Digital Commons Network^™

Mmpi Discrimination Of Incest Offenders : A Validity Study Of The Ic, Sv, And Pe Subscales, B. Joann Scheck

Dissertations and Theses

This study examined the hypothesis that a set of MMPI items could be derived which would discriminate male incest offenders from male alcoholics.

The Assessment Of Software Usability [Abstract], David W. Biers, Samuel M. Bower, Frank J. Dapolito, Donald J. Polzella

Psychology Faculty Publications

The University of Dayton has been exploring the feasibility of establishing a software usability testing laboratory. Usability refers to the ease-of-use of a system, and usability testing is performed to ensure that systems meet the criteria established to determine ease of use. Usability assessment involves both the measurement of user performance and user satisfaction.

The Rise And Fall Of Development, William Kessen

Heinz Werner Lectures

"This is the sixteenth lecture in the Heinz Werner Lecture Series. This series is designed to provide a forum for outstanding scholars who are known for their contributions to the developmental analysis of biological, psychological and/or sociocultural phenomena."

Doctoral Programs In Clinical Psychology Policies And Procedures 1986-1987, Nova University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Parent Perceptions, Gender, And Maturity In College Students, Ruth Cliffer Greenthal

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Sex Differences In Mathematical Ability: An Application Of Attribution Theory Of Achievement Motivation, Suzanne Fechner-Bates

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Long-Term Psychiatric Clients’ Psychological Well-Being And Their Perceptions Of Housing And Social Support, Mary E. Earls

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The present research examined whether quality of housing and quality/quantity of social support were related to long-term psychiatric clients’ perceptions of psychological well-being. The participants were 89 persons between the ages of 18 to 65, who had been hospitalized for psychiatric problems at least twice and who had been diagnosed as schizophrenic, chronic depressive, or manic-depressive. A structured interview schedule was used which incorporated measures of each of the variables. Results indicated that quality of housing was inversely correlated with Negative Affect, but unrelated to Positive Affect. Support satisfaction was negatively correlated with Negative Affect, and frequency of support was …

The Effects Of Expectancy, Task Importance And Self-Attention On Task Persistence, Jim Jewett

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study was designed to examine the relative power of control theory (Carver, 1979) and self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1977) in predicting behavioral persistence. This study employed a 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 factorial design. One hundred and twelve undergraduate females were exposed to high and low levels of self-attention and task importance as well as positive and negative self-efficacy and outcome expectancies. Following failure on an anagram task subjects’ persistence in solving in insoluble design puzzle was assessed. Contrary to the hypotheses, the results suggested that self-efficacy expectancies, outcome expectancies, task importance and self-attention do not influence persistence …

Need Fulfillment In A Christian Setting As A Function Of Life Change Events, Social Support, And Christian Beliefs And Activities, Kathleen Fogarty

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study was designed to examine the fulfillment of specific needs of the volunteers and clients of a particular Christian organization, Operation Blessing, as these needs related to Maslow’s (1954) hierarchical theory of motivation, Alderfer’s (1972) theory of existence, relatedness and growth, and Bradburn’s (1969) affect balance theory. Sixty-five participants, 44 volunteers and 21 clients, completed a questionnaire including the following scales: Life Change Events, Social Support, and Christian activities and beliefs, and Positive Affect, Negative Affect and Purpose in Life. As predicted, the experience of Life Change Events was directly related to Negative Affect and the receipt of Social …

An Attributional Perspective In The Study Of Crime Seriousness And Criminal Sentencing, Bikram Dasgupta

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

There is a need at present to understand the basis of seriousness judgments and the following sentence recommendation with respect to judicial decision-making. The defensive attribution model (cf. Jones & Davis, 1965) suggests that assessments of responsibility are strongly influenced by perceived intent freedom and duration factors, along with the material consequences of act. One’s attitude toward punishment has also been implicated as strongly related to the resulting sentencing decision imposed upon the offender. The role of these factors in seriousness and sentencing respectively was explored in the present research. The study also observed the role of three situational factors …

The Effects Of Training On The Quantification Of Uncertainty, Stephen P. Claxton-Oldfield

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The use of intuitive heuristics has been put forward as an explanation for people’s assessment of probabilities (Kahneman & Tversky, 1972, 1973; Tversky & Kahneman, 1971, 1974). This phenomenon is seen as robust since “experts” (professional psychologists) make use of the same heuristics as “novices” (laypeople), despite having “had extensive training in statistics” (Tversky & Kahneman, 1974, p. 1130). However, replacing probability calculus with heuristics can lead to systematic errors and biases in probabilistic judgments. This study was designed to investigate the effects of statistical training on how people think about probabilistic judgments. Subjects’ knowledge base of probabilistic concepts, as …

Males' And Females' Attitudes Toward A Prospective Social Group Member With A History Of Mental Illness, Kathryn H. Walburn

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Attitudes of male and female subjects toward a prospective social group member who did/did not have a history of mental illness were investigated. The cognitive, behavioral and affective components of subjects' attitudes were measured. Results from the cognitive measure indicated that: 1) Subjects in the experimental condition perceived the confederate less positively on personal characteristics indicative of moral character. 2) Male subjects perceived the confederate as more dependable when she had a history of mental illness, while female subjects perceived her as less dependable when she disclosed history of mental illness. On the behavioral and affective component measures, there were …

An Evaluation Of A Program To Aid Generalization Of Social Skills Training With Grade 3 And 4 Children, Patricia M. Caron

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This research evaluated two interventions for aiding children in the generalization of social problem-solving skills training: (1) social problem-solving training with teacher-student “dialoguing”, peer pairing, and self-monitoring, and (2) social problem-solving training with teacher-student “dialoguing” only. These two experimental interventions were compared with a non-equivalent control group. It was found that both experimental and control groups improved in the performance of social skills. However, there were no significant differences between the two experimental groups and the control groups on measures of social skills performance, behavioral adjustment, self-efficacy and peer acceptance. These results were consistent with previous research in the area …

Process Evaluation As A Research Model In A School Attendance Program, Charlotte A. Gibson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

A preventative one-on-one support program for students identified as “at risk” for school attendance problems utilized university volunteers as support persons, and existing attendance counsellors as supervisors of the program. A process evluation of the program yielded descriptive information on the numerous methods of dealing with attendance in the various Waterloo County Board of Education Schools (e.g. Safe Arrival Program). Results indicated a controversial perception of the Attendance Department and a positive response to the university volunteer program. An unexpected result was that participating area children chose non-school personnel for assistance with problem-solving. There was a positive response to the …

Observational Investigation Of School-Aged Children's Peer Relations, Darcy Milhaven

Honors Theses

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of early peer relations in the social and emotional development of children (Hartup, 1983; Cowen, Pederson, Babagian, Izzo, & Trost, 1973; Roffl Sells, & Golden, 1972). The recognition of the contribution of peer relations to later adult adjustment has lead to a significant increase in the investigation of children's social relations. In particular, three general methodologies have been employed in these studies. First, informant reports with their origin in the sociometric tradition have utilized peer-, adult-, and self-reports to assess children's social reputations, behavioral characteristics, and self-perceptions (e.g., …

Styles Of Leadership : Leader Behavior In A Crisis Situation, Jacqueline J. Delisle

Honors Theses

This study examined leadership behavior in a simulated crisis situation. The subjects were 16 undergraduate students enrolled in a leadership class. Subjects completed a leadership behavior questionnaire, and two leaders were chosen on the basis of their scores. The remainder of the subjects were assigned to groups in a manner which balanced their average scores. The findings indicated that the appointed leaders made significantly less suggestions as emergent leaders arose and gained power. Possibilities for future research were proposed.

The Future Of Elderly Women : Psychosocial Factors Influencing The Aging Transition, Michelle Dever

Honors Theses

In the U.S. today there is an increasing number of elderly in the population. There are over twenty million persons who are 65 years of age and older. It is predicted that there will be over 32 million older Americans by the year 2000. There has been a greater increase in the number of older women compared to men with women having a greater life expectancy also. The effects of aging on individuals and their ability to adapt to society needs to examined in our society today. There is a special need to study elderly women and the difficulties they …

Another Style Of Competence: The Caregiving Child, Carolyn P. Edwards

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This chapter discusses child and sibling caregiving as an opportunity for the learning of nurturance and responsibility. The argument is based on case examples from ethnographic material, that children in multiage dyads or groupings negotiate constantly with one another and thereby reveal their reasoning about rational and conventional moral rules. The observational material is drawn from the work of Carol R. Ember (1970, 1973) who studied children in a Luo community of about 250 people in the South Nyanza district of Kenya. This community, referred to as Oyugis (actually the name of the market town 2.5 miles away, is one …

The Counseling Center As A Healing Community : The Development Of A Model, Talitha Day Fair

Dissertations

In a pluralistic society alternative models for delivery of mental health services are needed to enhance theeffectiveness of professional therapy, to provide appropriate care for persons from various subcultures, and to increase job satisfaction and reduce the level of stress for therapists. This study proposes an alternative modelbased on the concept of a healing community.

Five alternative mental health programs qualifying as healing communities were observed to identify thetherapeutic dynamics in such settings. Communities observed were a self-contained village with mentally handicapped and normal adults, a church that functions as a community, a juvenile center, a self-help group, and a …

The Female Adolescent Incest Victim : Personality, Self-Esteem, And Family Orientation, Don-Nee E. German

Dissertations

Problem. There is a current need to understand and help the female adolescent victim of intrafamilial sexual abuse. The purpose of the study was to identify her personality profile, gain information about her self-esteem, and discover her view of self within her family.

Method. The High School Personality Questionnaire, the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, and the Kinetic Family Drawing were administered to 40 female adolescent incest victims from Michigan to identify a personality profile, level, and factors of self-esteem, and a description of the self within the family. The data were analyzed by univariate, multivariate, and discriminant analysis.

Results. (1) …

The Influence Of Infant Crying On The Developing Mother-Infant Relationship, Nancy A. Ruble

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Working At Home And Being At Home: The Interaction Of Microcomputers And The Social Life Of Households, Jamie L. Horwitz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Not until the recent upsurge of interest in microcomputers and home work has attention been devoted to the household as a setting for technical learning and invention, or organizational and independent work. Drawing upon theoretical implications of research on industrial technology and the household, this study contributes to the development of an empirical basis for understanding the first ten years of microcomputer use at home.

The environmental approach to this psychological study includes two stages. In the first, a survey and content analysis of over 400 articles in mainstream periodicals and national newspapers revealed that since 1976 the representation of …

Adolescent And Parental Perceptions Of Adolescent Self-Disclosure Communication And Relational Satisfaction, Diane S. Lund

Dissertations and Theses

As children approach adolescence, their communication relation&hip with their mothers and fathers undergoes significant transformation. Research has hitherto been conducted on family communication as an isolated variable. This study analyzed adolescent and parental perceptions of adolescent self-disclosure and relational satisfaction by adolescents and parents.

An Attributional Analysis Of Students' Reactions To Success And Failure, Donelson R. Forsyth

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

Like it or not, evaluation is as much a part of education as is learning. In most schools and universities students are regularly tested and evaluated by their teachers, who communicate their appraisals in the form of a grade. When the papers are handed back, the grades are posted, or report cards are sent home, students find out if they have succeeded or if they have failed.

How do students react to these academic evaluations? According to a growing number of studies, the answer to this question depends upon their attributions: students' inferences about the causes of their performances and …

The Genevan And Cattell-Horn Conceptions Of Intelligence Compared: The Early Implementation Of Numerical Solution Aids, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

The Genevan and Cattell-Horn theories of intelligence are compared. The theories are found to be similar in the following respects: Intelligence (operative intelligence and fluid ability) is conceptualized as adaptational in function; the products of everyday learning and crystallized skills reflect the impress of experience; one category of intelligence (operative intelligence, fluid ability) is conceptualized as prior or more fundamental than the other (learned products, crystallized skills). Important differences were also found: Whereas fluid ability is characterized as formless and fixed, operative intelligence is viewed as highly structured and evolving; a compensatory relation between noegenetic crystallized skills and fluid ability …

Stress And Anxiety Levels Of Exercising Versus Sedentary Male Adults, Michael James Hanley

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare stress and anxiety levels of exercising and sedentary male adults at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois.

Forty-four male adults were selected as subjects for the study. Thirty-two subjects were chosen from an Adult Fitness group and comprised the exercising group. The sedentary group, chosen at random, consisted of twelve staff members who were not currently in a regular exercise program.

The Anxiety Scale Questionnaire developed by the Institute for Personality and Ability Testing (IPAT) was used. Using a provided answer key, a raw score was obtained for each participant. Raw scores …

Tutorials For Software : A Comparison Of The Appleworks Software Tutorial With Pre-Entered Data And An Experimental Tutorial With User Entered Data, Toni L. Steil

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The attention directed toward computer software research has been sparse which is quite evident in particular facets such as learning methods, specifically towards tutorials. Some authors have identified various important issues which include cognitive factors, reduction of presentation of superfluous information, and the importance of interaction with software and hardware. The present . study examined two tutorials which were similar except in their level of required user behaviors. Tutorial A required only user manipulation of disk stored data. Tutorial B required the user to enter the data into the computer, design the screen format, and then to manipulate it. It …

Stimulus Control : A Coding Of Aversive Stimuli And Aggressive Behavior, John L. Kinch

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Treating aggressive behavior has been of interest to psychologists, sociologists, and law enforcement agencies for many years. Eron (1983) concluded that research should be directed towards understanding the early determinants of aggression before it escalates out of control. The purpose of the present study was to code aversive stimuli that precede aggressive behavior in boys. The following classes were used: Physically Aversive Stimuli, Verbally Aversive Stimuli, Socially Aversive Stimuli, Frustrating Stimuli, Neutral or No Stimuli, and Arguments. It was believed that particular stimuli would facilitate a greater frequency of aggressive behavior in the subjects. Observation revealed that physically aversive stimuli …

A Sensory Analysis Of Self-Injurious Behavior, Cris Thomas Clay

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The present study was designed to investigate the role of sensory extinction and sensory reinforcement in the moti- vation of self-injurious behavior. The intervention was based on the assumption that each subject's SIB behavior was motivated by the sensory consequences of the behavior. A pre- assessment phase was used to select appropriate sensory ex- tinction devices and sensory reinforcing toys, although no appropriate sensory toys could be identified. Thus, treat- ment consisted solely of sensory extinction using a reversal design. Results showed that the sensory extinction devices reduced tactile stimulation of face slapping and pica for two developmentally disabled adults. …

A Biblical View Of Psychology: A Commentary, Rodger K. Bufford

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.