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Research Proposal: Effects Of Class Attendance On Overall Grades, Sarah Seay

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

One research inquiry that comes to question is whether school attendance has an effect on overall grades made by each student. This question comes to mind for numerous reasons. If students do not miss school does this mean they get better grades because they are learning more or because of their dedication and motivation and low absence levels. Is it that students who miss numerous days of school do not care about their grades or that their grades are lower because they do poorly on tests and assignments?

Volume 1, Issue 1 Full Issue

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Full Issue.

The Role Of Suggestions And Personality Characteristics In Producing Illness Reports And Desires For Suing The Responsible Party, Marc A. Lindberg Ph.D.

Psychology Faculty Research

For this project, 92 students entered an abandoned theater room in an old basement of the university where sand was scattered throughout. The purpose of the study was to experimentally demonstrate that psychological suggestions could produce illness reports and to explore who is most likely to say that they would sue for personal damages. The students filled out the Trait-State Anger Scale and two subscales, Anger Temperament and Anger Reaction as well as the Costello-Corey Anxiety Scale, the Hardiness Inventory, the Pennebaker Inventory of Limbic Languidness, and, embedded in the Hardiness Inventory, measures of current illness as a result of …

Enhanced Locomotor, Reinforcing, And Neurochemical Effects Of Cocaine In Serotonin 5-Hydroxytryptamine 2c Receptor Mutant Mice, Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

Narcissism In First Time Expectant Fathers, Robin Sall

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Thirty-four first time expectant fathers were recruited to assess changes in their narcissistic characteristics over the course of their wife's pregnancy. The Selfism Scale (NS) (Phares & Erskine, 1984) was used to measure the developmental narcissistic response in first-time, expectant fathers. The results showed no significant difference in husband's narcissism across the three trimesters of pregnancy. Future studies should include a control group and a larger and more diverse sample.

Diagnosis And Placement Variables Affecting The Outcome Of Adolescents With Behavioral Disorders, Mary A. Peterson, Mark Scanlan

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

The treatment of adolescents with behavior disorders represents significant challenges. This article reviews some of the most effective behavioral and pharmacological treatments identified in the research. The study used outcome data from a residential treatment program to identify variables that predicted level of functioning post-discharge. Significant variables included diagnosis (mood vs. behavior disorder spectrum), co-morbidity and discharge placement.

Spankers And Nonspankers: Where They Get Information On Spanking, Wendy A. Walsh

Sociology

Because spanking is common, puts children at risk for harmful side effects, and is ineffective as a positive behavior management tool, it is important to identify the kind of advice families receive about the appropriateness of spanking. Using the health belief model, I examined spankers and nonspankers on the spanking messages they received from eight sources of discipline information and how important they perceived these messages to be. Data from telephone interviews with 998 mothers with children aged 2 to 14 years showed that 33% of mothers rated advice from workshops, pediatricians, newspapers and magazines, and books as ‘‘very important.’’ …

Adult Attachment Disturbances In Panic Disorder : A Comparison With Social Phobia And Specific Phobia , Jesus A. Salas

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study used attachment theory as a framework to explore the role of attachment related constructs as potential risk factors for panic disorder. A group of panic disordered participants were compared with a group of social phobics, a group of specific phobics (fearful flyers), and a group of nonclinical controls. The groups were compared on attachment dimensions, fear of emotions, fear of bodily changes, death attitudes, information processing style and self-efficacy. Results indicated that the panic disorder group and control group differed in a number ofways. Panic disordered participants evidenced higher levels of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance than …

Unfinished Business: Postmodern Feminism In Personality Psychology, Jeanne Marecek

Psychology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

The Essence Of Transpersonal Psychology Contemporary Views, S. I. Shapiro, Grace W. Lee, Philippe L. Gross

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

The authors compiled 80 chronologically ordered passages from the contemporary psychology

literature that address the essence of transpersonal psychology. A thematic analysis of

these passages revealed that the two most frequent categories, occurring 53 (66.2%) and 49

(61.2%) times respectively, were: (a) Going beyond or transcending the individual, ego, self,

the personal, personality, or personal identity; existence of a deeper, true, or authentic Self;

and (b) Spirituality, psychospiritual, psychospiritual development, the spiritual, spirit. Other,

less frequent, themes included: special states of consciousness; interconnectivity/unity; going

beyond other schools of psychology; emphasis on a scientific approach; mysticism; full range

of consciousness; greater …

Prevalence And Characteristics Of Bullying Behaviors In Middle And High School From The Students ' And Teachers' Perspectives, Scott W. Gardner

Masters Theses

To assess bullying behaviors, two questionnaires were administered to 239 students and 33 school professionals from two midwestern schools. Results showed that 78% of participants reported being bullied. Further, they identified the classroom and the bathroom to be the safest and the least safe locations, respectively. More females than males also indicated that they did not always feel safe in school. Rates of reported bullying interactions were higher for verbal bullying than physical bullying with significant gender differences. In addition, most participants were not likely to report bullying instances either to teachers or parents. The implication of these results and …

Low Self-Esteem: An Invitation For Victimization, Tommi Devore

Masters Theses

The focus of this study was to assess the relationship between self-esteem and victimization. A modified self-esteem questionnaire, entitled "What I am Like," originally developed by Egan and Perry (1998), and a modified bully survey, originally developed by Garrity, Jens, Porter, Sager, & Short-Camille (1994), were administered to students. A total of 32 students from first grade participated in the research project and completed the questionnaires; data were collected in the fall and the spring of the school year. Most students reported some sort of victimization. A Pearsons R was conducted to assess the relationship between self-esteem and victimization. Results …

Acts Of Misconduct And Perception Of Internal, Powerful Others, And Chance Locus Of Control, Jodi L. Henry

Masters Theses

With the growing numbers of acts of misconduct that are committed in our country each year, it is important to find possible predictors of these behaviors. Because locus of control is a stable characteristic that is central to how an individual perceives causes of action, it is one construct that shows promise for predicting acts of misconduct. One hundred and forty college students answered two questionnaires: a locus of control scale called the Internality, Powerful Others, and Chance Scales and a Self Report Acts of Misconduct Index which was created for this study. A Pearson's Correlation was conducted comparing scores …

The Relationship Of Religiosity With Self-Esteem And Personality, Melissa A. Shea

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to look for meaningful relationships between religiosity, defined as both past religious involvement and present religious involvement, and see if there are significant relationships with self-esteem and personality. Participants were from a denominational university and a secular university, to determine if the type of school one attends has any difference with their self-esteem and personality in terms of religiosity. Participants were administered the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Spiritual Transcendence Scale and Bi-Polar Adjective Ratings Scale. Results support only the initial hypotheses that personality has a significant relationship with religiosity and that school of attendance does …

Changes In Female Athletes' Physical Self-Esteem Across A Competitive Cycle And As A Function Of Athletic Identity, Michelle C. Reed

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine if female athletes' physical self-perceptions are different when comparing their Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP) scores within their competitive season with their scores during the off-season. The second purpose was to determine if physical self-perception varied as a function of their athletic identity. A secondary objective was to evaluate female athletes' physical self-esteem in an individual sport setting compared to a team sport setting. Eastern Illinois University female collegiate athletes in six different sports, track (n=15), softball (n=16), soccer (n=11), tennis (n=3), volleyball (n=5), and rugby (n=19) were given the Athletic Identity Measurement …

Convergent, Discriminant, And Construct Validity Of The Acters And Asca, Katie Sprouls

Masters Theses

The present study examined the convergent, discriminant, and construct validity of the ADD-H Comprehensive Teacher's Rating Scale, Second Edition (ACTeRS) and Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA). Participants included 106 children between in first through sixth grade for the ACTeRS and ASCA comparison of teacher ratings. The children assessed were 53 children meeting DSM-4 criteria for ADHD and 53 randomly matched control group children. Results of this study indicated moderate correlations between similar scales of the ACTeRS and ASCA. Discriminant function analysis and diagnostic efficiency estimates revealed significantly high capabilities for both instruments in accurately differentiating between known groups. …

Relating The Concepts Of Personality, Temperament And Self-Esteem, Julie Anne Koetters

Masters Theses

Investigating the relationships between personality and temperament was the primary focus of this study. Personality was measured using the NEO-Pl-R, a 240-item measure, based on the five-factor model of personality. The Dimensions of Temperament Survey-Revised (DOTS-R), a 54-item survey exploring temperament across ten dimensions was also administered in this study. A secondary focus of this study was to identify how the concept of self-esteem is related to the differing dimensions of both personality and temperament. The short form of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, a 25-item survey, was used to measure this construct. Eighty adults participated in this study and completed …

Effects Of A Defendant’S Health And Relevance Of Merchandise Stolen On Perceptions Of Guilt, With Sympathy And Empathy As Mediating Factors, Timothy Ryan Robicheaux

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Holding The Line With A Watchful Eye: Parental Monitoring And Parental Permissiveness And Risky Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents In Psychiatric Care, Geri R. Donenberg, Helen W. Wilson, Erin Emerson, Fred B. Bryant

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Adolescents in psychiatric care are at increased risk of HIV, yet little is known about the family factors related to sexual risk taking among these youth. We explored whether perceived parental monitoring and perceived parental permissiveness were linked to high-risk sexual behavior in 169 ethnically diverse urban youth seeking mental health services in Chicago, and we tested whether adolescent gender moderated these associations. We evaluated sexual risk taking at a global level and for specific risk behaviors (e.g., sex without a condom, sex while using drugs and alcohol). Girls reported more risky sex overall than boys, and girls were more …

Please Forgive Me: Transgressors’ Emotions And Physiology During Imagery Of Seeking Forgiveness And Victim Responses, Charlotte Vanoyen-Witvliet, Thomas Ludwig, David J. Bauer

Faculty Publications

We assessed transgressors’ subjective emotions and physiological responses in a within-subjects imagery study involving 20 male and 20 female participants. Two imagery conditions focused on the transgressor’s actions: participants 1) ruminated about a real-life transgression and 2) imagined seeking forgiveness from the victim. Three imagery conditions focused on the victim’s possible responses: participants imagined their victims responding with 1) a grudge, 2) genuine forgiveness, and 3) reconciliation. Compared to ruminations about one’s transgression or an unforgiving response from the victim, imagery of forgiveness-seeking and merciful responses from victims (forgiveness and reconciliation) prompted improvements in basic emotions (e.g., sadness, anger) and …

School Climate: A Synthesis Of The Life Of The School, Peggy N. Jackson

All Graduate Projects

Research indicates that school climate is best understood through a combination of variables. The first set of variables includes physical climate, culture and organization, culture, group-relationships and psychological (individual) attitudes. The second set has many subsets of variables that also contribute to the climate of each individual school. These variables are interwoven and overlap to create the climate of a school. The primary purpose of this project was to compile a review of literature on school climate. This project will discuss the impact of school climate on the day-to-day operation of school.

Working Memory In Schizophrenics And Older Adults : A Mediator For Episodic Memory Deficits?, Matthew W. Webster

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of working memory on episodic memory in older adults and adults with schizophrenia. This study included 15 adults with schizophrenia, 20 young adults without psychopathology, and 21 older adults without psychopathology. Storage working memory scores were greater than processing working memory scores in all groups. Young adults had the fewest problems with episodic and working memory, compared to older adults and adults with schizophrenia, who had similar deficits in both memory types. Speed of processing was found to be the greatest predictor of working memory capacity.

Press Reports Of Animal Hoarding, Arnold Arluke, Randy Frost, Gail Steketee, Gary Patronek, Carter Luke, Edward Messner, Jane Nathanson, Michelle Papazian

Psychology: Faculty Publications

This article explores how the press reports nonhuman animal hoarding and hoarders. It discusses how 100 articles from 1995 to the present were content analyzed. Analysis revealed five emotional themes that include drama, revulsion, sympathy, indignation, and humor. While these themes draw readers' attention and make disparate facts behind cases understandable by packaging them in familiar formats, they also present an inconsistent picture of animal hoarding that can confuse readers about the nature and significance of this behavior as well as animal abuse, more generally.

The Political Personality Of U.S. President George W. Bush, Aubrey Immelman

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper presents the results of an indirect assessment of the personality of U.S. president George W. Bush, conducted 1998–2000 from the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon.

Psychodiagnostically relevant data regarding Bush was extracted from biographical sources and media reports and synthesized into a personality profile using the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC), which yields 34 normal and maladaptive personality classifications congruent with Axis II of DSM–IV.

The personality profile yielded by the MIDC was analyzed in accordance with interpretive guidelines provided in the MIDC and Millon Index of Personality Styles manuals. Bush was found to be …

Graduate Bulletin, 2002-2004 (2002), Minnesota State University Moorhead

Graduate Bulletins (Catalogs)

No abstract provided.

Defining Imaginary Audience Scores Via Gender Attributes Versus Biological Gender, George M. Freeman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Imaginary audience scores for males and females have not demonstrated consistent differences in the literature. In this study, scores on the Imaginary Audience Scale (lAS) and on the Imaginary Audience subscale of the Adolescent Egocentrism-Sociocentrism scale (ABS) were compared to self-rating of gender attributes on the Personality Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ). Results for 64 females and 32 males surveyed at a southeastern university indicate that one's self-rating of gender attributes correlates with imaginary audience scores while biological gender does not. As masculine attribute scores increase, lAS scores and Abiding Self subscale scores decrease. As masculine-feminine attribute scores (traits favored by both …

The Relationship Between Spiritual Belief, Life Attitude, And Mental Health Among Physical Fitness Participants In Northern Indiana, Sharon K. Sacks

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study is to explore spiritual beliefs as defined by an interconnectedness with self and others, generated from a relationship with a higher power, and consider its impact on attitude toward life and mental health.

Method. This study employed the survey research method to collect data investigating the relationships between spiritual beliefs, attitude toward life, and mental health. A battery of three instruments was selected for this study. The Royal Free Questionnaire on Beliefs and Experiences, developed by King, Speck, and Thomas (1994), was used for measuring spiritual beliefs. The Optimism and Pessimism Questionnaire provided a …

Juvenile Justice Systems: A Need For Improved Research And Treatment, Tenethrea Thompson, Jean Turner

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The characteristics of juveniles who commit crimes and a variety of treatment philosophies for juvenile offenders were examined through literature and individual case studies. The literature review and three case studies provided insight into the difficult challenge of providing effective treatment programs for juvenile offenders.

Structured Multifaceted Cognitive Behaviorally Oriented Assessment And Treatment Of Nonadherence To Medical Advice : A Case Study, Cheryl A. Patchin

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The incidence of nonadherence to medical advice is estimated to be as high as 98%, with a typical range of 30% to 60%. This case study focused on the assessment and treatment of a patient suffering from uncontrolled essential hypertension, who was inconsistent in her adherence to the prescribed medical regimen and who demonstrated a significant health risk as a result. From baseline (pretreatment) to termination (followup), the patient attended a total of 9 sessions over a 12-week period. Assessment involved clinical interviews and an original self-administered instrument, the Health Behavior Profiling Questionnaire (HBPQ). The HBPQ was designed to assess …

Relationship Between Insomnia And Job Satisfaction, Stacy Lynn Taylor

Theses

The disorder of insomnia is seriously effecting every aspect of people's lives including job satisfaction. This study examines the relationship between insomnia and job satisfaction. Subjects for this study included 30 previously diagnosed insomniacs and 30 non-insomniac graduate students. The subjects were asked to complete the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire- short form and demographic sheet. Pearson Chi-square tests were performed to explore possible relationships. There were no statistically significant relationships found between insomnia and the dependent variables of job satisfaction and job stress.