Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Mascot Model Of Human/Companion Animal Interaction: Its Effects On Levels Of Loneliness And Depression Among Residents Of A Nursing Home, Mark E. Reed

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Pet-facilitated therapy has been hailed in recent years as an effective means of bringing about psychosocial benefits for elderly people in institutions. However, empirical investigations are relatively recent and more are needed. The primary objectives of this dissertation were: .1) to conduct an empirically sound study of the mascot model of pet therapy, focusing specifically on its impact on levels of loneliness and depression among nursing home residents, 2) to identify the relationship between existential well-being and loneliness and depression, and 3) to address the use of pets to meet the social/emotional needs of humans from a framework of biblical …

Generalized Expectancy And Athletic Performance, Terry Lee Paddon

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Rotter's (1966} locus of control concept has been used to validate the belief that "athletics builds character." Internality is defined as the belief that reinforcement follows or is contingent upon one's own behavior. Externality is the belief that reinforcement is controlled by forces outside oneself, and independent of one's own actions. Previous authors have suggested that athletic participation fosters the development of an internal locus of control. Results have been inconclusive. The goal of this study was to investigate the range of scores on the Internal-External Locus of Control Scale among female professional golfers. It was hypothesized that locus of …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Mental Resources And Performance Strategies, Douglas L. Miller

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Based on the work of Klapp, Marshburn, and Lester (1983) and more generally on principles of the Multiple Resource Theory, it was proposed that human short-term memory consists of two mental resource channels, one that is tapped by span memory tasks and one tapped by immediate working memory tasks. It was further hypothesized that dual-task performance would be better under conditions where one of the component tasks tapped the proposed span memory channel and one tapped the proposed working memory channel, than when both tasks tapped the same channel. In addition, it was hypothesized that dual-tasks tapping the same memory …

The Effectiveness Of Three Modes Of Conversation On Coping With Stress In Same Sex Friendship Dyads, Robert Sal Costanza

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

To induce stress, pairs of friends, serving as subjects, were told they would be moving a spider through a maze. In three experimental conditions the friends were allowed to talk with one another prior to interacting with the spider; in the fourth condition the subjects waited alone. The conversations were structured so that the differential effects of problem-solving, emotion-based, or situationally unrelated discussion between friends could be observed on measures of negative mood state and behavioral fear. Subjects in the emotion-based condition generally experienced the greatest amounts of negative mood and fear. Problem-solving and unrelated discussions resulted in lower levels …

Speech Anxiety As A Self-Handicapping Strategy, Gerald Macon Travis

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study tested the hypothesis that trait speech-anxious females use reports of speech anxiety symptoms and self-statements reflecting speech anxiety as a self-handicapping strategy to preserve their self-esteem when confronted with an evaluative threat situation. Forty-eight college females, classified into high and low speech anxiety groups on the basis of their responses to the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker (PRCS; Paul, 1966), served as subjects, It was predicted that trait speech-anxious subjects would report more speech anxiety symptoms and self-statements reflecting speech anxiety in an evaluative setting in which speech anxiety could serve as an explanation for …

Cardiac Correlates Of Individual Recognition In The Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes), Sarah T. Boysen, Gary G. Berntson

Sentience Collection

The ability of a chimpanzee to recognize individuals depicted in photographs was evaluated through the use of heart rate measures. Heart rate was recorded before and during photographic projections of human caregivers, familiar individuals, strangers, and blank control slides. In the absence of explicit training or reinforcement, the chimpanzee displayed a differential pattern of heart rate response to the stimulus categories. Although heart rate responses to all stimuli were predominantly deceleratory, the photographs of caregivers yielded consistently larger responses than other stimuli. Results indicate that the chimpanzee is able to recognize individual humans from novel photographic representations and that heart …

Predictors Of Spiritual Well-Being Among Full-Time Youth For Christ/Usa Staff Members, David E. Clarke

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Due to the vital role spiritual health plays in the job performance of religious youth workers, there is a need to adequately predict this quality in this group of professionals. Spiritual well-being is a construct with support in the literature which can be used to objectively measure the internal, subjective condition of spiritual health. The purpose of this st~1dy was to identify one set of specific, commonly occurd.ng variables which in linear combination would adequately predict the spiritual well-being of fulltime Youth for Christ/USA staff members. The target sample consisted of 350 full-time YFC/USA sta.tf members whose names were drawn …

Adolescent Loneliness, Self-Disclosure, And Private Self-Consciousness: A Longitudinal Investigation, Mark H. Davis, Stephen L. Franzoi

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Examined the causal relations that exist among loneliness, self-disclosure, and private self-consciousness, building on an earlier study by S. L. Franzoi and M. H. Davis (see record 1985-19892-001). Using structural equation techniques and a longitudinal design, a theoretical model that links these variables was tested with 332 high school students. Results indicate a good fit between the theoretical model and the observed relations. Evidence concerning 2 alternative interpretations of the original Franzoi and Davis study is provided. First, the original hypothesis that private self-consciousness leads to greater self-disclosure to peers is supported, but no support for the alternative view …

Care, Need, And Conceptions Of Love: A Reexamination, Janet Gruwell Morris

Dissertations and Theses

The present study examines the roles need and care play in such positive interpersonal attitudes as love, liking, attraction, and friendship, by both replicating and extending a 1982 study by Steck, Levitan, McLane, and Kelley. Subjects were presented with slightly revised Rubin Love Scales which were filled out as if by persons involved in relationships, and were asked to judge how much each hypothetical person loved, liked, was attracted to, and felt friendly toward their partner. In fact, the love scales had been divided into three components, i.e. need, care, and trust, and were filled out with each component at …

The Effects Of Time-Compression On Recall Utilizing A Videotape Presentation, William Edmiston Jr.

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Three population samples of college students were found to be similar on two stratifying variables, general intelligence and knowledge of conditioning principles, before viewing a time-compressed or non-compressed videotape presentation. The amount of unprompted information recalled did not differ significantly between the time-compressed and non-compressed treatment conditions. Additionally, neither treatment condition differed significantly on a multiple-choice posttest, although both groups did differ significantly from a control group that did not view the videotape. No significant difference was found between the time-compressed and non-compressed groups on their ratings of Quality of Narrator, Interest Level of Topic, and Overall Quality of Videotape …

The Development And Construct Validation Of The Children’S Academic Motivation Inventory, Kevin Hughes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to develop and provide construct validation evidence for the Children’s Academic Motivation Inventory (CAMI). The CAMI, the junior Index of Motivation Scale (JIM Scale), and the Children’s Social Desirability Scale (CSDS) were administered to 534 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students. Additionally, teacher assigned math grades; total math and total reading scores from the Kentucky Essential skills test (KEST); and the Cognitive Skills Index (CSI) from the Test of Cognitive Skills were obtained for each participant. Principal-components factor analysis with varimax rotation performed on the CAMI items produced essentially one factor, entitled academic achievement motivation. …

Development Of The Parent - Child Situation Scale: A Measure Of Parental Attributions Toward Handicapped Children's Behavior, Lonnie Sears

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Parent - Child Situation Scale (PCSS) was developed to measure parental attributions toward handicapped children's behavior. The PCSS was administered to mothers of handicapped children. The final version of the scale possessed good reliability. Coefficient alphas for the PCSS were .74 for the internal - external attribution subscale, .70 for the stable - unstable subscale, and .72 for the global - specific subscale. Factor analysis of the PCSS revealed three factors corresponding to the three attribution types. The internal - external subscale's validity was supported. The other two subscales, however, appeared to have only moderate validity. Responses of college …

The Effects Of Levels Of Processing On Retention Of Word Meaning, Dorothy A. Flannagan

Master's Theses

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of the three encoding techniques of rote memory, semantic, and self-reference, on short-term and long-term retention levels of unfamiliar vocabulary words and their meanings. Seventy-two college students participated in the experiment, with 24 students in each encoding group. All participants viewed 20 target words and their definitions, and were exposed to each word for 30 seconds. Each group was given instructions designed to promote a type of encoding specific to their group. After a five-minute distractor task, subjects were given a list of the target words and were tested on …

Auditory Stimulation-Induced Analgesia In Rats: Its Irreversibility By Naloxone, Ilsun Miranda White

Masters Theses

After receiving intermittent exposure to a tone (3000 Hz, 100 db, SPL), rats were tested on a hot plate for analgesia. Rats that received tone alone showed a higher average paw-lick latency than rats that received either naloxone or saline alone. This result indicates that the auditory stimulus used in this study can be considered a neurogenic stressor and may be added to the list of various noxious stimuli that prouces analgesic effects. Naloxone given to tone-treated subjects produced mean paw-lick latencies were comparable to control group latencies for the first two treatment sessions and to tone group latencies for …

The Effects Of Instructions And Cue Controlled Relaxation Training On Cardiovascular Reactivity To Social Stressors, Patricia A. Fettes

Masters Theses

Cue controlled relaxation (CCR) training was compared to simple instructions to relax and control blood pressure on the basis of their effects on cardiovascular reactivity to role played social stressors. The CCR intervention consisted of training subjects to say a cue word ("calm") that had been previously paired with muscular relaxation responses, during presentation of stressors. The instructions intervention was associated with significant reductions in blood pressure reactivity, regardless of whether this condition preceded or followed the CCR condition. Factors that may relate to the relative ineffectiveness of CCR are discussed, as well as those that may have been responsible …

An Analysis Of Potential Adjunctive Behavior In Two Developmentally Disabled Subjects, Nancy K. Brhely

Masters Theses

Past research on adjunctive behavior in humans has generally not employed methods which are comparable to those included in studies of adjunctive behavior in nonhumans. Consequently, the results of these studies of adjunctive behavior in nonhumans. Consequently, the results of these studies are often difficult to interpret. The present study examined locomotor movement and salient self-stimulatory behaviors in two developmentally disabled students exposed to four fixed-interval (FI) schedules of food delivery (FI 16-, 60-, 120-, and 240-sec). Results of this study were analyzed according to whether the seven defining characteristics of the prototype of adjunctive behavior, polydipsia, were present. Locomotor …

A Comparison Of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Profiles In Native American And White Alcoholics, Barbara Nelle Vesely

Theses and Dissertations

Although the literature on alcoholism is extensive, virtually all of the existing psychological theories of alcoholism are based on research primarily conducted on White males. The question of generalizability of these research findings to females and to other ethnic groups, such as Native Americans, is one of paramount importance. The present study was designed to investigate differences between the sexes and between the White and Native American groups, by analysis of the MMPI profiles of each group.

In addition to investigation of the group differences, this study addressed another major deficiency of the literature. Many psychological assessments, for example the …

The Effects Of Vocal Instructions And Sequence Of Conditions On The Acquisition And Maintenance Of Behavioral Chains, Charles L. Lowe

Dissertations

Five children, ages 5 to 6 1/2 years, were trained to learn and relearn four-link behavioral chains using conditioned reinforcement. Subjects were presented with a horizontal array of 12 chips in four equal groups. During Control Learning (CL) sessions, a new sequence of responses was learned through contingency shaping. The same sequence was presented later that day during a Control Relearning (CRL) session. Instruction on correct responses was provided during Instruction Learning (IL) sessions. The same sequence was presented without instruction during an Instruction Relearning (IRL) session later that day. Thus, new behavioral chains were acquired during CL and IL …

Effects Of Stress Management Instruction And Anxiety Monitoring In Adult Day Treatment Population, Jack Blanton Wills

Dissertations and Theses

This study examines the effectiveness of a particular stress management intervention with adult outpatients diagnosed as chronic schizophrenics. The setting for the study was the Portland, Oregon, Veteran's Administration, Outpatient Clinic, Day Treatment Center. The intervention was composed of two factors; 1) stress management training and 2) Behavior-Graph Instruction. Both of these were presented using a psychoeducational model of classroom instruction, role play, and discussion.

Effect Of Television Programming And Advertising On Alcohol Consumption In Normal Drinkers, Linda C. Sobell, Mark B. Sobell, Diane M. Riley, Felix Klajner, Gloria I. Leo, Daniel Pavan, Anthony Cancilla

Faculty Articles

The drinking behavior of 96 male normal drinking college students was assessed after they viewed a videotape of a popular prime-time television program complete with advertisements. Different versions of the videotape were used to evaluate the effects of a television program with and without alcohol scenes as crossed with the effects of three different types of advertisements (i.e., beer, nonalcoholic beverages and food). After viewing the videotape, the subjects, who were led to believe that they were participating in two separate and unrelated sets of experimental procedures, were asked to perform a taste rating of light beers, which actually provided …

Finding Clinical Internships In Rural Settings: A Survey And Report, Jefferson A. Singer, Steven Heyman

Psychology Faculty Publications

Summarizes survey of American Psychological Association accredited clinical internships to determine extent of involvement with rural clients and opportunities for rural clinical/community work. Tables include list and brief description of 19 clinical internship programs with rural placements and 28 names and addresses for clinical internships with rural components.

Theories And System Of Psychology, G K Valecha

IIMB Management Review

No abstract provided.

Commitment To Spouse And God: The Relationship Among Measures Of Marital Commitment And Spiritual Maturity, Robert F. Pramann Jr.

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Marital commitment is increasingly becoming a research focus of many social science researchers. However, to date the research is plagued by the isolation in which definitions and measures were developed/used, the use of divergent theoretical and operational definitions of commitment, and the paucity of psychometrically sophisticated research instruments. In addition, the relationship between religious belief and marital functioning, once well substantiated, has more recently been neglected. The present research addresses these problems. First, the relationship of the social sciences and theology is discussed. Second, the significance of marital commitment is reviewed. Third, a transdisciplinary definition of commitment is developed. Fourth, …

A Multitrait-Multimethod Investigation Of Two Checklist Formats For Rating The In-Basket, Michael G. Fedorko

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The two most commonly identified methods of rating the In-Basket both involve the use of checklists. These checklists differ primarily in the way that the items on them are organized. In one (the Dimension Oriented Format), the items pertaining to the entire In-Basket are grouped under the dimension they represent (Frederiksen, Jensen, & Beaton, 1972). In the other (the Item Oriented Format), items representing all dimensions are grouped under the exercise in which they .might be expected to occur (Jaffee, 1971). This study investigated the construct validity of In-Basket ratings obtained using these two formats.

The results of an analysis …

Cognitive Influences On Flavor Discrimination: Training Novices For Beer Flavor Differentiation, Rosalynn M. Peron

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Four training techniques were employed to investigate the effects of increasing knowledge of beer flavor on novices' ability to differentiate among beers on the basis of taste. These techniques included (a) learning definitions of beer flavor terminology (Verbal Condition); (b) having additional experience with taste sensations (Taste Condition); (c) having a combination of the verbal and taste techniques (Verbal/Taste Condition); and (d) no training (Control Condition). After preliminary testing, 40 subjects (10 per training condition) were selected to participate in pre- and post-training tasks in which they rated similarity between beers, between beers and flavor-descriptive adjectives, and between flavor-descriptive adjectives. …

Multitrait-Multimethod Analysis Of Performance Ratings Using Behaviorally Anchored And Behavioral Checklist Formats, Todd A. Baker

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The construct validity of a behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) and a behavioral checklist was examined for evaluation of performance in leaderless group discussions. The assessors consisted of 12 graduate students in industrial/organizational psychology who were randomly assigned to use the behavioral checklist or the BARS format. Performance ratings were made of 12 ratees in both assigned and nonassigned role leaderless group discussions. The ratings were analyzed with a multitrait-multimethod approach using analysis of variance (Dickinson 1977; 1984) ~ Convergent validity and discriminant validity were found for the assigned discussion, whereas only discriminant validity was found for the nonassigned discussion. …

The Effects Of Presentation Method And Stimulus String Length In A Letter Matching Task, Sharolyn Ann Converse

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study investigates the effects of presentation method. stimulus string length, and pair type on matching task response time and accuracy. It was hypothesized that sequential presentation and small stimulus arrays evoke holistic processing while long simultaneous sets are matched according to serial self-terminating comparison strategies. The current results indicate that serial self-terminating comparison processes were employed across the experimental conditions. A fixed-order serial self-terminating scan was supported for two and four letter stimulus sets. For six letter strings, subjects appeared to adopt random order self-terminating searches if a divergent element was not located among the first few letter …

Construct Validation Of Role Playing Exercises In An Assessment Center Using Bars And Behavioral Checklist Formats, Wanda J. Campbell

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to establish the construct validity of five dimensions, assessed by two role simulations, using behavioral checklist and BARS formats. Participants were 12 graduate students in psychology, most of whom were enrolled in an industrial/ organizational program. They served as assessors and evaluated the videotaped performance of ten ratees who had previously participated in assessment centers conducted at the university.

Substantial evidence for convergent and an adequate level of discriminant validity were hypothesized. Although it was anticipated that method bias would be low, it was hypothesized that the behavioral checklist would exhibit a higher level …

An Information Processing Approach To The Study Of Map Interpretation, Susan Vaughan Felton

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Three variables involved in map interpretation (rotation, planar angle, and scale) were examined from an information processing perspective to determine whether they were characterized by serial, parallel, or a combination of serial and parallel processing. Sex differences in these processes were also examined. Participants viewed a series of pairs of slides depicting various combinations of rotations, planar angles, and scales, and were asked to determine whether the pair represented the same array viewed from a different viewpoint. Accuracy and response time were the dependent variables of interest. Results indicated that the number of manipulations that were involved in a problem …

Landmark Selection And Temporal-Spatial Integration: Macrospatial Abilities In Young Adults And Elderly Adults, Deans Haggerty

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Groups of young adults and elderly adults participated in a study examining age-related changes in macrospatial cognitive abilities. Perceptual differentiation/selection abilities were tested using a Landmark Selection task, while temporal-spatial integration abilities were explored through the use of a Scrambled Route task. In the Landmark Selection task, subjects viewed a slide presentation of a walk and then chose the landmarks which best represented the walk. For the Scrambled Route task, after viewing a slide presentation of a scrambled walk, subjects made distance estimations involving pairs of selected landmarks. Also included were self-assessment scales of spatial abilities and two psychometric tests …