Psychology Commons^™

Evaluating The Relationship Between Women's Sexual Desire And Satisfaction From A Biopsychosocial Perspective, Katherine J. Chartier

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between women's sexual desire and their reported level of sexual satisfaction. This study evaluated biological, psychological, and social factors of desire that might influence satisfaction. The sample for this study consisted of 77 Caucasian individuals, 45 women and 32 men, in their first marriage, who had been married on average 2 years. Results indicated that sexual desire was positively and significantly correlated with sexual satisfaction and that psychological and social factors most strongly explain women's sexual satisfaction. Further, women's perceptions of their own sexual desire, psychological and social, were more …

An Empirical Investigation Of The Adaptive Nature Of Shame, Elizabeth Jacqueline Dansie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Throughout the empirical psychological literature on emotion, the general consensus is that shame is maladaptive, while guilt is the adaptive moral emotion. Conversely, evolutionary psychology concludes that all emotions serve adaptive functions. Specifically, shame serves an appeasement function in social relationships. In order to investigate the true nature of shame, the current study used an experimental design. Specifically, a 2 (high shame, no shame) X 2 (high guilt, no guilt) design with a no-mistakes control group was implemented, and shame and guilt were operationalized through an evolutionary lens (i.e., shame as a nonverbal display, guilt as verbalizations of apology). Participants …

The Interpersonal Lives Of Young Adult Women: A Study Of Passionate Friendship, Jenna Ann Glover

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was designed to further understand passionate friendships in a sample of heterosexual and lesbian, bisexual, and questioning (LBQ) women. Previous research has established that LBQ women engage in same-sex passionate friendships (unusually intense friendships that are similar to romantic relationships but devoid of sexual intimacy), but no systematic classification system has been established to identify these relationships in a general sample of women. A new quantitative measure, the Passionate Friendship Survey, was developed to measure passionate friendship experiences in women across adolescence and young adulthood. Qualitative interviews were also conducted to understand the subjective experience of passionate friendships …

Sociological And Psychological Predispositions To Serial Murder, Katie Marie Krueger

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This paper looks specifically at the true definition of a serial killer, attempting to clarify the misleading depiction that has come from the media influence. Twenty-one people, including infamous murderers such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, as well as more obscure killers, such as Carl Panzram, were studied in depth. Data was gathered from a variety of published sources on each convicted serial killer focusing on his/her life prior to the beginning of the killing spree. Unlike previous research on the topic, this investigation looked at a larger sample of serial killers, as well as a more complete set …

Jurors’ Perceptions Of Juvenile Defendants: The Influence Of Intellectual Disability, Abuse History, And Confession Evidence, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Bette L. Bottoms, Maria C. Vargas

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Understanding jurors’ perceptions of juvenile defendants has become increasingly important as more and more juvenile cases are being tried in adult criminal court rather than family or juvenile court. Intellectual disability and child maltreatment are overrepresented among juvenile delinquents, and juveniles (particularly disabled juveniles) are at heightened risk for falsely confessing to crimes. In two mock trial experiments, we examined the effects of disability, abuse history, and confession evidence on jurors’ perceptions of a juvenile defendant across several different crime scenarios. Abused juveniles were treated more leniently than nonabused juveniles only when the juvenile’s crime was motivated by self-defense against …

Skin Tone Preferences In American College Students: Directions For Future Research, Alycia Boutté

XULAneXUS

In its original form, this paper was the introduction to a research proposal for a second semester, freshman Experimental Psychology course. Instead of including the entire proposal here, I review past research and propose empirical questions regarding the role of skin tone on different aspects of life in African American college students, especially mate selection. Historically, people of color have come to expect discrimination regarding skin tone to come from people of a different race, but discrimination also occurs within the African American community. The issue increases in complexity considering the potential discriminations that may accompany selecting a mate. This …

Personality, Self-Esteem, Interpersonal Relationships And Friendships, Domonique Lewis

XULAneXUS

According to Abraham Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs, all humans, whether young or old, have the same basic needs. For humans, self-esteem and friendships are deemed important to psychological well-being. The present study explores the correlation between levels of extraversion, shyness, self-esteem, and the number of friends an individual reports having. Participants completed items from the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale (1983), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised (1992), and the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (1965), to determine personality trait and self-esteem scores, and the Abbreviated Duke Social Support Index (1993) to determine levels of social support. The results indicate …

Investigating The Effects Of Observer Presence And Feedback On Individuals' Work-Related Behavior, Angela R. Lebbon

Dissertations

Direct observation procedures have been widely used by applied behavior analysts to examine the effects of various interventions, however, recent research examining the effects of the observer's presence on behavior has found that participants behave in ways that are not representative of their behavior in the absence of an observer. Furthermore, recent research has demonstrated that both reactivity and habituation are idiosyncratic and it remains unclear which variables mediate reactive effects with individuals. Researchers have discussed the necessity of identifying and measuring reactive effects in order to discover variables (e.g., discriminative stimulus properties) that may mediate reactive effects. Previous research …

Student-Athlete Worldview: A Qualitative Discovery Of Student-Athletes' Outlook Of The World Through Their Athletic Experiences, Lara Preacco

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore Athletic Identity (AI) by looking at its essence, and learn about how student-athletes perceive and experience themselves and the world through their athletic experiences; or Student Athlete Worldview (SAWV). A phenomenological study was conducted to investigate and describe the common and emerging themes of SAWV. Initial interviews, journaling, and follow-up interviews were conducted with nine student-athletes competing in NCAA Division I, non-revenue, individual and team sports. Student-athletes offered a revealing picture and identified three aspects of being a student-athlete: intrapersonal, interpersonal and restrictive/sacrificing aspects. These aspects were combined to develop an integrative …

Acceptability Of Interventions To Staff In Long-Term Care Settings For Older Adults: Comparing Ratings And Hierarchical Selection, Jonathan C. Baker

Dissertations

Older adults and their caregivers generally prefer behavioral interventions over medications in treatment acceptability studies (Osterkamp, Mathews, Burgio, & Hardin, 1997). However, previous acceptability studies have primarily examined ratings, which did not force the responder to select between treatment options. Additionally, recent advances in behavioral treatment technologies (Carr & LeBlanc, 2003) and pharmacotherapy (Schneider, 1999) warrant revisiting treatment acceptability for older adults. The present investigation examined treatment acceptability of behavioral, pharmacological, and sensory interventions using a treatment acceptability rating scale, treatment selections, and direct report of treatments used in a six-month window. Fifty-six staff from nursing homes in the Mid-West …

What Makes Stephen F. Austin State University Students Happy?, Tyler Bishop, Nicole Kurr, Jennifer Mcfarland, Brandon Rogers

Undergraduate Research Conference

When we began our research we believed most people would be happier owning a pet, attending church, or exercising. However, we determined this was not the case, instead concluded students have different things that make them happy. In addition, after reviewing our results we were surprised that holding all else constant, having a hobby, owning a pet, attending church, and exercising will increase a student’s level of happiness.

It's That Efa* Time Of Year (*Extreme Fan Addiction), Donelson R. Forsyth

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

What an odd lot our ancestors must have been to let themselves get caught up in crazes like the 10th century dancing mania in Italy, or the alarming outbreak of biting mania in 15th century Germany, Italy, and Holland. Holland's 17th century tulipmania proved only economically painful, when wealthy families spent their savings buying and hoarding tulip bulbs, and were left in financial ruin when prices plummeted.

We are not so different from those long-gone dancers, biters, and tulipophiles, because a modern mania is about to descend upon us: March Madness. Sixty-four colleges and universities send their basketball teams into …

Testing The Relationship Of Formal Bonding, Informal Bonding, And Formal Bridging Social Capital On Key Outcomes For Families In Low-Income Neighborhoods, Daniel Brisson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The development of social capital among families living in low income neighborhoods has become a popular poverty reduction and economic advancement strategy. However conceptual scholarship suggests the broad use of social capital has diminished its importance. Scholars have begun to identify the multiple and overlapping characteristics of social capital and the field now needs empirical studies to show how specific types of social capital are important for families living in low-income neighborhoods. This study tests the relationship between three types of social capital (informal bonding social capital, formal bonding social capital and formal bridging social capital) and important outcomes for …

Multiracial Identity Integration: Perceptions Of Conflict And Distance Among Multiracial Individuals, Chi-Ying Cheng, Fiona Lee

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This article examines how multiracial individuals negotiate their different and sometimes conflicting racial identities. Drawing from previous work on bicultural identity integration (see Benet-Martinez and Haritatos, 2005), we proposed a new construct, multiracial identity integration (MII), to measure individual differences in perceptions of compatibility between multiple racial identities. We found that MII is composed of two independent subscales: that describes whether different racial identities are perceived as disparate, and that describes whether different racial identities are perceived as in conflict. We also found that recalling positive multiracial experiences increased MII, while recalling negative multiracial experiences decreased MII. These findings have …

The Dark Triad: Facilitating A Short-Term Mating Strategy In Men, Peter K. Jonason, Norman P. Li, Gregory D. Webster, David P. Schmitt

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This survey (N=224) found that characteristics collectively known as the Dark Triad (i.e. narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism) were correlated with various dimensions of short-term mating but not long-term mating. The link between the Dark Triad and short-term mating was stronger for men than for women. The Dark Triad partially mediated the sex difference in short-term mating behaviour. Findings are consistent with a view that the Dark Triad facilitates an exploitative, short-term mating strategy in men. Possible implications, including that Dark Triad traits represent a bundle of individual differences that promote a reproductively adaptive strategy are discussed. Findings are discussed in …

Toward A More Complete Understanding Of The Link Between Multicultural Experience And Creativity, William W. Maddux, Angela K.-Y. Leung, Chi-Yue Chiu, Adam D. Galinsky

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Responds to G. J. Rich's comments on the current author's original article which presented evidence supporting the idea that multicultural experience can facilitate creativity. Rich has argued that our review, although timely and important, was somewhat limited in scope, focusing mostly on smaller forms of creativity ("little c": e.g., paper-and-pencil measures of creativity) as well as on larger forms of multicultural experience ("Big M": e.g., living in a foreign country). We agree with many aspects of Rich's assessment. The issue of whether different forms of multicultural experience can affect Big C creativity is of interest to both scholars and laypeople …

Measuring Non-Verbal Communication Of Emotion In Personal Relationships: The Procedure For Assessing Affect Communication Accuracy, Konstantinos Kafetsios, Kelly Campbell

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study describes a new method for the assessment of accuracy in non-verbal communication of emotion in close relationships and presents results from a study that examined the validity of the method. The paper initially argues for the need of a new method on the basis of critical review of most the existing methods of accuracy of non-verbal communication of emotion, specifically: a) that they assess more symbolic rather than affective dimensions of non-verbal communication, b) that they involve inconsistencies with regards to the elicitation of emotion and c) that they involve methodological problems in the procedure of assessing …

Humiliation And Its Relationship To Embarrassment And Shame, Danielle Jean Pulham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to expand our knowledge of humiliation by examining the cognitive correlates of this emotion. Since norm violations may often elicit this emotion, attributions of blame and perceived devaluation of the self from others were investigated as possible cognitions that may both link and distinguish this emotion from close emotion relatives, namely embarrassment and shame.

Participants were presented with vignettes that described a social versus moral norm violation. Blame for the event was manipulated by varying who/what caused the norm violation. Perceived devaluation was manipulated by varying what the observing audience knew about the cause of the norm …

Assessing Stereotype Incongruities Using The N400 Erp Component, Katherine White, Stephen Crites Jr., Jennifer Taylor, Guadalupe Corral

Selected Works Temporary Series

Numerous discoveries regarding stereotypes have been uncovered by utilizing techniques and methods developed by cognitive psychologists. The present study continues this tradition by borrowing psychophysiological techniques used for the study of memory and language, and applying them to the study of stereotypes. In this study, participants were primed with either the gender category ’Women’ or ’Men’, followed by a word which was either consistent with gender stereotypes (e.g. Women: Nurturing) or inconsistent (e.g. Women: Aggressive). Their task was to indicate whether the words matched or did not match, according to gender stereotypes. Both response times and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) …

The Forgiving Family: Effects Of A Parent-Led Forgiveness Program On Mental And Relational Health, Chad Magnuson

Faculty Dissertations

This study appraises the effects of a parent-led forgiveness intervention on mental health and relationship variables for parents and their third grade children (ages 8-9) in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In this study, parents in the experimental group (n = 5) used a curriculum guide to teach forgiveness to their children, while the control parents (n = 5) participated in art activities with their children. Statistical analyses demonstrated a significant increase in interpersonal forgiveness of an offender for parents who taught forgiveness to their child. No significant between-group differences were revealed for other mental health and relationship variables, either for children …

Affective Decision-Making Predictive Of Chinese Adolescent Drinking Behaviors, Lin Xiao, Antoine Bechara, Jerry L. Grenard, Alan W. Stacy, Paula Palmer, Yonglan Wei, Yong Jia, Xiaolu Fu, C. Anderson Johnson

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

The goal of the current investigation was to address whether affective decision making would serve as a unique neuropsychological marker to predict drinking behaviors among adolescents. We conducted a longitudinal study of 181 Chinese adolescents in Chengdu city, China. In their 10th grade (ages 15–16), these adolescents were tested for their affective decision-making ability using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and working memory capacity using the Self-Ordered Pointing Test. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess academic performance and drinking behaviors. At 1-year follow-up, questionnaires were completed to assess drinking behaviors, and the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale was used to examine …

Perceiving Pervasive Discrimination Over Time: Implications For Coping, Mindi D. Foster

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study suggests the effects of perceived pervasiveness may be dynamic over time. The hypothesis was that participants who perceived discrimination to be highly pervasive would initially be more likely to engage in inactive coping strategies than those who perceived low pervasiveness. However, those who continued to perceive high pervasiveness over time would ultimately show greater evidence of using active strategies than those perceiving low pervasiveness. Using a 28-day diary, women and ethnic minorities described their daily experiences of discrimination and indicated their appraisals of its pervasiveness as well as their coping strategies. Results showed that participants who initially perceived …

The Dynamic Nature Of Coping With Gender Discrimination: Appraisals, Strategies And Well-Being Over Time, Mindi D. Foster

Psychology Faculty Publications

Female introductory psychology students at a Canadian university (N = 31) participated in a lab simulation of discrimination, completed coping and well-being measures and then an online survey of well-being one year later. Expectations were that active (inactive) coping would initially be related to decreased (increased) well-being. A reverse pattern was expected for relationships between coping and well-being one year later. Results showed that among those perceiving high pervasive discrimination, active and inactive coping was related to decreased well-being immediately after the discrimination was portrayed, but among those perceiving low pervasiveness inactive coping was related to increased well-being. One year …

Assessing Stereotype Incongruities Using The N400 Erp Component, Katherine White, Stephen Crites Jr., Jennifer Taylor, Guadalupe Corral

Departmental Papers (Psych)

Numerous discoveries regarding stereotypes have been uncovered by utilizing techniques and methods developed by cognitive psychologists. The present study continues this tradition by borrowing psychophysiological techniques used for the study of memory and language, and applying them to the study of stereotypes. In this study, participants were primed with either the gender category ’Women’ or ’Men’, followed by a word which was either consistent with gender stereotypes (e.g. Women: Nurturing) or inconsistent (e.g. Women: Aggressive). Their task was to indicate whether the words matched or did not match, according to gender stereotypes. Both response times and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) …

Cognitive Preference And Ethnic Identity Among Anglo And Native American High School Students, Chad Martin Novak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the Office of Educational Research and Improvement: A Project of the Stanford Institute for Higher Education Research, graduation rates for Native Americans from both secondary and post secondary institutions are dismally low at 58% and 7%, respectively. Some research addresses cognitive preference and other ethnic identity, but research animating the cognitive preference---ethnic identity interplay for high school students is absent. These limitations in access to educational opportunities lead to abbreviated quality life experiences and a restriction in individual efficacy and collective agency. The following project assessed ethnic identity using Phinney's Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure and cognitive preference using …

Correlates Of Suicidal Ideation And Attempts In Female Sexual Assault Survivors, Sarah E. Ullman, Cynthia J. Najdowski

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Relations between (a) serious suicidal ideation and attempts and (b) demographics, trauma history, assault characteristics, post-assault outcomes, and psychosocial variables were examined among female adult sexual assault survivors. Younger, minority, and bisexual survivors reported greater ideation. More traumas, drug use, and assault disclosure related to greater attempts, whereas perceived control over recovery was related to fewer attempts. Child sexual abuse and some assault characteristics predicted suicidal behavior. Depression was related to suicidal behavior until psychosocial variables were accounted for. Specifically, using substances to cope and self-blame predicted greater ideation, whereas receiving aid/information support was related to less ideation. Implications for …

A Model Of Responses To Race-Based And Gender-Based Stereotype Threat In Computer Science, Lara Tedrow

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The perception of stereotype threat among computer science students was examined at two universities. A model of stereotype threat was developed and tested among students enrolled in three undergraduate computer science courses at two universities. The goal of this model was to provide an understanding of the underlying mechanisms through which stereotype threat works.

The study tested relationships among the following variables: race-based stereotype threat, gender-based stereotype threat, goal orientation, CS self-efficacy, active coping, behavioral disengagement, effort, and performance. Structural equation modeling was used to test the measurement model and a series of nested structural models. Findings supported the proposed …

How Do People React To Someone Who Has Recently Tested For Hiv? An Experimental Study Of The Effects Of Sexual Orientation And Hiv Status, Stacie A. Wilson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

HIV/AIDS-related stigma remains prevalent in our society despite advances in medical treatment, and appears to be based on fear of the illness and negative attitudes toward gay individuals. Previous literature examining the phenomenon, enactment, and consequences of HIV/AIDS-related stigma has primarily been based on self-report measures examining participants' imagined reactions toward a person with HIV/AIDS (PWHA). The present study attempted to expand on the self-report findings and contribute uniquely to the literature by examining participants' attitudes toward an individual believed to be gay and HIV-positive after a real-life interaction. This study, which involved the use of a confederate whose sexual …

Downright Sexy: Verticality, Implicit Power, And Perceived Physical Attractiveness, Brian P. Meier, Sarah G. Dionne

Psychology Faculty Publications

Grounded theory proposes that abstract concepts (e.g., power) are represented by perceptions of vertical space (e.g., up is powerful; down is powerless). We used this theory to examine predictions made by evolutionary psychologists who suggest that desirable males are those who have status and resources (i.e., powerful) while desirable females are those who are youthful and faithful (i.e., powerless). Using vertical position as an implicit cue for power, we found that male participants rated pictures of females as more attractive when their images were presented near the bottom of a computer screen, whereas female participants rated pictures of males as …

The Effect Of Facial Resemblance On Alibi Credibility And Final Verdicts, Claudia Ochoa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine an extra-legal variable that may affect the credibility of a defendant and the alibi corroborator's testimonies. In this study, the facial appearance of the alibi corroborator was manipulated to resemble the defendant or the trial judge to different degrees using facial morphing software. Participants serving as mock jurors provided verdicts for a trial summary and rated the credibility of an alibi corroborator. It was hypothesized that as the facial resemblance shared between an alibi corroborator and a defendant increased, the less credible the alibi corroborator's testimony would be perceived, resulting in an …