Digital Commons Network^™

Episcopal Applicants To Ordained Ministry: Are They Psychological Healthy?, Thomas G. Plante, Christopher Apodaca

Psychology

The current investigation evaluated psychological and personality profiles of applicants to the diaconate and priesthood for several Episcopal dioceses. Applicants included both genders and their ages ranged from 29 to 67 years. A psychological testing battery including the MMPI-2, 16PF, and MCMI-III was administered to 42 applicants between 2008 and 2009 who subsequently entered the diaconate or priestly formation program in the Episcopal Church. Results indicate that these applicants were generally well-adjusted. Findings also suggest some tendency for defensiveness, repression, naïveté, and a strong need for affection, as well as for being emotionally stable, intelligent, trusting, and open to change. …

Sexting: A Typology., Janis Wolak, David Finkelhor

Crimes Against Children Research Center

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

Psychopathic Traits, Skin Conductance, And Emotion In The Normal Population, Kimberley Rose

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Research has suggested that psychopathic characteristics exist along a continuum extending into the normal population (Andershed, Gustafson, Kerr, & Stattin, 2002; Ross, Lutz, & Bailley, 2004; Williams, Paulhus, & Hare, 2007). Individuals high in subclinical psychopathy were expected to show the same pattern of diminished psychophysiological responding to negative stimuli that incarcerated psychopathic individuals have shown. The callous affect (CA) dimension of psychopathy was expected to be associated with physiological differences as this is considered the core element of psychopathy. Level of CA was compared for skin conductance response (SCR) magnitude to empathy evoking versus threatening stimuli. This was done …

Procedural Justice Post-9/11: The Effects Of Procedurally Unfair Treatment Of Detainees On Perceptions Of Global Legitimacy, David Welsh

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

[Excerpt] “The Global War on Terror has been ideologically framed as a struggle between the principles of freedom and democracy on the one hand and tyranny and extremism on the other. Although this war has arguably led to a short-term disruption of terrorist threats such as al-Qaeda, it has also damaged America’s image both at home and abroad. Throughout the world, there is a growing consensus that America has “a lack of credibility as a fair and just world leader.” The perceived legitimacy of the United States in the War on Terror is critical because terrorism is not a conventional …

Juror Perceptions Of Juveniles Transferred To Criminal Court: The Role Of Generic Prejudice And Emotion In Determinations Of Guilt, Megan Beringer Jones

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Research examining juror perceptions of juveniles tried as adults has provided mixed results, with some studies providing evidence of bias against juveniles tried as adults, and others finding no evidence of this bias.  The present research aimed to clarify this issue by examining the roles of generic prejudice and emotion in jurors’ judgments of juveniles tried as adults.  Study 1 assessed which stereotypes people associate with juveniles tried as adults compared to juveniles tried in juvenile court and adults tried in criminal court.  Study 2 examined to what extent angry, fearful, sad, and neutral mock jurors used these stereotypes to …

Baby Boomers At Work: Growing Older And Working More, Eve M. Brank

Nebraska College of Law: Faculty Publications

In the current chapter, I will first detail the legal framework for workplace age discrimination and court case examples that have largely mirrored race and gender discrimination law. Next, I will discuss the psychological research that details the consequences of age discrimination with a particular focus on the combined effects of stereotype assimilation and notions of deservingness of respect. Last, I will suggest that until we know the causes of age discrimination, we cannot legitimately address its consequences the same way we have addressed other forms of discrimination. Specifically, I will argue that legislating against age discrimination is inherently different …

Moral Character, Motive, And The Psychology Of Blame, Janice Nadler, Mary-Hunter Morris Mcdonnell

Faculty Working Papers

Blameworthiness, in the criminal law context, is conceived as the carefully calculated end product of discrete judgments about a transgressor's intentionality, causal proximity to harm, and the harm's foreseeability. Research in social psychology, on the other hand, suggests that blaming is often intuitive and automatic, driven by a natural impulsive desire to express and defend social values and expectations. The motivational processes that underlie psychological blame suggest that judgments of legal blame are influenced by factors the law does not always explicitly recognize or encourage. In this Article we focus on two highly related motivational processes – the desire to …

The Unintended Consequences Of Local Rules, Justin Sevier

Scholarly Publications

Many legal rules are based on hunches about human behavior that have not been tested empirically. A behavioral analysis of these rules can illuminate whether they work as policy makers intended or whether they have unforeseen, systematically negative effects. Behavioral analyses of legal rules, unfortunately, are in short supply. This is particularly true with respect to local procedural rules that govern the everyday operation of trials and are left to the discretion of trial courts.

This Article begins to fill that gap by empirically examining one of these local procedural rules: the one allowing jurors to take notes during trial. …

Mindfulness-Based Substance Abuse Treatment For Incarcerated Youth: A Mixed Method Pilot Study, Sam Himelstein

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

The current study investigated the effects of an 8-week mindfulness-based substance use intervention

on self-reported impulsiveness, perceived drug risk, and healthy self-regulation in a sample of 60

incarcerated youth. Forty-eight participants completed questionnaires pre and post intervention.

Additionally, 16 participants from two of the final 8-week cohorts were interviewed in focus groups

about their experience of the program immediately following its completion. A mixed-method

embedded model was used, in which qualitative data was used in support of quantitative data. Paired

t-tests revealed a significant decrease (p < .01) in impulsiveness and a significant increase (p < .05)

in perceived risk of drug use from pretest to posttest. No …

An Examination Of The Organizational Factors That Contribute To Police Officer Perceived Organizational Support, Dustin Cody Gaines

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of various organizational arrangements on police officers' belief that they and their work are valued by the department. This study examines four management domains and their impact on officers' feelings of being valued. These four management domains are: inclusiveness in decision-making, supervisor relationships, professionalism. and communicated direction. The data came from a sample of 176 survey respondents who are patrol officers in a Southern Californian municipal police department.

Questions About The Construct Of Empathy In The Treatment Of Adolescents In The Juvenile Justice System, Matt Zaitchik, Frank Dicataldo, Lois Condie

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Cross-National Examination Of Body Image And Media Exposure Comparisons Between Jordanian And American Women, Kaitlyn Baptista

Undergraduate Review

Body image, defined by Cash and Pruzinsky (2002), as “the multifaceted psychological experience of embodiment,” is a combination of attitudes, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors regarding one’s body. Of particular interest to this study are the concepts of evaluation of appearance and investment in appearance. Appearance evaluation refers to one’s feelings of how attractive they consider their body to be, and how satisfied they are with their believed level of attractiveness (Cash, 2000). Appearance orientation refers to how much importance an individual places on attractiveness and how invested that individual is in appearance, often measured by grooming behaviors (Cash, 2000). Body …

Demographic And Offense-Related Variables In Pennsylvania Court-Ordered Placements For Juveniles, Kristen N. Asplin, Diane T. Marsh, Adeline Beighley

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

When making placement decisions for juvenile offenders, court officers often consider the types of charges listed against them. We examined the pattern of offenses charged to residents of 7 types of placements in 1 county in Pennsylvania over a period of 2 years. Consistent, predictable patterns were found across placements, with more restrictive placements assigned to juveniles with more severe offenses, although there remained a considerable degree of variation in offenses represented in each placement type. The pattern of placements was different between genders as well, with female offenders being placed in less restrictive care even more often than their …

Self-Determination Theory And Juvenile Delinquency: A Validation Of A Combined Theory For Understanding Youth In Conflict With The Law, Sibley Y. Hawkins, Forrest A. Novy

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

In this study, we propose an expanded theory of delinquency that integrates social learning, control, and motivationally based explanations of human behavior. We posit that delinquency occurs partly due to attempts to fulfill 3 developmentally necessary psychological needs; auton-omy, competence, and relatedness. Melding elements of 3 theories (Social Control Theory [Hirschi, 1972], General Crime Theory [Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990], and Self Determination Theory [Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000a, 2008]), provides a better understanding of the precursors to delinquency and possible approaches to mitigating their impact. The study examines: (a) the extent to which the 3 basic psychological needs (competence, …

The Effects Of Racially-Motivated Emotional Arousal On The Eating Behaviors Of African American Women, Lenwood W. Hayman

Wayne State University Dissertations

Disparities between African Americans and Caucasians remain vast across a wide variety of health indicators. Chronic stress has been identified as a risk factor for a variety of chronic illnesses and poor health outcomes. One type of chronic stress that has been linked to health disparities is the stress associated with experiences of racial discrimination. The stress African Americans encounter as a result of their racist experiences contributes to a chronic elevation of their physiological stress response. In addition to stress, a major risk factor for coronary heart disease and diabetes is obesity, which has been established as a major …

Efficacy Of The Jesness Inventory-Revised Conduct Disorder And Oppositional Defiant Disorder Scales, Terry B. Pinsoneault, Frank R. Ezzo

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

The authors investigated the Conduct Disorder (JR-CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (JR-ODD) scales developed for the Jesness Inventory-Revised. Participants included 340 youth aged 12 to 18 seen at a juvenile court diagnostic clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. The authors also investigated the previously existing Social Maladjustment (JR-SM) and Asocial Index (JR-ASO) scales. Participants were independently diagnosed as having CD, ODD, Disruptive Behavior Disorder NOS (a milder behavioral disorder), or no diagnosable behavioral disorder. Mean scores varied across the groups in the expected directions for all four scales. JR-CD and JR-ODD were better able to differentiate between their target groups and the …

The Theory Of Cognitive Dissonance: A Reappraisal, Peter A. Metofe

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

The cognitive dissonance theory, as postulated by Festinger (1957), has undergone increased scrutiny since its development. Through a reappraisal of this theory as explicated by other researchers, specifically relying on extant and current research in this theory, coupled with recent developments, this paper provides a context for better understanding of how individuals experience cognitive dissonance and its implications for clinical practice.

Missing And Exploited Children In Jamaica: An Empirical Analysis, Lorna E. Grant

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

This paper is an analysis of missing, abused, and exploited children in Jamaica. I examined the responses of advocate groups and the government to determine the steps to take to protect children who are most vulnerable. I collected data through interviews from the Police National Intelligence Bureau, the Office of the Children's Registry, the Office of Children Advocate, literature review, and the printed media (e.g., The Jamaica Gleaner, The Jamaica Observer, and The Jamaica Star).

Criminal History And Lsi-R Scores Of Rsat Participants In The State Of Massachusetts: Impact Of Offender Age On Program Completion And Rates Of Offender Recidivism, Jewell E. Hankins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to understand how offender age impacted residential substance abuse treatment (RSAT) program success in reducing rates of recidivism for offenders exiting the judicial system. Despite passing legislation in the 1980s and 1990s, which increased the penalties for certain crimes, offender recidivism remains high, with no apparent drop in the number of incarcerations and re-incarcerations, resulting in high costs and threats to the safety and quality of life experienced within communities. Social learning theory, behavioral decision theory, and biologically based theories of behavior were the theoretical foundations. Archival data collected from a RSAT grant program …

The Effect Of Identification Style On Confidence Inflation In Eyewitness Testimony, Kelsey L. Stratton

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine whether confidence inflation in eyewitness testimony can be altered by the effects of self-perception and public commitment, as manipulated by identification style. In order to investigate these specific effects, identifications and confidence reports were made using both private and public methods. Additionally, target-present and target-absent lineups were used in order to assess their relative effects and to control participant accuracy.

Results revealed that the best confidence-accuracy correlations, as determined by a comparison from pre-lineup measures, were a result of post-lineup, private identifications. This indicates that self-perception may be more responsible for confidence …

General Strain Theory And Juvenile Delinquency: A Cross-Cultural Study, Wen-Hsu Lin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

General strain theory (GST) (Agnew, 1992, 2001, 2006a) is an established criminological theory. Although the theory has been examined by many and enjoys empirical support, some limitations of previous studies need to be addressed. First, previous studies have not incorporated all major types of strain in their models; hence, the effects of these strains on delinquency are unclear. Second, many previous studies did not include negative emotions and even negative emotions other than anger. Finally, and the most serious limitation, many previous studies rely heavily on samples from Western countries, mostly the U.S.; thus, possible cultural influences are ignored. Although …

The Role Of Androstane Neurosteroids In Alcohol-Mediated Social Behavior, Jason J. Paris

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Androgenic steroids, such as testosterone, may influence the propensity for aggression in both people and animals. Some of testosterone's effects on aggression may be due, in part, to its metabolic products that are 5á-reduced and 3á-hydroxylated to form, 3á-androstanediol (3á-diol), which can also enhance aggression in mice. Notably, alcohol (EtOH) consumption facilitates aggression in people and animals, particularly among those predisposed to act aggressively. In rats, EtOH can increase 3á-diol in prefrontal cortex, which may facilitate aggression. The present work aimed to elucidate the role of 3á-diol for EtOH-enhanced aggression. We hypothesized that EtOH would enhance inter-male aggression, social dominance, …

Comparing Collocated And Non-Collocated Licensed Substance Abuse Outpatient Clinics In New York State : A Program Level Analysis, Bradley R. White

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Objective. The study addresses two research aims: (1) to examine the extent to which caseload and program characteristics differ across substance abuse outpatient programs with respect to collocation with licensed mental health outpatient clinic programs and (2) to investigate the relationship between collocation and program level service outcomes.

Darwin's Other Idea : Sexual Selection, Gender And Violence, Robert Samuel Moschgat

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation provides an empirical exploration of Darwin's theory of sexual selection, which views the male propensity to engage in short term mating strategies--sexual promiscuity and violence--as the result of sexual selection. Within an environmental context, biological father and mother household presence are expected to inhibit the initiation of short-term mating strategies and increase parental investment--paternal and maternal attachments, supervision, and protection. Whereas, structural disadvantage--living in poverty and in dangerous neighborhoods--is predicted to increase the initiation of a short-term mating strategies and compromise the parents' ability to protect their children and by weakening paternal and maternal attachments, thereby increasing the …

The Effect Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Cbt) On Driving While Intoxicated Offenders, Thomas P. Quinn

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Social work research on evidence based practices in the area of driving while intoxicated could add to the development of reasoned policies essential to resource allocation. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to evaluate differences over time in DWI recidivism among defendants with multiple DWI offenses after receiving a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) curriculum. A convenience sample of defendants on Probation supervision with histories of repeated DWI offenses (N = 286; m = 240, f = 46) were referred to the CBT program which was delivered by a clinical psychologist. Major findings included a significant difference at the .05 …

Advice To Rape Victims : The Influence Of Beliefs About Rape And Opinions About Formal Support Providers, Yumi Suzuki

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Despite the abundance of literature discussing rape, only a few studies examined others' influence on rape victims' decisions to seek further help as a remedy for recovering from violent victimizations. These studies showed that the majority of rape victims consulted friends or relatives and that rape victims in fact took this advice for their next action. However, there is a gap in our knowledge about the type and the frequency of advice given to rape victims. In order to add to the existing knowledge, this study examined the factors influencing friends' advice to (1) contact criminal justice professionals, (2) contact …

An Examination Of The Catch Nurture Program In The Treatment Of Children's Mental Health Disorders, Jessica Avart

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

School-based mental health services are in high demand due to the increased prevalence of diagnosable mental health disorders among the pediatric population, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) foremost among them. The majority of research examining school-based services has been conducted in highly controlled settings and there has been a lack of research investigating such services within the actual school environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the Catch Nurture Program, a school-based intervention, in the treatment of school-aged children with behavioral and/or emotional disturbances in the real-world setting. This study also examined the impact of gender and diagnosis on …

Prospective Changes In Attributions Of Self-Blame And Social Reactions To Women’S Disclosures Of Adult Sexual Assault, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Sarah E. Ullman

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

The present longitudinal study examined relations between self-blame attributions and social reactions to disclosure in a community sample of adult sexual assault victims (N = 555). Cross-lagged panel analyses showed that neither characterological self-blame nor behavioral self-blame related to negative social reactions over the 1-year follow-up period. In contrast, characterological but not behavioral self-blame predicted fewer positive reactions over time. Although positive reactions did not reduce self-blame, negative reactions led to greater characterological, but not behavioral, self-blame during the course of the study. Thus, relations between self-blame and social reactions were not reciprocal but rather quite complex. The effects …

Vulnerability And Protective Factors For Sexual Assault, Sarah E. Ullman, Cynthia J. Najdowski

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Approximately 1 in 5 women experience sexual assaults in adulthood during their lives (see Post, this volume, for review), including experiences of unwanted sexual contact, sexual coercion, attempted rape, and completed rape that result from threat, force, or incapacitation from alcohol or drugs (either willingly or unwillingly consumed).

The Impact Of Family, Community, And Resilience On African-American Young Adults Who Had Parents Incarcerated During Childhood, Marilyn Diana Ming

Dissertations

Problem. Parental incarceration affects millions of children, and their numbers continue to rise. By losing their parents, children can be exposed to unique risks, relative to the separation. Many children face family structure disintegration, and this can be so disruptive that their normal development is impaired. Evidence suggests that children are impacted psychologically, socially, and financially. The result is the display of problematic behavior, being aggressive or withdrawn at home and in their communities. The concentration of the incarceration trends seems to be in poor African-American communities. Incarceration has left higher numbers of children without parents, making the collateral damage …