Psychology Commons^™

Neurocriminology: Revolutionizing Specialized Training For Criminal Justice System Professionals, Janina Cich

Forensic Scholars Today

No abstract provided.

“Feels Good Man”: How One Amphibian Became A Weapon Of Mass Disinformation, Samuel Stiller

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

This paper investigates the “Pepe the Frog” meme to explore the significance of memes as a medium of disinformation with particular emphasis on how the psychology of anonymity affects how disinformation is disseminated.

Category Learning Reorganizes Internal Representations Of Visual Artworks, Aishwarya Gurung

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

How are categories of art internally represented, and how can we capture those representations systematically? Investigating category learning in the context of complex, multidimensional stimuli like visual artworks presents unique challenges due to their inherent variability and perceptual complexity. Artworks engage multiple cognitive processes and are shaped by both sensory-driven mechanisms and top-down influences like prior knowledge, making them uniquely suited for studying how structured categorical knowledge interacts with perceptual and aesthetic judgments. The present study addresses these questions by utilizing machine-learning tools to construct and implement a two-dimensional similarity space of 400 existing artworks painted by two artists from …

Constructing A Parameterized Stimuli Space Suitable To Induce Controlled Changes In Human And Machine Perceptual Systems, Andrew Frankel

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Traditional computer vision applications focus on objective tasks, such as object detection, classification, or segmentation. Much of human experience is inherently subjective, such as our personal response to artwork. Individualized experiences are challenging to replicate in a controlled laboratory environment, as those experiences depend on the unique history and internal models of the observer. This work presents a technique to construct a 2-dimensional parameterized stimuli space suitable to induce controlled changes in the perceptual systems of both human and machine observers. Our contributions are threefold:

1. Using a balanced dataset of 8,800 fine art images spanning 11 art movements and 88 …

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Differential Mechanisms Of Access In Working Memory: Comparing Global And Selective Retrieval, Jade M. Turbides

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Working memory (WM) is essential for numerous cognitive tasks, yet the mechanisms underlying selective access to specific subsets of its contents vs. global, nonselective access remain incompletely understood. Context-specific selection of individual items from WM has been found to be more time-consuming and error-prone than globally accessing all memory contents. This study investigates whether the performance costs of selective WM access arise primarily from demands on item-context binding memory. Previous research has suggested that only selective access relies on memory for item-context bindings whereas global access can solely rely on item memory. Across two experiments, we employed task paradigms that …

Investigating The Risk And Protective Factors Of Internet Addiction Among Adolescents Through The Lens Of Cognitive Behavioral Theory: A Cross-Sectional Study, Noura Shaltout

Theses and Dissertations

—Introduction: The Internet has become a central part of modern life, enhancing education, providing means of global communication, and facilitating access to information and entertainment. However, an attendant risk of excessive Internet use is becoming unconsciously addicted to virtual online activities, especially when large tech companies design their products in a way that makes them addictive to users. These companies have the tools and knowledge that allow them to manipulate and transform the behavior of their target audience. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential risk and protective factors for Internet addiction among adolescents. Methodology: This cross-sectional study employed …

Behavioral And Neural Effects Of Distributing Visual Attention Across Location And Feature Space, Mert Özkan

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Visual attention refers to the mechanisms by which relevant visual information, such as location, simple features (e.g., color, orientation), and objects, is selected and prioritized for further processing. The current dissertation investigates capacity limitations on spatial and feature–based attention in early visual processing and behavioral performance. Specifically, I examined whether attention could be efficiently tuned across narrow and broad ranges of locations and colors, or even be split across noncontiguous locations in the case of spatial attention. I used several behavioral paradigms and frequency–tagging methods in electroencephalography (EEG) to illustrate the effects of narrowing or broadening the attentional focus on …

The Effectiveness Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Cbt) And Medication For Treating Major Depressive Disorder In Adults 18-45 And Factors Contributing To Treatment Resistance: A Case Series., Shavon R. Romita, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and antidepressant medications are often used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD). After examining the existing research on the treatment of MDD, a study was conducted using a vignette methodology to determine if there is a decreased rate of symptoms for patients who are currently being treated for MDD by a mental health professional utilizing CBT and antidepressant interventions. The study explored the effectiveness of CBT in reducing depressive symptoms when antidepressants alone had limited efficacy. The target population included adult patients experiencing MDD, with some presenting additional challenges such as cultural barriers, difficult diagnoses, and …

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Healing Through Storytelling And Mindful Narrative Therapy, Julie Kemp

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This study presents research about the nature and prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the mental and physical impacts to individuals exposed to ACEs, and incorporating mindfulness practices into therapeutic approaches to treating them, particularly Mindfulness-Based Narrative Therapy (MBNT). It is important because ACEs have become a global crisis, with the potential for interfering with psychological and physical development, early mortality, and other harmful life outcomes. This thesis provides critical information for mindfulness teachers and practitioners, therapists, educators, regulators, parents, and individuals subjected to ACEs.

The methodology includes extensive literature searches for narrative therapy and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in peer-reviewed …

“Watch Me!” The Impact Of Training Experience On Dogs Social Referencing Human Emotional Cues, Madison Murray

Theses and Dissertations

Dogs utilized human facial expression and vocal tone to drive decision making during a novel object choice task, displaying a preference for negatively valenced objects. Training experience was not correlated to dog likelihood to social reference.

Goodtimer For Good Behavior: A Nonconcurrent Multiple Baseline Examination Of A Behavioral Device Intervention To Reduce Child Misbehaviors, Morgan Weinstein

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) effectively decreases disruptive behavior in children (Daley et al., 2014). Nonetheless, many parents perceive BPT to be challenging and demanding, leading to reports of high treatment dropout rates (Chacko et al., 2016.) To address this, the present study evaluated the effectiveness of Goodtimer, a behavioral health device utilizing contingency management, an element of BPT, to mitigate child disruptive behaviors. The Goodtimer is designed to make administering a contingency management system easier for parents. Employing a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design, the study assessed six families with children aged 3-9 years. Most parents who used the Goodtimer reported …

Suicide Exposure In The Army National Guard: A Three Manuscript Dissertation, Rebecca Willis-Nichols

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Between 2000-2022, the U.S. suicide rate increased 36% with one death now occurring every 11 minutes (CDC, 2024). Despite the Department of Defense making a concerted effort to curb the suicide increases in their ranks, the rates have continued to rise. Active-duty component rates have slowly increased since 2011 while reserve and guard components have held steady (U.S. Department of Defense, 2023). After adjusting for age, the suicide rate in the veteran population was 57% greater than the civilian population in 2020 (CDC, 2024). There is a need for a better understanding of the impact of these deaths and the …

Treatment Of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Inference Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Lauren Bonicoro, Hollings Manderson

CSU Tower Day

Tower Day 2025 Graduate Poster 1st place Winner

Traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has long been considered an acceptable course of treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, CBT has 38 been shown to leave behind residual symptoms after treatment. A more recent method of treatment, inference-based cognitive behavioral therapy (I-CBT), uncovers the doubts behind a client's obsessions. With the growing rate of OCD diagnoses, it is crucial that counselors are able to adequately treat this disorder, teaching their clients how to replace unhealthy narratives with more realistic ones. This presentation will highlight the key aspects of I-CBT that are essential …

Complex Skill Learning And Atc: Examining Stress Response And Distress Mitigation With Eeg And Ecg, Sophia J. Fischer, James C. Lue, Dana Mahmoud, Joshua Rice, Piper Winsett, Eric Anthony Day, Michael J. Wenger, Dingjing Shi, Julia Beckel, Jamie Barrett, Tammy Ho

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2025

Air Traffic Control (ATC) trainees at the FAA Academy and developmentalcontrollers in the field often face dynamic and unexpected events in training,which may impact safe and effective human performance if certain vulnerabilitiesare not properly managed or mitigated. We integrate theory on self-regulatedworkplace training with a cognitive neuroscience perspective on attention touniquely examine the effects of surprise and stress on performance. Our near-termgoal is to demonstrate the viability of using physiological measures to predictperformance changes in a laboratory study of young adults learning a complexvideogame. We use a novel, event-marked and person-centric longitudinalapproach to the analysis of physiological variables to distinguish …

Review Of Fatigue Micro-Mitigations For Application In Air Traffic Control: Benefits, Challenges, And Feasibility, John Kang, Ruth E. Propper, Michael Sawyer

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2025

Air traffic controllers (ATCs) are one of the primary drivers of safe and resilient operations in the National Airspace System. The FAA has implemented manylarge-scale fatigue mitigation strategies (e.g., scheduling policies, break time requirements, and time-on-position limits) to combat fatigue. Given the performance benefits related to managing fatigue, ATCs may also benefit from simple, practical fatigue interventions and that could improve job performance.This review targets ‘micro-mitigations,’ which we define as mitigations that maybe unobtrusive, can be quickly implemented, have a rapid impact, and are easy to engage. We explore the possible utility of five micro-mitigations to help minimize fatigue/improve alertness: …

Our Morality Or Your Morality? An Exploration Of The Influence Of Group Membership On Moral Judgment And The Moderating Influence Of Theory Of Mind, Phoebe Flora Dadson

Theses and Dissertations

The present study explores the interaction between social group membership and moral judgment in decision-making. This interaction is also assessed through the moderating value of Theory of Mind (TOM), encompassing both affective and cognitive empathy. This research hypothesizes that 1) there is an association between TOM and decision-making in morality, 2) group membership, expressed as adherence to political ideology, influences moral judgment, 3) a higher frequency of utilitarian choices in other beneficial moral dilemmas is expected to be correlated with a stronger association with political group ideals. The sample population is comprised of college students at St. John’s University (N …

Help-Seeking For Problematic Alcohol Use: Stigma, Shame, & Guilt, Olivia G. Chapell

2025 Honors Symposium

Stigmatization is a prevalent barrier to help-seeking behaviors in problematic alcohol users, especially among college-aged students. By using a cross-sectional electronic survey method, the relationship between personal or immediate family experience with substance-related treatment and perceptions of stigmatization was assessed.

Quantity Over Quality? What Pupil Dilations Tell Us About Cognitive Effort At Learning., Durna Alakbarova

Psychology Dissertations - Archive

The current study examined whether pupil dilations at encoding reflect cognitive effort participants engage in a task. According to the cognitive effort hypothesis of pupil dilations, increases in cognitive effort cause activation of the locus coeruleus–norepinephrine (LC-NE) system, which is reflected in larger pupil dilations. While task-evoked pupillary responses (TEPRs) have been used as a marker of cognitive effort, it remains unclear whether changes in pupil size reflect encoding success. We proposed that the reason for conflicting findings on the topic is a lack of nuance in examining cognitive effort. Specifically, we suggested that cognitive effort consists of two separate …

A Perspective On Imbalance: A Memoir Through The Lens Of Eating Disorders Anonymous, Samantha C. Lasky

Scripps Senior Theses

A Perspective on Imbalance uses a crab shell essay format within the adjusted framework of Eating Disorder Anonymous’ “Perspective on Balance” letter. This original letter speaks to how physical, social/emotional, and spiritual balance came to exist in the founder’s life after working the 12 steps of the program, but the author of this thesis felt more inclined to examine what life looks like in each of those categories before the 12 steps, as well as what happens when you choose not to work them (as this has been her experience thus far). The resulting linear prose essay includes themes of …

Developing Staff Training Modules To Enhance Neurodiversity-Affirming Care In An Inpatient Psychiatric Setting, Haley Morris

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Introduction: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are admitted to psychiatric hospitals at higher rates and for longer durations compared to neurotypical individuals (Kuriakose et al., 2018). Externalizing behaviors, such as aggression and self-injury, significantly increase hospitalization risk, yet standard psychiatric interventions (e.g., traditional process groups) are often ineffective for this population. A key barrier is the lack of ASD-specific training among hospital staff (Siegel & Gabriels, 2012). This capstone project aimed to address this gap by developing and implementing an educational training program to improve patient-centered, neurodiversity-affirming care across all inpatient psychiatric units. The primary aims were to: …

Your Attention Is For Sale, Sam Nova

Emerging Writers

There has been an undeniable trend of shortening attention span length within the last decade. The shift has made many people anxious to point fingers at potential factors which may be partial causes. Despite the common claims that the change is inadvertently caused by technology, shorter content online, or any other unintentional factor; the change is engineered and intentional. There is profit to be made for big social media companies from the purposeful shortening of attention spans amongst the public. Through harmful design philosophy which puts profit over public health, social media companies have designed their platforms to be addictive …

Longitudinal Relationship Between Problematic Social Networking Use And Internalizing Problems, Lindsay Roesel

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The purpose of this study is to examine the longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between problematic social networking use (PSNU) and internalizing problems (depressive symptoms and self-esteem) in adolescents. Data were collected from N = 360 adolescents from two public high schools in Turkey, 14.58 years old in 9^th grade at Time 1 (54.3% females). Participants completed four assessments regarding problematic social media use, depression and self-esteem, over the course of two school years, once per semester in 9^th and 10^th grades. The study tested a series of hypotheses which tested the bidirectional relationships between PSNU on depressive …

Can Dyslexia Diagnosis Induce A Stereotype Threat Effect? A Literature Review And Research Proposal, David H. Harris

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Dyslexia is a recognized psychiatric diagnosis in the DSM-5, categorized as a specific language disorder. Dyslexia is a hidden disability that affects how individuals process auditory and visual information. Many people have heard of dyslexia but it is largely misunderstood, even by educational professionals, and its general association with learning disability can be the basis for negative stereotyping and discrimination of people with dyslexia. The ‘Stereotype threat effect’ is a term from social psychology research referring to situations where one’s performance on a task is influenced by their identification with a social group that has a well-known stereotype about their …

Mindfulness & Mental Health: Balanced Time Perspective As A Mediator, Eddie Trueblood

Masters Theses

Mindfulness is a practice of intentionally paying attention to the present moment in a nonjudgmental way. Being more mindful can decrease symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, among other mental and physical health improvements. (Donald et al., 2016; Hofmann et al., 2010; Kabat-Zinn et al.,1992). This study examined if balanced time perspective (BTP) is one of the mechanisms of action of mindfulness in its relationship with depression, anxiety, and stress. BTP refers to a person’s ability to flexibly adapt their time perspective (attention to the past, present, or future, and positive or negative attitudes toward each) to suit the current …

In Praise Of Dust, Hasler Gomez-Perez

Theses and Dissertations

A desire path is a physical manifestation of where a system has failed, but also where it has been refused, where a new path has been made. The wake exists in the post, it is not a singular, untethered event, but a subtle double entendre that lives in the post-death, but also in the pre-life—not a liminal limbo, but a superposition of dying and waking.

This collection was assembled and composed over the course of two years as I navigated my practice, myself, and others. Present here are my thoughts, my experiences, and in many ways my beliefs. IN PRAISE …

The Overlooked Witness Memory Risk, Sue Provenzano, Sarah Brown-Schmidt

Faculty Publications By Year

No abstract provided.

This Is How You Can Be A Cool Adult, Angelica Angelica

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

“This Is How You Can Be a COOL Adult” is an interactive and self-reflective lesson designed to help high school juniors through college seniors practice being more compassionate, open-minded, optimistic, and laughing-out-loud (humorous) in their everyday lives. By the end of this lesson, students will be able to describe and explore research-based strategies that foster compassion, open-mindedness, optimism, and humor, and create a personalized “COOL Action Plan” with self-reflection logs to track progress. The lesson takes place in an unconventional classroom setting (outdoors) and includes mini-lectures, meditation, collaborative games, creative role-play, personal reflection, and practical methods for applying these qualities …

Reducing Future-Oriented Thoughts Through Intention Offloading, Connor Dupre

Psychology Theses - Archive

The present research investigates whether using external reminders to support prospective memory (PM) reduces internal representation of future intentions during the retention interval. While reminders are known to improve PM performance, it remains unclear whether they actually decrease the memory trace associated with maintaining intentions. Across three experiments, we systematically manipulated reminder reliability (Exp 1-3) and task familiarity (Exp 2 & 3) to assess their effects on PM-related thoughts and PM target detection. In Experiment 1, we varied reminder reliability (0%, 50%, 100%) and found no differences in PM-related thoughts, suggesting that participants may have maintained intentions internally regardless of …

Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Students’ Creativity, Marta Hevko

Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research

The increase reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) has surfaced as a defining tool of modern education, reshaping the way student process, learn, and create. AI tools such as ChatGPT is being integrated into classrooms and personal work, and questions arise about its effect on student’s creativity and critical thinking. This study examines how the use of AI for idea generation influences students‘ creative performance. Thirty-three students participated in a poem-writing task, to test the strength and ability of the tool. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: those who used ChatGPT to assist in brainstorming and those …

Scrupulosity: A Comprehensive Review Of The Research, Julie M. Painley

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation presents a comprehensive analysis of the current research on scrupulosity, a subtype of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors related to religious and moral concerns. The dissertation identifies key similarities and differences from OCD, and directs focus to thematically related yet unsubstantiated theoretical work in psychology that helps elucidate the core features and etiological factors of scrupulosity as differentiated from other OCD subtypes. The study addresses the critical dearth of research on scrupulosity, aiming to fill significant gaps in the literature regarding its historical context, varied presentation and prevalence in different cultural contexts, and …