Digital Commons Network^™

Elderly Respondents' Perceptions Of Patronizing Speech By Service Providers Toward Elderly Adults., Tammi Rae La Tourette

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of several factors in elderly respondents' evaluations of neutral and patronizing speech by nurses toward elderly targets. Thirty-eight nursing home and 62 community Caucasian elderly women viewed two videotaped vignettes, one in which a nurse spoke to an elder target in a patronizing tone, and one with a neutral tone. Both samples rated the nurse more favorably, rated the elder target more satisfied with the conversation, and assumed that the nurse-elder dyad knew each other better when the nurse's speech was neutral as opposed to patronizing. Contrary to what was predicted, community elders did not …

Affective And Motivational Components Of The Flow State: Rock Climbing Revisited, Helen Hooper

Theses and Dissertations

The affective and experiential components of the flow state, as outlined by Csikszentmihalyi (1975), have served as a basis for research into optimal experience over the past twenty years, and although adjustments have been made by various researchers, the description of the characteristics remain essentially the same. This study used qualitative methods to further explore this area . With the initial aim of enhancing our understanding of the optimal experiences of rock climbing participants, the present study purposefully sampled fifteen informants representative of the range of characteristics found in the setting. Questioning techniques and analysis methods used in this study …

Factors Of Job-Related Stress As Perceived By Middle School Principals In Virginia, Teresa I. Snyder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted among middle school principals in Virginia to determine their perceptions of job-related stress factors. The entire population of middle school principals (grades 6, 7, 8) was selected to participate in the study. The Administrative Stress Index was used to assess factors that cause principals stress on the job and to measure their stress levels. A demographic data form was used to collect data on the variables of age, gender, administrative experience, assistant principal support, student enrollment, adults supervised, percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch, location of school, type of school, experience as a middle …

The Spiritual Dimension Of Social Work Practice In And Through Research, Education, And Life Experience, Pauline Kay Burthwick

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years there has been an effort to reintroduce religion and spirituality as tangible constructs into social work education and practice in an effort to incorporate all aspects of the client's system (biological, psychological, social, spiritual) and to understand and appreciate the client's diversity and potential strengths and resources. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of religion and spirituality in the lives of social work practitioners as it relates to their social work practice and to the education of future social workers.

This study was composed of two parts. The first was a secondary data …

Firstborn Children And Their Perception Of The Family Environment In Intact And Divorced Families, Nelda Wetzel

Theses

Profound structural changes in American families over the past three decades have transformed "traditional" living arrangements for children and stimulated a great deal of interest regarding children and their well-being. How firstborn children perceive their family environment is the main focus of this study (Causal-Comparative). A relationship was investigated between the family structure of intact and divorced families and firstborn's perception of the family environment. Ninety-seven firstborn children, 52 from intact families and 45 from divorced families, between the ages of 8-12, evaluated their family environment by responding to the CV/FES. Using the t test (two sided) for independent samples, …

The Believability Of Hearsay Testimony Involving Child Witnesses: Effects Of Age And Format, Beverly J. Smith

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Open court testimony poses difficulty for child witnesses required to face the defendant. Certain laws allow hearsay testimony to replace the alleged child victim's testimony. This study examines the relationship of the child's age to the relative believability of three hearsay testimony fonnats in a 2 (child witnesses: one 4-year-old and one 8-year-old) x 3 (hearsay conditions: interview of child, interviewer testimony in "gist" or summary form, or interviewer testimony in detailed, "verbatim" fonn) design. Transcripts were based on actual child sexual abuse interviews ( one 4 and one 8-year-old female) obtained for prior research with permission from Child Protective …

The Effects Of Task Demand And Knowledge Of Results On Operator Engagement And Vigilance Performance Moderation With A Biocybernetic System, Jamie Lynn Loverde

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined whether a biocybernetic system could moderate performance in a vigilance task. The system manipulated critical signal (CS) amplitude based on cybernetic feedback contingencies. Under negative feedback, CS amplitude increased when the index fell below a predetermined level and decreased when the index rose above that level The opposite occurred under positive feedback. The system was expected to initiate more amplitude changes under negative feedback to regulate engagement. Performance feedback (Knowledge of Results; KR) was also provided and was expected to improve performance by motivating participants to pay closer attention to the task.

Forty participants performed a …

Trends. The Pros And Cons Of Decapitation: An Example From Dagestan, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article explores the pros and cons of destroying or severely degrading the strategic command, control, and communication (C3) assets of a politico-military adversary--i.e., decapitation.

Trends. Deep In The Heart Of Texas: Threat Of Violence And The Duty To Warn, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The article discusses violence in the mentally ill and the obligation to report potential threats.

Work-Life Role Integration: A Construct Validation Study, Tonya Alicia Miller

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two studies were conducted to define and validate the theoretical construct, role integration. Study 1 focused on producing a theoretical definition and a psychometrically sound measure. Content, convergent, and discriminant validity evidence was collected. Study 2 provided further validity evidence for the role integration construct by testing a conceptual model and refining the role integration measure. Study 1 and Study 2 established a psychometrically sound 12-item, two-factor role integration measure. The first factor focused on knowledge, skills, and experiences (KSE). The second factor focused on values, beliefs, and attitudes (VBA).

The conceptual model in Study 2 added the role integration …

The Influence Of Fathering On Child Outcomes, Judith Joye Lehman

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examines complex relationships between fathering and children's social, behavioral, and cognitive development. The participants were 57 families with a child between the ages of 7 and 12. Fathers were interviewed about their disciplinary practices, work history, and day to day involvement with their children. Fathers also completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 1991) which is designed to assess children's internalizing and externalizing behavior. Mothers were administered the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale - Survey Form (Sparrow, Balla, & Cicchetti, 1984), the CBCL, and a background questionnaire. Children were administered the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith, 1987) and the …

Trends. Global Warming, Policymaking, And Asymmetries Of Time, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The author discusses one of the most significant subtexts to political discourse on global warming, that of time.

Ibpp Research Associates: Space And Extreme Environments, M. Ephimia Morphew - Society For Human Performance In Extreme Environments

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

Per M. Ephimia Morphew. President of the Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments previously online at http://www.hpee.org, colleagues at the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Russia (IBMP) are engaged in an isolation experiment pertaining to space exploration that is two months underway and preliminary findings are reported [in the article entitled First Two Months of Simulated Isolation Passed.]

IBPP commentary includes a discussion of human factors and political psychology as parameters of space.

Group Therapy Through An Internet Chat Room: Implications For Virtual Politics, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article continues a series on research presented at the 1999 Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. The article provides empirical data that have implications for the psychology of a virtual politics that is increasingly common in a globalized world.

Trends. Social Cognition And Global Warming, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The article discusses the validity of global warming and on putative causes of the discourse and--if ontologically valid--of global warming, one might entertain the social psychology of how people might address a global environmental threat.

Ibpp Research Associates: East Timor, Anonymous

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The article is a rushed letter from an anonymous individual involved in East Timor in late August or early September 1999 when Indonesian troops were present in the area. The letter was sent to the International Peace Practitioners Network (IPPN). For reference, IPPN is a project of the Peace Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association and of Psychologists for Social Responsibility

The letter itself was subsequently forwarded to IBPP by IPPN, and the content of the letter was not verified by IBPP.

IBPP commentary includes a discussion of the role of political psychologists, and other interested parties, in the …

Trends. Reactions To Serial Shootings, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The article discusses two classes of reactions when the mass media promulgate stories of serial shootings.

A Comparison Of The Transition Of Special Needs Students To Regular Education Students, Anita Burnette

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study investigated the success of transition from school to community life of special needs students in comparison to a similar population served in regular education. Graduates of a western Kentucky high school over a three year period composed the population for the study- Variables observed were KIRIS test results, economic status, and successful transition as measured by the KIRIS Adult Report to Life. Results indicated special needs students were as successful in the transition process as the population to which they were compared. Results have implications that transition plans and teams are necessary for some regular education students as …

Mullah Mulling In Iran, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article describes the main threats and psychopolitical options facing religious conservatives who seek to maintain supreme, earthly power in Iran.

The Effect Of Ethnicity And Generation On Cultural Values, Launa Beck

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Using an existential perspective, the researcher investigated the world views of 155 people divided first by ethnic group and then (n = 144) by generation. African Americans and White Americans, Baby Boomers and Generation Xers completed the Scale to Assess World Views (Ibrahim & Owen, 1994) at a grocery store in the Midwest. Results indicate significant differences between African Americans and White Americans on the Pessimistic, Traditional, and Here and Now world views but no difference in rank order. Coefficient alphas for the subscales ranged from (.42) to (.67) with an overall value of (.82) for the scale. A confirmatory …

Asymmetry And Fighting Performance In The Shore Crab Carcinus Maenas, Lynne U. Sneddon, John P. Swaddle

Veterinary Science and Medicine Collection

Fluctuating asymmetries (left–right differences in symmetric traits) can be negatively related to fitness parameters in a number of biological systems. Hence, it has been suggested that symmetric individuals should outcompete asymmetric individuals during intraspecific agonistic encounters. However, there is a lack of experimental evidence for such a relationship. We investigated the relationship between trait asymmetry (both directional and fluctuating asymmetry) and the outcome of agonistic encounters among size-matched male shore crabs. Our findings indicate that cheliped (‘weapon claw’) directional asymmetry is not related to the outcome of fights, whereas fluctuating asymmetry in the fifth pereiopod, but not the second pereiopod, …

Health Behavior, Quality Of Work Life, And Organizational Effectiveness In The Lumber Industry, Stewart I. Donaldson, Steve Sussman, Clyde W. Dent, Herbert H. Severson, Jacqueline L. Stoddard

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

A major incentive for work-site health promotion activities has been the promise of increased company profitability. Some critics have challenged the economic argument based on distal outcomes such as increased employee longevity and less morbidity later in life. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between employee health behavior, quality of work life, and proximal organizationally valued outcomes. Data were collected from a stratified random sample of employees working at Pacific Lumber Company (N = 146), the largest single-site lumber mill in California. Although employee sleep patterns predicted health care utilization and psychological well-being, for the …

Peer Relations In The Ungraded Primary: An Examination Of Friendship And Its Benefits, Donna Gregory

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Mixed-age peer contexts have been considered important in the peer relations literature, but there has been relatively little research on children's peer relations in these settings. Ungraded primary programs mandated by recent school reform efforts in Kentucky provide a unique opportunity to study peer relations in a mixed-age context. The present study examined patterns of reciprocated friendship in ungraded primary classrooms and their relation to peer- and teacher-rated social competence. Both level of overall peer acceptance and age relative to ungraded primary classmates influenced the number and pattern of reciprocated friendships. Children who had friends were seen as more socially …

Behavior-Based Safety And Working Alone: The Effects Of Self-Monitoring On The Safe Performance Of Bus Operators, Ryan Olson

Masters Theses

Experimental evaluations of Behavior-based Safety (BBS) processes applied with lone workers are scarce. Further research is needed to determine the power of self-monitoring based interventions for improving safe behavior, and to explore the best practices for improving safety when employees work alone. In the current study,· four male bus operators (ages 40-50) self-monitored their safe performance and initialed feedback graphs based on their self-monitoring data at the end of each day. Experimental data collectors observed each participant by riding buses as passengers. A multiple baseline design across performances was used to assess the effects of the intervention on four target …

Modifications Of Nitric Oxide And Sexual Behavior In Prenatally Stressed Male Rats, Stephen D. Miller

Master's Theses

Normal male sexual differentiation is the culmination of perfectly timed, prenatal gonadal hormone release. Prenatal stress (PS) has a detrimental effect upon this process, obstructing the natural development of brain structures and sexual behavior. Prenatally-stressed male rats exhibit many physiological and neuroendocrinological differences when compared to control males. PS has a particularly harmful effect upon male sexual behavior, to which the neurotransmitter nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be intimately involved. The present experiment examined whether PS reduces nNOS, the rate limiting enzyme of NO, in the medial preoptic area (rnPOA) of male rats, and whether administration of the …

Developmental Changes In Verbal And Imaginal Mnemonic Techniques For Serial Recall, Michelle L. Rupiper

Student Work

Children’s ability to use mnemonic techniques was investigated in first, fourth and sixth graders. Children in each age group were assigned to one of three conditions: method of loci, story mnemonic or elaborative control group. Subjects were given three recall tests. Each test was scored with and without regard to the order in which subjects recalled the words presented. Relative to the control group, both mnemonic conditions showed an advantage in memorizing lists of 20 words. However, all conditions, including the elaborative control group showed significant increases in the number of words recalled between the baseline test and recall Test …

The Relationship Between Homicidal Fantasies And Dangerousness, James C. Peterson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aggressive behavior is a serious problem in the United States and has been studied from a variety of perspectives. Psychologists in many different settings are frequently asked to assess the risk of future dangerous behavior by individuals. Due to their important role, research into the prediction of dangerousness has dramatically increased in the past ten years. However, to date, research has offered few reliable predictors that can be used in such assessments. This exploratory study was designed to examine whether homicidal fantasies can be used to reliably discriminate between violent and non-violent individuals. Undergraduate male students (N=l42) completed a questionnaire …

Trait Anxiety As A Moderator Of Problem Structuring Effects On Solution Generation, Judith A. Wightman

Student Work

This study investigated the effects of problem structuring and anxiety on the quantity and quality of solutions generated for ill-structured, complex problems. Trait anxiety, the tendency to feel anxious across a wide variety of situations, has been shown to impair problem solving performance in certain conditions. Trait anxiety was examined as a possible moderator of the relationship between problem structuring and solution generation. Participants were 184 undergraduate psychology students. Participants completed a trait anxiety measure (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; Spielberger, 1983) and generated solutions to an ill-structured problem, with varying levels of structuring (no objectives, one-objective-at-a-time, conflicting objectives). The quantity and …

Sociological Analysis Of Gambling Behavior: A Subculture Perspective, Robert W. Wright Iii

Masters Theses

This study examines the effects of gender, socioeconomic status and age first gambled on rates of problem gambling among adult residents of Michigan and interprets those effects through the application of subculture theory. The data used in this study are from the 1997 Michigan prevalence survey on gambling. The data were collected to estimate the prevalence level of gambling among adult Michigan residents. Data obtained from 2,111 female and 1,776 males indicated that (1) males have a higher rate of pathology than females; (2) respondents who start gambling earlier will be more likely to be classified as pathological gamblers; (3) …

Letter To Anna: An American Perspective On Why The Us Hasn't Acted Decisively In Kosovo, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article--slightly edited by IBPP--was submitted by Mr. Andrew Chittim, a freelance writer and marketing specialist. The article arrived on May 25th--well before the end of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. In retrospect, however, Mr. Chittim's analysis highlights a number of Issues that are still not resolved.