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Full-Text Articles in Psychology

Alleviating Obesity Bias: Does Information Content Matter?, Kimberly Mendoza May 2013

Alleviating Obesity Bias: Does Information Content Matter?, Kimberly Mendoza

HIM 1990-2015

Obesity bias has become the most acceptable form of prejudice in American society (Latner, O'Brien, Durso, Brinkman, & MacDonald, 2008). Stigmatization of the obese has tremendous social and economic costs both for the stigmatized population and for society as a whole. Few studies have been done to show effective ways to reduce obesity bias. This study looked to expand the research on effective ways to reduce obesity bias. Using a between-participants experimental design, the present study investigated whether multi-faceted information content about the causes of obesity (including psychological, social, and physiological causes) would be more effective in reducing obesity bias …


Profanity's Relation To Personality And Impulsivity, Jasmin Mokbel May 2013

Profanity's Relation To Personality And Impulsivity, Jasmin Mokbel

HIM 1990-2015

The relationship of swearing in respect to personality, religiosity, and social influences was analyzed in this study. Many assumptions are made about the effects of swear words and the act of swearing can have on an individual. The present study hypothesizes that the use of swears words is dependent on an individual's personality characteristics and that exposure first happens from an external source (mass media outlets) rather than a familiar source (family member). More specifically, extroverted personality types will be more likely to engage in the use of profanity, due to their more impulsive nature. Online surveys such as the …


Examining Heterosocial And Social Anxiety In Pakistani American And European American Women A Comparative Analysis, Zehra Mirza May 2013

Examining Heterosocial And Social Anxiety In Pakistani American And European American Women A Comparative Analysis, Zehra Mirza

HIM 1990-2015

Also, a lower level of heterosocial anxiety was found to be negatively correlated with assimilation to U.S culture, which may have attributed to less heterosocial iv anxiety was found to be negatively correlated with assimilation to U.S culture, which may have attributed to less heterosocial anxiety in Pakistani women.; This present study will examine the psychopathology of Pakistani American females through the context of cultural means. Research in the past has shown that Asian Americans report higher levels of distress as well as higher levels of anxiety relative to their European American counterparts. Thus, social anxiety may manifest itself differently …


The Impact Of Training On Eyewitness Memory, Breanna Nelson May 2013

The Impact Of Training On Eyewitness Memory, Breanna Nelson

HIM 1990-2015

In a large body of research, Elizabeth Loftus (1975) first illuminated major concerns about the inaccuracy of eyewitness accounts. The primary goal of the present research was to test whether training regarding common eyewitness mistakes and witness suggestibility could improve eyewitness accuracy. The experimental group watched a presentation on research conducted by Elizabeth Loftus (1975) on eyewitness testimony and suggestibility during a Psychology course. Afterwards, an actor interrupted the classroom and had a discussion with the teacher. Students were asked a series of questions about the disruption. Some of the questions were leading and suggested certain things about the disruption …


Stigma Related To Depression: A Comparison Between African American And White Young Adults, Amirica Nicholson May 2013

Stigma Related To Depression: A Comparison Between African American And White Young Adults, Amirica Nicholson

HIM 1990-2015

This study examined the effects of gender, ethnicity, social support, and acculturation on depression-stigma in college communities; specifically targeting the racial groups of African Americans and Whites. Undergraduates of various ages and class standings were given surveys within their demographics pertaining to: acculturation, social support, stigma, and depression. The above factors were compared to ethnicity. The results supported that African Americans have a higher level of depression-stigma overall, especially those who have been enculturated into their traditional culture; none of the additional hypotheses were supported by the research.


Mental Illness In The Prison System: Exploring The Issues And Possible Solutions, Melinda Pacecca May 2013

Mental Illness In The Prison System: Exploring The Issues And Possible Solutions, Melinda Pacecca

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this research was to explore the issue of mental health in the prison system. A large portion of the prison population is mentally ill. The prison environment poses special challenges to these individuals. Treating mental illness in a prison environment can be difficult as there are many factors that must be considered in deciding the best way to handle mentally ill offenders. Mental health courts show promise in dealing with these issues, but methods vary quite significantly from region to region. A literature review was conducted to provide an overview of the types of mental illnesses seen …


Music Influences On Health Compromising Behaviors, Erum Qureshi May 2013

Music Influences On Health Compromising Behaviors, Erum Qureshi

HIM 1990-2015

Considering the vast number of youth that participate in sexual behavior and start using illicit drugs at a young age, it is imperative to investigate the prevalence of media filled with both subliminal and blatant messages about drugs and sexuality. It is hypothesized that lyrical content of music and the content and imagery of music videos will contain conscious messages about drug and alcohol use, and sexual behaviors. Content analysis that used the frequency method determined the amount of sexual and drug messages within five songs from each artist. Additionally, it is postulated that participants who frequently listen to specific …


Perceived Stress, Adjustment, Emotional And Behavioral Functioning, And Self-Esteem Among College Freshman And The Role Of Parental Support, Sarah Prentice May 2013

Perceived Stress, Adjustment, Emotional And Behavioral Functioning, And Self-Esteem Among College Freshman And The Role Of Parental Support, Sarah Prentice

HIM 1990-2015

This current study examined the relationships among Freshmen students' contact with their parents, stress, adjustment, emotional and behavioral functioning, and self-esteem. As part of this study, 121 ethnically diverse college Freshmen completed measures assessing the aforementioned variables. Analyses of variance suggested that college Freshmen varied in their ratings of these variables based on their gender and living situation(i.e., whether they lived on campus, in the community, or in their parents' home). Correlational analyses suggested that there were significant relationships among parental involvement and college students' stress, adjustment, emotional and behavioral problems, and self-esteem. Hierarchical regression analyses suggested that gender, living …


Adult Attachment Patterns, Ethnic Experience, And Social Competence; Comparing African American And Caucasian College Students, Melissa Robin May 2013

Adult Attachment Patterns, Ethnic Experience, And Social Competence; Comparing African American And Caucasian College Students, Melissa Robin

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this thesis was to examine adult attachment patterns and ethnic experience and the relationship on social competence. There are limited studies that have examined the differences among racially and ethnically diverse populations. A total of 60 university undergraduate students completed the Relationship Questionnaire, Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire, Measure of Adolescent Hetersocial Competence, and the Scale of Ethnic Experience. Results showed that some differences existed between the two groups in terms of attachment patterns. Ethnic identity was related to social competence with both groups. It is suggested that ethnic experience may be useful for studying social competence.


The Role Of Anxiety In Mental Tumbling Blocks, Shannon Thompson May 2013

The Role Of Anxiety In Mental Tumbling Blocks, Shannon Thompson

HIM 1990-2015

Mental tumbling blocks are a problem in sports such as cheerleading where the athlete has an unexplained fear related to performing a skill that has been previously executed successfully. The current study compared participants with and without a mental tumbling block on self-report measures of anxiety and on vocal analysis data indicating if anxiety or fear is present. Participants were female cheerleaders who ranged in age from 10 to 16 years old. The Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2; Smith, Smoll, Cumming & Grossbard, 2006) and the Cheerleading Fear Inventory (CFI; modified from Cartoni, Minganti, and Zelli, 2005) were used in addition …


The Label Of Madness: The Effects Of Career Choice And Gender On Perceptions Of Mental Illness, Angela Vanella May 2013

The Label Of Madness: The Effects Of Career Choice And Gender On Perceptions Of Mental Illness, Angela Vanella

HIM 1990-2015

People with creative abilities have often been stereotyped as insane, neurotic, and prone to addiction (Kaufman, Bromley, & Cole, 2006; Corrigan, 2005). These labels have perpetuated the stigma for many generations (Ludwig, 1995). In addition, females have often been stereotyped as "bad at math," but are assumed to be more verbal and creative (Quinn & Spencer, 2001). The present study hypothesized that creative writers would be stereotyped as more mentally ill, neurotic, and addicted to substances compared to scientists. It was also predicted that gender would exacerbate the phenomenon such that females would be particularly vulnerable to this stereotype. Statistical …


Autobiographical Memory And Theory Of Mind In Schizotypy, Andrew Deptula Jan 2013

Autobiographical Memory And Theory Of Mind In Schizotypy, Andrew Deptula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with schizophrenia exhibit marked impairments on tasks assessing theory of mind (ToM) and autobiographical memory (AM) qualities, and preliminary research has indicated a positive link between these abilities. This study is the first to systematically explore this relationship in the related personality trait of schizotypy. In a study of 47 undergraduate students (23 males) reporting a wide continuous range of schizotypy, we found that females, but not males, exhibited a negative correlation between ToM and schizotypy, and an unexpected positive correlation between AM qualities and schizotypy. Factor score analysis within females indicated that disorganized schizotypy was the strongest correlate …


The Challenges Of Young-Typed Jobs And How Older Workers Adapt, Michael Reeves Jan 2013

The Challenges Of Young-Typed Jobs And How Older Workers Adapt, Michael Reeves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to explore the challenges faced by older workers who do not fit the age-type of their jobs and how older workers adapt to overcome those challenges. Specifically, I surveyed a national sample of 227 workers 50 years of age and older, in a wide variety of jobs, on measures of perceived age discrimination and adaptation behaviors. I found that fit, as determined by career timetables theory, but not prototype matching theory, successfully predicted perceived age discrimination. Specifically, more age discrimination was perceived when fewer older workers occupied a job. Additionally, multiple regression analysis showed that career timetables …


Is Experiential Avoidance A Factor In Maternal Overprotection?, Melissa Nieves Jan 2013

Is Experiential Avoidance A Factor In Maternal Overprotection?, Melissa Nieves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined experiential avoidance (EA) as an explanation for parental overprotectiveness, a behavior often found among parents of anxious children. EA parenting theory posits that parents engage in overprotective behaviors in order to reduce their own anxiety. In order to test the theory, mothers’ electrodermal activity (EDA) and blindly-coded overprotective behaviors were examined when a child with SAD was engaged in a reading performance task. In line with EA theory, it was hypothesized that EDA levels would increase before an overprotective behavior (OB) occurred and decrease afterwards as a result of decrease in anxiety. The sample consisted of …


Does Virtual Reality Elicit Physiological Arousal In Social Anxiety Disorder, Maryann Owens Jan 2013

Does Virtual Reality Elicit Physiological Arousal In Social Anxiety Disorder, Maryann Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the ability of a Virtual Reality (VR) public speaking task to elicit physiological arousal in adults with SAD (n=25) and Controls (n=25). A behavioral assessment paradigm was employed to address three study objectives: (a) to determine whether the VR task can elicit significant increases in physiological response over baseline resting conditions (b) to determine if individuals with SAD have a greater increase from baseline levels of physiological and self-reported arousal during the in vivo speech task as opposed to the VR speech task and (c) to determine whether individuals with SAD experience greater changes in physiological …


Hyperactivity In Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd): Testing Functional Relationships With Phonological Working Memory Performance And Attention, Dustin Sarver Jan 2013

Hyperactivity In Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd): Testing Functional Relationships With Phonological Working Memory Performance And Attention, Dustin Sarver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Excessive gross motor activity is currently considered a ubiquitous and disruptive feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, an alternative model challenges this premise and hypothesizes a functional relationship between activity level, attention, and working memory. The current study investigated whether, and the extent to which, particular forms of gross motor activity are functionally related to children’s attention and phonological working memory performance. Objective observations of children’s gross motor movements and attention by independent observers were conducted while children with ADHD (n = 29) and typically developing children (n = 23) completed multiple counterbalanced tasks entailing low and high phonological working …


Social Skills And Social Acceptance In Childhood Anxiety Disorders, Lindsay Scharfstein Jan 2013

Social Skills And Social Acceptance In Childhood Anxiety Disorders, Lindsay Scharfstein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the social skills and social acceptance of children with SAD (n=20), children with GAD (n=18), and typically developing (TD) children (n=20). A multimodal assessment paradigm was employed to address three study objectives: (a) to determine whether social skills deficits are unique to children with SAD or extend to children with GAD, (b) to assess whether skills vary as a function of social context (in vivo peer interaction Wii Task versus hypothetical Social Vignette Task) and (c) to examine the relationship between anxiety diagnosis and social acceptance. Parent questionnaire data indicated that both youth with SAD and …


Evaluating The Utility Of A Virtual Environment For Childhood Social Anxiety Disorder, Nina Sarver Jan 2013

Evaluating The Utility Of A Virtual Environment For Childhood Social Anxiety Disorder, Nina Sarver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Two significant challenges for the dissemination of social skills training programs are (a) the need to provide sufficient practice opportunities to assure skill consolidation and (b) the need to assure skill generalization (i.e., use of the skills outside the clinic setting). In the case of social anxiety disorder, virtual environments may provide one strategy to address these issues. This investigation describes the development of an interactive skills-oriented virtual school environment and evaluated its utility for the treatment of social anxiety disorder in preadolescent children (Study 1). This environment included both in-clinic and at-home solutions. In addition, a pilot replication/extension …


Multicultural Personality And Psychological Functioning, Lauren Trottier Jan 2013

Multicultural Personality And Psychological Functioning, Lauren Trottier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the U.S. becomes increasingly diverse, individuals will need to interact effectively with a wide range of people. The theory of multicultural personality refined by Ponterotto (2010) proposes that some individuals may be better suited than others to adapt to the changing demographic landscape. Individuals with a multicultural personality are theorized to have the ability to interact effectively within a wide range of contexts and draw on diverse experiences and resources to solve everyday problems in multiple ways as well as seek out diversity in their lives. Because of their skills and disposition, Ponterotto (2010) suggests that those with a …


Neurophenomenological Methods: Experiences Of Earth And Space In Simulation, Patricia Morrow Jan 2013

Neurophenomenological Methods: Experiences Of Earth And Space In Simulation, Patricia Morrow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study explores the nature and structure of spiritual and aesthetic experiences through the interdisciplinary application of neurophenomenology (NP). This approach merges aspects of psychology, neurophysiology, and phenomenology into a unified methodology. The study is nested within a larger project, Space, Science, and Spirituality, and as such, it carries a common goal to use simulation to evoke spiritual and aesthetic responses similar to those expressed by astronauts and cosmonauts. Careful analysis of previous work in NP provided methodological “lessons learned”, which guided the experimental design, execution, and analysis of the present study. The data collected provides support for experience …


Conflict In Virtually Distributed Teams, Budd Darling Jan 2013

Conflict In Virtually Distributed Teams, Budd Darling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper was two-fold. The first was to investigate the impact of conflict as a mediator in the relationship between distribution and team performance. The second was to examine how that relationship was affected by virtuality. Four-member teams of different distributions (partially distributed, fully distributed, and fully collocated) and different virtuality conditions (videoconferencing, teleconferencing, and chat) played a team-oriented game. Significant results were found only in the videoconferencing condition, in which both distribution and task conflict had a negative impact on team performance, but task conflict did not mediate the relationship between distribution and team performance. Further …


Investigative Interviewing: A Team-Level Approach, James Driskell Jan 2013

Investigative Interviewing: A Team-Level Approach, James Driskell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To date, the tandem interview approach has yet to be scientifically vetted as an investigative interviewing technique. Specifically, it is unclear what affect the application of two interviewers has on the investigative process. This is alarming considering that this approach is regularly applied under current law enforcement operations. Despite a dearth of research examining the tandem interview approach in investigative interviews, the extensive research on teams would lead us to believe that teams should benefit the overall investigative interview process and outperform individuals in detecting lies. Consequently, the goals of this research were to investigate these potential benefits. Findings from …


How Emoticons Affect Leader-Member Exchange, Jennifer Loglia Jan 2013

How Emoticons Affect Leader-Member Exchange, Jennifer Loglia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emoticons have been shown to be the nonverbal cues of computer-mediated communication and could therefore be a rich source of information, but they are not used in the workplace because they are considered unprofessional. This study aimed to look at the effects of emoticons on relationships, specifically between a leader and member. Participants were asked to read a fake email from a fake boss and answer several questions in regard to leader-member exchange, affective presence, perceived message positivity, perceived masculinity/femininity of the fake boss, and perceived professionalism. This study found that the use of a positive emoticon in an email …


Do Programs Designed To Train Working Memory, Other Executive Functions, And Attention Benefit Children With Adhd? A Meta-Analytic Review Of Cognitive, Academic, And Behavioral Outcomes, Sarah Orban Jan 2013

Do Programs Designed To Train Working Memory, Other Executive Functions, And Attention Benefit Children With Adhd? A Meta-Analytic Review Of Cognitive, Academic, And Behavioral Outcomes, Sarah Orban

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with ADHD are characterized frequently as possessing underdeveloped executive functions and sustained attentional abilities, and recent commercial claims suggest that computer-based cognitive training can remediate these impairments and provide significant and lasting improvement in their attention, impulse control, social functioning, academic performance, and complex reasoning skills. The present review critically evaluates these claims through meta-analysis of 25 studies of facilitative intervention training (i.e., cognitive training) for children with ADHD. Random effects models corrected for publication bias and sampling error revealed that studies training short-term memory alone resulted in moderate magnitude improvements in short-term memory (d= 0.63), whereas training attention …


Seriously Though... Is Positive Workplace Humor A Help Or A Hindrance?: The Impact Of Coworker-Employee Humor Interactions On Employee Well-Being And Effectiveness, Mary Sierra Jan 2013

Seriously Though... Is Positive Workplace Humor A Help Or A Hindrance?: The Impact Of Coworker-Employee Humor Interactions On Employee Well-Being And Effectiveness, Mary Sierra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence and importance of humor in the workplace has been well-documented over the past several decades, with research consistently revealing its significant impact on employee well-being and effectiveness. During this same time period, organizations worldwide have begun embracing team-based work designs as a means for achieving success. As a result, the degree to which employees are engaging in both frequent and intensive interactions with their coworkers is rapidly increasing. Despite these trends, little research has been dedicated to investigating the ways in which employees’ well-being and effectiveness are influenced by the humor of their coworkers or the ways in …


Personality Factors, Age, And Aggressive Driving: A Validation Using A Driving Simulator, Jose Vazquez Jan 2013

Personality Factors, Age, And Aggressive Driving: A Validation Using A Driving Simulator, Jose Vazquez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between age, personality factors and aggressive driving behavior. In Study 1, 1122 volunteers completed an online survey that included questionnaires on demographic data, personality factors, and driving behavior. Personality factors were measured using the Revised Competitiveness Index, the Sensation Seeking Scale, the Big Five Inventory, and the Cook Medley Hostility Scale, whereas aggressive driving behavior was measured using the Aggressive Driving Behavior Scale (ADBS). The majority of the volunteers were female (786 versus 336), while ages ranged from 18 to 87. In Study 2, 98 volunteers from Study 1 were recruited to …


A Randomized Trial Of Attention Training For Generalized Social Phobia: Does Attention Training Change Social Behavior?, Brian Bunnell Jan 2013

A Randomized Trial Of Attention Training For Generalized Social Phobia: Does Attention Training Change Social Behavior?, Brian Bunnell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of attention training protocols for the treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD) is undergoing increased examination. Initial investigations were positive but more recent investigations have been less supportive of the treatment paradigm. One significant limitation of current investigations may be over-reliance on self-report. In this investigation, we expanded on initial investigations by using a multimodal assessment of patient functioning (i.e., including behavioral assessment). Patients with a primary diagnosis of SAD (n = 31) were randomly assigned to eight sessions of attention training (n = 15) or placebo/control (n = 16). Participants were assessed at pre- and post-treatment …


Same Fight, Different Player: An Insight Into Culture, Information Sharing, And Team Performance, Cecily Mccoy-Fisher Jan 2013

Same Fight, Different Player: An Insight Into Culture, Information Sharing, And Team Performance, Cecily Mccoy-Fisher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations among culture, information sharing, and performance among culturally-homogeneous NATO Officer teams. Forty-eight teams participated from five countries, namely, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and USA. Teams of four participants were randomly assigned to a role and the task was an interdependent computer-based mission using an adapted version of Neverwinter Nights™ (Bioware, 2003), where they had to communicate among teammates and with non-human players to find weapons caches and other mission objectives. Not one individual had all of the information needed to perform the tasks; thus, they needed to share information with …


Training For Decision Making In Complex Environments: Instructional Methods And Individual Differences, Jessica Ray Jan 2013

Training For Decision Making In Complex Environments: Instructional Methods And Individual Differences, Jessica Ray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increased technology reliance along with today’s global fast paced society has produced increasingly complex, dynamic operating environments in disciplines as diverse as the military, healthcare, and transportation. These complex human machine systems often place additional cognitive and metacognitive demands on the operator. Thus, there is a crucial need to develop training tools for all levels of operators in these dynamic systems. The current study was designed to empirically test the effects of four training methods on performance and mental model accuracy in a microworld simulation game. It was hypothesized that process-focused guidance targeting metacognitive level processes as well as combined …


The Measurement Of Motivation: Examining The Measurement Properties Of The Motivation Assessment System, Daniel Schmerling Jan 2013

The Measurement Of Motivation: Examining The Measurement Properties Of The Motivation Assessment System, Daniel Schmerling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigated the Pritchard-Ashwood (P-A) Theory of Motivation (Pritchard & Ashwood, 2008) by examining a measure of P-A Theory labeled the Motivation Assessment System (MAS). P-A Theory combines prior motivation theories such as expectancy theory, goal setting theory, justice theory, and needs theory and consolidates them into one integrated theory of motivation. In essence, P-A theory posits that one’s motivation is determined by four perceptions, including the extent to which one believes: (a) his/her actions will lead to results, (b) his/her results will lead to positive evaluations, (c) his/her evaluations will lead to positive outcomes, and (d) his/her …