Psychology Commons^™

The Relationship Between Autistic Traits, Autistic Camouflaging, And Adults’ Representations Of Abstract And Social Concepts, Henry Tomiser, Katja Wiemer Dr.

Honors Capstones

Concrete concepts (e.g., BUTTON) can be experienced directly by the senses, whereas abstract concepts (e.g., FRIENDSHIP) cannot. Additionally, the mind may represent abstract concepts using more introspective, social, and emotional information than concrete concepts. Social difficulties are one defining feature of autism, and autistic individuals may use social camouflaging to hide these difficulties, but the precise nature of social processing in autism is not known. This study aims to explore possible links between autistic traits, autistic camouflaging, and mental representations of concepts. Participants gave open-ended definitions for concepts varying in concreteness and social content via an online survey. Responses were …

The Effects Of Classification Versus Observation During Category Learning, Enoch Sarakpo

Theses - ALL

We report a category-learning experiment that examines the learning outcomes of classification and observational training methods across three category structures. Thus, we crossed training (classification vs. observation) and category type (natural vs. featural vs. relational). Some subjects classified the stimuli (side-by-side bird pairs) and received corrective feedback after each response, whereas others studied these stimuli, wherein they were presented with the corresponding category label. The posttest was an endorsement task made up of repeated and novel items. We did find an observation training advantage, as subjects in the observation training were better in the natural and relational categories for the …

Contextual And Positional Associations In Free And Serial Recall, Nathan Burns

Theses - ALL

The research in this thesis presents a novel experiment and analyses to characterize effects in episodic memory which have classically been developed using different classes of theories. An encoding design was used which typically offers support for positional coding theory, phonological similarity among words in a studied list, with a recall paradigm which typically offers support for retrieved context theory, free recall. This experiment manipulated recall task, serial recall and free recall, as well as the presence and order of similar items across three possible list types. Analyses focused on differences in recall probability, recall errors, and recall transitions by …

Predicting Personal Growth: An Analysis Of Self-Relevant Approaches, Cole Morse

Honors Theses

Identifying predictors of personal growth–defined as striving to fulfill one’s unique potential–may be important for achieving a life of flourishing (Ryff & Singer, 2008). While existing research demonstrates the link between self-esteem and personal growth, gaps remain in our knowledge of the relationship between other potential self-referential predictors and personal growth (Paradise & Kernis, 2002). The intention of the current study is to not only conceptually replicate the link between positive self-regard (i.e., a positive self-evaluation that is theoretically akin to self-esteem) and personal growth, but to also investigate whether different ways of relating to the self offer unique pathways …

The Effects Of Processing Tasks On False Memories, Caroline Lewis

Honors Theses

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects that three different processing tasks had on the rate of false memories. Participants were randomly assigned into a story condition, survival condition, or a pleasantness condition. Using a word list that had three groups of ten words each connected to a nonpresented critical word, participants were asked to process the words using instructions based on their given condition. Processing occurred through written sentences, which was then followed by a short mathematical distraction test. Participants were then given time to recall all of the words presented on the list by …

Sleep's Relationship To Executive Functioning In Toddlers, Ella Havertape

Honors Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between toddlers’ sleep and executive functioning. While there are a few studies that examine the relation between sleep and executive functioning in this age group, the majority of research focuses on older populations. Regardless, previous research has found a correlation between sleep problems and executive functioning abilities. This study utilized a parent reported questionnaire to measure children’s sleep and a battery of tasks to measure executive functioning. The results revealed no correlation between sleep duration and executive function performance, however, I did find a correlation between night wakefulness and …

Companionship, Romance, And Self-Perception With Conversational Chatbots, Jonathan Windsor

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Serving as a metaphorical gateway transcending the communicative barriers of physical relationships in interpersonal dialogues, artificial imators of human behavior and speech, also known as conversational chatbots; a simulation of human knowledge and existence in a bi-directional conversation, functions as a rhetor of expression. Spanning from contexts of professional to romantic, I serve to dissect and critically analyze the nuances of human-machine relationships based on pre-established literature, inviting ethical considerations and biases in their design and marketing. Corporate influences spark pre-established servitude-esque relationships with conversational agents. Professional applications, both task-oriented and emotionally based alike, paint a mixed picture of …

The Impact Of Perceived Self-Connection On Possession-Based Placebo Analgesia : An Investigation Using Implicit And Explicit Measures, Sze Ki Ng

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

Previous study found merely possessing a placebo analgesic cream (without using) has similar pain outcomes when it is compared with using a placebo analgesic cream, but the underlying mechanism is unclear (Yeung et al., 2019). Yeung et al. (2020) proposed that an object-to-self expectancy can be a possible mechanism underlying a possession-based placebo effect, which means people believe that the owned object will benefit them. The present study aimed to examine this hypothetical mechanism and investigate how forming a cognitive connection between the analgesic cream and the self affects the possession-based placebo effect. We demonstrated the effect existed and observed …

Relations Between Parent Reports Of Effortful Control And Behavioral Measures Of Executive Function In Toddlers, Racheal Embry

Honors Theses

Recent proposals have identified many commonalities in conceptualizations of effortful control and executive function (EF, e.g., Zhou, Chen, & Main, 2012). However, the overlap of effortful control and EF during periods of emerging regulation in toddlerhood has not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, I examined the relationship between effortful control and EF in 14, 18, and 24 month old toddlers by a combination of in-lab tasks and parent report measures. Results revealed few relations between effortful control and EF during this time. The lack of overlap between effortful control and EF may be explained by a number of …

The Effects Of Vigorous-Intensity Acute Exercise On Hippocampal- And Prefrontal Cortex-Dependent Memory, Lauren Hord

Honors Theses

Acute exercise has been shown to differentially impact memory, dependent on whether the task is considered prefrontal cortex- or hippocampal-dependent. More specifically, acute exercise has been shown to impair PFC-dependent memory while enhancing hippocampal-dependent memory. No study has compared whether exercise differentially impacts separate types of cognition, so this experiment was designed to determine the relationship between high-intensity acute exercise and both prefrontal cortex-dependent and hippocampal-dependent memory. This study consisted of five total visits for 55 participants. In the first visit, participants engaged in a maximal exercise test, where their heart rate reserve was obtained. In visits 2-5, participants engaged …

The Effects Of Acute Exercise On Retrieval-Induced Forgetting, Anna Katherine Pitts

Honors Theses

This research investigates the relationship between acute exercise on retrieval-induced forgetting. Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) is a type of active forgetting that occurs when recalling an item from memory leads to the concurrent forgetting of related items connected to the same memory. Inhibition has been theorized as a potential mechanism behind RIF. Additionally, previous studies have shown that acute exercise can contribute to and enhance cognitive inhibitory processes. Therefore, an exercise-RIF relationship is plausible because the mechanisms that influence RIF, inhibition, are also influenced by exercise. Due to this understanding, the present thesis aims to investigate that when acute vigorous-intensity exercise …

Trust Judgements Of Facial Stimuli, Linsey Culkins

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Professional counselors and clients who meet in healthcare facilities may be required to wear masks if COVID community transmission levels are high ([CDC], 2022). The current 4-part study examines how masking may affect therapeutic alliances via judgements of trust formed during first impressions. A 2(trustworthiness) x 5(facial feature visibility) within-subjects factorial design was used to assess one implicit measure of pleasantness using an Affect Misattribution Procedure as well as explicit facial judgements of valence, dominance, and trustworthiness (Payne & Lundberg, 2014). Using E-prime, undergraduate psychology students responded to faces previously rated as high or low in trustworthiness in all parts …

Improving Ethics Surrounding Collegiate-Level Hacking Education: Recommended Implementation Plan & Affiliation With Peer-Led Initiatives, Shannon Morgan, Dr. Sanjay Goel

Military Cyber Affairs

Cybersecurity has become a pertinent concern, as novel technological innovations create opportunities for threat actors to exfiltrate sensitive data. To meet the demand for professionals in the workforce, universities have ramped up their academic offerings to provide a broad range of cyber-related programs (e.g., cybersecurity, informatics, information technology, digital forensics, computer science, & engineering). As the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of hackers evolve, the knowledge and skillset required to be an effective cybersecurity professional have escalated accordingly. Therefore, it is critical to train cyber students both technically and theoretically to actively combat cyber criminals and protect the confidentiality, integrity, …

Using Digital Twins To Protect Biomanufacturing From Cyberattacks, Brenden Fraser-Hevlin, Alec W. Schuler, B. Arda Gozen, Bernard J. Van Wie

Military Cyber Affairs

Understanding of the intersection of cyber vulnerabilities and bioprocess regulation is critical with the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning in manufacturing. We detail a case study in which we model cyberattacks on network-mediated signals from a novel bioreactor, where it is important to control medium feed rates to maintain cell proliferation. We use a digital twin counterpart reactor to compare glucose and oxygen sensor signals from the bioreactor to predictions from a kinetic growth model, allowing discernment of faulty sensors from hacked signals. Our results demonstrate a successful biomanufacturing cyberattack detection system based on fundamental process control principles.

Emotional And Metacognitive Impacts Of A Human Anatomy Course Utilizing Three-Dimensional Learning Modalities, Shawn M. Magrum

Theses & Dissertations

A high school human anatomy course was designed to integrate three-dimensional learning modalities through the use of three-dimensional visualization technology, augmented reality, and whole-body donors (cadaveric specimens), and customized 3D digital models were created to support student learning. The course was organized so that each class meeting fell into one of six unique learning session types: lectures, augmented reality labs, gross anatomy (cadaveric) labs, content application (active learning) sessions, review sessions, and examination sessions.

An interval scale using ten emoji, each associated with a particular emotional valence (i.e., pleasantness) level, was developed and integrated into the course to track students’ …

The Relationship Between Amygdala And Orbitofrontal Cortex Volume In The Context Of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Rahul Alla

Honors Scholar Theses

Disobedient and rebellious attitude in children is on the rise and this type of behavior is categorized as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). ODD in children can be identified as a persistent pattern of angry or irritable mood, argumentative or defiant behavior or vindictiveness toward others according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5, Fifth Edition) of Mental Disorders.1 Children with ODD typically have difficulty regulating and processing their emotions. Issues with regulating emotions is defined as the process by which individuals “influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express them”.2 Dysregulation of emotions …

Implementing The Reconsolidation Paradigm In Treating Misophonia, Angel Prats

Theses and Dissertations

Misophonic patients experience extreme sense of disgust when exposed to acoustic and/or visual triggers. In this longitudinal study, the reconsolidation paradigm was applied to treat 25 patients during a month. The findings reveal that reminders in a control setting did not improve maladaptive memories, but counterconditioning update ameliorated symptoms.

Conceptual Representation And Schemas: Perceived Gender Differences Among Kinds And Shared Properties, Kathryn G. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Schemas are modes of categorization containing associations between kinds and their related properties. Research suggests sex-linked properties possess principled differences between the sexes. The present study’s results suggest that non-sex-linked properties also possess principled differences, which were more prevalent among properties with principled rather than causal connections to a kind.

Uncharted Territory: Researching The Effect Of Implicit Bias On The Political Attitudes Of Black Participants, Briona Young

Honors College Theses

Extant research suggests that implicit bias can predict behavior such as voting, policy preferences, and assessment of government performance (Pérez 2010). Yet, research on implicit bias has largely excluded people of color and differences in gender, leaving a wide gap in our understanding of implicit bias and its effects on society (Assari 2018: Orey 2013). In this study, I research implicit bias within the Black community and test its effects on political attitudes. I administered Harvard’s Implicit Association Test (IAT) and a survey to measure levels of implicit bias and subsequently race-related policy attitudes. I expect to find that the …

Impact Of Framing Depression On Illness Perceptions And Coping Strategies, Abby Mcginnis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study aimed to adopt an experimental design used by Schroder et al. (2023) to investigate how framing of depression (as a disease vs a functional signal) impacts illness perceptions and coping strategies. Participants were given the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42) to assess depression severity and prime participants for the framing condition. Each condition had five videos describing depression and the corresponding frameworks. Perceived control, timeline, and causes of depression were measured using the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R). Participants were given the brief-COPE questionnaire to measure coping strategies, such as avoidant and problem-focused. There were no differences …

A Woman Unfolding: A Journey Of Motherhood And Creativity How Inviting Play And Honoring Our Thinking Preference Strengthens Well-Being, Laine M. Walnicki

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Seeking to provide a nuanced understanding of how the facets of motherhood, creativity, and wellbeing intersect and influence each other, this investigation and subsequent analysis answers the questions, "How does motherhood affect creativity?" and "How does creativity affect motherhood?" as well as their impact on creative outlook and wellbeing. Drawing on insights from the science of creativity, self-actualization, flow, and play, an understanding is curated as to how humans develop creative capacity, utilize it to foster well-being, and develop their potential for growth and evolution. The significance of play in the context of motherhood is also explored along with its …

Relating Perception And Memory For A Novel Set Of Reconfigurable Auditory Stimuli, Nathan Francis Gillespie

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Although real-life events are complex and temporally extended, most memory research employs discrete, static stimuli presented in the visual modality. We begin to bridge this gap using a novel set of auditory stimuli constructed by adjusting the distribution of power across upper frequency bands. Across three experiments, participants rated similarity between pairs of sounds and engaged in a recognition memory task. We applied non-metric multidimensional scaling to similarity ratings to obtain a three-dimensional psychological representation of the stimuli. The representation inferred from the similarity ratings predicted recognition memory performance for single probe sounds following sequential presentation of two sounds. Recognition …

The Cognitive Implications Of Literary Devices And Perspective-Taking On Reading Time, Amelia Ward

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The study of literary devices in the context of published fiction is unusual in psychology; however, some research has suggested that reading time may be influenced by cognitive challenges that come with the extra work that may be necessary to understand the meaning behind an author’s usage of literary devices (Miall & Kuiken, 1994; Egen et al., 2019). Jumping off of this suggestion, this present study aimed to answer the question of whether reading time is influenced by factors such as narrative perspective, the usage of literary devices, a person’s print exposure, and a person’s need for cognition, as well …

Investigating The Relation Between Family Income And Barriers For Black Caregivers Of Autistic Children, Leah Gelfand

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Black caregivers and families of autistic youth experience racial barriers (e.g., racial microaggressions, stigma;) and practical barriers (e.g., cost of treatment, long waitlists), when seeking treatment and diagnostic services (Lovelace et al., 2018). The current study aimed to ascertain whether family income influenced the racial and practical barriers experienced by a sample of Black caregivers of autistic youth (N = 101). Overall and item-level analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between racial and practical barriers experienced across Lower (below 39,693; n=32), Lower-Middle ($39,693-$59,540; n=28), Middle-Upper ($59,540 to $119,080; n=21), and Upper income groups ($119,080 and …

The Interplay Of Chronic Alcohol Misuse And Facial Recognition Abilities, Morgan Wilson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Both perpetrators and eyewitnesses of a crime have often been found to be under the influence of alcohol. While research has been conducted on the short-term effect of alcohol on eyewitness memory and lineup performance, little research has investigated the long-term effects of chronic alcohol misuse on facial recognition abilities. The current study investigated the effect of alcohol misuse on facial recognition and whether duration of misuse contributed to this effect. Participants (n = 370) completed an online survey which consisted of a well-tested facial recognition paradigm plus several surveys pertaining to individual differences of interest. We found race match …

Multidisciplinary Literary Review: The Relationship Between Social Media And Empathy, Mayra E. Salgado

Honors Theses

This literary review examines the different psychological perspectives on the relationship between social media usage and empathy. Specifically, it discusses the association by expanding on the fields of cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, clinical psychology, and some evolutionary psychology. I define empathy and discuss its developmental journey, its cognitive functions, its neurobiological processes, its possible damage caused by social media usage, and its effects on physical and mental health. Lastly, I argue that research focusing on high levels of social media usage and its relationship with levels of empathy should focus on creating an elaborate longitudinal study to gain more information on …

Bilingual Comprehension Of Accented Speech And Spoken Code Switches, Liam John Gleason

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Across three experiments, the current study explored how accented speech and coarticulation impact how bilingual listeners comprehend code-switches in speech. Eye-tracking methodology was used to compare responses to single-language and code-switched sentences. Experiment 1 observed how accented speech influenced the costs involved in comprehending code-switches by comparing responses to speakers that had North American English accents to speakers with Juarez/El Paso Spanish accents when speaking English. Experiment 2 compared responses to English speech produced by speakers with North American English, Flemish, and Bulgarian accented speakers. To examine coarticulation as a cue to an upcoming code-switch, Experiment 3 compared naturally produced …

A Writer In Writing, Stephanie Lamas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As a writer and individual, I speak between many roles, presenting myself as “I” but also “her”. Inevitably, there is a gap between “who I am” and “who I am made out to be” that I am not always in control of. Similarly, there is a disparity in intention versus interpretation in writing. Since we don’t exist in a vacuum, I must account for these gaps, acknowledging my individuality while adapting to changing circumstances and needs. As an individual with several disadvantages and particularities, however, my sense of self is unstable and uncertain, reflecting the instability and uncertainty in my …

The Effect Of Workload On Trust Repair: Testing A New Model Of Trust Repair, Jada Lester

All Theses

Given the importance of trust in human-automation interaction, there has been intense activity in understanding trust repair (Esterwood & Robert, 2021). However, despite the numerous trust repair studies, there is no coherent understanding of when and why trust repair works. A recently proposed theoretical model identified two unique categories of trust repair (central and peripheral) and the factors that might affect their success (Pak & Rovira, 2023). The current study tested a specific hypothesis arising from the theoretical model: variations in workload will affect central trust repair efficacy, but peripheral trust repair will be unaffected by workload. Participants engaged in …

The Relationship Between Role Models, Socioeconomic Mobility Beliefs, And Academic Outcomes, Christian Koeu, Marisol Espinoza Garcia

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Objective: This study aims to provide insights into the relationships between role models, socioeconomic mobility beliefs and the education outcomes of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. While previous studies highlight the positive influence of role models on academic and career aspirations, the specific relationship between role models and socioeconomic beliefs remains unexplored. Our study addresses this gap by examining whether the presence of role models relates with more optimistic socioeconomic beliefs and how these beliefs, in turn, affect academic outcomes (academic engagement, academic intentions, and grade point average [GPA]). Additionally, we investigate the influence of role model characteristics to …