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Emotional Closeness Within Romantic Relationships: Is There Transmission Between Generations?, Mckenna Diane Fey

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

This study tested the existence of intergenerational transmission of romantic emotional closeness using Galovan and Schramm’s (2018) model of relationship flourishing as a theoretical backbone. Romantic emotional closeness in the present study included intimacy (i.e., self-disclosure), admiration (i.e., appreciation expression), and dyadic coping. Couples among three generations from the Panel of Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics (Brüderl et al., 2013) were examined to test whether romantic emotional closeness in the first generation predicted romantic emotional closeness in the second generation, and whether that of the second generation predicted that of the third. Regressions within a partial latent model …

Dissociation And Metacognition: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Richard E. Nalbandian

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Dissociation commonly occurs as a defense against trauma and can be understood as a breakdown in metacognition. The present research investigated the relationship between trauma, dissociation, and metacognition in subjects with PTSD, a trauma-related disorder. Specifically, we investigated a potential inverse relationship between metacognition and dissociation in participants who have undergone psychoanalytic therapy. Participants were patients admitted to the Austen Riggs Center, who consented to be a part of the Follow Along Study (FAS), a longitudinal investigation spanning 15 years. Quantitative and qualitative analyses examined differences in themes of dissociation across initial and follow-up-clinical interviews. Quantitatively, all subscales for metacognition …

Experiences Of Hope, Resilience And Spirituality In Kenyan Children And Adolescents, Anne King

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Resilience is a vital factor in overcoming adversity. The presence of hope and spiritual meaning have been demonstrated to contribute to resilience. Globally, there are millions of children and adolescents who have faced traumatic experiences including, but not limited to, the loss of their parents. The current study explored Kenyan children and adolescents’ experiences of resilience, hope and spirituality in the environment of a group home and school in Kenya. Mixed measures were utilized. Seventy-five participants ages 10-19 years old completed the quantitative measures including the CD-RISC, SEARS-C/A, the Children’s Hope scale, the Adult Hope scale, and a 1-item Spirituality …

Deindividuation In Anonymous Social Media: Does Anonymous Social Media Lead To An Increase In Non-Normative Behavior?, Shayn S. Davidson, Amy Bradshaw Hoppock, Rebecca A. Rohmeyer, Joseph Keebler, Christina M. Frederick

Publications

This research presents several aspects of anonymous social media postings using an anonymous social media application (i.e., Yik Yak) that is GPS-linked to college campuses. Anonymous social media been widely criticized for postings containing threats/harassment, vulgarity and suicidal intentions. However, little research has empirically examined the content of anonymous social media postings, and whether they contain a large quantity of negative social content. To best understand this phenomenon an analysis of the content of anonymous social media posts was conducted in accordance with Deindividuation Theory (Reicher, Spears, & Postmes, 1995). Deindividuation Theory predicts group behavior is congruent with group norms. …

Social Support And Mental Health Outcomes Of Lgb People Of Color, Jessica Ruiz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people of color (LGB PoC) continue to remain an understudied population. Research supports that LGB PoC may experience greater negative health consequences compared to LGB racial/ethnic majority populations. Social support, including family and peer support, is often associated with positive health outcomes for sexual minorities of all backgrounds. The present study sought to evaluate differences between types of social support, including what occurs when one is faced with significant loss of support (i.e., family support). Comparisons between groups sought to determine whether alternative systems of support (i.e., peer social support) buffers against the negative impact of …

Effects Of Violent And Nonviolent Life Stressors Among Urban Early Adolescents: Testing Competing Models Of Comorbid Distress And Externalizing Symptoms, Erin Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The strong association between stressful life events and the wide-ranging spectrum of psychopathology has led some to advocate for the reconceptualization of traumatic stress. There has been a longstanding debate on whether these symptoms are best represented by using dimensional versus categorical approaches. Moreover, further understanding of the risk factors associated with various dimensions or patterns of comorbid emotional and behavioral problems could inform future research and intervention efforts. The current study tested competing variable- and person-centered approaches and examined how stressful life events are associated with different patterns of distress and externalizing symptoms among a predominantly African American and …

Established Adulthood: A New Conception Of Ages 30 To 45, Clare M. Mehta, Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, Carlie G. Palmer, Larry J. Nelson

Psychology

In developed countries, the years from Age 30 to 45 are, for many, the most intense, demanding, and rewarding years of adult life. During this period of the life span most adults must negotiate the intersecting demands of progressing in a chosen career, maintaining an intimate partnership, and caring for children. Successes or difficulties in meeting these simultaneous demands have the potential to profoundly influence the direction of a person's adult life. As such, we believe that it is of critical importance to better understand this developmental period that we call established adulthood. This article provides a new theoretical conceptualization …

Ideological Asymmetries In Social Psychological Research: Rethinking The Impact Of Political Context On Ideological Epistemology, Ingrid J. Haas

Department of Political Science: Faculty Publications

Ideological asymmetries in social psychological research: rethinking the impact of political context on ideological epistemology.

Conclusion

In sum, while I agree with many of the arguments raised by Clark and Winegard (this issue), we should continue to de-bate the degree to which liberals and conservatives are equally motivated by tribalism, especially in the context of contemporary American politics. While there is no doubt that personal political views influence the questions that scientists deem important, I do wonder to what extent the ideological biases recently observed in the field of social psychology generalize to the social sciences as a whole (and …

Asian Elephant Rescue, Rehabilitation And Rewilding, Liv Baker, Rebecca Winkler

Animal Sentience

Thailand has fewer than 10,000 elephants left. More of them are living in captivity to serve the tourist industry under grim conditions than are living free in what is left of their wild habitat. Conservation efforts need to be focused on all surviving members of the species, captive and free, but they need to take into account the inextricable entanglement of human and nonhuman animal lives in Thailand today. There is an opportunity for rescuing, rehabilitating and reintroducing captive elephants to the wild with the help of the traditional expertise of a mahout culture that has been elephant-keeping for centuries. …

Sentience In Evolutionary Context, Jon Mallatt, Todd E. Feinberg

Animal Sentience

We appreciate the goals of Mikhalevich & Powell (M&P) and largely agree with their conclusions but we differ on some of their definitions and terms. Affects (emotional feelings) should be part of sentience. Although the evidence presented for insect sentience is strong, we list some of the counterevidence that should be considered. Our own research supports M&P’s choice of arthropods, cephalopods, and vertebrates as the only sentient organisms with moral status.

Drawing The Boundaries Of Animal Sentience, Walter Veit, Bryce Huebner

Animal Sentience

We welcome Mikhalevich & Powell’s (2020) (M&P) call for a more “‘inclusive”’ animal ethics, but we think their proposed shift toward a moral framework that privileges false positives over false negatives will require radically revising the paradigm assumption in animal research: that there is a clear line to be drawn between sentient beings that are part of our moral community and nonsentient beings that are not.

Whether Invertebrates Are Sentient Matters To Bioethics And Science Policy, Michael L. Woodruff

Animal Sentience

Mikhalevich & Powell provide convincing empirical evidence that at least some invertebrates are sentient and hence should be granted moral status. I agree and argue that functional markers should be the primary indicators of sentience. Neuroanatomical homologies provide only secondary evidence. Consensus regarding the validity of these functional markers will be difficult to achieve. To be effective in practice, functional markers of sentience will have to be tested and accepted species by species to overcome the implicit biases against extending moral status to invertebrates.

Zoonotic Realism, Computational Cognitive Science And Pandemic Prevention, Tyler Davis, Molly E. Ireland, Jason Van Allen, Darrell A. Worthy

Animal Sentience

Using animals in food and food production systems is one of many drivers of novel zoonoses. Moving toward less dependence on animal proteins is a possible avenue for reducing pandemic risk, but we think that Wiebers & Feigin’s proposed change to food policy (phasing out animal meat production) is unrealistic in its political achievability and its current capacity to feed the world in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. We suggest that improvements in communication strategies, precipitated by developments in computational cognitive neuroscience, can lead the way to a safer future and are feasible now.

Covid-19, Evolution, Brains And Psychology, Frederick Toates

Animal Sentience

Attention needs to be directed to the processes that control behavior in humans and the adaptive problems that they solved in our early evolutionary environment. The evolutionary mismatch between the current environment and the human brain can yield important insights into the problems that beset us in the context of environmental degradation and nonhuman animal welfare.

Effects Of Illness Type And Empathy Induction On Illness-Related Stigma In Undergraduate Students, Karlie Hill

All Master's Theses

The current study investigated if increasing empathy would decrease stigma toward populations with illness. One hundred and seventy-nine participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: 1) sexually transmitted infections (STIs), 2) mental illness, or 3) cancer. Participants were primed with either a high-empathy prompt or low-empathy prompt. After reading the prompt, participants read a vignette detailing the experience of being diagnosed with the illness in their condition. Participants then responded to three stigma measures to assess their stigmatizing attitudes toward the person in the vignette with the illness. To test the experimental hypothesis, a multivariate analysis of covariance …

Examining Environmental Use By Captive Lemur Catta And Varecia Rubra, Rhiannon Belcher

All Master's Theses

There are over 100 named species of lemurs, of which 94% are considered threatened with extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They live in increasingly fragmented forests. To understand how best to protect them in their natural habitats, we can observe how they manipulate the environment and how they use objects, both natural and humanmade, around them. Understanding their behavior is a critical component of conservation, and observing behavior in a captive setting allows us to study lemur-environment relationships without disrupting what little habitat is left in Madagascar. In this study I investigated whether the …

Chimpanzee Early Life Experiences And Responses To Caregiver Use Of Species-Specific Behavior, Emily Patton

All Master's Theses

More than 1,400 chimpanzees live in captivity in the US and each has complex social needs. The humans who care for captive chimpanzees occupy a place within chimpanzee social structures and their actions have consequences on chimpanzee behavior and welfare. Two studies compared chimpanzee responses between a condition in which humans used chimpanzee behaviors (CB) and another in which they use human behaviors (HB) during informal interactions. The chimpanzees showed more affiliative behavior during the CB condition in one study and strong individual variation in responses to the two conditions in both studies. Individual variation in adult primate behavior can …

Who Deserves To Be In Stem? How Threat And Confirmation Of The Gender Hierarchy Impact Helping Behavior Towards Prospective Stem Majors, Samantha A. Gnall

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Current events that either threaten or confirm the current gender hierarchy may impact people differently. This can depend upon one’s group membership and their attitudes towards a fair and just society. When people are asked to help others while facing uncertainty of the hierarchy, they may choose to help or lash out in an effort to re-establish the hierarchy or dismantle the hierarchy. STEM faculty were presented with information that either did not threaten the gender hierarchy (i.e., maintaining gender inequality) or that threatened the current gender hierarchy (i.e., reaching gender equality). Participants were then given an opportunity to offer …

Comparative Cognition And Nonhuman Individuality, Catia Correia Caeiro

Animal Sentience

Commentators Washington (2019) and Tiffin (2019) point out that the individual vs. collective dichotomy is much more complex than what is considered in the target article. This commentary will focus on why individuals are more important than collectives. Species differences in cognition and emotional processes and individuals’ feelings and experiences need to be taken into account.

Mood Effects And Individual Differences On Reappraisal And Distraction: An Erp Study Of The Sensitivity Of Emotion Regulation Strategies, Elsa Mastico

All Master's Theses

The present research evaluated the effect of mood and individual differences on the regulatory process of emotions by using a regulation task with negative and neutral images to assess reappraisal and distraction ability. Specifically, this research evaluated the average amplitude of the latent positive potential (latent positivity, LPP) brainwave linked to distraction and reappraisal using an ERP analysis. In addition, the current study compared the modulation of the LPP to the self-reported mood of the participants and their individual differences in regulation ability through scores of a self-report emotion regulation questionnaire. The latent positive potentials from an emotion regulation task …

Separating Rope Strands: An Unraveling Of Shame In Gay Men, Chad Allen Lazzari

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This theoretical dissertation uses self psychology, Lacanian theory, and neuropsychoanalysis to explore shame in gay men and formulate an integrative understanding for how this master affect effects self and psyche for same-sex attracted men. Brief introductions to the theories used are provided with links to existing scholarship that informs theoretical leanings. A scholarly case is made for the significance of understanding the origin and lifecycle of shame, as well the importance of differentiating between early relational trauma shame (understood as an “inside out” experience), and a later, socially informed “outside in” experience. An argument is made for how shame “attaches” …

“Put Your Phone Down, And Say Hi!” Cultivating Positivity Resonance At Ur, Natalie Szumel

Honors Theses

The goal of this study is to advance our understanding of outcomes related to experiencing positivity resonance and additionally to examine the role of technology as a potential barrier to experiencing positivity resonance (PR). I expect to see positivity resonance associated with physical, psychological, and social well-being, while phone use will predict lower levels of positivity resonance.

This study is unique because it focuses on a college campus population and analyses how their well-being is affected by their social behaviors. This study is especially important for a campus like UR given how segregated and exclusive the student population has become, …

Attributions Of Blame In A Hypothetical Child Sexual Abuse Case: Roles Of Behavior Problems And Frequency Of Abuse, Kate Theimer, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Youth who are blamed for their sexual abuse may experience increased negative outcomes, such as amplified self-blame. Similarly, blaming nonoffending parents can impede their ability to support their child following disclosure. Understanding the factors that influence how people perceive victim, caregiver, and perpetrator responsibility is imperative for the protection and treatment of families who have experienced sexual abuse. Little research has explored victim and abuse characteristics that influence the perception of sexual abuse. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine the roles of behavior problems and frequency of abuse in the attribution of blame in a hypothetical …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Rates Among Children In Foster Versus Family Kinship Care, Rashanda Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children in foster care represent a highly traumatized population. However, trauma researchers studying this population have focused primarily on maltreatment rather than the full spectrum of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) attributes and symptoms for children living in nonkinship foster homes versus kinship foster homes. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature, as well as examine the benefits and limitations of children placed in kinship and nonkinship foster homes. Attachment theory was the theoretical framework. The research questions centered on the prevalence of specific types of posttraumatic stress symptoms for a sample of children living …

Assessing Pain-Related Factors As Predictors Of Distress During Transitional Musculoskeletal Pain Experience, Gary Robert Ahlstrom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During people’s pain experience, certain difficulties may emerge within individuals’ psychological and social domains that can confound and exacerbate the frequency of their pain-related distress episodes. Previous research has consistently found psychosocial factors evident during the first months of unresolved pain are reliable predictors of pain chronicity and disability at 12 months. This exploratory descriptive quantitative multivariate study included 2 nationwide online surveys that examined the frequency of moderate-to-severe symptoms of distress within the anxiety-depression spectrum, and the extent that 8 pain-related factors influenced and predicted episodes of anxiety and depressed mood, which included 2 demographic risk factors (age range …

Loneliness, Prosocial Relationships, And Recidivism In Long-Term Incarcerated Juveniles, Amy Rhoads Jozan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prosocial bonds have been key in juvenile criminal desistance. Juvenile facility placement has resulted in deterioration of important prosocial supports and social isolation, increasing risk for recidivism. Loneliness has been increasingly prevalent in a facility setting, often leading to ongoing behavioral and health problems. Youth incarcerated longer than 1 year have experienced higher rates of physical and mental health challenges, lasting into adulthood. Lengthy juvenile incarceration impacts loneliness, postrelease prosocial relationships, and desistance implications have been underexplored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore themes associated with reaffiliation motive, or lifelong problems resulting from loneliness, after experiencing youth …

Clinician Perspectives On Gender Bias In Diagnosis Of Borderline Personality Disorder, Carl N. Modeste

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Healthcare systems across the globe strive to provide equal treatment for all patients irrespective of their status; nevertheless, disparities occur. Gender-based prejudices are present in many cultures and often affect clinicians’ diagnostic and treatment practices. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients represent a category that is more prone to gender biases. With a focus on Canada, this study was designed to contribute to currently limited evidence on BPD gender biases by addressing the knowledge gaps in clinical gender-based studies. The study was an exploration of forensic psychologists’ and psychiatrists’ methodology leading to making a diagnosis of BPD and the factors that …

Expressions Of Sexual Deviance In Black Serial Killers, Lucia J. Weatherall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of Black serial killers (BSKs) has increased, but empirical studies have not focused on this unique population, including their expressions of sexual deviance. The purpose of this case study was to understand the common socialization experiences and the expressions of sexual deviance in BSKs. Two conceptual frameworks were used to identify the concepts to explore: Bandura’s social learning theory of aggression and Agnew’s general strain theory. Data collected came from archival court and police records in Texas. A content-analysis approach was used to analyze the archival data, organized by criminal background, sexual deviance, familial data, and social development. …

Relationship Between Parent Asthma Knowledge, Parental Control Of Child's Asthma, And Parent Qol, Glori Sommerer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The long-term responsibility of caring for a child with asthma can result in parents

experiencing a lower quality of life (QoL), especially if the child's asthma is not well

controlled. Asthma knowledge can enhance asthma control practices among parents.

However, research has not explored these variables together to determine whether

parental control of child's asthma mediates the relationship between parent asthma

knowledge and parent QoL. This quantitative research study explored whether parental

control of child's asthma mediated the relationship between parent asthma knowledge

and parent QoL. The theoretical foundation was asthma self-regulation theory, focused

on the importance of asthma knowledge …

Appealing To Human Intuitions To Reduce Animal Abuse, Yzar S. Wehbe, Todd K. Shackelford

Animal Sentience

Social scientists may be able to find ways to positively affect people’s evolved moral compasses, thereby doing the planet and its inhabitants a great kindness. They could help to shape a constituency that is increasingly opposed to animal abuse in its largest-scale manifestations, factory farming and wet markets. This would, in turn, motivate people to elect ethical leaders who view inaction with regard to animal abuse as a serious moral and medical mistake, if only indirectly due to factory farming’s exacerbation of the threats zoonoses pose to humans.