Psychology Commons^™

Utah High School Sophomore Attitudes Toward Women's Roles And Non-Traditional Vocational Career Choices, Ellen S. Walch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Role behaviors for men and women in our society are undergoing change. Research data to reveal student attitudes toward these role behaviors and choices were needed for the development of strategies to eliminate sex bias and sex stereotyping in our educational programs and ultimately in the socialization process.

The purpose of the study was to collect research data to determine Utah high school student attitudes toward women's roles and non-traditional vocational career choices. The survey instrument used to collect the data was constructed, pilot tested, factor analyzed, and revised prior to its administration to the sample. The revised instrument contained …

Reaction To Social Pressure From Adults Versus Peers Among Mexican, Mexican-American, And Anglo-American Rural Children, Ana Maria C. Donini

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to investigate whether there was a significant difference in the adherence to conventional morality and the reaction to social pressure from adults versus peers among Mexican, Mexican-American, and Anglo-American children. The instrument used was the Moral Dilemmas Test (MDT) developed by Bronfenbrenner, Devereux, Suci, and Rodgers, which measures the reported readiness of children to engage in morally disapproved behavior and their reaction to social pressure exerted by adults and peers. The subjects were asked to respond to a series of conflict situations under three experimental conditions of confidentiality, scrutiny by parents, and scrutiny by …

A Comparative Study Of Critical Thinking Skills, Dogmatism And American College Testing Program Scores Of Seventh-Day Adventist College Freshmen Graduated From Church Related And Public Secondary Schools, Elizabeth May Wilkins

Dissertations

Problem. Development of critical thinking skills is commonly accepted as a desirable outcome of secondary education. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has also accepted this as one of the goals for its educational system. It was the purpose of the present study to compare critical thinking skills developed in Seventh-day Adventist young people in Seventh-day Adventist boarding academies, Seventh-day Adventist day academies, and public high schools. Since earlier studies have shown critical thinking to be negatively correlated with dogmatism and positively correlated with intelligence, both dogmatism and intelligence were included as variables in the study.

Method. Three hundred and twelve …

Self-Esteem And Adolescence, William A. Robertson

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Survey Of Reading-Readiness Skills And Their Application To The Late Reader, Gail E. Robbins

Dissertations and Theses

Reading readiness is a subject that concerns reading teachers and educators. Inadequate readiness training may cause some students to become late readers, who can be identified as students who score below their age and grade level on a standardized reading test. It is important to define reading readiness and examine the component skills and factors in order to help late readers. This examination was conducted by a study of reading-readiness literature. The reading-readiness skills include auditory discrimination, visual and visual-motor discrimination, development of language, concept formation, and reasoning skills. Readiness factors include fixed factors, social, and emotional factors. Fixed factors …

The Effects Of A Group Therapy Program On Truancy, Keith Politi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Two truancy groups were conducted for the Simpson County School System. A multifaceted group treatment approach was used with truants in an attempt to reduce school absences, increase feelings of personal and social security and change negative attitudes toward school. A contingency contract in conjunction with a modified token economy was used to increase school attendance. Group discussions were used to increase feelings of personal and social security and to change negative attitudes toward school. A comparison of group members pre- and postgroup school attendance records showed that group members significantly increased their school attendance. A comparison of group members …

Teacher Attention As A Controlling Influence Of Student Classroom Behavior, Lagrande E. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this thesis was to assess the influence of the teachers' classroom behavior on students' classroom behavior. Three hypotheses were made as the teacher systematically increases positive responses and decreases negative responses in the classroom, 1) the total time spent with the misbehaving student will decrease, 2) student non-attentive behavior will decrease and student attentive behavior will increase, and 3) there will be an inverse relationship between teacher negative responses and student attentive behavior.

Student subjects were selected randomly from a previously selected group of misbehaving students; teacher subjects were 12 volunteers from a Junior High School who …

A Psychometric Comparison Between Inhouse Versus Externally Developed Retranslation Scales, David Peak

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Using a Behavioral Expectation Scale (BES) format borrowed from the psychology department at the University of California – Berkeley and a BES form developed in and for a Southeastern university psychology department, students’ evaluations of their professors’ teaching performance were examined for interrater reliability, leniency error, variability and discriminability. Results indicate that neither form was psychometrically sound at the Southeastern university. Problems in obtaining sound ratings for the BES form were discussed.

Selected Characteristics Of Children Referred For Psychiatric Evaluation, Rebecca Louise Pigott

Dissertations

Problem

Behavior-problem children constitute a main concern in the field of education today. The ability to recognize when the needs of the individual student call for procedures beyond the scope of the school is a professional necessity. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether students with school-related problems referred for psychiatric evaluation can be distinguished by a set of selected characteristics.

Method

Using multiple-discriminant analysis, students who had been referred for psychiatric evaluation were compared with students not referred for psychiatric evaluation on such criteria as teacher-pupil rating, as measured by Burks' Behavior Rating Scales; self-concept as …

A Structural-Functional Approach To Attitudes : Development And Application Of A Theoretical Framework, Alberto Mario Dos Santos

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to present a theoretical framework for the concept of attitude and to examine the attitudes of selected subjects within this frame of reference. It was hoped that the results would clarify the concept of "attitude” and that they would provide solutions for problems in education.

Method. A theoretical framework which consisted of sixteen propositions dealing with organization, structure, function, and change of attitudes was presented as the frame of reference. The 180 subjects who responded to the questionnaire that was prepared for this study were selected f±om the student body of Andrews University, …

The Effects Of Interaction With Conserving Adults And Peers On The Acquisition Of Conservation By Nonconservers, Douglas Arthur Smith

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Nonconserving children were placed in a situation where they had to interact with either two conserving adults or two conserving children. Each triad (one nonconserver and two conservers) was asked to give judgments and explanations for conservation problems. The type of conserving explanations (invariant quantity, reversibility, and compensation) given by the conservers in the interaction were varied. Approximately one week after the interaction the nonconserving subjects were posttested and the results indicated that nonconservers increased in conservation score after interacting with conservers. Hearing different explanations did not differentially affect the scores of nonconservers. The results did indicate that invariant quantity …

A Study Of Five Factors Affecting Attitudes Of Educators Toward Career Education, Rushie Spear

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Educational practices appear to have failed in preparing many individuals to build productive, fulfilling lives. This is evident in the increasing number of dropouts and individuals who qualify neither for a job nor college. Career education has been selected as a Priority program in attempting to remedy such failures.

Theory implies that to successfully implement new educational programs, educators' attitudes and values need to be favorable toward such programs. At present, however, there is very little data available about attitude and the factors that affect attitude. An analysis of educators' attitudes appears to be a necessary first step in the …

Description And Research Study Of Four Effective Teaching Methods, Gail Ryan

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

During my years in the public school system, I have felt that a basic deterrent to the child's personal and emotional growth has been the inability of educators to effectively communicate with children in the classroom. Gordon (1970, p. 298) states that teachers and other adults "lack the basic attitudes and skills to be effective training agents in an interpersonal relationship with a child or adolescent." Flanders (1971) feels that teachers, while behaviorally influencing children and determining the learning situation, actually have little knowledge about those methods of influence.

I am concerned with the need to train teachers to work …

A Comparison Of Time-Out & Response-Cost Conditions Within A Token Economy Using Trainable Mental Retardates, James Willis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An investigation was done on the relative effectivness of time-out and response-cost conditions in reducing inappropriate behaviors in a token-economy classroom using trainable mental retardates as subjects. A significant difference was found between baseline levels of inappropriate behaviors in each of the two conditions but no significance was indicated between time-out and response-cost conditions.

"Project Dial": An Early Childhood Screening Program, Lewis S. Sarff

Masters Theses

This field study addressed the problem of "actively seeking" out and identifying children (ages 3 to 5 years) likely to develop late learning problems upon school enrollment. The procedures developed and reported in this paper deal with initial public relations, facilities, personnel, an evaluation instrument Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL), hearing and vision testing, and reporting of results to parents and school personnel.

The paper also includes means and standard deviations for DIAL subtest scores by one year age groups and by sex, as well as simple and multiple r's for each of the DIAL variables individually …

Reality Conceptualization As A Factor In Socialization And Adjustment, Glen A. Frese

All Master's Theses

Forty-four high school students were involved in one of three separate classes. The target class received a conceptual framework and practice in identifying assumptions and evaluating their consequences. The object was to teach a process of self-evaluation. The other students received their regular class work. The POI was administered before and after to measure changes in values. The results were not significant but raised a question involving the structure through which behaviors and values are learned and internalized.

The Roles And Functions Of The School Psychologist And The Counselor: Perceptions Of School Psychology Trainees And Counselor Trainees, Leslie A. Englehart

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Program Of School Social Work, Phyllis Marie Jaszkowiak

Dissertations and Theses

School social work is in a state of flux. Traditional casework services in the schools, as the only function of the school social worker, is becoming less viable.

The study of Assumption school and area points out some problem areas, as well as strengths. In view of these problems and strengths, a broadened school social work program is discussed. The program centers around prevention, treatment, and research. A basic principle upon which all is based is a team approach of social work, school, and community. The discussion leads to the community school concept, which is currently seen as one of …

Self-Attribution Of Attitude By Nonverbal Response Manipulation : A Further Consideration, James Joseph Fitzpatrick

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The attribution process has been empirically and theoretically explored since the publication of Fritz Heider's text, The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations (1958). All of the related thinking has not been derived from Heider's theory. Reviews by Jones and Davis (l965) and Kelley (1976) indicated that other sources such as Festinger's dissonance theory and Skinner's behavioristic perspective had led to research concerned with attribution theory.

Assessing Some Side Effects Of A Contingency Management Program, Charles M. Atkinson

All Master's Theses

This study applied a contingency management program to a single behavior while measuring multiple behaviors. Reinforcement was made contingent upon increased addition rate. The experimental group made significantly greater gains in addition rate. There was no significant difference in the gains made in subtraction rate, reading rate, reading comprehension, or classroom behavior. The study was limited by a small sample, six week time span, and the use of mentally retarded subjects to assess side effects of reinforcing an academic behavior.

The Development Of Career Activities For Fourth Grade Students, Barbara P. M. Southwick

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Today's youth have few real contacts with the work world and have little knowledge of what is expected from them. Many grade school youngsters are not aware of the type of work their parents are doing. Some do not even know where their parents work. It is difficult for most elementary students to see the relationship between their present school activities and their future life. And all too often, students can not express personal goals or plans.

As students become more aware of the world of work, they should be better prepared to enter it and they should also develop …

A Follow-Up Of Decision Changes From The Act Profile For Freshmen At Usu, Brent M. Hinze

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Decision making and decision changes were studied in late adolescents regarding post-high school choices. A branching questionnaire was constructed and mailed to 1239 late adolescents who during the preceding year had indicated on the American College Test (ACT) that Utah State University (USU) was their first choice for college attendance, but whose names did not appear on the USU Registrar's list of enrolled freshmen, Fall 1969. 62% of the questionnaires were returned. Questions were asked concerning post-high school decision making and decision change:

1. What alternatives to attendance at USU were chosen?
2. Was the alternative chosen college-related or was the change …

College Level Career Counseling, Ain Roost

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was designed to examine and evaluate vocational decision making and counseling at Utah State University and to provide a basis for further research. A written questionnaire was given to a random sample of 500 college students on the Utah State University campus.

It was found that over 15% of freshmen could not express a vocational choice, and of those who could,their commitment to it was weaker than the other classes. Immediate family, friends and college professors were the most influential people in making a career choice, with the influence of college counselors being almost negligible. Other than influential …

The Role Of Stimulus And Label Familiarity In Concept Learning, David W. Philips

All Master's Theses

Performance on a concept learning task was investigated by employing familiar and unfamiliar stimulus patterns, three pretraining conditions, and two conceptual rules. Subjects were given either observation or preliminary paired associate practice in labeling shapes with meaningful or nonsense labels and were then required to solve a concept learning task to criterion. It was found that tasks involving familiar stimuli were learned more rapidly than those involving unfamiliar stimuli, and that meaningful verbal pretraining for unfamiliar stimuli resulted in more rapid learning than observation or nonsense label pretraining.

Self-Disclosure, A Residence College / Community College Comparison, Sherilyn Wood

All Master's Theses

This study compared the self-disclosures of eighty freshmen and sophomore students at a Residence and Community College. Subsamples of twenty females and twenty males from each college were drawn for the study of differences in self-disclosures associated with sex, aspects of self, college preference and selected "target" persons.

Significant differences were found in the type of information disclosed to "target" persons. Female subjects were found to disclose information which differs in amount and type from that disclosed by males.

The Effect Of A Learning Skills Course Including Group Counseling On Low Achievers In The Community College, Paul E. Borg

All Master's Theses

A Learning Skills course consisting of study skills, goal direction, and self-understanding was tested among volunteer community college low achievers. Treatment integrated didactic, group discussion, and affective experiences in 18 hour-long sessions. Nineteen subjects received treatment; 25 subjects formed a matched control group; and 41 non-volunteers formed two additional control groups. An apparent trend toward GPA improvement was noted for all groups, but all measurements on GPA and a study survey were non-significant.

The Effect Of An Increase Of A Mother's Complimentary Behavior On Her Child's Crying Rate And In-Task School Behavior, Mark Connot

All Master's Theses

The purpose of the present study was to decrease an eight year old boy's disruptive crying rate in his home by ignoring his negative behavior and selectively complimenting his acceptable behavior. A check in the boy's classroom was made to determine if a generalization effect or transference of positive behavior from the home occurred. Crying behavior in the home was reduced significantly. There was no observed significant change in school behavior.

Evaluation Of The Consistency Of Informants’ Reports For Children’S Ratings With The Progress Assessment Chart, Craig Allen Gilroy

All Master's Theses

Seven TMR, seven EMR, and seven regular pupils were rated on the P-A-C I by observers who viewed the children in their classrooms or by using parents and teachers as informants. Ratings were compared for consistency between groups and between raters by means of percent agreement figures and proportional t tests. Few significant differences were found between raters within groups. Significant differences were found in the majority of the cases when parent, teacher, and observer ratings of handicapped and regular children were compared.

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Student Grades And Parental Attitude Towards The Teacher, Jerry C. Fritts

All Master's Theses

Realizing that the parents play an important role in the total educational process, the primary purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between student grades and parental attitude toward the teacher. It is contended that there is a relationship manifesting itself in the form of a positive correlation and it behooves those in education to do something to cultivate an atmosphere more conducive to educational success. Developing a mutual respect and willingness for cooperation between home and the teacher would serve to greatly enhance a child's educational experience. Another purpose of this study is to …

Time Sampling Technique Applied To Counseling Practicum, William David Thomas

All Master's Theses

The analysis of interactions between individuals was developed primarily within the structure of classroom education. The historical development and refinement of educational interaction analysis was examined to set its use in the counseling situation into appropriate perspective. Many forms of interaction analysis have been used to investigate a wide range of variables. The review of the literature revealed discrepancies in the reported changes, if any, that took place in the verbal behavior of student counselors as a result of practicum training. To clarify this situation somewhat, this study attempted to observe student counselor verbal behavior change in association with practicum.