Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

The Role Of The Basolateral Nuclear Complex & Central Nucleus Of The Amygdala In Fear-Conditioned Responses To External Stimuli And Anxiety Responses, Oluwaseyi A. Adelakun

Senior Theses

This thesis reviews the role of the amygdala, particularly the basolateral nuclear complex (BLA) and central nucleus (CeA), in fear-conditioned responses and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). By investigating the neurological and physiological mechanisms that influence the amygdala’s fear and anxiety responses, further connections can be made between this region and other notable brain regions, like the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We review both human and rodent models to explore the overlap between the two and explore various therapeutic interventions that regulate amygdalar activity and therefore mitigate anxiety symptoms. Key research into the patient SM, who lacks fear responses due to bilateral …

Emotional Display Rules Of Deaf Culture, Nicholas M. Gala, Lawrence Pick

JADARA

Emotional display rules refer to the expression of culturally prescribed and socially acceptable emotions across different people and situations (Wu & Schulz, 2020). The display rules among hearing adults across several cultures are well defined and depend on the type of emotion, the individuals involved in the exchange, and the situation. Regarding Deaf culture in the United States, this minoritized group may follow unique display rules (Hosie et al., 2000), but there has been almost no research conducted with this population and the existing studies have focused on youth. The present study explores perceived emotional expressions among a sample of …

Reclaiming Healing Spaces: A Phenomenological Study On The Transformative Power Of Outdoor Therapy From The Lived Experiences Of Black Clinicians Working With Black Clients, Lynn Murphy

Dissertations

This phenomenological study involved assessing the experiences of Black therapists who engaged Black clients in outdoor therapeutic contexts. The study was founded on the existing literature that shows the quality of the therapeutic relationship is pivotal for client retention and the Western standards that have historically favored treatment within indoor environments. To contextualize this research, a comprehensive literature review was commenced, covering topics such as the decolonization of therapy, the historical and present-day relationship between Blacks and the outdoors in the United States, sedentary lifestyles, the psychological benefits of time spent in nature, various types of outdoor therapy, and the …

General Psychology 2e, Will Stutterheim

All Open Educational Resources

General Psychology 2e offers an insightful exploration into the complexities of the field of psychology and all that it has to offer. This book provides a thorough introduction to the foundational principles of psychology, covering essential theories, research findings, and applications that illustrate the intricate workings of the mind.

The text begins with a historical overview of psychology, tracing its evolution from philosophical roots to its establishment as a scientific discipline. It then delves into essential topics regarding stress and mental health disorders and concludes with therapy and treatment approaches. It then covers research in psychology, biopsychology, consciousness, and perception. …

Gene Expression Networks Regulated By Human Personality, Coral Del Val, Elisa Díaz De La Guardia-Bolívar, Igor Zwir, Pashupati P Mishra, Alberto Mesa, Ramiro Salas, Guillermo F Poblete, Gabriel De Erausquin, Emma Raitoharju, Mika Kähönen, Olli Raitakari, Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen, Terho Lehtimäki, Claude Robert Cloninger

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Genome-wide association studies of human personality have been carried out, but transcription of the whole genome has not been studied in relation to personality in humans. We collected genome-wide expression profiles of adults to characterize the regulation of expression and function in genes related to human personality. We devised an innovative multi-omic approach to network analysis to identify the key control elements and interactions in multi-modular networks. We identified sets of transcribed genes that were co-expressed in specific brain regions with genes known to be associated with personality. Then we identified the minimum networks for the co-localized genes using bioinformatic …

Teacher Voices: Stress And Coping Mechanisms Among The Teaching Profession, Jasmine Suttles

Education | Master's Theses

Stress is a natural response that occurs in our body when we feel overwhelmed, and it can manifest in both positive and negative instances. The teaching profession is not exempt from this phenomenon, as it is unique in that educators have multiple roles to play and have to manage and interact with many students simultaneously. Teachers have been described as "exasperated by heavy loads of emotional labor in the classroom" (Ferguson et al., 2022). This "heavy load" can place the teaching profession at risk of stress and burnout if self-care is not addressed or mental health resources are not offered. …

Music As A Coping Mechanism: Clinical Implications Of How College Students Utilize Music To Cope With Anxiety, Depression, And Daily Stressors, Karly Pikel

Senior Theses

Many college students face stress, anxiety, and/or depression in their daily lives which they cope with in their own ways. Listening to music or playing an instrument are particularly powerful forms of coping that can have a plethora of positive effects on an individual. The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey amongst the University of South Carolina student body to determine how they utilize music to cope in their daily lives. Of 847 respondents, almost all of them reported experiencing some extent of anxiety and/or stress and listening to music to help them cope. Respondents agreed that …

Focus Group And Survey Responses To Postural Feedback During Creative Movement Exploration, Mary C. Matthews

Senior Theses

John H. Riskind’s “appropriateness hypothesis” states that posture, positions, and gestures can be emotionally self-regulating if an individual holds a posture that is appropriate for its context. A litany of studies on power posing suggests expansive postures could increase Feelings of Power. One meta-analytic review demonstrates the “robust” significance for evidence of “power feelings, emotion, or self-esteem” due to postural feedback while cautioning researchers on the empirical invalidity of evidence for behavioral and physiological variables. A qualitative description of individuals’ experiences as they change posture, gesture, and position would direct future research on postural feedback. The current project qualitatively examines …

Multiple Timescales Of Temporal Context In Risky Choice: Behavioral Identification And Relationships To Physiological Arousal, Hayley R. Brooks, Peter Sokol-Hessner

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Context-dependence is fundamental to risky monetary decision-making. A growing body of evidence suggests that temporal context, or recent events, alters risk-taking at a minimum of three timescales: immediate (e.g. trial-by-trial), neighborhood (e.g. a group of consecutive trials), and global (e.g. task-level). To examine context effects, we created a novel monetary choice set with intentional temporal structure in which option values shifted between multiple levels of value magnitude ("contexts") several times over the course of the task. This structure allowed us to examine whether effects of each timescale were simultaneously present in risky choice behavior and the potential mechanistic role of …

The Image Of Schizophrenia In Spain's Healthcare System, Meghan Webb

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

Schizophrenia affects thousands of people in Spain and is one of the most serious mental health disorders in existence. Despite its this characteristic, schizophrenia did not always get the proper attention it deserved within the country’s healthcare system. This was largely due to the influence that the Spanish government had, and continues to have, over the healthcare system, giving it the power to choose how the disorder was represented. Therefore, what does that mean for schizophrenia in Spain’s healthcare system today? This essay will explore the ways in which schizophrenia was represented in Spain’s healthcare system through an examination of …

The Mediating Role Of Sense Of Coherence In The Relationship Between Positive Childhood Experiences And Alexithymia, Ummu Erturk Yıldız, İbrahim Taş

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study examined the mediating role of the sense of coherence in the relationship between positive childhood experiences and alexithymia. The research was conducted with a total of 507 participants, including 259 women and 248 men aged over 18, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Positive Childhood Experiences Scale, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and the Sense of Coherence Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 25 and the PROCESS macro. The results indicated that positive childhood experiences significantly and positively predicted levels of sense of coherence, while they significantly and negatively predicted alexithymia. …

An Examination Of Working Memory In Dancers And Non-Dancers, Mason Low

All Master's Theses

The present study examined the behavioral working memory differences between dancers and non-dancers. Previous research has indicated that dance can provide an enhancing effect on working memory, particularly in non-dancers. A Dance History Questionnaire along with the letters backward, digits backward, digits forward, letters forward, and abstract visual subtests of the Test of Learning and Memory II was used to collect data. The current study found that dancers had greater visuospatial memory than non-dancers and that dance experience may have an effect on certain working memory tests such as the letters forward subtest.

The Development Of A Scale To Measure The Fear Of Earthquake, Mustafa Filiz, Yusuf Karaşın, Yalçın Karagöz

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study aims to develop a scale to measure the fear level of individuals towards earthquakes. The population of the research consists of individuals who were directly and indirectly affected by the earthquake that occurred in Kahramanmaraş province of Turkey on 6 February 2023. The sample of the research consists of 357 people who voluntarily participated in the survey. Data were collected through an online survey. Experts’ opinions, literature review and pilot study were utilized in the creation of the scale items. Psychometric properties of the scale were analyzed by test-retest, calculation of internal consistency coefficient, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory …

Exceptionality Of Space: Sexual Violence In “The Camp. A Little Girl From Karabakh” By Gunel Movlud, Eva Lennartz

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

In the autobiographical novel “The Camp. A Little Girl from Karabakh” the Azerbaijani author Gunel Movlud describes her experiences of living in a refugee camp in the Sabirabad region of Azerbaijan. Movlud was forced to flee her home town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region during the First Karabakh War(1988-1994). For five years, she lived in the tent camp. In the novel, Movlud describes the hardships of the life in the camp and different characters from her personal perspective. What is striking from her observations is the amount of sexual violence apparent in the camp and the seemingly tacit acceptance of the …

The Unconscious Mind: Psychoanalysis And Art, Carlie Hoffer

MA Theses

The insights brought to society about the unconscious mind can be solely credited to Sigmund Freud’s groundbreaking works that were published in the early 1900’s. Specifically, the concept of the unconscious mind being a driver for human behavior was a unique theory that Freud introduced to a society that had never considered this possibility before this. The realization and acknowledgement of the unconscious mind as relevant to analyzing human behavior including art inspired other scholars and individuals in the field of psychology to explore a more nuanced understanding of human motivations. His novel ideas about human behavior emerged at a …

Utilizing Ai Integrated Neuroimaging Technology To Expand Upon Machine Learning In Positron Emission Tomography Technology With The Aim Of Detecting Amyloid Beta Biomarkers Early In The Onset Of Alzheimer's., Ethan S. Terman

UROP Posters

Early intervention in Alzheimer's is vital for treatment. The earlier a professional can detect symptoms and make a diagnosis the earlier a prognosis can be implemented. With the prevalence of data in our day-to-day world combined with Artificial intelligence (AI), utilizing both for machine learning can pave the way for more accurate and efficient detection of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. AI combined with Machine learning (ML) increases diagnostic efficiency and reduces human errors, making it a valuable resource for physicians and clinicians alike. With the increasing amount of data processing and image interpretation required, the ability to use AI …

Is The Job Performance Of Tourism Academicians Related To Their Emotional Intelligence?, Leyla Tokgöz, Zennube Işık, Mehmet Fatih Işık

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The aim of the research is to determine whether the job performances of tourism academics in Türkiye are related to emotional intelligence. Further, this research is an endeavor to investigate whether emotional intelligence and job performance differ according to demographic variables. “Job Performance Scale” adapted by Yang and Hwang (2014) was used to measure the job performance of academicians. In addition to that “Rotterdam Emotional Intelligence Scale” developed by Pekaar, Bakker, Linden, and Born (2017) and adapted to Turkish by Tanrıöğen and Türker (2019) was used to measure their emotional intelligence. The research sample consists of academicians working in Tourism …

Self-Reflections Through A Screen: Self-Identity, Social Media, And Psychological Well-Being, Jeremy J. Serio

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Social media use among emerging adults is assumed to be related to a variety of negative psychological outcomes and has, in recent years, become a widely studied phenomenon (Kim, 2017, Pew Research Center, 2018). Despite the widespread assumption, the results from empirical studies of the effects of social media use on mental health in this population have been inconsistent and inconclusive (Keles et al., 2020, Yang et al., 2021). Several meta-analyses (e.g., Keles et al., 2020) demonstrate these inconsistent results across studies and point to the need to consider individual difference factors when researching this issue. Different self-identity styles have …

Transcendence: Exploring The Connections Between Transgender/Gender Non-Conforming Identities And Experiences Of Nature Through Art, Mc Jackson

Undergraduate Theses

“Transcendence: Exploring the connections between transgender/gender non-conforming identities and experiences of nature through art” is the written portion of a creative thesis revolving around an immersive art installation and short film. Transcendence, the installation, was created to promote connection by exploring the overlap between transgender and gender non-conforming (GNC) experiences and experiences of nature. Part of this installation is a short film of interviews conducted with transgender and GNC individuals about nature, their gender experiences, and the transcendent nature of the two. The written thesis analyzes existing literature on nature as a restorative, therapeutic, spiritual setting, offers insight into …

Achievement Motivation And Body Competence As Predictors For Nonhypnotic Suggestibility, Ethan Cohen

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

The present study aims to discover relationships between suggestibility and two predictor variables identified as achievement motivation, and body consciousness. The significance of this study is immense in placebo research due to the studied relationship of suggestibility as a predictor for placebo susceptibility. Relationships between both predictor variables and placebo susceptibility have also been established through research, but there remains a gap in the connection between these variables and suggestibility. The present study administered a survey to participants (N=103), using the Shortened Suggestibility Scale (SSS), Body Consciousness Questionnaire (BCQ), and the Achievement Motives Scale (AMS-R) as the measure of suggestibility, …

Academic Impacts Of Later School Start Times, Nicole Swain, Tuyet Tran, Daphne Carrier

Quest

Literature Review

Research in progress for PSYC 2301: Honors General Psychology

Faculty Mentor: Jennifer L. O’Loughlin-Brooks

The following paper represents research produced by students in an Honors General Psychology course. The class assignment introduces students to scientific research and writing through a team-based approach. Each individual student team, composed of two or three members, conducts a comprehensive literature review on a specific psychology topic of their choosing. They summarize and evaluate at least seven pieces of scholarly work, discuss future areas of investigation for the field, and explain how this research might add qualitatively to the existing knowledge of the …

An Exploration Of The Social And Economic Factors That Influence The Mental Health Of Lgbtq College Students, Alexandria Mh Fossum

Senior Theses

LGBTQ individuals face a much higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders and mental health issues than their heterosexual, cisgender counterparts. The added academic pressures of college introduce a unique set of challenges that LGBTQ students face. This thesis includes a review of academic literature and data examining the intersections between social isolation, institutional discrimination, and financial insecurity and the effects they have on the mental health outcomes of LGBTQ college students. The paper is accompanied by a documentary consisting of a set of interviews of LGBTQ college students, giving a more personal insight into the multitude of factors that affect their …

The Development Of Leadership Qualities In A Management Team: Some Key Principles Of Team Leadership, Andrey Cherkassky, Roksolana Vynnychuk, Svitlana Heiko, Kateryna Slyusarenko, Anastasiya Bilousova

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This research focuses on the principles of team leadership in the context of modern business. The methodology employed includes analyzing literature, conducting empirical analysis, interviewing experienced leaders, and observing team processes. The findings highlight key principles of team leadership, such as establishing a shared purpose, distributing responsibility, promoting communication and collaboration, developing emotional intelligence and conflict management skills, and stimulating team development and learning. The results have practical implications for leaders, enabling them to understand and apply team leadership principles to achieve more effective results with their teams. Effective team leadership significantly impacts team success, with shared purpose and task …

"I Just Want To Be Me, Authentically": Identity Shifting Among Racially And Ethnically Diverse Young Adults, Aerika Brittian Loyd, Dulce Wilkinson Westberg, Lenisha Williams, Marisha Humphries, Alan Meca, Julie Carmen Rodil

Psychology Faculty Publications

Identity shifting represents a common but complex social, behavioral, and cognitive phenomenon. However, some forms of identity shifting originate in response to structural, institutional, and interpersonal marginalization enacted on lower status groups, such as people of color in the United States. The current study investigated ways young adults from diverse ethnic/racial groups discussed shifting to fit in with White Americans (a dominant group) in the United States and their own ethnic/racial group (a minoritized group) and elucidated self-reported motivations for shifting. Participants consisted of 764 young adults (ages = 18–23) recruited from two large public universities in the Southeast and …

The Role Of The Nlrp3 Inflammasome In Alzheimer's Disease, Ethan S. Terman

UROP Posters

This study examines the consequences of Alzheimer’s in rat and mice test subjects. The goal is to identify the effects of certain NLRP3 inhibiting drugs and to see if there are any noticeable effects in regards to impeding the pathological development of Alzheimer’s disease. The results are visualized by implementing the immunohistochemical process to identify neurodegeneration in the brain and to assess the expression levels of amyloid beta as an indicator of Alzheimer’s pathology. Other tests are also conducted on these transgenic mice to gauge cognitive functioning levels during the onset of their disease, those being behavior tests, but not …

Multilingualism And Memory: Investigating Possible Differences In The Abilities Of Monolingual And Multilingual College Students, Clara E. Barned

Honors Projects

This study investigated whether there is a difference in the memories of monolingual and multilingual undergraduate students using simple memorization tasks. There were 46 participants, 30 of which were monolingual (only knew one language) and 16 of which were multilingual (knew two or more languages). There was found to be no significant difference between the performance of the two groups, with the data generating a p-value of 0.557. This study further suggests related avenues of research and ways in which the study could be improved in the future.

Cue-Induced Cocaine Craving Enhances Psychosocial Stress And Vice Versa In Chronic Cocaine Users, Ann-Kathrin Kexel, Bruno Kluwe-Schiavon, Markus R Baumgartner, Etna J E Engeli, Monika Visentini, Clemens Kirschbaum, Erich Seifritz, Beate Ditzen, Leila M Soravia, Boris B Quednow

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Stress and craving, it has been found, contribute to the development and maintenance of and relapse in cocaine use disorder. Chronic cocaine users (CU), previous research has shown, display altered physiological responses to psychosocial stress and increased vegetative responding to substance-related cues. However, how psychosocial stress and cue-induced craving interact in relation to the CU's physiological responses remains largely unknown. We thus investigated the interaction between acute psychosocial stress and cocaine-cue-related reactivity in 47 CU and 38 controls. In a crossed and balanced design, the participants were randomly exposed to a video-based cocaine-cue paradigm and the Trier Social Stress Test …

Is Tai Chi A Beneficial Treatment For Anxiety In The Elderly Community?, Carolyn Kenney

Honors Projects in Applied Psychology

This study attempted to explore the relationship between tai chi practice and anxiety in the elderly population. The mental health disorder that I looked at was anxiety, as the elderly often experience anxiety related to contributing factors such as mental and physical decline. Anxiety among the elderly is a great concern as there is an increase in the world’s population of individuals aged 65 years or older. This will directly impact health care prices as more resources will have to be distributed to this age population. One solution to this problem is tai chi. Tai chi is a cost-effective way …

Effects Of Music Exposure On Autobiographical Memory In Alzheimer's Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Gregory Vance

Honors Theses

The progression of Alzheimer’s disease is primarily characterized by a loss of memory concerning past events, as well as a lack in ability to create new memories. While this spans across many subsets of memory, such as recognition, recall, and autobiographical memory, there seems to be a lesser impact on musical memory in those with Alzheimer’s. Multiple studies have suggested that exposure to music and introduction of music therapy can even improve other aspects of memory in Alzheimer’s patients. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to examine the relationship between music exposure and autobiographical memory specifically. A pool of electronic …

Regaining Effort-Based Food Motivation: The Drug Methylphenidate Reverses The Depressive Effects Of Tetrabenazine In Female Rats, Deanna Pietrorazio

Honors Scholar Theses

Tetrabenazine (TBZ), a vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT-2) inhibitor, depletes dopamine and induces motivational deficits and other depressive symptoms in humans. Methylphenidate (MPH) is a dopamine transport blocker that is used to enhance motivational function. Previous studies have shown that in male rats, TBZ induces a shift in effort-related choice such that a low-effort bias is induced. In male rats this occurs at a dose range of 0.75-1.0 mg/kg TBZ, and this effect is reversible with co-administration of MPH. Recent studies have shown that females need a higher dose of TBZ (2.0 mg/kg) to show the low-effort bias. The …