Digital Commons Network^™

Added Cue Contribution To Discrimination Learning, David A. Governski

Psychology ETDs

The primary purpose of this experiment was to investigate the rate of discrimination learning in adding a cue to a designated reinforced stimulus as compared to adding a cue to a designated nonreinforced stimulus after prior nondifferential training had been given. It was predicted that the efficacy of adding a cue to either a positive or negative stimulus would depend on the type of nondifferential pretraining given. The results of the experiment demonstrated the following: first, after equal reinforcement pretraining, adding a cue to a designated nonreinforced stimulus facilitated subsequent discrimination learning more than adding a cue to a designated …

Moving Toward Integration: A Study Of Theory And Practice In Feminist Therapy, Susan Amelia Thomas

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis describes a study designed to explore the emerging field of feminist therapy. The goal was not to test the validity of feminist therapy, to probe the assumptions on which it is based, or to compare it to other forms of therapy but to characterize the theory and practice of feminist therapy as it now exists. Feminist therapy was seen as growing out of the cultural and historical context of the feminist movement, which includes a critique of society with emphasis on the particular psychological consequences for women, and a critique of psychotherapy, particularly Freudian psychotherapy, as oppressive to …

Influence Of Sex Role Stereotypes On Ratings Of Male And Female Behavior, Constance Barclay

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An attempt was made to investigate the extent to which individuals are unknowingly influenced by a sex role stereotype in their evaluations of men and women. It was hypothesized that subjects would describe a character in more potency-related, “masculine” terms if that character had been identified as a male than if the character had been identified as a female. Subjects taking part in this study were an equal number of male and female students in introductory psychology classes. The semantic differential technique was employed as a descriptive tool for the subjects’ evaluations of a character they read about in a …

Secular & Ministerial Counseling In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Henry Darke

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Samples from two populations, community ministers and secular counselors, were surveyed to develop and analyze a description of the perceptions between and among these groups concerning their roles as counselors in the total community. Five questions were the focus of the research. The results of these questions may be summarized as follows: 1) both sample groups agreed that there seemed to be a need for additional ministerial counselors; 2) almost unanimously, the secular counselors indicated that they would welcome a more active ministerial counseling involvement within the total community setting, although a considerable portion (41%) of the ministers expressed doubts …

Cognitive Reflection-Impulsivity & Susceptibility To A Primary Illusion, Maureen Murphy

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The relationship between the reflection-impulsivity dimension of cognitive style and susceptibility to the Mueller Lyer illusion was investigated in nine year old children. Forty-four subjects, classified as either impulsive or reflective on the Matching Familiar Figures Test, were presented the Mueller Lyer figure under two viewing conditions, unrestricted exposure time and restricted exposure time of .1 second. It was expected that reflective children would be less susceptible to this illusion under the unrestricted condition than the impulsive children. Less difference between reflective and impulsive children was expected when exposure time was restricted. Results confirmed earlier studies that restricted exposure time …

Effects Of Intervention Programs On The Self Concept Of Rural Preschool Children, Virginia Miller

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The effects of intervention programs on the self concept of rural preschool children were examined using 86 children, ages 5 to 6 1/2 years, who had and had not had preschool experience. The relationships between the Total Self Concept and the subscales of Body Image, Competence, and Social Interactions to the variables of socio-economic level, sex, and preschool experience were determined. Significant differences (p <.001) were found between the different population variables and the Total Self Concept score, and the subscale scores of Body Image, Competence, and Social Interactions. The locations of these differences were determined by a Newman Kuel analysis. Significant effects (p<.05) on sex differences were found on Total Self Concept scale and on the Competence subscale. There were no significant (p <.05) interaction effects. Implications of these findings were discussed.

The Effects Of Manipulation Of Examination Results On Locus Of Control Beliefs, Douglas Doyle

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study investigated the effects of manipulated feedback concerning examination performance on locus of control beliefs. Brecher and Denmark (1972) found that students given manipulated feedback concerning results of a recent examination exhibited a significant increase in their I-E scores. In the present study, 84 students enrolled in one of three classes of a lower level, undergraduate Psychology course at Western Kentucky University, taught by the same instructor, were used as subjects. These subjects were administered the I-E Scale and about one month later took a regularly scheduled examination over course material. The first clans session after the exam, …

The Subculture Of The Aging: An Empirical Test, William C. Lane

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

During the past twenty-five years the discipline of social gerontology has emerged as a major field of interest among sociologists. A number of theories concerning the social aspects of the aging process have been proposed, but few have been empirically tested.

The central concern of the present study was to conduct an empirical test of the subculture of the aging theory developed by Arnold M. Rose. The subculture of the aging theory proposed that there is a growing awareness among many older people that they are not merely members of a social category, but are members of a social group …

Intimacy And Content Of Self-Disclosure As A Function Of Target-Status, John Richard Mccallum

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

No abstract.

Exteroceptive Influence On A Marihuana Induced Conditioned Taste Aversion, Albert William Greenwood

Dissertations and Theses

Forty-five male, Sprague Dawley rats were used to determine if external stimuli could influence the length of a conditioned taste aversion. Animals were given a novel taste (sucrose), and then injected with one of three different substances, marihuana, LiCI, or saline. The animals were then placed into either a stimulation condition, a non-stimulation condition, or returned to the home cage. The stimulation condition contained aversive stimuli in the form of bright, flashing lights and loud noises. The other conditions had no aversive stimulation. It was expected that the animals receiving injections of marihuana would have an increase in their responsiveness …

Measurement Of Dimensional Stimulus Control: Steady-State Generalization Testing, David K. Billings

Psychology ETDs

A procedure for steady-state generalization testing was developed and evaluated. Following a suggestion made by Farmer and Schoenfeld (1966), generalization gradients were constructed from responses occurring in the presence of test stimuli interpolated on a fixed interval schedule of reinforcement. Given appropriate modifications, the procedure was successful in maintaining generalization gradients for individual subjects. Evaluation of the steady-state procedure necessitated the adoption of a generic function. A search was conducted for a polynomial to approximate the response functions obtained for one of two groups of pigeons during one phase of the experiment. An initial ANOVA of the trend of orthogonal …

The Role Of Extraversion And Introversion In An Instrumental Avoidance Task, Steven Finkelstein

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An instrumental avoidance conditioning task was used to test Eysenck’s theory of personality and conditioning, which is based upon levels of cortical inhibition and expectation, characteristic of extraverts and introverts. Based upon Eysneck’s theoretical stance, it was hypothesized that introverts would condition more effectively than extraverts. Several criteria defined by Eysenck Personality Inventory was administered to 125 undergraduates at Western Kentucky University for purposes of separating personally types into classification groups of extraverts, introverts, and ambiverts. Thirty-six subjects were presented a series of 48 index cards on which were typed for pronouns and three verbs of neutral impression level. Each …

Relationship Of Elderly Subjects' Death Attitudes & Existential Meaning In Life, Thomas Sowder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A study of 100 subjects over the ape of 60 was reported which investigated the correlation between purpose in life as defined by existential philosophy and death anxiety. It was designed to examine the effect of group affiliation and sex on subjective self-appraisal death anxiety and purpose in life questionnaires. The results indicated that: (a) the greater perceived purpose in life, the lower the death anxiety, (b) females in the socially oriented group had a greater negative correlation between death anxiety and purpose in life, (c) there were variables associated with the occurrence of both sex and group affiliation which …

Social Influences On Individual Performance, Robert C. Paul

Psychology ETDs

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of various social pairing conditions on the performance of individual rats, and the extent to which single subject principles would account for the results. Thirty-two male hooded rats were used as subjects. Twelve rats were deprived of water and individually trained to press the left lever of a two lever operant box and twelve rats were deprived of food and trained to press the right lever of the same box for pellets. During the individual training sessions one of the remaining eight naive, satiated rats was placed in the chamber …

Alternative Methods For The Analysis Of Curves, Randi Christine Martin

Dissertations and Theses

The interpretation of data from psychological experiments often involves the analysis and comparison of curves, like the electrocardiogram, spectral sensitivity, or dose-response curves. Existing statistical techniques are often inadequate for making this type of analysis. This thesis presents alternative methods for handling the data comprising curves and discusses the advantages of these techniques against those of existing methods.

Four types of analysis are discussed:

1. finding a confidence band around one curve,
2. finding a confidence band around the difference between two curves, or making an overall comparison between two curves,
3. decomposing a curve into its components,
4. making a component by component …

"Mental Health Seminar", Dick Bose, Nancy Adams, Babe Wilson

Special Collections: Oregon Public Speakers

No abstract provided.

Social Workers In The Community Mental Health Field A Delphi Forecast Of Training Priorities, William Boyce Thomas, Mark L. Clay

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis describes an exploratory research project initiated to facilitate curriculum planning for and evaluation of a social work training program in the field of community mental health. The literature concerning community mental health, the historical relationship of social work to this field, and current issues in social work manpower and education was reviewed as part of the thesis project. On the basis of the review, a study was undertaken to determine appropriate priorities for training Master ' s level social worker’s specializing in this field of practice. The researcher's decided that these priorities would be determined in terms of …

Commitment Of The Mentally Ill In Maine: A History Of Public Policy, William Sewell Muller

Senior Scholar Papers

This paper traces the historical development in the State of Maine of the procedures by which persons found to be mentally unsound can be committed to institutional care against their will. Beginning in 1820 and continuing to the present, specific changes in the statutes governing this area are noted. Both the criminal and civil commitment procedures are dealt with. Following the historical trace, pending legislation relating to the criminal commitment process is examined in detail. Finally, consideration is given to the need for a complete reexamination of the practice of involuntary commitment involving ethical and constitutional issues.

Sex As An Extralegal Factor In Judicial Decision-Making, Sarah K. Gaughan

Psychology ETDs

Previous studies, most of which have been sociological, have shown the influence of extralegal factors on judicial decision­making. The present experimental study was conducted to determine the specific effects of sex of the offender and sex of the judge on sentencing. Sixteen fictional cases of both juvenile and adult offenders were given to graduating law students. The cases were counterbalanced by sex, and contained both serious and minor crimes. The subjects then assigned sentences from a list of six alternatives. At the conclusion of the experiment the students were asked to guess what the independent variable might have been and …

Self Concept & Permanent Birth Control Choice, James Evans

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between an individual's self concept and his method of permanent birth control. The subjects consisted of two groups of males: (1) males who were seeking a vasectomy, and (2) males who were not seeking a vasectomy but who indicated that they had obtained their desired family size, or who indicated they would not consider a vasectomy. The subjects in grout, one were paired with subjects in group two according to select demographic variables such as age, race, education, and occupation. The Tennessee Self Concept Scale, TSCS, Total P Score was …

The Protestant Ethic Effect: Children In A Multi-Choice Situation, Patricia Anderson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Twelve kindergarten and 16 first grade children were placed in a four Protestant Ethic to obtain tokens choice situation in order to investigate the Effect (PLE). The task for each child was to trade for candy. These tokens were available from three black boxes (choice locations) which were rotated in a clockwise manner around the four corners of the testing room. These three choice locations were as follows: (B1) a location where the child was allowed the option to manipulate switches and/or obtain freely accessible tokens, (82) a location at which tokens were freely accessible, and (84) the work location …

A Comparison Of Time-Out & Response-Cost Conditions Within A Token Economy Using Trainable Mental Retardates, James Willis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An investigation was done on the relative effectivness of time-out and response-cost conditions in reducing inappropriate behaviors in a token-economy classroom using trainable mental retardates as subjects. A significant difference was found between baseline levels of inappropriate behaviors in each of the two conditions but no significance was indicated between time-out and response-cost conditions.

A Factor Analytic Study Of The Weschsler Intelligence Scale For Children-Revised, John Miller

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Since the original Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC, 1949) had recently undergone a major revision in content structure of the test and in the populations utilized for standardization, the present study sought to examine the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R, 1974) using test data from 126 white and black fifth graders from a predominantly lower middle class socioeconomic background. The analysis of data was performed by a principal components method of factor analysis utilizing Varimax rotation. The results of the data analysis indicated the presence of three primary group factors, and these factors closely …

The Influence Of Work History On The Protestant Ethic Effect, Kathy Nau

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

For 10 days, seven female and five male albino rats were given a choice between barpressing for water or drinking it freely without having to perform. Prior to the choice sessions, the animals had to earn their total water intake for either 0, 5, 15, or 25 days. All 12 animals worked for a part of their total reinforcement intake during testing. However, an analysis of variance showed that work preference increased as the amount of time the animals spent earning their total water intake increased (p<.05). These results were discussed in terms of White's (1959) competency hypothesis.

The Effect Of Gun Handling On Aggression As A Function Of Cue Saliency, Arousal & Gender, Arthur Camplone

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The traditional construct of aggression as postulated by Miller (1941) has as its basis a frustration-aggression model in which frustration is a necessary antecedent condition to and the primary causative factor of aggression. The literature is replete with studies supporting and expounding on this theme. The construct has assumed a longevity and stature rarely enjoyed in psychological experimentation.

Many recent social and learning theorists contend, however, that the research on aggression has concentrated on the displacement and satisfaction of an instinctual aggressive drive to the exclusion of environmental and learning cues which may influence aggressive and violent reactions. The recent …

The Effects Of A Social Stimulus On The Protestant Ethic Effect In Rats, Gary L. Cotton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether rats’ preference to freeload (eat food pellets from a food cup) or to work for food (obtain food pellets by bar pressing) could be influenced by observing either a working or freeloading model in an adjacent operant chamber.

Following equal amounts of bar press and freeloading training, 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats approximately 100 days cold were divided into three experimental groups. The first group was permitted to view a working model while being presented a choice between bar pressing and free-loading. A second experimental group was exposed to a freeloading model …

Objective Strategy Assessment In Reception Paradigm Concept Identification, Elliot Jay Rapoport

Psychology ETDs

The ability of the Fink (1972) dimension selection technique to assess reception strategies was tested using an affirmational concept learning task involving a reversal shift. The Fink technique employs a distributed stimulus set composed of three binary dimensions and a procedure which requires the subject to make an overt response in order to sample each dimension. The subjects’ dimension selection responses were categorized into the reception strategies of wholism and partism and were found to be moderately predictive or performance. The reversal shift data were found to provide confirmation for the assertion that, in the presence of objectively determined terminal …

Utah And School Age Parents, Willa C. Hurd

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Background. As Dean of Women in a small high school for the past three years, I have been frustrated because of the fact that there was no program for married and/or pregnant students that would educationally aid them.

Night high school courses are not, in my opinion, "equal education; " I felt the need for a definite program. The school district is both legally and morally responsible to provide educational opportunities to these students .

Justification. In 1970 an estimated 200,000 American girls under 18 gave birth. Nearly two-thirds of the girls had married by the time of delivery (Pregnant …

Priming And The Post-Prime Pause In Mixed Fixed-Ratio Schedules, Larry Allen Alferink

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of a stimulus change inserted in the large component of a mixed fixed-ratio 10 fixed-ratio 100 schedule. In mixed fixed-ratio schedules, a run of responses which approximates the response requirement of the smaller fixed ratio occurs at the beginning of the larger fixed ratio. This run of responses and the pause it precedes is called a prime. In Experiment I, priming acquisition was compared in a mixed schedule in which a change in key-color followed completion of the first 10 responses of the fixed-ratio 100 component and a mixed schedule with …

Anxiety Correlates Of Sex Role Identity, Mary Kay Biaggio

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in anxiety levels between the sexes and between sex role identification groups (as defined by scores on a test of masculinity-femininity). Possible explanations for these differences were explored using a questionnaire made up of an openness versus closedness scale, a liberalism versus conservatism scale, and a cross-sex versus same-sex parent identification scale.

A sample of 108 females and 71 males was administered Gough's Femininity Scale, Cattell's IPAT Anxiety Scale Questionnaire, Taylor's Manifest Anxiety Scale, and a questionnaire devised for this particular study.

The sexes did not differ significantly in anxiety level …