Digital Commons Network^™

The Use Of An Incentive System To Increase Worker Performance In A Financial Setting, Steven S. Armstrong

Dissertations

The use of merchandise as a consequence in a performance based incentive system was assessed in a financial setting. Points were earned by each subject based on individual daily performance. These points were collected by each subject and used toward the purchase of merchandise. A multiple baseline across two groups of bank tellers showed substantial increases in worker behavior after the onset of contingent points. Differences between groups existed and an analysis is provided. Follow-up data revealed sustained performance and a cost-benefit analysis demonstrated substantial savings.

Use Of A Supervisory Safety Checklist And Safety Meetings To Reduce And Prevent Hazardous Safety Conditions In An Automotive Plant, Todd Alan Brighton

Masters Theses

Hazardous safety conditions and incidents were operationally defined for an assembly division at an automotive plant. The conditions were observed and recorded on two different employee shifts for an 11 week period. The experimental design used had three distinct phases. In the first phase baseline data were recorded on the number of hazardous safety conditions by two safety observers. In the second phase two shift supervisors used the safety checklist to record hazardous safety conditions. In the last phase data were taken but the supervisory safety checklist was not used. The data from all observations were discussed in safety meetings …

Validation And Validity Generalization Of Placement Exercises Used In The Selection Of Clerical Employees, Keith Edward Mitchell

Masters Theses

A follow-up study was conducted to determine the predictive validity of a group of job-related Placement Exercises used in the selection of clerical employees for a northeastern utility company. The present study was also to determine if the obtained validities could be generalized to similar organizational settings.

The subjects included in this study were 98 clerical employees working in the job classifications of Junior Clerk, Clerk, Intermediate Clerk, and Secretary-Stenographer. The obtained results supported the hypothesis that a positive and significant relationship existed between performance on the Placement Exercises and supervisory ratings of employee job performance. After applying the results …

Cerebral Hemispheric Mechanisms In The Retrieval Of Ambiguous Word Meanings, Roland Curt Burgess

Student Work

Targets related to ambiguous primes were projected to the left and right visual fields in a lexical priming experiment with stimulus onset asynchronies (SOA) of 35ms and 750ms. Left hemisphere results were similar to earlier results with central projection (Simpson & Burgess, JEP:HPP, 1985). Facilitation across both SOAs for the more frequent meaning and a decrease in facilitation for the less frequent meaning at the longer SOA. In contrast, right hemisphere results indicated a decay of facilitation for the more frequent meaning at the longer SOA, while activation for the subordinate meaning increased. Results suggest that while automatic processing occurs …

The Relationship Of Self-Concept As Measured By The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale To Adjustment In Seminary As Measured By The Sentence Completion Scale, Seminary Socialization Scale, And Seminary Attrition Scale., Harvey B. Powers

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study sought to measure the relationship between self concept and non-academic adjustment in seminary. A sample of 55 randomly selected male Master's of Divinity students was selected from the first through third year classes at a prominent evangelical seminary during the Spring quarter of 1984. The sample was given a demographic questionnaire, the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSC), and three instruments which were designed to measure non-academic adjustment. These were the Seminary Socialization Scale (SSS), the Seminary Attrition Scale (SAS), and the Sentence Completion Scale (SCS). Five professors also rated students in terms of their non-academic adjustment. The analysis …

The Effect Of A Death, Dying And Grieving Seminar On Nicu Nurses' Levels Of Anxiety, Depression And Hostility, Bonnie Kugel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

[Abstract Not Included]

The Relationship Between Response Variability And Interview Contrast Effects, Salvatore John Cesare

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The low reliability and validity of the interview has lead to research aimed at improving its effectiveness. One such strategy is the microanalytic approach developed by Mayfield (1964). This approach centers on the decision—making processes errors made by the interviewer. One type of error is the contrast effect. A contrast effect is that situation where the rating given to an applicant is contingent upon the quality of preceding applicants. This study used a 3 X 3 (Induced Set X Target Applicant) factorial design to assess how different amounts of response variability by an average applicant can influence contrast effects. Subjects …

The Effects Of Private Self-Consciousness And Perspective Taking On Satisfaction In Close Relationships., Stephen L. Franzoi, Mark H. Davis, Richard D. Young

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

131 heterosexual student couples, aged 17–32 yrs, 30 of whom were married or engaged answered questions concerning themselves and their relationships. It was predicted that individual differences in private self-consciousness would be positively related to relationship satisfaction because of the greater self-disclosure resulting from that heightened self-attention. It was further predicted that individual differences in perspective taking would foster relationship satisfaction, independent of any influence of self-disclosure. Both expectations were confirmed. Scores on the private self-consciousness scale were predictive of reported self-disclosure, and self-disclosure was predictive of satisfaction in the relationship. Once the influence of self-disclosure was removed, no effect …

Peer Influence: A Method To Help Manage Stress, Ronald Cameron Zurcher

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to find a difference between middle managers’ and blue-collar workers’ episodic non-work related and work related stress events. The information that was found was to be developed into a “peer influence” program to help prevent the workers from experiencing chronic stress symptoms.

Method: From research it was determined that there is a significant difference between middle managers’ and blue-collar workers’ episodic non-work and work related stress events. The material that was reviewed showed a difference in five areas: threat of job loss, lack of authority, new social values (sociability), personal life (satisfaction), and …

Interpersonal Consequences Of Expressing Concern About Nuclear War, Ann Angell Dew

Master's Theses

The effects of sex role expectations within the context of the nuclear war issue were examined in this study. Sixty males and sixty females, ranging in age from 18 to 22 years, participated in this study. They were obtained from the introductory psychology courses at the University of Richmond. Each subject read a questionnaire, supposedly completed by another University of Richmond undergraduate, and answered two Likert-type questions measuring the degree to which the subject would like to meet and become friends with the target. The independent variables were sex of the target, sex of subject, and expression of concern about …

Donating Behavior In Children: The Effects Of The Model's Similarity To The Observer, The Observer's Familiarity With The Model And Parental Models, Charles Ray Owens

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Model similarity and familiarity were investigated for adult and similar aged models demonstrating prosocial behavior. Third, fourth and fifth graders (75 male and 75 female) participated.

Subjects were given questionnaires regarding their most and least preferred peers and their most preferred parent. The models were described as similar to the subject for some groups. Subjects were given instructions concerning a sorting task and cash certificates they would earn.

Fifty control subjects viewed a video that contained neither prosocial nor antisocial behavior. For the remaining subjects, a 2 (sex of subject) X 2 (similar age model versus adult model) X 5 …

Client Preferences For Counselor Characteristics: Attitudes Towards Handicapped, Benjamin D. Ewing

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this research was to constructively replicate the research of Brabham and Thoreson (1973) and Mitchell and Frederickson (1975) that led to the conclusion that handicapped counselors are preferred.

Subjects were 337 male and female volunteers enrolled in psychology 101 which was taught during the Fall Quarter, 1984, at Utah State University. All subjects were asked to indicate their preference when considering 20 hypothetical problem situations for one counselor from among six photographs of handicapped and non-handicapped counselors. The 20 situations consisted of three types (personal, vocational, and educational). Each subject's score was the total number of times …

A Study Of The Effect Of A Child's Physical Attractiveness Upon Verbal Scoring Of The Wechsler Intelligence Scale For Children (Revised) And Upon Personality Attributions, Paula Theisler Wheeler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research was to investigate possible examiner bias in scoring the Verbal subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) due to the level of facial attractiveness of the child. Sex of the child and sex of the research subject were also included as independent variables. No main effect for attractiveness or sex x attractiveness interactions were found. Thus, little evidence emerged to suggest attractiveness stereotyping effects in an intelligence testing context. However, female children received significantly higher Comprehension and total Verbal scores than did male children. In addition, while male subjects did not provide differential …

The Relationship Of Type A And Type B Coronary Behavior Patterns And Achievement Striving, Jolene Lowry Adams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic replication of the experiment of Burnam, Pennebaker, and Glass (1973) using an adult population and the Jenkins Activity Survey. Additionally, this study attempted to address the issue of whether the previous results would be substantiated when a non-college sample was used.

The subjects consisted of40 females and 40 males who volunteered to participate in the study. All subjects were given the Jenkins Activity Survey and randomly assigned to Condition I, the No Deadline condition, or Condition II, the Deadline condition. The subjects in the No Deadline condition were given arithmetic …

A Comparison Of Evaluation Models For Handicap Intervention In A Head Start Program, Carin Niebuhr

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Model A and Model C Title I evaluation options were compared by using both options to measure the effectiveness of handicap intervention in a Head Start program. Two hundred three children in Jackson County (Oregon) were pretested with the Developmental Indicators of Learning Test (DIAL), the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), the Visual-Motor Integration Scale (VMI), and the Carrow Elicited Language Inventory (CELI). The 43 children who scored below the predetermined cut-off level were placed in a six-month intervention program. One hundred forty-nine children remaining in the Head Start program in May were posttested with the same tests. Model …

Handicapped Tutors And Tutees: A Meta-Analysis Of Critical Variables, Stephen Blaine Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Tutoring has been used as an instructional method for many years. Reviewers have made narrative conclusions that tutoring has many academic, social, and emotional benefits for the tutor and tutee.

This study applied meta-analysis techniques to studies in which learning disabled, behaviorally disordered, or intellectually handicapped elementary and secondary school students were used to tutor academic content material to handicapped tutees. It was found that the experimental subjects made greater gains on the academic material than the control groups. Gains on social/emotional measures were minimal. Various research design and tutoring intervention characteristics were examined for their influence on tutor and …

A Comparison Between Desensitization And Relaxation Training In The Treatment Of Primary Dysmenorrhea, Susan Myrna Jones Carcelli

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The use of relaxation, desensitization, and relaxation plus desensitization in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea was investigated in this study. Subjects were 45 university women who experienced either congestive or spasmodic dysmenorrhea. Each subject was individually treated in four, one-hour sessions during the first 20 days of her menstrual cycle. Subjects were divided into three groups: Group 1 obtained four hours of progressive relaxation training, group 2 was asked to self-relax while being administered scenes from a standardized menstrual hierarchy, and group 3 obtained both relaxation training and desensitization. Type of dysmenorrhea was assessed by the Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ). …

Personality Variables That Discriminate Pseudoseizures Patients And Epileptic Patients Used In The 16 Pf, Patricia L. Marshall

Master's Theses

This project was designed to study the effect of certain personality factors on pseudoseizure patients. It was hypothesized that Factors C and 0 in the 16 Personality Questionnaire could serve as predictor variables for the criterion variable, positive diagnosis of pseudoseizure versus true epileptic seizures. It was also hypothesized that these two groups, pseudoseizure versus epileptic seizure, would differ significantly on a test titled the Sickness Impact Profile. The two scales in this test, psychosocial and physical, were examined. Two discriminant analyses were performed with these two tests being the predictor variables and group membership being the criterion variable. Non-significant …

Personality Variables That Discriminate Pseudoseizures Patients And Epileptic Patients Used In The 16 Pf, Patricia Lane Marshall

Master's Theses

This project was designed to study the effect of certain personality factors on pseudoseizure patients. It was hypothesized that Factors C and O in the 16 Personality Questionnaire could serve as predictor variables for the criterion variable, positive diagnosis of pseudoseizure versus true epileptic seizures. It was also hypothesized that these two groups, pseudoseizure versus epileptic seizure, would differ significantly on a test titled the Sickness Impact Profile. The two scales in this test, psychosocial and physical, were examined. Two discriminant analyses were performed with these two tests being the predictor variables and group membership being the criterion variable. Non-significant …

The Effects Of Prosocial And Aggressive Videogames On Children's Donating And Helping, John H. Chambers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of prosocial videogames, played both singly and cooperatively, and aggressive videogames, played both singly and competitively, on children's prosocial behavior. Eighty boys and 80 girls, half third and fourth graders, and half seventh and eighth graders, were randomly assigned to one of five conditions. In a control condition, children answered questions about videogame experience and enjoyment. In two of the treatment conditions, children played a videogame with prosocial content (a human-like fantasy character rescuing another from danger); half of the children played this game singly, while the other half played …

The Relationship Between Therapist Approach Postures, Avoidance Postures And Posture Sharing, And Subjects' Experience Of Rapport, Lawrence A. Carcelli

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationship between approach, avoidance and congruent postures and the experience of rapport was investigated. Sixty undergraduate college students (30 male, 30 female) were interviewed by a therapist who displayed either approach postures, avoidance postures or who posture shared. The degree of rapport experienced by the 20 subjects in the three groups was compared. In addition, the subjects' behaviors were divided into four groups (n = 11, or 19) along two orthogonal dimensions (high and low congruency and immediacy) and the degree of rapport experienced by the four groups compared. No statistically significant results were found in either analysis. An …

Self-Presentational Determinants Of Sex Differences In Leadership Behavior, Donelson R. Forsyth, Barry R. Schlenker, Mark R. Leary, Nancy E. Mccown

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Men and women placed in leadership positions communicated information about their skills and abilities to their subordinates. Although leaders’ perceptions of their abilities, group members’ knowledge of their leader’s abilities, and the specific skills needed by the leader were all manipulated in the experimental setting, self-presentations of ability were primarily determined by sex role stereotypes rather than by situational factors. Results indicated that (1) male leaders emphasized their social influence and task abilities; (2) female leaders emphasized their interpersonal, socioemotional abilities; and (3) group members felt task ability, as compared to interpersonal ability, was a far more important skill for …

Habit Reversal Treatment Of Bulimia Nervosa, Ken Small

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Although several writers have emphasized the habit-like characteristics of bulimia nervosa, no study has investigated the extent to which bulimia responds to treatment specifically for habit disorders. Habit reversal is a general treatment plan which teaches individuals to regain lost awareness of all aspects of a habit. The habit is then interrupted at the earliest movement in the chain by a physically competing response. Habit reversal (Azrin & Nunn, 1973) has been effective in treating other habits (e.g., stuttering, tics, bruxism). In the present study, habit reversal was adapted for the treatment of bulimia.

In response to newspaper advertisements, ten …

Beta-Endorphin And Running Addiction: Use In The Treatment Of Schizophrenia, Mania, Depression, And Anxiety, James Glenn Rogers

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

Neither Glasser's (1976) survey data nor popular magazine articles (which seldom cite references) have provided conclusive evidence regarding the existence of running addiction or established causality between this addiction and Beta-endorphin. An integration and summarization of research on the effects of opiates, Beta-endorphin and running will answer the following question, or indicate where evidence is insufficient and explore avenues that require further research.

• Question 1: Is distance running addictive and if so, what is the role of Beta-endorphin in this addiction?

Secondly, prior reviews of research of the effects of opiates and Beta-endorphin on psychopathological illnesses will be combined with …

Oral Language Proficiency Testing With Navajo Students: Issues And Problems, Carolyn Martin

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

The purpose of this paper is to review and analyze the available literature focusing upon exit criteria for bilingual programs, especially in relation to student achievement thresholds, and the appropriateness of oral language tests used in establishing a student’s readiness to terminate participation in a bilingual program and enter monolingual educational environments.

A Perception Based Integrative Theory Of Individual Behavior In Organizations, John Edward Mathieu

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrative theoretical approach to the study of individuals' behavior in organizations, and to present an application of the approach to understanding the performance of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets. Individuals' perceptions of the environment were proposed to exist at three levels of analysis: (1) psychological climate (i.e., individual); (2) group climate; and organizational climate. Further, climate perceptions were proposed to result from the simultaneous influence of objective (i.e., actual) situational characteristics, and individuals' needs and characteristics. The underlying dimensions that linked climate perceptions operationalized at the three levels of analysis …

Inferences At Encoding Vs. Retrieval: Clarifying The Issues Based On A Developmental Perspective, Mark A. Casteel

Student Work

This study addressed the controversy surrounding the locus of the inferential process (encoding vs. retrieval) in story comprehension by adopting a developmental perspective. Second, fifth, and eighth grade children, and college undergraduates, read eight stories from which two types of inferences could be drawn. Bridging inferences are inferences critical to the comprehension of a story while forward inferences are not. Eight questions (four inference and four filler) were answered to each story, and the dependent variables of reaction time and error rate were measured. The hypothesis that bridging inferences would be drawn at encoding was clearly supported as was the …

Smoking Behavior Among Alabama Student Nurses : The Role Of Behavioral Beliefs And Normative Referencing, Judith Rausch

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of smoking behavior for the senior student nurses in the state of Alabama using Ajzen and Fishbein's Theory of Reasoned Action. Smoking prevalence by level of educational preparation and selected health behaviors were examined for relationship to cigarette use.

A sample of 11 schools of nursing were selected from Alabama's 34, using a random numbers table. There were 13 total programs as two of the schools had both A.D. and B.S. nursing programs. Thirty-two percent (N=555) of senior A.D., B.S. & diploma students nurses in Alabama responded to an 87 item …

The Effects Of Nonnutritive Sucking On The Behavior Of Premature Infants, Jean Newbold

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This quasi experimental study explored the effects of nonnutritive sucking opportunities on the premature's behavioral habituation, orientation and state control using the Mann-Whitney U-Test. The problem was to determine if experimental infants receiving regular nonnutritive sucking opportunities would show a difference in behavior when compared to a control group.

The sample was a purposive convenience sample of 15 infants. All infants were between the conceptual age of 28-34 weeks and were considered "stable" infants. Neurological examinations, consisting of selected segments of the Brazelton Newborn Behavioral Assessment Scale (BNBAS), were performed on all infants on the day of entry into the …

Adolescent Self-Disclosure And Loneliness: Private Self-Consciousness And Parental Influences, Stephen L. Franzoi, Mark H. Davis

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Using structural equation techniques, we tested a theoretical model designed to describe the causal relations existing among loneliness, self-disclosure to peers and parents, and specific antecedent variables. Participants were 350 high-school students who answered questions concerning themselves and their interpersonal relationships. Results generally indicated a good fit between the theoretical model and the observed relations. In addition to replicating the findings of previous studies concerning the relation between self-disclosure and loneliness, results also indicated an indirect relation between private self-consciousness and loneliness via peer self-disclosure; that is, high private self-conscious adolescents' greater willingness to self-disclose to peers resulted in their …