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A Quantitative Examination Of Alcohol Consumption Motivation Between Fraternity And Non-Fraternity Men, Brinton B. Vincent

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to examine the differences in motivation between fraternity and non-fraternity freshmen males. The researcher hypothesized that there would be no significant motivational factor to consume alcohol among the population and no significant difference between fraternity and non-fraternity freshmen males. To better examine differences, a quantitative study was conducted by surveying the population of freshmen males at a mid-sized, Midwestern, 4-year, public institution. The Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS) was used to measure four types of motivation: intrinsic motivation, external regulation, identified regulation, and amotivation. Out of the 58 participants, 48 surveys were usable (N = …

Behavioral Patterns Of The Cannibalism And Sexual Taboos, Kayla R. Rice

Masters Theses

Previous research has suggested that there may be a connection between the cannibalism taboo and sexual attraction. Specifically, it appears that when forced to choose someone to cannibalize, people choose victims in a pattern that mimics who they would choose to be sexually intimate with. To confirm and explore this relationship, the current study measured sexual orientation and examined whether participants' preferences in who to cannibalize if forced reflected their desired sexual partner. Participants recruited from Amazon Turk responded to forced pair choices regarding either desired sexual partner or cannibalism victims. Targets included all combinations of three variables: Physical Appearance …

Longitudinal Relations Between Parental And Peer Support For Violent And Nonviolent Responses To Conflict And Early Adolescent Dating Aggression, Rachel C. Garthe

Theses and Dissertations

High prevalence and the negative legal, health, and psychological consequences of adolescent dating aggression underscore the need to identify risk and protective processes associated with this type of aggression. Studying dating aggression in early adolescence is important, as this is the developmental time frame when most youth are establishing attitudes, beliefs, and norms for dating behaviors. The current study investigated longitudinal associations between perceived parental and peer support for violent and nonviolent responses to conflict and dating aggression perpetration among middle school students. Participants included 1,399 adolescents (52% female) in the sixth (n = 466), seventh (n = …

The Influence Of Safety, Efficacy, And Medical Condition Severity On Natural V. Synthetic Drug Preference, Brian P. Meier, Courtney M. Lappas

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research indicates that there is a preference for natural v. synthetic products, but the influence of this preference on drug choice in the medical domain is largely unknown. We present 5 studies in which participants were asked to consider a hypothetical situation in which they had a medical issue requiring pharmacological therapy. Participants ( N = 1223) were asked to select a natural, plant-derived, or synthetic drug. In studies 1a and 1b, approximately 79% of participants selected the natural v. synthetic drug, even though the safety and efficacy of the drugs were identical. Furthermore, participants rated the natural drug as …

The Relationship Of Impulsivity To Eating Behaviors And Alcohol Consumption, Megan J. Newkirk

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Previous research has discovered a significant relationship between problematic eating disorder behaviors and alcohol consumption among women. Within this relationship, past studies have found that impulsivity significantly influences the correlation between these behaviors. The primary aim of the present study was to determine if impulsivity influences the relationship between bingeing behavior and alcohol consumption as well as the relationship between purging behavior and alcohol consumption while using a behavioral measure for impulsivity. Participants included 62 undergraduate females who were recruited from Murray State University. The results indicated that there was not a significant correlation between bingeing behavior and alcohol …

Let’S Play! A Study Examining The Acceptability Of Cross-Gender Play Of Children, Angela R. Youngs

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine parental preference regarding their children and gender-specific and gender-neutral toys. More specifically, to examine some factors that may impact parents’ preferences regarding the types of toys their child chooses. The factors of interest used in the present study include general demographics (e.g., gender, age, etc.), gender role perceptions, religiosity, and level of conservatism. Participants were gathered from a survey-taking website. The sample consisted of 88 parents (43 female, 43 male, and 2 who chose not to identify) whose ages ranged from 22 to 62 (M = 31.82, SD = 6.95). Each …

More For Me Or More For You? The Effects Of Power And Resource Asymmetry On Cooperation, Adam W. Stivers

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Cognitive Phenotypes And The Evolution Of Animal Decisions, Tamra C. Mendelson, Courtney L. Fitzpatrick, Mark E. Hauber, Charles H. Pence, Rafael L. Rodríguez, Rebecca J. Safran, Caitlin A. Stern, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Faculty Publications

Despite the clear fitness consequences of animal decisions, the science of animal decision making in evolutionary biology is underdeveloped compared with decision science in human psychology. Specifically, the field lacks a conceptual framework that defines and describes the relevant components of a decision, leading to imprecise language and concepts. The ‘judgment and decision-making’ (JDM) framework in human psychology is a powerful tool for framing and understanding human decisions, and we apply it here to components of animal decisions, which we refer to as ‘cognitive phenotypes’. We distinguish multiple cognitive phenotypes in the context of a JDM framework and highlight empirical …

Cortical And Psychological Mechanisms Of Visceral Pain, Kelly L. Polnaszek

Master's Theses

Objective: Dysmenorrhea is an incapacitating type of visceral pain that affects numerous menstruating women and is defined by painful menstrual cramps and often occurs in the absence of pelvic pathology. Women with dysmenorrhea have reported higher sensitivity to experimental pain, and vulnerability to pain sensitivity may be a primary risk factor for developing chronic pelvic pain for women with dysmenorrhea. Cross-organ sensitization (COS), or the theory that uterine inflammation during menstruation can contribute to chronic pelvic pain by generating neurogenic inflammation in other organs, may be a primary mechanism associated with pelvic pain in women with dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea sufferers with …

Acute And Chronic Effects Of Inhalants In Intracranial Self-Stimulation, Matthew Tracy

Theses and Dissertations

Inhalants are a loosely defined diverse group of volatile substances which people abuse. Despite widespread misuse of inhalants, there are limited preclinical methods available to study the reinforcement-like properties of inhalants. One procedure which has demonstrated substantial promise as a tool to investigate inhalant pharmacology is the intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) procedure. ICSS utilizes pulses of electrical stimulation to the mesolimbic reward pathway to serve as a temporally defined and controlled operant reinforcer with a highly adjustable efficacy. The first aim of the project was to characterize the effects of commonly abused inhalants: including toluene, trichloroethane, nitrous oxide, isoflurane and R134a …

Relation Between Harsh Parenting Exposure In Childhood And Adult Externalizing Symptoms : Moderating Role Of The Autonomic Nervous System, Samantha Aldea Barry

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Though literature suggests that many individuals with childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) report having symptoms of the respective disorder as adults, little is known about potential predictors of adulthood externalizing symptoms. The proposed study examines the impact of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), as measured by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), as measured by skin conductance levels (SCL), on the link between harsh parenting experienced during childhood and ADHD and ODD symptoms during young adulthood. Results yielded a significant two-way interaction between harsh parenting and resting RSA, which significantly accounted for …

The Association Of Internalized Stigmas, Culture-Specific Coping, And Depression In Gay And Bisexual Black Men, Duane Glen Khan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Gay and bisexual Black men experience higher lifetime depression rates than both White and Black heterosexual men. Some social stress researchers argued that this rate may be due to having two stigmatized minority identities and therefore being at greater risk. However, gay and bisexual Black men also experience lifetime depression rates significantly below White LGB people, suggesting resilience to depression for those with these intersecting identities, race and sexuality. This study attempted to address the debate between greater risk versus resilience in gay and bisexual Black men.

Craving In Substance And Behavioral Addiction : The Role Of Emotion Regulation, Natalia Christine Orloff

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Individuals with emotion regulation difficulties lack the strategies to monitor and evaluate the emotional experience, often leading to an increase in efforts to constrict or conceal the emotional expression. Deficits in emotion regulation are associated with an increase in craving for risky behaviors, such as alcohol and internet use. Non-acceptance and impulse control are two domains of emotion regulation that have been linked to behavioral and substance cravings. What remains to be elucidated is whether these relationships are mediated by strategies employed to control the emotional experience. The current study aims to identify whether thought suppression mediates the relationship between …

What's In A Kiss? : The Role Of Kissing In Romantic Relationships, Kristina N. Spaulding

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

A strong understanding of the role of kissing has important theoretical implications; however little research has been done on kissing in romantic relationships. This study aimed to examine the role of kissing in (a) mate assessment, (b) initiating arousal and (c) maintenance of an emotional bond. Data were collected by surveying college students at a public university in the northeast. The first survey (n = 121) examined the memory of the first kiss compared to other sexual “firsts” as well as the relationship between the first kiss and relationship outcome. Memories of the first kiss were weaker than memories of …

Cannabis Users' Experience Of Cannabis Craving : A Test Of The Cue-Reactivity Model, Mallory Jane Eglit Loflin

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Despite craving’s emphasis in treatment programs, little research has been conducted that specifically focuses on cannabis craving. Cannabis use, however, is the second most commonly cited reason for entering treatment for substance abuse and dependency. An understanding of how cannabis users experience craving is necessary. The current study compared heavy/daily cannabis users with infrequent users on measures of craving following presentation of cannabis cues. Hypotheses predicted changes in physiological (heart rate, galvanic skin response) and cognitive (simple reaction time, attentional bias) correlates of craving, and increased self-reported craving following cannabis cue exposure. Results found no significant increase in most indicators …

Evaluating The Immediate Impacts Of Brief Mindfulness Versus Lovingkindness Meditation, Jamie Rae Forsyth

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Although meditation has been around for centuries, it’s only recently that the utility of such an ancient practice has gained popularity within Western psychology. A vast body of literature supports the notion that meditation can have important impacts on suffering and psychopathology; however, few studies have evaluated differential effects between various forms of meditation. The aims of this study are threefold: 1) to determine if a brief meditation can have immediate effects on an individuals’ mood, 2) to determine the validity of two different types of meditations (mindfulness and lovingkindness) and 3) to evaluate the differential efficacy of the two …

Development And Validation Of The Obsessive Compulsive Eating Scale, Martha Niemiec

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Objective: Food cravings are common and have been implicated in eating-related pathology, including binge eating, bulimia nervosa, and overweight/obesity, but difficulties in defining and quantifying the phenomenon of craving are well documented. There has been an increase in focus on the study of cognitive mechanisms underlying craving, in particular the role of intrusive thoughts; however, existing craving measures fail to fully capture these aspects of the craving experience. The present study was designed to develop a psychometrically sound measure of the obsessive-compulsive aspects of food cravings.

School Psychologists' Knowledge Of Adolescent Suicide Myths, Jaime Leigh Savoie

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Suicide is a significant public health problem in the United States and is currently the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10-24. Due to the seriousness and pervasiveness of the problem of youth suicide, schools are being asked to take a prominent role in its prevention. School psychologists are one of the mental health professionals within schools that have an important role in school-based suicide prevention and intervention. However, there are many barriers to school-based suicide prevention, with myths about suicide being one of the most dangerous and significant barrier. The goal of the current study was to …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Clinician Attitudes And Experiences Learning And Implementing Transdiagnostic Evidence-Based Practices For Eating Disorders, Jennifer Marie Oswald

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Clinician experiences with the implementation of new practices are important factors in facilitating the use of new treatment models and evidence-based practices (EBPs). As such, they provide crucial information to behavioral health dissemination and implementation research. Qualitative interviewing allows researchers to learn from clinician experiences with greater depth and nuance. The present study qualitatively analyzed 8 clinicians’ experiences with the implementation of a new transdiagnostic treatment model for eating disorders (ED) at an intensive residential treatment center. Participating clinicians completed a semi-structured interview based on constructs from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), an organizing framework with demonstrated utility …

Asymmetry Between Behavioral And Physiological Responses To Stress In Children And The Role Of Depressive Symptoms, Stephanie Emhoff

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Research indicates that asymmetry between behavioral and physiological indicators of stress is associated with impairment in physical and psychological health, which may be particularly problematic for child development. The present study examines the impact of depressive symptoms on the relation between behavioral and physiological responses to stress in a sample of 49 youth (ages 9-12). During exposure to an in-lab psychosocial stressor, two laboratory personnel coded participant stress behaviors. These behaviors were later categorized into factors through an exploratory factor analysis. To assess for reactivity in physiological stress response systems, saliva samples were collected at baseline and following the stressor …

Exposure To Interparental Aggression During Youth And Internalizing Psychopathology In Adulthood : The Moderating Role Of The Autonomic Nervous System, Alison J. Rivers

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The present study examines the impact of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity, and skin conductance level (SCL), an indicator of sympathetic nervous systems (SNS) activity, on the relationship between interparental aggression exposure in childhood and adolescence and internalizing psychopathology (anxiety, depression symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms) in young adulthood. Participants completed self-report questionnaires regarding youth interparental aggression exposure and current young adult psychopathology. Participants included 188 adults (mean age = 19.45 years old; 72% Caucasian/white; 55% female). Results demonstrate that co-activation of the PNS and SNS in the context of high interparental …

When Arab Girls Break The Rules: A Qualitative Study, Camelia Ibrahim-Nassar

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Much has been written about the social control of Arab girls as one of the parental practices in a collective culture. Most girls are subject to strict rules and modesty codes and only a few dare to confront their culture by breaking the rules and engaging in risky unacceptable behavior. In this study, we interviewed eight such girls to examine why, when, and how they defied acceptable social norms and the consequences they suffered. Interestingly, the experience of risk taking yielded narratives that revealed a search for personal, social, and gender identity and highlighted the effect of the strictness of …

Why Do Cultural Differences So Often Trump Cross-Cultural Invariance?, Ype H. Poortinga

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

In this roundtable discussion I will advocate balancing psychological invariance and cultural variation. There are large and evident differences between the behavior repertoires of human groups. Cross-cultural researchers have endeavored to explain such differences in terms of broad and inclusive sociocultural dimensions, styles and traits. Among other contributions to this roundtable, I will argue that psychological patterning of cross-cultural differences is much less coherent than our literature tends to suggest. Admittedly, this is a serious challenge; if correct, it implies that cross-cultural psychology tends to engage in cultural stereotyping.

Culture + Behaviour + Comparison = Cross-Cultural Psychology, John W. Berry

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

For many years I have advocated the view that cross-cultural psychology should have the following characteristics: it begins with an ethnographic search to select those settings that may provide the cultural and ecological contexts that are theoretically-relevant to the development of the particular behaviour of interest; this is followed by advancing hypotheses that link the context to the behaviour; then fieldwork is undertaken to further examine these cultural attributes, and to carry out the assessment of the behaviour of individuals. These activities are carried out across contexts for three reasons: (i) in order to gain sufficient variation in the cultural …

Identifying Values: Comparing Four Methods Of Values Identification, Emmie Hebert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Values have been described, from a behavioral perspective, as “freely chosen, verbally constructed consequences of ongoing, dynamic, evolving patterns of activity, which establish predominant reinforcers for that activity that are intrinsic in engagement in the valued behavioral pattern itself “ (Wilson & DuFrene, 2009). Emerging research supports the psychological benefits of interventions with a values component. However, there has been little experimental research that explores systematic methods of getting participants and psychotherapy clients to identify their values. This study evaluated four methods of identifying values by comparing within-subject ratings of participant-generated values stimuli. Participants were undergraduate students at the University …

Scrupulosity, Trauma And Disgust, Oh My! Assessing The Potential Relation Between Religiosity, Trauma Symptoms And Disgust, Brooklee Lightsey Tynes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lifetime prevalence rates for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are estimated to be 6% in the general population. In the United States alone, an estimated 5.2 million adults will experience PTSD within the year (National Comorbidity Survey, 2005). However, a much larger number of the population will experience some form of trauma over the course of their lifetime. Research has demonstrated that the development of PTSD may be attributed to some factors (e.g., temperamental vulnerabilities, social ecological factors), which may predispose individuals to the development of the disorder. The purpose of this study was to test the association of moral disgust …

Exaggerated News Headlines And The Continued Influence Effect, Heather Nicole Bliss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Examining Hope And Resilience Among Mississippi Adolescents, Kristie Vail Schultz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hope theory involves the way in which individuals perceive their abilities in relation to three factors: 1) clearly defined goals, 2) the specific strategies necessary to obtain those goals (called “pathways”), and 3) the sustained motivation necessary to use those specific strategies (called “agency thinking”) (Snyder et al., 1991; Snyder, Lopez, Shorey, Rand, & Feldman, 2003). Hopeful thinking is defined as a belief that an individual can find the pathways to reach a desired goal and the belief that one can use those designated pathways effectively (Snyder, 2002; Rand & Cheavens, 2009). Research shows that hope in adolescents is positively …

Cortex Necessary For Pain — But Not In Sense That Matters, Adam J. Shriver

Animal Sentience

Certain cortical regions are necessary for pain in humans in the sense that, at particular times, they play a direct role in pain. However, it is not true that they are necessary in the more important sense that pain is never possible in humans without them. There are additional details from human lesion studies concerning functional plasticity that undermine Key’s (2016) interpretation. Moreover, no one has yet identified any specific behaviors that mammalian cortical pain regions make possible that are absent in fish.

Devaluation As A Strategy To Address Behaviourally Whether Fish Feel, Robert Ian Bowers

Animal Sentience

Failures of behavioural studies to address the question of whether fish feel pain have left scientists arguing on the basis of other criteria, including anatomy. I draw an analogy with a debate concerning the breadth of stimulus-response learning among nonhuman animals and propose an experiment that harks back to one solution to that debate: the devaluation paradigm. By changing the value of a noxious stimulus after training, one can differentiate a directly evoked response from a response to an intermediate representation, the pain.