Digital Commons Network^™

Similarities And Differences Between Heterosexual And Homosexual Couples Based On Marq Data, Kraig S. Shattuck

Wayne State University Theses

There has been a lack of comparative research on homosexual couples, comparing them to heterosexual couples, which is also grounded in solid theory. In order to remedy this, evolutionary theory is used to make predictions on similarities and differences between heterosexual and homosexual couples within three domains, relationship satisfaction, jealousy, and mate guarding. It was predicted that 1) homosexual couples would not differ from heterosexual couples in relationship satisfaction; 2) some gender differences relating to jealousy would be the same and some would be reversed in homosexual individuals; 3) mate guarding would be present, but lower, in homosexual individuals as …

Stress Exposure, Secure Base Scriptedness, Psychosocial Needs Satisfaction And Behavioral Problems Among At-Risk Urban Adolescents, Kelsey Sala-Hamrick

Wayne State University Theses

The adolescent period of development is associated with increases in internalizing, externalizing, and other problem behaviors which are thought to be exacerbated by cumulative risk factors associated with environmental disadvantage. Previous research has demonstrated the associations between both secure attachment and psychosocial needs satisfaction with decreases in behavior problems; however, few studies have examined the relative effects of environmental stress exposure, attachment security and psychosocial needs satisfaction on adolescent behavioral problems. Therefore, this study recruited 106 environmentally at-risk, socioeconomically disadvantaged sample of urban adolescents and their caregivers from Detroit, MI in order to: (1) describe the levels of environmental disadvantage …

Race Ethnicity & Youth Perception Of School Safety, Sterling Jose Jackson

Wayne State University Theses

This study investigates how race/ethnicity, sex, and age influence students' perceptions of school safety. Students' perception of being safe and their concerns about violence while attending school are paramount to academic and social development. In a national survey teens were queried regarding various subject matters. The type of school attended was important within the survey being private, public, and parochial. The findings of this investigation purport that blacks are more likely than whites to be concerned about school violence and safety. Schools with an inability to provide a safe learning environment for students may experience adverse outcomes regarding students' academic …

Effectiveness Of Different Corticosterone Administration Methods To Alter Corticosterone Levels In Serum And Depressive-Like Behavior In Female Rats, Jennifer Marie Kott

Wayne State University Theses

There is wide variation in the current literature on rodent models of high levels of chronic stress. This study aims to reduce these discrepancies by investigating the effects of 3 different administration methods of corticosterone (CORT; the endogenous stress hormone in rodents) and the differential effects it has in the female sex. The majority of studies utilize male rodents, while research in female rodents is largely under-investigated. This study will utilize female rats and 3 different administration routes: a) subcutaneous implantation of a CORT pellet, b) CORT in the drinking water, and c) CORT by a daily subcutaneous injection, and …

Acoustic Cues Of Physical Formidability In Cage Fighters, Stefan Mattias-Maria Goetz

Wayne State University Theses

Across the animal kingdom, the sex that experiences the most reproductive variance tends to evolve sexually dimorphic traits—both behavioral and morphological—which aid in reproduction. Human evolution has been marked by greater male intrasexual selection and as a result, men display a variety of secondary sexual characteristics, putatively serving to enhance biological fitness. Among these, fundamental frequency, closely related to perception of pitch, among men is half that of women. Likewise, monotonicity, that is, variance in pitch across an utterance, is higher in men (i.e., women show greater variance in pitch) while formant dispersion, which gives the voice its timbre, is …

Twin Gestation And Neuropsychological Outcome Of Preschool Age Children Born Prematurely, Jamie Christine Piercy

Wayne State University Theses

Multiples are thought to be at increased risk for developmental outcome deficits in the preschool years, following preterm birth. However, little research has been conducted to determine whether this group remains at higher risk in the age of artificial reproductive techniques and the modern NICU. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether multiplicity is a risk factor for neuropsychological outcome deficits in a sample of 118 preschoolers (49 multiples, 75 singletons) born prematurely (<34 weeks gestation). As predicted, there were significant relationships between multiplicity and outcome measures, however, the direction of the effects were opposite to our prediction, with multiplies demonstrating superior performance. Additionally, significant multiplicity by sex interactions revealed a female twin advantage over male twin and singleton performance. In this preschool age sample, preterm multiples were not at a disadvantage when compared to singleton counterparts, demonstrating either equivalent or superior neuropsychological performance.

A Framework For The Pursuit Of Happiness: Personality As It Relates To Subjective Well-Being, Emma B. Ludlum

CMC Senior Theses

This paper is a framework for the pursuit of happiness. It uses psychological data, philosophical theories, and trends in neuroscience to support the idea that anyone can be happy. It first discusses personality psychology, biology of personality, and the relationship between personality and happiness. From there it explains positive illusions and Depressive Realism to show how one can implement both to increase personal happiness.

The Efficacy Of Online Advertising Modalities: A Prescriptive Model, Marissa Suehiro

CMC Senior Theses

With the surge of technological advancements in the 21^st century, online advertising and marketing has transformed into a multi billion-dollar industry. Nowadays, it is very likely that a company’s success is dependent on the effectiveness of its online marketing strategy. When developing an advertising plan, companies must decide what their unique advertising needs are and use appropriate advertising formats that are most effective in achieving them. Unfortunately, companies often have very little guidance about how to choose modalities for specific advertising goals. The purpose of this paper is to examine the six most widely used online advertising modalities and …

Social Support Networks Among Children With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Laura Hapke

Honors Theses and Capstones

Previous research using predominantly adult populations has found that social support is positively correlated with an individual’s quality of overall health and wellbeing. Given the limited research investigating social support among children, especially children with special needs, the present study explored the social support networks of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Nine children enrolled in an after-school program were observed interacting with others and were interviewed in group discussions about the sources of support they tend to rely on in their daily activities. Preliminary findings suggest that children relied on each other’s for help during the regular after-school …

The Dependability Of Electrophysiological Measurements Ofperformance Monitoring In A Clinical Sample: A Generalizability Anddecision Analysis Of The Ern And Pe, Scott A. Baldwin, Michael J. Larson, Peter E. Clayson

Faculty Publications

Psychometric studies of the ERN, CRN, Pe, and Pc ERPs are increasing. Coherent integration of these results is difficultwith classical test theory because the definition of error depends on the measure of reliability. This study usedgeneralizability theory, which extends the ideas of classical test theory, as a framework for evaluating the influence ofpsychopathology and number of trials on dependability of measurement. Participants included 34 people meeting criteriafor major depression, 29 meeting criteria for an anxiety disorder, and 319 controls. For all ERPs, within-person variancewas larger than between-person variance across groups, indicating many trials are needed for adequate dependability (atleast 13). …

Graduate Bulletin, 2015-2016, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Graduate Bulletins (Catalogs)

No abstract provided.

What Are The Possible Causes For Autism Spectrum Disorder?, Rochel Preiserowicz

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Ever since the mid 1980’s when Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) started to become increasingly prevalent, researchers have been trying to find a possible cause for it. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disorder that manifests itself in children who are between 18-30 months old. People with autism have reduced social skills, and they have a difficult time communicating verbally and non-verbally. Autism is diagnosed through a questionnaire and other instruments that allow psychologists, psychiatrists, speech therapists, neurologists and many other doctors to determine if a child has a form of ASD. There are many theories about what causes autism. It …

Links Among Inflammation, Sexual Activity And Ovulation Evolutionary Trade-Offs And Clinical Implications, Tierney K. Lorenz, Carol M. Worthman, Virginia J. Vitzthum

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Background and objectives: We examined a mechanism that may coordinate trade-offs between reproduction and immune response in healthy women, namely, changes in inflammation across the ovarian cycle.

Methodology: We investigated C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammation marker, across two consecutive ovarian cycles in 61 Bolivian women. Participants provided saliva samples every other day, and dried blood spots on 5–6 days spread across weeks 2–3 of each cycle. Cycles were characterized as ovulatory/ anovulatory based on profiles of reproductive hormones. Participants also reported whether they were sexually partnered with a male or sexually abstinent during the study.

Results: High early-cycle, but not …

From Sex Objects To Human Beings: Masking Sexual Body Parts And Humanization As Moderators To Women’S Objectification, Philippe Bernard, Sarah Gervais, Jill Allen, Alice Delmée, Olivier Klein

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Recent studies have shown that sexualized female bodies are objectified at a cognitive level. Research using the body-inversion recognition task, a robust indicator of configural (vs. analytic processing) within cognitive psychology, shows that for sexualized female bodies, people recognize upright and inverted bodies similarly rather than recognizing upright bodies better than inverted bodies (i.e., an inversion effect). This finding suggests that sexualized female bodies, like objects, are recognized analytically (rather than configurally). Nonetheless, it remains unclear when and why sexualized female bodies are objectified at a basic cognitive level. Grounded in objectification theory, the present experiments examine moderating factors that …

Impact Of Urban Nature On Executive Functioning In Early And Middle Childhood, Anne R. Schutte, Julia C. Torquati, Heidi L. Beattie

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

According to attention restoration theory, directed attention can become fatigued and then be restored by spending time in a restorative environment. This study examined the restorative effects of nature on children’s executive functioning. Sevento 8-year-olds (school aged, n = 34) and 4- to 5-year-olds (preschool, n = 33) participated in two sessions in which they completed an activity to fatigue attention, then walked along urban streets (urban walk) in one session and in a park-like area (nature walk) in another session, and finally completed assessments of working memory, inhibitory control, and attention. Children responded faster on the attention task after …

Racial/Ethnic Disparities In Consistent Reporting Of Smoking-Related Behaviors, Julia N. Soulakova, Huang Huang, Lisa J. Crockett

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study assessed the effect of race/ethnicity on the prevalence of inconsistent reports regarding ever smoking, time since smoking cessation, and age of initiating regular smoking. We used the Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey data, which came from a test-retest reliability study, and considered three racial/ethnic subpopulations, Hispanics, Non-Hispanic (NH) Blacks and NH Whites. Initial exploration of highly disagreeing reports of time since smoking cessation and age of onset of regular smoking initiation indicated that the majority of these reports corresponded to NH Whites. However, the proportion of the extremely discrepant reports was very small (less than …

Adolescent Olanzapine Sensitization Is Correlated With Hippocampal Stem Cell Proliferation In A Maternal Immune Activation Rat Model Of Schizophrenia, Shinnyi Chou, Sean Jones, Ming Li

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Previous work established that repeated olanzapine (OLZ) administration in normal adolescent rats induces a sensitization effect (i.e. increased behavioral responsiveness to drug re-exposure) in the conditioned avoidance response (CAR) model. However, it is unclear whether the same phenomenon can be detected in animal models of schizophrenia. The present study explored the generalizability of OLZ sensitization from healthy animals to a preclinical neuroinflammatory model of schizophrenia in the CAR. Maternal immune activation (MIA) was induced via polyinosinic:polycytidilic acid (PolyI:C) administration into pregnant dams. Behavioral assessments of offspring first identified decreased maternal separation-induced pup ultrasonic vocalizations and increased amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion in animals …

Role Of The Α1 Blocker Doxazosin In Alcoholism: A Proof-Of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial, George A. Kenna, Carolina L. Haass-Koffler, William H. Zywiak, Steven M. Edwards, Michael B. Brickley, Robert M. Swift, Lorenzo Leggio

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Evidence suggests that the norepinephrine system represents an important treatment target for alcohol dependence (AD) and the α1-blocker prazosin may reduce alcohol drinking in rodents and alcoholic patients. The α1-blocker doxazosin demonstrates a more favorable pharmacokinetic profile than prazosin, but has never been studied for AD. A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted in AD individuals seeking outpatient treatment. Doxazosin or matched placebo was titrated to 16 mg/day (or maximum tolerable dose). Drinks per week (DPW) and heavy drinking days (HDD) per week were the primary outcomes. Family history density of alcoholism (FHDA), severity of AD and gender were …

Neuropsychological, Cognitive And Physiological Implications Of Barefoot Running On Working Memory, Shelley Ann Floyd

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of barefoot versus shod running on working memory. I recruited exercise science students from the University of North Florida who exercised recreationally. Participants ran both barefoot and shod while hitting targets (poker chips) on a running track and without targets. I measured working memory using backward digit recall and also recorded participants’ heart rate, speed, and target accuracy. The main finding from this study was that working memory performance increased in the barefoot condition when participants hit targets (poker chips). This result supports the idea that additional attention is …

Parental Self-Efficacy: Development Of A Measure To Reduce Children’S Contaminant Exposure, Lauren James

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Indoor environmental contaminants (ECs) such as lead, mold, mercury, radon, and bisphenol A (BPA) are prevalent in American homes and have dire consequences to children’s development, especially for children under six. To optimize the efficacy of programs aiming to prevent exposure to ECs, it is necessary to investigate parental factors that influence behavioral change. Parental self-efficacy is one such psychological construct which could help explain why and for whom an intervention is effective. The current study presents a measure developed to assess parental self-efficacy for preventing children from being exposed to ECs, the Parental Self-efficacy for Contaminant Exposure Prevention (PS-CEP). …

The Role Of Neurotensin Receptors On Visceral Pain And Activity Levels In Mice., Christopher J. Walker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effects of neurotensin (NT) receptor sites on the sensation of visceral pain. Previous work by researchers has found, through the use of NT analogs, that visceral pain is closely associated with NT receptor 2 (NTSR2). This study tested 70 genetically modified mice. The mice were either missing NTSR1, NTSR2, or were wild-type (WT) mice that were not missing any NT receptors. The mice were injected intraperitoneally with either saline or acetic acid then observed for a 60 minute period and writhing behavior was recorded. Twenty four hours later activity levels were recorded in the open field …

Self-Monitoring And Romantic Relationships: Individual Differences In Romantic Jealousy, Tiffany Lucille Andolina

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To extend the research on self-monitoring and romantic relationships, we explored the connection between self-monitoring and romantic jealousy using a between-subjects design. We hypothesized high self-monitors (like men) would find sexual infidelity more distressing than emotional infidelity, whereas low self-monitors (like women) would find emotional infidelity more distressing than sexual infidelity. Participants completed the 25-item Self-Monitoring Scale (Snyder, 1974) and 6 hypothetical infidelity scenarios (Buss et al., 1999). To statistically control for third variables, participants also completed the 11-item Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (Gangestad & Simpson, 1991). Although we found a main effect for self-monitoring in romantic jealousy, these results did …

The Precebo Illusion Of Pain Analgesia Using The Cold Pressor Task, Man Chun Kam

Bachelor of Social Sciences – Senior Theses

Everybody feels physical pain at some time in their life. Although physical pain can protect us from seriously harming ourselves, pain can also be harmful. Studies have revealed that unrelieved pain can have a long lasting harmful effect on both physical and psychological health (Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, 2006). Therefore, pain analgesia has long been an important issue in various fields, such as medical, biological and psychological field. In the current study, pain analgesia was studied through a psychological phenomenon called precebo illusion.

An Interview With Three Deaf Lesbians: Intersectionality And Saliency Of Identity Variables, Amanda L. Schaad

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

LGBQ and Deaf communities have experienced parallel histories of oppression, medicalization, and discrimination that results in poor access to sexual health information and support around sexuality. Moreover, when the two identities intersect the impacts are magnified. Both populations experience vulnerabilities to sexual abuse, and inadequate sexual health information and /or sex education, compared to the majority population. Therefore, there needs to be a better understanding of their experiences with sex education and how mental health services could be helpful, particularly when these identities intersect. The aim and purpose of this study was to explore the interaction between LGBQ (Lesbian, Gay, …

Positive Youth Development In Tanzanian Youth: Utility Of The Developmental Assets Approach, Christopher Fox Drescher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Researchers and practitioners are increasingly interested in positive youth development (PYD), an approach that emphasizes the competencies, strengths, and responsibilities of youth from all backgrounds. This paradigm may be especially useful in research with international youth given the paucity of research on international populations and the stigma surrounding research that focuses on deficits and problem behaviors. I explore youth's developmental strengths using one PYD measure, the Developmental Assets Profile (DAP), within a diverse, national sample of Tanzanian youth. The DAP Total score, Internal and External Assets, and Context Areas all displayed acceptable internal consistencies (.94 ≥ &agr; ≥ .74). Internal …

Attentional Bias Toward Pain-Related Pictorial Stimuli Among Individuals With Migraine Following Negative Mood Induction, Michael James Mcdermott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Migraine is associated with significant reductions in daily functioning and quality of life and is the 19th largest cause of disability globally. The fear-avoidance model of chronic pain details potential pathways for the development of pain disability and affective distress and provides a platform for understanding the dynamic relationship between psychological factors and migraine. Consistent with the fear-avoidance model, a growing body of research provides support for the role of selective attentional biases toward threat-related stimuli among chronic pain patients. However, the few studies to examine the role of selective attentional biases in migraine demonstrate mixed findings, and the exact …

The Anxiolytic Effects Of Self-Selected Music Among Primary Care Patients, Jennifer West-Gavin

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The primary care setting is commonly referred to as the first line of medical treatment sought for health related services. Anxiety is one of the most frequently encountered mental health issues in primary care. The purpose of this study was to examine the level of state anxiety experienced among primary care patients, attending for routine and nonroutine appointments; its further purpose was to examine if self-selected relaxing music accounts for the greatest reductions in state anxiety among primary care patients, as compared with investigator-selected (classical) music, audio commercials, or no music. Patients included a primarily underserved primary care population between …

The Relationship Between Parenting Style And The Level Of Emotional Intelligence In Preschool-Aged Children, Giselle Farrell

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between parenting style and the level of emotional intelligence in preschool-aged children. The sample consisted of eighty parent participants of preschool-aged children between the ages of 3 and 6 years old. Participants completed the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ) in order to assess their views on behaviors that parents typically demonstrate towards their children. Based on each participant’s responses on the PSDQ they were determined to favor one of the following three parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, or permissive. Participants also completed the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire- Very Short Form (CBQ-VSF) …

Siblings Of Children With Long Qt Syndrome: Relationships And Coping, Courtney Mccuen-Wurst Ms, Lcsw

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a congenital heart disorder, usually diagnosed in childhood, that may lead to cardiac arrest, seizures, syncope, and sudden death. The birth of a child with LQTS, as well as the social, physical, and psychological functioning of the affected child, can have a significant impact on the family. The family stress associated with having a child with any disability or chronic illness is likely to affect the lives of siblings. The lack of research on the effects of having a sibling with long QT syndrome on individuals who do not have LQTS provided the rationale for …

The Development And Tryout Of A Program Designed To Increase Students' Multiplication Fact Fluency, Linton D. Williams

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Fluency skills are fundamental to the ability to complete relatively more complex problems using less mental energy. Most math curriculums do not stress the importance of automaticity of math facts. Variations in teaching styles and teaching modality seem to negate the true purpose for cementing and rapidly retrieving math facts. This study put to the test a program that was designed to increase students’ ability to retrieve multiplication facts fluently. The program exercised cognitive structures and enabled students to retrieve multiplication facts quickly. The results of a matched-pairs t-test indicated that after the students completed the course of the program, …