Psychology Commons^™

The Power Of A Label: Examining Name Brand Purchase Behavior, Kaley Garcia

Posters - 2026

• Consumers are constantly comparing name brands and generic products.

• Brand names are often associated with quality, trust, and status.

• However, not all products are viewed the same when it comes to brand importance.

• Some people care more about price and function, especially for everyday items.

• This study looks at whether brand name actually influences buying decisions.

• It also explores if brand matters more for certain types of products.

2026 Research Day Program, Lincoln Memorial University

Research Day

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

Ai Models As Cultural Beings: Investigating Ai Cultural Biases And The Impact Of Cultural Alignment On Human-Ai Creative Collaboration, Choon Ngee Tan, Meng Han, Roy Y. J. Chua, Chi-Ying Cheng

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Existing research on AI cultural biases predominantly focuses on Western models, overlooking critical gaps in non-Western models. We conduct a comparative analysis of AI models – ChatGPT (U.S. developed) and ErnieBot (China developed) – from different cultures to investigate how corresponding cultural biases manifest in their outputs. Additionally, we examine how cultural alignment between human users and AI models impacts their collaborative creative performance and the underlying psychological mechanisms. In Study 1, multi-choice prompt with zero-shot technique was used to evaluate cultural biases in four widely used AI models – ChatGPT-3.5/4, ErnieBot-3.5/4 – comparing their responses to established cultural psychometric …

Extending The Job Demands-Resource Model In Classified Work Environments: A Longitudinal Analysis Of Job Demands, Resources, Job Satisfaction, And Retention Among Engineers, Gregory Gooden

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model is a widely used framework for understanding how work conditions influence employee attitudes and retention-related outcomes. However, empirical evidence testing JD-R dynamics in classified technical work environments remains limited, particularly using longitudinal designs that account for structural constraints, nonrandom participation, and outcome-specific measurement challenges. Classified work is characterized by persistent demands, restricted flexibility, and security-driven limitations on available resources, raising questions about whether and how JD-R processes generalize to this context.

This study examines whether job demands and job resources predict subsequent job satisfaction and retention intent in a classified technical workforce using multi-wave longitudinal …

Curating Attendee-Centered Corporate Event Experiences Through The Strategic Implementation Of Psychological Principles, Alexis G. Mullendore

Senior Theses

This thesis explores how psychological principles can inform event professionals’

decisions in the planning and execution of attendee-centered corporate events. In the modern

experience economy, corporations increasingly prioritize engaging, high-production events for

employees and stakeholders, while attendee expectations for immersive, spectacle experiences

continue to rise. Therefore, the importance of designing corporate events that balance clients’

fiscal and objective needs with attendees’ experience-driven expectations has become

increasingly recognized. This shift toward a human-focused approach prompted the researcher to

examine how psychological principles can inform the design and execution of events. The

project was conducted through a three-phase research process consisting of …

Transformational Leadership In Higher Education, Dr. Jewel Hale, Jr., Kristi Apostel

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

A crisis can highlight the critical need for resilient leadership within higher educational settings. Educational leaders encounter extraordinary difficulties, ranging from different learning options to prioritizing the well-being of both staff and students, necessitating flexible and innovative methods. By exploring how school leaders apply transformational techniques in actual educational environments, this article addresses the impact of the four I’s of transformational leadership, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration, on building educator resiliency, sustaining school effectiveness, and promoting student achievement in higher education.

Fierce Leadership-Perspectives Of Black Women Educational Leaders: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Janice Taylor, Dianne Reed

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

The authors of this transcendental phenomenological study aimed to describe the lived experiences of Black women based on their perceptions, values, and beliefs about the complexities of leadership and the kind of leadership required to succeed in their respective roles, as educational leaders. This study was framed by the adaptive leadership theory. Adaptive leadership recognizes the need for leaders to stay flexible and resilient in fast-paced environments (Nelson & Squires, 2017). The three Black women leaders in this study were fierce adaptive leaders. The information acquired from this study is significant and highlights how Black women educational leaders developed the …

Research Literacy And Research Production Skills As Core Competencies In Leaders, Kk O'Byrne

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

No abstract provided.

From Field To Marketplace: Nil, Identity Dynamics, And Well-Being Among College Athletes, Kathryn Heinze, Landy D. Lu, Hairou Ren, Sara Soderstom

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

The rapid expansion of name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities has reshaped the U.S. college sport landscape, yet limited research has examined how NIL engagement affects athlete identity and well-being. This study investigates the relationships among NIL engagement, identity salience, and stress. Survey data were collected from 351 Division I athletes across four major conferences. Regression analyses indicated that greater NIL commitment was associated with heightened athlete identity salience and increased NIL-related stress. NIL satisfaction emerged as a protective factor, predicting lower stress, whereas perceptions of fairness were not significantly related to stress. Brief open-ended survey responses provided explanatory context, …

Supervisor Behaviors And Perceived Organizational Impact Of Telework: A Work Disruption Perspective, Tsuyoshi Ohira, Masaki Hosomi

Japanese Society and Culture

As telework (e.g., working from home) has become widespread, understanding its organizational impact from managers’ perspectives and identifying supervisor behaviors that influence this impact are critical. Drawing on work disruption theory, we examined the relationships between four supervisor behaviors in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) management competencies—respectful and responsible (RR), managing and communicating work (MCW), reasoning and managing difficult situations (RDS), and managing the individual within the team (MIT)—and the perceived organizational impact of telework. We also tested whether telework rate and intensity moderated these relationships. Survey data were collected from 239 supervisors at two time points. Results showed …

Phishing Susceptibility Among Healthcare Workers: A Multiyear Study, Darin Challacombe, Elizabeth Mcelhiney

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Understanding and improving phishing awareness is an important aspect of ensuring patient health information (PHI) is protected. Many health organizations require associates to complete annual training and supplement that training with simulated phishing email campaigns.

This poster will provide the results of a multiyear group of four studies in which health information (HI) professionals were provided various types of training and then tested on their susceptibility to simulated phishing emails. This will supplement the research on the viability of this method. And, this will present the findings by using real HI professionals (vs. college students).

We will provide a summary …

Not All Ei Dimensions Are Created Equal: Differential Effects Of Perceived Leader Emotional Intelligence On Lmx Quality And Employee Engagement, Michael Frommack

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the pathways through which employees’ perceptions of their leaders’ emotional intelligence influenced employee engagement, with leader-member exchange (LMX) quality as a mediating mechanism. Using structural equation modeling with data from 368 full-time employees, the study investigated whether the four dimensions of leader emotional intelligence differentially predicted the three dimensions of employee engagement. Results demonstrated that leader EQ strongly predicted LMX quality (β = .80, p < .001, R² = .64), and that leader emotional intelligence and LMX quality significantly predicted employee engagement in bivariate analyses (β = .43, p < .001, R² = .19; β = .47, p < .001, R² = .22, respectively). However, LMX quality completely mediated this relationship. The indirect effect was significant (β = .26, p = .002), while the direct effect was nonsignificant after accounting for LMX (β = .17, p = .108), indicating full mediation. No dimension-specific pathways emerged after controlling for relationship quality. Supplementary analyses revealed that others’ emotion appraisal (OEA) demonstrated almost twice the predictive strength of the other emotional intelligence dimensions for predicting LMX quality (β = .45, p < .001). These findings provide empirical support for Social Exchange Theory and demonstrate that leader emotional intelligence is statistically accounted for by relationship quality mechanisms. Practical implications suggest that organizations should prioritize relationship building competencies in leadership development and selection. Theoretical implications challenge assumptions about dimensional equivalence in emotional intelligence frameworks and establish LMX quality as the complete mediator for leadership influence on employee engagement.

Candidate Generative Ai Use In Pre‐Hire Employment Assessments: Self‐Reported Incidence And The Impact Of Warnings, Chet Robie, Timothy G. Wingate, Nataliya Baytalskaya, Hilary Butera

Business Faculty Publications

The rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) poses new challenges for the validity and fairness of pre‐hire employment assessments. Across two applied studies using large applicant samples completing a standardized pre‐hire assessment (which includes both cognitive and non‐cognitive components), we examined the self‐reported incidence of GenAI assistance, and the impact of warning statements designed to deter such behavior. In Study 1 (N = 5675), conducted in Q3 2024, fewer than 3% of applicants reported using GenAI, though up to 19% reported using GenAI in combination with algorithmic resources (e.g., search engines). All three warning statements (consequences, educational, and reasoning) …

Language Analysis Of "Gaslight" And "Narcissist" As Seen On Tiktok, Aaren Fernandez

Journal of Research Initiatives

TikTok is a popular social media platform from which users frequently obtain information. Specifically, psychological concepts such as anxiety, depression, and related conditions are becoming popular vernacular on TikTok through trends such as "story times." However, the accuracy of these terms' usage requires examination. In this qualitative analysis of TikTok posts and comments under the hashtags #gaslight and #narcissist, it was found that videos under these hashtags often originated from users attempting to warn viewers about psychological traits that align with common diagnostic language. However, comments under these videos tended to use these terms in a more casual sense than …

The Impact Of Job Demands On Work And Family Outcomes Among Healthcare Workers In China: The Moderating Effect Of Gender And Professional Identity Integration (G-Pii) And Communal Orientation, Wei Zhou

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Long work hours, emotional strain, and stress are just a few of the high demands placed on healthcare workers in China, which have led to occupational burnout, tension between job and family, and worse health. This research investigates the relationship between job demands and burnout via the lens of the Job Demands-Resources model and social identity theory, work-family balance, subjective well-being, and career commitment among Chinese healthcare workers. We focus on the moderating roles of gender and professional identity integration (G-PII) and communal orientation. In a two-wave investigation, 317 medical professionals from different Chinese hospitals took part. Hierarchical regression studies …

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 …

Perceptions Of Game-Based Assessments: The Role Of Test Takers' Occupational Background, Marie L. Ohlms, Klaus G. Melchers, Filip Lievens

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Game-based assessments (GBAs) have become increasingly popular in personnel selection. However, research on perceptions of GBAs has yielded mixed results, highlighting the need to explore variables that may shape perceptions of GBAs. Therefore, we examined whether test takers' occupational background and other person-related characteristics (i.e., gender, age, video game usage, openness to experience) are associated with their perceptions of GBAs. N = 179 individuals from technical and social occupational backgrounds rated their perceptions of GBAs and non-gamified tests. We found that GBAs were generally rated more positively than non-gamified tests in terms of organizational attractiveness, behavioral intentions toward the organization, …

Uncertain Search With Knowledge Transfer, Woonghee Tim Huh, Michael Jong Kim, Meichun Lin

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We consider a sequential search over a group of similar alternatives. The individual value of an alternative contains two components, an observable utility and an idiosyncratic value. Observable utilities share an unknown population distribution, which captures the similarity across the alternatives and allows for knowledge transfer within the group. Once a decision maker encounters an alternative, its utility is revealed immediately, whereas the idiosyncratic value is unobservable and needs to be learned by sampling. The goal is to select an alternative with the highest individual value while accounting for the sampling and search costs. A novel feature of this problem …

Situation Descriptions In Situational Judgment Tests: A Matter Of Including Trait-Relevant Situational Cues?, Philipp Schapers, Stefan Krumm, Filip Lievens, Jan-Philipp Freudenstein, Julian Schulze, Cornelius J. Konig

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

SJTs have traditionally been conceptualized as low-fidelity simulations of how respond to work-related situations. Yet, several studies demonstrated that situation descriptions were necessary to solve some SJT items, whereas they were not needed for other SJT items. So far, no solid support was found for various factors (e.g., item characteristics, presentation format, instructions, and content domain) that make some situation descriptions relevant and others irrelevant for responding to SJT items. Building on trait activation theory, we posit that trait-relevant situational cues serve as an ignored factor in SJT situation descriptions. Across two main studies (N-1 = 269, N-2 = 1,092), …

Humanity Is Evolving Its Consciousness: The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

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 unfolding period of weeding out and alignment with the …

The Correlation Between Spiritual Tourism And Mental Health Of Young People In Binh Duong, Vietnam, Anh Nguyen

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

While researchers are in agreement about the positive relationship between spiritual activities (SAs) and mental health (MH) among the general population, the relationship between spiritual tourism (ST) and MH, particularly among young adults, is yet to be adequately investigated. As such, this research was conducted to determine the contribution of ST towards the MH of the younger generation. The respondents are undergraduate students located in Vietnam’s industrial province of Binh Duong. The findings, from the quantitative research approach, indicate that young people perceive ST mainly as a means for visiting places of worship, with little consideration for the MH benefits …

Change Management With Ethical Leadership, Sophia Rudisill Holmes

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

Ethical leadership ensures organizational environments are created and nurtured to support complex dilemmas that surface during change management. Leaders and followers in particular can navigate change management with intentional advance planning guided by the motives of their heart. The motives of a leader’s heart is observed by the ethical practices of their core values. Morally leaders and followers core values inform their ethical behaviors. Furthermore, Christian leaders have access to biblical scripture which provides a roadmap for leaders and followers in the mastery of adapting and not resisting during change management. Biblical scriptures also provide examples of practices that solve …

Effects Of Ai Transparency On Perceived Fairness In Ai-Driven Selection Tools: The Mediating Roles Of Ai Literacy And Attitudes Towards Ai, Tony Mellek

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly prominent feature of modern hiring, creating opportunities to enhance efficiency and consistency in selection. This study examined how AI transparency, AI literacy, and attitudes toward AI shape applicants’ perceptions of fairness when engaging with AI-scored pre-hire assessments. A sample of 290 U.S. adults were randomly assigned to either a high- or low-transparency hiring scenario and then completed measures of AI literacy, attitudes toward AI, and procedural fairness. Results indicated that both AI literacy and attitudes toward AI were strong and significant predictors of perceived procedural fairness, suggesting that applicants who feel knowledgeable about AI …

Exploring The Role Of Occupational Therapy In The Delivery Of Trauma-Informed Services To Hospital-Based Clients Ot, Frank Czuba

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Hospitalization can traumatize clients and impact overall health outcomes, leading to increased hospital readmission rates and resulting in a negative impact for both clients and providers. Limited information exists regarding how hospital-based occupational therapists evaluate and address trauma, even though incorporating trauma-informed principles into professional practice can enhance the occupational therapy process. The study explored the comprehension and perceived significance of trauma-informed tenets among occupational therapists delivering services in hospital-based settings. A quantitative research study with an exploratory design was implemented to explore how occupational therapists (OT) understand and utilize trauma-informed practices with their clients in a hospital setting. An …

Emotional Valence In Sustainable Fashion Advertising And The Cognitive And Affective Drivers Of Consumer Response As Determinants Of Digital Engagement Behavior, Cassidy Jane Cisz

Theses and Dissertations

The dominance of the linear value chain and its perpetuation of overconsumption create persistent barriers to sustainable fashion brands in their effort to articulate a value proposition that justifies the price premium associated with ethical and sustainable production. To address this challenge and remain competitive within a marketplace dominated by low-cost fast fashion, these brands must differentiate through appeals that clearly reflect their values, mission, and climate commitments. While advertisements for sustainable goods use a broad set of persuasive strategies, this study evaluates two dominant emotional appeals, Positive Environmental Appeals (PEA) and Negative Environmental Appeals (NEA), both of which are …

Experiencing Objectification In Platform Work: Food Delivery Riders’ Accounts Of Organizational Absence And Self-Valuation, Emerald Jay D. Ilac, Ma. Tonirose D. Mactal, Clarisse Aeaea M. Kilboy

Leadership and Strategy Faculty Publications

This study aimed to explain how food delivery platform riders experience objectification in the context of platform-based work, with particular attention to how organizational practices and leadership shape experiences of marginalization, dignity, and voice. A qualitative design was employed using Descriptive Phenomenological Analysis. In-depth interviews were conducted with nine food delivery platform riders to describe the essential structures of their lived experiences of objectification. Subaltern Theory was used as an interpretive lens in making sense of the findings. Five experiential themes were identified: (1) leaders’ non-presence resulting in perceived abandonment, (2) leaders’ devaluing of food delivery riders, (3) social devaluation …

Merger Crisis Role-Play: Organizational Behavior In Action, Jyro B. Triviño

Leadership and Strategy Faculty Publications

To advance professionally, students must be prepared to navigate dynamic and contentious organizational environments by articulating their varied views, protecting their personal and professional intentions, anticipating challenges, and then fostering consensus. This paper addresses a high-stakes, multi-round immersive role-play simulation of a company merger in an undergraduate Organizational Behavior course. Grounded in the core pillars of experiential learning, adaptive leadership, and organizational sensemaking, this classroom exercise places students in a pre-set, realistic post-merger leadership team facing immediate business challenges. Compared to traditional case studies, this method requires students to demonstrate real-time organizational behavior competencies, providing a powerful platform for negotiation …

Arts Cures: A Business Plan For Integrating Art As A Biometric Tool For Sensory Wellbeing In Commercial Ecosystems, Xinuo Zhang

MA Projects

In an era of heightened connectivity and data-driven metrics, modern society faces a crisis of sensory impoverishment and emotional disconnection. While technology quantifies human experience, it often fails to address the visceral need for authentic feeling. This business plan proposes "Arts Cures," a venture that repositions art from a passive commodity to an active, systemic solution for well-being. By leveraging insights from neuroscience, design theory, and existential philosophy, Arts Cures develops a suite of B2B and B2C services that integrate art as functional, biometric-responsive infrastructure. Our core offerings include AI-driven sensory pods for real-time emotional regulation, data-informed curatorial services for …

We Can Be Heroes: Sustaining Vitally Engaged Social Heroes In A Heroic Organization (Act Up/New York), Michael Condren

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Contextual factors are particularly important in understanding social heroism, which is characterized by heroic action in the service of existing and emerging community values, principles and ideals (Franco et al., 2011). Social heroism almost always entails serious risks for the hero and frequently requires committed action over long time periods to achieve positive social change. Unlike other types of heroism, social heroism frequently emerges from and is enacted through organizations. However, heroism research has focused largely on individual factors involved in different types of heroic actions, such as character, moral development and courage. The goal of this study was to …

Work Disengagement: Motivational Regulation Shaped By Psychological Need Frustration And Perceived Injustice, Stephanie R. Dailey

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Employee disengagement represents a persistent global challenge, yet remains theoretically underdeveloped and is frequently conflated with burnout, behavioral withdrawal, or deviance. Building on Kahn’s (1990) original conceptualization, this dissertation reconceptualizes disengagement as a distinct motivational state characterized by the withdrawal of cognitive, emotional, and physical energies from role performance. Drawing on Self Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), Conservation of Resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989), and the Job Demands–Resources model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007), I test a model where disengagement emerges as a motivational response to psychological need frustration, where organizational justice functions as an upstream contextual antecedent. Two complementary studies …