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Infants' Categorization Of Goal Events, Danielle Spinelli

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Infants can discriminate the difference between goal (endpoint; e.g., duck walking to a tree) and source events (starting point; e.g., duck walking away from tree), and they show a preference for the goals over the source events (Lakusta et al., 2007; Lakusta & Carey, 2015). The current experiment explored to what extent 10-18 month old infants categorically represent goal spatial relations. The present experiment is an extension of Lakusta, Yuschak, & Batinjane (2014) which found that 14-month old infants show evidence for goal and, sometimes, source categorization. Because there is evidence for 14-month old categorization the current experiment tested younger …

Effects Of Massive Familiarization On Crossmodal Aesthetic Preference, Nicholas J. Voss, Dylan S. Campbell, Ronald S. Friedman

Psychology

An investigation was carried out to determine whether familiarization to the experience of visual dissonance would have crossmodal effects on the preference for dissonant and consonant musical stimuli. We hypothesized that subjects who viewed a large number of disharmonious color combinations would come to show greater liking for dissonant musical stimuli than their counterparts who had seen either harmonious or single color images. Findings showed that there was no difference in preference between groups, though musical experience and score on a benign masochism measure predicted larger differences between average ratings of consonant and dissonant chords. These results are discussed in …

The Lipstick Effect Operates At The Level Of Automatic Visual Attention, Aaron M. Bermond

Honors Theses

Although general consumer spending usually decreases during economic recessions, Hill and colleagues (2012) found evidence that women concerned with economic recession demonstrated an increased preference towards purchasing products capable of enhancing physical beauty, thereby allowing them to appear more attractive to mates with resources. Referring to this phenomenon as the lipstick effect, these researchers suggested such purchasing preferences demonstrate evidence for an evolved female mating strategy. The current study was designed to more directly test whether the lipstick effect represents an evolved female mating adaptation by determining if it operates at the level of automaticity, specifically automatic visual attention (Fodor, …

Influence Of Daily Social Stimulation On Behavioral And Physiological Outcomes In An Animal Model Of Ptsd., Shyam Seetharaman, Monika Fleshner, Collin R. Park, David M. Diamond

Psychology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: We have shown in previous work that acute episodes of predator exposure occurring in the context of chronic social instability produced PTSD-like sequelae in rats. Our animal model of PTSD contained two components: (1) acute trauma, immobilization of rats in close proximity to a cat twice in 10 days, and (2) chronic social instability, 31 days of randomized housing of cage cohorts. Here we tested the hypothesis that daily social stimulation would block the development of the PTSD-like sequelae.

METHODS: Beginning 24 h after the first cat exposure, adult male rats were given our established PTSD model, alone or …

The Relationship Between The Buss-Perry Aggression Scale And Evoked Heart Rate While Attending Aggression And Friendly Dyadic Interactions, Sarhand Awla Hasan

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The relationship between an individual's propensity of displaying aggressive behavior, as assessed via the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and physiological responses (evoked heart rate (HR)) while viewing 5-sec video clips of aggressive and friendly dyadic interactions was examined. No significant differences between aggressive and friendly groups' Evoked HR were found. However, there were significant individual differences in aggression identified within the aggressive and friendly video groups. Individuals who scored low on Buss-Perry Verbal Aggression subscale displayed HR deceleration, whereas individuals who scored high on Buss-Perry Verbal Aggression subscale displayed HR acceleration when viewing verbal but not physically aggressive video clips. This …

Investigating The Lexical Support In Non-Native English Speakers Using The Phonemic Restoration Paradigm, Mohammed Saad Alsahli

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Samuel and Frost (2015) investigated the differences between native and non-native English speakers’ lexical influence in speech perception. Using the selective adaptation method, the study showed that lexical support was weaker in less language proficient non-native speakers than native speakers; however, lexical support became stronger in more proficient non-native speakers. The present study investigated the lexical support in speech perception between native and non-native English speakers. Unlike the method used by Samuel and Frost (2015), the present study used the phonemic restoration paradigm. The benefit of using this method is to investigate the difference between native and non-native speakers in …

The Effects Of Life History On Expedited Shipping, Adam Jess Armijo

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

This is a thesis studying individual differences in making a selection to expedite shipping. Specifically, the following experiment tested how individuals would make the decision to pay money to expedite shipping based on a few psychological characteristics theoretically linked to how individuals perceive and value time. In the following thesis, life history theory, the monetary-choice questionnaire assessing delay discounting, and gender were used to predict differences in the maximum amount an individual will spend to expedite shipping (as a proportion of total product cost). This was conducted by collecting data from an online population to more closely simulate online purchasing. …

Creating A More Ecologically Valid Decision Task, Kevin L. Kenney

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

There has been a standing debate in the field regarding the effectiveness of frequencies and probabilities to accurately convey information. This study utilized a naturalistic sampling procedure to determine risk preferences on binary choice decision using time, sex, and goal deficit variables as predictors. Participants consisted of 110 undergraduate students enrolled in core psychology courses at Fort Hays State University. A web application was created to conduct this specific study that will be made available to other researchers. Significant effects existed for time and goal deficit variables that predicted risk preferences.

Exploring Sex Differences In Morphine Withdrawal-Induced Alterations Of The Ventral Tegmental Area, Samara Morris Bobzean

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

Opioid withdrawal syndrome is a feature common to chronic opioid use that often serves as a powerful motivator of continued drug use. GABA-ergic neurons in the tail of the ventral tegmental area (tVTA) are implicated in mediating responses to opioids and opioid withdrawal. The tVTA regulates the effects of opioids on VTA dopamine neurons and a number of earlier studies have shown that alterations in levels of CREB within the tVTA profoundly affect drug-motivated behaviors. Unfortunately, the mechanisms underlying morphine withdrawal have been studied almost exclusively using men and male animals. The objectives of the current study are to investigate …

Outcome Of Surgery On Neurocognitive Functioning In Patients With Otic Capsule Defects, Heather Seward Mackay

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

There are two forms of otic capsule defect: Perilymph Fistula (PLF), a tear that typically occurs in the round window; and Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence (SCD), a thinning or absence of bone between the otic capsule and the brain. Symptoms of either may comprise mild to severe disturbances in the vestibular and auditory systems. These may be accompanied by various cognitive inefficiencies. Neurotologists, Grimm, Hemenway, LeBray, and Black (1989) measured cognitive efficiency pre- surgery in 38 adults who had acquired PLF. Assessment revealed difficulty in: verbal and visual memory; attention/concentration; and mental flexibility. Despite their research, the reality of PLF …

Embedded Performance Measures Within The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System, Daniel Olsen

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

It has become increasingly clear many patients do not manifest sufficient effort over the course of a neuropsychological evaluation (Horner, VanKirk, Dismuke, Turner, & Muzzy, 2014). While tests of memory and learning are considered to be the gold-standard in effort measurement, they are vulnerable to coaching (Bianchini, Greve, & Love, 2003). Fortunately, interest in assessing effort through other cognitive domains has grown over the last few years. In the current study, participants were divided into two groups, simulators and controls. All participants completed the Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT, Green, 2004), the Trail Making Test (TMT), the Verbal Fluency Test …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (Act) And Physical Therapy Adherence, Jennifer Ashley Battles

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Adherence to physical therapy rehabilitation is one of the most common issues physical therapists face with patients. Methods to improve physical therapy adherence have only been mildly successful, and many modalities fail to address psychological components that affect compliance. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third wave behavior analytic therapy that has recently been utilized to influence health behavior change through emphasizing mindfulness, values, and psychological. The current study evaluates the effectiveness of a brief ACT intervention on physical therapy adherence, including compliance with prescribed home exercises and attendance at sessions. Participants (n = 4) with a range of …

Going For The Goal: The Effect Of Subjective Temporal Distance On Goal Selection, Megan M. Blackley

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Goals are often classified into two types, intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic goals are furnished when one finds an activity inherently interesting or pleasurable (Abuhamdeh & Csikszentmihalyi, 2009), whereas extrinsic goals are created when one seeks a reward from an external force (Gunnell, Crocker, Mack, Wilson, & Zumbo, 2014). The pursuit of intrinsic goals represents the purest form of autonomy, which is a staple of positive psychological well-being, and promotes greater task orientation (Nie, Chua, Yeung, Ryan, & Chan, 2014). The current study explores the effects of subjective temporal distance on the selection of intrinsic or extrinsic goal pursuit. Construal Level …

Bleeding Keaney Blue: An Analysis Of Sports Fandom And The Supporters Of Uri Basketball, Lia M. Moceri

Senior Honors Projects

In the United States, sports are so prevalent on the national, state, and local level that researchers assert they have become a major component of everyday life. In fact, millions of Americans consider themselves sports fans. Studying sports fandom offers an interesting insight into the human condition.

This paper begins by looking at sports fans on a psychological level by examining socialization, the process of becoming a sports fan. It also examines the reasons people become fans and the degree to which people identify as a fan. An important psychological aspect when studying sports fans is identity and how a …

Pre- And Post-Partum Whistle Production Of A Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) Mother-Calf Dyad, Audra Elizabeth Ames

Master's Theses

Whistle use pre- and post-partum in an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) mother-calf dyad has rarely been studied. The current study is the first to investigate signature whistle production by the mother pre- and post-partum, as well as whistle use by other members of the social group during calf development, and how exposure to these whistles may affect the calf’s vocal repertoire. Findings showed that the mother increased her rates both pre- and post-delivery, while other group members produced their whistles at decreased rates until the calf’s second week of life. After the calf’s second week, whistle rates of …

Social Interactions Among Two Males In A Captive Group Of Rough-Toothed Dolphins (Steno Bredanesis), Pepper Reid Hanna

Master's Theses

There is relatively little known about the social behavior of rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) particularly in comparison to information on the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, (Tursiops truncates). The purpose of the current study is to describe the social behavior of two juvenile male rough-toothed dolphins housed at Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, FL. Rates of affiliative social behaviors were greater between the two males within this group compared to the other pairs of dolphins. The males exhibited a high rate of association, calculated using the half-weight index. Following aggressive behavior within the overall group, the …

What Influences Dolphin Interest In Video?, Kelley Ann Winship

Dissertations

Environmental enrichment is an important component in maintaining the welfare of animals housed in human care. While a variety of enrichment types (e.g., objects, food, sound) have been utilized, a major challenge in developing enrichment is determining the enrichment potential of various techniques for individual animals. In this study, the efficacy of video clips as enrichment devices was assessed in two species of captive dolphins, exposed to video footage accompanied by sound. Videos were evenly divided into five categories, based on content, and played at underwater viewing windows across 20 sessions while the animals were housed with conspecifics. Species and …

Effects Of Optogenetic Activation And Pharmacological Modulation Of Dopamine Neurons, Remington J. Rice

All NMU Master's Theses

This study explored the use of optogenetic tools to better understand treatments used for schizophrenia. The “positive” symptoms (e.g., hallucinations, paranoia, etc.) of schizophrenia may come from overexpression of dopamine in mesolimbic dopamine neurons. Positive symptoms can be produced in healthy volunteers treated with amphetamine, a psychostimulant drug and dopamine releaser. Conversely, antipsychotic drugs may reduce positive symptoms by blocking dopamine receptors. This study used optogenetics to explore how drugs that alter neurotransmission, might alter behaviors occurring from activation of mesolimbic dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Light-induced activation of DA neurons in the VTA in male …

Assessment Of Neurotensin Receptor Agonist Effects On Fear-Potentiated Startle, Mark Aaron Vanden Avond

All NMU Master's Theses

Systemic administration of the NTS₁ receptor agonist PD149163 has exhibited anxiolytic effects in male rats. The present study sought to further evaluate the potential anxiolytic effects of PD149163 by assessing this compound in both male and female C57BL/J6 mice using the fear-potentiated startle (FPS) paradigm. Startle chambers were equipped with a shock-grid floor, fluorescent light, and an acoustic startle speaker. Conditioning took place between the light and floor shock, and test sessions measured startle to a 90 dB noise burst while the light was on (FPS) or off. Startle magnitude did not differ between the male and female mice. …

The Impact Of Social Comparisons On Stereotype Threat For Black College Students Attending Predominantly White Colleges And Universities, Odessia Knowles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Despite increasing college enrollment rates for Black individuals, college completion rates remain dismal, thus the achievement gap between Black and White students remains in effect. One reason which may contribute to low completion rates for Black college students is stereotype threat. Stereotype threat is when an individual is at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about their group membership. For Blacks attending college, the threat would be related to academic underachievement. However, the impact of stereotype threat is highly individualized and an individual’s Black racial identity may impact stereotype threat for certain individuals.

Social comparison theory suggests that to gain …

Investigating Inner Experience While Reading An Erotic Short Story, Leiszle Rae Lapping-Carr

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An investigation of the phenomenological aspects of sexual response is needed for a more comprehensive understanding of human sexuality. To obtain high fidelity descriptions of inner experience during a sexually oriented task, the current study used Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES) while seven participants read an erotic short story. Participants were trained in DES by sampling during everyday activities. After training, they were sampled while reading two classic short stories on a web-based program. Participants then sampled their experience while reading an erotic short story using the same web-based program. Some of the participants were willing to discuss their inner experience …

Building Categories To Guide Behavior: How Humans Build And Use Auditory Category Knowledge Throughout The Lifespan, Christina M. Vanden Bosch Der Nederlanden

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Although categorization has been studied in depth throughout development in the visual domain (e.g., Gelman & Meyer, 2011; Sloutsky 2010), there is little evidence examining how children and adults categorize everyday auditory objects (e.g., dog barks, trains, song, speech) or how category knowledge affects the way children and adults listen to these sounds during development. In two separate studies, I examined how listeners of all ages differentiated the multidimensional acoustic categories of speech and song and I determined whether listeners used category knowledge to process the sounds they encounter every day. In Experiment 1, listeners of all ages were able …

Exchange Patterns And Relations In Collaborative Governance., Charles Wharton Kaye-Essien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collaborative governance has received considerable attention in recent years. From environmental resource management to public safety, collaborative governance continues to play a vital role in regional problem solving. In spite of this increasing popularity previous attempts to model the political, economic, and demographic determinants of collaboration have in most cases produced inconsistent results, thereby undermining the ability to generalize from such findings. Additionally, our understanding of the relational patterns that emanate from collaborative agreements remains fairly rudimentary. The main objective of this research is to address some of the gaps in the literature and improve our understanding of collaborative governance …

The Effect Of Charisma, Voice Pitch, And Information Richness On Leadership Perception And Follower Performance, Hillman Wirawan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study aimed to investigate the effect of charisma, voice pitch, and information richness on followers’ perceptions of leadership and task performance. A number of previous studies consistently found significant effects of charisma on performance. Similarly, some studies found the effect of lower voice pitch on leadership perception and effectiveness. In addition, the growth of information technology has changed the way leaders influence followers, making this variable an interesting one to examine. This study employed 2 (charisma vs. non-charisma) x 2 (low vs. high voice pitch) x 2 (strong vs. weak information delivery) experimental design. The participants were undergrad students …

Interactive Effects Of Physical Activity And Apoe-Ε4 On White Matter Tract Diffusivity In Healthy Elders, J. Carson Smith, Melissa A. Lancaster, Kristy A. Nielson, John L. Woodard, Michael Seidenberg, Sally Durgerian, Ken Sakaie, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Older adult apolipoprotein-E epsilon 4 (APOE-ε4) allele carriers vary considerably in the expression of clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting that lifestyle or other factors may offer protection from AD-related neurodegeneration. We recently reported that physically active APOE-ε4 allele carriers exhibit a stable cognitive trajectory and protection from hippocampal atrophy over 18 months compared to sedentary ε4 allele carriers. The aim of this study was to examine the interactions between genetic risk for AD and physical activity (PA) on white matter (WM) tract integrity, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) MRI, in this cohort of healthy older adults (ages …

The Peacock Effect: The Influence Of The Opposite Sex On Aggressive Behavior, Kira J. Mason

Celebration

Most widely-accepted models for aggression do not explicitly address an important variable that roots in evolutionary psychology: the presence of a potential mate. The current research investigates whether the presence of an attractive or unattractive member of the opposite sex influences hypothetical aggression. Participants (N = 1035) imagined themselves in front of an attractive or non-attractive member of the opposite sex (accompanied by pictures of corresponding attractiveness levels), and indicate their aggressive intentions after a provocation, or not. Results from the 2(sex) x 2(attractiveness) ANOVA showed that males viewing an image of an attractive female aggressed more when provoked than …

Retrospective Emotional Interpretation Of Holocaust Victims: Case Studies Of Usc Shoah Foundation Testimonies, Rachel Gaufberg

Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ)

Extensive research has been conducted on the emotional/psychological conditions of survivors post-Holocaust, specifically symptoms of trauma of which many have been grouped and coined into terms such as “survivor syndrome” and “concentration camp syndrome” (USHMM, 2015). In addition, the treatment of such conditions have been studied and implemented. Conversely, significantly less research has been conducted regarding the emotional/psychological experiences of victims during these events, as recollected by victims in the present. Personal narratives of Holocaust survivors shed light on the emotional and psychological implications of the Holocaust’s traumatic events on individuals. In this paper, Holocaust survivors’ retrospective descriptions of …

Pulling The Trigger: Dehumanization Of African Americans And Police Violence, Themal I. Ellawala

Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ)

Police shootings and killing of African American targets has reached epidemic proportions and has captured the attention of the entire country. Research in social psychology has studied many dimensions of this layered issue, and has generated disparate findings regarding the role of racial bias in police violence. The process of implicit dehumanization of African Americans, especially youth, has been proposed as particularly salient in making shoot/don’t shoot decisions. This paper suggests that the paradigm of dehumanization could complete the understanding of racialized police violence and reconcile contradictory research findings, while highlighting areas for future research.

Transitioning Children With Autism From A Discrete Trial Classroom To A Group Classroom, Alexandra Ennis

Honors Theses

The goal of this project was to prepare children diagnosed with autism for the transition to group learning environments by teaching them to sit in their chair and attend while the teacher is at least five feet away. This is a skill that will help kids succeed when they make the transition from an early intervention program to a group learner environment because it allows the teacher to focus more on learning important skills. A proximity procedure was put in place for two children that focused on gradually increasing the distance between the tutor and the student with use of …

Behavioral Sensitization Following Concurrent Exposure To 4-Methylmethcathinone (4-Mmc) And 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Mdma) In Male Sprague-Dawley Rats, Trent Bullock

Honors Theses

Recreational use of a new class of stimulant drugs known as synthetic cathinones is a recent public health concern. Although the Drug Enforcement Administration placed several of the most common of these substances permanently on schedule 1, their use is still prevalent as they remain low cost, accessible, and potent. Concomitant use of cathinone derivatives with other psychostimulant drugs is commonly reported by recreational users. Despite the prevalence of synthetic cathinone abuse, there is currently a paucity of scientific research regarding the behavioral and neurochemical effects of these drugs in mixtures with other drugs of abuse. The behavioral sensitization paradigm …