Psychology Commons^™

The Relationship Between Social Cognition And Team Cohesion In Collegiate Athletes, Jessica Pegg

Master's Theses

Thesis Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social cognition and team cohesion in Division III collegiate athletes. Methods: A total of 103 athletes from SUNY Cortland participated. Two questionnaires were used: social cognition was assessed via the Tromsø Social Intelligence Scale (TSIS), and team cohesion was assessed via the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ). The two questionnaires, along with demographics, were completed online. Analysis: Pearson’s bivariate correlations were analyzed to assess the relationships among TSIS total score, GEQ total score, and GEQ social cohesion for the total sample and separately by sports season and sports type. Linear …

Gender Stereotypes In The Elementary Classroom, Mckenna Gill

Master's Theses

This study explores ways to reduce gender stereotypes in the elementary classroom. Specifically, it was designed to collect data on male and female behaviors related to gender stereotypes toward different school subjects, volunteering, peer relationships, and student redirections during lessons. A literature review was conducted to investigate existing research on this topic. A mixed-methods design was used in this study. Data was collected in a fifth-grade classroom, by keeping a tally of each of the subject areas Math, Reading, Science, and Writing, and the students who volunteered. Included in the investigation was a teacher interview regarding her thoughts on gender …

The Effects Of Implementing Movement Breaks In Elementary Classrooms, Laura Ford

Master's Theses

This action research project investigated the implementation of movement breaks in a third-grade classroom to enhance academic performance and behavior. The short study aimed to assess whether integrating regular movement breaks into the classroom routine would lead to significant improvements in academic outcomes and behavior, particularly those students diagnosed with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Over a designated period, movement breaks were introduced at a specific interval during the school day. Data was collected through observations, surveys, and behavior tracking. Surprisingly, the findings revealed that despite the incorporation of movement breaks, there was no significant difference observed in overall academics or behavior …

The Impact Of Play-Based Learning On Early Childhood Development, Aubry Mauro

Master's Theses

This action research project emphasizes the recognized influence of play on children’s social, emotional, and cognitive growth. The researcher explored how play-based learning strategies contribute to students’ development, drawing insights from existing literature. The research used mixed methods to analyze the impact of play-based learning on social, emotional, and cognitive development in a sixth-grade classroom. The researcher collected data over six weeks. Initial findings showed the effect of play-based learning on students' development. The baseline data in this action research project showed that this group of students enjoys playing inside, outside, independently, or in a group. The researcher found that …

Chat Is This Real? Perceived Authenticity Of #Naturecore Via Tiktok Comments, Anna Madison

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand how people perceive the authenticity of nature-based TikTok content by analyzing the comments left on videos that featured the hashtag #naturecore. Comments posted on relevant videos were observed using qualitative content analysis to evaluate how people use comments to express perceptions of authenticity. Prior literature on the perceived authenticity of mass-oriented computer mediated communication was used to inform decisions made during data analysis. Of the 138,389 comments collected as data, 1,031 were identified as relevant for this scope of this study. The final sample was analyzed using constant comparison to establish codes …

The Effects Of Student Choice On Motivation And Writing Skills, Laura Annunziata

Master's Theses

This mixed methods action research study investigates the potential effects of student choice on motivation and academic performance in writing-based assignments in a fourth-grade classroom. Baseline data was collected prior to implementation of student choice writing activities and then used to compare writing samples collected post intervention. The baseline data suggests that students’ attitudes towards autonomy are positive. Having choices was important to them and helped them learn better. However, data also indicates that while students were motivated to write using choice, many of the reading and writing competency scores dropped during journal entry writing samples. Data shows that while …

Implementing Music To Increase Elementary Student Focus, Kathryn Garceau

Master's Theses

This action research project used a mixed methods design to address the effect of different types of music on student focus while performing an independent task. Despite its success with memorization, does music work equally as well on student focus? Data was collected over a period of three weeks for 30 minutes each morning for 5 days each week. The music played while students completed the task changed each week. This included lyrical songs during week one, classical music during week two, and instrumental versions of songs students knew the lyrics to during week three. Four behavior markers were observed …

The Role Of Maternal Emotion Regulation In The Relationship Between Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces), Negative Parenting, And Child Externalizing Behaviors, Maddison Knott

Master's Theses

Exploration of the effects of maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on child externalizing behaviors were conducted in the proposed study. Subtypes of ACEs, such as household dysfunction and maltreatment, and their effects on child externalizing behaviors were also examined. Maternal ACEs have shown to have negative effects on their children through use of more negative parenting practices (NPP). However, the role of maternal difficulty in emotion regulation in the link between maternal ACEs, NPP, and child externalizing behaviors has not been previously shown in the literature. Thus, the present study aimed to examine these relations, specifically with NPP as a …

Housing As A Determinant Of Health: Exploring The Role Of Housing And Homelessness Organizations In Increasing Access To Resources And Overcoming Barriers To Adequate And Healthy Homes, Jennifer C. Martin

Master's Theses

Across the United States, there are a multitude of barriers that stand in the way of obtaining adequate housing and additional resources that can assist with accessing housing. These barriers disproportionately impact low-income individuals and communities (Gold, 2016), and further contribute to inequity by negatively impacting the health of these individuals and communities (Swope & Hernández, 2019; Taylor, 2018). The current study explores housing organizations’ potential role in overcoming these barriers by focusing on the work of one housing organization in the Greater New Haven and Fairfield Counties of Connecticut: New Reach. 17 participants enrolled in New Reach programs were …

Does Appearance Matter? The Relationship Of Perceived Body Size And Physical Appearance On Students' Attraction To Physical Activity At Recess, Danielle Belcher

Master's Theses

Drastic declines in recess physical activity (PA) have been observed within recent years (Center for Disease Control (CDC), 2017). Due to recess’ discretionary nature, psychosocial variables associated with PA are predictors of students’ PA levels. Recess is also a time of heightened bullying occurrences (Vaillancourt et al., 2010). Appearance-based bullying is the most common type of victimization that occurs in schools, transpiring more often in children with larger body max indexes (BMI), and possibly altering students’ physical self-perceptions. Physical self-perceptions have been shown to impact PA motivation, however, it is still unknown the extent to which appearance-based bullying, body size, …

Assessing The Independent Role Of Moral Foundations In Attitudes Toward Various Justifications For Abortion, Saba Shahid

Master's Theses

Although many states have legal frameworks that restrict abortion to certain situations, largely associated with health risks to the mother, child or both, other factors, such as financial stability, emotional readiness, and partner's presence, are not covered by existing laws, though they may be critical factors contributing to abortion decisions. To assess the role of these factors, participants (N= 302) were recruited online via Prolific Academic and randomly assigned on a between participants basis to view a single vignette that manipulated abortion justification category (financial, emotional, partner) and the presence/absence of justification. They reported the extent to which …

Effects Of Identity And Competency-Based Rejection And Acceptance On Online Versus Face To Face Reaffiliation Preferences In Adults, August Namuth

Master's Theses

Humans are social animals, resulting in notable sensitivity to experiences of acceptance and rejection. This study extends existing research by considering whether rejection or acceptance based on identity uniquely influences reaffiliation interests. Participants recalled either an inclusionary or exclusionary experience (or a control state), which would have been based on their competency or identity. Following this experience, they indicated their interest in participating in virtual and in-person social activities. I hypothesized that identity-based rejection would foster an interest in reaffiliation through online activities due to the greater availability to join likeminded groups online compared to in person. Conversely, I hypothesized …

The Role Of Attachment And Childhood Trauma For Men Parenting During The Reentry Phase: A Mixed Methods Secondary Analysis, Lily A. Hoerner

Master's Theses

Mass incarceration is a major problem in the U.S., with people of color being the ones most affected by it. Most of the people who are incarcerated are men, and a stark number of these men are parents. Reentry is a critical period for people released where they return home to their communities and families and have to reintegrate into life outside of prison. The recidivism rate in the U.S. is the highest of any other nation, making reentry an important area of focus to help repair the harms caused by mass incarceration. Many men who return home from incarceration …

The Impact Of Video Game Play On Attention And Perception, Krish Pradhan

Master's Theses

Past research shows that individuals who play action video games have stronger attentional resources. However, the role of expertise and player experience is yet to be operationalized in cognitive video game research. This thesis aimed to discover if there is a systematic relationship between video game expertise, specifically percentile-based ranks and actual hours played, on perception and attentional skills. Percentile-based rankings were used as a new, objective measure of expertise that accounts for an individual's skill level relative to all other players of the same game. The number of weekly hours played was gathered from the participants and divided into …

The Relationship Between Communication With Coworkers And Job Satisfaction Among Teleworkers: The Moderating Role Of Communication Modality, Madison L. Mariano

Master's Theses

Teleworking has become increasingly prevalent due to public health concerns and advancements in communication technologies. While organizations should take steps to promote job satisfaction among teleworkers, there is little research on the predictors of job satisfaction among full-time teleworkers. Specifically, few studies have focused on how coworker communication might impact job satisfaction among full-time teleworkers. This study focused on this gap in the literature by examining the relationship between the frequency of communication with coworkers and job satisfaction and the moderating role of communication modality. Communication modality refers to a form of communication technology available to teleworkers, ranging from rich …

Unveiling The Cognitive Impact: An Exploratory Study On Food Insecurity And Value-Driven Attentional Capture, Nichole S. Hogoboom

Master's Theses

Food insecurities have been shown to lead to serious negative health outcomes such as increased risk for diabetes and obesity in adulthood, food-related mental health and behavioral issues, all of which can have a crossover effect in many areas of a person’s life. This experiment explores whether previous history of food insecurity is associated with how people allocate attention to pictures of food; whether they are prioritizing or ignoring food stimuli in their environment. We hypothesized that the severity of food insecurity experienced in childhood would correlate with attentional bias towards food images, and that how hungry or thirsty participants …

Posttraumatic Symptoms As Predictors Of Mobile App Engagement: An Evaluation Of Usage Data From Public Users Of An App For Military Sexual Trauma, Shilpa Hampole

Master's Theses

Veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST) often face barriers to help-seeking. Mental health mobile applications (apps) such as Beyond MST, developed by the National Center for PTSD, can expand access to evidence-based coping tools, psychoeducation, and resources. However, user engagement is crucial for these apps to be effective. Researchers are exploring factors impacting app engagement, with emerging evidence suggesting that symptom severity may play a key role. This study examined whether the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and posttraumatic negative cognitions, as well as level of well-being, are associated with app engagement. Anonymous app usage data …

The Anticipation Is Killing Me! - Examining The Mediating And Moderating Relationships Between Mistreatment Anticipation And Work Engagement, Mia N. Fagan

Master's Theses

The mistreatment of workers by customers in the service industry is widespread and well-known. Although customer mistreatment is associated with negative consequences for employees, there is little knowledge about the potential consequences of the expectation of future mistreatment. The present study examined the relationship between mistreatment anticipation and work engagement and hypothesized that mistreatment anxiety would mediate the relationship between the two and that perceived organizational support (POS) would moderate the relationship between mistreatment anticipation and mistreatment anxiety. Data were collected from a sample of 183 individuals via an online survey. Results showed a significant and negative relationship between mistreatment …

The Moderating Role Of Job Insecurity On The Relationship Between Psychological Contract Breach And Employee Turnover Intention, Madeline R. Clark

Master's Theses

The intentions for an employee to voluntarily leave their position at an organization has been widely researched, given it is a strong determinant of actual employee turnover. Psychological contract breach (PCB), an employee’s perception that their organization has failed to fulfill its promises or obligations, has been identified as a known predictor of employee turnover intention. While various moderators of the relationship between PCB and turnover intention have been explored in previous research, current literature had yet to examine how the job insecurity employees experience might be associated with this relationship. Therefore, the present study examined job insecurity as a …

Assessing Stereotype Content And Accuracy Of The Poor: Interpersonal Warmth And Social Competence Dimensions, Shiza Shahid

Master's Theses

The present study assessed (a) the stereotype content of poor people among the poor and the non-poor by using implicit and explicit measures and (b) how these stereotypes map onto actual traits of the poor (i.e., stereotype accuracy). Experiment 1a assessed the stereotype of interpersonal warmth associated with the poor in the non-poor individuals using the Single Category Implicit Association Task (SC-IAT) and stereotype rating questionnaire. Participants also completed the interpersonal warmth inventory. Poor participants completed the SC-IAT, stereotypes ratings, and interpersonal warmth inventory to assess the stereotypes and stereotype accuracy (Experiment 1b). In Experiment 2a, I recruited non-poor participants …

A Talk With Time, Samanatha Kuban

Master's Theses

I chose to write a collection of genre-mixing short stories to depict the vastness and complexity of time as my English Master’s thesis project. Thinking about the constructs of time and how they function or do not function within our society sparked my interest in this field of knowledge and discussion. I am a person that tends to feel a large amount of anxiety surrounding the passage of time or time limits so reading deeper into studies of time and how we think about it in various ways proved to be an outlet for a better understanding. I chose to …

An Exploration Of Symptom Severity And Suicidal Ideation Within A Sex Addiction Sample, Emily A. Cordova

Master's Theses

Currently sex addiction is not recognized as a mental disorder in the DSM-5-TR, yet it continues to negatively affect a significant number of people annually. The following study aimed to explore the relationships between sex addiction, attachment styles, and suicide-related behavior, and other psychopathology related symptoms as measured by the MMPI-3. Using data from the MMPI-3, the Sexual Dependency Inventory-4^th Edition, the Sexual Addiction Screening Test-Revised, and the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised, this study explored the relationship between attachment style and sex addiction symptoms, suicidality, and sex addiction severity in a sample of 222 men seeking treatment for …

The Classroom Password Group Contingency With Randomized Reinforcers, Emily Maxime

Master's Theses

From the principles of reinforcement and punishment established by operant conditioning, there have been a variety of different behavior modification methods explored. Group contingencies are one of these behavior modification procedures that can be applied at a class-wide level by teachers who are seeking to improve student behavior as a group or individually. The three types of group contingencies are independent, interdependent, and dependent group contingency. Additional components, such as randomization within a group contingency, have been seen to further the effectiveness of behavioral strategies. A novel independent group contingency that has recently been investigated and demonstrated some promise as …

Using Behavior Bingo To Increase Academically Engaged Behavior In A General Education Elementary School Population, Faith Elizabeth Hamilton

Master's Theses

Spending instructional and work time addressing disruptive behaviors in the classroom is a common complaint of many teachers. The literature suggests that group contingencies are beneficial for improving behavior on a classwide and individual level. The current study investigated Behavior BINGO, a group contingency intervention whose research is in its infancy, and its effectiveness on increasing academically engaged behaviors and decreasing disruptive behaviors on a classwide basis. This study utilized a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design in three 2^nd grade, general education classrooms in a public school.

The Examination Of A Teacher Mentorship Intervention On Junior Teachers' Stress And Self-Efficacy, Cagla Cobek

Master's Theses

This study examined a daily Check-In/Check-Out mentorship intervention for junior teachers. Changes in junior teachers’ stress level and their sense of self-efficacy were measured. Researchers collected data from three junior teachers and mentor dyads in a Southeastern school district. A Multiple Baseline Design across three teachers was used in this study to examine the impact of the daily mentorship intervention. The results suggested that daily Check-Ins and Check-Outs with mentor teachers decreased all three junior teachers’ daily stress. The intervention did not impact significantly on junior teachers’ perceived stress and their sense of self-efficacy. Overall, this study supports a promising …

Guilty As Charged: The Role Of Judge Instructions On Metaphor Produced Biases In Jury Decision Making, Gina N. Rita

Master's Theses

In this study, we hope to determine if the placement of judge instructions mitigates our previous study’s effect of metaphors on memory and verdict decisions. Our previous study showed in the metaphor condition, participants were more likely to vote guilty and remember more metaphor-related evidence compared to those in the control group. In addition to replicating the previous study’s results, we hypothesize judge instructions stated at the beginning of the trial will have little influence on the metaphor effects, and judge instructions at the end of the trial will weaken these effects. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of …

The Relationship Between Religiosity And Tobacco Use In A Mexican Spanish Speaking Sample In The United States, Lauren Hales

Master's Theses

To address disparities in minority mental health access and treatment, this study examined the relationship between tobacco use and religiosity, focusing on a Mexican Spanish speaking sample. Based on past research, it was hypothesized that religiosity would act as a protective factor against tobacco use characteristics. Participants were recruited through Amazon’s M*Turk survey platform. The sample included 144 adults aged 18+, currently residing in the US, who speak Mexican Spanish, have had an interaction with a medical provider in the last six months, and have used tobacco daily at some point in the last six months. Along with demographic information, …

Comparing Effects Of Praise Rates On Classroom Behavior, Brittany Pigg

Master's Theses

High-quality academic instruction, and, in turn, student success, are correlated with effective classroom management (Gage, Scott, Hirn, & MacSuga-Gage, 2018; Johnson, 1997; Stronge, Ward, & Grant, 2011; Wang, Haertel, & Walberg, 1993). Students are spending up to 50% of their instructional time engaged in non-instructional activities such as classroom procedures, transitions, and discipline (Codding & Smyth, 2008). However, academic activities should account for at least 70% of classroom time (Little & Akin-Little, 2008). Praise, a simple classroom behavior management procedure, includes statements commending behavior and is intended to increase the future probability of the behavior that warranted praise. Behavior-specific praise …

The Mental Health Of Lgbtq+ Graduate Students: Examining The Role Of Lifestyle Factors, Lindsey Ostermiller

Master's Theses

The are many well-documented disparities among LGBTQ+ individuals and a rising concern about mental health in higher education, as LGBTQ+ graduate students may face unique and specific vulnerabilities in relation to their overall health compared to their peers. Part of what might be driving the mental health crisis among LGBTQ+ graduate students are poorer lifestyle factors. There is limited research that examines the impact of health-related lifestyle factors on mental health among LGBTQ+ graduate students, exacerbating our lack of insight into specific problems that may affect LGBTQ+ individuals’ mental health. As such, the present study examined mental health in LGBTQ+ …

Social Anxiety And Relational Aggression In The Peer Relationships Of College Women, Summer Boggs

Master's Theses

Relational aggression (i.e., a type of aggression in which the aggressor harms others by damaging their relationships, reputation, and/or feelings of social acceptance) is common among emerging adults and has been linked to several adverse correlates. Research on relational aggression among college students has found some evidence that it is positively associated with social anxiety; however, the specific components of social anxiety and the possible mechanisms through which this relationship may operate are unclear. The current study examined the relationship between social anxiety and relational aggression among college women (N = 292), focusing on fear of negative evaluation (FNE) …