Psychology Commons^™

The Courts Closest To The People: The Battle Between Populism And Democracy In The U.S. District Courts, Shruti Rana

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

The U.S. district courts have emerged as a critical site of contested terrain amid the chaos and controversies consuming American law and politics since the start of the second Trump administration. This article examines these frontline courts through the theoretical lens of populism, arguing that they have become a critical institutional flashpoint in the populist assault on constitutional democracy in the United States. As the courts closest to the people, the district courts occupy a unique structural position: They are the fact-finding courts, the most geographically dispersed and professionally diverse tier of the federal judiciary, and often the first institutional …

Volume 28, Issue 2 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Call For Papers: 97th Annual Conference Of The Indiana Academy Of The Social Sciences

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Reviewers And Referees

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

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George C. Roberts Award Recipients

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

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Why Publish With Mssj?

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

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Submission Guidelines

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

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A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Christians Who Have Experienced Divine Healing And The Role Of Relational Spirituality, Dora Hicks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Divine healing has been described as miraculous and supernatural, attributed to a divine entity, and other methods. Pathways have varied from fasting, praying, worshiping, the Holy Spirit, Scripture, faith, hope, trusting, surrendering, and having a relationship with God. Perceptions and understandings of God, as influenced by religious and spiritual beliefs, are referred to as relational spirituality grounded in attachment theory, which may lead to viewing God as an attachment figure, influencing perceptions of self and others. This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of Christians who have experienced divine healing and the role of relational spirituality. Delimitations are …

Intergenerational Apologetics: A Strategy For Careful Confidence, Thomas C. Farley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a subtle confusion between the objectives of evangelism and apologetics, leaving Open Door Baptist Church (ODBC) seniors unknowingly ill-equipped and intimidated to defend their Christian values. The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry research was to address that intimidation by training seniors in a dedicated faith-values curriculum to become confident apologetic communicators. The intervention leveraged the process of intergenerational values-sharing while training stakeholders to develop their own faith narratives by seamlessly integrating biblical values with relevant apologetic particulars into personal stories to be shared with their grandchildren. In this environment, participants could develop a personal faith narrative that …

Beyond The Echo Chamber: Mitigating Confirmation Bias In Christian Communities*, Alina Lytvynyuk, Jasmine Zavala, Erin Rouse, Sadie Elias

Campus Research Month

Individuals have shown marked levels of confirmation bias, particularly in religious beliefs. This study investigated whether generating oppositional arguments to a pre-established belief about women’s ordination reduces the tendency to produce biased credibility and strength ratings of AI-generated essays for or against the practice. Additionally, it explored how attribution of the essays to a religious authority figure would impact the level of bias. It was hypothesized that participants in the counterargument condition would display reduced confirmation bias, and the authority condition would either exacerbate or reduce a person’s preexisting level of bias.

Neurophenomenology: A Research Method Combining Neuroscience And Philosophy, Jonas Lokensgard

Posters - 2026

Neurophenomenology – Cognitive Sciences + Phenomenology Phenomenology – the study of consciousness (basically just how you experience things) Cognitive Sciences – The study of the functional processes of the mind, and the operations of the brain that enable these processes to be performed. (“Cognitive Science” 2004)

The Effects Of Low Stimulating Music Vs. High Stimulating Music On Visual And Auditory Reflexes In Young Adults, Monabelle Elbayeh, Vania Galindo, Ria Modi, Gianna Montelongo

Posters - 2026

This study investigates the effects of high-stimulating versus low-stimulating music exposure on human reflexes, specifically examining how different levels of auditory stimulation influence reaction time. Music is known to impact cognitive and motor performance, but its direct effect on reflex responses remains less understood. In this experiment, participants are exposed to high-stimulating music and low-stimulating music in separate trials, with reflexes measured before and after each condition using visual and auditory tests in the LabScribe program. It is hypothesized that after listening to high-stimulating music for five minutes, individuals will demonstrate shorter reaction times compared to after listening to low-stimulating …

Life Experiences To Lyrics: What Mental Health Looks Like In Music, Ashley Salinas, Ashley De La Fuente

Posters - 2026

● Music conveys human emotion and mental states, often reflecting societal struggles such as depression and anxiety. Lyrics often shape how listeners experience these emotions, influencing mood, identity formation, and emotional processing in young adults (Gustavson, 2021; Chen, 2023). ● Depression, characterized by persistent sadness, loss of interest, and withdrawal is frequently expressed in music through explicit descriptions or metaphorical language (Shriram, 2015). Whereas, anxiety involves excessive worry, restlessness, and hypervigilance, is less studied yet similarly present in music (Kim, 2023). ● Previous studies have highlighted that pop lyrics often emphasize relational uncertainty, country songs depict fear of loss, and …

Addiction And Dalits: The Impact Of India’S Caste System, Ava Jackson

Audre Lorde Prize

Across global public health and psychology, addiction is defined as a chronic condition that involves compulsive seeking and taking of a substance. In Western frameworks, addiction is often treated as an isolated condition, where the individual is blamed for their actions. In reality, addiction is rooted in biological, psychological, and social factors and is more complex than an individual level. Looking at the Global South, addiction is prominent in Dalit or “untouchable” individuals in India’s caste system, who face exclusion from all forms of society, including education, work, and social experiences. Addiction among Dalit women in India, Bangladesh, and the …

2026 Research Day Program, Lincoln Memorial University

Research Day

This program contains abstracts and presentation summaries from LMU's 2026 Annual Research Day conference.

Objectification And Discrimination Among Bi+ Women: Body Image Outcomes And The Moderating Role Of Relationship Type And Partner Gender, Kaitlyn E. Ryan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Objectification theory posits that being sexually objectified by others leads to a greater likelihood of engaging in body surveillance behaviors, which in turn is associated with higher body shame (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Prior research has identified both objectification and anti-bisexual discrimination as significant predictors of body surveillance and body shame among bi+ women (i.e., bisexual, pansexual, queer) (Brewster et al., 2014; Salim et al., 2024). No studies, however, have considered the unique experiences of romantically partnered bi+ women, including the potential moderating effects of partner gender and relationship type. The present study examined whether romantic relationships are protective for …

Dating Among University Undergraduates Living With Disability In South-Western Nigeria, Usman A. Ojedokun, Bukunmi I. Oluborode, Lateef J. Adeyemo

The Journal of Social Encounters

In many university campuses in Nigeria, undergraduates living with disability are visible and functionally involved in academic, political, social, and religious activities. However, the social life of these students is hardly the focus of scholarly research. Therefore, this study explored dating behaviours among undergraduates of selected public universities in south-western Nigeria living with disability. The social disability model was employed as the conceptual framework. Data were elicited through in-depth interview and focus group discussion methods.  Findings showed that the choice of partners among undergraduates living with disability was guided by trust, communication, emotional safety, shared values, and acceptance of disability …

Nursing Interventions To Reduce Anxiety And Psychological Distress In Breast Cancer Patients In The Us, Alexis Abboud, Al Araydeh Mifleh

The Cardinal Edge

Background Breast cancer patients frequently experience psychological challenges, such as anxiety, distress, and diminished quality of life (QoL). Nursing interventions show promise in addressing these issues; however, a comprehensive synthesis of their impact is lacking. This review evaluates the effectiveness of nursing interventions in reducing anxiety and psychological distress while improving QoL.

Research Question What nursing interventions effectively reduce anxiety and psychological distress and improve QoL among breast cancer patients in the United States?

Methods A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches of CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, and Medline identified studies published in the last five years in …

Artificial Sentience: The Other Side Of The Story, Amanda Sharkey

Animal Sentience

There is another side to the story of the account of artificial sentience — one that makes the possibility of artificial sentience unlikely: the fundamental difference between living bodies and artificial systems.  Sentience occurs in strongly embodied, living entities, and not in disembodied artificial systems, nor in robots. The appearance of sentience is exacerbated by deceptive behaviour and anthropomorphism. The risks of keeping an open mind about the required underlying substrate are in wasted efforts to protect systems that cannot suffer, and in placing inappropriate trust in their abilities.

Warrior Bot, Relational Bot, Blameworthy Bot: How A Student Design Team Anthropomorphize Their Combat Robot Creations, Daniel Burton Shank, Frederick F. Sunkpal, Nova Lee Young, Karli Hoerstkamp, David Wright, Merilee A. Krueger, Carleigh J. Davis

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

How do robot designers anthropomorphize their own creations? Because robot designers have the ability to alter the robot, identify as its creator, and understand their robot's internal makeup, their process of anthropomorphism and its outcomes may be different from that of the typical robot user. We investigate this research question in the domain of combat robots, where anthropomorphism is critical to decision-making, communication, and trust in high-stakes, high-emotion combat situations faced by robot-soldier teams. We conducted an in-depth case study of a university's student-led Combat Robotics Design Team over the design, construction, testing, and competition phases for their competitive combat …

Honing The Haptics Of The Heart: A New Defence Of The Perceptual Theory Of Emotion, Brandon Yip

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

According to the perceptual theory of emotion, emotions are evaluative perceptions. However, emotions involve us in a way that regular perception does not and this has led to two influential objections to the perceptual theory have emerged. According to the first objection, the perceptual theory is false because the phenomenology of emotion is the phenomenology of response. According to the second objection, the perceptual theory is false because emotions are susceptible to evaluations of rationality and reason-responsiveness. In this essay, I defend the perceptual theory by disarming these two objections. In response to the first objection, I suggest that emotional …

Cerebral Documents And Algorithmic Sensemaking: Searching For Expressions In Human And Artificial Cognitive Collaborations, Rebekah L. Cowell

Proceedings from the Document Academy

Generative Artificial Intelligences (AIs) and current advanced large language models (LLMs) are algorithmically designed to generate text-based conversations as conversational agents (CAs), by replicating human language and conversational communication. Pairing human cognition with generative computationally coded cognition. We have never been here before: cerebral and artificial information collaborations and processing producing expressions that may or may not become visible as second-hand/secondary source documents.

Sensemaking or sense(un)making is a unique autonomous human drive cognitively, our information processing is sensemaking in action and expressions and articulations are evidence of the sensemaking cycle. Documentation [expressed or articulated through various mediums] are a product …

The Role Of Forgiveness: Spirituality, Loneliness, And Depression In A Christian University, Elda Botello-Ramirez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For university students, loneliness has harmful effects, like depression, but choosing to forgive and embracing spirituality can lead to better mental health. Yet, limited studies have examined these constructs among students enrolled in long-distance learning (LDL) courses. This is important because an increase in loneliness continues, and more students are taking LDL classes. Still, there is a paucity of work on mental health among students in Christian universities. Thus, this quantitative research study examined context-specific or transgression-specific forgiveness (state forgiveness) while considering the role of personality traits (i.e., trait forgiveness) related to forgiveness to investigate its impact on loneliness and …

What Is Happening In The World Today And Why: Humanity’S Evolving Consciousness And The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

What is happening in the world today and why? Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels. Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say. However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born--to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be. That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an …

Role Of Depression And Anxiety On Brain Care Scores In A Primary Care Setting: A Preliminary Analysis Of The Bham Registry, Terina Lane Myers

ETDs from 2020-2029

While the field of brain aging research continues to grow at a rapid pace, there is still much to learn about how certain factors influence brain aging as well as when and how these factors can be intervened upon. Cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases continue to pose a major obstacle to healthy brain aging and the better we understand the risk factors of these diseases, the greater chance we have at mitigation strategies and prevention. Previous research has identified key factors, consisting of physical, lifestyle, and socio-emotional aspects of life, which have the greatest impact on brain aging. These factors overlap …

Daily Coping Strategies, Unmet Needs And Daily Health Outcomes Among Family Caregivers Of Persons Living With Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias, Henrietta Armah Bennett

ETDs from 2020-2029

Providing care for an individual with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) is considered the most stressful type of family caregiving that impacts caregivers’ health. More than one in five ADRD family caregivers report their overall health as poor to fair. These adverse health outcomes are often exacerbated when caregivers’ emotional, informational, and practical needs remain unmet throughout the caregiving trajectory. Numerous studies have shown that the ways in which caregivers cope to caregiving-related stressors significantly shape their health outcomes. Despite this evidence, a clear and consistent understanding of caregivers’ own appraisals of their unmet needs, coping strategies and mental …

Trump Country: The Role Of Alienated Voters In Alabama And Georgia, Scott E. Buchanan, Bruce L. Blair

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Abstract Since 2016, U.S. politics has galvanized by the Trump presidency. During his two previous, and now third, campaigns for president, Donald Trump has been successful in appealing to rural white voters through the nation, but most especially in the South. Methods. Using a variety of socioeconomic variables, we examined the 2016 and 2020 election cycles to see where Donald Trump was performing the best, and worst, in Alabama and Georgia. Results. Our analysis indicates that the oft-discussed rural/urban divide is alive and well in both states, with rural counties being much more supportive of Donald Trump in …

Bare-Knuckled Public Service: Donald Rumsfeld’S Political Ideology Before The War On Terror, Chris Paskewich

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Abstract Donald Rumsfeld (1932-2021) is perhaps most well known for being Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush. However, he had a nearly fifty-year career in public and private sector work at the highest levels. Research into his political ideology, especially prior to his time under Bush, has never been undertaken. This article outlines Rumsfeld’s ideology for the first time, and shows it is a distinct strain of limited-government conservatism that I term “managerial conservatism.” Managerial conservatism aims to manage public resources well, maximize the gains from the public’s tax dollars, and make sure the federal government is only …

Voices In Transit: Intersectionality, Silence, And Political Engagement In Ride-Sharing, Soran Tarkhani

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Abstract This study examines Uber as a digitally governed “third space” for political discourse. Based on 4,716 ride observations from Louisville–Southern Indiana—3,676 collected in 2023–2024 and 1,040 in 2025—it uses a mixed-methods design combining multinomial logistic regression and qualitative observation. Political conversations are defined as discussions of parties, elections, policies, or major social issues. Results show that White and male passengers were most likely to initiate such talk, while African American and female riders often remained silent, consistent with Noelle-Neumann’s spiral of silence. African American women faced the strongest intersectional constraints. Women and LGBTQ passengers leaned liberal, while men displayed …

Exploring The Dynamics Of Romantic Relationships Through The Lens Of Prem Rog, Umang Jain, Dheeraj Sharma, Pranay Goswami, Kuldeep Malik

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Romantic relationships are dynamic events that begin, grow, and frequently remain for a long time in a stagnant or fluctuating state until possibly dissipating. Although they are unquestionably the most significant dynamic events in our lives, dynamic systems theory has only recently included them in its formal framework. Without a mathematical model, it would be impossible to analyze and comprehend the dynamics because, in general, love stories are too brief to allow things to stabilize and are affected by the ups and downs of the surrounding community. In this paper, we set up models made up of four ordinary differential …