Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Dietary Induced Weight Gain And Recovery Of Body Weight In Mongolian Gerbils, Maryann Mccarthy

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the capacities of male and female gerbils for recovery from increased weight gain produced by ingestion of high fat food. Thirty-six gerbils, assigned to either 20% or 40% groups with nine males and nine females in each percent weight gain group, were fed powdered chow under baseline conditions, then switched to a high fat diet until they reached target weight increase, and then returned to powdered chow. The 40% group was eliminated from the comparisons due to the failure of the gerbils to reach criterion. No sex differences were found in the …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of A Low Glycemic Diet On The Antisocial Behavior Of Juvenile Offenders, James Edward Longhurst

Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine if a low glycemic diet contributes to a reduction in the incidence of antisocial behavior among male juvenile offenders.

One hundred forty juvenile offenders at a residential treatment center were randomly divided into treatment and nontreatment groups. The treatment group ate from a diet which contained foods low in glycemic characteristics. There was no dietary alteration for the control group.

Three instruments were used to measure differences between groups in antisocial behavior following a 5-week experimental period. These instruments include: (1) the Unusual Incident Report--a systematic and objective observer report form, (2) …

Minimizing Stimulus-Reinforcer Contributions To Operant Latency, Mario Miguel Delgado Zambrano

Masters Theses

The present study involved two experiments using an unlighted food hopper. The first provided magazine training with the darkened hopper, followed by a test for autoshaping potential. The second, using birds that showed very little autoshaped behavior in the first experiment, and continuing to use the unlighted hopper, measured operant latencies in a Hesse (1984) discrete-trial multiple schedule using a two-key procedure for separating stimulus-reinforcer and response-reinforcer contributions. The objective here was to demonstrate latency differences between favorable and unfavorable schedule components, while limiting the possible confound of stimulus-reinforcer contributions as measured by initial stimulus-key responding.

Despite being unable to …

Differences In Girls' Perceived Paternal Relationships And Their Self-Esteem, Ivora Dean Hinton

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Few studies have concentrated on the father-children relationship. Of those that have, only a small number have dealt solely with the father-daughter relationship (Biller, 1974; Musser & Fleck, 1983; Walters & Stinnett, 1971). Studies on the relationship of Black fathers and their daughters are severely lacking (McAdoo, 1981; Shulz, 1949; Staples, 1970). Those who have studied Black fathers and their families have found differences in the way Black and White fathers interact with their daught e rs (Bartz & Levine, 1978; Cazenave, 1979; Klonsky, 19 82; McAdoo, 1979; McAdoo, 1981; Reid, 1985). This study was designed to examine the difference …

A Comparison Of Retail Sales Performance Under Individual And Group Quota Systems, Karen Beth Bishop

Masters Theses

The research goal of this study was to determine if changing from an individual to a group quota system changed variability in sales performance. Data were collected within three branches of the company. Within subject and within group variances were calculated using salesclerk's sales figures. Three months of 1986 represented individual quota figures, while the same three months of 1987 represented group quota figures. Results of the within group variance found two departments had a variance decrease and one department had a variance increase. Cumulative sales for both systems found decreases in sales using the group quota system for two …

Effects Of A Depression Seminar On Self-Ratings Of Symptoms By University Employees, Martha Jean Hobbs

Graduate Theses

Twenty-five female public university employees volunteered for a study examining the effects of a short-term intervention (seminar) on self-ratings of depression, as measured by Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Scale 2. Comparison of scores of the subjects, randomly assigned to groups, revealed that, in terms of group means, neither the participant nor the control group changed over the testing period. MMPI interpretative levels of depression reverted to the mean over pretest, posttest, and follow-up, with all participants finishing in either Normal or Moderate classifications. Above-normal depression levels of six subjects at pretest indicated some need for employee assistance in mental …

The Relationship Between Creativity In Prose & Standardized Academic Achievement, Coy Callicott

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of the relationship between creativity, as measured by the Prose Quantification System (PQS), and standardized academic achievement as measured by the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS). The Prose Quantification System is a measurement of the creative quality of written prose.

PQS story-starters were administered to 89 fifth-grade students enrolled in six classes in two schools in south central Kentucky. Each student received two story-starters about the same content (box or paper), but in a different context (usual vs. unusual setting) and was instructed to complete the stories. A total …

Aging And Spatio-Temporal Vision: Effects Of Blur On Localization Task Performance, David Griggs

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The aim of this project was to examine age-related declines in the processing of spatial frequency information. Some current theories of spatial vision state that humans process high spatial frequency information separately or differently from low spatial frequency information. There is also evidence that normal aging may affect the processing of some spatial frequencies more than others. Specifically, it has been proposed that older adults have deficits in their ability to process low spatial frequency information, and that older adults process visual information more slowly in general than young adults. Eight observers in each of three age groups were tested …

Alzheimer's Disease: The Relationship Between P300 Latency And Pet Scan Ratios, Glena Lynne Needham Schubarth Andrews

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

The P300 component of the auditory EEG event-related potential (ERP) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) were investigated in individuals considered to be early cases of probable Alzheimer's type dementia (PAD) and a control group of similar age. Two questions were investigated: (a) The degree to which P300 latency was sensitive to neurocognitive changes in very early stages of PAD; and (b) The relationship between P300 latency and specific areas of reduced neural functions as reflected in PET scans. A significant difference was found between PAD and normal subjects in P300 latencies, with those in the patient group having longer P300 …

The Effect Of Religious Orientation, History Of Sexual Trauma, And Typology On Spiritual Well-Being And Interpersonal Behavior Among Adult Male Child Molesters, Anthony J. Papania

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The study measured the effect of religious orientation, typology, and history of sexual trauma on assertiveness, aggressiveness, and spiritual well being for child molesters. The sample consisted of SS child molesters from outpatient and inpatient programs in Oregon. The subjects ranged in age from 19 to 72. The subjects completed the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Interpersonal Behavior survey, and an Information survey. The scores on the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the General Aggressiveness Rational scale and General Assertiveness Rational scale of the Interpersonal Behavior survey were the dependent variables. A 3-Way ANOVA via regression approach with a 2x2x2 design was conducted …

Kyle L. Pehrson's Review Of E. Victoria Shook's Ho‘Oponopono: Contemporary Uses Of A Hawaiian Problem-Solving Process, Kyle L. Pehrson

Pacific Studies

No abstract provided.

An Intergenerational Investigation Of Urban Preferences, Angelique A. Gavin

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study attempts to evaluate the urban designs of three cohorts, as well as to investigate the ability of these three age groups to design desirable urban settings for the other two cohorts. Children, young adults, and elderly adults (mean ages= 10, 33, and 69 respectively) designed the "ideal" town for theirs and the other two cohorts. Multidimensional scaling analyses allowed for cross generational comparisons of the composite age-specific maps. Elderly adults were better at taking the perspective of the other two groups in anticipating their urban needs, young adults were the poorest predictors, and children could anticipate the …

The Impact Of Orientation Training On Spatial Cognition And Spatial Behavior In Elderly Shoppers, Elizabeth Ann Mathes

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study focuses on the acquisition of spatial knowledge in a large-scale, novel environment and on the interrelationships among psychometric tests of imagery, psychometric tests of spatial abilities, and experimental tasks involving spatial knowledge. Forty elderly females were provided microspatial information by four means: cartography; videotape; verbal description; and verbal description with imagery instructions. Analyses of behavior in a simulated shopping task within a suburban shop­ ping mall revealed differences in performance only for efficiency in Route Selection task. Cartographic and verbal presentations resulted in greater efficiency than did verbal description with imagery instructions or video­ tape presentations. Supplemental …

Priming In A Simulated Assessment Center Environment: Can Behavioral Observation Training Overcome The Effects Of Prior Information?, Eric J. Vanetti

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two studies were performed to investigate how behavioral observation training helps assessors handle the information processing demands of the assessment center. In Study 1, the effects of potentially biasing prior information (priming) on the behavioral observations and rating judgments of 90 untrained subjects were determined. Priming was operationalized as one of three sets of information (positive, negative or neutral) that subjects received prior to observing, and rating a designated target individual. Results showed that both the observations and ratings of untrained subjects were influenced by priming. Study 2 investigated the effects of prior information on the observations and ratings of …

The Influence Of Direct Versus Indirect Observation, Candidate Report Format, And Assessor Training On The Accuracy Of Assessor Ratings, Rudolph L. Johnson Jr.

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Within the assessment center method, assessors' preliminary evaluations of candidates' performance are typically based on information obtained through direct observation of the candidate's performance in the situational exercise, or on another assessor's report of that performance. This variation is somewhat disconcerting, however, in that its impact on assessor ratings remains largely unstudied. The primary focus of the present study was to assess the differential effects of observation type (i.e., direct observation, dimension-specific report, narrative report) on various measures of rating accuracy. In addition, the present study investigated cognitive modeling as an assessor training strategy, and its impact on rating accuracy. …

Factors Affecting The Efficacy Of Rater Training: Information Type And Mode Of Presentation, Todd A. Silverhart

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

In order to enhance the quality of performance ratings, researchers have directed their efforts towards training raters to evaluate performance more accurately. The purpose of the present study was to examine two factors that may affect the efficacy of rater training for improving the accuracy of performance ratings. One factor was the type of information that was presented during training (target score information, behavioral rationale for target scores, or a combination of target score and behavioral rationale). The second factor was the mode in which information was presented during training (feedback or feedforward). In addition to assessing the unique contribution …

Category Test And Wais Scores: Sex And Age Inter-Relationships, Julia Ann Shelton

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The current study investigated sex and age differences on the WAIS and Category Test in a sample of 218 persons, half male and half female, between the ages of 16 and 39. The sample was composed of well educated diabetics without neurological symptomatology and of above average intelligence.

Three types of statistical analyses were performed. The first of these were factor analyses of structural composition of WAIS and Category tests as influenced by sex. Results suggested that males and females exhibit different patterns of performance. The second analyses were regression analyses to predict Category Test performance from WAIS scores and …

The Relationship Between Father's Parenting Style, Concept Of God, And Spiritual Well-Being In Christian College-Aged Women, Teresa L. Dean

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The purpose of this study is to examine whether an Authoritative parenting style by a woman's father has an effect on her Concept of God and Spiritual Well-being. The Children's Report of Parent's Behavior Inventory (CRPBI), two Concept of God scales, and the Spiritual Well-being scale were given to a randomly chosen sample of 200 women from Messiah College. A total of 127 women responded to the questionnaire.

It was hypothesized that there would be significant relationships between the three scores derived from the CRPBI (Acceptance vs. Rejection, Psychological Autonomy vs. Psychological Control, and Firm Discipline vs. Lax Discipline) and …

Patterns Of Emotion Within Mathematics Problem-Solving, Frances A. Rosamond

Humanistic Mathematics Network Journal

There is often a divide between the experience of positive emotions toward math on the part of mathematical educators and negative emotions toward math on the part of students. This paper utilizes psychologist Richard Lazarus's work on the effects of positive emotions in order to highlight their benefits for mathematical pedagogy, to explain the author's experiment applying Lazarus's theory, and to suggest ways this application might support and foster positive emotions in students.

Counseling In The Church : A Proposed Strategy For Ministering To Mental Health Needs In The Church, Rodger K. Bufford, Robert E. Buckler

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

No abstract provided.

Modification Of Aggressive Behavior In An Adolescent Through The Use Of Imagery Therapy, Julie Jackson Underriner

Graduate Theses

This case study explored the effects of using 12 sessions of Guided Affective Imagery (GAI) as advocated by Leuner to diminish aggressive behavior. The subject for the study was a thirteen-year-old female who resides in a group home facility. Overt behavior change was analyzed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and' the Direct Observation Form (DOF) in a pretreatment, posttreatment, and delayed posttreatment design. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the CBCL revealed no significant change in the subject’s aggressive behaviors. However, the DOF revealed a decrease in the subject’s problem behaviors on three other rating scales and an …

Student Failure As Associated With Socio-Economic Status, Racial Ethnicity, And Single Parenting, B. Dan Green

Graduate Theses

Academic failure is a problem in American schools all over the nation. Many factors play a part in the academic achievement of students. The purpose of this study is to investigate student academic failure among students from lower socio-economic status families as compared with students from families with a higher socio-economic status, with sub-groupings identifying students as to racial and ethnic backgrounds as well as those from single-parent homes. The test group for this survey is a group of four-hundred and forty eighth grade students from Goddard Junior High School in Midland, Texas. All students listed as "failing" failed one …

The Development Of A Knowledge Test For Armor Trainees, Jerry Seibert

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A study was conducted to develop a written tank knowledge test for United States Army armor trainees. Such a test may be employed as a tool for training program evaluation and as a criterion measure for assessing trainees. The Tank Knowledge Test (TKT) was developed from items written by subject matter experts familiar with the armor training program. After pilot testing, a revised version of the TKT had an internal consistency reliability of .79. Item difficulty levels ranged from .16 to .92 with a mean of .57. A factor analysis performed to examine the possibility of deriving subscales from four …

The Effects Of Music Videos On Adolescent Females Self-Concept And Body-Image, David Scott Eggli

Masters Theses

Music videos are a phenomenon of the 1980s. Their striking imagery, flashy choreography, sexy clothing, and quick cuts have attracted a huge audience of adolescents and changed the face of the fashion industry. If rock stars and music videos can attract millions of teenage viewers and change the style of clothes worn, they may also affect a teenager's self-concept and body-image.

The subjects in this research project were 18 adolescent females between the ages of 12 and 17. The subjects viewed either music videos or G-rated movies. The Piers Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale served as the dependent variable for pretest …

The Effects Of Magnitude Of Extrinsic Reinforcement On Intrinsic Interest: An Experimental Analysis, Brian Howard Gribler

Masters Theses

The present study examined the effect that three magnitudes of extrinsic reinforcement had on wheel running following the termination of reinforcement. After an initial baseline period, three groups of rats were assigned to one of three conditions: a variable interval 60 second schedule of reinforcement, a variable time 60 second schedule of reinforcement, or a control condition. Each subject in the reinforcement groups was exposed to three different magnitudes of reinforcement. Each reinforcement phase was followed by a return to baseline. The results indicated that contingent reinforcement increased wheel running although rates were comparable for all magnitudes of reinforcement. No …

Treatment Of Spasticity Via Transcranial Electrical Stimulation In Persons With Cerebral Palsy And Severe Mental Retardation, George A. Thompson Jr.

Dissertations

Although the clinical manifestations of cerebral palsy are many and varied, spasticity is a common aspect of the disorder, observed in as many as 75% of all cases (Paneth & Kiely, 1984). A double-blind and placebo-controlled and counter balanced reversal design was employed to evaluate the effectiveness of transcranial electrical stimulation (TCS) in the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy in six severely mentally impaired individuals. Although there appeared to be some improvement from pre to post measures, a comparison of the placebo and treatment conditions yielded results indicating that transcranial electrical stimulation did not increase the passive range of motion …

Preventing The "All But Thesis" Phenomenon, Maria Emma Garcia

Dissertations

Twenty-three to 54% of the students who enter graduate programs never obtain their degrees. A high percentage of those students drop out after the completion of all the academic requirements except their master's theses or doctoral dissertations. The literature makes reference to the "all but thesis" (ABT) and the "all but dissertation" (ABD) phenomenon.

The present study involved the implementation of a research supervisory system designed to help students complete their theses and dissertations, therefore preventing the ABT and ABD problems. Twenty-nine graduate students in psychology formed the research supervisory group and 53 graduate students from several departments formed a …

Differential Psychophysiological Responsiveness Of Subjects Exhibiting The Type A And Type B Behavior Patterns, Mark J. Hurry

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Verbal Interactions Among Elementary Students With The Jigsaw Ii Learning Method, Katherine Gilbert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The cooperative learning method, Jigsaw II, was implemented in a grade four social studies class for the purpose of examining the verbal interactions among students as they learned from each other. Jigsaw II is structured to enhance cooperation because each student has exclusive information that is needed by other group members to do well on a test. It was hypothesized that the more capable students in a heterogeneous learning group would help the less capable ones learn the material. As the lower ability students gained proficiency in teaching their information, the variance in the rates of speaking would be less …

The Effects Of A Pre-Therapy Client Orientation On Clients In Psychotherapy, Nels Sather

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research was to assess the effects of a pre-therapy client orientation on clients admitted to a mental health center. A secondary purpose was to develop an effective and brief audio-visual orientation that would positively influence clients in therapy. It was hypothesized that a pre-therapy orientation would significantly reduce client no shows and cancellations, increase client fee payment, increase client level of psychological functioning, and increase client satisfaction with mental health services. None of the four hypotheses was supported by the research. A questionnaire filled out by the therapists involved in the study, after the data were …