Digital Commons Network^™

Using Visual Imagery To Manipulate Recognition Memory For Faces Whose Appearance Has Changed, Michelle M. Ramey, Darya L. Zabelina

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Real-world recognition requires our memory system to accommodate perceptual changes that occur after encoding; for example, eyewitnesses must recognize perpetrators across changes in appearance. However, it is not clear how this flexible recognition ability can be improved: Standard encoding strategies not only tend to be ineffective,but can in fact be detrimental for recognizing people across appearance changes. Given the effectiveness of visual imagery in creating and modifying memory representations, we examined whether counterfactual visual imagery could be used to manipulate flexible recognition by simulating an increase in encoding-retrieval similarity. Across two experiments, participants (n = 317) encoded faces with neutral …

Plastic Makes Perfect: An Analysis Of Plastic Surgery As Rehabilitation In Early To Late 20th Century Prison Populations, Jack West

The Ozark Historical Review

As early as 1910, journalists from around the United States reported on the cause-and- effect relationship between a criminal’s physical appearance, their offenses, and the plastic surgeons willing to help them. These surgeons were interested in changing the physical “causes” of criminality to sever the mental roots of crime, inferiority, and anti-social attitude. This paper examines the use of plastic surgery programs as reform in prison through the lens of popular newspaper and journal articles and argues that public perception and reaction revealed in these articles shaped the prison program’s journey from its underground beginning to its eventual demise.

Prospective Associations Among Loneliness And Health For Servicemembers: Perceived Helplessness And Negative Coping Appraisal As Explanatory Mechanisms, Sarah N. Arpin, Cynthia D. Mohr, Todd Bodner, Leslie B. Hammer, James D. Lee

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Links between loneliness and health are robust, though evidence for associations with alcohol use is mixed. Previous research has supported perceived stress as a predictor of alcohol use and as a pathway through which loneliness impacts health over time. Yet findings are primarily limited to civilian samples, and less is known about how loneliness relates to stress and health among service members. The current study explores prospective associations among loneliness, stress, and health (i.e., sleep, alcohol misuse, and psychological distress) within a sample of mostly male service members. We examine two dimensions of perceived stress, perceived helplessness and negative coping …

A Study Of The Relationship Between The Stress Responses From Rehearsal Preparations For Music Ensemble Performance Evaluations And Performing Arts Adolescents’ Working Memory, Gregory Thomas Minter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The organization of memory retrieval is vital to the association between stress responses and negative educational achievements. These stress responses offer an opportunity to study the harmful consequences of prolonged strain on the developing brain, which may impair emotional restraint, self-control, and cognitive development. However, little research considers the fundamental notions of how stress responses from rehearsals for music ensemble performance assessments impact adolescent working memory. This mixed-methods study explored how rehearsal-related stress in music ensemble settings may affect adolescents' working memory. Participants included high school students in grades nine through 12 who participated in performing arts band ensembles. The …

Emotion Behind Casual Sex, Carla Thompson Ranalli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Health institutions have reported that women of middle-age continue to enjoy sexual activity. As such, women who engage in casual sex may or may not have developed emotional attachments to their partners, which may impact sexual gratification. Attachment theory proposes that attachment style is either secure or insecure, such as anxious or avoidant. This study investigated the relationship between insecure attachment style and sexual gratification among women between 40-50 years of age who engaged in casual sex. To answer these questions, the Adult Attachment Scale (AAQ) questionnaire was used to measure anxious and avoidant attachment, the Experience in Close Relationships …

Stigma And Attitudes Of Hearing Parents Regarding Sign Language On The Perceived Resilience Of Their Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Emerging Adults: A Correlational Study, David Eric Barr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research studies investigating DHH emerging adults’ resilience are scarce. Current resilience investigations suggest that success in overcoming life challenges depends on the personal resourcing of learned social skills. For the DHH emerging adult, adversity (i.e., stigma and attitudes regarding sign language) fosters hindrance against resilience, which is imperative for one’s successful adaptation to challenging life experiences. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine stigma and the attitudes of hearing parents, the target population, regarding sign language and its perceived impact on the resilience of their Deaf and hard-of-hearing emerging adults. Data were collected using an online anonymous …

The Complete Leader: Relationships Between Leader Identity, Efficacy, And Psychological Well-Being And The Influence Of Gender And Leadership Level, Michelle I. Benami

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Contributing factors to a leader’s psychological well-being and their ability to be fully functional, mature, and self-actualized, are highly under-researched. This study examined the relationship of leader identity and leader efficacy on a leader’s psychological well-being. The study also explored whether a leader’s gender and leadership role level influenced their leader identity, efficacy, and psychological well-being. Participants were 165 working organizational leaders from a variety of industries, ages 19-72 years old with 1-40 years of leadership experience. Data was collected via online self-report survey using the Leader Self-Identity, Leader Efficacy Questionnaire, and Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being scales. Analyses revealed leader identity …

Exploring The Deficiencies Of Business Improvement Programs: A Qualitative Look Into Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma, Eos, And Developing Hybrid Opportunities, Michelle Tucker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative case study researched the deficiencies of three established business improvement programs: Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma, and Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), to discern the possibility of a tailored hybrid improvement program. Utilizing data collected through semi-structured interviews from the experiences of twelve business leaders representing different industries. All of the leaders had five or more years of direct experience with one or more of the business improvement programs. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding, applying Constructivist Grounded Theory. The analysis found that Continuous Improvement empowered employees and nurtured incremental changes, but it …

Adverse Childhood Experiences: How They Shape Employees' Perceptions, Experiences, And Performance In The Workplace, Marcia A. Beasley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has been well researched, and the lifelong consequences of medical conditions have been documented. Recently, research has linked mental health concerns to ACEs, including depression, anxiety, and health risk behaviors. ACEs occur during important stages of childhood development and can disrupt these stages, leading to children learn maladaptive coping skills. The resultant maladaptive behaviors that are developed as a response to maltreatment may also hinder social relationships in adulthood. Given this, research is lacking on the influence of ACEs on perceptions in the workplace, especially from the employee’s perspective. This qualitative phenomenological study …

Tv Versus Video Games: Their Distinctive Effects On Adolescent Behavior And Academic Achievement, Faiaz Rahman, Kathy L. Schuh

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

The current paper uses data collected from a publicly available, nationally representative data set to examine the effects of TV viewing and video gaming on adolescent behavioral problems and cognitive achievement. Results revealed that extended hours of TV viewing were associated with greater anxiety/depression and antisocial problems. On the other hand, extended hours of video gaming were associated with higher reading comprehension scores. Differing effects of TV viewing and gameplay by an individual’s sex was also found during the analysis. It is also important to note that the opposite effects that the two media has on outcomes, indicate that, although …

Gathering At The Table: Using Food To Heal On One’S Grief Journey, Jamie B. Daugherty, Jada Staat, Julie Rachford

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This research study explored the registered dietitian nutritionist’s (RDN) role and impact while supporting those on their grief journey. Data collection methods included a focus group, journaling, workshop evaluations, and photo elicitation. Qualitative data analysis highlighted three themes emerging from a six-week culinary nutrition education support workshop: providing intention, building community, and showcasing RDNs as encouraging companions, by contributing their skills of nutrition education and hands-on culinary applications, supporting individuals continuing to grieve.

Bard College: An Ecosystem Of Engagement, Jonathan Becker

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Despite its moderate size and rural location, Bard’s civic engagement efforts resonate locally, nationally, and internationally, and have significant public policy impacts. Bard has achieved success by making engagement central to its institutional mission, viewing liberal arts and sci-ences education as both a means and an end of civic engagement efforts, and forging an “ecosystem of engagement” that encourages organizational engineers, links student-led and in-stitutional initiatives, and unites a network of partners across the globe.

Student Perspectives On Social Responsibility In Nursing, Crystal Shannon

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Social responsibility (SR) is a core component of the nursing profession. However, nursing ed-ucation is challenged in delivering meaningful translation of this topic to students. This poten-tially reduces the readiness of newly licensed nurses to care for underserved populations. This study explored nursing students’ understanding of SR and the impact on role formation. Results showed students have a limited understanding of SR and limited experiences for development. Recommendations for improvement are offered.

Students’ Knowledge And Perceived Confidence In An Interdisciplinary Experiential-Learning Environment, Adam J. Kuban, Michelle M. O'Malley, Lee J. Florea

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Experiential-learning theory suggests that students acquire knowledge through hands-on learning environments, and aspiring journalists need a setting where they can experience science—its process(es) as well as how to report empirical findings. Researchers used pre/post questionnaires, field notebook evaluation, and focus group analysis as methods to assess an interdisciplinary, experiential course that combined science and media undergraduates. Results revealed students valued procedural over fact-based knowledge. Students also indicated increased perceived confidence—even when they answered questions incorrectly.

Community Service In Saudi Arabian Universities: A Comparative Study, Hesham K. Alfares, Muhammad H. Al-Haboubi, Mesfer M. Al-Zahrani

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

A comparative analysis is presented of community service activities in Saudi Arabian Universities. The methodology includes literature surveys, benchmarking, questionnaires, and focus group meetings. Community service definitions and activities are surveyed around the world. A benchmarking comparison is made between community service programs in 10 major Saudi universities and 20 top American universities. The current status of community service in Saudi universities is evaluated, and several improvement strategies are proposed.

Impact Of Service-Learning Courses With A Social Justice Curriculum On The Development Of Social Responsibility Among College Students, Yan Wang

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

In this study, six service-learning courses were studied to examine if a curriculum’s social justice emphasis has a significant impact on college students’ development of different types of social responsibility. The results suggest that service-learning courses with a social justice emphasis had a positive impact on the development of participatory and justice-oriented social responsibility, while service-learning courses without such an emphasis did not have an impact on the development of social responsibility.

Impact Of Degrees Of Service On Alumni Career Development, Judith Warchal, Ana Ruiz

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This paper presents the results of a survey that assessed the long-term impact of varying degrees of service on alumni employment and attitudes toward careers. Alumni with service-learning and other service experiences (SL plus group) felt it was important to work to correct inequalities, to provide a service to others, to make a difference in the community, and agreed that their service, academic, and social experiences affected their career development.

Bridging The Divide: From Service To Public Work, Paul N. Markham

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

An important aspect of public higher education is the development of active citizens. Students should leave our institutions not only with an appreciation for the value of community service, but also having the vital knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be public problem solvers. This article is a reflection on one professor’s experience of teaching students for active citizenship by moving from a service mindset to an emphasis on public work. This account emphasizes public work as a critical pedagogy for a potential next phase of civic engagement in higher education, which focuses on the development of student civic agency in …

Mentoring Incarcerated Youth: A Community-Based Learning Experience, Mitzi Lowe, Nancy Nisbett

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Recognizing the importance of university and community partnerships to address social issues, a mentoring program was implemented on a juvenile justice campus (JJC). A collaborative effort between a regional Hispanic-serving university, the county probation department, and a non-profit agency resulted in the development and implementation of a mentoring program with incarcerated youth. Students assisted in the development and implementation of the mentoring program, which incorporated life skills development, violence prevention, financial planning, parenting groups, needs assessments, and meditation. Student perceptions of their experience were explored using qualitative research methods. Educational benefits, the importance of collaboration, and the relationship between self-efficacy …

Service Learning: Representing University And Community Outcomes In Our Writing, Catherine Stemmans Paterson

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Safer Spaces: Creating A Supportive Rehabilitation Environment For Gay, Transgender And Questioning Youth, Corey W. Johnson, Edward A. Delgado-Romero

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This manuscript describes Safer Spaces, a semester-long outreach program between faculty, students and the Augusta Youth Detention Center Campus (AYDC). The purpose of the project was two-fold: (a) to meet an expressed need of a state agency and (b) to create a unique opportunity for university outreach and service learning. Safer Spaces centered on assessing and meeting the needs of staff and adjudicated youth with resources about gay and transgender identity development in a predominantly African American facility with a group of interdisciplinary service-learning students in Counseling-Psychology, Recreation and Leisure Studies, and Women’s Studies.

Service-Learning Pathologies And Prognoses, Roy Schwartzman

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This essay diagnoses and suggests treatments for several pathologies that afflict service-learning. Structural challenges include geographic isolation and optimization of institutional administration. Student challenges include reinforcing stereotypes, deficiencies in practical skills, elitism regarding suitable service, underdeveloped empathy, and excessive focus on time spent in service. Community partner challenges include appropriately defining student labor and systematically under-reporting negative experiences. The prognosis explores how service-learning projects could instigate student engagement with the systemic nature of social injustice.

Serve At Your Own Risk?: Service-Learning In The Promotion And Tenure Process, Jacquelyn B. Frank, Mark Malaby, Laura Raidonis Bates, Marcie Coulter-Kern, Sheron Fraser-Burgess, J. R. Jamison, Linda Stalker Prokopy, Nathan A. Schaumleffel

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Pre-tenure faculty integrating service-learning into their professional roles are often uncertain about its position in the faculty reward system. This study gathered data from administrators at five institutions of higher education in Indiana to learn if and how service-learning is credited toward tenure and promotion at their institutions. The results point to the need for junior faculty members and administrators to be cautious when implementing and evaluating service-learning initiatives.

Comparative Neurobiology Of Vigilance And Stress Adaptation Systems In Wild And Laboratory Rodents (Rattus Norvegicus), Molly Kent, Brendan Crockett, Aditya Narayanan, Isabel Dilandro, Andrés Mauco, Gabriella Handford, Paean Luby, Troy Richter, Jonatahn Richardson, Olivia Harding, Joanna Jacob, Sarah Hartvigsen, Kelly Lambert

Psychology Faculty Publications

Although chronic stress is typically associated with disease and negative outcomes, wild animals often survive—and even thrive—in environments marked by recurring threats. In this study, we investigated neurobiological differences in vigilance-associated and stress-coping systems, as well as resilience, in wild and laboratory-bred rats (Rattus norvegicus) to explore potential survival-related adaptations in wild populations. Consistent with previous findings, wild rats exposed to chronic environmental stressors exhibited heightened hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, evidenced by enlarged adrenal glands and elevated fecal metabolites of glucocorticoids. Brains were processed using thionin staining for neural and glial cell counts and immunohistochemistry for immunoreactive targets. Wild …

Young Adults’ Self-Perceptions Of Parenting Styles And Attachments Influencing Juvenile Criminality, Keristin Zanda Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parenting styles, parent-to-child attachments, and parental involvements are contributing factors leading to juvenile delinquency. Adolescents are committing offending acts at a younger age, recidivating, and perpetrating with peers or parents. However, there is a lack of empirical research on juvenile perceptions of parenting, juvenile criminality, and desistance implications. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore past juvenile criminal offenders’ lived experiences and the corresponding influence parenting styles had on their deviant behaviors. Ainsworth and Bowlby’s attachment theory, Baumrind’s parenting style theory, and Bandura’s social learning theory provided a lens for examining young adults’ perceptions of parenting related …

Problem Videogame Playing Scale: A Preliminary Study Of Measurement Invariance Between English And Malay, Jia Yuin Fam, Rumaya Juhari, Zainal Madon, Mohd Najmi Daud

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Purpose: Distinguishing between problematic and non-problematic gamers is a priority concern. Although the Problem Videogame Playing (PVP) Scale might be useful as a screening tool of IGD, there is little evidence to support the measurement invariance of the PVP scale. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the English and Malay versions of the PVP scale. Methods: A total of 646 secondary school students aged between 12 and 18 years were recruited to participate in this study. Results: The unidimensional structure of the PVP scale was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. The PVP scale correlates well with other …

From P-Values To Practical Relevance: An Introduction To Effect Sizes Through A Legal Psychological Example, Paul Riesthuis, Henry Otgaar, Tery Setiawan, Nathanael Sumampouw, Charlotte Bücken

Psychological Research on Urban Society

Null-hypothesis significance testing and p-values are frequently criticized for their focus on detecting non-zero differences and their inability to provide evidence for the null hypothesis. In this article, we highlight how effect sizes, when meaningfully interpreted, can address these issues. Specifically, we argue that researchers should consider the smallest effect size of interest (SESOI) - the smallest effect size that yields practical or theoretical relevance. We propose several methods for estimating the SESOI and present a consensus study among Indonesian professionals which can be used to estimate the SESOI for child eyewitness testimony research. Results suggest that most Indonesian professionals …

Legends, Lies, & Rewritten Lives: After The Little Bighorn: Forgotten Struggles Of Those Who Walked Away, Thomas B. Davidson

DU Textbooks

This Narrative is about an event that occurred on June 25, 1876, on the banks of the Little Bighorn River in what is now the state of Montana. Seen from a 21st century perch, it tells a story of a contest between the armed representatives of two different civilizations, each of which fought in the manner of its society. The narrative will attempt to balance the truth of what happened while also relating an engaging story, but without drifting into sensationalism. The narrative will go beyond a focus on the meeting of the soldiers from either group to explore the …

Behavioral Assessment Software: Enhancing Polygraph And Investigative Interviewing, Alan Saquella

Publications

In the rapidly evolving world of security, law enforcement, and investigative sciences, professionals are increasingly turning to advanced technologies to supplement tried-and-true methodologies. One emerging innovation is behavioral assessment software, designed to enhance both pre-employment screening and investigative interviewing. Acting as a form of modern human intelligence collection, these tools enable examiners and investigators to gather deeper insights directly from candidates and subjects, revealing behavioral cues and risk indicators that might otherwise remain hidden (Vrij, 2008).

Importantly, behavioral assessment software is not intended to replace polygraph or other traditional investigative methods. Instead, it functions as a complementary resource—one that provides …

Depression-Related Impairment During The Transition To College: Informing Prevention Efforts Using A Prospective Cohort Study, Nicole A. Kelso

Theses and Dissertations

Depression is a major public health concern in higher education. With college mental health counseling centers struggling to meet the high demand for services, there is a critical need to refine and expand prevention efforts. The first semester as a new postsecondary institution may be an important window for prevention efforts as students are adjusting to new academic and social challenges. This dissertation has three primary aims. Study 1 aims to improve identification of students in greatest need of preventive care and allocation of limited prevention resources. Study 2 seeks to refine understanding of etiological processes contributing to depression during …