Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Psychology Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Psychology

"Is This Really A Police Station? Police Department Exteriors And Judgments Of Authority, Professionalism, And Approachability.", Ashley Clinton, Ann Sloan Devlin Dec 2011

"Is This Really A Police Station? Police Department Exteriors And Judgments Of Authority, Professionalism, And Approachability.", Ashley Clinton, Ann Sloan Devlin

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study examined the relationship between exteriors of police department facilities and participants’ ratings of the buildings’ authority, professionalism, and approachability. After a pilot study, research was conducted with 122 participants who were undergraduate students from a small, liberal arts college in the Northeast. On each of three characteristics (authority, professionalism, and approachability), participants rated 16 color images of police departments located in the United States. The façade ratings for each characteristic were then categorized into factors through factor analyses. There were three factors for authority (Ineffectual, Strong, and Outdated); three for professionalism (Unskilled, Non-traditional, and Governmental); and four for …


Evolution, Terror Management Theory, And Humans’ Relationship With Nature, Joshua Warren Vinocour Nov 2011

Evolution, Terror Management Theory, And Humans’ Relationship With Nature, Joshua Warren Vinocour

Dissertations

This study investigated the savannah hypothesis, an evolutionary explanation for human environmental preference. It aimed to address some of the methodological shortcomings of prior research while simultaneously investigating the role of non-evolutionary influences, such as existential anxiety and individual differences. Ninety-eight undergraduate participants were shown photos of Natural, Mixed, and Built settings and rated the visual attractiveness of each photo. Results showed that Built scenes were preferred over Natural and Mixed scenes, in contradiction to the savannah hypothesis. Existential anxiety, however, did not appear to influence photo ratings. Individual differences, such as ethnicity and the quality participants’ previous outdoor experiences …


Archival Study: How The Architecture Of A Room Can Influence A Person’S Mood, Jordan Mckay Jan 2011

Archival Study: How The Architecture Of A Room Can Influence A Person’S Mood, Jordan Mckay

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

I conducted this meta-analysis of published studies examining how architectural designs can affect a person’s mood, as it pertains to colors of and the overall arrangement of the room. There are many factors that influence one’s mood; however, there is evidence showing that color can affect the way a person feels. Not only can color be a factor but the design of the room, whether it is a small confined space or a wide-open space, can have significant implications on a person’s mood and creativity. Many interior designers and architects consider these factors when designing a room and or space. …