Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Tempers Rising: The Effect Of Heat On Spite, Jake C. Cosgrove

Master's Theses

The relationship between heat and harmful outcomes is well documented, with research connecting various adverse economic outcomes to the climate. In the presence of increasing global warming and climate change, understanding why the climate leads to negative economic outcomes is essential for forming peaceful institutions of the future. We study how behavioral economic outcomes change in the presence of heat through a lab experiment involving 1,110 observations conducted in five different countries. This paper specifically focuses on the social preference outcome of spite. We find that increased time exposure to the treatment effect of heat is required to elicit an …

Healing Sanctuary, Kammy Downs

Master's Theses

The natural world has hidden wisdom and resources that are disregarded as we misuse our responsibility to care for them. The benefits of being in tune with nature have been traded for a culture that manipulates nature on the altar of expediency, waste, and unquenchable desire. Healing Sanctuary presents a duality. My work speaks about the relationship between the seen and unseen, represented by ten larger-than-life drawings of medicinal herbal plants that have had a profound physical healing effect on me. At the same time, plants, roots, and seeds create visceral metaphors for mental health. Our accomplishments, outlook on life, …

Emotion And Cognition Analysis Of Intro And Senior Cs Students In Software Engineering, Justin Evans

Master's Theses

he software engineering community has advanced the field in the past few decades towards making the software development life cycle more efficient, robust, and streamlined. Advances such as better integrated development environments and agile workflows have made the process more efficient as well as more flexible. Despite these many achievements software engineers still spend a great deal of time writing, reading and reviewing code. These tasks require a lot of attention from the engineer with many different variables affecting the performance of the tasks. In recent years many researchers have come to investigate how emotion and the way we think …

An Interdisciplinary Approach: Schizophrenia Derails Heteronormative Expectations In Psychological Narratives 2021, Bobbie Jo Weaver

Master's Theses

Required introductory psychology courses teach students a general and oversimplified version of the immense number of subfields within Psychology studies, much like introductory literature classes compress different genera throughout history into a miniscule number of “representative” texts. Nevertheless, these footholds generate an entryway into a whole new world of (specialized) exploration. Reading a text such as The Quiet Room: A Journey out of the Torment of Madness by Lori Schiller and Amanda Bennett provides a window for many students to crawl into one of Psychology’s darkest shadows, the field of abnormal psychology. Schiller’s non-fictional memoir, The Quiet Room, tells readers …

Envrment: Investigating Experience In A Virtual User-Composed Environment, Matthew Key

Master's Theses

Virtual Reality is a technology that has long held society's interest, but has only recently began to reach a critical mass of everyday consumers. The idea of modern VR can be traced back decades, but because of the limitations of the technology (both hardware and software), we are only now exploring its potential. At present, VR can be used for tele-surgery, PTSD therapy, social training, professional meetings, conferences, and much more. It is no longer just an expensive gimmick to go on a momentary field trip; it is a tool, and as with the automobile, personal computer, and smartphone, it …

Posture Affects Affordance Perception Of Reachability In Virtual Reality, Hannah Masoner

Master's Theses

Tasks such as standing and reaching require differing levels of postural stability. Postural equilibrium is necessary to perceive the location of objects (Lee, Pacheco, & Newell, 2018). Visual perception of whether an object is within reach was investigated while standing upright. Participants viewed a 3D virtual reality (VR) environment with a stimulus object (red ball) placed at different egocentric distances. Participants made affordance judgements while in a standard stance condition as well as two separate active balance conditions (yoga tree pose, and toe-to-heel pose). Feedback on accuracy was not provided, and participants were not allowed to attempt to reach. Response …

Pain And Academic Performance In Youth With Spina Bifida: The Mediating Role Of Neuropsychological Functioning, Diana Margaret Ohanian

Master's Theses

Objective: The current literature has identified few modifiable condition parameters associated with academic performance in youth with spina bifida (SB). Nevertheless, youth with SB are more likely to struggle academically than their typically developing (TD) peers. Therefore, identifying areas for clinical intervention is paramount. Pain, an understudied secondary condition in youth with SB, has been found to be associated with poorer academic performance in TD youth. Further, neuropsychological functioning has been found to be both negatively associated with pain and positively associated with academic outcomes. The aims of this study were to examine (1) the relationship between pain and academic …

The Effects Of Superordinate Identity Recategorization And Social Value Orientation On Ethical Decision-Making In A Business Dilemma, Thomas Steven Colville

Master's Theses

The purpose of the present study was to investigate potential solutions to the prevalence of unethical behavior in groups, specifically through the use of superordinate recategorization. Superordinate recategorization allows group members to feel an affinity with others not typically included in their in-group. This should promote ethical decision-making by enabling the inherent in-group favoring tendencies found in groups to be extended to a more inclusive category. In the context of the present study, the ethicality of participants' behavior in the Panalba scenario was determined by their choices on a 1 to 6 scale from least to most ethical. Additionally, participants’ …

The Effect Of Descriptive Norms On Resistance Exercise Self-Efficacy In College-Aged Females 2016, Justin Kompf

Master's Theses

Resistance training is a form of physical activity that provides substantial health benefits. Despite these widespread benefits, participation in resistance training is considerably low, particularly among females. To engage in a skill-related activity such as resistance training, individuals need to have confidence in their abilities. Self-efficacy is a cognitive construct that is used to describe situation-specific self-confidence. Descriptive norms are a type of social norm that describes the behavior of others. Descriptive norms have been useful in positively changing health related behaviors. The exact mechanism of how descriptive norms alter behavior is unknown. However, it has been show in research …

An Investigation Of Aerobic Fitness, Perceived Quality Of Life And The Direct Effects Of Self-Determination Theory In College Students 2015, Alanna Darling

Master's Theses

There have been numerous studies examining the association between physical activity, motivation and quality of life. In contrast, studies focusing on aerobic fitness and its relationship with levels of motivation and perceived quality of life are lacking. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a direct measure of aerobic fitness, behavioral regulations, and perceptions of quality of life in college-aged sample. Participants included both males (n=129; 21.1±1.8 years) and females (n=89; 20.8±1.4 years) who completed the Behavioral Regulations of Exercise Questionnaire-2 sub-scores and Perceived Quality of Life (PQoL) instruments. Participants then performed the Queen’s College Step …

Personality And Relational Aggression In College Students: The Role Of Social Anxiety And Rejection Sensitivity, Daniel Locke Deason

Master's Theses

Relational aggression involves the intentional infliction of harm via damaging one’s relationships or sense of belonging. Previous research suggests that relational aggression among children and early adolescents is correlated with social ostracism, poor psychological adjustment, anxiety, and depression in victims, and there is increasing evidence that many of these correlates apply to relational aggression among older adolescents and emerging adults. Efforts to identify predictors of relational aggression are underway; however, many variables which have been influential in understanding other forms of aggression have not yet been examined. The Five Factor Model (FFM) of personality is one example, as it has …

The Effects Of The Tootling Intervention Using Daily Reinforcement, Melissa Bryanne Mchugh

Master's Theses

The current study was designed to replicate and extend the literature on the effectiveness of a classroom intervention known as Tootling (Skinner, Skinner, & Cashwell, 1998) in decreasing disruptive classroom behavior as well as increasing academically engaged classroom behavior. Tootling is a strategy that encourages and prompts students to report instances of their peers’ positive behaviors. Thus far, only three studies have utilized direct observation data for disruptive behavior during Tootling (Cihak, Kirk, & Boon, 2009; Lambert, 2012, 2014). To extend the research on Tootling, direct observation data of disruptive and academically engaged behaviors were collected on both entire classes …

Narrative Abilities Of Optimal Outcome Children And Adolescents With A Previous History Of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Joyce Suh

Master's Theses

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) have traditionally been considered a lifelong condition; however there appear to be a subset of people who make such significant improvements that they no longer meet diagnostic criteria for autism. The current study examines whether these “optimal outcome” (OO) children and adolescents continue to have subtle language and socio-cognitive deficits. Method: The narratives of 15 children and adolescents with a history of ASD who achieved optimal outcomes (OO), 15 high-functioning children and adolescents with a current ASD diagnosis (HFA), and 15 typically developing peers (TD) were evaluated. Results: OO children and adolescents have few residual …

Predicting Exercise Adherence In College Students Using A Self-Determination Theory Framework, Megan M. Clarke

Master's Theses

College is a pivotal time for weight gain and unhealthy behavior changes in many young adults. Decreases in physical activity are common in this age group and likely contribute to the 1.6 to 1.8 kg weight gain that is often observed in the first year of college. Identifying groups of students who are at high-risk for decreasing or discontinuing physical activity may help develop more targeted interventions. The present study explored physical activity patterns in the first semester of college and examined predictors of exercise decreases to levels below recommended daily values within a Self-Determination Theory framework. Incoming freshman (n=174; …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Effects Of Dragon Boating On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Female Cancer Survivors, Clara Therese Louise Vanherweg

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the effects of dragon boat participation on the psychosocial well-being of female cancer survivors over time and compared with the population-based norms. Nine female cancer survivors belonging to the dragon boat team, SurvivOars, participated in the initial measurement process. The measurement packet was 21 page compilation of psychosocial questionnaires capturing demographics, quality of life, moods, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, self-esteem, self-efficacy, social support, physical activity levels, body image, and sedentary behaviors. After 8 weeks, 8 subjects completed the same follow-up questionnaire to assess changes in psychosocial variables over time. Scores were …

Self-Efficacy And Performance Of Younger And Older Adults In Verbal, Reasoning, And Spatial Domains, Judy L. Thompson

Master's Theses

Age-related decline in intellectual abilities is domain-specific; that is, whether older adults show decreased intellectual performance depends on the type of ability being assessed (Foster & Taylor, 1920; Horn & Cattell, 1967; Kaufman, Reynolds & McLean, 1989; Sattler, 1982). Specifically, verbal abilities tend to decrease with older age (Botwinick, 1977; Cornelius, 1984; Horn & Cattell, 1967; Lachman & Jelalian, 1984). This prevalent finding has been labeled the "classic aging pattern" (Botwinick, 1977). Beyond mere descriptions, however, researchers have begun addressing explanatory mechanisms that underlie age patterns of intellectual decline, maintenance, and growth. What factors might mediate age-related decline on certain …

Psychological Types And Temperaments: A Correlational Study Using The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator And The Temperament Inventory, Ronda F. Daugherty

Master's Theses

Problem

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant relationship between the construct of psychological types, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and temperaments, as measured by the Temperament Inventory (TI).

Method

A non-random sample of 113 individuals completed a demographic questionnaire, the MBTI, and the TI. The results of each preference score of the MBTI and the scores on each of the four temperaments from the TI were compared using a canonical correlation analysis.

Results

There is a significant relationship between the MBTI's psychological types and the TI's temperaments. A preference for …

Mutuality And Intimacy In Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Normal Boys' Friendship Relations, Anna Loring Tyler

Master's Theses

The present study explored both the frequency and patterns of affective expression, play duration, and communicative exchange among dyads of boys diagnosed with ADHD with their friend. As expected, few significant differences between the two groups were revealed through frequency analyses, but interesting findings resulted from the examination of the patterns of behaviors (through sequential analyses). Overall, the results supported the hypothesis of less mutuality and intimacy in the friendships of boys diagnosed with ADHD. The boys in the ADHD/friend dyads were found to spend more time in nonassociative play during free-play and to be less likely to return to …

Stress Coping Abilities Of Individuals High And Low In Social Anxiety, Rita Marie Wittmer

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of socially anxious persons' tendencies to cope with social stress and to examine the differences in the coping abilities of i ndividuals high and low in social anxiety. The differential coping potential of the cognitive coping technique reversal of affect was tested.

Sixty four {32 control, 32 treatment) college students participated in the pretest and posttest of the experiment in which they self-disclosed information in a stressful situation. Self-report, physiological and behavioral measures of anxiety were recorded. Subjects in the treatment group received the coping skills training to deal with …

Number Conservation As Related To Type Of Transformation, Marsha Taliaferro Will

Master's Theses

In order to assess the negative effects of color, size, shape, and spacing (length) transformations on conservation judgements sixty-four 3, 4, 5, and 6 year old children were tested on four Piagetian type conservation of number tasks each containing one reversible color, size, shape or spacing transformation. Order of transformation presentation was counterbalanced and number of objects used per transformation were varied from 3 to 5 to 7 to 9. Results show that spacing (when compared to color, size and shape) is a prepotent cue for non-conserving 3, 4, and 5 year olds but not for 6 year olds. Results …

Sequential Processing Deficits In Reading Retardation, Sara Gambrell Tarver

Master's Theses

Doehring (1968) hypothesized that a basic sequential processing deficit underlies specific reading disability. To investigate sequential processing deficits in reading retardation, four tasks involving the reproduction of stimuli in a particular sequence were administered to a group of retarded readers and a group of normal readers matched on age, sex, race, educational opportunity, sociocultural environment, and Non-Language IQ on the CTMM. The normal readers were significantly superior to the retarded readers on the four sequential processing tasks and on two other tests, vocabulary and rhyming. The two groups did not differ significantly on reversals discrimination, perceptual speed, or cumulative learning. …

Partial Reinforcement With A Small Number Of Acquisition Trials : The Effects Of Reward Technique, Samuel Joseph Thios

Master's Theses

There have been a number of investigators who have noted superior resistance to extinction of a runway locomotion response by rats which were trained under partial reinforcement schedules as compared with rats trained under continuous reinforcement schedules (e.g., Logan, Beier & Kincaid, 1956; Weinstock, 1954; Badia, 1965; McCoy & Marx, 1965; Black & Spence, 1965).

The present experiment, involving four acquisition trials and nine extinction trials, was designed to investigate the influence of reward technique in an experimental context which systematically examined the effects of thwarting and nonthwarting reward techniques.

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Moderator Variables Developed By Three Techniques, James Porter Tucker Jr.

Master's Theses

In a recent article, Hobert and Dunnette (1967) maintained that compared to the Absolute-difference and Algebraic-difference techniques Quadrant Analysis should yield the more effective moderators. Their assertion was based on the reasoning that more homogenous subgrouping should yield moderators with increased sensitivity to error. The present study was carried out as an empirical investigation of their assertions. Further, the design of the study permitted an investigation of moderator function.

The total sample (n=333) of male college students was randomly divided into a developmental sample and a cross-validation sample. Employing the aforementioned techniques a total of five moderator scales were developed …

The Effects Of Readership Selectivity On The Reading Of Controversial Material Dealing With The Reader's Personal Prejudices : A Test Of The Theory Of Cognitive Dissonance, John Marshall Tucker

Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to test the theory of cognitive dissonance as it relates to a reader's selectivity in reading controversial material involving his personal prejudices or attitudes. Festinger states that forced or accidental exposure to new information which tends to increase dissonance will frequently result in misinterpretation and misperception of the new information by the individual thus exposed in an effort to avoid a dissonance increase. Therefore, cognitive dissonance theory would predict that a person's prejudiced attitude would negatively effect his reading comprehension on material which was disharmonious with his attitude. The dissonance situation examined here is …

The Relative Efficacy Of Selected Drugs Upon The Physical Activities And The Attention Span Of A Ten Year Old Brain-Damaged Child, Ruth Elaine Atkinson

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative efficacy of selected drugs in reducing the hyperactivity end increasing the attention span of a ten-year old child who had been medically diagnosed as having brain damage.

The evaluation of the effects of three drugs, Chlordiazepoxide (librium), Fluphenasine Hydrochloride (Prolixin), Thioridazine (Mellaril), and a combination of Mellaril and Methylphenidate Hydrochloride (Ritalin), was made by a psychiatrist after consideration of (1) written observations of the child’s school activities during a two-hour period, (2) a tabulation of data based on the observations, (3) reports made by the parents and teacher of the …

Construction And Validation Of A Forced-Choice Scale For Rating Clinical Performance Of Physical Therapy Students, Margot Trimble

Master's Theses

One of the major objectives of education in the profession of physical therapy is to prepare the student to adequately perform in a clinical setting. A part of the education of each physical therapy student is devoted to full-time clinical experience under the supervision of qualified therapists. These therapists, designated as clinical supervisors or clinical instructors, are faced with the problem of evaluation of each student's performance during the period of clinical education. The problem of providing valid evaluation of clinical performance by a student is one common to many professions. It is not unlike the problem faced by many …

Modern Concepts Of Mind And Body In The Light Of The Teaching Of The Bible And The Writings Of Ellen G. White: A Comparative Study, Mabel Klopfenstein Gill

Master's Theses

The purpose of this Study la to compare the conclusions of modern psychology and present-day medical understanding with what has been written by Mrs. Ellen G, White cm the subject of the relation of mind and body. Texts of Scripture and Bible examples will also be used. Much material has cone into existence since the volumes of Mrs, White's writings appeared, yet the principles they portray are as up-to-date and as applicable as those In current literature* This author also points out warnings and dangers which apply to present principles of psychology.

The study of this subject is Important because …

Predictive Measurements Of College Success : A Study Of The Relationship Between The Freshman Testing Program And College Success At The University Of Richmond, Walter Nelson Taylor

Master's Theses

The writer undertook this study with several objectives in view. Primarily it was desired to study the exact statistical relationship between academic success at University of Richmond and each of several scores obtained in the freshman testing program. More specifically, it was desired to check the predictive ability of: (1) the "Q" or quantitative score, (2) the "L" or linguistic score, (3) the "T" or total score, (sum of "Q" and "L" scores) obtained from the American Council on Education Psychological Examination for College Freshmen.

In addition to this, it was desired to compute the validity coefficient for another test …