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An Examination Of Body Objectification And Social Physique Anxiety In Women And Men: The Priming Effects Of Anticipating A Brief Social Interaction, Erin Renee Barnett

Dissertations

Body objectification occurs when individuals adopt an observer’s view of their body and treat their body as an object. This process has been linked to a host of harmful consequences, including appearance anxiety and shame, decreased awareness of internal bodily states, eating disorders, depression, and sexual dysfunction (see Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997, for a review). The current investigation is based on objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997), a sociocultural framework that describes the experiences and psychological risks of those who objectify their bodies. This study examined trait levels of self-objectification and social physique anxiety in women and men, as well …

Ciis Today, Fall 2009 Issue, Ciis

CIIS Today

This volume is the Fall 2009 issue of CIIS Today, the Magazine of the California Institute of Integral Studies.

Moving On From The War: The Factors That Influence Contemporary Perceptions Of Former Enemies, Erin Martin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Over 30 years have passed since the end of the Vietnam War, yet the memory still lingers for some. Mention of the war in correlation to contemporary politics today in the United States seems to demonstrate that Americans have not effectively put the past behind them. Similarly, the prevalence of Vietnam War-related media, such as films, music, and literature, implies that the war is still remembered strongly in American society. Why, then, do the Vietnamese appear to have put the war behind them? Most Vietnamese seem to avoid discussing the war or its consequences, and appear to revel in these …

Investigating Delay In Health Related Decision Making Versus Non-Health Decision Making, Ann Lassiter Edwards

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Health and non-health decision domains were examined to explore the differences in decision domain and delay preferences. Using an existing cognitive theory of delay (Bastardi & Shafir, 1998; Tykocinski & Ruffle, 2003), type of scenario (health vs. nonhealth) was manipulated within subjects with participants receiving three scenarios of each type. Certainty (certain vs. uncertain) and delay choice condition (no delay, delay, one-week delay) were manipulated between subjects. This resulted in a 2 (health) X 2 (certainty) X 3 (delay choice) split-plot factorial design. The dependent measure was the proportion of action responses (deciding to change status quo) across the three …

Study Of The Four Factor Theory Of Women’S Sexual Function, Julie M. Merrell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Tiefer, Hall, and Tavris (2002) described factors comprising four categories of female sexual function. They suggested that unique factors need to be examined to understand sexual function in women. Socio-cultural, political, or economic factors, partner and relationship factors, psychological factors, and medical factors were described as aspects of women’s lives that can be the source of sexual dysfunction. In a previous study, Merrell (2007) utilized Tiefer et al’s (2002) four factor model of sexual functioning to examine female sexual functioning looking specifically at body shame, relationship satisfaction, positive and negative affect, sexual self-schema, and overall health. Based on the results …

The Relationship Of Infant Feeding And Self-Regulation In Pediatric Obesity, Amy Rebecca Beck

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pediatric overweight and obesity is a growing national epidemic with 15 percent of children ages 6-19 considered obese and at least 22 percent considered overweight. Although there are many suggested causes, treatments, and preventions for this epidemic, a construct that is showing promise in the current literature as a preventive factor against obesity is breastfeeding in infancy. However, the mechanisms by which breastfeeding may impact later childhood weight are unknown. Some of the literature posits the possibility of self-regulation as a key mechanism in the role of breastfeeding in pediatric overweight/obesity. The purpose of this study was to examine the …

Child Sexual Trauma And Traumagenic Dynamics: The Mediating Role Of Family Environment On Adulthood Functioning Among Hispanic And Caucasian Females, Jose Mauricio Ramirez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Child Sexual Abuse has received great attention in the last three decades and a major societal issue today. Several studies have suggested that the prevalence of CSA in women is in the range of 6% to 62% depending on how the data was collected (e.g., interviews, surveys) and the nature of the population sampled (e.g., general population, clinical population). Because of CSA, victims are impacted by the experience and encounter a change in the way they perceive the world on both the way they act and react upon it. Some research on the characteristics of CSA and effects in adult …

Semantic Memory Activation In Individuals At Risk For Developing Alzheimer Disease, Michael Seidenberg, Leslie Guidotti, Kristy A. Nielson, John L. Woodard, Sally Durgerian, Piero Antuono, Q. Zhang, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: To determine whether whole-brain, event-related fMRI can distinguish healthy older adults with known Alzheimer disease (AD) risk factors (family history, APOE ε4) from controls using a semantic memory task involving discrimination of famous from unfamiliar names.

Methods: Sixty-nine cognitively asymptomatic adults were divided into 3 groups (n = 23 each) based on AD risk: 1) no family history, no ε4 allele (control [CON]); 2) family history, no ε4 allele (FH); and 3) family history and ε4 allele (FH+ε4). Separate hemodynamic response functions were extracted for famous and unfamiliar names using deconvolution analysis (correct trials only).

Results: Cognitively intact older …

The Formation Of "Outsider" Through Labeling And Sentence Lengths For Immigrants Of Hispanic Descent., Jeremy Jason Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if individuals who supported denying citizenship to children of foreign parentage and making English the sole language spoken in the United States held the opinion that a sentence length over 15 years was appropriate for non-U.S. individuals. Other purposes were to determine if individuals with high religiosity or who carried a lethal weapon also held the opinion that a sentence length over 15 years was appropriate for non-U.S. individuals.

Pearson's Chi-Square was used to determine if a significant relationship existed between the independent variables and the dependent variable. The data indicated that …

Development Of The Test Item Pool For A Screening Instrument Of Emotional And Behavioral Disorder Of Elementary School Students., Laura Eileen Conley

Theses and Dissertations

The functioning of children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) is a concern for parents and educators. Screening focuses efforts to identify and prevent/remediate EBD for students most at risk. Current screening instruments fail to meet three factors that may be related to successful early identification. The three factors are universality (rates all students), brevity, and identification of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. This thesis began the construction of a screener with all three factors. The thesis determined a conceptual basis for the instrument and created an item pool. The conceptualization was based on a literature review. The item pool was …

Antecedents And Outcomes Of Workplace Discrimination As Perceived By Employees With Disabilities, Jessica Bradley

All Dissertations

Even since the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, employment is still a challenge for the millions of Americans living with disabilities. The unemployment rate for those with disabilities (13.7%) is much higher than that for adults without disabilities (8.9%; Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2009). In addition to the challenge of obtaining a job, individuals with disabilities can face discrimination and poor treatment once on the job. The current study is the first to empirically examine those factors that may influence perceptions of discrimination in the workplace for individuals with disabilities and predicts how organizational …

Attachment Anxiety And Avoidance: Relationship To Body Image And Exercise Behavior, Kathryn Louise Brown

Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the role of attachment anxiety and avoidance in predicting persons' body image, body appreciation, and obligatory exercise behavior. Two hundred and twenty eight participants (100 men and 128 women) completed the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994), Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ; Cash, 2000), Body Appreciation Scale (BAS; Avalos et al., 2005), and Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire (OEQ; Pasman & Thompson, 1988). Results provided at least partial support for many of the hypotheses. The current study replicated results from previous research pertaining to the relationship between attachment and body image. However, the results …

Scarred Images: Using Appearance As A Motivator To Reduce Driving Under The Influence Of Alcohol, Mary-Theresa Mcnabb

Dissertations

In response to continued driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) amongst young adults and increased drinking and driving amongst females, the current study aimed to decrease such risky behavior using threats to appearance as a deterrent. One hundred and thirty-three undergraduates at the University of Southern Mississippi completed a threepart study after sequential assignment to one of three groups, a no-photo group, a crash scene photo group, or a personalized-photo group. Baseline measures were taken concerning participants' alcohol-related behaviors. One week later all groups were given statistical information commonly available in DUI prevention pamphlets together with strategies to avoid …

Adult Sexual Adjustment After Experiencing Sexual Abuse In Childhood, Liliana G. Moyers-Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

A sample of 465 Junior and Senior college students was tested at the University of Texas-Pan American to test our primary hypothesis that argues that individual who had suffered CSA rely more on cybersex activities as a means of sexual gratification to cope with the long term effects of sexual abuse as a result of adulthood sexual maladjustment, as opposed to individual who did not suffered CSA. The statistical analyses performed failed to reject the null hypothesis of this thesis that the experience of CSA has no effect on adult use of internet cybersex. Further research is suggested using measures …

Supervision Experiences Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Psychologists-In-Training: A Qualitative Study, Cheryl L. Stolz

Theses and Dissertations

With little research on how LGB psychologists-in-training experience supervision and how supervision affects their development as professionals and as LGB individuals, this qualitative study investigated the experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) psychologists-in-training within the supervisory dyad. Included in the analysis were the developmental processes, both as LGB and as professionals, affected by the supervision relationship. Fourteen LGB participants were interviewed via telephone. Interview questions focused on where the individual was in terms of being “out,” what their overall experiences have been in supervision, and the impact of these supervisory relationships on their identity as LGB and as professionals. …

A Rose By Any Other Name: An Examination Of Rural Lesbian Identities In The Upper Midwest, Kevin W. Martin

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the issue ofleshian identity presentation in the rural upper Midwest. The study focuses on how women in this area present themselves as lesbians. This was not expected to be a static process. On the contrary, recent developments in the sociological research of this topic have revealed (hat it is fluidic. Moreover, when applying the most recent models of expression, different lesbian identities are discernabie. Further, this process may be highly affected by symbolic interaction.

The data for this project were collected as two snapshots in time: 1995-97 and 2008. Women were recruited through a snowball sample technique …

The Emergence Of An Own-Gender Bias Within A Change Blindness And Eyewitness Paradigm, Alison E. Finstad

Theses and Dissertations

Studies exploring the change blindness phenomenon have consistently shown that individuals are surprisingly poor at detecting changes to visual scenes and identities in real-world interactions. The area of eyewitness identification has revealed a similar type of visual processing error; specifically, the tendency for eyewitnesses to incorrectly identify a perpetrator. Recently, researchers have attempted to merge these two areas, creating a combined change blindness/eyewitness paradigm, allowing for the study of variables of similar interest within the two areas. Using this type of combined paradigm, the present study explored the possibility of an own-gender bias within a change blindness/eyewitness experience. Participants viewed …

Perceptions Of Weight Reduction Surgery: The Role Of Stigma And The Attribution Of Responsibility, Jessica Marie Behm

Theses and Dissertations

The amount of weight reduction surgeries performed in the United States has increased considerably within the last twenty years. Many people choose to undergo the procedure with the hopes of shedding the negative stigma of being obese and improving their life. The purpose of this study was to investigate how society views individuals who have elected to undergo weight reduction surgery. A questionnaire assessing the influence of three variables (Responsibility, Acceptability, and Stigma) on the perception of weight reduction surgery was developed and administered to 503 Midwestern college students. The respondents were presented with one of two vignettes depicting a …

Personality, Self-Efficacy, And Barriers To Participation In A Health Promotion Program, Eliza C. Hegwood

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Organizations are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of fostering a healthy workforce. Health promotion programs, wellness programs that address a range of health-related behaviors, can be very beneficial for both employees and organizations, but only if the employees use them. Although corporations are offering such programs to employees, many individuals choose not to participate. The reasons for this non-participation are not yet fully understood, especially from a psychological perspective. The present study examined the relationship between perceived barriers to exercise and participation in a health promotion program, and the influence of self-efficacy and Five Factor Model personality traits on …

Student Perceptions Of Teacher Comments: Relationships Between Specific Aspects Of Teacher Comments And Writing Apprehension, Kathleen J. Hanna

Theses and Dissertations

Writing apprehension continues to be a barrier to effective student writing, and has been found to have an impact on choices of course, major, and even career. Yet the causes of writing apprehension have not been fully investigated. This study examined the relationship of comment placement, appearance, tone, and completeness to student writing apprehension levels, and to student perceptions of comment tones, which could also affect writing apprehension.

An original survey instrument was designed and tested for use in this study. It was administered to freshmen enrolled in first-semester English composition classes, as well as to seniors preparing to graduate …

Predictors Of Smoking Initiation In African American Adolescents, Jennifer Kienzle

Theses and Dissertations

Cigarette smoking and other forms of tobacco use are responsible for over 440,000 deaths per year in the U.S. Health consequences associated with cigarette smoking include cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. Despite awareness of the health risks, approximately 21% of the U.S. adult population smokes. Efforts to-date to reduce smoking-related disease and illness have focused on prevention and intervention strategies that encourage cessation. Adolescence is a critical period for both intervention and prevention. Because more than three-fourths (80%) of adult smokers reported starting to smoke prior to the age of 18, prevention and brief intervention is likely to be …

Effects Of After School Programs On Elementary School Students' Language Arts And Mathematics Achievement, Jennifer Lynn Presnell

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated after school program participation on student academic achievement as a way of helping schools meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards set by the No Child Left Behind Act. After school programs were divided into academic after school programs and traditional after school programs. Student achievement was measured through Criterion Referenced Tests in Language Arts and Mathematics. This study took place in a small urban school district located in the Intermountain West. Students in after school programs were matched with students not participating in the programs on several background characteristics including socioeconomic status, English language proficiency status, school …

Overcoming The Challenges: Toward A Truly Theistic Psychology?, Brent S. Melling

Theses and Dissertations

Several psychologists have attempted to articulate a theistic psychology or one consonant with their religious beliefs. Unfortunately, confusion over the concept of theism and a persistent naturalism in the discipline create substantial obstacles towards achieving a serious theistic psychology. It is suggested that these challenges can be overcome through examining alternative philosophies and methodologies for scientific psychology, exploring seminal articulations of God's activity, and providing a practical example of a theistic psychological research program.

Familial Predictors Of Long-Term Outcome Following Inpatient Treatment For Eating Disorders, Anna Mae Ridley

Theses and Dissertations

The present investigation examined characteristic, symptomatic, and familial predictors of long-term symptom severity of eating disorders. The purpose of the study was to determine if, after accounting for a number of known predictors of outcome, familial variables explained a significant amount of additional variance in disordered eating and general well-being scores measured at post-treatment follow-up. The sample included 398 women, ages 13 to 56, who had completed eating disorder treatment at an inpatient facility. Hierarchal multiple regression analysis demonstrated that familial predictors at admission to treatment did significantly predict long-term outcomes, while changes from admission to treatment in symptoms and …

Commitment In Marriage: An Influence For Moral Growth, Shelly Evans Powell

Theses and Dissertations

Marriage continues to be one of the most important relationships to today's Americans (Fowers, 2000), generating numerous studies on the physical, emotional, mental and financial outcomes of marriage (Waite & Gallagher, 2000). Yet, little research has been done to explore the moral outcomes of marriage. Examining how marriage may contribute to individual spouses' moral development is compatible with recent studies on marital virtues that aim to provide a more complete as well as less individualistic view of marriage (Hawkins, Fowers, Carroll, & Yang, 2007). This study adopts a moral personality approach to examine marriage's role in adult moral development. Taking …

The Epistemic Qualities Of Quantum Transformation, Jonathan Edward Skalski

Theses and Dissertations

Growth and development are central constituents of the human experience. Although the American Psychological Association aims to understand change and behavior in ways that embrace all aspects of experience (APA, 2008), sudden, life-altering or quantum transformation has been disregarded throughout the history of psychology until recently (see Miller & C' de Baca, 1994, 2001). Quantum transformation is similar to self-surrender conversion (James, 1902), but different from peak experiences (Maslow, 1964) and near death experiences (Lorimer, 1990) because quantum transformation, by definition, involves lasting change. Quantum transformation contains epistemic qualities, which refer to the content and process of knowing (Miller & …

Understanding Acculturation Patterns Of Burmese Refugee Children In Utah Public Schools, Stacie Jai Fraire

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experience of 21 Burmese refugee adolescents as they acculturated into public schools in Salt Lake City, Utah. Unstructured, open-ended interviews were conducted to elicit information on the students' perception of the U.S. educational system, as well as their feelings about acculturation. The interviews were conducted with the aid of a Burmese/Karen translator and were transcribed and analyzed utilizing a grounded theory approach. The findings detail the acculturation process of the Burmese refugee students, the positive effect motivation has on the pace of acculturation, the impact of unfamiliar technology and language-based misunderstandings on the students' educational …

Students' Perceptions And Experiences Of Secondary Public School Safety, Suzanne E. Jacobson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to generate in-depth understanding and descriptions of secondary students' experiences of safety in the public schools. Quantitative research has demonstrated that students self-report feeling unsafe in school (Utah State University: Center for the School of the Future, 2006). School violence is decreasing, yet many school districts have sponsored and implemented heightened security measures. It seems a contradiction, but amidst heightened security secondary public school students self-report feeling unsafe in school. This study investigated this phenomenon to provide rich and detailed data, utilizing a grounded theory approach to qualitative research and design. The perceptions and …

Teacher Perspectives On Behaviors Exhibited By Students At Risk For Ebd And The Implications Of These Behaviors For The Development Of An Ebd Screener In Middle And Junior High Schools, Brittany Linn Schilling

Theses and Dissertations

Universal screening is an emerging practice in the field of education to provide at-risk students with early intervention services. Currently there is not a universal screener specifically designed for the middle school population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to obtain junior high and middle school teachers' perspectives on behaviors exhibited by students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders in order to develop preliminary test items. Several themes were identified from the teachers' perspectives. Teacher perspectives noted that at-risk students displayed a variety of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. These issues included difficulty maintaining peer and teacher relationships, difficulty …

Creating An Expected Profile For Affinity 2.5 From A Sample Of Non-Pedophilic, Exclusively Heterosexual, College Age Males, R. D. C. Boardman

Theses and Dissertations

The Affinity 2.0 has been recently upgraded to the Affinity 2.5. Both instruments purport to measure sexual interest using viewing time as a form of measurement using non-pornographic images of people of varying ages and genders. The Affinity 2.5 increased the number of slides by 42.9%. This increase may have impacted the expected Chi square weights established for the Affinity 2.0 for non-pedophilic, exclusively heterosexual males. The purpose of this study was to create new expected Chi square weights for the Affinity 2.5 for non-pedophilic, exclusively heterosexual males. Additionally, this study re-examined the temporal stability of the Affinity 2.0 using …