Digital Commons Network^™

The Influence Of Perceptual Accuracy On Willingness To Seek Help Among College Freshmen, Kathryn Conley

Theses and Dissertations

OBJECTIVE: The current study explored the applicability of the social norms approach to a new domain of study: psychological help-seeking. A number of questions that must be answered to determine whether the social norms model can be applied effectively to the help-seeking domain guided the study. METHOD: Data were collected from freshmen at five colleges and universities in the Mid-Atlantic region (N = 3021) during freshman orientation week. The study used a cross sectional design to examine personal attitudes and behaviors related to help-seeking as well as perceptions about others’ attitudes and behaviors related to help-seeking. RESULTS: Most participants reported …

Do Body Image And Gender Role Attitudes Mediate The Relationship Between Media Exposure And Sexual Risk Behavior In College Students?, Vivian Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Despite growing awareness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and educational efforts to provide accurate information about sexually transmitted diseases (STD), young adults continue to engage in risky sexual practices that increase their vulnerability of acquiring an STD, including inconsistent condom use. Research has gathered ample evidence to suggest that the media, in particular television consumption, is directly linked with sexual risk, yet less is known about the potential mechanisms that may be driving this link. The present study examines body image and gender role attitudes as two potential mediators of this relationship. Three-hundred and four undergraduate students (73% female; 64% White) …

Examining Political Defection: An Analysis Of Affective Intelligence, Media Attention, Political Knowledge And Issue Agreement, Kyle Sloan, Carolyn Brown-Kramer, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

In politics the political party affiliation of the voter often serves as a predictor for the voting behavior of that individual. However, a voter may occasionally vote against his or her political party, an action known as defection. The present study serves two purposes. The first is to compare defectors and non-defectors across a variety of relevant characteristics, including emotion experienced for one's in-party candidate, attention to media, political understanding, and issue agreement between oneself and one's in-party candidate. The second is to examine the correlations between the individual elements of these theories with one another. Results of this study …

Longitudinal Changes In The Corpus Callosum Following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury As Assessed By Volumetric Mri And Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Trevor Chuang Kuo Wu

Theses and Dissertations

Atrophy of the corpus callosum (CC) is a documented consequence of moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), which has been expressed as volume loss using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Other advanced imaging modalities such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have also detected white matter microstructural alteration following TBI in the CC. The manner and degree to which macrostructural changes such as volume and microstructural changes develop over time following pediatric TBI and their relation to a measure of processing speed is the focus of this longitudinal investigation. As such, DTI and volumetric changes of the CC in participants with TBI …

A New Scale To Measure War Attitudes: Construction And Predictors, Erin C. Dupuis, Ellen S. Cohn

Psychology

Attitudes people have toward war in general have been of recent interest due to the war on terrorism and the war in Iraq. The purpose of this research was to develop a scale to measure war attitudes and to investigate factors that may influence these attitudes. In the first study, a scale was developed that measured war attitudes. Three factors emerging from the War Attitude Scale were labeled ethics of war, support for war, and affect about war. Patriotism-nationalism, authoritarianism, social criticism, belief in war outcomes, support of the president, and gender were found to be significant predictors of war …

Facebook Profiles And Usage As Indicators Of Personality, Erica Dawson

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The online social networking website, Facebook, has greatly changed the way the world communicates. Face-to-face interactions have been replaced by wall posts, status updates and friends liking posts or leaving comments. This study looks at how certain cues on Facebook profiles relate to personality traits, specifically, extraversion, conscientiousness and emotional stability. Three hypotheses focused on profile photos and how frequently the users change their photo. I predicted that 1) extraversion scores would be higher for participants who use a party scene as their profile photo, 2) conscientiousness scores would be lower for these same participants, and 3) the emotional stability …

Stress And Cataloging Paraprofessionals In Academic And Public Libraries In Florida, Edna Mcclellan

The Southeastern Librarian

Over the years and particularly with the advent of OCLC, more and more tasks once considered the realm of the professional cataloger area being completed by paraprofessionals. This article confines itself to the cataloging paraprofessional, the cataloging record, workload, and training. Who is creating the cataloging record, or, if not responsible for the record in its entirety, who is responsible for parts of it? Does the assuming these higher level tasks, such as creating the call number and subject headings, cause any undue stress for the paraprofessional? What is the stress from workload and pace?

The Semiotics Of Sexual Identity: Myth Vs. History, Mackenzie Schroth

Honors Projects in English and Cultural Studies

In this project, I argue that gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) students majoring in liberal arts have a higher likelihood of being out and of feeling confident in their identity and manner of self-expression. On the other hand, GLB students majoring in business-related fields are more likely to either be closeted or to fit a very defined, stereotyped gay identity. I test my hypothesis by conducting a semiotic analysis of sexual identity and by looking to the history of sexual identity categories. I also survey and interview various students, both liberal arts and business majors, to determine their perceptions about …

The Effects Of Negative Political Advertising On Young College-Educated Voters, Sean Donahue

Honors Projects in History and Social Sciences

This study examines the effectiveness of negative and positive political advertisements among voters in college. The study builds on past research exploring negative political advertising and demobilization and mobilization theories. Additionally, potential backlash against sponsoring candidates of negative policy-based attack ads is looked at as is whether those who regularly follow politics are affected differently by ads than those who do not. Fifty-three college students participated in an experiment in which they rated two candidates based on any prior knowledge and political party, assessing favorability and the likelihood of voting for each candidate. Students then watched a ten minute newscast …

Texting: The Ecology Of Adolescent Life, Charlotte Louise Saucedo

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examined the impact that instant communication has on the social development of adolescents (12-18 years). While most studies have either focused on this medium as either entirely good or bad, this study aimed at the middle ground in understanding both the benefits and pitfalls. A qualitative research design was employed to measure the abstract concepts of „well-being‟ and „group belonging‟ in relation to the role that instant messaging plays into those concepts. This study utilized the theoretical lenses of Vygotsky‟s Social Development Theory, Erikson‟s Social Development Theory and Walther‟s Hyperpersonal Perspective. Employing the use of both focus groups …

Should I Stay Or Should I Go? A Mixed-Method Study Of The Mentoring Relationships That Guide Student-Athletes Toward Career Decisions, Andrew J. Schwehm

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Development And Preliminary Psychometric Evaluation Of The Children's Saving Inventory, Eric A. Storch, Jordana Muroff, Adam B. Lewin, Daniel Geller, Abigail Ross, Katherine Mccarthy, Jessica Morgan, Tanya K. Murphy, Randy Frost, Gail Steketee

Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study reports on the development and initial psychometric properties of the Children's Saving Inventory (CSI), a parent-rated measure designed to assess child hoarding behaviors. Subjects included 123 children and adolescents diagnosed with primary Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and their parents. Trained clinicians administered the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS), items assessing Family Accommodation and the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity index. Parents completed the CSI, Child Obsessive-Compulsive Impact Scale (COIS)-Parent Version and Child Behavior Checklist. Youth completed the COIS-Child Version, Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory Child Version (OCI-CV), Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, and Children's Depression Inventory-Short Form. A four factor solution was identified; factors …

Social Networking And Individual Performance: Examining Predictors Of Participation, Michael Anthony Brown Sr.

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation addresses relationships between social networking and individual performance. The "act" of social networking is a process and practice by which people and organizations are drawn together by family, work or hobby to interact via websites. The explosion of these new network connections in the workplace suggests the need for an exploration of the various ways organizations can affect and improve performance and productivity.

This dissertation suggests a social networking participation model that may help organizations predict and understand the value proposition that affects acceptance or rejection of participation. Innovation adoption, governing by network and social capital are important …

Shared Leadership As A Function Of Role Assignment And Task Difficulty In A Distributed Computer Game, Alexandra Proaps

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The use of computer game based architectures may help provide a safe, controlled environment in which geographically dispersed military units can develop leadership skills while rehearsing a specific task such as search and rescue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among task difficulty, team task performance, role assignment and emergent leadership within a shared leadership model using a modified version of the popular video game, Half Life 2 ™. The researcher assessed leadership emergence through verbal content analysis methods that have only been employed in email and message boards media formats. Across levels of task difficulty …

Comics As A Cognitive Training Medium For Expert Decision Making, Amber Nalu

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Experts such as military commanders must make decisions quickly and under deadly conditions. A variety of cognitive training media exist, from Powerpoint to virtual reality (VR) simulations; however, there are alternative media that have not yet been comprehensively studied for expert decision making training. In this study, the researcher has examined the use of comics as an alternative to current cognitive training media. In Experiment 1, naval submariners were shown a text-based medium or comic strip and asked to make a decision about the scenario after viewing. The scenario was derived from a situation that submariners were somewhat familiar with …

The Effect Of Military Deployment On The Parents Of Those Deployed, Ashley Hinkamper, Cody Carson, Erica N. Johnson

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Research Exchange Conference

This study proposes to examine the psychological effects of military deployment on the parents of those deployed. Questionnaires will be administered to parents of active-duty and recently discharged marines via the internet. Whether deployment is to an area where there is substantial risk of injury or death or to an area without such risk will be assessed. Parents’ personal distress, efforts to cope with stress, and attitudes towards mental illness and its treatment will be evaluated. We hypothesize that parents of those deployed in danger zones will report greater distress, and that distress will be influenced by media exposure and …

41st Annual Wku Student Research Conference, Student Research Council, Western Kentucky University

Student Research Conference Select Presentations

No abstract provided.

Special Educators' Perspectives Of Aligning Individual Education Program Goals Of Students With Severe Disabilities With The General Education Curriculum, Kristi Noel Tonga

Theses and Dissertations

Aligning Individual Education Program (IEP) goals of students with severe disabilities with the general education curriculum is required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA). This study sought to determine the perspectives of special educators regarding this requirement. Special educators from three school districts participated in focus groups to offer their perspectives in aligning IEP goals with the general education curriculum. The researchers also sought the special educators' perspectives with regards to providing access to the general education curriculum. The study found that special educators are striving to align IEP goals through the use of general …

Let Me See My Feedback: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Feedback-Receiving Process At A University Counseling Center, David Doty Dayton

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a phenomenological investigation of psychotherapists' experience receiving quantitative and evaluative feedback on job performance. Participants were licensed psychologists working at a university counseling center. They were given feedback reports that compared their clients' psychotherapy outcomes with the outcomes of their colleagues' clients. Psychotherapy outcomes were measured using the Outcome-Questionnaire 45 (OQ-45), a self-report outcome instrument designed for tracking client progress through repeated measurement. Feedback reports included data about where psychotherapists' outcomes ranked (in quartiles) in comparison to the rest of the counseling center. Interviews were conducted with participants to gain a deeper understanding of their experience receiving …

The Effects Of Acute And Chronic Nicotine On Gaba And Dopamine Neurons In The Midbrain Ventral Tegmental Area, Devin Hardy Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Nicotine (NIC) abuse involves activation of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons and NIC addiction involves neuroadaptive changes in the mesolimbic DA reward system. GABA neurons in the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) express α4β2-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), whose activation increases GABAergic input to DA neurons. However, this initial effect is decreased after chronic NIC treatment (as in the case of smokers) by inducing nAChR desensitization. Thus, GABA neuron inhibition results in increased DA release in limbic structures such as the nucleus accumbens. To support this hypothesis, we evaluated the effects of acute and chronic NIC on GAD-67 positive neurons in …

Valuing And Defending: A New Natural Law Approach To The Family, Stephen Wade Francis

Theses and Dissertations

Social science theories applied to the family make certain assumptions in the analytic categories of value-neutrality vs. value-ladenness, positivism vs. hermeneutics, and determinism vs. moral agency. New natural law, a different theory from the body of classical forms of natural law, provides a unique approach to the study of the family. New natural law provides a defense for the traditional conjugal family as well as provides difference conclusions and implications for empirical research.

New Media Analysis: The Effects Of Peer Influence And Personality Characteristics Through The Stages Of Trial, Adoption, And Continued Use Of Video Sharing Websites, Joseph L. Hicks

Theses and Dissertations

New Media technologies have evolved at a rapid pace and have changed the way people communicate in the digital world. These changes are apparent in practically every type of application, including business, leisure, and the way people socially interact. The primary goal of this research was to contribute to the current breadth of knowledge and understanding regarding how, why, and under what conditions people interact with New Media technologies. In order to achieve this objective, this research provides an understanding of how peer influence and individual personality characteristics interact across time through the stages of New Media trial, adoption, and …

Personality And Social Influence Characteristic Affects On Ease Of Use And Peer Influence Of New Media Users Over Time, David M. Ho

Theses and Dissertations

New Media technologies such as social networking sites (SNSs) have taken the world by storm. Millions of people across the world are forming large social networks through these internet-based SNSs by sharing similar interests, friends, and personal information. New Media technologies now allow people to communicate messages to a greater audience through these networks not previously seen before in other technologies. This research seeks to understand these New Media users by examining the personality and social influence characteristics through the three phases of New Media acceptance: trial, adoption, and continual use. The study administered one-hour interviews to 64 university students …

A Quantitative Analysis Of An Eating Disorder Prevention Program, Jennalee Murray

Theses and Dissertations

Eating disorders affect millions of people in the United States alone. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a preventative curriculum for eating disorders called Eating Disorders: Physical, Social, and Emotional Consequences, A High School Curriculum about Anorexia, Bulimia, and Compulsive Eating (EDPSEC). Participants included an experimental group of 27 students in their ninth grade health class and a control group of 21 students. The research examined the integrity of the curriculum administration and changes in participating students' attitudes and behaviors. The outcome measures used were students' scores on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and the Eating Survey (ES). …

Relations Among Media, Eating Pathology And Body Dissatisfaction In College Women, Carrie Bair

Theses and Dissertations

Research has identified a relation between exposure to thin-ideal magazine and television media images and eating disorder pathology. However, few studies have examined the potential influence of Internet media on eating disorder behaviors and attitudes. This study investigated the associations among appearance-orientated media exposure, body dissatisfaction, eating pathology and thin-ideal internalization in a sample of 421 female undergraduate students. Results indicate that undergraduate women spend significantly more time viewing appearance-oriented sources online, rather than reading appearance-orientated magazines. Appearance-oriented Internet consumption was also more strongly associated with eating disorder pathology than was use of other media (television and magazines). Relations between …

Reciprocal Communication As A Form Of Nonverbal Communication: A Qualitative Approach, John Christian Penrod

Theses and Dissertations

The current state of psychological research in nonverbal communication is briefly summarized and several problems are noted. Reciprocal communication (RC) is suggested, defined, and qualitatively investigated as a way of describing the experience of emotional compatibility in communication, with an emphasis on form, degree, and timing as fundamental aspects of nonverbal communication. Support for three different levels of emotional compatibility (fully, partially, and nonreciprocal) is found. Variation in the interpretation of nonverbal communication when communication is perceived as either intentional or unintentional is noted, and a system of categorizing reciprocal communication is suggested. Further patterns in nonverbal communication are observed, …

Time Management Practices Of Brigham Young University Students, Jessica Mae Scott

Theses and Dissertations

The use of, and attitudes towards, time management among undergraduates at Brigham Young University (BYU) was examined. Data were collected using two online surveys and an electronic time log tool. The data from the surveys were analyzed using canonical correlations, multiple regressions, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), factor analysis, and multivariate graphical methods. Pilot survey results showed freshmen who were concerned with time management and organization had lower GPAs than those who asserted they were spontaneous and successful without time management. The main survey produced contradictory evidence, showing positive correlations for both freshmen and sophomores between GPA and students who …

Ethnic Identity And Well-Being: A Meta-Analytic Review, Lynda Rae Silva

Theses and Dissertations

This meta-analysis provided a synthesis of the research examining the relationship between the construct of ethnic identity and global well-being, variously measured. The aims of this systematic review were to ascertain the overall magnitude of the association between ethnic identity and well-being, as well as to explore the impact of moderating variables on the association. A total of 184 studies were analyzed, resulting in an omnibus effect size of r = .17, suggesting a modest but statistically significant relationship between these two constructs. Younger participants demonstrated a stronger relationship between ethnic identity and well-being. Participants in the low acculturation category …

The True Prevalence Of “Sexting”., Kaitlin Lounsbury, Kimberly J. Mitchell, David Finkelhor

Crimes Against Children Research Center

This factsheet presents and critiques the findings of recent studies estimating the prevalence of youth “sexting.” The authors contend that research findings to date have been inconsistent and many widely‐publicized studies have been flawed in their design. It is difficult to compare findings and draw clear conclusions due to inconsistent terminology between studies and the inclusion of material not of primary concern to the public and law enforcement, such as text‐only messages, images of adults, or images of youth that do not constitute child pornography under legal statutes. These findings are then often reported in distorted or exaggerated ways by …

Sexting: A Typology., Janis Wolak, David Finkelhor

Crimes Against Children Research Center

This bulletin presents a typology of sexting episodes based on a review of over 550 cases obtained from a national sur‐ vey of law enforcement agencies. The cases all involved “youth‐produced sexual images,” defined as images of minors created by minors that could qualify as child pornography under applicable criminal statutes. The episodes could be broadly divided into two categories, which we termed ‘Aggravated’ and ‘Experimental’. Aggravated incidents involved criminal or abusive elements beyond the creation, sending or possession of youth‐produced sexual images. These addi‐ tional elements included 1) adult involvement; or 2) criminal or abusive behavior by minors such …