Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Self-Evaluation Procedures On The Numbers And Accuracy Of Alphabet Letter Writing Behavior Of Preschool Children, Kevin R. Coleman

Masters Theses

This study assessed the effects of self-evaluation procedures on the rate and accuracy of alphabet letter writing. Three preschoolers served as subjects. During Phase I, students were given instructions, and the experimenter modeled accurate letter writing. During Phase II, instructions and modeling were again presented. Additionally, the students were given a rule statement that instructed them to use a stamper and a stamp pad to stamp their paper after first writing each of a row of four letters. The results indicated that the introduction of self-evaluation procedures was associated with immediate increases in frequency of attempts, but a decrease in …

Reinforcement-Based Response Elimination: The Effects Of Response-Reinforcement Interval And Response Specificity, Stuart Vyse, Thomas S. Rieg, Nelson F. Smith

Psychology Faculty Publications

Compared extinction and 4 reinforcement-based procedures for eliminating a response in 5 groups of 10 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Two procedures provided for reinforcement of a specific alternative behavior (ALT-R), while 2 others were differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) contingencies. The effect of 10-sec and 1-sec response-reinforcment intervals was examined with each of the ALT-R and DRO groups in (a) a training phase, in which an original response was established; (b) a response elimination phase; (c) an extinction phase; and (d) a reacquisition phase. The fastest response elimination occurred in the ALT-R group, and the slowest occurred in the DRO …

Anisms Underlying Improvement Of Peripheral Visual Processing In Older Adults, David Ball

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The aim of this project was to examine the effects of perceptual learning, or practice, on the vision of older adults. Previous findings had indicated that older adults have restricted functional visual fields, but that practice in detecting peripheral targets can substantially improve their performance. Two possible explanations for poorer performance in the older age groups were examined: 1) slowed speed of central perceptual processing and 2) attentional deficit problems. Six observers in each of three age groups were tested and trained in performing a peripheral localization task while performing a concurrent central task. A progressive loss in the functional …

An Observational Analysis Of The Interactions Between Institutionalized Mentally Retarded Clients & Direct Care Staff, Lisa Ellis-Lake

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the interactions between direct care staff and the mentally retarded (MR) clients that they served in an institutional setting. It was hypothesized that (a) most of the staff-client interactions, regardless of quality (i.e., positive or negative) and/or level of intellectual functioning, would be instructional rather than conversational or no response interactions; (b) there would be an insufficient amount (i.e., duration and frequency) of conversational interaction, regardless of quality, across intellectual functioning levels; and (c) there would be a greater number of negative no response interactions (i.e., ignoring an appropriate client verbalization) than …

School Psychologists' Reports: Special Educators' Preferences, Claudia Downey

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Special educators were surveyed in order to determine which of two distinct styles of school psychologists' reports, (psychological vs. psychoeducational) was perceived to be most useful. The sample population consisted of 39 special educators employed by the Bowling Green (Ky.) Independent School District and the Warren County (Ky.) Board of Education. Teachers' rankings of the ten report sections (five per style of report) were compared by an analysis of variance. Results of the 2 (report style: psychological vs. psychoeducational) by 5 (report sections: referral vs. background and observations vs. tests/procedures vs. diagnosis or conclusions vs. recommendations) ANOVA revealed no significant …

The Relationship Of Self-Concept As Measured By The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale To Adjustment In Seminary As Measured By The Sentence Completion Scale, Seminary Socialization Scale, And Seminary Attrition Scale., Harvey B. Powers

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study sought to measure the relationship between self concept and non-academic adjustment in seminary. A sample of 55 randomly selected male Master's of Divinity students was selected from the first through third year classes at a prominent evangelical seminary during the Spring quarter of 1984. The sample was given a demographic questionnaire, the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSC), and three instruments which were designed to measure non-academic adjustment. These were the Seminary Socialization Scale (SSS), the Seminary Attrition Scale (SAS), and the Sentence Completion Scale (SCS). Five professors also rated students in terms of their non-academic adjustment. The analysis …

School Of Psychology Master's Course Schedule Summer [And] Fall Session 1985, Nova University

College of Psychological Services / College of Psychology Postgraduate Student and Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Response Variability And Interview Contrast Effects, Salvatore John Cesare

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The low reliability and validity of the interview has lead to research aimed at improving its effectiveness. One such strategy is the microanalytic approach developed by Mayfield (1964). This approach centers on the decision—making processes errors made by the interviewer. One type of error is the contrast effect. A contrast effect is that situation where the rating given to an applicant is contingent upon the quality of preceding applicants. This study used a 3 X 3 (Induced Set X Target Applicant) factorial design to assess how different amounts of response variability by an average applicant can influence contrast effects. Subjects …

The Effect Of A Death, Dying And Grieving Seminar On Nicu Nurses' Levels Of Anxiety, Depression And Hostility, Bonnie Kugel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

[Abstract Not Included]

Effects Of Ethanol On Stimulus Properties Of D-Amphetamine, Michaela Arango

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The drug discrimination paradigm was used to investigate the effects of combinations of d-amphetamine sulfate (amph) and alcohol (etoh). Rats were trained to discriminate between the stimulus properties of 1.2 mg/kg amph and non-drug treatment in a two-lever food-motivated operant task. Once trained, rats were tested with .3 mg/kg amph, and showed an intermediate level of "amphetamine" responding. Combinations of this test dose with etoh 150 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg produced significantly increased amph-appropriate responding. This potentiation of the amph cue tended to be higher at etoh 150 mg/kg. The administration of etoh (150 or 300 mg/kg) alone did not …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Emg Biofeedback And Relaxation Training On Chronic Back Pain Patients, Pam W. Vredevelt

Dissertations and Theses

This experiment examined the effects of EMG biofeedback and relaxation training as compared with biofeedback alone. The following dependent variables were examined: manifest anxiety, perceived pain, perceived relaxation, EMG activity, and locus of control. Back pain patients were assigned to one of two treatment groups. Group 1 was treated with both EMG biofeedback and relaxation training. Group 2 was treated with biofeedback alone. It appears that both biofeedback combined with progressive relaxation and biofeedback training alone are effective in lowering muscle activity and perceived pain, and in increasing perceived relaxation. However, from the results of this study, it is impossible …

The Effect Of Subject Expectations Of "Hypnosis" Upon The Vividness Of Visual Imagery, Kayla Mae Nilsson

Dissertations and Theses

There is no consensus of how hypnosis works. The two major theorists in hypnosis research, the Phenomenologists and the Behaviorists, disagree on this issue. The Phenomenologists consider individual talent and change of the state of consciousness the key to how hypnosis works. The Behaviorists consider the social situation and the roles taken by the experimenter and subject, especially the subject's expectations of hypnosis, the mainspring of the hypnotic process. Subject expectations of hypnosis have been found to affect the final results of hypnosis experiments. An experiment was conducted to gain further insight into subject expectations of hypnosis, and how these …

The Effect Of Interpolated Continuous Reinforcement Following Fixed Ratio Reinforcement On Resistance To Extinction, Earlene Mccullough Muse

Graduate Theses

This study investigated the effect of seven continuous reinforcement sessions interpolated after varying numbers of FR-25 sessions on extinction responses during extinction of three groups of rats. Rats received 7, 14, or 21 sessions of FR-25 followed by 7 sessions of continuous reinforcement and 7 days of extinction. There were three rats in each group. All sessions were 25 minutes long. Results showed rats that received FR-25 for 21 sessions were more resistant to extinction than any other group, measured by the cumulative number of responses during extinction. Cumulative rates of extinction responses for Groups 1 and 2 were not …

Peer Influence: A Method To Help Manage Stress, Ronald Cameron Zurcher

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to find a difference between middle managers’ and blue-collar workers’ episodic non-work related and work related stress events. The information that was found was to be developed into a “peer influence” program to help prevent the workers from experiencing chronic stress symptoms.

Method: From research it was determined that there is a significant difference between middle managers’ and blue-collar workers’ episodic non-work and work related stress events. The material that was reviewed showed a difference in five areas: threat of job loss, lack of authority, new social values (sociability), personal life (satisfaction), and …

The Effects Of Private Self-Consciousness And Perspective Taking On Satisfaction In Close Relationships., Stephen L. Franzoi, Mark H. Davis, Richard D. Young

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

131 heterosexual student couples, aged 17–32 yrs, 30 of whom were married or engaged answered questions concerning themselves and their relationships. It was predicted that individual differences in private self-consciousness would be positively related to relationship satisfaction because of the greater self-disclosure resulting from that heightened self-attention. It was further predicted that individual differences in perspective taking would foster relationship satisfaction, independent of any influence of self-disclosure. Both expectations were confirmed. Scores on the private self-consciousness scale were predictive of reported self-disclosure, and self-disclosure was predictive of satisfaction in the relationship. Once the influence of self-disclosure was removed, no effect …

Eye Contact Perception At Distances Up To Six Meters, Daniel L. Scarl

Dissertations and Theses

Common experience suggests that most people can tell whether they are being looked at by another person who is about 8 m away. However, the results of past experiments, which used distances of no more than about 3 m, have implied that this cannot be done if the person looked at (Receiver) judges only by the iris-sclera configuration of the person looking (Sender). This is true even if eye contact is defined simply as identifying on-face gazes (FGs). It has been suggested that in everyday experience eye contact is accompanied by cues other than iris position, and that these non-iris-position …

The Effects Of A Professional Disclosure Statement On Aspects Of The Counseling Process, Martha Dennis Christiansen

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The effect of a counselor-introduced professional disclosure statement on aspects of the initial counseling process was investigated through a professional disclosure procedure which was comoared with a no treatment control condition. The four dependent variables studied included: clients' attitude toward counseling; clients' perceptions of the client-counselor relationship; clients' perceptions of counselor expertness, attractiveness, and trustworthiness; and clients' knowledge about counseling. The professional disclosure procedure consisted of a verbal and written presentation of the counselor's unique professional disclosure statement during the last 10 minutes of the initial counseling interview. The professional disclosure statement provided the following information: brief biographical data and …

Using A Weighted Application To Predict Success Of Big Brother/Big Sister Volunteers, Douglas Kuhn

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the predictive potential of the information gathered on the Big Brother/Big Sister volunteer application blank for the prediction of successful (matched 12 or more months) and unsuccessful (matched six months or less) volunteers. Two alternate application blank weighting procedures (England's 1971 weighting scheme and multiple regression analysis) were used and the results of these procedures were compared. It was hypothesized that both procedures would correlate significantly with a tenure criterion. This hypothesis was supported, although the England (1971) procedure failed to cross-validate. Additionally, it was hypothesized that the multiple regression procedure would …

A Comparison Of Illusory Halo Levels Between Conventionally-Developed And Factor Analytically-Developed Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales, Robert Baker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to compare halo levels between a set of behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) developed by conventional methodology with a set of BARS developed by factor analytic means. The conventionally-developed BARS were developed at the University of California-Berkeley by Department of Psychology faculty members in conjunction with undergraduate psychology students. The factor analytically-derived BARS were developed during the course of the research reported here. In Phase 1 of the present study, undergraduate psychology students rated their instructors on a 1-7 Likert scale using the individual anchors which comprised the conventional BARS. A factor analysis of …

Interpersonal Consequences Of Expressing Concern About Nuclear War, Ann Angell Dew

Master's Theses

The effects of sex role expectations within the context of the nuclear war issue were examined in this study. Sixty males and sixty females, ranging in age from 18 to 22 years, participated in this study. They were obtained from the introductory psychology courses at the University of Richmond. Each subject read a questionnaire, supposedly completed by another University of Richmond undergraduate, and answered two Likert-type questions measuring the degree to which the subject would like to meet and become friends with the target. The independent variables were sex of the target, sex of subject, and expression of concern about …

Habit Reversal Treatment Of Bulimia Nervosa, Ken Small

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Although several writers have emphasized the habit-like characteristics of bulimia nervosa, no study has investigated the extent to which bulimia responds to treatment specifically for habit disorders. Habit reversal is a general treatment plan which teaches individuals to regain lost awareness of all aspects of a habit. The habit is then interrupted at the earliest movement in the chain by a physically competing response. Habit reversal (Azrin & Nunn, 1973) has been effective in treating other habits (e.g., stuttering, tics, bruxism). In the present study, habit reversal was adapted for the treatment of bulimia.

In response to newspaper advertisements, ten …

A Comparison Of Evaluation Models For Handicap Intervention In A Head Start Program, Carin Niebuhr

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Model A and Model C Title I evaluation options were compared by using both options to measure the effectiveness of handicap intervention in a Head Start program. Two hundred three children in Jackson County (Oregon) were pretested with the Developmental Indicators of Learning Test (DIAL), the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), the Visual-Motor Integration Scale (VMI), and the Carrow Elicited Language Inventory (CELI). The 43 children who scored below the predetermined cut-off level were placed in a six-month intervention program. One hundred forty-nine children remaining in the Head Start program in May were posttested with the same tests. Model …

Personality Variables That Discriminate Pseudoseizures Patients And Epileptic Patients Used In The 16 Pf, Patricia L. Marshall

Master's Theses

This project was designed to study the effect of certain personality factors on pseudoseizure patients. It was hypothesized that Factors C and 0 in the 16 Personality Questionnaire could serve as predictor variables for the criterion variable, positive diagnosis of pseudoseizure versus true epileptic seizures. It was also hypothesized that these two groups, pseudoseizure versus epileptic seizure, would differ significantly on a test titled the Sickness Impact Profile. The two scales in this test, psychosocial and physical, were examined. Two discriminant analyses were performed with these two tests being the predictor variables and group membership being the criterion variable. Non-significant …

Personality Variables That Discriminate Pseudoseizures Patients And Epileptic Patients Used In The 16 Pf, Patricia Lane Marshall

Master's Theses

This project was designed to study the effect of certain personality factors on pseudoseizure patients. It was hypothesized that Factors C and O in the 16 Personality Questionnaire could serve as predictor variables for the criterion variable, positive diagnosis of pseudoseizure versus true epileptic seizures. It was also hypothesized that these two groups, pseudoseizure versus epileptic seizure, would differ significantly on a test titled the Sickness Impact Profile. The two scales in this test, psychosocial and physical, were examined. Two discriminant analyses were performed with these two tests being the predictor variables and group membership being the criterion variable. Non-significant …

A Comparative Study Of The Developmental Sentence Scoring Normative Data Obtained In Canby, Oregon, And The Midwest, For Children Between The Ages Of 6.0 And 6.11 Years, Stacy Ann Tilden-Browning

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of geographical differences on the Developmental Sentence Scoring normative data for children ages 6.0 to 6.11, by comparing the original DSS normative data with that obtained in Canby, Oregon. A collateral purpose was to develop norms for the geographical area of Canby, Oregon, using the DSS procedure. Forty children, ten within each of the four, three-month age subgroups between 6.0 and 6.11, were chosen. All of the children came from monolingual, middle-class families and had normal hearing, normal receptive vocabulary skills, and no known unusual social, developmental, or behavioral …

Client Preferences For Counselor Characteristics: Attitudes Towards Handicapped, Benjamin D. Ewing

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this research was to constructively replicate the research of Brabham and Thoreson (1973) and Mitchell and Frederickson (1975) that led to the conclusion that handicapped counselors are preferred.

Subjects were 337 male and female volunteers enrolled in psychology 101 which was taught during the Fall Quarter, 1984, at Utah State University. All subjects were asked to indicate their preference when considering 20 hypothetical problem situations for one counselor from among six photographs of handicapped and non-handicapped counselors. The 20 situations consisted of three types (personal, vocational, and educational). Each subject's score was the total number of times …

A Comparison Between Desensitization And Relaxation Training In The Treatment Of Primary Dysmenorrhea, Susan Myrna Jones Carcelli

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The use of relaxation, desensitization, and relaxation plus desensitization in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea was investigated in this study. Subjects were 45 university women who experienced either congestive or spasmodic dysmenorrhea. Each subject was individually treated in four, one-hour sessions during the first 20 days of her menstrual cycle. Subjects were divided into three groups: Group 1 obtained four hours of progressive relaxation training, group 2 was asked to self-relax while being administered scenes from a standardized menstrual hierarchy, and group 3 obtained both relaxation training and desensitization. Type of dysmenorrhea was assessed by the Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ). …

The Relationship Of Type A And Type B Coronary Behavior Patterns And Achievement Striving, Jolene Lowry Adams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic replication of the experiment of Burnam, Pennebaker, and Glass (1973) using an adult population and the Jenkins Activity Survey. Additionally, this study attempted to address the issue of whether the previous results would be substantiated when a non-college sample was used.

The subjects consisted of40 females and 40 males who volunteered to participate in the study. All subjects were given the Jenkins Activity Survey and randomly assigned to Condition I, the No Deadline condition, or Condition II, the Deadline condition. The subjects in the No Deadline condition were given arithmetic …

Handicapped Tutors And Tutees: A Meta-Analysis Of Critical Variables, Stephen Blaine Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Tutoring has been used as an instructional method for many years. Reviewers have made narrative conclusions that tutoring has many academic, social, and emotional benefits for the tutor and tutee.

This study applied meta-analysis techniques to studies in which learning disabled, behaviorally disordered, or intellectually handicapped elementary and secondary school students were used to tutor academic content material to handicapped tutees. It was found that the experimental subjects made greater gains on the academic material than the control groups. Gains on social/emotional measures were minimal. Various research design and tutoring intervention characteristics were examined for their influence on tutor and …

The Relationship Between Therapist Approach Postures, Avoidance Postures And Posture Sharing, And Subjects' Experience Of Rapport, Lawrence A. Carcelli

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationship between approach, avoidance and congruent postures and the experience of rapport was investigated. Sixty undergraduate college students (30 male, 30 female) were interviewed by a therapist who displayed either approach postures, avoidance postures or who posture shared. The degree of rapport experienced by the 20 subjects in the three groups was compared. In addition, the subjects' behaviors were divided into four groups (n = 11, or 19) along two orthogonal dimensions (high and low congruency and immediacy) and the degree of rapport experienced by the four groups compared. No statistically significant results were found in either analysis. An …