Psychology Commons^™

Trends. Message To Another People: Historic Moment, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The article discusses gratitude expressed for aid during the aftermath of an earthquake in Turkey.

When Bad Leads To Good: Airplane Crashes And The Political Psychology Of Stress, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article begins a series on research presented at the 1999 Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. The article suggests some of the complexities in the construct of stress and applies them to research on the psychological aftermath of surviving an airplane crash.

Trends. Racism, Racial Profiling, And Espionage: Wen Ho Lee As Victim?, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The author further discusses aspects of the Los Alamos National Laboratory espionage event.

Are There Differences Between Open And Closed Minds?, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article outlines the case for significant congruence between open and closed minds as hypothetical constructs applied to ideological conflict in a political environment.

The Other Illicit Drug Trafficking, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article discusses the deleterious consequences for segments of a nation's population when dealing with the psychological effects of psychoactive substances.

Trends. Kosovo: The Latest Reification Of Boundaries?, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The author discusses the boundary issues of Yugoslavia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo.

Mullah Mulling In Iran, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article describes the main threats and psychopolitical options facing religious conservatives who seek to maintain supreme, earthly power in Iran.

Being Part Of The Security Team: An Update On Cognitive Impediments, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article describes cognitive impediments to team cohesion, morale, and--less strongly--to performance within a security environment.

Superpower Status And Paranoia: Costs And Benefits, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article describes the inevitable paranoia and varied consequences that accrue towards a political superpower.

The Effect Of Ethnicity And Generation On Cultural Values, Launa Beck

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Using an existential perspective, the researcher investigated the world views of 155 people divided first by ethnic group and then (n = 144) by generation. African Americans and White Americans, Baby Boomers and Generation Xers completed the Scale to Assess World Views (Ibrahim & Owen, 1994) at a grocery store in the Midwest. Results indicate significant differences between African Americans and White Americans on the Pessimistic, Traditional, and Here and Now world views but no difference in rank order. Coefficient alphas for the subscales ranged from (.42) to (.67) with an overall value of (.82) for the scale. A confirmatory …

Aging And Stereoscopic Shape Perception, Thomas Dawson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Past research on stereoscopic depth perception among the elderly has led to inconsistent findings. Some research on stereopsis and aging has found that younger and older adults are essentially the same in terms of their stereoscopic ability, while other research has found evidence of large differences. This past research has largely been limited to investigations of stereoacuity. The purpose of Experiment 1 was to extend this earlier research to compare how older and younger observers perceive the magnitude of stereoscopically defined depth intervals. Random-dot stereograms depicting sinusoidal surfaces were shown to seven younger (i.e., ages 30 and below) and six …

The Relationship Between Loneliness And Social Skills In Learning Disabled And Regular Education Populations, Roberta Miller

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Loneliness in children has been associated with internalizing symptoms such as shyness, depression, and low self-esteem (Brage, Meredith, & Woodward, 1993; Renshaw & Brown, 1993; Rubin, LeMare, & Lollis, 1990) and externalizing symptoms such as aggression (Coie, Dodge, & Coppotelli, 1982; Cassidy & Asher, 1992; Dobson, Campbell, & Dobson, 1987). The later outcomes of both of these kinds of internalizing and externalizing symptoms include school withdrawal, criminality, and victimization (Rubin, 1985; Parker & Asher, 1987). We know that children who rate themselves lonely tend to be rejected by peer groups. We also know that children who are rejected by peer …

Asymmetry And Fighting Performance In The Shore Crab Carcinus Maenas, Lynne U. Sneddon, John P. Swaddle

Veterinary Science and Medicine Collection

Fluctuating asymmetries (left–right differences in symmetric traits) can be negatively related to fitness parameters in a number of biological systems. Hence, it has been suggested that symmetric individuals should outcompete asymmetric individuals during intraspecific agonistic encounters. However, there is a lack of experimental evidence for such a relationship. We investigated the relationship between trait asymmetry (both directional and fluctuating asymmetry) and the outcome of agonistic encounters among size-matched male shore crabs. Our findings indicate that cheliped (‘weapon claw’) directional asymmetry is not related to the outcome of fights, whereas fluctuating asymmetry in the fifth pereiopod, but not the second pereiopod, …

Care And Nutrition: Concepts And Measurement, Patrice L. Engle, Purnima Menon

Psychology and Child Development

Care is the provision in the household and the community of time, attention, and support to meet the physical, mental, and social needs of the growing child and other household members. The significance of care has best been articulated in the framework developed by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). This paper extends the UNICEF model of care and summarizes the literature on the relationship of care practices and resources to child nutrition. The paper also summarizes attempts to measure the various dimensions of care. The concept of care is extended in two directions: first, we define resources needed by …

Health Behavior, Quality Of Work Life, And Organizational Effectiveness In The Lumber Industry, Stewart I. Donaldson, Steve Sussman, Clyde W. Dent, Herbert H. Severson, Jacqueline L. Stoddard

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

A major incentive for work-site health promotion activities has been the promise of increased company profitability. Some critics have challenged the economic argument based on distal outcomes such as increased employee longevity and less morbidity later in life. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between employee health behavior, quality of work life, and proximal organizationally valued outcomes. Data were collected from a stratified random sample of employees working at Pacific Lumber Company (N = 146), the largest single-site lumber mill in California. Although employee sleep patterns predicted health care utilization and psychological well-being, for the …

An In-Depth Analysis Of Students' Academic Retention Abilities In Traditional And Alternative Calendar Schools, Jennifer Reece

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The adoption of an alternative school calendar is a widely discussed topic in education reform today. The need to help students retain more academic skills after summer vacation is one reason school districts are considering alternative calendars. A recent study by Nofsinger (1999) of elementary students used Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) probes to measure academic skills in the Spring and the Fall in both traditional and alternative calendar schools. This present study further analyzed data collected during Nofsinger's (1999) study to determine whether certain groups of students (i.e., high, middle, and low achievers) gained more benefit from traditional or alternative calendars. …

Peer Relations In The Ungraded Primary: An Examination Of Friendship And Its Benefits, Donna Gregory

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Mixed-age peer contexts have been considered important in the peer relations literature, but there has been relatively little research on children's peer relations in these settings. Ungraded primary programs mandated by recent school reform efforts in Kentucky provide a unique opportunity to study peer relations in a mixed-age context. The present study examined patterns of reciprocated friendship in ungraded primary classrooms and their relation to peer- and teacher-rated social competence. Both level of overall peer acceptance and age relative to ungraded primary classmates influenced the number and pattern of reciprocated friendships. Children who had friends were seen as more socially …

Anger And Alcohol Use: A Model Of Coping Styles, Alcohol Expectancies And The Experience And Expression Of Anger, Shauna Willard

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The researcher investigated the relationship between anger experience and expression, coping styles, and expectancies regarding the effects of alcohol in a young male population. Anger experience and expression was measured using the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, coping styles were assessed using the Coping Response Inventory, alcohol expectancies were determined using the Alcohol Effects Questionnaire-2, and alcohol use was measured using the Alcohol Use Inventory. The results indicated that young males who abuse alcohol utilize less effective coping styles, such as cognitive avoidance. Alcohol abusing males also believe alcohol will increase their power and aggression. A linear regression demonstrated that males …

The Relationship Between Homicidal Fantasies And Dangerousness, James C. Peterson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aggressive behavior is a serious problem in the United States and has been studied from a variety of perspectives. Psychologists in many different settings are frequently asked to assess the risk of future dangerous behavior by individuals. Due to their important role, research into the prediction of dangerousness has dramatically increased in the past ten years. However, to date, research has offered few reliable predictors that can be used in such assessments. This exploratory study was designed to examine whether homicidal fantasies can be used to reliably discriminate between violent and non-violent individuals. Undergraduate male students (N=l42) completed a questionnaire …

Attitudes Toward Diversity: Determining Differences By Social Locators, Stacey Sympson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Diversity training in workplaces is occurring across the U.S. at a growing rate. These programs attempt to make work environments more pluralistic for everyone. Conflict and feminist theory both agree that those with less power will see issues in a different way than will those with more power. This research involved a questionnaire administered to employees at a governmental agency in a small city in the Southeastern United States. Indices were used to measure attitudes toward diversity and sexual orientation. T-tests and multiple regressions were employed to determine the differences in employees' attitudes toward the two dependent variables. Results from …

Psychopathology Of Incarcerated Males And Severity Of Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms, Karen L. Cropsey

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has demonstrated the link between depression and severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms. This study investigated depression and other psychopathology as predictors of severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms among incarcerated males forced to quit smoking due to prison policy. Four hundred and ninety current Smokers, Ex-Smokers, and Non-Smokers completed a baseline questionnaire one week prior to smoking cessation. Three hundred and sixty-nine participants completed the second follow-up questionnaire four days after cessation, an attrition rate of 24. 7%. Two hundred and fifty-six participants completed the final follow-up assessment one month after implementation of the smoking ban, an overall attrition …

Coping Strategy And Social Support Differences Among Copd Patients: Effects On Psychological Well Being, Functional Status, And Health Care Utilization, Terri Belville-Robertson

Dissertations

This descriptive study examined coping strategies and social support among thirty-three patients with moderate to severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to assess relationships to psychological and functional status, and health care utilization. More specifically, the qualitative and quantitative differences in coping strategies and social support were examined in relation to anxiety, depression, activity level, and use of emergency and inpatient medical services. Subjects participated in a one-session screening that included a brief clinical interview, battery of questionnaires and exercise tolerance test. Health care utilization data were obtained from subjects’ medical records. Subjects' primary support persons also provided collateral data …

Evaluating The Social Acceptability Of Persons With Habit Disorders: The Effects Of Topography, Frequency, And Gender Manipulation, Douglas W. Woods

Dissertations

Literature suggests that children who exhibit habit disorders are less socially acceptable than children who do not exhibit such disorders. This series of studies investigated the social acceptability of adults who exhibit habit disorders. In Studies 1 and 2, undergraduate students rated the social acceptability of individuals who exhibited motor tics, vocal tics, hairpulling, and no habit. Results showed that the individuals with no habit were more socially acceptable than the individuals who exhibited either motor tics, vocal tics, or hairpulling.

In Study 3, videotapes were created in which actors simulated motor tics, vocal tics, Tourette’s Syndrome, and Trichotillomania. The …

Sociological Analysis Of Gambling Behavior: A Subculture Perspective, Robert W. Wright Iii

Masters Theses

This study examines the effects of gender, socioeconomic status and age first gambled on rates of problem gambling among adult residents of Michigan and interprets those effects through the application of subculture theory. The data used in this study are from the 1997 Michigan prevalence survey on gambling. The data were collected to estimate the prevalence level of gambling among adult Michigan residents. Data obtained from 2,111 female and 1,776 males indicated that (1) males have a higher rate of pathology than females; (2) respondents who start gambling earlier will be more likely to be classified as pathological gamblers; (3) …

Behavior-Based Safety And Working Alone: The Effects Of Self-Monitoring On The Safe Performance Of Bus Operators, Ryan Olson

Masters Theses

Experimental evaluations of Behavior-based Safety (BBS) processes applied with lone workers are scarce. Further research is needed to determine the power of self-monitoring based interventions for improving safe behavior, and to explore the best practices for improving safety when employees work alone. In the current study,· four male bus operators (ages 40-50) self-monitored their safe performance and initialed feedback graphs based on their self-monitoring data at the end of each day. Experimental data collectors observed each participant by riding buses as passengers. A multiple baseline design across performances was used to assess the effects of the intervention on four target …

Glial Cell Alterations In The Rat Medial Preoptic Area And Hippocampus As A Function Of Reproductive State, Gordon Wentworth Gifford

Master's Theses

Changes in reproductive state are accompanied by fluctuating levels of female gonadal hormones at higher levels and for longer periods of time than the normal estrus cycle. These hormones have been noted, in cell culture and over the regular estrus cycle, to influence structural changes in neurons and glial cells in areas of the brain associated with the conduct of maternal behavior. The purpose of this project was to characterize changes in GFAP immunoreactivity and astrocyte morphology in the mPOA and hippocampus as a function of reproductive state and female steroid hormone treatment. Results of this investigation noted an increases …

Modifications Of Nitric Oxide And Sexual Behavior In Prenatally Stressed Male Rats, Stephen D. Miller

Master's Theses

Normal male sexual differentiation is the culmination of perfectly timed, prenatal gonadal hormone release. Prenatal stress (PS) has a detrimental effect upon this process, obstructing the natural development of brain structures and sexual behavior. Prenatally-stressed male rats exhibit many physiological and neuroendocrinological differences when compared to control males. PS has a particularly harmful effect upon male sexual behavior, to which the neurotransmitter nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be intimately involved. The present experiment examined whether PS reduces nNOS, the rate limiting enzyme of NO, in the medial preoptic area (rnPOA) of male rats, and whether administration of the …

Developmental Changes In Verbal And Imaginal Mnemonic Techniques For Serial Recall, Michelle L. Rupiper

Student Work

Children’s ability to use mnemonic techniques was investigated in first, fourth and sixth graders. Children in each age group were assigned to one of three conditions: method of loci, story mnemonic or elaborative control group. Subjects were given three recall tests. Each test was scored with and without regard to the order in which subjects recalled the words presented. Relative to the control group, both mnemonic conditions showed an advantage in memorizing lists of 20 words. However, all conditions, including the elaborative control group showed significant increases in the number of words recalled between the baseline test and recall Test …

Single Parents And Organizational Commitment, Absenteeism, And Internal Motivation: An Initial Investigation, Melissa D. Broughton

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between group membership (by maritalstatus and sex) and the salience of the family role identities of caregiver and provider. It was expected that both the provider and caregiver roles would be salient for single parents. Results indicated that mothers identified with the caregiver role to a greater extent than fathers. However, no support was found for the idea that custodial single fathers identify with the caregiver role to the same extent as mothers. Results marginally supported the idea that custodial single mothers identify with the provider role as highly as fathers do, whereas married mothers …

Interparental Conflict And Child And Adolescent Aggression: An Examination Of Overt And Relational Aggression, Stacey T. Mizokawa

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The relationship between interparentaI conflict and overt aggression has been a consistent finding for males, but not for females. As a result. females have been thought to be less affected by parental disputes. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether parental conflict could predict aggression in males and females if aggression is operationalized to include both the overt type that is common among males and the relational type that is more common in females. Participants were 102 fifth- (37 males; 65 females). 137 eighth- (54 males; 83 females). and 110 eleventh-graders (37 males; 73 females) and their parents. …