Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gender-Based Harassment In Early Adolescence: Group And Individual Predictors Of Perpetration, Michelle Jennine Tam

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The current study examined gender-based harassment in early adolescence and the characteristics of individuals who perpetrate such harassment (specifically, experiences with witnessing gender-based harassment and gender identity). Students in seventh and eighth grade (n = 483; 247 girls, 236 boys) completed surveys containing measures of gender identity (perceived same and other-gender typicality, felt pressure to conform to gender norms, and gender contentedness), and questions about witnessing and perpetrating teasing, bullying, and rejection because of a peer’s gender typicality or atypicality. Results revealed that the more GBH an individual had previously witnessed in their classroom, the more likely they were …

Cocaine Choice: A Novel Procedure For Investigating Neuronal Activation Mediating Cocaine Preference, Jonathan Jenn-Sheng Chow

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Cocaine use disorder is a significant health problem, negatively impacting individuals afflicted. While preclinical self-administration research has provided invaluable insight into the neurobehavioral mechanisms that underlie cocaine abuse, cocaine use outside of the laboratory occurs within an environment where other goods are also available ubiquitously. Although there is an ever-increasing literature investigating drug vs. non-drug choice in rodent models and how alternative goods can compete with the subjective value of cocaine, the neurobiological mechanisms that are associated with cocaine preference remains largely unknown. Additionally, current drug vs. non-drug choice studies use procedures that confound preference with intake, such that preference …

What Is Familiar Is Beautiful: A Novel Approach Investigating The Relationship Between Aesthetics And Perceived Use, Travis M. Kent

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Objective: This study investigates the application of aesthetic principles to designed objects with which we interact, specifically looking at the impact of perceived function of the objects on perceptions of visual appeal. Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that a product’s judged beauty or visual appeal is related to perceptions of its usability. Arguments have been put forward for both directions of causality leading to “what is beautiful is usable” and “what is usable is beautiful” hypotheses. Explanations for the relationship between usability and beauty judgments include stereotype effects, ecological explanations, and cognitive processing viewpoints. The current studies contribute to this …

The Effect Of Early Life Photoperiod Manipulation On Cocaine-Induced Behavioral Sensitization In Male And Female Japanese Quail, Shannon Elizabeth Eaton

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Estrogens seem to play a role in the locomotor activating effects of cocaine. Japanese quail provide a good model for hormonal manipulation as alterations of their photoperiod controls hormone levels. The current study aims to examine the role of early life photoperiod manipulation in cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization in quail. It was expected that if quail were raised on a short photoperiod, they would have a reduction in gonadal hormones and this reduction in hormones would affect the acquisition of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization. Quail were raised on an 8L:16D or a 16L:8D light cycle. Following 2 days of habituation, quail were …

Potential Candidates For Treating Deficits Associated With Developmental Ethanol Exposure In A Rodent Model: Solidago Nemoralis & Dimethoxybenzylidene-Anabasine, Logan James Fields

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Prenatal alcohol exposure (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome [FAS] and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders [FASD’s]) represents the leading preventable cause of intellectual disabilities in the western world, with FASDs estimated to affect approximately 2-5% of live births in the United States at an approximate annual cost of $3.6 billion (CDC, 2015; May et al., 2009). Ethanol (ETOH) exposure during development can lead to a variety of long-term behavioral impairments including problems with executive functioning, motor coordination, spatial learning, attention, and hyperactivity (Jones, 2011; Mattson & Riley, 1998). Much research has been conducted to develop pharmacological and/or environmental interventions to reduce these deficits, …

Adopting Identities: Associations Between Adoption, Racial-Ethnic, And Sexual Minority Parent Socialization And Children’S Attachment, Global Self-Worth, And Understanding Of Identity, Kyle A. Simon

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Utilizing a sample of lesbian, gay, and heterosexual adoptive parent families with school-age children, results suggested that parents engage in adoption communication less but racial-ethnic socialization more when a child is transracially adopted. No differences were found in lesbian and gay parents socialization practices for adoptive or racial-ethnic identity. Further, lesbian and gay parents engaged in sexual minority parent socialization less than adoptive or racial-ethnic socialization. Children’s self-worth was related to sex but not socialization practices such that girls reported lower self-worth, and no significant associations were present for children’s closeness. Children’s age, sex, and transracial adoptive status were predictive …

Mental Representations Of The Homeless, Stephanie E. Mckee

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Stereotypes surrounding race and socioeconomic status often have overlapping attributes. That is, we tend to stereotypically associate African Americans and poor individuals with being incompetent. Further, people automatically associate African Americans with the concept of poor. The current research examined people’s mental representations of a homeless person, a poor person, and a person with a home, to see if people’s mental representation of a homeless varied from that of a poor person. Results from Study 1 (N = 524), using a bi-racial base image indicate that people, on average, mentally represent the poor and homeless in a similar manner. …

Characterizing The Role Of Glucocorticoids In The Sign Tracking Behavior Of Male Japanese Quail (Coturnix Japonica), Beth A. Rice

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

A devastating feature of drug-dependence is the susceptibility of relapse (40-60%) after stretches of abstinence. One theory that may account for relapse suggests that drug cues (e.g., paraphernalia) may increase stress hormones, and this may prompt relapse. Repeatedly pairing a neutral cue with a reward is commonly utilized to measure what subjects learn about a cue that is predictive of reward. Research has shown that animals that attend to a cue more than to the reward (sign trackers) may be more vulnerable to drug addiction. Additionally, research has shown that sign tracking is associated with an increase in corticosterone (CORT), …

Person-Centered Analysis Of Adhd Comorbidities And Differential Characteristics And Outcomes, Christine Anne Lee

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent and impairing childhood disorders (5%; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), yet it is often studied in isolation. Such an approach is at odds with the clinical reality, where ADHD has a high comorbidity with oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety, and depression (Jensen, Martin, & Cantwell, 1997). Based on the possible presentations of ADHD with both externalizing and internalizing symptoms, there may be differences in associated characteristics, areas of impairment, and resulting assessment interventions. Therefore, the present study investigated how ADHD comorbidities manifested in a population of 233 elementary age children and how these …

Exploring Illusions Of Height In Suit Design, Michael P. Lee

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Objective: The goal of this research was to explore how the design of clothing, specifically the design of the suit, can create height illusions.

Background: Taller people enjoy many advantages, such as increased income and perceived attractiveness. These advantages motivate people to try to appear taller than they actually are, and clothing experts provide advice on how to accomplish this. However, there is little empirical evidence to validate the illusory effects clothing might have on overall height perception. The few studies that have explored illusions of body size created by clothing design have been limited in two important ways – …

The Self-Reported And Behavioral Effects Of Propylene Glycol And Vegetable Glycerin In Electronic Cigarette Liquids, Arit M. Harvanko

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Little is known about how electronic cigarette (EC) users manipulate device parameters, what factors drive their use, and how non-nicotine ingredients influence the stimulus effects of EC aerosols. The ingredients propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG) serve as the base for virtually all electronic cigarette liquids, and information on how they affect the using experience would provide important groundwork for the study of other ingredients. In this dissertation, results from a survey and laboratory study focused on the stimulus effects of ECs, and the influence of PG and VG, will be discussed. A total of 522 regular EC users …

Alcohol-Induced Impairment Of Simulated Driving Performance And Behavioral Impulsivity In Dui Offenders, Nicholas A. Van Dyke

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Licensed drivers arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol have increased rates of vehicle crashes, moving violations, traffic tickets, and contribute to an estimated 120 million occurrences of impaired driving per year (Evans, 2004; Jewett et al., 2015). Survey research on DUI offenders indicates traits of impulsivity (e.g., sensation seeking). Together, these pieces of evidence suggest that DUI offenders display patterns of impulsive action and risk-taking while driving. However, to-date DUI offenders are rarely studied in a laboratory setting, and not much is known about how they respond to a dose of alcohol. The present study examined the …

Mmpi-2-Rf Underreporting Validity Scales In Firefighter Applicants: A Cross-Validation Study, Kullen Charles Balthrop

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The identification of potential underreporting in employment evaluations is important to consider when examining a measure’s validity. This importance increases in personnel selection involving high-virtue positions (e.g., police officers and firefighters). The current study aimed to utilize an archival firefighter applicant sample to examine the construct validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form’s (MMPI-2-RF) underreporting scales (L-r and K-r). Results were analyzed using a correlation matrix comprised of a modified version of the Multi-Trait Multi-Method Matrix (MTMM), as well as multiple regression and partial correlation. The present study provides additional support for the construct validity of the MMPI-2-RF’s underreporting …

The Association Between Distress And Both Social Support And Social Constraint In Recently Diagnosed Cancer Survivors: A Daily Assessment Study, Jessica Rivera-Rivera

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

This study evaluated two distinct aspects of social functioning (specifically, social support and social constraint) in an attempt to increase understanding of its bidirectional relationship with distress after cancer diagnosis. Participants in this intensive longitudinal study were all recently diagnosed, first primary cervical or head/neck cancer survivors (n=47). Data collection involved a comprehensive baseline assessment and 30-day period of daily assessment (n=37) of key variables (i.e., social support, social constraint, and distress). Data were analyzed using unconditional and conditional multilevel linear models. None of the variables changed significantly over the 30-day period. On a typical day, …

Developing A Comprehensive Model Of Personality, Beliefs, And Religiosity To Explain Underage Drinking In College Students, Hayley A. Cole

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Researchers have demonstrated that college students with strong religious beliefs unsupported by religious behaviors report greater involvement in underage drinking, drug use, and risky sex than students with concordant high or concordant low religious beliefs and behaviors. Recent research also suggests personality traits, belief systems, and environments may be influencing this group’s risky behaviors; however, further research is needed to identify factors contributing to these students’ life choices (including the decision to not support their religious beliefs with specific religious behaviors). This study reports on tests of a psychosocial mediational model, connecting personality traits, religious beliefs, religious behaviors, and underage …

The Role Of Diaphragmatic Breathing In Self-Regulation Skills Training, Matthew E. B. Russell

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

A central component of many psychological interventions is breathing training. Breathing training protocols based on a mindfulness or a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have demonstrated value in the management of psychological and medical ailments. Yet, despite the wealth of literature examining each approach, little direct comparison exists. An additional concern is the proliferation of smart phone health (mHealth) applications (apps) providing breathing training with little empirical evidence to support their clinical use. A possible explanation for the interest in breathing and mHealth apps is the growing body of literature indicating breathing training provides wide ranging health benefits through improved stasis …

The Role Of Couple Sleep Concordance In Subjective Sleep Quality: Attachment As A Moderator Of Associations, Taylor L. Elsey

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Sleep is not a solitary activity for the majority of adults, this impacts sleep quality, health, and well-being. Couples experience sleep concordance, or a synchronization of sleep-wake times, which can improve and diminish sleep quality (Gunn et al., 2015). This study explores the association between sleep concordance and sleep quality by examining attachment style as a moderator. Daily sleep diaries were completed by 179 heterosexual couples. Sleep concordance was calculated by dividing total time partners were in bed together by total time at least one partner was in bed each day. Data were analyzed using a multilevel model described by …

Looking The Part: An Examination Of Longitudinal Gender Presentation Among Children With Gay, Lesbian, And Heterosexual Adoptive Parents, Samuel T. Bruun

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Gender presentation, appearing in a way that fits social expectations of one’s gender role, represents one of the most obvious ways in which one’s gender identity becomes salient to others. This quality is especially relevant to note given the continued controversy surrounding children’s gender role development when raised by non-heterosexual parents. The current study is an examination of how gender presentation develops in adopted children with lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parents across two time points (Wave 1: N = 106, M_age = 36.07 months; Wave 2: N = 90, M_age = 8.34). Children’s gender presentation was analyzed using …

Is Pecking Aversive To A Pigeon Or Is It Only The Delay To Reinforcement?, Danielle M. Andrews

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The principle of least effort suggests that animals should minimize effort to reinforcement. Thus, not pecking should be preferred over pecking. However, pigeons often peck when it is allowed but not required (e.g., fixed time schedules) but pecking may be adventitiously reinforced. In the present experiment, to better compare a schedule of reinforcement that requires pecking with one that requires the absence of pecking, we compared a fixed-interval (FI) schedule in which reinforcement follows the first peck after the interval has elapsed and a differential-reinforcement-of-other behavior (DRO) schedule which requires pigeons abstain from pecking for a similar interval. The delay …

Transactions Between Thinness Expectancies And Depression In The Prediction Of Adolescent Weight Restricting Behaviors, Anna Marie L. Ortiz

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Both the transdiagnostic risk associated with depression and the eating disorder-specific risk associated with expectancies for reinforcement from thinness have been identified as risk factors for the development of weight restricting behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine if these risk factors transact to further predict risk in youth. Depression, thinness expectancies, and weight restriction were assessed in 1,907 adolescents three times during the transitional period between middle school and high school. We compared three different possible transactional processes. Mediation tests demonstrated that depression in 8th grade predicted an increase in the number of weight restricting behaviors endorsed …

A Place Among The Stars? The Influence Of Religion And Creationism On Attitudes Towards Space Exploration And Beliefs In Extraterrestrial Life, Sarah R. Schiavone

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Space exploration continues to expand humanity’s understanding of the universe. And, while Americans have widely favorable attitudes towards efforts to explore outer space, certain religious beliefs appear to be associated with more negative attitudes towards space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life. The current study explored the role of religion and creationism on attitudes towards space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life. Priming techniques were used to test whether increasing the accessibility of religious and creationist concepts led to more negative attitudes towards space exploration and beliefs about extraterrestrial life. Participants (N = 230) encountered an explicit …

Discovery Of Natural Product Analogs Against Ethanol-Induced Cytotoxicity In Hippocampal Slice Cultures, Meredith A. Saunders-Mattingly

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

An estimated 13.9% of Americans currently meet criteria for an alcohol (ethanol; EtOH) use disorder (AUD). While there are 4 medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat AUD, these treatments have demonstrated poor clinical efficacy. Our ongoing research program encompasses a multi-tiered screening of a natural product library and validation process to provide novel information about the mechanisms underlying EtOH-induced changes in neurobiology and to identify novel chemical scaffolds to be exploited in the development of pharmacological treatments for AUD in a rodent organotypic hippocampal slice culture model. Initial screens of several natural product compounds identified …

Bipolarity And The Five Factor Model Of Personality Disorder, Cristina Crego

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The predominant model of general personality structure is arguably the Five Factor Model (FFM), consisting of the five broad domains of neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. The FFM of personality disorder (FFMPD) has proposed maladaptive variants at both poles of the FFM. The purpose of the current study was to identify a subset of FFMPD scales, utilizing factor analysis, that illustrate, and provide a potential measure of, the bipolarity present in the FFMPD. All of the FFMPD scales were administered to 443 community participants recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Bipolarity was evident in a series of factor analyses of …

Effects Of Social Interaction On Morphine Conditioned Place Preference In Adolescent Male Rats, Virginia G. Weiss

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The fact that adolescents commonly initiate drug use in social settings is well established. Both clinical and preclinical research has investigated how social interaction is altered by a variety of drugs of abuse. What is less understood is how the rewarding value of drugs of abuse is affected by the presence of social peers. This dissertation aimed to investigate the interaction of morphine and social play on conditioned place preference (CPP) in adolescent male Sprague Dawley rats, using both behavioral and immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods. Rats were exposed to morphine (0, 1, or 3 mg/kg; s.c.), social interaction, or a combination …

Causal Attributions And Smoking Behaviors In Cervical Cancer Survivors: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study, Gabriella E. Puleo

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

This cross-sectional, mixed-methods study examined the nature of, and association between, causal attributions and current smoking behavior in cervical cancer survivors who were smokers at cancer diagnosis (n=50). As a whole, participants’ beliefs about smoking as a risk factor or cause of cervical cancer in general (i.e., global attribution) and/or their own cervical cancer (i.e., personal attribution) reflected far greater endorsement of global than personal attributions. Data collection involved a quantitative survey and an optional semi-structured interview to assess key variables (i.e., smoking behavior and causal attributions). Data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and inferential tests, all of …