Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Prologue, Michiko Nohara-Leclair

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

No abstract provided.

The Gifted Child In Adulthood: Opinions On Educational Experiences And Their Relation To The Current Self, Miranda Brannum

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Giftedness is defined as excelling in a topic beyond the capability of other peers. Oftentimes gifted students are placed in gifted programs and/or assigned gifted Individualized Education Programs in order to provide acceleration and enrichment. My survey asks participants ages 18 years of age or older questions about how they feel gifted programs or gifted Individualized Education Programs may have influenced them, and if they have any comments or suggestions for improving these programs. I intended my study to be descriptive and exploratory to provide insight on any common themes and tendencies people in gifted programs may report. Descriptive and …

The Effect Of Mood On Task Completion Time, Maia M. Busi

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Studies on mood and task completion tend to focus on task outcomes and task performance. It is typically found that positive mood states result in better test scores and better task outcomes (Martinez & Bartosek, 2015). This study examines the effect mood states have on task completion time through an anonymous online survey involving a mood manipulation and a timed visual search task. I hypothesized that that participants who were exposed to a positive stimulus will complete a visual search task quicker on average than participants who were exposed to a neutral stimulus. A total of 34 participants completed the …

Interpretation Of Grammatical Gender Among English Monolingual Speakers, Diego De Gregorio

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

This research project aimed to discover how English monolingual speakers interpret the idea of grammatical gender, and if they have an innate bias toward associating common English nouns to the masculine gender. My hypothesis was that participants would assign a masculine grammatical gender to words at a greater than chance due to an existent internalized genderism/sexism within the participants. To gather data, a Qualtrics survey was designed to test participants. Said survey was limited to people who only speak English and contained 10 different common nouns. After the presentation of each noun, participants were given two options: masculine or feminine. …

The Links Between Young Children’S Use Of Pacifiers And Swaddling With Child Sleep Arousal, Kenzie Goldsmith, Melanie Dubois

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Sleep arousal, or waking experiences during sleep, in young children was examined in relation to pacifier usage and the caregiver’s use of the swaddling technique. Primary caregivers of young children from 1 to 24 months old, fluent in English, and 18 years or older completed a Qualtrics survey detailing their child’s sleep routines. The survey questions considered the child’s use of self-soothing devices and the caregiver’s use of soothing techniques, namely pacifiers and swaddling. By utilizing the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire-Revised (BISQ-R; Sadeh et al., 2020), we examined the relationship between child sleep arousal and pacifier usage, along with sleep …

Perceptions Of Happiness Through The Lens Of Age And Gender, Alea Farmer

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

This paper intends to examine the possible relationship between demographic variables and perceptions of happiness. The demographic variables being studied are age and gender. Perceptions of happiness are measured by the Conceptions of Happiness Scale (Joshanloo, 2018) and represent one’s overall idea of happiness. A survey was distributed to adults that were recruited via social media and flyer recruitment on the campus of Lindenwood University. The survey consisted of demographic questions as well as the Conceptions of Happiness Scale (Joshanloo, 2018) for participants to complete. Initial hypotheses predicted differences in perceptions of happiness amongst different age and gender groups. However, …

Social Media And Body Image: Is Body Image Linked To Social Media Usage?, Sydnie Hoyt

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Social media is an ever-growing phenomenon, and while having the world at our fingertips proves convenient, it also has the potential to cause harm in the form of mental distress. Several studies have investigated whether the use of social media may be linked to body image issues. The present study further explored the potential link between social media and body image, specifically looking for a correlation between the number of hours spent on social media and intensity of body image concerns. Adult participants were recruited through the social media platforms of Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, and Facebook. Participants completed a survey …

Guilty By Reason Of Vanity?: The Relationship Between Jurors’ Socioeconomic Status And Trial Outcome, Zoë Sweaney

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The following paper summarizes the implications, processes, and preliminary findings from a research study conducted by an undergraduate psychology student at Lindenwood University. The study experimentally investigated the relationship between a juror’s socioeconomic status (SES) and the likelihood that they would choose to convict a randomly selected defendant. It was hypothesized that a participant of a higher SES would be more likely to convict a defendant than would a participant of a lower SES. To investigate the validity of this hypothesis, participants (N=13) posing as jurors completed an online survey in which they were tasked with evaluating the details of …

Reducing A Dog’S Problem Behavior Using Functional Communication Training: A Case Study, Audrey Blunt, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Many dogs are relinquished to animal shelters and subsequently euthanized each year due to problem behaviors, such as excessive barking (ASPCA, n.d.). Unfortunately, punishment-based procedures (e.g., bark collars) have been commonly used to reduce these behaviors, despite negative side-effects such as escape and aggression. Functional communication training (FCT) involves teaching a replacement behavior that is functionally equivalent to the problem behavior and is a documented strategy to reduce problem behaviors in humans (e.g., Carr & Durand, 1985). In the current study, one 11-month old dog who had a history of whining, mouthing, and pawing was taught to mand (request) for …

Hearing Productivity: Music And Productivity Study, Sydney Beins

2022 Student Academic Showcase

My study aim is to find which music genre increases one’s productivity the most. Participants listened to different genres of music: R&B, Classical, Latin, Rap while they typed as many nonsense words as they could in a minute. Participants were tested four times, each with a different genre of music playing. The preliminary findings will be discussed along with ways in which the results can be applied to everyday life.

Agreeableness And Covid-19 Safety Protocols, Brianna Huck

2022 Student Academic Showcase

The key role that agreeableness has played in human personality is to showcase how compassionate or cooperative a person can be. In this research, I used a person’s range of agreeableness to examine how likely they are to follow COVID-19 safety protocols through an anonymous survey, which included questions regarding safety policies, demographics, and an agreeableness scale. By using a Pearson's r correlation, I found that there was no significant correlation between level of agreeableness and compliance to COVID-19 safety protocols.

Do You See What I See? Do You Hear What I Hear?, Camryn O'Neal, Miranda Brannum, Sydnie Hoyt

2022 Student Academic Showcase

This is a proposal for a research study to investigate how widely people vary on their inner experiences and how they are using them. We will evaluate people’s capability to have mental imagery (via the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire; Marks, 1973) and inner speech (from subscales from the Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire; Andrade et al., 2014). We expect a positive correlation. Additionally, we intend to assess how people use mental imagery and inner speech by having them read a self-developed concrete ‘children’s’ story and ask how well they could visualize or hear the dialogue. This investigation has a non-directional …

Insight Into The Mind Of A Gifted Individual: A Research Proposal To Examine Opinions Of Adults Formerly Enrolled In Gifted Programs, Miranda Brannum

2022 Student Academic Showcase

This is a proposal for my study which aims to discover the opinions of adults formerly enrolled in gifted programs and/or assigned gifted Individual Education Plans (IEP) about these programs in general. I will investigate how they feel they may have been influenced by these programs, and any other comments they may have. The study is intended to be exploratory and provide information that could further future research. The results will give insight on first-hand interpretations of the gifted experience. My findings can potentially be used to reform gifted programs to better benefit those enrolled in them.

Social Media And Body Image, Sydnie Hoyt

2022 Student Academic Showcase

Social media is an ever-growing phenomenon, and while having the world at our fingertips proves convenient, it also has the potential to cause harm in the form of mental distress. Several studies have investigated whether the use of social media may be linked to body image issues. The present study further explored the potential link between social media and body image, specifically looking for a correlation between the number of hours spent on social media and intensity of body image concerns. Adult participants were recruited through the social media platforms of Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, and Facebook. Participants completed a survey …

Guilty By Reason Of Vanity?: The Relationship Between Jurors’ Socioeconomic Status And Trial Outcome, Zoe Sweaney

2022 Student Academic Showcase

The present study investigated the relationship between a juror’s socioeconomic status (SES) and the likelihood that they would convict a defendant. I hypothesized that a participant of a higher SES would be more likely to convict a defendant than would a participant of a lower SES. To investigate the validity of this hypothesis, participants posing as jurors completed an online survey in which they were tasked with evaluating the details of five different court cases void of any identifiable and/or demographic information about the defendant (and victim(s), if applicable) and submitting their final verdict on the case (guilty or not …

In Your Face: Facial Expressions And Emotions, Sophia Lachance, Stephanie Afful

2022 Student Academic Showcase

Human beings process information in all different ways, but one of the first ways is through facial expressions. These facial expressions influence how we process information from infancy through adolescence, and how negative and positive stimuli affect our emotions. As we grow older other forms of stimuli, such as verbal and physical aspects, affect our emotions throughout our lifetime. As we gain recognition for these forms and understand how they affect the way we feel, the question is how can our understanding of other expressions be used as a mechanism for safety? This literary review discusses three types of ways …

Perceptions Of Happiness Through The Lens Of Age And Gender, Alea Farmer

2022 Student Academic Showcase

The purpose of the proposed study is to investigate how people of different ages and gender perceive happiness, or what their idea of happiness is. The study will be conducted via survey and participants will be recruited through social media platforms (Twitter and Instagram) and physical flyers distributed on the campus of Lindenwood University. Anyone who is an adult (18 years or older) will be allowed to participate in the study by completing the survey. The survey will begin by asking participants to identify their age and gender. Then, participants will be asked to complete the Conceptions of Happiness Scale …

Sleep Quality, Academic Performance, And Personality Examined, Marit De Lau

2022 Student Academic Showcase

I will be examining relationships between sleep quality, academic performance, and personality. Results showed that there was a negative correlation found between the PSQI score and conscientiousness (r = -.223) and between the PSQI score and emotional stability (r = -.445). There was no significant effect for the PSQI score t(76) = -1.6, p = .121, despite women (M = 8.06, SD = 3.49) attaining higher scores than men (M = 6.83, SD = 3.16). This study investigates whether there is a relationship between one’s sleep quality, personality traits, and academic performance.

• A negative relationship was …

The Effects Of Behavioral Skills Training On Staff Member Implementation Of Behavior Intervention Plans, Riley Young, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Behavioral skills training (BST) is a well-researched and empirically validated teaching method that typically involves the use of instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback to improve staff and client performance (Leaf et al., 2015). Previous studies have shown the effectiveness of BST across a wide variety of populations and skill sets, including within educational environments (Kirkpatrick et al., 2019). However, limited research exists on the use of BST to improve staff member implementation of behavior intervention plans (BIPs), particularly for staff members who have a history of incorrect implementation. The current study examines the effectiveness of in-person BST in a school …

The Use Of Differential Reinforcement Of Other Behavior To Decrease Scripting, Kathleen Egbert, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Vocal scripting is a behavior commonly targeted for reduction with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when it occurs at a rate or severity that interferes with learning (e.g., Koegel & Covert, 1972). Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) has been shown to be effective for reducing scripting in previous research, however additional replications of these results would add to the research literature to continue to support its use for this issue. The purpose of this study was to implement a DRO schedule with a young girl with ASD to reduce vocal scripting. The results showed a slight decrease in …

The Effects Of Preference Assessments On The Duration Of Independent Play For A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Elise Amo, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Plays skills are important within typical development and independent play has shown to lead to the development of other skills, such as increased social interactions (Edwards et al., 2018). Previous research has demonstrated increases in independent play for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who display skill deficits in this area. However, research has been largely lacking for increasing independent play for individuals with ASD who simply display a preference for interacting with adults. The current study examined the effectiveness of incorporating a multiple-stimulus without replacement (MSWO) preference assessment to increase the duration of independent play for a child with …

Attitudes Toward Mental Health, Attitudes Toward Mental Healthcare, And Access To Mental Healthcare: Variations Based On Key Demographic Factors, Mariya Gaither

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The objective of this study was to discern what factors may cause variations in a person’s attitudes toward mental health and mental healthcare, as well as their access to mental healthcare. The factors that were the focus of this study included: race/ethnicity, age, religiosity, gender identity, location, and socioeconomic status. Method: A total of 132 participants participated in the online study. Participants were asked to answer questions that assessed their attitudes about mental health and mental healthcare as well as the access to mental healthcare in their community. The survey also consisted of several demographic questions which asked participants about …

Prologue, Michiko Nohara-Leclair

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Prologue.

Associations Between Personality Traits And Music Preference, Isabella Boccia

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The purpose of this study was to examine potential associations between an individual’s personality traits in reference to the Big Five, and their music preference and enjoyment. Method: This study consisted of 175 participants who each completed an online survey intended to measure both their personality traits and music they enjoyed. Participants would read various statements referencing each of the Big Five personality traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. They would then respond to how much they agreed or disagreed with the statements presented. Additionally, participants would listen to short 15-s audio clips of various songs with the music …

The General Population’S Understanding Of Mental Illness, Iris Walker-Tjepkes

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The goal of this study was to show to what extent people understand different mental illnesses and what ideas they have about mental illnesses are right or wrong. The study also attempted to compare differences in responses for different names of the same disorders. The mental illnesses examined were major depressive disorder (MDD), dissociative identity disorder (DID), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia. Method: Participants (N = 80) took a Qualtrics survey that asked questions about different mental illnesses. Each disorder had open response questions regarding the criteria for that disorder. For each disorder, there was no prior information about …

Relationships Between Dichotomous Thinking And Other Cognitive Distortions, Nam Nguyen

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Both dichotomous thinking and other types of cognitive distortions have been found to be associated with various mental disorders and suicidality. There has been no known study that examines the relationship between dichotomous thinking and other cognitive distortions, nor known measure of cognitive distortions that integrates dichotomous thinking. Objective. This study aims to examine the relationships between dichotomous thinking and seven other cognitive distortions, namely jumping to conclusion, belief inflexibility, external attribution bias, overgeneralization, selective abstraction, catastrophizing, and personalization. Method. A survey was distributed online, integrating measures for dichotomous thinking from the Dichotomous Thinking Inventory (Oshio, 2009), jumping to conclusion, …

Academic Success And Its Relation To Academic Habits And Motivation, Sam Ebert

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Many factors contribute to academic success. Previous research has produced inconclusive results when identifying which factors play the largest role in predicting academic success. This study focusses on the relationships between academic success, motivation, and academic habits. I hypothesized that college students who report being highly motivated will have greater academic success than those who report being less motivated. I also hypothesized that there would be a strong positive relationship between college students engaging in good academic habits and high academic success. My two other hypotheses included that motivation score would be positively correlated with academic habit scores and that …

Do Violent Video Games Stimulate Aggressive Tendencies?, Megan Hamilton

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

This study looked at the relationship between violent video game (VVG) play and aggressive tendencies. Participants were required to be at least 18 years of age or older and were recruited through flyers in the Library and Academic Resource Center and Young Hall on the Lindenwood University campus, as well as through the Lindenwood Participant Pool. Participants took a pretest on Qualtrics measuring aggressive tendencies and after the pretest, participants were systematically chosen to either play Grand Theft Auto V (GTAV); (Rockstar Games, 2014) or Stardew Valley (Barone & Sickhead Games, 2016). Following gameplay, participants then took a posttest on …

Explicit And Implicit Attitudes Towards People With Disabilities, Abby Right

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Explicit and implicit attitudes play a role in disability discrimination. The purpose of this study was to look at the relationship between explicit and implicit attitudes towards people with disabilities. Method: Participants (N = 78) were asked to complete an online survey with 10 questions asking them to rate the extent to which they agree or disagree with questions measuring explicit attitudes. Participants then completed an Implicit Association Test (IAT) looking at disabilities. The IAT measured participants’ accuracy and speed when sorting pictures of either abled-body or disabled-body and words associated with “good” or “bad.” Participants’ scores on each measure …

2019-2020, Full Issue

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Full Issue