Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Decision To Pursue Self-Interests: Cultural Implications At The Individual Level, Corinne Patrice Wright

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In the current study I examined the relationships between personality, culture, and the decision to pursue self-interests. Specifically, I proposed that conscientiousness, extraversion, idiocentrism, masculinity, and power distance would be positively related to the decision to pursue self-interests whereas agreeableness would be negatively related to the pursuit of self-interests. I also proposed an exploratory examination of interactions between personality and individual cultural values in predicting the decision to pursue self- interests. As predicted, idiocentrism and masculinity significantly predicted the decision to pursue self-interests. In addition, masculinity moderated the effects of both agreeableness and neuroticism on the pursuit of self-interests. Also, …

Team Conflict And Effectiveness In Competitive Environments, Julie A. Steinke

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Substantial time and money are spent assessing workplace teams to delineate what makes a team effective. Historically, as teams developed into vital components of organizations, they also became the target of empirical research (see Kozlowski and Bell, 2003, for a review). However, questions remain concerning how individuals function within teams. My study was restricted to influences on individual functions within teams, and I offer a conceptual model of the effects of both individual and team factors on individual level outcomes (e.g., conflict and team effectiveness). Specifically, I examined these effects for a relatively unexamined population, i.e., college athletic coaching staffs. …

The Effects Of Causal Attributions On Subordinate Responses To Supervisor Support, Kevin Eschleman

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Causal attributions can play an integral part in how employees respond to events in the work environment (Bowling and Beehr, 2006; Dasborough and Ashkanasy, 2002; Perrewé and Zellars, 1999). Causal attributions of a work behavior or event include locus of causality (i.e., self-directed, supervisor-directed, organization-directed), stability, and intentionality (i.e., altruistic, self-serving). In the current study, I examined the consequences of subordinates' causal attributions on responses to emotional and instrumental supervisor support. As expected, emotional and instrumental supervisor support were positively associated with job satisfaction, supervisor satisfaction, organizational citizenship behaviors, and organizational commitment assessed 30 days later. Emotional supervisor support also …

Turnover Reasons And Employee Attitudes: Examining Linkages Within The Framework Of Behavioral Reasoning Theory, Gregory D. Hammond

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This study investigated the relationship between individuals' reasons for leaving their former employers (e.g., inadequate pay) and relevant attitudinal variables (e.g., attitudes regarding pay and other compensation). The role of attitudes as a mediator of the relationship between reasons and intentions was also investigated. Finally, the relationship between reasons, attitudes, and reemployment in the same industry was investigated. Results from an archival sample of former employees (n = 5044) from 8 small to medium-sized companies in a variety of industries indicated mixed support for the hypotheses. Implications and directions for future research were discussed.

Personality And Simulated Employment Decisions In Perceived Gay And Lesbian Applicants, Megan Brianne Morris

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Currently, there is no research that assesses how individual's perceptions of personality and other characteristics in gay male and lesbian applicants affect employment decisions. I examined individuals' perceptions of personality in gay and lesbian applicants and the effect of these perceptions on employment outcomes. I hypothesized that individuals would prescribe gender atypical traits to gay male and lesbian applicants, and that qualification ratings for these applicants would depend on job-type match with the applicants' gender atypical traits. In the current study, I used a sample of undergraduate students. Each participant evaluated a resume that potentially contained cues reflecting a homosexual …

Discretion Without Choice: Sexual Offender Legislation And Judicial Discretion, Jonathan C. Varhola

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In a historically recent development, sex offenders have arguably become a focal point of attention in discourses surrounding sexuality, childhood, and crime. Much research has been accomplished regarding the treatment and recidivism of such offenders, as well as consequences of sex offender legislation and policy initiatives. However, little research has been done regarding specifically the discretion of criminal justice agency professionals involved in the day-to-day handling of these types of cases. This study focused on the effects of such policies on judicial discretion, as measured by sentencing outcomes. Data was collected from publicly available internet sexual offender registries and county …

A Comparison Of Work-Specific And General Personality Measures As Predictors Of Ocbs And Cwbs In China And The United States, Qiang Wang

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Previous studies on frame-of-reference effects have focused on domain-specific personality measures as predictors of performance in North America. The current study expands on this research by comparing work-specific and general personality as predictors of CWBs and OCBs in an East Asian culture (i.e., China). Consistent with the literature on frame-of-reference effects in personality assessment, I found that three Big Five personality dimensions, including agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability, were significantly related with OCBs and CWBs. Also, use of a frame of reference that is conceptually relevant to the criterion led to increased validity as a result of the decrement in …

Multipurpose Map Designs For Gps Surface-Vehicle Navigation: Spatial Knowledge And Advisory Functions, Caitlan A. Rizzardo

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Current car navigation systems primarily utilize track-up maps with spatial turn arrows, which facilitate turn decision-making but do not facilitate acquisition of spatial knowledge of the region. North-up maps do facilitate acquisition of regional spatial knowledge, however, these displays sometimes have arrows heading in directions misaligned with a driver's forward view, such as when the car is heading south. Drivers have difficulty making turn decisions in these misaligned maps because of stimulus-response reversals (Chan and Chan, 2005; Levine, 1982; Levine, Marchon and Hanley, 1984; Montello, 2010). A new display was designed using a fixed orientation north-up map and added a …

Developing A Word Fragment Completion Task For Measuring Trait Aggression, Steven Khazon

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The goal of this paper was to develop a test that uses the implicit processing style to assess aggression. This paper begins by reviewing current aggression theories and how aggression is assessed. Next it discusses the implicit and explicit processing styles and how scholars have used these methods of information processing to create psychological assessments. Afterwards, it presents a new indirect test of trait aggression that is based on the word fragment completion task and attempts to evaluate its validity in three experiments. In Study 1, psychometric methods are used to derive a 9-item trait aggression scale and initial support …

The Role Of Deliberate Behavior In Expert Performance: The Acquisition Of Information Gathering Strategy In The Context Of Emergency Medicine, Frank Eric Robinson

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Effective performance in dynamic domains requires experts to assess problems and implement solutions within the constraints of their work system, but these processes are not well accounted for in the expertise literature. I observed resident and attending emergency physicians to determine the behaviors that distinguish doctors as they manage patients and what contextual variables may affect these behaviors. Factor analyses revealed three types of behavior: goal establishment behavior, goal enactment behavior, and acknowledging uncertainty. Multilevel analyses indicated that doctors' experience and both the local and global context of care impact these behaviors. More experienced doctors appear to be more sensitive …

Sound Localization In Multisource Environments: The Role Of Stimulus Onset Asynchrony And Spatial Uncertainty, Brian David Simpson

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Several studies have shown that detection of a target in a concurrent noise masker improves when the masker onset occurs prior to that of the target (see, e.g., Zwicker, 1965; McFadden, 1966; Yost, 1985). Recent research indicates that this "masker fringe" (i.e., the portion of the masker occurring prior to the target onset) also facilitates sound localization in noise (Simpson, Gilkey, Brungart, Iyer, & Romigh, 2009a; Simpson, Gilkey, Brungart, Iyer, & Hamil, 2009b). However, these studies do not provide a clear indication of what information listeners are exploiting to obtain this improved localization performance. This dissertation was designed to determine …

Placing Agency In Neoliberalism: Contested Citizenship In Spaces Of Migrant Organizing, Joseph Rasmussen

Geography Honors Projects

The presence of millions of immigrants without recognition from the federal government presents serious challenges to American democracy and its legitimacy. By analyzing immigration activism in Austin, Texas, this paper will consider how those excluded from formal citizenship seek full membership, or at least its associated rights and protections, and how institutions at a variety of scales responds to these efforts. This activism challenges prevalent notions of what citizenship means, expanding the lines of who deserve rights and protection, and constructs participatory citizenship at the city level rather than relying on the more passive, exclusionary model of federal politics.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization As A Counterbalance Against The United States, Bakhtiyar T. Dauekeev

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According to the balance of power concept, nations tend to unite for opposing a hegemon with an equal force. Therefore, for the leading position of the US and its ability to project power globally, there should be an opposite and equal reaction from the other emerging power centers.

Since the collapse of the USSR, the hegemonic position of the United States has been unchallenged. However, there is a possibility that it might be counterbalanced in future by the growing political influence of emerging powers like Russia and China, which have already succeeded in countering the US influence in some parts …

Replacing Indirect Manual Assistive Solutions With Hands-Free, Direct Selection, James W. Leonard Jr.

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Case study BK is a teenage male who suffers from severe cerebral palsy, making communication very difficult using his current assistive technology. His performance with a manual switch was compared to a hands-free system for computer interaction (Cyberlink Brainfingers/ NIA). BK uses a switch scanning menu, which steps through predetermined options till he chooses the current option being read aloud by pressing a button. A yes/no menu was used for the switch scanning interface for both manual and hands free conditions, as well as the point and click condition. In both hands-free conditions, BK was as fast and accurate as …

When Prohibition And Violence Collide: The Case Of Mexico, Kyleigh M. Clark

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Some theorists have found a positive correlation between increased drug prohibition enforcement and a rise in violence. These studies focus on the United States and Colombia, arguing that prohibition amplifies violence, rather than decreasing it. Much like the United States and Colombia earlier in their histories, Mexico has recently experienced an escalation in violence. Since beginning a democratic transition in 2000, the Mexican government has intensified a war on drugs by strengthening the rule of law, battling corruption, and cooperating with the United States' drug war. This study, using a congruence method with process-tracing, will analyze the Mexican case in …

Reconstructing Autism: A Phenomenological Study Of The Relationship Between Parents And Their Children Diagnosed With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Laura Elizabeth Solomon

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This study aims to serve as a deconstruction of the experience of parenting a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The increasing number of families with children affected by ASDs has led to many questions about the impact of ASDs on the family unit; however, the voice of parents is sorely missing in the extant research. The history of ASDs and disability in general continues to impact the ways families, society, and professionals treat families affected by ASDs, and particularly the ways they view and value the parent-child relationship. Six mothers of children with ASDs were interviewed about their …

Children's Grief Resources: A Website For Children Grieving The Loss Of A Parent And Their Caregivers, Jami L. Pfirrman

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The death of a parent can represent one of the most devastating life experiences for children. It is an experience that disrupts a developmental path. It is also a crisis that families and communities must address in order to help a grieving child cope and develop resilience. Currently, there are few mental health resources available for parentally bereaved children. Literature on bereavement following the death of a parent suggests that children may experience long-term negative psychological consequences from the loss. However, the literature also notes that with appropriate support, access to resources, and opportunities to express their grief and build …

Mindfulness For The Millennial Generation: A Clinician's Handbook For College Counseling Centers, Shaznin Percy Daruwalla

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The current generation of college students, the Millennials (Howe & Strauss, 2000, 2007) lead highly pressured and achievement-oriented lives. Along with generational changes, change is occurring on university campuses, especially in terms of mental health demographics. There is an increase in the severity of presenting concerns reported by students as seen at counseling centers (Gallagher, 2008), and more students with existing mental health diagnoses are seeking college admissions (Gallagher, 2009). Changes in the current college student generation and socio-cultural changes underscore the need for an effective stress-reduction program for university students. Mindfulness-based interventions have received attention from researchers and clinicians. …

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Pcit) & Maternal Depression: A Proposal For The Application Of Pcit With Mothers Who Are Depressed And Their Children, Seema Jacob

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Maternal depression is often a prevalent disorder in society, which has far reaching effects on the psychological well being of both the mother as well as her child(ren). Research has indicated that maternal depression impacts the parenting skills of a woman and thereby puts her children at risk for maladaptive ways of behaving. Children of mothers who are depressed are at a higher risk of developing externalizing and internalizing problems. Many of the empirically supported treatments for depression focus on the individual aspects of the person, without considering the roles and stress of being a parent. Many treatments for children …

Sexual Satisfaction In Women With Physical Disabilities: Results Of An Online Survey, Jessica Rose Heschel

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The study of sexual satisfaction and pleasure in Women with Disabilities (WwD) represents a significant gap in the current literature. The present study, using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, attempted to explore several areas of the sexual satisfaction of WwD. An internet-based survey was used to gather information in five specific areas: the messages WwD had received about sexuality and disability, their personal feelings about sexuality and disability, the specific elements that contribute to their sexual satisfaction, the amount of useful education and information they had received from mental and physical healthcare providers regarding their sexuality as WwD, and …

Multicultural Group Screening Form (Mgsf): Development Of A Pre-Group Screening Form For Use With Diverse Groups At University Counseling Centers, Taronish H. Irani

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To date, no instrument has been developed that specifically assesses multicultural issues within the context of group work. Rather, such issues are based to a large extent on clinician's judgment (Corey & Corey 1992; Jennings & Anderson, 1997; Riva, Lippert, & Tackett, 2000). The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument (i.e., the Multicultural Group Screening Form, MGSF) designed to address this void in the literature. Such a tool provides a basis for future studies on the multicultural factors that could impact the group process and outcome. Among the group literature reviewed, DeLucia-Waack's and Donigian's (2004) discussion on …

Pre-Group Preparation In College Counseling Centers: Through The Use Of An Audio-Visual Aid, Darius Dexter Campinha-Bacote

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The current dissertation articulates the importance of pre-group preparation, specifically in college counseling centers. The dissertation examines relevant research related to the need for pre-group preparation, as well as the various methods in which information can be delivered to clients. The researcher found that although there are several effective ways to prepare clients for group therapy, an underutilized, efficient, and cost effective way to deliver this information is through the use of an audiovisual aid (Acosta, Yamamoto, Evans & Skilbeck, 2006; D'Augelli & Chinsky, 1974; Egan, 1970; Hoehn-Saric, 1964; Martin & Shewmaker, 1962; Orne and Wender, 1968; Sloane, Cristol, Pepernik, …

The Impact Of Non-Reading Language Performance On The Estimation Of Premorbid Iq Among Normal Elderly Individuals, Abraham Maniparambil-Eapen

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The influence of non-reading language ability was studied in the context of estimating premorbid IQ among normal elderly individuals. Non-reading language performance was measured by the Controlled Oral Word Association (COWA) Test and the Animal Naming (AN) Test. Non-reading language disturbances were divided into three levels (i.e., no disturbance on COWA and AN, either COWA or AN disturbance, and both COWA and AN disturbances). Intellectual ability was primarily measured by the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Additionally, reading measures such as the New Adult Reading Test- Revised (NART-R) and the Wide Range Achievement Test- Fourth Edition (WRAT-4) Word Reading …

Growth Attenuation, Sterilization, And Cochlear Implants: Ethical, Legal And Social Themes, Jenna Nicole Mercadante

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Individuals with disabilities have been the subject of invasive medical procedures throughout history, violating their bodily rights and integrity. Because of a history of abuse, medical procedures performed on individuals with disabilities, especially those who cannot consent, require close scrutiny and analysis. This paper explores three controversial medical procedures performed on individuals with disabilities, which include sterilization, cochlear implants, and growth attenuation. Embedded in each medical procedure mentioned above are social, legal, ethical, and psychological variables that influenced the emergence of each procedure and the receptiveness of society. This project explores each of these variables in detail as it relates …

Deaf Group Identification And Sexual Esteem, Anne M. Willis

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The purpose of this study was to examine sexuality in persons who are deaf. Specifically, it examined group identification and sexual esteem, sexual satisfaction, and sexual preoccupation. Deafness was viewed in this study as not only a level of hearing loss, but as a source of identity and culture. While varying levels of group identification are well defined in the literature, it is unclear as to how this impacts the individual's experience. Analysis of the current sample (N = 68) suggested that there was a slight difference in sexual esteem between subjects who identified as Bicultural, Immersed, Marginalized, and Hearing. …

Kids Able To Fight Stress Everyday (Kafse): A Stress-Management Program For Children With Medical Diagnoses, Aimee N. Townsend

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It is estimated that 10-30% of children in the United States are currently diagnosed with a chronic illness. Due to recent medical advances and increased knowledge of disease maintenance, many of these children will live into adulthood. In addition to physical symptoms of chronic illness, recent attention has been drawn to the psychological effects of chronic illness on children and adolescents. Illustrating this fact, researchers have recently called for increased research on children with chronic illness and disease. One psychological symptom that may be considered is that of stress and its effects on this special population. As a result of …

Predicting Conflict In Group Psychotherapy: A Model Integrating Interpersonal And Group-As-A-Whole Theories, Kyle G. Barry

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Literature on group dynamics has typically focused on six content areas; (1) cohesion and group identification, (2) attributions and perceptions in group, (3) leadership and performance in groups, (4) power and relationships among group members, (5) knowledge and cognitive process in groups, (6) group psychotherapy (Kivlighan and Miles, 2007). While this literature base has built sophisticated theories, these theories tend to be disconnected and lack applicability to clinical practice. This dissertation will integrate interpersonal and group-as-a-whole theories in order to predict the probable dynamic interactions that theoretically occur as individuals move through conflict within group psychotherapy. Recommended interventions are included …

A New Look At Survivorship: Female Cancer Survivors' Experience Of Resilience In The Face Of Adversity, Christine Marie Valenti

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The present study examined the lived experience of adult female cancer survivors to discover common protective resilience factors that enabled them to cope with their cancer experience and to identify potential barriers to resilience. Nine female cancer survivors, age 18 years and older whose cancer was in remission or currently active, who were members of a cancer support group and who volunteered to participate in this study were interviewed. They were asked open-ended questions regarding the biological, social, psychological and spiritual factors that helped them to cope with, heal and thrive with their cancer experience. The participants identified resilience protective …

The Power To Promote Justice Program: A Train-The-Trainer Model For The Development Of Culturally Competent Teaching Practices Among Secondary Educators, Patrece Gabrielle Hairston

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As the United States population becomes increasingly diverse, the need for multicultural training is greater than ever. Due to this tremendous shift in societal demographics, today's classrooms require teachers to educate students varying in culture, language, abilities, and many other characteristics. The Power to Promote Justice program is intended to provide educators with in-depth training in multicultural education. There is evidence to suggest that many teacher education programs provide minimal training in this area, leaving teachers ill equipped to manage the difficulties associated with working with diverse populations. The Power to Promote Justice Program is a five-session train-the-trainer program that …

Sexual Knowledge, Experiences, And Needs Of College Students With Physical Disabilities: A Pilot Study, Nicole Lynn Matros

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This study utilized a Participatory Action Research (PAR) design to modify a measure that examines the sexual knowledge, experiences, and needs of people with physical disabilities. Participants (N = 23) were college students with physical disabilities that were registered for disability services at a medium sized Midwestern university. Participants completed a secure online survey that allowed them to provide feedback on the utility of the questionnaire. Preliminary data also were gathered and reviewed. Results revealed both convergence and divergence with the existing literature. Limitations, research and clinical implications, and future directions were also explored.