Psychology Commons^™

Interpersonal Desirability Of The Self-Defeating Humorist, Ashley N. Barnes

Honors Theses

Humor is a multifaceted construct and can be defined in terms of the different ways people tend to use humor, which are referred to as humor styles. The present study examined the potential effects that the four different humor styles (Affiliative, Self-enhancing, Aggressive, and Self-defeating) have on other people’s perceptions of the individual producing the humor, and whether that impact was moderated by the attachment style of the individual perceiving the humorist. The goal was to investigate the interaction between the humor styles and physical attractiveness of a target in predicting how attractive a person is perceived and the degree …

The Effects Of Formatting On Card Fluency For Say-All-Fast-Minute-Each-Day-Shuffled (Safmeds), Tory Roti

Honors Theses

SAFMEDS is a precision teaching technique that promotes fluent responding (Bower & Orgel, 1981; Eshleman, 1985; Korinek & Wolking, 1984). Limited research has been conducted regarding SAFMEDS and stimulus control, but available research suggests irrelevant stimuli affect students responding during a SAFMEDS timing (Meindl, Ivy, Miller, & Neef, 2011). Meindl et al. (2011) questioned whether fluency of SAFMEDS cards couId be affected by altering stimulus features on the card (i.e., location of the words on the card). Results indicated that on testing days, accuracy and fluency of responding decreased when identical terms were presented with the only difference being the …

Of Mice And Mozart: Testing Spatial Reasoning And Memory Of Rats, Kaitlin O'Toole

Honors Theses

An increase in spatial-temporal reasoning has been documented in the presence of Mozart's sonata K.448; this enhancement of physical and psychological activities is called the "Mozart Effect" (Hughes 2001). This effect has been recorded in humans and animals alike, and its influence reaches a myriad of applications including calming wild animals to increasing test scores in college students to lowering high blood pressure. Using a cheeseboard apparatus to test spatial reasoning in rats, this experiment recorded the results from maze tasks completed in the presence of sonata K.448 compared to trials completed in silence. Results showed a significant difference between …

The Relationship Between Resistance To Conformity And College Students’ Alcohol Use, Alcohol-Related Consequences Experienced, And Pbs Use, Melissa Ambrosino

Honors Theses

College students’ alcohol use has reached alarming heights in the past 25 years and shows no signs of slowing; experiencing alcohol-related negative consequences is on the rise for this demographic. Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) can help prevent negative consequences. This study sought to determine if relationships existed between resistance to conformity and college students’ alcohol consumption, alcohol-related negative consequences experienced, and PBS use. Data were collected via online surveys from students at a Southeastern mid-sized university. As hypothesized, resistance to conformity had negative relationships with alcohol consumption (r = -.094, p = .05 ) and number of alcohol-related negative …

Attitudes And Social Factors As Predictors Of Male Perpetration Of Sexual Assault, Andrea A. Massa

Honors Theses

Previous research has demonstrated a significant association between sexual assault perpetration and hooking up, male peer support for woman abuse, alcohol consumption, and rape myth acceptance (Burt, 1980; Flack, Daubman, Caron, Asadorian, D’Aureli, Gigliotti & Stine, 2007; Schwartz & DeKeseredy, 1997). In the present study, we tested these relationships on the collegiate level by asking male students to indicate levels of male peer support for woman abuse (MPS), acceptance of rape myths (RMA), alcohol consumption, and history of hooking up and sexual assault perpetration during their undergraduate experience. Participants in this study were 200 male Bucknell students (sophomores - seniors) …

Disclosing Sexual Assault Victimization To Others, Nicole S. Shea

Honors Theses

Previous research has demonstrated that victims of sexual assault disclose their assaults most frequently to members of their intimate social circle. Unfortunately, some friends and family members give support in ways that are perceived as unhelpful by victims. The present study found that victims' reports and non-victims' expectations of positive support after disclosure differed significantly. These results indicate that significant efforts are needed to change the campus culture by increasing support for sexual assault victims.

Career Calling And Work Motivation In Traditional And Non-Traditional College Students, Cara Wells

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to help define career-related calling through the perception of traditional (18 to 24 years of age) and non-traditional (25 and older) college students and identify what variables of motivation are related to calling. Three hundred and fifty-one participants completed an online survey that measured calling through The Career and Vocational Questionnaire (CVQ), and motivation through the Work Preference Inventory (WPI). Pearson Correlation and independent t-test were used in statistical analysis. Correlational analysis revealed that presence of calling and search for calling are significantly related to intrinsic motivation. Analysis also showed that level of presence …

Change In First-Year Women's Body Dissatisfaction In Relation To Drive For Thinness And Social Body Comparison, Marie L. Chardon

Honors Theses

Drive for thinness (DT) and social body comparison (SBC) have been highly correlated with body dissatisfaction, a robust risk factor for eating disorders; however, there is little understanding of how these two variables relate to increases in body dissatisfaction over time. In the present study, I investigated how high initial levels of DT and SBC correlate with changes in body dissatisfaction and ideal body by surveying 110 first-year women at the beginning and end of their first semester. There was no significant relationship between high initial DT and SBC and changes in either body dissatisfaction or ideal body. However, high …

Thought-Action Fusion And Neutralization Behavior, Angela L. Foster

Honors Theses

This study presents a new inventory to assess thought-action fusion (TAF). 160 college students ages 18 to 22 (M = 19.17, SD = 1.11) completed the new Modified Thought Action Scale (MTAFS). Results indicated high internal consistency in the MTAFS (Cronbach’s α = .95). A principal component analysis suggested a three factor solution of TAF-Moral (TAFM), TAFLikelihood (TAFL), and TAF-Harm avoidance-Positive (TAFHP) all with eigenvalues above 1, and factor loadings above .4. A second study examined the association between TAF, obsessivecompulsive and anxiety tendencies after the activation of TAF-like thought processes in a nonclinical sample (n=76). Subjects were randomly assigned …

Differential Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior In A Child With Autism, Mackenzie M. Sullivan

Honors Theses

Some children diagnosed with autism engage in aggressive behavior with different functions. There is a great need to find ways to reduce these behaviors to protect these children and make them more suitable to interact with other child in classroom settings. A Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior intervention was designed in an effort to decrease aggressive behavior in child with autism. The goal of the intervention was to train Brian, the single participant, to engage in more appropriate behaviors instead of aggressing toward other children. The participant was placed in a room with another child and instances were created where …

Using A Reinforcer Hierarchy To Increase Compliance And Skill Acquisition, Bertilde U. Kamana

Honors Theses

The purpose of this intervention is to increase compliant behavior and skill acquisition in a child who has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with the use of a reinforcer hierarchy. This hierarchy will be determined by conducting preference assessments. These assessments are established by allowing the child to choose the most preferred object of at least two objects which are presented to him by his tutor—a preference assessment can also be conducted by observing which objects or toys the child chooses to interact with the most in his environment. When the preference assessment is established, a reinforcer matrix …

Theatre And Eating Disorders, Jeniece K. Salness

Honors Theses

Theatre is an excellent tool for education and instilling the will and ideas to make societal changes. Using the techniques and theories of Augusto Boal, Dr. Christine Iaderosa at Western Michigan University created musical titled “Food Prisons” to address the social stigmas and issue involved with eating disorders and disordered eating. These techniques positively model the actions and effects involved in eating disorders to show alternative routes to eating disorders and the effects eating disorders have on the person and those around them. The show was positively received when it was performed in 2012 when the audience and cast were …

A Literary Review Of Adhd Treatments: An Advocate For Neurofeedback, Jessica A. Steele

Honors Theses

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioral disorder affecting a tremendous portion of children in the United States. Medication and traditional Behavioral interventions have remained the primary forms of treatment. Research has demonstrated that brain wave frequencies are directly associated with behavior. Children diagnosed with ADHD have abnormal EEG profiles compared to their peers. EEG Neurofeedback developed as an operant conditioning treatment for brain waves to influence behavior. Neurofeedback has been found as effective as medication without the negative side effects or high percent of non-responders. Unlike medication and Behavioral Treatments, Neurofeedback offers long-term effects following the conclusion of …

The Relationship Between Level Of Expertise And Holistic Processing In Chinese Character Recognition, Shirley Yin Ming Leung

Honors Theses

Evidence from past research suggests that when people process objects in which they are experts, such as faces and Roman letters, they usually engage in holistic processing which is the processing of multiple parts of a stimulus (Bukach, Gauthier, & Tarr, 2006; Wong et al., 2011). However, Hsiao and Cottrell (2009) found the opposite result such that novices used holistic processing in Chinese character recognition while experts did not. The current study explored the correlation between expertise and holistic processing of Chinese characters. We used the composite task to measure holistic processing of Chinese characters from English native- speakers who …

A Dual Process Model Of Stress Effects On Alcohol Consumption, Ivori Zvorsky

Honors Theses

The dual process theory proposes two forms of cognitive processing: implicit and explicit. The goal of the current study is to further investigate the dual process model of risky drinking, exploring the roles of executive functioning, implicit attitudes, and stress. 98 students from the University of Richmond participated in this study. After reading a stressful vignette, significant changes in Implicit Association Test (IAT) scores indicated that stress does heighten implicit “approach” associations for alcohol. Interestingly, when separated into low and high self-restraint groups, only participants with high self-restraint were significantly affected by the vignette. After testing for interaction effects, our …

The Influence Of Framing Effects And Regret On Health Decision-Making, Sarah Falkof

Honors Theses

This study investigates methods for influencing decision-making regarding preventative vaccine shots. Specifically, the research assessed the influence of message framing on regret and future action likelihood. In Experiment 1, participants read information about an available vaccine shot that was either framed positively or negatively. Participants were told whether they decided to get the shot (action) or not get the shot (inaction) and rated their feelings of regret after being told they got sick, regardless of their decision. Results showed that participants who read the positively framed information experienced more regret overall than participants who read the information with the negative …

The Discriminating Mother : Own V. Alien And Male V. Female, Eric Mcdaniel

Honors Theses

The Discriminating Mother: Own v. Alien and Male v. Female It is o en stated that one of the greatest bonds that exists is between mother and child. Previous research has shown that mothers experience modi cations in their brain chemistry and structure due to the e ects of pregnancy, parturition, and motherhood in animal models (Lambert & Kinsley, 2012). If an individual cannot have children of her own she may chose to adopt a child to l ll that niche and rge a similar bond. One may ask, however, whether this bond between mother and child is equivalent in …

Social Distance As A Function Of Mental Health Status And Gender Of College Student Peers, Kaitlyn A. Zuilkowski

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine college students' general preference for social distance from individuals who have mental disorders, as well as their preference for social distance from a peer with a specific diagnostic label of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), or a Stuttering Disorder. College students (N = 180) enrolled at a Southeastern liberal arts university completed the Modified Social Distance Scale which assessed general preference for social distance from people with mental disorders and subsequently read a short vignette describing a male or female college student who had been diagnosed with and …

Effects Of Menstruation On Women's Likeliness To Forgive, Brittany K. Gaillard

Honors Theses

The effect the secretion and ovulation phases of the menstrual cycle has on forgiveness was examined in this study. It was hypothesized that women in either phase of their menstrual cycle would be less likely to forgive than those not in either phase of their menstrual cycle. Participants (N = 146) completed three questionnaires, one measuring their likeliness to forgive, one measuring their forgiveness of others, self, and situations, and the last collecting demographic information and information about their periods. The results showed no significant difference in woman's likeliness to forgive when experiencing a period and when not experiencing a …

Female Students' Clothing Styles And Their Effect On Perceived Intelligence By College Professors, Dea Kamberaj

Honors Theses

This study was conducted to look at the contemporary effects of students' clothing styles on college professors' perceptions about the students' intelligence, attractiveness, and sociability. The effects of three dress conditions, formal attire, provocative attire, and casual attire, were studied on professors on a southeastern university. The hypothesis stated that a student wearing formal attire would receive the highest overall rating and the highest rating in intelligence. The casual attire condition would receive the lowest rating in intelligence and overall rating. The rating of the provocative clothing condition is predicted to change based on the sex of the rater. One …

Emotional Intensity And Persuasion, Laurencio Tamayo

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Problem Solving And Functional Fixedness: A Comparison Between Eco-Reps And Non Eco-Reps, Keith G. Richard

Honors Theses

A quasi experiment was conducted to examine functional fixedness and creative problem solving. The purpose of this research was to attempt to identify differences in cognitive ability between recyclers and non recyclers. This researcher investigated whether recycling group affiliation or priming for functional fixedness would affect task performance among college students. A tower building activity was developed for this study to determine if members of a college recycling group, the Eco-Reps, would complete a problem solving activity faster than non Eco-Reps. Some participants in each group were primed for functional fixedness. This researcher hypothesized that Eco-Reps would complete the task …

An Intervention In Stereotype Threat : Does Gender-Affirming Literature Reduce Female Vulnerability In Mathematics?, Emily Dowd

Honors Theses

The current study examined whether the presentation of gender-affirming literature, in the form of information about the University of Richmond‟s Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) program, mitigated female stereotype threat in the domain of mathematics. A pilot study tested 10 male and 10 female college-aged participants to determine whether a derogatory beer commercial produced the threat effect in women; results were inconclusive. A follow-up study used threat methods derived from previous research and information about the WGSS program at Richmond for the intervention manipulation. Results from 30 female college students indicated insufficient threat and a nonsignificant positive increase in …

Forgiveness As A Mechanism Of Self-Regulation : An Ego-Depletion Model, Lindsay Myerberg

Honors Theses

Revenge is the natural human response to interpersonal transgressions. However, given the benefits of forgiveness, it is important to consider how forgiveness can be facilitated. Many factors have been shown to be associated with forgiveness, ranging from situational factors (e.g., perception of the transgression) to dispositional factors (e.g., personality traits). This study aims to extend research on the factors that are associated with forgiveness, and determine the processes on which forgiveness relies. To demonstrate that forgiveness requires self-regulation, Study 1 examines if ego-depletion decreases willingness to forgive, and Study 2 examines if glucose consumption can negate this ego-depletion effect. Results …

Friendship And Problem Solving : The Effect Of Various Situations On Co-Rumination In Emerging Adulthood Friendships, Kelly Larsen

Honors Theses

Co-rumination is the act of negatively discussing problems with another person. The focus of co-rumination is generally on the negative aspects, or things that cannot be changed as opposed to active problem solving. Co-rumination is positively associated with positive friendship quality as well as internalizing symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Co-rumination is most commonly studied in children and adolescents, but the present study extends this research by looking at the undergraduate population. In addition the current study aims to find differences in co-rumination in response to four different hypothetical scenarios. One hundred and thirty one students at the University …

Do College Women Facilitate The Sexual Assault Of Their Same-Gender Peers?, Allyson Hopper

Honors Theses

National studies indicate that approximately 25 percent of women have been sexually assaulted by the time they finish college. Although male peers are often the perpetrators, women also engage in behaviors with their female peers that may increase the risk of sexualassault. In the present study, we sought to determine how often college women engaged in these behaviors (i.e. “female facilitation”). Participants were 373 female students (sophomorethrough senior; Greek and independent) who completed an online survey containing measures of sexual assault, alcohol consumption, and female facilitation. The female facilitation measure indexed both “facilitator” behaviors (those directed toward others thatlikely increase …

The Effect Of Identification Style On Confidence Inflation In Eyewitness Testimony, Kelsey L. Stratton

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine whether confidence inflation in eyewitness testimony can be altered by the effects of self-perception and public commitment, as manipulated by identification style. In order to investigate these specific effects, identifications and confidence reports were made using both private and public methods. Additionally, target-present and target-absent lineups were used in order to assess their relative effects and to control participant accuracy.

Results revealed that the best confidence-accuracy correlations, as determined by a comparison from pre-lineup measures, were a result of post-lineup, private identifications. This indicates that self-perception may be more responsible for confidence …

Identifying The Negative Stigma Associated With Having A Learning Disability, Kelsey Lisle

Honors Theses

Those with learning disabilities (LDs) can be characterized as a minority group, and like most groups of minorities they face a distinct stigma by the larger population. While there iscurrently a lack of research in understanding LD stigma, it has become increasingly important given the push for inclusive classrooms settings. In this study it was hypothesized that regardlessof a participants’ gender, when participants were given a hypothetical description of a person that included information indicating that the individual has a LD, the participants would rate that individual less favorably. Results were consistent with the hypothesis. Participants perceived the hypothetical LD …

Lexical Development In Adult Beginning Second Language Learners, Angela Chouinard

Honors Theses

This research tests the hypothesis that knowledge of derivational morphology facilitates vocabulary acquisition in beginning adult second language learners. Participants were mono-lingual English-speaking college students aged 18 years and older enrolled inintroductory Spanish courses. Knowledge of Spanish derivational morphology was tested through the use of a forced-choice translation task. Spanish lexical knowledge was measured by a translation task using direct translation (English word) primes and conceptual (picture) primes. A 2x2x2 mixed factor ANOVA examined the relationships between morphological knowledge (strong, moderate), error type (form-based, conceptual), and prime type (direct translation, picture). The results are consistent with the existence of a …

Self-Perceived Attractiveness And Its Influence On The Halo Effect And The Similar-To Me Effect, Lauren Cotter

Honors Theses

The present research examined the influences of the halo effect and the similar-tome effect on physical and sexual attractiveness for hiring decisions. It was hypothesized that the halo effect would cause applicants rated highly in physical and sexual attractiveness to receive higher ratings of hireability than unattractive applicants.However, if the similar-to-me effect is influential for levels of attractiveness in hiring situations, participants who rated themselves as less attractive should favor unattractive applicants. The results did not show an interaction between participant self-ratings and ratings of hireability, indicating the similar-to-me effect does not apply to physical or sexual attractiveness. There was …