Psychology Commons^™

Thermodynamic Modeling And Analysis Of Human Stress Responses, Satish C. Boregowda

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A novel approach based on the second law of thermodynamics is developed to investigate the psychophysiology and quantify human stress level. Two types of stresses (thermal and mental) are examined. A Unified Stress Response Theory (USRT) is developed under the new proposed field of study called Engineering Psychophysiology. The USRT is used to investigate both thermal and mental stresses from a holistic (human body as a whole) and thermodynamic viewpoint. The original concepts and definitions are established as postulates which form the basis for thermodynamic approach to quantify human stress level. An Objective Thermal Stress Index (OTSI) is developed by …

A Discovery-Oriented Process Study Of Enactment In Family Therapy: Development Of The Family Therapy Enactment Rating Scale, Elizabeth Ong-Mythuan Fong

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

With the effectiveness of psychotherapy now well-supported in both the individual and family literatures (Garfield & Bergin, 1994), we are entering an era where questions of how and why therapy works are of interest. More specifically, there has been support and encouragement by some researchers (Rice & Greenberg, 1984; Mahrer, 1988) for the use of discovery-oriented methodologies to explore clinical phenomena that have yet to be empirically validated. The following is a discovery-oriented study of enactment, a structural family therapy intervention. The theoretical goals of enactments, their relevance to clinical practice, as well as how they are actually implemented in …

Subsystem Variables Associated With Positive Foster Mother-Foster Child Relationships, Meg Sandow

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Many researchers have explored variables that appear to influence a foster child's placement, and both researchers and theorists have noted the need for an overarching understanding of the variables that may affect a foster child's care and progress. This study examined four interlinking subsystems of foster care: the foster child, the family of origin, the foster parent, and the social worker. Data regarding relevant variables for each of these subsystems were analyzed by means of canonical correlations, factor analyses, a multiple regression, and zero-order correlations. Participants in the study were 42 foster children from the Chesapeake and Suffolk Departments of …

The Effects Of Task Partitioning And Computer Skill Level On Operator Engagement And Performance In An Adaptive Biocybernetic Environment, Todd Michael Eischeid

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined task partitioning in an adaptive environment, utilizing the cybernetic closed-loop system of Pope et al. (1995). In that study, participants either performed a tracking task (manual condition) or monitored the tracking task (automatic condition). Changes in task mode were driven by an engagement index derived from the participant's EEG and operated under either positive or negative feedback conditions. One goal of the present study was to examine participant performance under a wider range of tracking conditions. Specifically, the task was partitioned into 3 modes: a manual mode, a partitioned mode, and an automatic mode. A second …

Death Anxiety As A Moderation Factor On Sexual Behavior Related To The Risk Of Hiv Infection In Young Adults, John Hawes Jones

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine whether there is a relationship between level of death anxiety and risky sexual behavior that may lead to HIV/AIDS. It was hypothesized that the higher one's death anxiety level the less an individual would engage in high risk behavior. A sample of 151 young adult college students with a mean age of 22.6 years completed the Revised Death Anxiety Scale (RDAS). The survey also asked the participants to list the extent that they have engaged in six sexual behaviors known to increase one's risk of HIV infection. The participants also completed a 12 question …

Effects Of A Circuit Weight Training Program On The Body Images Of College Students, Pamela Ann Williams

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study was conducted to determine the extent to which participation in a circuit weight training program would lead to improvements in body image and physical self-efficacy, as compared to a matched control group. Thirty-nine experimental subjects participated in a 6-week circuit weight training class, while 39 subjects in a matched comparison group did not engage in any weight training. All subjects completed the Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire, the Social Physique Anxiety Scale, and the Physical Self-Efficacy Scale at pre- and posttest points. Experimental subjects also completed tests of muscular strength and the Reasons for Exercise Inventory. The results …

Fostering The Development Of Domain-General, Nonlinear Mental Models: A Foundation For Systemic Thinking, Jeffrey S. Sinn

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two experiments examined whether people can develop a domain-general, nonlinear mental model when provided with an appropriate conceptual model. Both experiments presented causal loop models (i.e., variables connected in a circle by arrows representing causal relationships) as a conceptual model for positive feedback. Study 1 found that participants trained in causal loop modeling could accurately represent scenarios of low but not high complexity. Study 2 expanded on the design of Study 1 by varying the type of training and type of aid presented during testing. Participants received training with modeling instruction, training with cue-utilization instruction (i.e., participants were trained to …

To Lead A Team: Construct Validity Evidence For Team Leadership In The High-Tech Industry, Johanna M. Merritt

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two studies were conducted to gather evidence of construct validity for functions of team leadership. The research built on a continuing line of background research. Three hundred and thirty-seven team leaders from sixty-three companies in the manufacturing electronics industry participated in the studies and completed surveys.

Four types of validity evidence were examined: content, criterion-related, convergent, and discriminant. Content validity evidence was demonstrated in Study 1. The overwhelming majority of team leaders perFormed the proposed functions and rated them as important. A confirmatory analysis did not indicate a parsimonious fit among the seven functions that were generated from background research …

African-American Males' Perception Of Law Enforcement: A Psychophysiological Perspective, Adolph Brown Iii

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study compared the psychophysiological reactivity of African American and European American males to authority. Nineteen African American males and 23 European American males were randomly assigned to either be interrogated by a police officer, or see a police officer interrogate that experimenter or view a videotape of police activity. Participants' physiological reactivity, acceptance of authority, fear of negative evaluation or social anxiety, and apprehension and anxiety in stressful situations as well as EMG, SCR, heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure were measured. African American males were hypothesized to show greater physiological response than European American males and participants who …

Impact Of Attachment Style On Disclosure Of Traumatic Events, Jo-Anne Leslie Mcdonald

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Researchers have suggested that differences occur among attachment styles in willingness to self-disclose to a relationship partner. The present study investigated relationships between a four-category model of attachment, the actual disclosure of a traumatic event, and the reasons for and against disclosure. Participants in the survey were 268 female college student volunteers. In this self-report study, attachment group members were compared on 15 subscales, focusing on categories of reasons for and against disclosure. Differences in actual disclosure among attachment groups were not found. However, significant differences were observed between groups in reasons for and against disclosure on the following subscales: …

A Comparison Of Self-Generated Task Strategies And Explicitly-Provided Task Strategies In The Context Of Goal Setting, Jonathan Edward Turner

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

By using a complex, managerial, decision-making simulation, the longitudinal effects of self-generated task strategies as compared to explicitly-provided strategies and no strategies were investigated in the context of goal setting. The simulation placed participants in the role of a hypothetical manager for a furniture manufacturing organization. The task of the participants was to assign several employees to different jobs dealing with weekly work orders for the manufacturing of specific pieces of furniture. Participants were also asked to make decisions regarding the setting of performance goals for these employees, providing feedback, and allocating rewards. A sample of 120 college students was …

Emotional And Sexual Dating Infidelity As A Function Of Gender Relationship Quality And Parental Influence, Melinda Jeanene Swager

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study addressed dating infidelity attitudes and behaviors among college students involved in romantic relationships. Both emotional and sexual components of infidelity were analyzed. A gender difference emerged, with men being more accepting of dating infidelity and engaging in dating infidelity more often than women. Among both genders, however, attitudes were positively associated with behaviors. It was hypothesized that the following variables would predict dating infidelity: relationship satisfaction, relationship commitment, family structure, interparental conflict, parent-child relationship quality, and a young adult's knowledge of his or her parent's infidelity. Attitudes were found to predict behaviors. Relationship satisfaction and commitment were also …

Groundcrew Coordination Training: An Application Of Team Training To Aviation Ramp Activities, I. Benjamin Sian

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Crew Resource Management (CRM) training has been used effectively in civilian and military aviation to improve flight safety and reduce mishaps. Aircrew Coordination Training (ACT), the Navy's version of CRM, has had similar effects. An examination of aviation ground mishaps by the Naval Safety Center revealed that the same team coordination breakdowns affecting aircrews were impacting groundcrews. In order to explore the viability of team training for aviation ground personnel, two studies were conducted to test the generalizability of the existing ACT program in a maintenance context. Specifically, "Groundcrew Coordination" Training (GCT) was tailored for training flight line personnel who …

A Comparison Of Coping Styles And Body Image Of Abused And Non-Abused Women, Laura Elizabeth Brown

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study compared body image, patterns of coping, and the relationship between these factors in subjects with and without a reported background of childhood incest. Self-report measures of personal experience (Relevant Variable Questionnaire and the Assessment of Coping Interview), body image (the Human Figure Drawing Test (HFDT) and the Body Image Assessment (BIA)), and coping (the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM) Coping Scale, and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R)) were administered individually to twenty-two women with reported incest histories and an equal number of women with no reported history of sexual or physical abuse. Significant …

Devolpment Of A Scale To Assess Home Health Care Aides' Ability To Recognize Depression In Older Adults, Tina M. Nerney

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

Depression afflicts 20% to 40% of people 65 and older. Depression in older adults is frequent and chronic. The challenge of a hospital stay and the knowledge of having a long term disability may increase the risk for a depressive episode. In today's health care environment older adults are being released from hospitals after a short length of stay and are frequently dependent on home health services for assistance with activities of daily living. Home health care aides are given the responsibility of providing these services to the older adult in the home environment and need to be aware of …

Structural Equation Modeling Of Attitudes Toward Employment Testing, Laura Susan Hamil

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This research investigated the relationships among past testing experiences, testing attitudes, perceptions of test performance, race, and gender. In addition, the effects of testing information on testing attitudes were studied. Two hundred and twelve applicants to a variety of positions in a large telecommunications company were asked to complete a series of questionnaires before and after employment testing. The questionnaires included measures of testing experience, general and specific testing attitudes, and perceptions of test performance. Scores on the employment test were also obtained as a measure of cognitive ability. Of the 212 participants, half were given a brochure to read …

Self-Concept Of Eating-Restrained Women: A Study Of Personal Constructs, Adelia Atkinson Furr

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

A modified version of Kelly's Repertory Test was administered to 15 women identified as eating-restrained, 21 women identified as non-eating-restrained and matched on neuroticism, and 15 women identified as non-eating restrained and low on neuroticism in order to elicit personal constructs related to being overweight, average weight, and underweight. The personal constructs were used in measures of components of self-concept: real self, ideal self, social self, and ideal social self. It was hypothesized that in comparison to the other two groups, the eating-restrained women would exhibit a distinct pattern among the components of self-concept: Real and ideal selves would be …

Towards Understanding Why Assessment Centers Work: An Evaluation Of The Subtle Criterion Contamination Hypothesis, Christopher T. Rotolo

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The success of the assessment center method in predicting job performance has been one of the most researched efforts in personnel psychology (Thornton, 1992). However, there is little reported evidence showing that assessment center procedures produce scores that serve as valid representations of separate constructs (Klimoski & Brickner, 1987). It is perhaps ironic, then, that despite the success stories, we still do not understand why assessment centers "work," (i.e., predict performance).

This study examined the subtle criterion contamination hypothesis as an explanation to assessment center validity. The subtle criterion contamination hypothesis states that assessment centers predict managerial performance because assessors …

A Model Of Paternal Involvement In Child Care And Household Labor, Jennifer Fancher Bonney

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The current study was designed to test a model predicting fathers' involvement in child care and household labor. Participants were 120 couples of 1-to-4 year old children. The participants were recruited from 12 local daycares. Mothers and fathers independently completed a measure assessing participation in child care and household labor; the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (Schumm et al., 1986); the Male Role. Norms Inventory (Levant et al., 1992); a measure assessing beliefs about the parental role (Bonney & Kelley, 1996); and a demographic questionnaire. The LISREL approach to data analysis was employed. The findings indicate that the following constructs work …

African-American Fathers: Their Role In Children's Social And Cognitive Development, Tammy Sue Smith

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Low-income, African-American fathers were examined regarding their involvement, job satisfaction, sensitivity, parenting attitudes, and gender role attitudes in relation to their children's social and cognitive development. Fathers completed the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (Weiss, Dawis, England, & Lofquist, 1969); the Parental Attitudes Toward Childrearing Questionnaire (Easterbrooks & Goldberg, 1984); the Parent Attitude Research Scale (Bartz & Levine, 1978); and the Bern Inventory (Bern, 1974). Sensitivity was measured by videotaping fathers and children in a free play session. Videotaped interactions were scored according to the CARE-Index procedure (Crittenden, 1988). The children were administered the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Bayley, 1969) or …

Conditioned Response To Ethanol As Indicated By Spontaneous Motor Activity, Tevfik Alici

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

A group of rats were given 1.6 g/kg intraperitoneal (IP) injections of either saline or ethanol on 16 successive conditioning days (CD's). During each two-day period of the 16-day sequence, the rats received saline on one day in a specifically "saline-paired" environment and ethanol on the next day in an "ethanol-paired" environment. Visual, olfactory, auditory, and tactile manipulations were utilized to create these two different environments. In order to determine the conditioned response to ethanol, rats were given saline in "ethanol-paired" environments at the end of the 16-day sequence. SMA on this day was compared to that of the previous …

The Measurement Of Mood Variation Over Time And Its Relation To Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy In Young Adolescents, William Thomas Pinkston

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Variation in mood states over time and the relationship between mood states and career decision making self-efficacy in young adolescents were investigated using the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List - Revised (MAACL-R), the Rotter's IE locus of control test, and the Career Planning Confidence Scale (CPCS). These tests were administered twice a week for six weeks. A correlational analysis was performed. The results showed a higher correlation between mood state measures as the subjects' moods varied over time than between either mood measure and locus of control which did not covary with either of …

Social Support, Prior Interracial Experiences, And Network Orientation: Factors Related To Later Adjustment Among Black Freshmen At A Predominantly White University, Calvin Graham

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

African-American students (mostly Freshmen) enrolled for the first year at a four-year university completed information about the racial composition of their high school, family income, living arrangements, and stressor prior to entering school. At two times during the first semester they completed measures of social support, network orientation and adaptation to college. Information about Grade Point Average (GPA) for the following term and attendance at the University one year later were also obtained. Racial composition of high school had some affect on social support at the university: Students from integrated and mainly Black high schools reported more social support satisfaction …

A Repertory Grid Assessment Of Traitedness And Its Relation To The Validity Of The Neo Pi-R Conscientiousness Scale, Susan Nancy Heidal-Schiltz

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Since Allport (1937) first introduced the idea that traits may vary in their relevance for particular individuals, several investigators have explored ways to operationalize the construct of traitedness in order to improve the criterion-related validity of a trait-based approach to personality assessment. Specifically, these investigators have examined the utility of traitedness indicators as moderators of trait-criterion correlations, seeking to separate those individuals who are predictable on a given trait dimension from those who are not. This study attempted to determine whether the criterion-related validity of the Conscientiousness scale from the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R; Costa & McCrae, 1992) …

The Effects Of Race And Socioeconomic Status On The Acceptance Of Biracial Individuals, Erika Lela Gilyot

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study investigated the effects of race and socioeconomic status on the acceptance of biracial individuals having one Black and one White parent. A sample of 153 Black and 114 White college students were divided into high- and low-socioeconomic status based on demographic information. Acceptance of biracial individuals was measured by 2 modified versions of the Social Distance Scale (SDS1 and SDS2) developed by Bogardus (1928), a shortened version of the Scale To Measure Attitudes Toward Defined Groups (AS) developed by Grice (1934), and a measure of Perceived Commonality (PC) developed by Feather (1980). The Marlowe-Crowne (1960) Social Desirability …

A Comparison Of White Male College Students Attending An Urban Black University And An Urban White University: White Racial Identity And Perceived Comfort With Blacks, Cheryl Lorraine Evans

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in White Racial Identity and degree of tolerance for Blacks between two samples of White male undergraduate students attending an urban Black university and those attending an urban White university. The theoretical framework for this study was based in Social Contact Theory as a contributor to racial tolerance and Racial Identity Development Theory as a factor in human growth toward increasing acceptance of diversity. This was a quasi-experimental post-hoc design using intact groups.

The study analyzed the responses of 182 White male undergraduates using three instruments. A Background Questionnaire, designed …

The Effects Of Human-Computer Communication Mode, Task Complexity, And Desire For Control On Performance And Discourse Organization In An Adaptive Task, Cristina Bubb-Lewis

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined how different communication patterns affected task performance with an adaptive interface. A Wizard-of-Oz simulation (Gould, Conti, & Hovanyecz, 1983) was used to create the impression of a talking and listening computer that acted as a teammate to help participants interact with a computer application.

Four levels of communication mode were used which differed in the level of restriction placed on human-computer communication. In addition, participants completed two sets of tasks (simple and complex). Further, a personality trait, Desire for Control (DC), was measured and participants were split into high and low groups for analysis. Dependent measures …

Freud's Jewish Science And Lacan's Sinthome, David Metzger

English Faculty Publications

In chapter nine of Seminar XVII, Lacan writes that the position of the analyst cannot be separated from Jewish history (158). More particularly, the invention of analytic discourse is part and parcel of a Hebraic tradition--represented by the Book of Hosea--in which one's god underscores the fact that even if everyone is speaking (let's say about sexual knowledge) this does not mean everyone is saying something. One of the defining moves of a Jewish Science, in this specific frame of reference, would be to situate the knowledge, "There is no Other," precisely where other intellectual and religious traditions establish their …

A Survey Of Health Care Personnel's Perceptions Toward Diversity In The Workplace, Jacqueline Elaine Sharpe

Health Services Research Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the diversity climate in a large teaching military hospital by assessing the perceptions of employees regarding the organizational climate, including aspects of the climate related to ethnicity, gender, age, physical ability, sexual orientation, and job level. All 3,176 eligible employees based in the medical center were invited to participate, 1,252 did so (RR = 40%). Participants were 37% minority, 57% females, 25% officer, 30% enlisted, and 45% civilian. Twenty-four percent were at the managerial level. Perceptions of the diversity climate were measured using the Diversity Survey Instrument (the reliability and validity of …

Coping Processes Used By Mothers Of Triplets, Susan Mullen Kaplan

Health Services Research Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify and describe the coping processes used by mothers of triplets. Using a descriptive design, interpersonal comparisons of 92 mothers of triplets attending a national meeting of families of higher order multiples were made. Variables, in addition to sociodemographic characteristics, included coping processes, levels of depression, perceived availability of social support, and current stress levels. Coping processes were measured using the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1988), derived from their cognitive-phenomenological theory of stress and coping. Level of depression was measured using the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (Zung, 1965). Perceived availability …