Psychology Commons^™

Comedians Are Leaders: Comedians' Use Of Humor Makes Us Feel Like We Matter, Matthew Burt

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This research examines funny functions of shared group membership – how content that clearly demarcates ingroup membership may be at the root of humor. Participants in this study listened to a recording of a stand-up comedian who was defined as being either a fellow college/university student (ingroup) or a non-college student (outgroup). Additionally, the audio either contained audience laughter or no audience laughter. Upon finishing the recordings, participants were asked to answer survey questions about their experience with the comedian, rate their overall sense of shared group identity with the comedian, their level of positive affect, distinctiveness from an outgroup, …

The Need For Belonging For Previously Incarcerated Probationers, Alaina Elam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on offender rehabilitation has primarily focused on providing those who are incarcerated with programs and resources to mitigate the circumstances that would lead to recidivism. There is an absence of research on how the need for belonging could reduce recidivism in probationers. Recidivism remains a social problem for many U.S. communities, as those being released are not properly equipped for their transition. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of probationers regarding their transition into their community, recidivism, and their need for belonging. As individual fulfillment and human motivation were examined, Maslow’s self-actualization …

Mindfulness, Race-Related Stress, And Relationship Satisfaction Among African American/Black Couples, Leshai Hunt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicated positive correlations between relationship satisfaction and mindfulness among White couples. However, researchers had not examined the relationship between mindfulness and relationship satisfaction among African Americans/Blacks who had experienced race-related stress. Race-related stress affects African Americans/Blacks in their daily lives and relationships. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to investigate the relationship between mindfulness, race-related stress, and relationship satisfaction among African Americans/Blacks. Mindfulness relationship theory and Africana womanism were used to guide the study. Survey data were collected from 51 African Americans/Black participants. Results of multiple regression analysis indicated that mindfulness was a statistically significant predictor of …

Emotional Intelligence And The Perceived Emotional Effects Of Cyberbullying In The Workplace, Madonna Navarro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cyberbullying is a growing problem that has had a negative impact on the health and well-being of employees, which ultimately affects the success and productivity of organizations. In their four branch model of emotional intelligence, Mayer et al. stated that having the ability to perceive emotions, facilitate thought, understand emotions, and manage emotions was important in being able to regulate oneself and overcome adversities. This was the theoretical framework used for the study. The purpose of the current study was to determine what type of emotional effect priming emotional intelligence would have in the presence of perceived cyberbullying in the …

Relationship Changes Of African Americans With Nontraditional Spiritual Practices, Della Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have explored the subject of belongingness for decades. However, there is limited research on how belongingness may change for African Americans who transitioned from traditional Christianity to other spiritual practices. In this study, the relationship changes (in terms of family, friends, significant others, and former church relationships) of African Americans who identify as spiritual but not religious (SBNR) after leaving traditional Christianity were explored. The theoretical framework of the social connectedness theory was used to explore the need for belongingness to avoid social isolation and loneliness within a social network. Six African American Generation Xers, four women and two …

Youth And Family Factors Affecting Completion Of A Diversion Program, Teresita Nuguid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FDJJ) has launched several diversion programs for at-risk youth in the state of Florida. Prior studies revealed the efficacy of diversion programming in helping mentally ill individuals, the community, and the criminal justice system. This study addressed a gap in the literature regarding how youth and family factors and characteristics can determine program completion. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate youth and family factors and characteristics associated with program completion for participants in diversion programs in the state of Florida. The family systems theory used for this study supports the idea …

Experiences With Online Video Conferencing Therapy Among Former Military Service Members With Ptsd, Lanier Wells

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become a major mental health concern for veterans transitioning to civilian life. This qualitative phenomenological research study focused on interviewing 20 former military service members diagnosed with PTSD to understand their experiences related to online video conferencing therapy. The theoretical foundation of this study was guided by Beck’s cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) model. The open-ended research questions examined veterans diagnosed with PTSD perceptions, attitudes, and opinions related to online video conferencing therapy, prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Semi structured interview questions and a demographic questionnaire was used to collect data from participants who …

Self-Identified Atheists In 12-Step Substance Use Disorder Treatment And Aftercare, Elizabeth Clare Bayley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Minnesota model is ubiquitous in the United States for the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). The model uses 12 steps and is centered on a belief in god(s) or a higher power; however, it is anathema to an atheist worldview. Researchers have noted that atheists do not readily become involved with 12-step programs and tend to drop out; however, there had been no qualitative investigations of the lived experiences of atheists in 12-step SUD treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether 12-step SUD treatment was problematic for atheists. An integrated theoretical framework was used. Minority …

The Biopsychosocial Impact Of Racial Discrimination Among African Americans, Amy Renae Amin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between racial discrimination and anger, stress, and obesity. The stress-disease model provided a theoretical perspective of the biological, psychological, and social pathways from stress. Past research regarding the correlation between racial discrimination, anger, stress, and obesity reported a possible connection, but results have been mixed. This research expanded upon existing literature that proposed that blatant or subtle experiences of racial discrimination are pathways to mental and physical health consequences. The hypothesis was that there was a significant relationship between racial discrimination and the levels of stress, anger, and obesity. Racial …

The Effects Of Transformational Leadership Coaching On Player Mental Toughness, Richard Anthony James Finch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health in adolescents is a growing concern, with between 10 and 20% experiencing problems globally. In this study, transformational leadership coaching was assessed to determine if it effectively reduced the prevalence of mental health issues in adolescents by assessing their mental toughness. No previous studies have examined the relationship between these variables in this population. Transformational leadership theory is the theoretical framework for this study which empowers individuals, developing confidence and producing leadership qualities. Mental toughness is a six-factor construct consisting of life and emotional control, commitment, challenge, interpersonal confidence, and confidence in one's abilities and assessed using the …

Exploring Sport, Exercise, And Performance Psychology Practitioners’ Attitudes On Attire, Claire Harding

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Research has revealed that attire has an influence on one’s self-perceptions, self and socially prescribed adjective traits and behavior (Adam & Galinsky, 2012; Lubker et. al, 2008; Peluchette & Karl, 2007). The present study aims to explore the influence of attire on perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of SEPP (Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology) practitioners during their applied work. Specifically, these factors were investigated through various demographic lenses such as gender, experience level, and age in order to describe the population. SEPP graduate students (n = 49) and early career professionals (n = 82) were asked to participate in a questionnaire, …

Attachment And Creativity Focused Counseling Intervention For Parents And Adolescents Presenting With A Trauma History, Leah Merle Batty-Hibbs

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The central research question that informed this study asks: How do attachment and creativity focused counseling interventions encourage connection between an adolescent and their parent or caregiver? The research study centered on two mother and son dyads that participated in six weeks of a therapeutic intervention. The modality utilized an attachment and creativity focused approach created by the author. Data was collected through a post intervention semi-structured interview with the parent (adult). Data was transcribed and evaluated with an interpretive phenomenological approach. Six themes were identified by a team of researchers. The findings have implications for clinical practice with parents …

Sexual Orientation And Gender Expression As Predictors Of Sogie-Based Harassment, Michelle Tam

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The current study examined which individuals are most at risk for becoming targets of SOGIE-based harassment (specifically, White, male sexual minorities or White, male gender nonconforming individuals). The study also explored potential motivations behind SOGIE-based harassment (specifically, violations of normality and violations of morality) and whether these motivations are predicted by individual differences (specifically, sexual prejudice, beliefs in heteronormativity, tolerance of ambiguity, and adherence to gender norms). College students (n = 206; 67.5% female) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions, each with a different male target (straight/gender conforming, straight/gender nonconforming, gay/gender conforming, gay/gender nonconforming). Students saw a …

Mental Health In The Courtroom: How Victim Mental Illness Impacts Juror Decision-Making In A Rape Case, Mary M. Levi

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The influence of mental illness on jury decision-making has rarely been investigated, and even fewer studies have examined how jurors perceive a victim with mental illness. The present study investigated the effect of victim mental illness on jury decision-making in a rape trial using a 3 (victim mental health status: schizophrenia, depression, no illness) x 2 (participant gender: female, male) between-subjects design. I hypothesized that mock jurors would render fewer guilty verdicts in the schizophrenia condition compared to the depression condition, and render fewer guilty verdicts in the schizophrenia and depression conditions compared to the control. I also hypothesized that …

Self-Monitoring And The Dsm-5 Section Iii Alternative Model Of Personality Disorder, Gillian Mccabe

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The Alternative Model of Personality Disorder (AMPD) was introduced in Section III (“Emerging Measures and Models”) of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to address many of the challenges inherent to the categorical system of personality disorder diagnosis. According to the AMPD, personality disorders can be identified by the extent to which impairment in personality functioning (i.e., Criterion A) and pathological personality traits (Criterion B) are present. Researchers have divided over the distinction between Criterion A and Criterion B, with one side favoring the current AMPD conceptualization of personality traits and functioning as independent constructs and the …

Examining The Impact Of Discrete And Contextual Stress Factors On Memory, Jillian Rae Silva-Jones

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Stress is a complex and multifaceted process which is often not perceived as such. Therefore, given the unidimensional conceptualization of stress in previous research the current understanding of the associations between stress and memory are not well understood. This study investigates the association between stress and memory by capturing the complexity of stress through discrete and contextual stress factors. The current study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and geocoded indices (i.e., zip codes) of population density (i.e., urbanicity) and deprivation (socioeconomic disadvantage) in a large and diverse sample of U.S. participants (N = 8817) to examine the relationship between …

Defending Gender: Transprejudice As Gender System Maintenance, Linas Mitchell

Dissertations

The high levels of interpersonal and policy-based discrimination that transgender people face can be understood as a way of responding to transgender threats to gender systems. By understanding gender as a system of meaning and power, I apply System Justification Theory to interpret transprejudice as a form of gender system maintenance that may be influenced by one’s position in the gender system (gender) and general support for the status quo (conservatism). The present studies test whether transprejudice functions as a form of system affirmation/threat rejection. I found that exposure to system threat did not lead to greater transprejudice than a …

Leveraging Moral Foundations To Increase Covid-19 Vaccination, Cara Elizabeth Ray

Dissertations

Despite the vast majority of the eligible U.S. adult population being vaccinated against COVID-19, geographical clusters of unvaccinated individuals pose a substantial risk of outbreak. It is important to encourage as many individuals as possible to vaccinate against COVID-19 to reduce its spread and severity. Past research has identified endorsement of the purity and liberty moral foundations – intuitive domains of moral concern – as predictors of vaccine hesitancy and political conservatism, while conservatism is itself associated with vaccine hesitancy. Across two online surveys, I examined the effects of a message invoking the purity and liberty foundations as well as …

The Persistence Of Safety Silence: How Flight Deck Microcultures Influence The Efficacy Of Crew Resource Management, Kimberly Perkins, Sourojit Ghosh, Julie Vera, Cecilia Aragon, Adam Hyland

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The majority of First Officers and Captains feel that Captains establish the tone of the flight deck microculture. However, the majority of these pilots also report that as First Officers, they have hesitated to share safety-pertinent data and/or experience being silenced after sharing safety data due to a psychologically unsafe flight deck. Utilizing direct feedback from industry pilots, we explore ways that Captains can create a more inclusive microculture that elicits safety voice. The safety system designed to enhance crew collaboration, Crew Resource Management, fails to adequately establish tools for designing a psychologically safe flight deck. We conclude that Crew …

Comparison Of Schedules, Stress, Sleep Problems, Fatigue, Mental Health And Well-Being Of Low Cost And Network Carrier Pilots, Marion Venus

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Objective

This research investigates and compares working-conditions, duty rosters, stress, sleep problems, fatigue levels, mental health, and well-being of pilots working for network (NWCs), and low-cost carriers (LCCs). This study extends previous research by investigating working conditions, pilots’ actual rosters, fatigue and mental health of two groups of pilots flying for LCC or NWC.

Method

A comprehensive cross-sectional online survey was completed by N=338 pilots (185 NWC, 153 LCC pilots). All pilots reported their roster data of the last 2 months during peak flight season, psychosocial and work-related stress (e.g., high job insecurity, less total flight-experience, lower income, more time …

The Effect Of Group Identification And Emotion On Participation In Collective Action, Iryna Chaban

Master's Theses

In the last few years, the number of collective actions in the United States started to increase. These events have been ranging from peaceful to violent. The present research aims to understand what is causing groups to participate in collective action and become aggressive. It will expand understanding of group identification, emotion, and participation in collective action. The researcher hypothesizes that individuals who hold higher identification with a group are more likely to experience anger and participate in a protest. Data collection involved an online survey. Introductory psychology students read a passage describing a protest and respond to several short …

A Study In The Effectivenss Of Factual Versus Emotional Interventions In Reducing Ambivalent Sexism In Hiring Decisions, Molly Jane Driscoll

Master's Theses

Ambivalent sexism – divided into the categories of benevolent sexism (BS) and hostile sexism (HS) – is imbedded in many parts of the workplace. This study aims to explore if ambivalent sexism influences hiring decisions and, if so, what can be done about it. After completing a series of surveys, participants were asked to read about an agentic female candidate who applied for a male-dominated position. Afterwards, participants went through either a factual or emotional intervention before reevaluating their decision. Major results showed that only the emotional intervention increased the likelihood of the candidate being hired but it is not …

Assessing The Discriminant Validity Between Integrative Complexity And Open-Minded Cognition, Madeleine Louise Kindler

Master's Theses

The objective of this study was to evaluate the discriminant validity between integrative complexity and open-minded cognition (OMC). That is, the aim of this study was to show that integrative complexity and OMC are conceptually distinct constructs. This online study randomly assigned 198 Loyola University Chicago undergraduate psychology students to read either six tenable, homogeneous written communication remarks or six untenable, heterogeneous written communication remarks, made during a hypothetical conversation about the inclusion of prayer/moments of silence in high school curriculums. Participants then listed their cognitive thoughts and responses to the communication in a free response format (integrative complexity measure) …

How Black Are You?: The Influence Of Racial Centrality On Stereotype Threat In The Courtroom, Kendall Cathleen Redwood

Master's Theses

The current study explores whether stereotype threat, or fear of confirming negativestereotypes about one’s in-group, might manifest in the criminal justice system. This study specifically asks whether the threat of confirming stereotypes connecting race and crime manifest, among Black defendants, in nonverbal behaviors that might be perceived by observers as guilt. This research further explores whether racial centrality, the degree to which one identifies with one’s race, moderates effects of stereotype threat. Black female-identifying college students, who rated their degree of racial centrality, were randomly assigned to experience the activation of the race-crime stereotype or to a control condition. They …

Addressing The Social Loafing Problem In Assessment Practices From The Perspectives Of Tanzania’S Pre-Service Teachers, Joseph Reginard Milinga, Ezelina Angetile Kibonde, Venance Paul Mallya, Monica Asagwile Mwakifuna

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Recent developments of higher teacher education in Tanzania have witnessed high student enrolments necessitating change of an emphasis from individual assessment to group-based assessment practices. In this context, informed by the constructivist philosophical perspective, this article reports on the pre-service teachers’ voices regarding the prevalence, impacts and counteractive strategies of social loafing. The pre-service teachers are drawn from one higher education institution in Tanzania that serves as a case study. It draws on qualitative data collected from a sample of purposively selected undergraduate pre-service teachers. The study found social loafing tendencies to be commonplace and with far-reaching consequences amongst students …

Invited Perspective - Engaging Aspirations To Nurture Communities, Kentaro Toyama

Subsistence Marketplaces

For subsistence communities, the question is whether aspirations can be applied to motivate behavior that is, on the one hand consistent with people’s aspirations, but which might otherwise be difficult to elicit. Could poorer households be encouraged to save, to spend more on their children’s education, or to act against unhealthy social norms? A couple of examples suggest this is not only possible, but highly successful in contexts where other appeals fail.

Metamosque – Envisioning The Mosque As A Virtual Public Space, Alaa Albarazy

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, the mosque was not only a space for a communal prayer but also a place for building a community. Today, however, with conflicts and diseases fragmenting society, people are less able to gather physically in large spaces. Out of necessity, people rely on technology to get together and interact virtually. In this context, my research challenges the notion of the mosque as a physical space, proposing, instead, its extension into virtual space. Recent global events pose the question: Can the metaverse offer an opportunity for the mosque to reassert itself as a public space. I propose that a MetaMosque …

Mindfulness Training To Enhance Emotion Regulation In A Polarizing Political Context: A Multimethod Investigation, Hadley Rahrig

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. continues to show an upward trend in political polarization, perceived as a moral divide between liberal and conservative ideological groups. This moralization of political identity has contributed to the escalation of negative emotions (e.g., fear, anger, and hatred) directed towards political outgroup members. Although negative emotions are potent motivators of political intolerance, these emotions are nevertheless subject to regulation. Mindfulness offers a promising yet understudied emotion regulation strategy which may facilitate open receptivity towards opposing partisans. The present randomized controlled trial (RCT) examines the effects of short-term mindfulness training (MT) vs structurally equivalent Cognitive Reappraisal training (CT) on …

Investigating The Potential Causal Relationship Between Free Will Belief And Well-Being, Courtney J. Alderson

Theses and Dissertations

This multi-study dissertation had four primary aims. My first was to add to the evidence base indicating a positive association between free will belief (FWB) and subjective well-being (SWB). My second aim was to develop a measure to assess the FWB theme referred to as the principle of alternate possibilities (PAP). To achieve the first two aims, I conducted two cross-sectional studies to further establish the FWB-SWB association and start the development and assessment of a new PAP FWB measure. In the first study (N=995), I hypothesized that an EFA of the new PAP items would produce at least a …

From Me To We: A Phenomenological Inquiry Into Group Beingness, Stacey K. Guenther

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

To be human is to be a member of myriad groups. The universality of groups in our lives poses an important area of study for social scientists investigating human flourishing. Additionally, inquiring into the evolutionary potential of groups may begin to inform new ways of addressing the intractable issues we face as a human species. While most empirical studies of groups focus on group performance, or group doingness, this study explored group beingness and the experience of manifesting deep union and oneness, which is an intersubjective phenomenon that has been called coherence. Intersubjective coherence is often written about from a …