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Spatial Orientation Strategies In Morris-Type Virtual Water Task For Humans, Janos Kallai, Tamas Makany, Kazmer Karadi, William J. Jacobs

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The present study characterized frequent motion patterns (search strategies) that occurred during spatial navigation in a virtual maze. The research focused on identifying and characterizing some search strategies, the temporal progression of strategy-use, and their role in spatial performance. Participants were 112 undergraduate students (42 males and 70 females). We identified three search strategies that predicted spatial performance. Enfilading refers to an approach-withdrawal pattern of active exploration near a target location. Thigmotaxis refers to a search strategy that involves continuous contact with the circular wall of the maze. Visual scan involves active visual exploration while the subject remains in a …

Factors Influencing The Decision To Disclose After Sexual Assault, Courtney A. Hanley

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Virginians Aligned Against Sexual Assault (VAASA, 2004) report that I in 4 women are sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Despite the prevalence of the crime, most women do not report acts of sexual assault to the police, making sexual assault, and rape in particular, one of the most underreported crimes (Backman, 1998). Research on has focused primarily on third-party reactions to sexual assault and victim culpability, but rarely seeks data directly from the victim in order to understand the psychological process of disclosing, or delaying disclosure, after an assault. Participants, 44 sexual assault victims seeking counseling at a non-profit rape …

Effects Of Predation Pressure On The Cognitive Ability Of The Poeciliid Brachyraphis Episcopi, Culum Brown, Victoria A. Braithwaite

Sentience Collection

Variable levels of predation pressure are known to have significant impacts on the evolutionary ecology of different populations and can affect life-history traits, behavior, and morphology. To date, no studies have directly investigated the impact of predation pressure on cognitive ability. Here we use a system of replicate rivers, each with sites of high- and low-predation pressure, to investigate how this ecological variable affects learning ability in a tropical poeciliid, Brachyraphis episcopi. We used a spatial task to assess the cognitive ability of eight populations from four independent streams (four high- and four low- predation populations). The fish were required …

Motivated Breast Cancer Screening Behavior And Its Cultural Antecedents, Patricia M. Flynn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Discrepancies in breast cancer screening behavior exist among various ethnic groups in the United States (Jacobs & Lauderdale, 2001), with Latino American women reporting particularly low screening rates in comparison to Anglo American women (ACS, 2002). Research indicates that behavior is in part influenced by aspects of culture and relevant psychological processes (Betancourt & Lopez, 1993; Betancourt & Fuentes, 2001). This study was designed to investigate the relations among cultural values, attributions regarding the causes for not screening, related emotions, expectancy that screening leads to early detection and value incentive of early detection as determinants of breast cancer screening intention …

Psychological And Sociopolitical Factors Contributing To The Creation Of The Iraqi Torturers: A Human Rights Issue, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article was written by Dr. Mika Haritos-Fatouros, Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessalonica, Greece.

She discusses the human rights context of torture in Abu Ghraib from a political psychological perspective.

Entertainment Psychology: Bypassing Treatment Resistance In Emotionally Disturbed Adolescent Males, Ryan Coon

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Emotionally-disturbed adolescent males, particularly those diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder, are notoriously resistant to traditional forms of psychotherapy. Simultaneously, adolescent males are the target market for entertainment companies that produce products via multiple entertainment venues (e.g., comic books, card games, and video games). This dissertation is the first step in synthesizing psychotherapy with entertainment venues in order to bypass treatment resistance in emotionally-disturbed adolescent males. The entertainment venue of focus for this dissertation is a comic book series. The goal of the comic books is to entertain while promoting therapeutic healing. The therapeutic value entails having multiple …

A Correlational Study Of Anxiety Level, Spiritual Practices, And Spiritual Well-Being, Darren N. Janzen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Research has indicated that anxiety is the most prevalent of all psychological disorders, affecting up to 30 million people in the United States at some point during their lives (Lepine, 2002). It has also been determined that anxiety may be a fairly stable trait that people experience. Some people are more likely to experiencing anxiety than others, and for those who are more likely it is also more difficult to stop having anxiety. Predictors of anxiety have been identified and include such items as: low self-esteem, ineffective social support, high education, low religiosity (Hovey & Magana, 2002), low vocational satisfaction …

Transient Inactivation Of Perirhinal Cortex Disrupts Encoding, Retrieval, And Consolidation Of Object Recognition Memory., Boyer D Winters, Timothy J Bussey

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Damage to perirhinal cortex (PRh) impairs object recognition memory in humans, monkeys, and rats when tested in tasks such as delayed nonmatching to sample, visual paired comparison, and its rodent analog, the spontaneous object recognition task. In the present study, we have capitalized on the discrete one-trial nature of the spontaneous object recognition task to investigate the role of PRh in several distinct stages of object recognition memory. In a series of experiments, transient inactivation of PRh was accomplished with bilateral infusions of lidocaine directly into PRh immediately before the sample phase (encoding), immediately before the choice phase (retrieval), or …

Three American Troops In Iraq: Evaluation Of A Brief Exposure Therapy Treatment For The Secondary Prevention Of Combat - Related Ptsd *, Jeffrey A. Cigrang, Alan L. Peterson, Richard P. Schobitz

School of Professional Psychology Faculty Publications

Relatively little research has been devoted to developing empirically-supported interventions for the secondary prevention of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (i.e., for individuals who have developed PTSD symptoms but not the full PTSD disorder). One-session psychological debriefing has been routinely used as a primary preventive intervention for individuals exposed to trauma, but the appropriateness of this practice has been questioned. The authors describe an alternative, secondary prevention model of brief exposure- based treatment using three cases of military members seeking help at a forward-deployed medical clinic in Iraq for PTSD symptoms following combat -related traumas. Treatment involved repeated imaginal exposure and …

192 Igg-Saporin Lesions Of The Nucleus Basalis Magnocellularis Impair Serial Reversal Learning In Rats, Sara Michelle Cabrera

Theses Digitization Project

In order to assess flexibility in acquiring and using conflicting response rules, rats with selective lesions of the NBM or sham-lesion controls were subjected to serial reversal training in a simple operant discrimination paradigm. The NBM lesion group did not differ from the control group in acquisition of the original rules; the NBM lesion group required more time to master the changes in rules in the first reversal, but not in subsequent reversals.

Emotional Intelligence And Its Relationship With The Goodness Of Fit Hypothesis And Perceived Stress, Ryan Anthony Platt

Theses Digitization Project

This study tested the hypothesis that goodness of fit has a positive relationship with Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Participants were given an EQ survey and a general anxiety inventory and were exposed to two different scenarios, controllable and uncontrollable. The relationship between EQ, coping strategies (problem-focused or emotion focused), general anxiety, and goodness of fit was examined,

Front-Runners And Newcomers: The Dynamics Of Momentum In Electoral Politics As Explained By Cue Competition, Jeremy Ashton Houska

Theses Digitization Project

Conditioning theory and research have contributed substantially to a more complete understanding of a variety of social processes including attitude formation, consumer behavior, and interpersonal attraction. The goal of this thesis was to illuminate further another frequently investigated social process, voting behavior.

Fear No Spirits: A Pilgrim’S Journey Through The Brazilian Churches Of Ayahuasca, Robert Tindall

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This is an intimate account of a pilgrimage through the “Holy Land” of Daime, the Brazilian

frontier state of Acre, in which the author weaves together accounts of his own healing experience.

It also portrays the extraordinary variation and vitality of the communities there, both

indigenous and Catholic/Afro-Brazilian, who use ayahuasca as a sacrament.

Cholinergic Basal Forebrain Involvement In The Acquisition Of Differential Reinforcement Of Low Rate Responding Tasks In Rats, Sean Ryan Corley

Theses Digitization Project

It was hypothesized that 192 IgG-saporin lesions of the basal forebrain cholinergic system (BFCS) would disrupt differential reinforcement of low rate (DRL) learning in an uncued DRL task, but would not impair acquisition and performance in the cued version of the task. Results suggest that BFCS lesions impair vigilance to the external cues despite continued practice in the cued DRL, whereas continuous attention to internally produced cues recovers with extended practice in the uncued DRL.

The Effects Of Neonatal Manganese Exposure On Impulsivity, Unlearned Motoric Function, And Reward, Carmela Marie Reichel

Theses Digitization Project

This study examined the effects of low to moderate doses of manganese (0, 250, or 750 _g per day from PD 1-21) on a comprehensive battery of behaviors in rats during the neonatal period, preweanling period, and in adulthood.

The Effect Of Early Psychostimulant Treatment On Abuse Liability And Dopamine Receptors, Steven Wayne Villafranca

Theses Digitization Project

Examines whether the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse were altered in adulthood by methylphenidate, more commonly known as Ritalin. Subjects were 108 rats of Sprague-Dawley descent (Harlan). Methylphenidate, or saline was administered daily to the subjects from the postnatal period (11-20 days old). The rats preference for morphine during early adulthood was measured using conditioned place preference. The number of dopamine D₂ receptors was measured in each rat and the correlation between receptor number and morphine preference was determined. Results indicate that rats pretreated with methylphenidate showed greater preference for morphine than saline pretreated rats and suggests that exposure …

Effect Of Preweanling Methylphenidate Exposure On The Induction, Extinction And Reinstatement Of Morphine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference In Rats, Kellie Lynn Kucher

Theses Digitization Project

This study examined the effect of preweanling methyphenidate exposure on later drug reward. We examined the induction, extinction, and reinstatement of morphine induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in rats that received methylphenidate pretreatment during the preweanling period.

Actions Of A Partial D2-Like Agonist During Low Or High Dopaminergic Tone: A Neurochemical Study Using Preweanling Rats, Shelly Taeko Yoshida

Theses Digitization Project

The neurochemical effects of partial D2-like agonists (i.e., terguride) to alter striatal DOPA accumulation under high and low dopaminergic tone was examined in preweanling rats. The results indicate that terguride has agonist-like (quinpirole-like) effects under a low dopaminergic tone and antagonist-like (haloperidol-like) effects under a high dopaminergic tone during the preweanling period.

Witnessing Violence: The Link To Reactive Aggression, Nicole Marie Stevens

Theses Digitization Project

This study uses a multiple regression correlational (MRC) analytic approach to examine the association between witnessing violence and reactive aggression, post-traumatic stress, and insecure attachment. One hundred adult male California State University students were surveyed using the Conflict Tactics Scale, the Adolescent Anger Rating Scale, the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment scale, the Child Report of Post Traumatic Symptoms scale, the Conduct Disorder scale, and the Modified Impact of Events scale.

Developing A Tool To Assess Mother-Child Attachment, Lisa Rebecca Romero

Theses Digitization Project

The Maternal Attachment Inventory - Revised (MAI-R) developed by Mary Müller in 1994, was used to examine attachment qualities between mothers and children enrolled in an Early Head Start program. Each mother's ratings of her attachment to her child was compared to teachers' perceptions of the mother's attachment to her child.

Indoor Cats, Scratching, And The Debate Over Declawing: When Normal Pet Behavior Becomes A Problem, Katherine C. (Kasey) Grier, Nancy Peterson

State of the Animals 2005

When pet animals share our living spaces, their needs and natural behaviors sometimes are at odds with the varying standards for household appearance, sanitation, and polite social life that Americans have established over time. How pet owners have resolved these issues provides insight into their changing ideas about the role of animals in their households and suggests how much, or how little, people may actually know about the biological behaviors and psychological needs of the creatures they care for. This essay examines one particular issue associated with the problem of sharing spaces: declawing pet cats as a common solution to …

The Myth Of Nature And The Nature Of Myth: Becoming Transparent To Transcendence, Dennis P. Slattery

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

The works by the American mythologist, Joseph Campbell, as well as the poetry of John Keats,

especially his “Ode to a Nightingale,” offer new ways to reimagine our relation to the earth, to

the dead and to language’s continued vitality. Beginning with a brief overview of some of the

major tenets of Campbell’s guiding force of the “monomyth,” which gathers all the various world

mythologies as inflections of one universal story, the essay then moves into a discussion of Keats’

poem in order to reveal the power of poetic utterance in reconfiguring a vital mythology. If there

is to be …

Psychosocial Treatment Of Children In Foster Care: A Review, Robert Racusin, Arthur C. Maerlender, Anjana Sengupta, Peter K. Isquith, Martha B. Straus

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

A substantial number of children in foster care exhibit psychiatric difficulties. Recent epidemiologi-cal and historical trends in foster care, clinical findings about the adjustment of children in foster care, and adult outcomes are reviewed, followed by a description of current approaches to treatment and extant empirical support. Available interventions for these children can be categorized as either symptom-focused or systemic, with empirical support for specific methods ranging from scant to substantial. Even with treatment, behavioral and emotional problems often persist into adulthood, resulting in poor functional outcomes. We suggest that self-regulation may be an important mediat-ing factor in the appearance …

Creativity Lies At The Edge Of Disintegration: Addressing The Shadow Of Power And Leadership Within Psychotherapy Training Organisations, Rupert K. Tower

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

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Superattraction: The Superlearning Phenomenon In Interpersonal Attraction, Ryan Edward Lipinski

Theses Digitization Project

This thesis will discuss Pavlovian conditioning and its utility in researching various areas of psychology including interpersonal attraction. It was designed to extend the application of conditioning principles in the study of interpersonal attraction by testing cue competition predictions made by the reinforcement-context theory of attraction.

Stress Enhancement Of Craving During Sobriety: A Risk For Relapse, Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Domain Expertise And Judgment In Dealing With Unexpected Events, Janeen Kochan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unexpected events, particularly those creating surprise, interrupt ongoing mental and behavioral processes, creating an increased potential for unwanted outcomes to the situation. Human reactions to unexpected events vary. One can hypothesize a number of reasons for this variation, including level of domain expertise, previous experience with similar events, emotional connotation, and the contextual surround of the event. Whereas interrupting ongoing activities and focusing attention temporarily on a surprising event may be a useful evolutionary response to a threatening situation, the same process may be maladaptive in today's highly dynamic world. The purpose of this study was to investigate how different …

Epipregnanolone And A Novel Synthetic Neuroactive Steroid Reduce Reduce Alcohol Self-Administration In Rats., Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

Play Therapy, Melissa A. Hardman

Graduate Research Papers

Play therapy techniques are valuable tools for a variety of professionals who work with children. One need not be a registered play therapist to implement play techniques when working with child clients. There are many types of clients that would benefit from play therapy. There are several different theoretical approaches, but the researcher chose to focus on Adlerian Play Therapy, Client-Centered Play Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Play Therapy, and Psychodynamic Play Therapy. The paper considers the best location to implement play techniques, by urging the counselor to be aware of the setting's location within the building, ease of cleaning, available space, and …

Antidepressant Efficacy And Behavioral Comparisons Of Two Animal Models Of Depression, Stephanie Ebner

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

The current study examined the validity of the chronic mild stress and learned helplessness models of depression in addition to testing the efficacy of the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine. Thirty-six male albino rats were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions: control, chronic mild stress (CMS), and learned helplessness (LH). Half of the animals in each condition received IP injections of imipramine at 10 mg/kg/day, and the other half received equal volumes of isotonic saline. All animals were weighed daily throughout experimentation. The CMS animals were chronically stressed for a period of five weeks after which learned helplessness was induced in the …