Digital Commons Network^™

Sexually Dimorphic Effects Of Prenatal Stress On Cognition, Hormonal Responses, And Central Neurotransmitters, Rachel E. Bowman, Neil J. Maclusky, Yessenia Sarmiento, Maya Frankfurt, Marisa Gordon, Victoria N. Luine

Psychology Faculty Publications

Exposure to stress during gestation results in physiological and behavioral alterations that persist into adulthood. This study examined the effects of prenatal stress on the postnatal expression of sexually differentiated cognitive, hormonal, and neurochemical profiles in male and female rats. Pregnant dams were subjected to restraint stress three times daily for 45 min during d 14-21 of pregnancy. The offspring of control and prenatally stressed dams were tested for anxiety-related and cognitive behaviors, stress and gonadal steroid hormone levels, as well as monoamines and metabolite levels in selected brain regions. Postnatal testosterone levels (measured at 1 and 5 d) did …

Melioration And The Behavioral Addiction Process: An Experimental Analysis, Jared Micah Dinehart

Theses and Dissertations

Melioration can be a factor contributing to behavioral addiction. In this study, 76 university undergraduates operated a "money machine" by selecting between choices that corresponded to maximization and melioration. Participants initially made choices consistent with a strategy of melioration and demonstrated significantly greater variability in choice behavior when visual cues were presented aimed at exposing the internality (or consequence) of the choice situation. Removal of the visual cues resulted in a return to lower responding. Visual cues may aid in interrupting the behavioral addiction pattern by limiting exclusive use of a melioration choice strategy. Methods of restructuring and experimentation with …

Schizophrenics, Cyborgs And The Pitfalls Of Posthumanism, Angela Woods

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[Editors' Introduction]

In Schizophrenics, Cyborgs and the Pitfalls of Posthumanism, Angela Woods invites us to revisit two canonical analyses of the postmodern: Fredric Jameson's Postmodernism, or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism and Donna Haraway's A Manifesto for Cyborgs: Science, Technology and Socialist Feminism in the 1980s. Jameson and Haraway introduced to contemporary cultural criticism two posthumanist icons: the schizophrenic, a pathologized victim of postmodernity, and the cyborg, a vision of strategic posthuman subjectivity. In her timely and critical analysis of these articles, Woods challenges the established notion of an oppositional relationship between the schizophrenic and the cyborg. She turns …

Euthanasia: An Exploration Of Public Opinion, Debra M. Babylon

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The acceptance of euthanasia is examined using the 1972-2002 GSS cumulative dataset. The dataset contains a total of 43,698 respondents. The euthanasia question, "Should a terminally ill patient be allowed the right to die?" was asked beginning in 1977. The number of respondents answering the euthanasia question totals 22,039. The independent variables age, race, gender, political view, religious affiliation, and education were reviewed to assess their impact on support of euthanasia. Additionally, in order to test the "slippery slope" hypothesis, the abortion question, "Should abortion be allowed under any circumstance?" was added to the independent variable list. Cross tabulation was …

Pavlivian Conditioning To Insulin-Induced Hypoglycemia As Indicated By Glycemic Response Motor Activity And Anxiety, Jermaine Dionte Jones

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this experiment was to demonstrate the responses to stimuli predicting the onset of hypoglycemia {HG), specifically the overt behavioral and glycemic conditioned responses to insulin-produced HG. When drug-opposite compensatory responses become associated with situational and environmental cues that predict drug administration, compensatory mechanisms can be elicited solely by drugassociated cues. Several studies have been conducted to determine the conditioned bloodglucose responses as elicited by stimuli predicting hypoglycemia. However, only a few studies have examined the behavioral conditioned responses associated with hypoglycemia. Insulin-induced HG and the elevated plus maze (EPM) procedure were utilized to determine the direction of …

Double Dissociation Between The Effects Of Peri-Postrhinal Cortex And Hippocampal Lesions On Tests Of Object Recognition And Spatial Memory: Heterogeneity Of Function Within The Temporal Lobe., Boyer D Winters, Suzanna E Forwood, Rosemary A Cowell, Lisa M Saksida, Timothy J Bussey

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

It is widely believed that declarative memory is mediated by a medial temporal lobe memory system consisting of several distinct structures, including the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex. The strong version of this view assumes a high degree of functional homogeneity and serial organization within the medial temporal lobe, such that double dissociations between individual structures should not be possible. In the present study, we tested for a functional double dissociation between the hippocampus and peri-postrhinal cortex in a single experiment. Rats with bilateral excitotoxic lesions of either the hippocampus or peri-postrhinal cortex were assessed in tests of spatial memory (radial …

Overcoming Resistance To Change: An Analysis To The Department Of Defense's Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program, Irene C. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to investigate the impact of change on organizations, in the absence of a preparedness program and to develop strategies for overcoming resistance to change, in the midst of a proposed initiative that has become stalled as a result of mistrust and cynicism. The results of this research suggests a framework of management techniques that will offer leadership approaches to resurrecting a stalled change initiative and overcoming personnel's resistance to a proposed change project, in order for the project to be more widely accepted. A series of personal interviews and focus groups, a qualitative method …

Conduct, Learning, And Substance Use Disorders In An Adolescent Male: A Case Study, Dana F. Wales

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to examine best practice interventions for an individual diagnosed with Conduct, Learning, and Substance Use Disorders. Empirically supported research was evaluated and compared to normative practices of the agency where the client resided. The intervention process included a psychosocial assessment, Differential Diagnosis as well as multiple levels of intervention. Outcome measures were used to assess depression, anxiety, and coping skills. However, a lack of cooperation and follow through by the client and his family invalidated these measures. Clinical observations and staff reports indicated that the overall intervention had mixed results with this client. …

Pediatric Amputations: Ptsd, Behavioral Tendencies And Quality Of Life, Adriana Macias Chamorro

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The present study examined children and adolescents between 11-18 years of age who had experienced traumatic amputations due to an acute physical injury (burns, severing, and crushing accidents). In order to account for variance which may have impacted the results of the study, evaluations were conducted between a group of children/adolescents with amputations and a comparison group of children/adolescents who had been hospitalized due to a non-head injury, non-death motor vehicle accident. The goal of this study was to assess symptoms of PTSD, provide a description of the internalized and externalized behaviors, and examine the quality of life (QOL)(health habits, …

A Case Study Using Best And Normative Treatments Related To Adjustment Disorder, Alcohol Abuse, And Sexual Abuse Of Child, Lisa Mcconnell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of normative and best therapy techniques with individuals diagnosed with Adjustment Disorder, Alcohol Abuse, and Sexual Abuse of Child using a case study format. The subject of this study was a 15 year old female who presented with a three-week onset of depressed mood. For the purpose of this study she was seen over a four month period. Treatment emphasis was on reducing depression and anxiety related to the sexual abuse. The Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children and the Children's Depression Inventory were chosen for this study. Post-testing suggested significant …

Psychotherapy Outcome Measures In A Client With A Childhood Disorder, Amy S. Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this case study were to: (1) complete a thorough psychosocial assessment on a psychotherapy client, (2) to attribute the most accurate diagnosis, and (3) explain the most beneficial empirical treatment through research and review. The case study consisted of a single 17-year-old Hispanic male who resided in a group home. Data was obtained through individual therapy sessions and two self-report inventories. Findings indicated that client met criteria for Disruptive Behavioral Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (DBD, NOS). Treatment research was done on Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) for two reasons: (1) due to insufficient studies on DBD, NOS, and …

A Cross-Cultural Study Of Children’S Development As Reflected In Their Artwork: An Investigation Of Children’S Drawings From The African Country Of Benin, Elizabeth Anna Smead

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This research adds to the body of knowledge related to the human figure drawing as a useful tool in assessment and to art therapists’ understanding of children who depict the human figure in cross-cultural settings. This researcher obtained a sample collection of 148 human figure drawings from African children in rural Benin, West Africa to study in comparison to a set of human figure drawings collected under similar conditions in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

In this quantitative study, five of the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scales (FEATS) were modified and used to tally the formal elements of each of the 148 …

Roles Of Religious Orientation And Health Locus Of Control In An Aging Population, Jennifer A. Fallon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An intrinsic religious orientation has been linked to improved cardiovascular health. Individuals may be protected by their beliefs against anger/hostility, which have been linked to increased cardiovascular reactivity and disease. Health locus of control differentiates between internals, who take responsibility for health, and externals, who attribute responsibility to chance or powerful others. Internal health locus of control has been linked to healthy behaviors, but its relationship to religious orientation is unclear.

Intrinsically held religious beliefs and internally held expectancies for health may, through the mechanism of reactivity, reduce risk for cardiovascular disease. This study explored relationships among health …

The Use Of Stress Management In Combination With Parent Training: An Intervention Study With Parents Of Preschool Children, Theresa L. Gunderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many preschool children exhibit a number of problematic, acting-out behaviors. Parents of preschoolers exhibiting behavior problems often experience a great deal of stress associated with these problem behaviors. Consistently robust improvements have been found in the use of stress management for adult stress, pain, and medical wellbeing. Likewise, studies have shown parent training decreases the severity of child behavior problems. However, only a few studies have examined effects of parent training on both child behavior and parent stress. Some studies have found that parents who complete parent training also report lowered stress levels commensurate with improvement of child behavior. It …

Changes In Child Symptomatology Associated With Animal-Assisted Therapy, Catherine C. Woolley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the changes in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and social dysfunction associated with a history of child trauma after adding animal-assisted therapy (AAT) to conventional psychotherapy for adolescents living in a residential treatment facility in northern California. Using a quasiexperimental design, participants were followed over a period of nine weeks, with both groups completing the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, an abbreviated version of the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Youth Self-Report, and residential staff completing the Youth Outcome Questionnaire at three time points. In addition, the treatment group completed state anxiety and depression assessments before …

Implications Of Biblical Principles Of Rhythm And Rest For Individual And Organizational Practices, Margaret Diddams, Lisa Surdyk, Denise Daniels, Jeff B. Van Duzer

SPU Works

The information technology economy with its endless 24/7 workdays has eroded the normative cycle of work and rest, and as a result, many Americans are experiencing a profound and increasing sense of time pressure. By integrating biblical passages relating to Sabbath observance with psychological and organizational empirical literature, Diddams et al seek describe the principles of rest, reflection, and relationships underlying biblical notions of rhythm; identify their associated influence on psychological wellness; and discuss how organizations can embrace a rhythmic, Sabbath culture.

Reflections On Animal Selves, Marc Bekoff, Paul W. Sherman

Sentience Collection

Is self-cognizance a uniquely human attribute, or do other animals also have a sense of self? Although there is considerable interest in this question, answers remain elusive. Progress has been stymied by misunderstandings in terminology, a focus on a narrow range of species, and controversies over key concepts, experimental paradigms and interpretations of data. Here, we propose a new conceptual and terminological framework, emphasizing that degrees of self-cognizance differ among animals because of the cognitive demands that their species-specific social structures and life-history characteristics have placed upon them over evolutionary time. We suggest that the self-cognizance of an organism falls …

The Effects Of Competition And Perceived Pressure On Performance Of A Visual Scanning Task: A Test Of Cognitive Evaluation Theory, Tanya R. Adkins

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

Cognitive Evaluation Theory was developed by Deci & Ryan, (1985) to explain factors that affect intrinsic motivation. This study was done to test this theory by having volunteers engage in direct and indirect competition while working on a simple task in a time-pressured environment. Specifically, it was predicted that task performance would be adversely affected in competition because participants would be focused on the outcome (winning versus losing), while being faced with a deadline for task completion. In addition, a reduction in intrinsic motivation toward the activity was expected. While these hypotheses were not supported, a proposal was made that …

Continuous And Interrupted Exposure Therapy In The Treatment Of Public Speaking Anxiety, Stacey A. Waller

Dissertations

Current research suggests that exposure-based interventions are the treatment of choice for anxiety disorders (Barlow & Wolfe, 1981; Barlow, 1988; 2002; Zinbarg, Barlow, Brown, & Hertz, 1992; Foa, Rothbaum, & Kozak, 1989). While the evidence to date supports the efficacy of these procedures, the precise mechanisms by which they achieve symptom reduction are not yet fully understood. Most theoretical explanations of exposure therapy appeal to the respondent and operant conditioning processes from which the procedure was originally derived. While it is frequently argued that in order to achieve operant and respondent extinction, exposure must be delivered continuously, without interruption (Barlow, …

The Effect Of Pfiesteria Toxin On General Activity And Performance On The Elevated Plus Maze In Rats, Sarah Ann Schultz

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Marine toxins that cause fish kills also threaten human health. Pfiesreria piscicida and Pfiesteria shumwayae are marine microorganisms responsible for periods of massive fish death and are implicated as causative agents in the neurocognitive decline of humans exposed to the aerosols of the Pfiesteria toxin. Past research with animals has demonstrated that exposure to Pfiesteria does result in impaired learning and memory performance. The present study aimed to investigate whether Pfiesreria-exposed animals behaviorally indicate greater anxiety or differing levels of activity compared to control animals; both anxiety and activity might affect learning and memory performance. The behavior of twelve …

The Use Of Computer-Based Programmed Instruction As A Supplemental Tool To Train Behavior Analysis Concepts, Jason T. Otto

Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation was to produce effective computer-based programmed instruction modules to serve as supplemental training for an ongoing college seminar in behavior analysis. Computer-based programmed instruction supplemented a checklist of a strategy for diagramming behavioral contingencies in the first study and supplemented difficult textbook material in the other studies. In all, the instruction involved 31 concepts, rules, or objectives. Microsoft ®PowerPoint® and Macromedia Flash(TM) were the authoring tools used to develop these supplemental modules. The modules involved multiple-choice-branching programming, which students completed as homework assignments that were delivered with a compact disk (Studies 1-4) and the World …

Biotechnology And The Law: A Consideration Of Intellectual Property Rights And Related Social Issues, Michael D. Mehta

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

[Excerpt] “Recent advances in biotechnology are expected by many to improve crop yield, reduce reliance on agricultural inputs like pesticides and herbicides, alleviate world hunger, improve the safety and effectiveness of pharmaceuticals, assist in the discovery of genes that trigger diseases like cancer, and make more efficient our legal institutions through DNA testing. Clearly, innovations in biotechnology are a powerful force for social change, and they pose unique challenges and opportunities for legal scholars and institutions. This section of the Pierce Law Review focuses on the interface between law and technology by examining how innovations in biotechnology accelerate debates about …

Decision Analysis Using Value Focused Thinking To Select Renewable Energy Sources, James S. Duke

Theses and Dissertations

The United States is heavily dependent on fossil fuels to produce electricity. Renewable energy can provide an alternative source of energy for electricity production as well as reduce fossil fuel consumption. The executive agencies in the U.S. must also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2010 based on 1990 emission levels as directed by Executive Order. However, there is currently no analysis model to provide guidance toward which renewable energy to select as a course of action. This research effort used value-focused thinking decision analysis to create a model based on inputs from the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency. This …

Development Of The Jewel Equestrian Scale, Valerie A. Tsohantaridis

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Equestrian athletes have not been the topic of systematic study. There is a vast array of folklore and wisdom, lay study, and practice at the grassroots level regarding the relationship of horse and rider. The field of therapeutic horseback riding primarily consists of examining the benefits of riding for the physically handicapped. There is also the relatively fledgling movement of equine-assisted psychotherapy, that typically combines qualified therapists alongside qualified horse trainers. European study is more longstanding, extensive, and includes exploration of the psychotherapeutic benefits of equine therapy. The smattering of work is grounded on the study of the equestrian athlete, …

Do You Recall Where You Where When...?: Support For Automatic Encoding Of One's Location, Kristen Lea Neal

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The present experiment tested whether one's personal location is automatically encoded into memory. Twenty-one groups of students were given a tour of the Marshall University campus. At each of 10 locations on the tour, participants were told an interesting fact about the University. Participants were informed of a test following the tour assessing their recall of the facts. In addition, half of the participants were also told their recall of the location at which each fact was presented would be tested. Immediately following and two weeks after the tour, participants completed a memory test which assessed their (a) recognition of …

Identifying At Risk Youth For Delinquency In Southern West Virginia, Roderick Q. Neal

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Juvenile delinquency has been an important area of study. Academics, practitioners, politicians, and legal scholars have devoted their attention to basic questions about the nature of youth crime. This report was designed to identify which psychological and social variables are statistically reliable predictors of significant juvenile delinquency in southern West Virginia. In an effort to identify at risk youth, 200 subjects were administered a 16-question survey. This survey had a mixture of continuous and categorical psychological and social variables and the data was analyzed using Logistic Regression strategies. One hundred of the subjects had been referred to a juvenile probation …

Beyond Gender: A Meta-Analytic Approach To Gender Differences In Academic Achievement, Mary E. Nikityn

Capstone Research Projects

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Hiv-Associated Neuropsychological Impairment On Everyday Functioning, Robert K. Heaton, Thomas D. Marcotte, Monica Rivera-Mindt, Joseph Sadek, David J. Moore, Heather Bentley, J Allen Mccutchan, Carla Reicks, Igor Grant, The Hnrc Group

Psychology Faculty Publications

HIV-1 infection can be associated with neuropsychological (NP) deficits ranging from subtle to severe. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional, or “real-world” impact of HIV-associated NP impairment in a group of 267 HIV-infected participants. All participants received comprehensive NP, neuromedical, and standardized functional evaluations that included laboratory measures of shopping, cooking, financial management, medication management and vocational abilities. Compared to NP-normal participants, those with NP impairment performed significantly worse on all laboratory measures of everyday functioning. Multivariate analyses revealed that the NP ability domains of Abstraction/Executive Function, Learning, Attention/Working Memory and Verbal abilities most strongly and …

Visions And Numbers: Aronofsky's Π And The Primordial Signifier, Paul Eisenstein

English Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Parents' Division Of Childcare Responsibilities: Predictors Of Fathers' Childcare Involvement And Egalitarian Attitudes, Amy Elizabeth Latta

Theses Digitization Project

The current study was designed to examine whether adult childrens' reports of egalitarian parenting by their parents would influence the likelihood for egalitarian parenting behavior and gender role attitudes of the adult child. In general, results support the notion of intergenerational transmission of egalitarian parenting behavior. Individuals whose fathers were more involved in parenting reported greater father involvement in parenting their own children.