assessment (Ipa): A Novel Assessment Of Impostor Phenomenon, Deanna L. Walker

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Despite growing attention surrounding impostor phenomenon (also known as “imposter syndrome”), recent reviews have suggested that current measures may be inadequate in capturing the complex and multifaceted nature of this construct (i.e., thoughts, feelings, and behaviours). The objective of my dissertation research program was to clarify the theoretical conceptualization of impostor phenomenon based on experiences in an achievement-oriented setting, and to develop a novel and psychometrically valid method of measuring this construct. I began by conducting an extensive review of the literature and developing an item pool for a novel impostor phenomenon assessment. I then conducted exploratory factor …

Development Of A New Measure Of Political Ideology, Vanessa M. Sinclair

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Ideology is central to political psychology, but despite recent renewed interest in studying political ideology, its measurement is inconsistent. Ideology scales are numerous and heterogeneous in content. Further, there is disagreement on whether ideology is unidimensional multi-dimensional, and what the nature of these dimensions are. These inconsistencies limit the generalizability of conclusions made about ideology as it relates to political views and behaviour. There is a clear need for a conceptual model that is grounded in theory, and for a well-validated scale that organizes and quantifies ideology. Chapter 1 reviews the state of ideology measurement and identifies plausible dimensions supported …

Exploring The Role(S) Of Trait Emotional Intelligence & Personality In Help-Seeking Behaviour Among Undergraduate Students, Nikola Cuvalo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Trait emotional intelligence (EI) and the Big Five personality factors represent promising constructs in the individual differences literature that have been investigated in relation to help-seeking behaviour. This quantitative work explores the relationship between individual differences in trait EI, personality, and attitudes toward – as well as future intentions to engage in – help-seeking behaviour among undergraduate students at Western University. Stepwise regression modelling was used to determine which dimensions of personality and trait EI best predicted help-seeking outcomes and whether attitudes toward help-seeking predicted intentions to seek help from university-provided mental health sources. Resultsindicated that several individual facets of …

Individual Differences And Social-Comparative Feedback, Kabir N. Daljeet

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of the overall program of research was to investigate whether there are individual differences that facilitate the acceptance of, or preferences for, social-comparative performance feedback. In doing so, we aimed to establish how individual differences could be leveraged to mitigate the negative reactions that some individuals experience in response to social-comparative feedback (Feeney, Goffin, & Schneider, 2016; Roch et al., 2007). Likewise, we sought to determine whether individual differences were associated with a preference for social-comparative feedback. The results of the first study (N = 255) advanced a novel experimental design and found that, with limited exception, …

The State-Trait Model Of Cheerfulness: Psychometric Validation, Cross-Cultural Findings, And Its Association With Well-Being, Chloe Lau

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The State-Trait Cheerfulness Inventory (STCI) measures the temperamental basis of the sense of humor involving cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood. This manuscript-based dissertation introduces novel research findings that incrementally advances knowledge and understanding of the state-trait model of cheerfulness. The present research addresses two main objectives to: (1) assess the reliability and validity of the newly constructed measures of the STCI and (2) broaden the understanding of the theoretical framework of the STCI and its association with humor and well-being. Studies One to Four provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the English (state and trait short forms), Italian …

The Experiences Of Iraqi Refugees In Canada: A Life History Study Of War And Resilience In The Aftermath Of Migration, Nada Nessan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis reports on a life history narrative on the experiences of Iraqi refugees who resettled in Canada after living through war. The aim of this study is to help change the narrow perspectives on the mental health of war affected populations to a broader perception shaped by cultural and social aspects and to inform the development of meaningful and cultural relevant programs and policies with a particular attention to the concept of resilience.

The first part of the study presents the chronological narratives, or profiles. of eight participants. The second part of the study is a thematic discussion of …

The Relationship Between Perfectionism And Procrastination: Examining Trait And Cognitive Conceptualizations, And The Mediating Roles Of Fear Of Failure And Overgeneralization Of Failure, Lital Yosopov

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The relationship between perfectionism and procrastination has been established in the literature; however, findings regarding the magnitude of this correlation are inconsistent. Some studies found small-to-medium effects between trait-perfectionism and trait-procrastination, while others found large effects between perfectionistic cognitions and procrastinatory cognitions, suggesting that the association may be stronger when assessed from a cognitive perspective. The present study addressed this inconsistency, by exploring this association using both trait and cognitive measures. There was a significant and positive correlation between perfectionism and procrastination, and the largest effect size was observed between perfectionism (trait and cognitive measures) and procrastinatory cognitions, suggesting that …

When Life Gives You Lemons: The Development And Validation Of The Resilience Scale For Older Adults, Claire A. Wilson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The study of resilience, or positive adaptation in the face of adversity, is important across the lifespan, but may be particularly relevant for older adults who tend to experience an increasing number of challenges. Traditionally, resilience assessment has largely focused on child and young-to-middle aged adult populations, and as such, the literature is lacking a validated resilience measure developed specifically for older adults. This dissertation aimed to improve the measurement of resilience in older populations by developing and validating a new resilience measure that is relevant and appropriate for older adults. In Study 1, a qualitative metasynthesis was conducted to …

‘Instead Of Life In Prison, It Was Life In My Own Skin’: Scope And Limitations Of A Week-Long Daily Online Self-Compassionate Writing Intervention For Young Women’S Body Image, Katarina Huellemann

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Self-compassion involves reappraising negative events, accepting uncomfortable emotions, and practicing self-kindness. This thesis examined the effect of cultivating self-compassion via daily self-compassionate writing completed online for one week on stigmatizing and affirming self-perceptions in young undergraduate women. Undergraduate women (N = 254) were randomly assigned to one of the three conditions (i.e., self-compassionate writing, attentional-control, wait-list control) and completed measures of trait self-compassion, fear of self-compassion, affirming self-perceptions (i.e., body appreciation and broad conceptualization of beauty), and stigmatizing self-perceptions (i.e., self-objectification and phenomenological body shame) at baseline, post-test, and one-month follow-up. Hypotheses were tested using MANCOVA and a latent …

The Role Of Dark Personalities In Intimate Partner Violence, Rachel A. Plouffe

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an international public health concern that poses significant mental and physical health risks for affected individuals. To improve prevention and intervention efforts, it is imperative that researchers and government bodies understand risk factors for IPV. This dissertation sought to evaluate individual differences in personality and childhood experiences as risk factors for various forms of IPV. The first two studies in this dissertation assessed whether the Dark Tetrad personality traits moderated the relationships between participants’ and their partners’ levels of IPV perpetration. In these studies, we assessed whether the Dark Tetrad traits operated differently in their …

The Development And Validation Of A Preliminary Meditation Intentions Questionnaire, Daniel Kharlas

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Meditation programs and mindfulness interventions have become increasingly popular over the last 30 years in both clinical and non-clinical populations. However, challenges such as motivating participants in 8-week programs and adherence rates are issues in many mindfulness meditation interventions. The Meditation Intentions Questionnaire (MIQ) was developed as a measure intended to guide participants to set their own goals and intentions for meditation. The MIQ has six subscales with 8 items each. The subscales assess intentions for participating in meditation programs in the following domains: cognitive enhancement, increased emotional control, greater positive affect, stress relief, spiritual discovery and psychological discovery. Items …

The Light Triad Scale: Developing And Validating A Preliminary Measure Of Prosocial Orientation, Laura K.D. Johnson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Most research on prosocial behaviour focuses on situational factors rather than individual differences. Empathy, compassion, and altruism are three constructs related to prosocial behaviour that also overlap theoretically. However, prosocial traits are rarely studied together, and measures of prosocial orientation are lacking. To address this gap, the Light Triad Scale (Light-3) was developed to assess individual differences in prosocial orientation. Three subscales with 12 items each, assessing empathy, compassion, and altruism, were created using existing measures of each construct. Items were selected according to theory and literature. The Light-3 was then administered to a sample of undergraduate psychology students at …

Hardiness, Perseverative Cognition, Anxiety, And Health-Related Outcomes: A Case For And Against Psychological Hardiness, Christopher M. Kowalski

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The present study investigates the utility of psychological hardiness as well as the differences between rumination and worry. Undergraduate students completed questionnaires assessing hardiness, worry, rumination, mindfulness, neuroticism, anxiety, somatization, coping, and health. Correlations and partial correlations controlling for neuroticism were examined. Hardiness was negatively correlated with neuroticism, rumination, worry, and anxiety and positively correlated with mindfulness, coping, and health. When neuroticism was statistically controlled, the relationships between hardiness and rumination, health, and coping became nonsignificant, and the relationships between hardiness and worry, mindfulness, and anxiety although attenuated, remained significant. Rumination and worry positively correlated, but when neuroticism was statistically …

Perfectionistic Strivings Are Neither Adaptive, Healthy, Positive, Functional, Nor Advisable: Findings From Six Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles, Martin M. Smith

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This article-based dissertation incrementally advanced our understanding of the contentiously debated (mal)adaptiveness of perfectionistic strivings (i.e., self-oriented perfectionism and personal standards). Perfectionistic strivings’ relations with negative emotionality, narcissism, depressive symptoms, and suicide were examined using structural equation modeling, path analysis, and meta-analysis. Additionally, bifactor modeling was used to explore how controlling for perfectionistic concerns (i.e., socially prescribed perfectionism, concern over mistakes, and doubts about actions) impacts perfectionistic strivings’ factor structure. Results suggest perfectionistic strivings are neither adaptive, healthy, positive, functional, nor advisable. Indeed, perfectionistic strivings exacerbated perfectionistic concerns’ relationship with negative emotionality. Likewise, controlling for perfectionistic concerns rendered perfectionistic strivings …

Mixture Modelling Of The Hexaco Personality Inventory, Carolina Patryluk

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mixture models are used for identifying profiles or combinations of profiles and dimensions that explain observed variables. Given that these techniques can be misapplied (Lubke & Miller, 2014), much research is needed to understand their properties when applied to various data sets. The current study tests and compares the fit of mixture models to factor analytic models of personality trait facets based on the HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (Ashton & Lee, 2009a). This study also examines the relative amounts of variance in the facet variables that can be explained by underlying dimensions, latent profiles, and other sources. Ashton and Lee (2009b) …

Do You “Like” Me?: Reassurance Seeking On Facebook And Depression, Callista Forchuk

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The objective of this study was to expand interpersonal theories of depression by incorporating online social behaviour. This study assessed the influence of Facebook reassurance seeking on concurrent depressive symptoms, as well as the moderating role of attachment anxiety in this relation. A sample of 458 undergraduates (68% female; mean age 18.54) completed self-report computer-based questionnaires of offline reassurance seeking, Facebook reassurance seeking, attachment style, and depression. Contrary to hypotheses, Facebook reassurance seeking was not associated with depressive symptoms. However, there was an interaction whereby, for those higher in attachment anxiety, more Facebook reassurance seeking was associated with lessened depressive …

The Heart Of Ideology: Bringing Compassion Into The Political Sphere, Vanessa M. Sinclair

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Individual differences are pivotal in predicting sociopolitical views, which in turn guide behaviours like voting decisions, career choices, or engagement in activism. Compassion, a trait related to empathy and prosocial behaviour, has shown promise in predicting reduced hostile, anti-egalitarian attitudes. Certain kinds of political beliefs can be termed hierarchy-legitimizing in that they perpetuate or enhance existing societal hierarchies, such as economic inequality or racial discrimination. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between compassion for others and hierarchy-legitimizing viewpoints, as mediated by the characteristic of Social Dominance Orientation (SDO). A sample of 590 undergraduate students completed measures …

Mapping Alternative Masculinities: Development, Validation, And Latent Profile Analysis Of A New Masculinity Measure, Jessica K. Padgett

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Prominent measures of masculinity focus on traditional masculine norms, such as high aggression, low emotional expression, and heteronormativity. However, recent qualitative research has indicated that a variety of men embrace alternative forms of masculinity that include unique characteristics not represented by traditional norms. I developed the Alternative Masculinity Measure (ALT-M) to address this gap. The ALT-M was designed to measure individual differences on constructs derived from a modern, socially progressive representation of masculinity. Concepts, scales, and items were developed primarily from readings of qualitative research on alternative masculinities. Nine dimensions with 14 items each was sent to 15 experts for …

Initial Development Of The Reasons For Reckless And Destructive Behaviours Inventory: Expanding The Role Of Dissociation In Self-Destructive Behaviours, Matthew F D Brown

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Recent research has conceptualized self-destructive behaviours (SDB; e.g., self-injury) as being performed to serve specific functions; however, few measures exist that examine common functions across a range of SDB types. In addition, although dissociative experiences (e.g., depersonalization) are often endorsed by individuals who engage in SDB, measurement of these experiences as reasons for SDB are rarely assessed. In this thesis, we used a trauma-informed approach to evaluate motivations for SDB by initially developing the Reasons for Reckless and Destructive Behaviours Inventory (RRDI). Basic psychometric statistics of reliability, mean item-endorsement, convergent validity, and construct validity were performed across the scales of …

The Self-Diss: A Comprehensive Measure Of Self-Defeating Interpersonal Style, Breanna E. Atkinson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This research reports the development and validation of the Self-Defeating Interpersonal Style Scale (SELF-DISS), a measure for the assessment of the propensity to engage in the chronic tolerance of mistreatment in relationships. Studies 1 and 2 followed a strategical 7-step process for developing valid and reliable measures. Study 1 proposed a theoretical model and developed a reliable measure to tap the three proposed factors on three scales: Insecure Attachment, Undeserving Self-Image, and Self-Sacrificing Nature. Study 2 replicated Study 1 as well as refined the SELF-DISS model to 35 items that indicated an excellent fit. Study 2 tested construct validity via …

Examining The Influence Of Demographic Differences On Children's Wisc-V Test Performance: A Canadian Perspective, Sarah E. Babcock

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Intelligence is a powerful correlate of human behaviours and characteristics, and has an important impact on many life outcomes including educational and career success, mental health, and longevity. Given the widespread influence, it is imperative that intelligence and intelligence tests are interpreted accurately. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of demographic differences on the intelligence test scores of Canadian children using the WISC-V. Drawing from the WISC V^CDN standardization data, the results suggest that ethnicity and socioeconomic status are significant predictors of IQ scores, and that differences in these variables significantly affect test performance. Further, …

That's Not Fair! Examining Individual Differences In Perceptions Of Fairness, Hayden Jerney Randolph Woodley

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Within organizations, fairness is an important concept and has received considerable research attention. Some research, interestingly, suggests that individuals differ in their perceptions of equity. Building on this research, four empirical studies were conducted to develop a measure of a new construct (i.e., equity orientation) and examine its predictive validity. In Study 1 (N = 836) and Study 2 (N = 600), the Equity Orientation Scale (EOS) was created and its relations with two popular personality models – the HEXACO and the Dark Tetrad – were examined across self- and peer-ratings. In Study 3 (N = 433) and Study 4 …

Social Relationships In Young Offenders: Relevance To Peers, Poverty, And Psychological Adjustment, Victoria Sabo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The increasing influence of peers in adolescence is related to a developing array of skills, aspirations, attitudes, and behaviours. The nature and magnitude of this influence and the potential association of certain youth with deviant peers is among the most prominent risk factors in predicting youth crime. This becomes of greater concern for economically disadvantaged youth, whose neighbourhoods harbour greater susceptibility to negative peer influence. With social affiliations at the forefront of youth development and criminality, research efforts need to further characterize the nature, constitution, and influence of peers on adolescent offending. Two hundred and eighty-one Canadian youth were sampled …

An Extension Of The Dimensional Comparison Theory: A Test Of Emotional Intelligence Self-Concepts., Caitlin J. Spencer

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According to the Dimensional Comparison Theory (DCT), individuals’ self-concepts of abilities are influenced not only by external sources of evaluation within the same domain, but also internal comparisons of abilities across different domains, resulting in negative contrast effects for self-concepts in dissimilar domains and positive assimilation effects for self-concepts in similar domains. These dimensional comparisons have been primarily tested with academic domains to date, yet social-emotional learning is an important complement to academic learning. The present study sought to extend the DCT to Emotional Intelligence (EI) self-concepts in a sample of 1,069 Canadian children and adolescents, aged 9-18 years. Using …

Item Properties And The Validity Of Personality Assessment, Rachel A. Plouffe

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The aim of the current research was to evaluate psychometric properties of personality questionnaire items that can affect their validity, as measured by comparing self-ratings with roommate ratings on a series of personality questionnaires. The item properties under investigation included item content saturation, item social desirability, and mean item responses. Archival data collected between 1981 and 2004 representing various groups of same-sex undergraduate roommate dyads were used for the purpose of this research. Results demonstrated that item content saturation was the most consistent predictor of item response accuracy. Mean item responses also predicted accurate responding curvilinearly, with moderate mean item …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence, Resiliency, And Mental Health In Older Adults: The Mediating Role Of Savouring, Claire A. Wilson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Traditionally, mental and physical health have been considered indicators of successful aging. However, resiliency, the propensity to bounce back from negative events, is beginning to emerge as an important aspect of aging successfully. Further, possessing emotional intelligence (EI) has been associated with improved physical and mental health. Positive emotions consistently demonstrate numerous mental and physical health benefits, however savouring, the process through which positive emotions are focused on, has comparatively been under-studied. The present study hypothesized that savouring, resiliency and EI would predict physical health in older adults, and that savouring would mediate the relationship between resiliency, EI, and mental …

The Influence Of Self-Compassion, Compassion For Others, And Emotional Intelligence On Conflict Resolution Strategies, Anita Feher

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Dual concern models of conflict postulate that people employ various conflict resolution strategies based on their degree of concern for the self and others. Previous studies have demonstrated that individual difference variables play an important role in determining what strategies people use. The purpose of the current mixed-methods study was to increase understanding of how individual differences influence both general and situation-specific conflict resolution. A sample of 486 university students completed questionnaires assessing trait emotional intelligence (EI), ability EI, self-compassion, compassion for others, and general conflict resolution strategies. Participants also gave an open-ended response to a hypothetical task conflict scenario …

When Life Gives You Lemons, Squeeze Them In People's Eyes: Humor Styles In Adaptive And Maladaptive Contexts, Livia Veselka

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The present series of investigations focused on an assessment of four humor styles—two positive styles (affiliative, self-enhancing), and two negative styles (aggressive, self-defeating)—individual differences in which are measured using the Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ). These styles of humor stand in contrast to the traditional concept of sense of humor, which has been shown to be vague and ultimately incapable of differentiating between positive and negative manifestations of humor. Across the investigations, the humor styles were assessed in relation to adaptive and maladaptive constructs to clarify the extent to which these functions of humor relate to indicators of adjustment and psychological …

The Nature And Structure Of Temperament In Early And Middle Childhood: A Multi-Method Approach, Yuliya Kotelnikova

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Structural work on the nature of child temperament has lagged far behind parallel research with adults. Further, the structure of extant parent-report questionnaires has been examined only at the higher-order level, using small samples of children. This dissertation addresses this important gap in three studies, examining the lower- and higher-order structure of two widely used parent-reports of child temperament (Studies 1 and 2) and an observational battery of temperament (Study 3). The first study examined the lower- and higher-order structure of the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ; Rothbart, Ahadi, Hershey, & Fisher, 2001) in a large community sample of children at …