Psychology Commons^™

Towards An Understanding Of The Mutual Dependency Of Consciousness And Matter, Lucido, Richard

Journal of Conscious Evolution

The notion in quantum mechanics that observation causes the collapse of the probability wave function brings consciousness directly into physical theory. To date, however, there has not been an adequate explanation as to how this could be the case, a circumstance that leads some to view this notion as unparsimonious and speculative. This paper attempts to provide an a priori reason for the mutual dependency of consciousness and matter by considering the consequences of the indistinguishably of elementary particles and the temporally extended nature of consciousness. In doing so, it is hoped that an ontology is elucidated which is applicable …

Healing Our Planet, Laszlo, Ervin

Journal of Conscious Evolution

In the last few years, and especially since the economic-financial crisis of the fall of 2008, it has become painfully clear that there is something seriously wrong with our world. The media is full of reports of crises, and various experts offer suggestions on what to do about them. But for the most part the diagnosis and the cure are highly sectoral and partial. There is talk about the financial crisis, and the overall economic crisis. Then of the environmental crisis and various resource-crises: energy, food, water, among others. There is also talk about consumerism, power-hunger, and greed. There is …

Surrender: An Alchemical Act In Personal Transformation, Moze, Mary Beth G.

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This article is the result of inquiring about human resistance to change. Specifically, it focuses on the act of surrender which engages, rather than avoids, the process of transformation. Due to the relatively sparse amount of literature on the subject of surrender, additional literature which parallels and compliments the subject is creatively woven in. The author comfortably injects criticism and interpretation of the literature and intermittently offers suggestions for further research efforts.

The Logic Of Love: A Short Theory Of An Integral Science And Ethics, Hosang, Maik

Journal of Conscious Evolution

No abstract provided.

Educating For Conscious Evolution, Adams, Anne

Journal of Conscious Evolution

No abstract provided.

Art And Mental Disturbance, Benjamin, Elliot

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This article presents a perspective on psychology that relates directly to Abraham Maslow’s focus upon studying the highest levels of human functioning, but is geared specifically toward a psychological study of what I refer to as the “successful creative artist” and the relationship between art and mental disturbance. The focus is upon what I consider to be “natural” as opposed to “normal,” i.e. individual self-motivated creative expressions vs. widespread socially approved norms and expectations. Along the lines of Thomas Szasz and R.D. Laing, what is referred to as “mental illness” is viewed from a non-judgmental perspective, but with the distinctive …

Transforming The Invisible The Postmodernist Visual Artist As A Contemporary Mystic: A Review, Haberkorn, Christine

Journal of Conscious Evolution

No abstract provided.

A Review Of Peter Kingsley’S Book: Reality, Brewer, Brian

Journal of Conscious Evolution

No abstract provided.

On Unity Experiences: A Review, Wilcox, Sally

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Unity is both complex and elegant which in itself reflects the Universe. Experiencing unity is examined philosophically as a natural human desire for reasoned reality. From a spiritual perspective it may be the return to our original divine essence. From a neuroscientific view, it may be neurocorrelates in the brain resonating with an electrical field. And from a physics perspective, it may be particle entanglement and spin-wave directionality. The debate is broad and deep. The prevailing western framework for exploring such a topic is rational cognitivism, and intersects several disciplines including; cognitive science, consciousness studies, neuroscience, philosophy, phenomenology, psychology and …

An Exploration Of Powerful Power Of Thought Experiences, Martin, Jeffery

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This study explored participant’s assumptions regarding power of thought and analyzed examples they provided of powerful power of thought experiences. The method used was intuitive inquiry, which allows for both traditional and transpersonal research techniques to be employed. Each of the four participants produced an initial two page (aprox.) reflection, read each others reflections, and then produced a second two page reflection paper. Clarifying questions were then asked, and the final coding and analysis completed. Six strong themes between all study participants were uncovered: belief that it can work, complexity, guidance, unity, choice, and release. A shared cosmology was observed …

The Holographic Principle Of Mind And The Evolution Of Consciousness, Germine, Mark

Journal of Conscious Evolution

The Holographic Principle holds the information in any region of space and time exists on the surface of that region. Layers of the holographic, universal “now” go from the inception of the universe to the present. Universal Consciousness is the timeless source of actuality and mentality. Information is experience, and the expansion of the “now” leads to higher and higher orders of experience in the Universe, with various levels of consciousness emerging from experience. The brain consists of a nested hierarchy of surfaces which range from the most elementary field though the neuron, neural group, and the whole brain. Evidence …

The Construction Of Reality In "Waking Life" And "Dreaming Life", Krippner, Stanley

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Shamans were the first dreamworkers and the first to ask traditional philosophical questions. They used (and still use) altered states of consciousness to travel into "dreamtime," obtaining power and knowledge to help and heal members of their communities -- the social group that awarded them shamanic status. In psychological terms, shamans regulate their attention to obtain information not available to their peers, using it to reduce stress and improve the living conditions of members of their society.

Over the centuries, Western scientists and philosophers have dismissed shamanic "journeying" as fanciful at best, and delusional at worst. Julian Silverman (1967) postulated …

The Early Development Of Visual Attentional Mechanisms In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Hayley Smith

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Attention plays a fundamental role in shaping cognitive development. What we attend to and what we ignore alters our visual experience of the world. Atypical attention has long been implicated in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) yet our understanding of the early development of this ability has been limited by methodological factors. The aim of this thesis was to address the “toddler gap” in the literature by developing novel measures of attention that are ideal for use with toddlers, do not require verbal instructions, and can be easily scaled up or down for older or younger children. A series of three …

Contributors To And Correlates Of Loneliness In Lung Cancer Patients, Kelly A. Hyland

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background

Loneliness, or the perceived discrepancy between the quantity and quality of ones’ actual social relationships and desired level of connectedness, is a potentially important psychosocial factor in lung cancer patients. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship of loneliness to depressive symptoms, quality of life, and social-cognitive variables and to explore the role of loneliness in mediating relationships between social-cognitive variables and depressive symptoms and quality of life. Finally, the study examined whether loneliness predicted change over time in depressive symptoms and quality of life.

Methods

Lung cancer patients were recruited from the Moffitt Cancer …

A Review Of Collaborative Biopsychosocial Healthcare Worldwide, Sadie Teal, John Charleson, Jyssica Seebeck, John Thoburn

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

This review calls attention to the importance of collaborative care in international settings and highlight advances in models of care that are emerging globally. As our understanding of physical and mental health increases, healthcare continues to move towards a systemic approach to the mind-body dichotomy. This shift has resulted in increased provider collaboration and formation of multidisciplinary healthcare organizations. We propose that collaborative care is an effective way for providers to meet the physical and mental healthcare needs of patients across cultures. We further propose categorizing collaborative care models on a continuum of the degree of physical and functional integration.

Learning To Have A Voice: The Spouse's Experience Of Clergy Sexual Misconduct, Samuel Rennebohm, Fiona Kurtz, Jessa Carlile, Heather Lucas, John Thoburn

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

In the present study, researchers utilized a systemic approach to examine the qualitative experiences of the spouses of religious leaders who engaged in sexual misconduct. Data was collected and analyzed through a process of narrative inquiry using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Multiple rounds of consensus-based coding led to an eco-systemic framework for organizing and analyzing data. Participant descriptions of their experience were organized according to chronology and bio-psycho-social systemic level: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual. These findings highlight the systemic risk factors for sexual misconduct and the need for interventions that extend beyond individuals to address marital, familial, and communal distress.

Mindful Marriage: Exploring The Interaction Between Mindfulness And Length Of Marriage, Honey Williams, Melissa Caris, John Thoburn

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

The purpose of this study was to explore the interaction between length of marriage and trait mindfulness on marital satisfaction. Although previous research has demonstrated that both length of marriage and trait mindfulness positively predict marital satisfaction, research has yet to explore the interaction between the two. Thus, our study adds to the existing literature by exploring the relationship between length of marriage and marital satisfaction, moderated by mindfulness. Because mindfulness has been shown to both act as a buffer against stress and to have a positive relationship with marital satisfaction, we hypothesized that trait mindfulness would moderate the relationship …

Determining The Temporal Direction Of Psychological Distress And Substance Use In Female Expatriate Spouses In Turkey, Lauren Hirsch, Thomas Pankau, Lynette Bikos

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Expatriation has been associated with a number of negative mental health issues within the expats themselves (e.g., depression, substance use). However, expatriate spouses can often face unique stressors, and by gaining a better understanding of the impact expatriation has on these spouses, organizations can more easily plan for the challenges. The purpose of our study is to further explore the direction of the relationship between alcohol use and psychological distress in a sample of female expatriate spouses during their first year assignment in Turkey. By using hierarchical linear modeling and conducting a cross-lead analysis, we will analyze the change over …

Psychometric Evaluation Of The Sexual Assault Coping Self-Efficacy Scale, Desta Gebregiorgis, Caitlin Coyer, Lauren Hirsch, Lynette Bikos

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

The King County Sexual Assault Resource Center's (KCSARC) legal advocacy program assists sexual assault victims through their legal prosecution to hopefully influence their client's coping self-efficacy. We chose 19 items from the Modified Domestic Violence Coping Self-Efficacy Measure (Benight et al., 2004) and modified these items to reflect coping self-efficacy after a sexual assault (Gibbs et al., 2011). The purpose of this study was to analyze the structural validity of the Sexual Assault Coping Self-Efficacy Measure using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. The results provided strong psychometric support for this instrument to be used for continued evaluation of this program.

Firefighters: The Emotional Processing Of Physiological Risks, Beth Larson, John Thoburn

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

This presentation acknowledges the deficiency and necessity for research regarding emotional processing of firefighters at risk of developing cancer due to occupational risk. The developing research project will use qualitative methodology to gather and investigate subjective detailed descriptions of firefighters' psychological experiences regarding occupational risk. Because the goal of this project is to identify explanatory concepts of emotional processing, we will follow a grounded theory approach. Participants, a minimum of six firefighters, will undergo in-person interviews based on three open-ended questions. All interviews will be audio recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for similar themes and patterns.

Effects Of Participation In An Online Course On Undergraduate Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy, Caitlin Coyer, Megan Fox, Elena Cantorna, Lynette Bikos

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Career decision-making self-efficacy (CDSE) describes beliefs in ability to engage in activities necessary for career decisions (Betz, Klein, & Taylor, 1996). This study assessed the effects of a vocational career development (VCD) online interactive course on students' CDSE. Participants (n = 129) were sophomore undergraduate students at Seattle Pacific University. Participants completed a pretest, posttest, and online VCD modules with three randomly assigned conditions: (ADJ) Adjust to college, (TRAD) ADJ plus traditional career development, (CALL) ADJ plus TRAD plus spiritual discernment. Results indicated participants in all conditions increased in CDSE significantly; no differences between groups were found.

Stop, Meditate, And Listen: A Treatment Modality For Iraqi Refugees With Depression, Katherine Goehring

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Purposes: To implement a mindfulness meditation program with Arabic speaking clients as an adjunctive treatment of depression

Background: Depression rates among Iraqi refugees are between 28.3 and 75% compared to 8.6% in the general population (Slewa-Younan, Guajardo, Heriseanu, & Hasan, 2015). Treatment options are limited at Neighborhood Healthcare in El Cajon due to budget limitations, cultural beliefs and language barriers, among other reasons. Individual therapy is intended to be a brief intervention due to limited staffing. Many middle eastern refugees decline group therapy due to stigma surrounding mental health treatment and concerns about privacy. Even though traditional treatment …

Assessing Working Memory In Mild Cognitive Impairment With Serial Order Recall, Sheina Emrani

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Working memory (WM) is often assessed with serial order tests such as repeating digits backward. In prior dementia research using the Backward Digit Span subtest (BDT) only aggregate test performance was examined. The current research tallied primacy/ recency effects; out-of-sequence transposition errors; perseverations and omissions to assess WM deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: Memory clinic patients (n= 66) were classified into three groups - single domain amnestic MCI (aMCI), combined mixed domain/ dysexecutive MCI (mixed/dys MCI), and non-MCI where patients did not meet criteria for MCI. Serial order/ WM ability was assessed by …

Art Therapy And The Person-Centered Approach: A Method For Breaking Down Creative Resistance With Dementia Patients, Kimberly Nelson

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This Capstone explores the use of art therapy with a geriatric population on a psychiatric unit of a small, rural southern hospital. Most of the patients experience symptoms of dementia and are over the age of 55. Many patients presented with resistance to creative pursuits and this researcher utilized the person-centered approach to counter this “creative resistance”. In other words, the patients were met where they were at and accepted unconditionally, through empathy and congruence. The materials that were offered to this population were explored through the creative resistance as well, and a simple number two pencil produced successful results …

Impact Of A School-Based Mindfulness Intervention On Children’S Self Regulation, Elizabeth Chaney

Doctoral Dissertations

When schools recognize the importance of social-emotional learning and support young children’s self-regulation skills, students are also likely to see improvements in their academic potential. Youth who encounter the stressors of toxic stress and thus, who may have more challenges developing self-regulation competencies, may particularly benefit from classroom environments where self-regulation and coping skills are emphasized. The current study examined the impact of a school-based mindfulness program on self-regulation and mindfulness skills of 42 children in two fourth grade classrooms that were assigned to either a Mindfulness Group (n = 30) or to a Control Group (n = 12). The …

The Relationship Between The Dark Tetrad Using The Hexaco Personality Models In Relationship To Mental Toughness In College Athletes, Michael K. Ryerson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dark Triad has been examined before in previous literature many different times. The Dark Tetrad is recently new to the field and does not have the same amount of literature as the Triad. The Dark Triad and Tetrad have been examined with the Big Five Personality model numerous times and have been negatively correlated in the previous research. However, most of the research examined did not use Honesty-Humility that the HEXACO Personality Model has incorporated into the Big Five Personality model. The topic of mental toughness has been researched numerous times since its acceptance as a personality trait. The difficulty …

A Program Evaluation Of A Drug And Alcohol Family Treatment Program, Katrina Ramirez

Doctoral Dissertations

The current study is a program evaluation at John Muir Behavioral Health, Center for Recovery. The research determined the effectiveness of the program at Center for Recovery that is offered to patients that struggle with substance use disorder and their families. The purpose of this study is to assess patients’ behavioral, cognitive and social/environmental factors as it relates to their commitment to sobriety and examine how the involvement of family members influences the patient’s recovery process. I utilized a mixed methodology of quantitative and qualitative interviews of patients and family members. The findings suggest depressive symptoms were negatively correlated with …

Athletic Identity And Mental Health: The Experiences Of Black Male Former Student-Athletes, Miguel Frank

Doctoral Dissertations

On college campus across the nation, student-athletes represents a unique group among the student population. Black male student-athletes are an overrepresented group among the student-athlete population, representing more than a quarter of all student-athletes. Previous research has explored the impact of athletic identity on student-athletes, as well as the academic success of Black male student-athletes. Due to the high number of Black males participating in intercollegiate athletics and the lack of research related to their mental health experiences, the goal of this study was to examine the impact of athletic identity on the experiences of Black male student-athletes and the …

Rumination And Worry: Factor Structure And Predictive Utility, Andrew Mark Kiselica

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Criticism of discrete classification systems for mental disorders has led to a focus on identification of mechanisms that cut across symptom clusters, known as transdiagnostic factors. One such proposed factor is negative repetitive thought (NRT), or a perseverative, often uncontrollable, focus on negative information, experiences, or expectations. Worry and rumination are two major constructs thought to compose NRT. No confirmatory factor analyses have investigated whether worry and rumination might compose a general NRT factor, discrete factors, or some combination of the two. The first purpose of the current study was to use confirmatory factor analyses to uncover whether worry and …

The Effects Of One Neurofeedback Session On Eye-Tracking Distractibility When Completing Verbal And Visuospatial Search Tasks, Rebecca C. Recio-Swift

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common and prevalent condition seen in all ages and throughout the world. School-aged and college-aged students seem to have the most difficulty in terms of academic performance, social functioning, and adaptive functioning. Visual attention and visual search are important aspects of attention. Visual attention drives what and how the brain processes and interprets information from the environment. Visual search is the ability to find a visual target within a set of distractors. Electroencephalography (EEG) Neurofeedback is the process of re-training brainwaves through operant conditioning. Neurofeedback (NF) has been suggested to be a non-invasive …