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An Examination Of Ten Personality Variables And Their Effect On Esp Clairvoyance Test Results, Terry L. Foreman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this present research study was to construct a paper and pencil test that would measure college students' ability to use extra sensory perception (ESP).

During recent years it has been found that certain personality variables correlate with ESP scoring. For example, the ability to handle stress and conflict situations (Rhine, 1952; Hudesman & Schmeidler, 1971) and adaptability (Schmeidler, 1954; Shields, 1962; Stanford, 1964; Hudesman & Schmeidler, 1971) have been shown to be important personality factors in Ss who score high on ESP tests.

However, few experimenters have been able to clearly define the personality characteristics which identify …

Predicting Delinquent Sub-Types With The Social History Questionnaire, Charles S. Sulcer

Masters Theses

A major problem encountered in the juvenile courts concerns the large number of young offenders placed on probation, as well as the seriousness of their violations. Representative studies by Jenkins and Glickman (1947), Hathaway and Monachesi (1953), and Shinohara and Jenkins (1967) have pointed out the complexities of delinquent behavior by indicating that most legal authorities are often unable to determine who will repeat illegal acts.

This problem necessitates some objective approach toward identifying potential repeaters and non-repeaters. Such a technique would be useful in studying the early stages of delinquent behavior and provide a means of studying the growing …

An Application Of Operant Conditioning In An Organizational Setting, Patricia Jo Knight

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Comparison On The State Dependent Effects Of Electroconvulsive Shock And Physostigmine On A Choice Task, Candace Susanne Brown

All Master's Theses

Two experiments compared the state-dependent effects of electroconvulsive shock (ECS) and physostigmine relative to a normal state (saline or no injection). Rats were trained in a water T maze using a discrimination-training paradigm. In Experiment 1, discrimination was found between the ECS- and normal state. However, response control was strongest in the ECS-0 treatment-training order and on non-ECS training sessions. In Experiment 2, dissociation also occurred but was more pronounced in the P-0 (physostigmine-saline) treatment-training order and on the saline training sessions. Results from both experiments indicate learning is most rapid in the treatment-no treatment training order and that a …

The Effects Of Experimental Manipulation Of Status On Signature Size, Karen Jensen Gillespie

All Master's Theses

This paper presents an attempt to change the size of a person's signature by changing his perceived status within the experimental situation.

Eight-four subjects were divided into four equal groups. Each group received two treatments, one of which was a status treatment, the other a success-failure manipulation. The results showed a significant difference in signature size between high and low status treatment groups. A significant variation was also noted between females in the success manipulation group and females in the failure manipulation group. The direction of this variation was opposite to predictions.

Recommendations included addition of a control group, presentation …

The Role Of Memory In Rule Learning Problems, Alan S. Kertes

All Master's Theses

Thirty-six college subjects who had taken a memory test from the Wechsler series were chosen from an introductory psychology class and divided into three memory levels (high, medium, and low). Twelve subjects from each of the memory groups were required to categorized geometrical stimulus patterns into positive and negative instances according to an unknown conceptual rule that prescribed a relationship between two known attributes. Each subject was assigned to one of three postfeedback delay intervals of 1.5, 20, or 30 seconds. Performance among the three memory levels was not statistically different even though differences from best to worst were apparent …

The Effect Of Environmental Enrichment On Delayed Alternation, Passive Avoidance And Exploration Behavior, David L. Knobel

All Master's Theses

Long Evans Hooded rats were reared in either perceptually complex (EC) or simple (IC) environments. As adults, exploration, delated alternation and passive avoidance task performance was investigated. The exploration level of the EC and IC reared groups was identical on Day 1, but on subsequent days the IC rats on delayed alternation and passive avoidance tasks was not found, but the alternation response was acquired with significantly fewer trials by EC rats.

The Role Of Postfeedback Intervals In Rule Learning Problems, Donald E. Lloyd

All Master's Theses

Subjects classified bidimensional stimulus patterns of variable colors and shapes into positive or negative instances of the concept, according to one of three conceptual rules (Disjunctive, Conditional, or Biconditional). Four postfeedback intertrial intervals were used: 1.5, 5, 20, or 30 seconds. Performance on the Dj rule was significantly higher than either the Cd or Bd rule and there was no reliable difference between the later two rules. The postfeedback delay was not a reliable source of variance among all rules, but did yield significant differences within the Bd rule. Inconsistent performance trends in the Cd and Bd rules as the …

The Relationship Of Verbal And Symbolic Mediation To Induced Meaning, Dennis G. Groome

All Master's Theses

Four experimental groups were presented nine induced-meaning training trials with 20 CVC stimuli and either abstract or concrete noun, picture alone, or picture plus noun responses. Two control groups received no training trials. Two experimental groups were required to learn associations and the other two simply viewed S-R pairings. Half the groups in each condition generated images and the other half generated word associates to 12 nouns and 20 CVCs. No evidence of induced meaning or of active versus passive learning differences was found. Suggestions for more effective experimental procedures are made.

Reversal Shift Performance By Young Children As A Function Of Stimulus Presentation Mode, Beverly Faye Miller

All Master's Theses

The present study required three groups of Ss (gifted preschoolers, average preschoolers, and first graders) to solve a reversal shift (R). It was hypothesized that greater verbal competency among any of the three groups would lead to superior performance on the R shift. The results indicated that first graders performed significantly better than the average preschool children on the R shift. Also the performance of the first graders was reliably superior to the gifted children on one postshift phase analysis; on the remaining postshift comparisons a visual trend in the same direction was observed. Three separate stimulus presentation modes were …

Learning Of Facilitative Interpersonal Skills In Para-Professional Training, H. A. Suffron

All Master's Theses

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of Helping skills: a basic training program in the acquisition of facilitative interpersonal skills. A Solomon Four Group Design was used with 34 upper division college students as Ss. Analysis of variance and post-hoc comparisons revealed significant effects on measures of interpersonal skills. Analysis of a questionnaire revealed positive outcomes and suggested improvements for the program. It was concluded that the program merits further research and application.

The Effects Of Pattern Of Extraneous Auditory Stimuli And Sex On Vigilance Performance, Paul G. Fisher

All Master's Theses

Eighty introductory-level psychology student volunteers performed a sweep-clock perceptual vigilance task. Each subject was exposed to one of four noise conditions: 65-dB constant noise, 100-dB constant noise, 100-dB regularly-intermittent noise and 100-dB variable intermittent noise. No overall effects of pattern of presentation schedule of noise on performance were found. Time-related changes in three measures, correct detections, reaction times, and incorrect detections plus sex differences in reaction times, were found. In the regularly-intermittent condition females showed a greater time-related decrement in correct detections than males and made fewer incorrect detections. With intermittent background stimulation the time-related change in incorrect detection rates …

Associative Responding, Problem Solving, And Motivation, Allan N. Kaczala

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Extraneous Stimulation And Activity On Performance In A Recognition-Memory Task, Richard Armstrong

All Master's Theses

Reaction times of 36 subjects in a recognition-memory task were used to evaluate the effects of extraneous stimulation and activity upon memory processes. No significant effect of noise on RT was suggested. A linear increase in reaction time as a function of memory load was found in all noise conditions. When the recognition-memory task was accompanied by a simultaneous shadowing task, a significant difference in the positive and negative reaction times was suggested.

The Department Of Family Services, Court Of Domestic Relations, Portland, Oregon : A Report Of Its History, Function, And Future, George Brune, John Hart, Sandra Smith

Dissertations and Theses

The study begins with a look at the sociological foundations underlying the Department of Family Services and the social institutions of law and marriage and the family. In order to present the working operation of the agency there are chapters dealing with custody and visitation and marriage and family counseling. This work is defined, and the methods involved are explained and illustrated. An historical overview of the agency with regard to personal, policy and orientation is presented.

Personality Characteristics, Work Practices, And Error Rates Among Welfare Assistance Workers At East Multnomah County Public Welfare Branch, Roy Dale Beams, Mike David Gotesmen, Howard Wayne Knytych

Dissertations and Theses

The research project herein contained was an outgrowth of concern associated with performance levels placed upon Welfare Assistance Workers (WAW’s). The Oregon State Public Welfare Division has become increasingly concerned with accuracy rates among branch offices throughout the system. It was the impression of the research group that WAW’s see this increased concern as combined pressure to reduce error rates and demand for a broader diversity of skills.

The primary purpose of this study was to explore ways of clarifying individual characteristics and work habits and their relationship to error rates in the WAW’s in the East Multnomah County Branch …

Exploratory Study Of Gossip In A Rural Community, Ruth Anne Laverty

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this study was to investigate social psychological factors in the process of gossip. A second purpose was to determine whether gossip is a process distinct from rumor. An American community was the location of the study. The situations observed were behavioural settings which either the E or her assistant were permitted to attend without arousing suspicion. The 79 Ss studied were male and female adults and children who happened to be present in these behavioural settings. Conversations of all Ss were tape recorded as well as the gossip portions of conversations in other settings. The content of …

The Effects Of Pictorial Stimuli On The Direction-Following Behavior Of Mentally Retarded Adolescents, Dennis J. Tucker

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Two groups of retarded adolescents were presented sets of multiple verbal directions (imperative sentences). One group was exposed to pictures illustrating the objects and action of each direction in addition to the verbal directions. Subjects were required to carry out performances demanded by the directions. The direction-following behavior of the Verbal + Picture Group was found to be significantly superior to that of the Verbal Group. The groups did not differ significantly in sequencing their performances, i.e., carrying out the verbal directions in the order in which they were presented. Two possible explanations for the superior performance of the Verbal …

Field Dependence And Field Independence On A Series Of Inverted Field Tasks, David R. Murphy

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Study Into The Effects Of Knowledge Of Peer Group Evaluation Upon Self-Concept Change, Janice Marie Beyer

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Metrazol On Acquisition Of An Oddity Task In Squirrel Monkeys, Stephen Wilson

Masters Theses

Recent evidence indicates that Metrazol can enhance learning in rodents provided certain variables such as genetic strain, difficulty of problem to be learned, and dosage levels are considered and carefully controlled. The effects of Metrazol on oddity acquisition in four squirrel monkeys was investigated. The apparatus employed was a modified version of the Wisconsin General Testing Apparatus. The dosage level of Metrazol was 15 mg/kg of body weight. The results suggest that Metrazol had no effect on the learning of the oddity task by the squirrel monkeys.

Social And Psychological Correlates Of The Selection Or Rejection Of Vasectomy, Steven Marc Ratnow

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Personality, Interest And Motivational Correlates Of Persistence In Religious Vocations, Charles Noty

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Actor And Observer Bias In Causal Attribution: The Effects Of Consistency And Perspective, Joseph W. Wuerth

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Frequency Judgments For The Wording And Meaning Of Sentences, Christopher Gude

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Multivariate Analysis Of The Factors Affecting Treatment In A Child Guidance Centre, Brian Charles Regan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Initially, all the children who had received treatment and been discharged from the West End Créche between 1962 and 1971 were selected for this study. These children were then sub-divided into groups according to where they had gone after discharge. This study considered only two of these groups, 32 children who went into the normal school system and 20 children who entered institutions after being discharged. Both groups were then examined with reference to a list of forty-two variables which provided information on the children’s background and the facilities of the treatment centre. An analysis of these variables demonstrated that …

Racial Awareness, Preference And Self-Identification In Negro And Caucasian Early Elementary School Children (Grades Kindergarten, One And Three), Jean Marie Leforge

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Pictures of three identical faces differing only in skin colour were shown to 88 Negro and Caucasian subjects in grades kindergarten, one and three and questions about the pictures were asked. The procedure was designed to measure racial preference, awareness and self-identification and social awareness on the part of the subjects. Male subjects saw pictures of male faces and female subjects saw female faces. An experimental group of approximately one-half of the subjects saw a fourth picture face, which represented a novel stimulus and which was included to probe the reaction of the subjects to novelty.

In addition, a warm-up …

Influence Of Behaviour Setting And Interaction On Patterns Of Successful Aging, George D. Macdonald

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study investigated the effects of behaviour setting and interaction on patterns of engagement and disengagement within a home for the aged. The purpose of the study was to illustrate that both patterns may be a function of situational and psychological factors and therefore should not be used as definitions of “successful aging.” Data were collected using an observational technique. Observations were made on five behaviour settings for a typical week. The results indicate that there is a relationship between patterns and the two factors specified. A similar finding was reported for staff patterns within the home. Implications of these …

The Children's Schedule Of Recent Experiences As A Predictive Test Of Behavior Problems Of Children Entering First Grade, Alcie Anne Griffith

Dissertations and Theses

The thesis provides a survey inquiring about recent life events in children to determine predictive behavior for first grade. It is based on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale.

The Favorability Of Person Perception As A Function Of Perceiver And Target Person Personality Style, Alfred D. Kornfeld

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

[no abstract provided]