Digital Commons Network^™

Cults: A Psychological Perspective, Jonica V. Carlton Best

Theses and Dissertations

Cults are communities that are seen as odd or strange. Lack of research done on cults makes it a phenomenon in society. With the help of evolutionary, social, and cognitive psychology, this phenomenon was analyzed and the behavior of the cult and its members were explained. Analysis of cults showed that there is an evolutionary need for them, for they are used as a means for social bonds and resources. Next, the identity of cult members was analyzed using a conveyor belt type method starting with social-identity followed by self-categorization and ending with deindividualization. Cult members then make decisions using …

On The Relationships Among Efl Learners' Willingness To Communicate, Communication Apprehension, Self-Perceived Competence And Emotional Intelligence, Saeed Mehrpoor, Neda Soleimani

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study focused on the relationships among language learners' communication-related variables including willingness to start a communication (WTC), self-perceived communication competence (SPCC), communication apprehension (CA) and different subcomponents of emotional intelligence (EI). To this end a battery of questionnaires (WTC=20 items, Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA=24), SelfPerceived Communication Competence (SPCC =12), Emotional quotient inventory (EQI=133)) were distributed among 340 randomly selected Iranian EFL learners in Yasuj, Iran. Correlation and regression analyses showed that EFL student' EI dimensions were correlated with their WTC, SPCC, and CA. All five EI dimensions were found to be positively and significantly correlated with WTC …

Using Undergraduate Learning Assistants To Aid In Course Redesign, Jeffrey Pavlacic, Megan Culp, Summer Harvey, Christie Cathey, Erin Buchanan

Modern Psychological Studies

Research has identified potential difficulties for students enrolled in large classes. Large classes reduce opportunities for faculty-student interaction, which may predict decreased learning, retention rates, and student performance. It is therefore important to increase opportunities for faculty-student interaction. One successful tactic for increasing this interaction in large classes involves the utilization of undergraduate peers as class assistants. This manuscript describes the implementation of Undergraduate Learning Assistants (ULAs) in large sections of Introductory Psychology at Missouri State University, utilizing data collected prior to this manuscript. Further, this manuscript is a review of the implementation of ULAs at Missouri State submitted by …

Personality Traits, Political Ideology, And Candidate Preference In The Deep South, Cameron D. Mackey, Heidi L. Dempsey

Modern Psychological Studies

Previous studies have shown that disgust sensitivity (DS), right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), religious fundamentalism (RF), and belief in a just world (BJW) are associated with social conservatism and religious questioning (QUEST) is associated with social liberalism. The current study was designed determine whether these personality traits would predict who the student planned to vote for in the 2016 U.S. Presidential primary. Consistent with previous research, DS, RWA, RF, and BJW were positively correlated with social conservatism and QUEST was negatively correlated. Students who were highest on RWA, RF, and lowest on QUEST were most likely to vote for one of the …

Anxiety And Depression In Family Members Of People Struggling With Addiction, Eleanor A. Mcardle, Laura G. Stull, Ph.D.

Modern Psychological Studies

While providing understanding and help for people struggling with addiction is essential, providing the same service for family members who have experienced distress in response to a loved one’s struggle with addiction is vital as well. Therefore, the current research aims to shed light on an important topic that currently has little emphasis, understanding, or prior research: how addiction affects immediate family members’ anxiety and depression levels. It was hypothesized that anxiety and depression would be significantly higher in students who had a family member addicted to drugs or alcohol than those without an addicted family member. These hypotheses were …

An Investigation Of Creativity's Perceived Impact On Psychological Well-Being, Diana-Gabriela Boicu

Modern Psychological Studies

This study aimed to investigate creativity’s influence on psychological well-being, due to identified contradictions in predominantly quantitative previous research. For a greater understanding, a phenomenological qualitative design has been used. Reflecting Ryff’s (1989) Scale of Psychological Well-being within semi-structured interviews, data was collected from 11 art students from the University of Bedfordshire. Inductive thematic analysis revealed the following themes: Creative compass, Social Interactions, Volition, Perceived achievements and self-attitude, Self-efficacy and lifestyle. Positive implications have been found on all dimensions of psychological well-being, apart from autonomy. The qualitative method of enquiry has allowed for an exploration of this effect and of …

To Post Or Not To Post: Perceptions Of Appropriateness On Social Media, Tayler Darr, Scott King

Modern Psychological Studies

This study compares how undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members rate social media posts based on appropriateness, employability, and responsibility. Previous research suggests that students have different views on what is acceptable to post on social media. Student status and age were studied to see if they had an effect on what is considered as appropriate social media posts, with the hypothesis that graduate students would view social media posts more negatively than undergraduate students. 409 participants were given a survey including mock Instagram and Twitter posts relating to alcohol, work, and/or school. Participants rated each Instagram image or …

Factors That Affect Help-Seeking: Examining Racial Differences Between Whites, Asians, And African Americans, Sierra P. Saykeo, Eva Lawrence

Modern Psychological Studies

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that impact intentions to seek mental health services as well as to explore how they may vary based on race. A total of 172 participants were asked to fill out questions that measured variables related to help-seeking. Results indicated that Asians had significantly higher levels of self-stigma, lower levels of benefits of self-disclosure, and lower intentions to seek help than both Whites and African Americans. Multiple regression analyses showed that self-stigma was a significant predictor of intentions for all three groups, while benefits of self-disclosure was only significant for Whites and …

Behavioral Skills Training To Train Teachers To Conduct A Brief Functional Analysis, Rachel O'Connor, Rachel E. O'Connor

All Master's Theses

Teachers are required to be a part of behavioral assessments for children in special education classrooms. Most teachers lack the tools needed to specifically address each child’s individual need appropriately. To assist with this, a brief functional analysis was taught to teachers using behavioral skill training. Using written instructions, role-play, modeling and immediate feedback each of the teachers were taught how to conduct a brief functional analysis. While conducting this, the teachers were able to learn how to identify which function of behavior was providing enough reinforcement to maintain the challenging behaviors. Behavioral skills training was conducted with the experimenter …

An Examination Of The In-Group Hypothesis In Facial Expression Inferences Using American And Indian Samples, Scott Lehrman

All Master's Theses

The relationship between culture and evaluations of facial expressions were assessed using American and Indian participants. Based on Ekman (1972) and others’ (cf. Elfenbein & Ambady, 2002) research that supports general cross-cultural agreement of facial expression evaluation, it was hypothesized that participants will be able to accurately evaluate a smiling face as happy and a scowling face as angry and that American participants would be more accurate overall due to the In-Group Hypothesis (Elfenbein & Ambady, 2002). Results showed that both cultures were able to accurately assess both facial expressions, although American participants had stronger evaluations across personality traits.

Helping Behavior Among College Students Who Experienced Hurricane Katrina, Elizabeth Gavin

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina passed in August of 2015, which reminded many individuals of the devastation and destruction it left behind as well as the increased helping behaviors in the aftermath. Disaster research typically focuses on professional helpers (e.g., first responders including firemen, police officers, paramedics and military personnel). There is less research that examines the helping behaviors of disaster survivors or the average citizens who help in the immediate aftermath of an event. There is limited research that examines the relationship between the type of helping behavior, the demographics of the helper, and positive and negative outcomes …

The Antisaccade Eye-Tracking Deficit As An Endophenotype Of Schizophrenia: Results From A Hypothetically Psychosis-Prone Sample, Elizabeth A. Smith

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Some of the earliest studies of schizophrenia have included observations that cognitive deficits feature prominently in the disorder. Over time, models of schizophrenia development have expanded this idea to note that cognitive deficits actually emerge prior to illness onset and could confer incremental risk in addition to genetic and environmental insults. As such, these deficits may be thought of as an indicator of schizophrenia liability. This concept relates to the theoretical models informing the current study. The first is that of the endophenotype, which was first fully described by Gottesman and Gould (2003). The endophenotype is an indicator of genetic …

Attitudes Towards Dependent Personality Disorder: The Role Of Sex And Sexual Orientation, Brandon Sentell

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Relatively little research has focused on Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) and even less research has examined sex differences, despite evidence of sex differences in prevalence of DPD and evidence that DPD is perceived as a feminine PD. Men who demonstrate DPD symptoms might be perceived as violating the male sex role and therefore risk being seen as more dysfunctional or labeled homosexual. However, there is a dearth of research regarding attitudes towards men with DPD, and no known research investigating attitudes towards gay and lesbian individuals with DPD. Undergraduates ( n = 318) read one of four versions of a …

Comparison Of Empathy, Burnout, And Attitudes Toward Sex Offender Treatment Among Mental Health Professionals, Melanie E. Mivshek

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With a recent increase in convicted sex offenders and mandated treatment for sexual offending there has been an increase in the number of mental health professionals providing this treatment. Little empirical research has been devoted to this group of mental health professionals and how they may differ from other mental health professionals. The present study explored how mental health professionals in correctional settings, community-based settings, and those providing sex offender treatment differ on levels of empathy, burnout, and attitudes toward sex offender treatment. Moreover, the study explored whether there was a relationship between empathy, burnout, and attitudes toward sex offender …

Cognitive Processing Effects Of Natural Elements In A Psychotherapy Treatment Space, Daniel J. Gilbride

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study extends previous research on the inclusion of elements of nature in medical treatment spaces to aid in the attainment of positive health outcomes, as the possibility that psychotherapy patients may similarly benefit from the purposeful incorporation of natural elements into the psychotherapy room has received little systematic study. To test this possibility, participants were randomly assigned to one of two mock psychotherapy rooms: an enriched condition consisting of plants, pictures of nature, and reduced lighting levels, or an impoverished condition containing no elements of nature and bright lighting. All participants completed a structured narrative designed to mimic …

Considerations In The Classification Of Orthorexia Nervosa, Bethany Garcia

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Orthorexia nervosa has been suggested as a new psychological phenomenon in which an individual restricts their diet to consume only biologically pure and healthy foods. Some have suggested that orthorexia nervosa should be considered a new eating disorder. However, it is unclear at this time if orthorexia nervosa is a new psychological disorder, a variant of an existing psychological disorder (such as anorexia nervosa or obsessive-compulsive disorder), or a sub-threshold disordered eating behavior. The present study examined and compared measures of orthorexia nervosa behavior, explored its relationship to other psychological conditions, and assessed how demographic features are related to the …

Differing Impact Of Internalizing Symptoms And Emotional Dysregulation On Executive Functioning Among Children With Adhd, Carrie Lewis

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inconsistencies have been identified regarding the executing functioning (EF) profile of children with ADHD and comorbid internalizing symptoms. Some research has found that internalizing symptomology may buffer against EF impairment among children with ADHD whereas other findings suggest a cumulative effect resulting in greater EF impairment. Similarly, symptoms indicative of emotional dysregulation are often identified in those with ADHD, both with and without internalizing symptoms. However, the impact of emotional dysregulation on EF is unclear. The current study utilized archival data and examined the relationship between internalizing symptoms, emotional dysregulation, and EF among 95 children diagnosed with ADHD through a …

Effects Of Explicit Learning On The Temporal Allocation Of Attentional Resources, Matthew Junker

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Environmental stimuli often occur in temporally predictable patterns. Given the capacity limits of temporal attention and the functional impairments resulting from inattention, it is advantageous to allocate attention to goal-relevant information while filtering out goal-irrelevant information. The temporal dynamics of attention are malleable and change in response to environmental demands. An unanswered question is the extent to which explicit knowledge of temporal patterns moderates the relationship between exposure to these temporal patterns and the ability to selectively attend to goal-relevant information. In the current study, participants completed a Rapid Serial Visual Presentation ( RSVP ) task in which they identified …

Evidence-Based Practices For Autism Spectrum Disorders: Through The Eyes Of Practitioners, Sue Marie Corbin

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to begin the work of closing the current research-to-practice gap for evidence-based practices (EBP) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study looked at the professional wisdom side of the EBPs for ASD through the eyes of the professionals in the field of Education. It provides more insight into how the EBPs are being interpreted and applied with students on the autism spectrum. This descriptive research project was based on the work from National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders (NPDC on ASD) during the years 2007–2012 and compared the answers obtained from practitioners …

8870: Program Administrators' Perceived Challenges Associated With Developing Preceptors, J. L. Rager, J. M. Cavallario, D. A. Hankemeier, C. E. Welch Bacon, S. E. Walker

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: While research has revealed the characteristics, behaviors, and skills that help improve preceptors' success in meeting the objectives of clinical education, a gap in the literature exists as to how preceptors are being developed to ensure they exhibit such characteristics, behaviors, and skills. Understanding potential barriers that prevent program administrators from providing high-quality preceptor development opportunities will help develop future strategies and initiatives that enhance the development of preceptors. Objective: To explore the challenges program administrators (ie, program directors, clinical education coordinators) encounter when developing preceptors for graduate professional athletic training programs. Design: A consensual qualitative research approach guided …

Return To Self: Impact Of Long Term Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation On Community Reintegration, Mary Rowe

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the outcomes of a long term brain injury rehabilitation program and its impact on community re-integration. This unique facility is licensed as a Long-Term Care Facility, able to provide longer lengths of stay to treat medical and psychological needs. All residents of this facility have a diagnosis of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) as well as a mental illness. The mental illness may have existed prior to the brain injury, or may have arisen or worsened as a result of the brain injury.

This program combines traditional rehabilitation therapy (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, …

Prolegomenon On Pornography, Gerard V. Bradley

Journal Articles

Debates about pornography have always included arguments about its “effects.” Now we can gauge the effects of specifically computerized pornography. These novel effects include scientific research showing that digitalized pornography affects the brain and nervous system in harmful ways that no centerfold ever could. Accessing pornography online makes interactive and directive engagement with it possible, so that the consumer is no longer limited to staring at a two-dimensional representation of a stranger in the nude. The action now is more adventurous. The consumer’s involvement is more intimate and directive. What he does lies somewhere between looking at a centerfold and …

The Relationship Between Racing Experience And The Ability To Adhere To A Race Plan, Erika Ackerlund

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Before beginning a race, athletes formulate a plan for how they want to approach the event. Depending on the given athlete and/or race, this plan may be highly developed or composed of vague ideas. Aspects of a race plan may be formulated due to “exercise duration, race dynamics, or environmental conditions” (Wu, Abbiss, Pieffer, Brisswalter, & Nosaka, 2014).

I was curious what factors influenced an athlete’s ability to adhere to a race plan. I believe that some athletes are able to execute according to their race plan in the moment, while others are not. The null hypothesis was that racing …

The Performance Implication Of Obsessive Work Passion: Unpacking The Moderating And Mediating Mechanisms From A Conservation Of Resources Perspective, Dejun Tony Kong, Violet T. Ho

Management Faculty Publications

Work passion is an important determinant of work performance. While harmonious work passion (HWP) shows its consistent predictive value, obsessive work passion (OWP) appears to have a mixed relationship with work performance. To address this puzzle, we integrate research on OWP and emotional exhaustion with conservation of resources (COR) theory. Specifically, we argue that OWP determines emotional exhaustion, whose relationship with work performance is attenuated by leader-member exchange (LMX). By conducting a field study with a sample of 262 U.S. employees, we found supportive evidence, even when controlling for psychological detachment from work. The findings somewhat reconcile the inconsistent results …

Examining The Interacting Effects Of Marital Role Salience And Satisfaction On Mental Health Trajectories Of Female Expatriates, Kaitlin M. Patton

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Expatriate populations encounter significant change throughout their expatriation experience, yet little is known about the individual expatriate’s mental health changes throughout the first year of this process. Even less explored is the impact that marital satisfaction and marital role salience have on the mental health trajectories of this population. Using hierarchical linear modeling, this study examined the mental health trajectories of a cohort of females (N = 32; age M = 38.63, SD = 2.65) moving with their spouses to Turkey. Further, the moderating effects of marital satisfaction (KMSS; Schumm, Milliken, Poresky, Bollman, & Jurich, 1983) and marital role …

What Lies Beneath, Meg Wachs

Theses and Dissertations

What is the very first thing you notice about a person? Appearance? What if the first thing you saw was everything that they were trying to hide? We would see every flaw but we would also see every truth. What Lies Beneath is an exploration of interior and exterior and an exposure to the dark and abject inside all of us; the parts we keep hidden and the things that build up until they have no place else to go. Rooted in an examination of the human psyche, my thesis explores the difference between the facade we project to the …

From Science Student To Scientist: Predictors And Outcomes Of Heterogeneous Science Identity Trajectories In College, Kristy A. Robinson, Tony Perez, Amy K. Nuttall, Cary J. Roseth, Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This 5-year longitudinal study investigates the development of science identity throughout college from an expectancy-value perspective. Specifically, heterogeneous developmental patterns of science identity across 4 years of college were examined using growth-mixture modeling. Gender, race/ethnicity, and competence beliefs (efficacy for science tasks, perceived competence in science) were modeled as antecedents, and participation in a science career after graduation was modeled as a distal outcome of these identity development trajectories. Three latent classes (High with Transitory Incline, Moderate-High and Stable, and Moderate-Low with Early Decline) were identified. Gender, race/ethnicity, and competence beliefs in the first year of college significantly predicted latent …

Emergence Of Stimulus Equivalence And Topography-Based Responding Following Lecture Instruction, Justin Dale Krzmarzick

All Master's Theses

The present study examined the emergence of stimulus equivalence using both selection-based and topography-based tests following a lecture or control condition. This study also evaluated generalization to novel stimuli in both selection-based and topography-based response formats, and evaluated the social validity of the instructional procedure. Twenty undergraduate students who were at least 18 years of age were assigned to a lecture or control condition. Participants in the lecture condition were exposed to a lecture on the topic of generalization. Participants in the control condition watched the video Martin Seligman: The New Era of Positive Psychology that did not relate to …

Influence Of A Post-­Graduate Physical Therapy Residency Program On Clinical Reasoning, Professional Development, And Career Advancement In Nairobi, Kenya, Shala Cunningham

Department of Physical Therapy Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Problem Statement

Residency programs that emphasize clinical reasoning and manual therapy can provide a means to optimize the outcomes of physical therapy without the need for or access to expensive equipment. The residency format of continuing education could allow physical therapists in developing countries access to specialty training and ongoing mentorship. However, there are limited studies that investigate the influence of residency training on the progression of clinical reasoning, professional development, and career advancement.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was threefold. The first objective was to describe the outcome of a post-graduate orthopaedic manual therapy residency program on development …

Impact Of An Exercise Program On Stress, Fatigue, And Quality Of Life For Individuals Living With Primary Immunodeficiency Disease, Kerri Sowers

Department of Physical Therapy Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: There are over 300 Primary Immunodeficiency diseases (PID) that are a result of a genetic or idiopathic dysfunction of any aspect of the immune system. These conditions result in a higher frequency of infections, autoimmune conditions, or malignancies. Moderate intensity exercise is thought to help the immune system, while high intensity exercise may have a negative impact on immune function. The impact of exercise on individuals with an impaired immune system due to PID is not yet understood. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a low to moderate intensity exercise program would have an effect …