Origins Of Musical Preferences: Infants' Responses To Sung Vocal Timbre, Hayley Leopold

Honors Theses

Understanding the origins of aesthetic preferences remains an important question in psychology, particularly in domains such as music where both biological constraints and cultural learning play important roles. While adults exhibit consistent preferences for certain musical features, including aspects of vocal quality or timbre, it remains unclear whether these preferences reflect early-developing perceptual biases or emerge through experience. The present study addresses this question by adopting a developmental paradigm previously used in the visual domain to examine whether infants’ responses to music align with adult aesthetic evaluations.

Twenty three infants between 8 and 12 months of age participated in a …

Investigating Bilingual Language Learning Using Artificial Grammars, Kyla Kelly

Honors Theses

Language development research has established that infants can learn language rapidly and without explicit instruction through implicit learning mechanisms like statistical learning. These mechanisms can be used to learn word boundaries, sounds, meanings, and grammar rules of language. One method for investigating this is artificial grammar learning (AGL), in which people are exposed to sequences of nonwords to see if they can unconsciously learn their underlying grammars. While much of statistical learning and AGL research has focused on a monolingual perspective, most of the world’s population is multilingual. Studies like Weiss, Gerfen, and Mitchel (2009) and Mitchel and Weiss (2010) …

Associations Between College Students' Belonging, Classroom-Based Relationships, And Mental Health Outcomes, Ella Grace Will

Honors Theses

Humans have a fundamental need to belong (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). A lack of belonging is associated with negative mental health outcomes, making it important to study student belonging in higher education (Strayhorn, 2019). Classroom-based relationships with professors and peers positively impact students' belonging (Tinto, 1993). The purpose of this study was to evaluate: the relative contribution of professor trust and peer interactions to classroom and university belonging, and to assess the associations between student belonging and internalizing symptoms. Survey data were collected via Qualtrics in September 2025 (baseline) and December 2025 from students in 32 first-year seminars participating in …

Paradise Lost And Character Motivation: Sinful Behavior Or Inferiority Complex?, Esperanza Barrios

Honors Theses

Sin is a concept that is always viewed through a religious perspective. But, through Paradise Lost, John Milton was able to bring further understanding towards human nature and one’s own sense of committing what’s perceived as sinful behavior without the veil of religion glazing over academics' understanding. In religious terms, sinful behavior is the idea of defying God’s commandments, but for this research, sinful behavior may be described as abnormal behavior that damages our best interests and relationships, usually for selfish gains. Each of Milton’s main characters, Satan, Adam, and Eve, fell from grace because all three damaged their relationship …

Psychological Variables That Best Predict Health Related Behaviors In College Students, Arianna Gamaggio

Honors Theses

The present study examined which psychological factors best predicted health behaviors in college students. The psychological factors that were addressed included anxiety, depression, grit, and psychological flexibility. The health behaviors were examined by using a composite variable that included sleep, diet, and exercise. A total of 265 students participated in the study, but only 174 (μ age = 21) met the criteria for inclusion. Participants completed validated self-report measures such as the GAD- 7 (anxiety), PHQ-9 (depression), Short Grit Scale, Psy-Flex-6 (psychological flexibility), as well as health behavior assessments that measured eating behaviors, sleeping, and exercise habits. Correlational analyses indicated …

Characteristics Of Unintentional Injuries In Young Children In Low Socioeconomic Status Families, Annabelle Pederson

Honors Theses

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among young children in the United States, with low-income families being at higher risk. This study examined seven weeks of prospective injury data from 89 caregivers of preschool-aged children enrolled in a Head Start program participating in a randomized controlled trial of a modified home safety intervention. Caregivers completed weekly interviews reporting the injury type, location, severity, pain, and caregiver in charge. Slips, trips, and falls were the most common injuries that occurred, with most occurring in the primary caregiver’s home. Mothers were the supervising adults in over half of the incidents. …

Relationships Among Institutional Betrayal, Adverse Healthcare Experiences, And College Student Health, Saba Mustafa

Honors Theses

Institutional betrayal is defined as the trauma experienced by an individual who feels that their trust in the ability of an institution to keep the individual safe is broken. Healthcare-related institutional betrayal has primarily been explored among working adults, individuals with chronic conditions, and individuals from racially diverse backgrounds. However, healthcare-related institutional betrayal has seldom been explored in college student samples, who may have different healthcare needs compared to other patient populations. The present study explored college students’ experiences with institutional betrayal due to negative healthcare experiences. Survey data were gathered from 157 college students. Measures included healthcare provider trust, …

Are People More Likely To See Actions As Intentional When They Are Forced To Make Their Decisions Quickly? A Replication And Extension Of Rosset (2008), Andrew Elmore

Honors Theses

Rosset (2008) reported evidence of an intentionality bias, which is a key prediction of a model of human cognition that suggests that people learn to override intentional attributions of behavior, a dual-process model of intention attribution. A model that hypothesizes that when people are deprived of the time to develop deliberate thought processes, their default explanation for actions is intentional, and that this default attribution has to be consciously overridden. Rosset’s main method of testing this was by providing test sentences to participants and placing them into two scenarios where they had different levels of time to process the sentences. …

Influence Of Depressive Symptomatology On Vocal Production, Olivia Taylor

Honors Theses

Language has been widely recognized as a crucial form of social connection, providing both contextual and semantic information, including intonation, pitch, rate of speech, and pauses. As mental health conditions begin to rise while mental health providers begin to decrease, research in psychology has focused on investigating other factors that may aid in the diagnosis of mental health disorders. Research has indicated that physiological factors, including vocal production, may highlight specific shifts in speech patterns or vocal characteristics. Limited research has been conducted to investigate the possible implications for the emerging adult population, despite the group obtaining the highest prevalence …

How Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (Mbsr) Techniques Affect Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Literature Review, Piper Ritke

Honors Theses

This literature review examines the potential effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) as a non-invasive therapeutic intervention for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Traditional treatments for OCD, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP), are evidence-based but can be distressing for some patients. MBSR, originally developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, emphasizes nonjudgmental awareness of thoughts and may offer a less intrusive alternative. Three peer-reviewed studies were analyzed: a randomized controlled trial comparing MBSR with cognitive therapies, a technology-supported mindfulness intervention utilizing EEG feedback, and a case study documenting individualized MBSR treatment. All studies demonstrated reductions in …

Fear Of Pain In Migraine: Psychological Factors In Perceptions Of Headache Triggers, Sarah Basha, Todd Smitherman

Honors Theses

Migraine is a debilitating neurological disorder affecting millions worldwide, with substantial societal and personal burdens. Psychological factors, particularly fear of pain, may influence migraine experience by impacting perceptions of headache triggers. This study investigates the relationship between fear of pain and perceived triggers in individuals with migraine. A sample of 2,959 young adults meeting diagnostic criteria for migraine completed a structured diagnostic interview and self-report measures of fear of pain, headache-related disability, and beliefs about headache triggers (which stimuli triggered headache, most important triggers, and likelihood of developing a headache upon exposure to the most important trigger [trigger potency]). Linear …

Storytelling: A Natural Mnemonic, Hailey Stephens

Honors Theses

The present study explored the effectiveness of storytelling as a teaching method in enhancing memory performance for educational material compared to traditional lecture-based instruction. Memory plays a crucial role in learning, and effective teaching strategies should facilitate information encoding, retention, and retrieval. Storytelling, an ancient yet often overlooked pedagogical tool, has been shown to engage students emotionally and cognitively, making presented content more memorable. In the present study, participants were randomly assigned to either a storytelling-based instruction group or a traditional lecture group. Both groups received instruction on the ASSURE Model and were tested immediately after the lesson and again …

Processing Words Using An Ostracism Avoidance Scenario Improves Recall Performance, Julia R. East

Honors Theses

Background. Psychologists have long been interested in studying memory retention, the ability to retain or recall information. Many experiments show that survival processing, which involves encoding information in the context of survival scenarios, has consistently been demonstrated to be one of the best deep processing tasks identified to date. Memory performance following survival processing has been compared with other conditions universally accepted to produce excellent retention, such as processing information using imagery, pleasantness instructions, and self-reference processing. The present study compares the survival processing condition with an ostracism processing condition. It was hypothesized that ostracism processing might perform similarly …

Effects Of Acute Exercise On Cognition: Consideration Of Potential Moderators, Mary G. Jackson, Lucy Wilson, Mara Liston, Elizabeth Gaines, Mckenzie Cotten, Reese Carwile

Honors Theses

The present thesis aims to determine the effects, if any, of six potential moderators on the effects of acute moderate-intensity exercise on cognitive functioning. The modes of exercise undertaken by the participants included treadmill (Experiment 1) and stationary bike (Experiment 2) exercise. Participants in each experiment either exercised or rested for twenty minutes and then participated in either a memory recall task or cognitive functioning (“Stroop”) task. The bouts of either exercise or rest on the stationary bike were followed by a rest period during which the participant would be exposed to either standard air oxygen levels (normoxia) or hypoxic …

Claiming More To Cope: Does Ostracism Increase Overclaiming?, Katy Q. Chen

Honors Theses

In a pre-registered online study, we investigated the relationship between ostracism and overclaiming. Ostracism is the act of deliberately or unintentionally excluding and ignoring others. Overclaiming refers to the behavior of exaggerating one’s knowledge or familiarity with specific topics, often as a way of attempting to present oneself as more knowledgeable or competent than one actually is. Drawing from the temporal need-threat model, we hypothesized that ostracized individuals, as a compensatory response, would likely overclaim more compared to included individuals. This online study simulated a work experience where participants were asked to answer questions about their work-related experiences and opinions. …

Do Psychopathic Traits Influence Post-Traumatic Growth? Testing The Moderating Effects Of Psychopathic Traits Between Stressful Life Events And Post-Traumatic Growth, Ariela Denham

Honors Theses

The present study investigated the relationship between psychopathic traits and post-traumatic growth (PTG) following exposure to stressful life events. A sample of 291 undergraduate students completed self-report measures including the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM), Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5). Pearson correlations and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test whether the TriPM dimensions—Boldness, Meanness, and Disinhibition—moderated the association between stressful life events and PTG. Results revealed that Meanness was negatively associated with PTG, while Boldness and Disinhibition were not significantly related. Boldness showed a positive relationship with the PTGI Strength subscale, suggesting a …

The Power Of Parental Responses: Emotional Invalidation And Its Association With Adolescent And Emerging Adult Anxiety And Emotion Regulation Across Genders, Ashlynn Payne

Honors Theses

Adolescence and emerging adulthood are critical developmental periods marked by increased vulnerability to psychological distress, particularly anxiety and difficulties in emotion regulation. One factor that may contribute to this vulnerability is parental emotional invalidation. Although prior research has linked parental invalidation to adverse emotional outcomes, few studies have examined how these associations differ by caregiver and child gender. The current study evaluated how maternal and paternal emotional invalidation interacted with gender to influence anxiety symptoms and emotion regulation difficulties among 45 adolescents and emerging adults (n = 9 boys, 36 girls) between the ages of 13 and 22 years (M …

Academic Burnout In Human Anatomy & Physiology I Students, Shivani Shukla

Honors Theses

Human Anatomy and Physiology I is the study of the function and structure of the human body. It is a challenging class that many students have to take for their undergraduate degree. Due to the vast information that is given in this complex class, students can struggle with understanding the material and knowing how to study thus leading to burnout in the course. Understanding why students undergo burnout in their courses could uncover ways that professors and institutions could help the students to prevent burnout. The goal of this study was to determine the level of burnout in Human Anatomy …

Relations Between Effortful Control, Parental Movement Attitudes, And Problem Behaviors In 3-Year-Olds, Kiera Breisch

Honors Theses

Research has explored the link between effortful control and problem behaviors, as well as the effects of movement on problem behaviors in children. However, less work has been conducted with preschoolers considering how parental attitudes towards movement may relate to children’s temperament and problem behaviors in the forms of conduct problems, hyperactivity, and emotional problems. In the present study I investigated the relationships between effortful control (attention focusing, attention shifting, and inhibitory control), parental movement attitudes, and problem behaviors in 3-year-olds. Results showed increased reports of inhibitory control related to less reports of conduct problems. Further, higher inhibitory control and …

Associations Between Screen Time, Executive Functioning, And Book Use In Preschool-Age Children From Rural Mississippi, Anabel W. Mccraney

Honors Theses

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between screen time, executive function (EF), and book use in a sample of preschool-age children from rural Mississippi. To measure this relationship children were asked to complete three different EF tasks measuring impulse control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. To measure the child’s frequency of screen and book use, a parent-report survey was used. The results indicated that there might be a relationship between EF, screen, and books within certain variables. There was a relationship found between screen time and fewer books reported in the household. Between EF and …

The Effect Of Self - Conscious Emotions On Help- Seeking Behavior, Kiera Blankinship

Honors Theses

Self-conscious emotions are a select category of emotions which are of special interest in the field of psychology because of the impact they have in the therapy room and beyond. Shame, pride, and guilt are incredibly influential in behavior, self-concept, and many other areas, yet we still know so little about them. This study addresses a gap in the literature regarding the interaction and correlation between proneness to self-conscious emotions and intentions to seek help for mental health issues. The research questions were evaluated using a quasi-experimental survey design utilizing the Test of Self- Conscious Affect (TOSCA) and the General …

Mentorship As Experienced By Black Woman In Stem At Predominantly White Institutions, Chelsei Lasha Arnold

Honors Theses

Black female college students have experienced a marginalized history in STEM higher education. Although students associated with this identity are enrolling and earning college degrees at historic rates, there is a gap in the resources available, especially at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), for these students once they reach collegiate level. The goal of this study is to examine the role of mentorship in the lived experiences of Black women STEM students at PWIs. I used interpretive phenomenological analysis on transcribed interviews to examine psychological patterns, and then I carefully analyzed the phenomenon of being mentored. Through the analysis, I sought …

From Surviving To Thriving: Sense Of Belonging And Imposter Syndrome In College Students With Ptsd, Amaree Walker

Honors Theses

This study explored how PTSD affects college students’ sense of belonging and experiences of Imposter Syndrome. Guided by cognitive-behavioral theory, attachment theory, and post-traumatic growth (PTG) theory, the research aimed to identify cognitive and relational experiences in students with PTSD. PTSD correlated with increased sense of belonging and increased feeling of Imposter Syndrome, influenced by cognitive distortions and insecure attachment styles. psychological well-being was revealed as a mediator in each of these relationships. This research sought to understand how trauma impacts potential cognitive and relational shifts in students with PTSD. The findings can inform future interventions targeting PTSD-related challenges for …

The Relationship Between Sense Of Agency And Perceived Stigma In Those With Cognitive Disabilities, Scarlet S. Pardue

Honors Theses

The focus population of this study is those with cognitive disabilities, which limit in some way a person’s ability to complete mental tasks, such as communication, planning, or remembering. The primary purpose is to focus on the participants' sense of agency and perceived stigma. The Sense of Agency Scale (SoA) measures a participant’s consciously perceived control over their mind, body, and the immediate environment. The Perceived Disability Social Stigma Scale (PDSS) measures to what degree participants believe that people with disabilities are stigmatized in their respective communities. Confirmatory research into these two variables offers an interesting insight into how the …

Using Eeg To Measure Attentional Spreading Across Objects, Dawson L. Green, Michael Pratte

Honors Theses

Abstract: Attention may not solely be restricted to a spatial area or a feature of an object, but rather can “spread” across all parts of an object in space, enhancing the processing of its features collectively (Duncan, 1984). This phenomenon suggests that attention operates at the level of whole objects, enhancing the representation of all features associated with the attended object while suppressing competing stimuli. Building on this object-based framework, the present thesis examines the functional and neural dissociation between attention and awareness using steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs) as a frequency-tagging method in EEG. Leveraging the high temporal resolution …

Comparing Online And In-Person Social Support And Its Effects On Suicidal Ideation, Alexander J. Potter

Honors Theses

According to the interpersonal theory of suicide, thwarted belonging and perceived burdensomeness are proximal causes of suicidal ideation (Van Orden et al., 2010). Studies show that a lack of social support can lead to higher levels of thwarted belonging and perceived burdensomeness (Sparks et al., 2023). This relationship between social support and suicidal ideation has been studied in the literature, but the relationship between online and in-person social support with suicidal ideation has not. The purpose of the current study is to examine the effects of in-person and online social support on different factors of the interpersonal theory of suicide. …

Technical Difficulties: An Investigation Of Problematic Social Media Usage And Well-Being Of Emerging Adults, Sarah Swan

Honors Theses

Grounded in previous scholarship investigating the relationship between social media use and psychoemotional outcomes, this study conceptualizes and tests a comprehensive model that constellates predictive factors (i.e., time spent, platforms selected, purposes of use, and emotional regulation abilities) and negative behavioral and emotional outcomes (i.e., addiction and emotional affect), specifically among emerging adults (ages 18-29). A survey of 591 respondents revealed that high usage of certain platforms (i.e., Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook), alongside individual emotional regulation abilities and passivity of social media use, predicts higher levels of addiction and negative emotional outcomes. Additional findings indicate significant differences in social media …

Divine Condemnation And Psychological Flexibility: Viewing Psychological Distress Through A Religious Lens, Abby Chittenden

Honors Theses

Recent research has shown the widespread prevalence of psychological distress. Religion can operate both as a resource as well as a problem or barrier to good mental health. Given that some individuals attribute mental distress to religious or spiritual causes, such as punishment from God or demonic involvement, this research examines how these beliefs influence emotional regulation and mental health outcomes. The study surveyed 1,304 participants, including 686 undergraduate students and 618 online participants, to assess their religious attributions, psychological flexibility, and level of distress. The results indicated that those in the general sample who viewed their mental health struggles …

Relationships Between The Social Deprivation Index And Mental Health Outcomes In Sexual And Gender Minority Adults, Bea Twilbeck

Honors Theses

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations include individuals who identify as non-heterosexual and/or whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth. SGM populations experience higher rates of social deprivation—disadvantages including socioeconomic factors and living conditions—compared to non-SGM groups. While the current body of research highlights the negative health impacts of social deprivation, no work has yet assessed the extent to which SGM status moderates associations between social deprivation and mental health symptoms. This study aimed to fill that gap by examining associations between social deprivation and mental health symptoms, as well as whether this relationship varies …

Evaluating The Effects Of Social Ostracism On Attentional Control And Episodic Memory, Colby Brown

Honors Theses

This study examined the relationships between social pain, attentional control, and episodic memory. Fifty-five University of Southern Mississippi undergraduates (Mage = 19.78 years; Range = 17-29) wrote responses to one of three prompts designed to elicit feelings of social pain, physical pain, or no pain (i.e., control). Participants then completed a battery of attentional control (AC) and episodic memory (EM) tasks consisting of the Stroop squared, Flanker squared, Simon squared, and dual-list recall tasks. Participants also completed a series of questionnaires including Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to assess any change in affect caused by the writing prompts and …