Digital Commons Network^™

Texture Density Discrimination Is More Precise Than Number Discrimination, Frank H. Durgin, Nichole Suero Gonzalez , '27, P. Wen, A. C. Huk

Psychology Faculty Works

Density information is a possible primitive for the perception of numerosity. It has been argued, however, that the perception of numerosity is more precise than density perception at low numbers, whereas density is more precise for high numbers. An interpretive problem with the stimuli used to make those claims is that actual stimulus density was often mis-specified owing to an ambiguity regarding the idealized versus actual filled area. This ambiguity had the effect of underestimating density precision at low numerosities. Here we used a novel method of stimulus generation that allows us to accurately specify stimulus density independent of patch …

Recognition At Work: How Managerial Acknowledgment Shapes Team-Level Outcomes, Annalissa Thomas

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Employee recognition has become a central focus for organizations worldwide, with billions of dollars spent annually on recognition programs. Despite this investment, scientific research on the effectiveness of recognition beyond performance outcomes remains limited. Furthermore, little is known about how recognition operates at the team-level and the specific attributes that make recognition impactful. This study addresses these gaps by disentangling the nuanced attributes of recognition and exploring their influence on employee perceptions of recognition. It also examines how these perceptions affect key outcomes, including perceptions of manager support, job security, autonomy, team cohesion, and engagement, and tests whether trust moderates …

Derivation Of An Updated Brief Multivariable Prediction Model To Detect Panic-Related Anxiety In Emergency Department Patients With Cardiopulmonary Complaints, Sharon C. Sung, Felicia J. L. Ang, Arul Earnest, Leslie E. C. Lim, Shreshtha Jolly, Gilaine Rui Ng, A. John Rush, Marcus E. H. Ong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Background Patients with panic related-anxiety (i.e., panic attacks or panic disorder) frequently present to emergency departments (EDs) with cardiopulmonary complaints but are often undiagnosed, which can lead to recurrent visits and prolonged distress. This study aimed to derive a new symptom-based multivariable diagnostic prediction model to detect panic-related anxiety in ED patients with cardiopulmonary symptoms.Methods We conducted a single-blind prospective derivation study over 15 months in the ED of a major tertiary hospital in Singapore. Patients presenting with symptoms of palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, or difficulty breathing were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID) to diagnose …

Examining The Effects Of Viewing Nature And Animal Smartphone Wallpapers On Affect, Behaviour, And Cognition: A Randomised Cross-Over Trial, Nadyanna M. Majeed, Nicole R. Y. Chen, Adalia Y. H. Goh, Meilan Hu, Kenneth J. J. Koh, Yuolmae H. G. Ang, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This study aims to investigate the effects of different smartphone lock screen wallpapers on weekly perceived well-being, procrastination, and productivity in young adults. Through a pre-registered within-subject experiment, 60 participants were exposed to three smartphone wallpaper conditions: nature, animal, and neutral (control). Each participant experienced each condition over three weeks, with the order of conditions counterbalanced. Using Frequentist and Bayesian analyses, we did not find any differences between conditions across the pre-registered confirmatory outcomes (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, stress, productivity, and procrastination). Exploratory outcomes related to lock screen engagement, however, revealed some meaningful effects. Animal-themed smartphone wallpapers …

Open To The Public(S): Privatized Public Space, Technology, And Aspirational Wealth At Hudson Yards, Troy Simpson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Using the publicly accessible plaza at the Hudson Yards development in New York City as a backdrop, this dissertation provides an examination of mechanisms by which public spaces—already under pressure from a range of factors including privatization and securitization—are further transformed via processes associated with the notion of smart cities initiatives, or platform urbanism. Following a literature review and presentation of relevant contextual background related to the history and configuration of the site, the data chapters present a range of operational and material mechanisms that cumulatively establish a class-based strategic provision of narrow boundaries for visitor access and activities oriented …

Reimagining Safety And Justice: Experiences Of And Resistance To Police Sexual Violence In New York City, Priscilla Bustamante

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the era following both Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, police sexual violence (PSV) currently constitutes the second most commonly reported police complaint after excessive force. Police across the U.S. are caught for some form of sexual misconduct once every five days, with on-duty officers found to commit sexual assaults at more than double the rate of the general population. The gendered and racialized perpetration of sexual violence extends far beyond policing; however, it has been intensified within the masculine, militarized carceral structures designed to legally control and punish.

Accordingly, this dissertation utilizes an interdisciplinary, multi-method approach to offer what …

A Critical Lens On Emotions And Learning: Shame, Loneliness, And Alienation In Community College, Mike Rifino

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation explores how community college students make sense of and navigate their emotions related to learning. Community colleges are two-year public higher education institutions that primarily serve working-class and students of color, enrolling almost half of all current undergraduates in the United States, yet their experiences are rarely addressed by researchers. Drawing on critical theories (e.g., feminist politics of emotions, Black feminist/queer women of color theorizing), emotions in this study are conceptualized as socio-politically situated, shaped by institutions and ideologies distributed through power across intersecting social identities. Although emotion research in higher education has grown substantially in the past …

Bare-Knuckled Public Service: Donald Rumsfeld’S Political Ideology Before The War On Terror, Chris Paskewich

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Abstract Donald Rumsfeld (1932-2021) is perhaps most well known for being Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush. However, he had a nearly fifty-year career in public and private sector work at the highest levels. Research into his political ideology, especially prior to his time under Bush, has never been undertaken. This article outlines Rumsfeld’s ideology for the first time, and shows it is a distinct strain of limited-government conservatism that I term “managerial conservatism.” Managerial conservatism aims to manage public resources well, maximize the gains from the public’s tax dollars, and make sure the federal government is only …

Voices In Transit: Intersectionality, Silence, And Political Engagement In Ride-Sharing, Soran Tarkhani

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Abstract This study examines Uber as a digitally governed “third space” for political discourse. Based on 4,716 ride observations from Louisville–Southern Indiana—3,676 collected in 2023–2024 and 1,040 in 2025—it uses a mixed-methods design combining multinomial logistic regression and qualitative observation. Political conversations are defined as discussions of parties, elections, policies, or major social issues. Results show that White and male passengers were most likely to initiate such talk, while African American and female riders often remained silent, consistent with Noelle-Neumann’s spiral of silence. African American women faced the strongest intersectional constraints. Women and LGBTQ passengers leaned liberal, while men displayed …

Humanity Is Evolving Its Consciousness: The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels.  Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say.  However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be.  That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an unfolding period of weeding out and alignment with the …

Assessing School Readiness For Social And Emotional Learning: A Study Of School Leadership Perceptions And Attitudes, Nahla Elharati

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the integration of social and emotional learning (SEL) in a number of British schools across Egypt, focusing on how school leaders defined and perceived its importance in student development. Through in-depth interviews with twelve school leaders, this study found that school leaders’ definitions of SEL emphasized self- awareness, self-regulation, and relationship-building, alongside a strong focus on the real-life applicability of SEL both within school settings and in students’ future lives. School leaders also expressed positive attitudes toward the benefits of SEL, particularly its role in enhancing academic performance, promoting student well-being, improving peer relationships, and reducing bullying, …

The Association Between Acceptance Of Illness And Quality Of Life Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients In Egypt, Terivina Ayad Naguib Ayad

Theses and Dissertations

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common connective tissue autoimmune disease that has multidimensional impact on the patients’ daily functioning and quality of life. Due to the long- lasting incurable nature of RA, psychosocial adaptation to living with it becomes inevitable. Literature indicates that acceptance of illness as an appraisal of the disease and personal attitude towards it is related to better quality of life. The present study aims at investigating the relationship between disease acceptance and quality of life among rheumatoid arthritis patients in Egypt. This study also investigates the association of selected socio-demographic and disease related variables with quality of …

Family Caregivers And Suicide Prevention: A Needs And Assets Assessment In Egypt, Lina Osama Allam

Theses and Dissertations

In the Arab world, suicide prevention is shaped by cultural stigma and religious beliefs, shaping both help-seeking behaviors and the design of support systems. Family caregivers play a vital role in suicide prevention but often face significant emotional and logistical burdens. This study is the first known scholarly effort in Egypt to examine the intervention needs of these caregivers. It explored three key questions: the roles and challenges of caregivers supporting individuals with suicidal thoughts or behaviors; the availability of clinical and community-based resources; and the characteristics of future interventions to support them. A total of 92 mental health professionals …

Keeping It Together: Assessing The Wellbeing Of Project-Based Development Practitioners In Egypt, Amira Ahmed Abdallah Fekry Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the wellbeing of project-based development practitioners in Egypt, revealing how systemic pressures—bureaucracy, job insecurity, and fragmented workloads—undermine both wellbeing and productivity. The study employed a mixed-approach, combining 10 in-depth interviews with subject matter experts and practitioners and 75 surveys with development practitioners in Egypt. Data revealed that while many practitioners are driven by purpose, structural challenges erode resilience and motivation over time. Social support networks and personal coping strategies help but cannot replace institutional protections. The study argues that wellbeing must shift from being treated as an individual concern to a structural responsibility. Reframing organizational models around …

A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach To Evaluating Perceptions Of Bilingualism Among Latino Parents Of Autistic Children, Ana C. Ramirez, Philip Gerard Gasquoine, Amy A. Weimer, Gabriel González Núñez, Juan R. Maldonado-Coronado, Sarah Surrain, Ana M. Gonzalez-Barrero, Cecilia Montiel-Nava

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

Bilingualism has multiple benefits, however, non-native English speakers in the United States often lose their minority language. Nevertheless, language attrition is preventable, as parental perceptions of bilingualism (PoB) contribute to a child’s active use of each language and influence proficiency. At present, there is a significant gap in understanding how different cultures and belief systems might influence the language development of autistic children from bilingual Latino families. Furthermore, research on PoB among parents of autistic children has mainly been qualitative in nature. The purpose of this study was to (a) employ a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to develop a …

Happiest People On Earth? A Look Into The Personality Traits Of Disney Adults, Brittannee Mahoney

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The present study examined the personality traits of individuals who identify themselves as “Disney adults” and explored patterns of Disney-related engagement through a newly developed Disney Engagement Scale (DES). Personality traits have a history of being used in many capacities to identify themes within a population. As the Disney adult population grows larger, the opportunity for research increases. In popular media, Disney adults have frequently been shamed for their engagement with the company. The premise of the Disney experience is based on nostalgia, play and cheer. Further, holistic health benefits of nostalgia, playfulness and cheerfulness in adults can be found …

Investigating Sex Offenders’ Experience Of Being Registered As A Sex Offender, Stacey Mitchell-Swingle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In society, sex offenders are subject to unforeseen consequences of the sex offender registry. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how the sex offender registry contributes to the mental distress of registered sex offenders and their concerns about recidivism. This study addressed a gap in understanding the sex offender registry experiences from the offender’s perspective. The research question addressed how adult male registrants describe their experiences of mental distress associated with registration and how they perceive registration as shaping their risk of reoffending. The theoretical framework was John Braithwaite’s reintegrative shaming theory, with a specific focus on …

The Perception Of Fentanyl’S Harm, Rachel Antenucci

ETDs from 2020-2029

While drug overdose deaths have generally decreased in the past year, close to 60,000 overdoses involving opioids occurred in 2024. The opioid crisis has lasted over two decades and is now in the fourth wave. The fourth wave has been characterized by overdoses resulting from fentanyl adulteration in the drug supply and polysubstance overdoses involving fentanyl. The purpose of the current study is to compare the perceived harm of fentanyl to other drugs of abuse and identify differences in the perceived harm of fentanyl between groups of people who use substances. An online survey was conducted across 15 states in …

Psychologists’ Attitudes On Capital Punishment And Interpretation Of The American Psychological Association’S Ethics Code, Darya Baugh-Ruschman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When defendants are sentenced to death due to the nature of the crime, psychologists may be asked to participate in these cases, performing tasks such as conducting competency evaluations. Because the American Psychological Association (APA) Ethics Code states that psychologists cannot participate in activities that violate human rights, an ethical debate has emerged regarding whether they should participate in capital cases. The present study examined psychologists’ opinions on capital punishment and their interpretation of the APA Ethics Code, which does not specifically define what constitutes a violation of human rights. The theoretical framework for the study is the ethical decision-making …

Relationships Between The Dark Triad And Justification Of Morally Debatable Behaviors In College Students, Emma P. Paulson, Terry F. Pettijohn Ii

Psychology

The present study examined the relationship between Dark Triad personality traits and moral judgments in a sample of 68 undergraduate students recruited from psychology courses at a southeastern university. All participants volunteered through an online system and received course research credit for participation. Participants completed the Short Dark Triad Measure to assess levels of psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism, as well as the Revised Morally Debatable Behaviors Scale (MDBS-R), in a controlled laboratory setting. Individuals with strong psychopathic traits were predicted to report greater endorsement of morally debatable behaviors. Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine associations between Dark Triad traits …

Optimizing Patient Intake Efficiency: Integrating Data Accuracy And Workflow Improvement Strategies, Breanna Virginia Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For a professional therapist, social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist, improving the quality and effectiveness of patient care is a central responsibility. This qualitative single-case study examined how WGGX, a nonprofit behavioral health organization in South Philadelphia, addressed challenges within its patient intake process to improve workflow efficiency, data accuracy, and the client onboarding experience. Guided by the Baldrige Health Care Criteria for Performance Excellence, the study explored how leadership practices, workforce engagement, and process management influenced organizational effectiveness related to intake operations. Data were collected through semistructured, in-person interviews with six organizational stakeholders and a review of organizational documents and …

The Environmental Mental Health Services Needed For Youth Ages 18-25 Aging Out Of The Foster Care System, Keelin Leger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth transitioning out of foster care experience increased mental health challenges that affect their ability to age out successfully to independence. In this qualitative modified action study, the environmental mental health services needed for adolescents, aged 18 to 25, aging out of the foster care system in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana were explored. This study was guided by the Families Rising framework. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 20 participants who provided insights to this study. Participants were reached by posting flyers on social media and the online platform forums, and they signed the consent form to participate. The data were …

Impact Of Burnout And Empathy On Correctional Officers’ Aggression, Sagan Ladd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Correctional officers experience persistent occupational stress that places them at elevated risk for burnout, which may negatively affect emotional functioning and increase aggression. Guided by general strain theory, this quantitative nonexperimental correlational study examined the relationships between burnout, empathy, and aggression among uniformed correctional officers working in U.S. jails and prisons. Participants (N = 58) completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire–Short Form through an anonymous online survey. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to answer three research questions. Results indicated that burnout significantly predicted aggression, F(1, 56) = 12.38, p < .001, R² = .18, such that higher burnout was associated with higher aggression scores. Empathy did not significantly predict aggression, F(1, 56) = 2.32, p = .133, R² = .04, though the relationship trended negatively. A multiple regression analysis revealed that burnout and empathy together significantly predicted aggression, F(2, 55) = 7.74, p = .001, R² = .19; however, burnout remained the only significant predictor when controlling for empathy. Additional analyses indicated that burnout significantly predicted all four facets of aggression: verbal aggression, physical aggression, anger, and hostility. These findings suggest that burnout plays a central role in aggression among correctional officers and highlight the importance of organizational and mental health interventions aimed at reducing burnout to promote staff well-being and institutional safety.

Comparative Analysis Of Mmpi-2-Rf Scale Differences Based On History Of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Arielle Mousseau, Linda Baum, Nikolaus Greven, Anna S. Ord

Archives of Assessment Psychology

The present study investigated differences in MMPI-2-RF scale scores between individuals with and without a history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The goal was to identify distinct psychosocial functioning patterns in individuals with mTBI. Archival outpatient sample of 147 adults aged 18 to 70 (M = 43.28, SD = 11.13) was utilized, comprising 65 participants with mTBI and 82 without TBI. Significant differences were observed across multiple MMPI-2-RF scales. The group with mTBI history exhibited higher levels of symptom overreporting, symptom validity concerns, emotional and internalizing dysfunction, somatic and cognitive complaints, and negative emotionality, as compared to the …

Exploring Teacher Perspectives On The Self-Esteem Of Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders: A Qualitative Study, Bahaa Al Ghraibeh

Archives of Assessment Psychology

Self-esteem affects many other abilities of students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD). Teachers can play a crucial role in influencing the self-esteem of these students. This interpretive qualitative study aims to investigate teachers' perceptions of the self-esteem of students with EBD, identify the factors they believe affect these students’ self-esteem, and explore the strategies they employ to enhance the self-esteem of these students. The results reveal three key themes: first, teachers perceive that students with EBD frequently face challenges related to self-esteem; second, they recognize that a variety of factors influence the self-esteem of these students; and third, teachers …

Digital Morality And National Values: Pancasila As An Ethical Compass For Technology-Enhanced Counseling In Indonesia, Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang, Hendrik Tuaputimain, Muqaffi Muqaffi, M. Solehuddin

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

The very fast development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) in the last decade have changed the way of mental health practice internationally, including Indonesia. Although these technologies extend reach, deepen therapeutic engagement, and facilitate clinical analysis, they also present serious ethical challenges with respect to privacy, algorithmic bias, depersonalization, and disparity. This integrative review draws on literature from counseling, digital ethics, immersive technologies, and Indonesian philosophical studies to consider how Pancasila can serve as a culturally situated ethical guide for technology-mediated counseling. The results disclose four overarching themes: shifting role of …

Unpacking Shared Pessimism Between Citizen And Bureaucracy: A Socio-Psychological Barrier To Public Service Reform In Indonesia, Reza Fathurrahman, Christoph Hoennige

BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

In this study, we examine the existence of a reciprocal pattern of performance bias shared between citizens and street-level bureaucrats, which we term as ‘shared pessimism’, assumed to implicate public service reform. Primary data were collected using surveys administered to 207 public service providers and 248 citizen recipients across six Indonesian public service agencies operated in two regional governments. Statistical analysis was then conducted to examine bureaucrats’ self-enhancing bias and their pessimistic view of citizen ratings, as well as to clarify citizens’ tendency to underrate the performance of bureaucrats in public service organizations. Our findings confirm pervasive internal pessimism amongst …

The Multidimensional Online Civic Engagement For Youth (Moce-Y) Scale: Development And Validation, Yue Ni, G. John Geldhof, Kelly D. Chandler, Richard A. Settersten Jr

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Online civic engagement among young people may represent a form of positive youthdevelopment in digital spaces. However, its impacts on youth’s well-being remain unclear,partly due to a lack of validated measures that capture the unique features of the internetand incorporate youth voices. To address this gap, we developed and validated a scale ofmultidimensional online civic engagement for youth aged 15 to 25 years (MOCE-Y) using anexploratory sequential mixed-methods approach. Qualitative interviews with 12 youth sup-ported the multidimensional structure derived from literature, from which we developed aninitial 40-item scale. Exploratory (N ¼ 159) and confirmatory (N ¼ 244) factor analyses withtwo …

Characterization Of Social Media Use Patterns Among Hispanic/Latinx Dementia Caregivers And Its Impact On Mental Health, Sofia Mildrum Chana

ETDs from 2020-2029

Hispanic & Latinx (H&L) family caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRDs) experience high levels of stress that can negatively impact their mental health and may turn to social networking sites (SNS, commonly known as ‘social media’) for coping or social support. However, no research has yet examined how SNS use influences H&L caregiver mental health. The primary purpose of the present study was to characterize patterns of SNS use among H&L ADRD family caregivers and examine the associations between SNS use and caregivers’ mental health and well-being. Data for the present study come from the …

Posterior Cerebellar Lobe Deviations And Social Cognition In Individuals With Psychosis And Their Unaffected Relatives, Andreea Maria Stanica

ETDs from 2020-2029

Social cognition deficits observed in psychotic disorders contribute to functional impairments. The cerebellum has been identified as a critical brain region involved in social cognitive processes, but the relationship between cerebellar structural deviations and social cognition in individuals with psychosis (probands) and their unaffected relatives remains unclear. Using normative modeling, this study examined cerebellar volume deviations in probands and their unaffected first-degree relatives and investigated associations with social cognitive and motor performance. Probands exhibited significant theory of mind deficits compared to relatives. Probands showed negative deviations in anterior cerebellar lobe relative to the norm, whereas relatives did not. Deviations in …