Psychology Commons^™

Education & Crime: A Study In Student Perceptions Of Culpability, Larry Curtis Long

Masters Theses

Criminological research has long been concerned with how stereotypes of offender race and gender affect perceived culpability and policy formation. Using data collected from a college student population that were administered six vignettes written in the form of police blotters that depicted different crimes being committed by offenders with differing educational characteristics, this study seeks to identify whether or not an offender’s educational characteristics affect their perceived culpability. Although the data indicates that offender’s are seen as culpable regardless of their educational characteristics, it is evident that some degree or sociopathy is assessed to offender’s that are seen as educated …

Effect Of Maternal Borderline Personality Disorder On Romantic Attachment In Adolescence, Christopher Daniel Watkins

Masters Theses

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe and chronic disorder that has been described as a disorder of attachment. The present study examined the effect of maternal BPD and borderline personality features on the romantic attachment styles of mothers with BPD and their 14-17 year old offspring. In a low socioeconomic status (SES) sample of n=28 adolescents whose mothers have BPD and n=28 normative comparisons, groups were compared on maternal and adolescent self-reported romantic attachment styles. Across the sample as a whole, the relationship between borderline features and romantic attachment styles were assessed. Also, the relationship between maternal …

Relationship Of Age Of Onset And Other Dimensions Of Trauma To Dissociation In An Adult Clinical Population, Amineh Abbas

Masters Theses

This study examined four dimensions of trauma and how they affected levels of dissociation in male and female adult outpatients. These dimensions are age of onset, multiple trauma, chronicity, and recency. Two hundred forty-five adult outpatients at the University of Tennessee Psychological Clinic were administered the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and the Traumatic Experiences Checklist (TEC) as part of the routine intake procedure. Of those individuals, 177 patients reported trauma and were included in the final study sample. All four dimensions of trauma were found to be significantly correlated with dissociation. In addition, multiple trauma was found to be the …

Borderline Features And Attachment In Adolescents Whose Mothers Have Borderline Personality Disorder, Stevie Nikell Grassetti

Masters Theses

The current study examined attachment and borderline features in a sample of adolescents whose mothers have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) (n=28) and normative comparison adolescents (n=29) using self-reports of parental attachment and borderline features. Statistical analyses revealed, with marginal significance, that adolescents of mothers with BPD provided lower ratings of parents as sources of support than comparison adolescents, but no difference for parents as facilitators of independence. However, adolescents of mothers with BPD did provide lower ratings of affective quality of parental attachment relationships. Dichotomous group differences were not found in adolescent borderline features. However, every …

Gender Differences In Overt Behavior And Mediators Of Depression Severity, Marlena Maria Ryba

Masters Theses

For several decades, evolutionary and social learning theories have been explanatory frameworks to explicate gender differences in overt behaviors and the prevalence, etiology, and maintenance of mental health problems. To further explore relations among gender, overt behaviors, and depression severity, this study used a daily diary methodology to examine gender differences within thirteen behavioral domains and whether differntial frequency of overt behaviors and environmental reward mediated the relationship between gender and depression severity. Overall, females engaged in a significantly greater breadth of behavioral domains and reported a higher level of environmental reward. Females reported spending more time in the domains …

Revisiting The Causal Link Between Finite Cognitive Capacity And Perseveration: A Dynamic Systems Account, Benjamin Craddock

Masters Theses

The current study revisits the causal link between finite cognitive capacity and infant perseveration originally put forth by Berger (2004) wherein perseverative errors resulted from a limited amount of cognitive resources. A dynamic systems perspective was used to test the interaction of a limited cognitive capacity and task difficulty by manipulating the contextual layout of Berger’s stair A-not-B paradigm (i.e. from 90-degrees to 180-degrees). Two groups of infants, differing in walking experience but not in biological age, were presented the task of descending A-side 5 consecutive times and to B-side on the 6th trial. Perseveration was not seen in either …

An Investigation Of The Big Five And Narrow Personality Traits In Relation To Life Satisfaction, Hemali Rakesh Patel

Masters Theses

The present study focuses on the relationship between personality and Life Satisfaction. I analyzed the Big Five traits, six Narrow personality traits, and levels of Life Satisfaction in a sample of 5,932 individuals. A review of existing literature on other variables that contribute to Life Satisfaction was also conducted and used to measure against personality traits. The narrow traits added variance above and beyond the Big Five personality traits. All the Big Five traits and Optimism, Assertiveness, Intrinsic Motivation, and Tough-Mindedness were significantly and positively correlated with Life Satisfaction. Image Management was significantly and negatively correlated with Life Satisfaction. Results …

Predicting Forgiveness In Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence, Sarah Elizabeth Gilbert

Masters Theses

Several theories have attempted to explain the stay/leave decisions of women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). One recent study suggests that women’s intent to return to their abusive partners was related to forgiveness of the abuse; consequently, this study aims to identify factors that may make women more likely to forgive IPV. It was hypothesized that commitment, specifically both personal dedication and constraint commitment (Stanley & Markman, 1992), would predict forgiveness and that denial of injury would mediate the relation between commitment and forgiveness, as women may be more likely to deny the severity of the abuse in order to …

Alarm Calling In The Context Of Flying Predator Stimuli: A Field Study Of Carolina Chickadees (Poecile Carolinensis), Christopher Erik Zachau

Masters Theses

This study describes chick-a-dee calling behavior of Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) in the presence of “flying” predator models. Previous experimental research with black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapilla) as well as Mexican chickadees (Poecile sclateri) suggested a relationship between the presence of predator stimuli and the note composition of chick-a-dee calls.

Carolina chickadees were presented with two types of stimuli in field settings. These models were painted to resemble either a predatory sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) or a blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata). Models consisted of pairs of five varying shapes, making ten models in …

The Relationship Between School Belongingness And Drop Out Rates, Lauren Sanders

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Finding The Path Within The "Ego Tunnel": A Buddhist Approach To Tackling The Problems Of A Western Self, Bryan James Hinman

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Using Alternating Treatment Design To Determine Math Interventions For Linear Equations, Bridget Mckenna

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Statewide Training On Functional Behavioral Assessment (Fba) Knowledge, Kendra L. Brading

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Relationship Between Indirect Aggression And Social Anxiety In A College Sample, Jennifer A. Kusy

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Between Subjects Analysis Of The Additive Interspersal Technique For Multiplication Assignments, Lindsay A. Nash

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

School-Based Support As A Mediator Between Homophobic Bullying And Depression In Sexual Minority Youth, Jamie Henkelman

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Familial Factors And Attachment Styles Of Male And Female Adult Children Of Alcoholics, Kristina M. Decker

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Knowing Whose [Sic] Calling: Telephone Telepathy, Clint Harvey

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Behavioral Risk Factors Of Non-Suicidal Self-Injurious Behavior In A Community Sample Of Adolescents, Sarah Ritter

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Panic!: Anxiety Sensitivity, Perceived Stress, And Social Support As Predictors Of Uncued Panic Attacks In College Students, Julie Lynn Kaspar

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Role Of Exercise On Psychological Health Of College Students, Shannon L. Goering

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Do You "Like" Your Body?: The Effect Of Facebook Investment On Self-Objectification, Body Shame, And Disordered Eating, Chandra Feltman

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

School Attachment And The Use Of Alcohol Among Rural High School Students, Michelle L. Weiler

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Submissive And Dominant Sexual Cognitions Of College Women With A History Of Sexual Abuse, Jisun Kelly Park

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Happiness And Me: An Exploratory Study Of Parental And Romantic Attachments And Self-Esteem And Their Effects On Adulthood Body Image Dissatisfaction, Stephanie Kibble

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Test-Retest Reliability Of The Acters-2, Alaine A. Benson

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Children's Emotion Regulation And Social Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety, And Depressive Symptoms, Monica Renee Karsai

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Siblings Of Children With Autism: A Family Systems Approach, Mina Ohata

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Treatment Acceptability: Cultural Trends, Sarah Girresch

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Differential Predictors Of Overt And Relational Aggression In Outpatient Youth, Andrea Hadley

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.