Psychology Commons^™

Caregiver Interventions For Behavioral Symptoms In Alzheimer's And Dementia Patients, Heather M. Lindner

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

As people are living longer, the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia is rising dramatically. While preventative and treatment methods are being developed for these complicated disorders, attention also has been directed towards caregivers, because they play a vital role in the way the patients’ symptoms are handled and how well the patients adjust overall. Caregivers are almost always family members who lack formal training in caring for dementia patients. The purpose of this research was to see whether caregivers who follow interventions suggested in the literature experience fewer or less intense behavioral problems on the part …

A Critical Exploration Of The School Context For Young Adolescents Completing Primary Education, Sasha Stumpers, Lauren Breen, Julie Ann Pooley, Lynne Cohen, Lisbeth Pike

Research outputs pre 2011

Many schools have adopted relational approaches to attend to the social context in which learning transpires. More recently however, such approaches and their supporters have been criticized for not examining the school context in its entirety and the student experience within this context. The current research sought to critically explore young adolescents' experiences within the context of their school. Fifteen year seven students in an Australian primary school were interviewed about their experiences of their school context. The data were analysed using a thematic analysis and a question-ordered matrix was constructed to aid the detection of themes and sub-themes from …

An Observational Study Of Bail Decision-Making, Alfred Allan, Maria Allan, Margaret Giles, Deirdre Drake, Irene Froyland

Research outputs pre 2011

Pre-trial detention of defendants has important legal, human rights and practical implications for defendants, their families, and society and therefore the area justifies research scrutiny. However, there is a dearth of empirical studies of bail decision-making and most of them have been retrospective studies. Prior studies have nevertheless identified a number of purported shortcomings in bail legislation and decision-making. The rarely used observational methodology employed in this study provided data that are not normally available from official records. The first appearances of 648 defendants were observed in the lower courts in metropolitan Perth (Western Australia) to identify factors that play …

Can Sense Of Community Inform Social Capital?, Julie Ann Pooley, Lynne Cohen, Lisbeth Pike

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper examines the theoretical linkage between social capital and sense of community through research studies within four contextual areas. Social capital (SC) can be conceptualized as all the interactions between individuals in a community, and has been examined in various groups and communities. Sense of community (SoC) is a psychological construct that we argue is a correlate of social capital. Sense of community reflects the feelings of attachment and belonging that an individual has towards a community. Through qualitative and quantitative research carried out across the lifespan in four communities in Western Australia (i.e., Perth community, adolescent Jewish community, …

Nondualism And The Divine Domain, Burton Daniels

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This paper claims that the ultimate issue confronting transpersonal theory is that of nondualism.

The revelation of this spiritual reality has a long history in the spiritual traditions, which

has been perhaps most prolifically advocated by Ken Wilber (1995, 2000a), and fully explicated

by David Loy (1998). Nonetheless, these scholarly accounts of nondual reality, and the spiritual

traditions upon which they are based, either do not include or else misrepresent the revelation

of a contemporary spiritual master crucial to the understanding of nondualism. Avatar

Adi Da not only offers a greater differentiation of nondual reality than can be found in …

The Myth Of Nature And The Nature Of Myth: Becoming Transparent To Transcendence, Dennis P. Slattery

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

The works by the American mythologist, Joseph Campbell, as well as the poetry of John Keats,

especially his “Ode to a Nightingale,” offer new ways to reimagine our relation to the earth, to

the dead and to language’s continued vitality. Beginning with a brief overview of some of the

major tenets of Campbell’s guiding force of the “monomyth,” which gathers all the various world

mythologies as inflections of one universal story, the essay then moves into a discussion of Keats’

poem in order to reveal the power of poetic utterance in reconfiguring a vital mythology. If there

is to be …

Myth, Archetype And The Neutral Mask: Actor Training And Transformation In Light Of The Work Of Joseph Campbell And Stanislav Grof, Ashley Wain

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This paper explores the influence of transpersonal thinking, including the mythological perspective

of Joseph Campbell and the holotropic perspective of Stanislav Grof, on actor training using

the neutral mask. An outline of training in the neutral mask is given, focusing on the approach

of David Latham, as experienced by the author in his own training. Points of correspondence

with the vision of Campbell and Grof, and their influence, are discriminated and discussed.

These correspondences open up two areas of inquiry: the transformative effect of the mask work

when conducted in a transpersonally-oriented set, and the use of the neutral mask …

The Transpersonal Tradition In Russian Culture, Vladimir Maykov

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

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Synthesis And Plurality: Stories Of The Self, Jason Wright

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

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Editors’ Introduction, Harris Friedman, Douglas A. Macdonald

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

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On Therapy By Means Of Spiritual Culture, Mark E. Burno

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

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Creativity Lies At The Edge Of Disintegration: Addressing The Shadow Of Power And Leadership Within Psychotherapy Training Organisations, Rupert K. Tower

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

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Higher Self – Spark Of The Mind – Summit Of The Soul: Early History Of An Important Concept Of Transpersonal Psychology In The West, Harald Walach

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

The Higher Self is a concept introduced by Roberto Assagioli, the founder of psychosynthesis,

into transpersonal psychology. This notion is explained and linked up with the Western mystical

tradition. Here, coming from antiquity and specifically from the neo-Platonic tradition, a

similiar concept has been developed which became known as the spark of the soul, or summit of

the mind. This history is sketched and the meaning of the term illustrated. During the middle

ages it was developed into a psychology of mysticism by Thomas Gallus, popularized by

Bonaventure, and radicalized by the Carthusian writer Hugh of Balma. Spark of the …

Fear No Spirits: A Pilgrim’S Journey Through The Brazilian Churches Of Ayahuasca, Robert Tindall

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This is an intimate account of a pilgrimage through the “Holy Land” of Daime, the Brazilian

frontier state of Acre, in which the author weaves together accounts of his own healing experience.

It also portrays the extraordinary variation and vitality of the communities there, both

indigenous and Catholic/Afro-Brazilian, who use ayahuasca as a sacrament.

The Sources Of Higher States Of Consciousness, Steve Taylor

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

In this paper, it is argued that “higher states of consciousness”–or mystical experiences–have two

main sources: they can be caused by a disruption of the normal homeostasis of the human organism

and also by an intensification of the “consciousness-energy” that constitutes our being.

(These are termed HD and ICE states). The author investigates examples of both types of experience,

and compares and contrasts them. It is concluded that the second type of experience is

the only one which is truly positive and which can become a fully integrated and permanent

higher state of consciousness.

The Psychic Defense, Vitor Rodrigues

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

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We Were Made For These Times, Tanna Jakubowicz-Mount

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

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A Love Letter, Kidder Smith

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

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Using Archival Data For I-O Research: Advantages, Pitfalls, Sources, And Examples, Kenneth S. Shultz, Calvin C. Hoffman, Roni Reiter-Palmon

Psychology Faculty Publications

Two particular sets of experiences sparked our interest in writing this TIP article. The first was our increasing difficulty getting access to “new” organization- based samples. Depending on the topic and commitment involved, many organizations appear too leery and/or too strapped these days to allow for primary data collection. In addition, we have all experienced the disappointment of spending numerous hours on research proposals and meetings with organizational personnel, only to have the “plug pulled” at the last minute on a promising line of data collection. Conversely, we have also had experience with researchers in organizations who are willing and …

Anger And Social Problem Solving Style As Predictors Of Burnout In Mental Health Workers, Jerri L. Maroney

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined how the variables of anger and social problem-solving style affect the dimensions of burnout in a sample of 99 mental health workers. To assess these constructs, the State-Trait Anger Scale-2, and the Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised were utilized. The Maslach Burnout Inventory for Human Services Staff was used to measure job burnout. Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and a decrease in the sense of Personal Accomplishment are the core dimensions of burnout on this measure. Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization correlated significantly with State Anger, Trait Anger, and Negative Problem Orientation. Significant inverse correlations were demonstrated for State Anger, Trait …

Assessing Mental Health Literacy Of First- And Third-Year Medical Students : Knowledge And Beliefs About Mental Disorders, Patricia A. Cheslock

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Mental health literacy is the knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders that influence their identification, treatment, and prevention. It is highly pertinent for the primary care physician to possess appropriate mental health literacy, because it is in that sector that the majority of individuals first seek treatment. As many as 90% of individuals who experience symptoms of a mental disorder are first seen by their primary care physician. However, general practitioners often do not detect or diagnose the presence of a mental disorder, and as many as 50% of these disorders remain unidentified and untreated. This study explored the mental …

Exploratory Study Of Anger And Behavior In An Incarcerated Offender Population Utilizing The Mahan And Ditomasso Anger Scale, Robert John Marsh, Jr.

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study proposed to advance the treatment and assessment of anger disorders by exploring the properties of the Mahan and DiTomasso Anger Scale (MAD-AS). Previous research of the reliability, validity, and factor structure of the MAD-AS was conducted with inpatient (Mahan, 2001) and outpatient participants (Beardmore, 2003) . In the present study a psychometric investigation was undertaken utilizing 300 male incarcerated offenders. The MAD-AS correlated positively with the presence of antisocial and borderline personality disorders and with violent offenses. Those inmates with a history of violent offenses scored significantly higher than those convicted of nonviolent offenses on the MAD-AS. …

Testing An Intervention To Address The Sociocultural Influence Of Mass Media On Body Image: Can We Reverse The Curse?, Janet Derosier Murray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The adverse effects of exposure to unrealistic ideals in the media are well documented, however, this is the first study to explore the possibility that women may experience improvement in body image and affect via social comparison to women with realistic, non-ideal body shape and size. Using material from The Century Project©, the impact of exposure to nude, non-pornographic photographs of women of varied shape, size, age, and physical condition, and the photographed women's personal commentaries about how they successfully cope with body image concerns was tested using an experimental design. It was hypothesized that exposure to the photographs and …

Warning Compliance: Effects Of Stress And Working Memory, Jessica Helmick-Rich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of cross-modality warning presentation and retention in a dual-task paradigm in a simulated military environment under various task-induced stress levels. It was also intended to determine what role working memory played in the mode of warning presentation that resulted in the highest retention and subsequent compliance. An all within participant design was created in order to determine if scores on working memory span tasks predicted performance across the varying forms of warning presentation. Furthermore, task-induced stress levels were varied over the course of the experiment to identify if workload transitions affected performance. Results revealed that …

Perceptions Of The Cognitive, Social, And Physical Competence Of Speech Impaired Individuals, Sherri Scofield

HIM 1990-2015

Listeners' perceptions of the cognitive, social, and physical competence of a speech impaired individual were investigated. Thirty-eight adults (31 female and 7 male) between 19 and 51 years of age listened to prerecorded audiotape interviews; one with a speech impaired speaker, or one with a normally speaking peer. Listeners rated the perceived cognitive, social, and physical competence of both a speech impaired speaker and a normal speaker using a modified version of the Teacher's Rating Scale of Child's Actual Competence. An independent two-sample t-test statistic resulted in significant difference between the groups in cognitive, social, and physical competence subscales. The …

Parental Attributions And Discipline Of Child Behavior, Arazais Oliveros

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Extant empirical evidence suggests that multiple risk and protective factors implicated in children's development of behavior problems are intertwined. This study, therefore, investigated the relationships among parental depression and anger, attributions of control, discipline, parent-child relationship variables, and children's behavior problems. Results were based on the responses of parents (55 mothers and 13 fathers) with children in Head Start and parents (52 mothers and 4 fathers) with children in Private School settings. All parents had children who ranged in age from 3- to 8-years. Compared to Private School parents, Head Start parents had lower levels of nonviolent discipline, involvement, and …

The Effects Of Exposure To Feminist Ideology On Women's Body Image, Rachel Diane Peterson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Body image disturbance has become an increasing problem among women (Cash & Henry, 1995). Thus researchers have begun to focus on methods of prevention and intervention. Programs utilizing psychoeducation and Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory, for example, have been found to reduce body image dissatisfaction and related symptomatology. The information provided and potential impact are limited, however, because the interventions do not offer women an adaptive method of interpreting the many appearance-related messages they experience. This study sought to determine if exposure to feminist theory of body image may act as a buffer – a filter through which cultural messages about …

College Students' Well Being: The Role Of Parent-College Student Expectation Discrepancies And Communication, Allison Kanter Agliata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parental influence on college students' well being is underestimated frequently in the developmental literature. College students often set social and academic goals according to their perception of what their parents expect from them. The discrepancy between college students' performance and their perceptions of parents' expectations can impact their quality of life. The purpose of this study was to examine various parent-college student expectation discrepancies and communication levels as predictors for college students' psychological well being. Results revealed that college students reported experiencing higher levels of anger, depression, and anxiety and lower levels of self-esteem and college adjustment when higher expectation-performance …

Performance Implications Of Alternative Color-Codesin Airport X-Ray Baggage Screening, Matthew Hilscher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated both cognitive and affective influences of alternative color combinations in a search task paradigm. The effects of re-mapping the existing, comparatively arbitrarily color codes of baggage X-ray images, were explored. Alternative color-codes were evaluated for improving the economy of visual search in X-ray baggage screening. Using a 2 x 2 between-groups design, the perceptual aspects of color-codes varying in degree of visual agreeability (accordant or discordant) and color contrast (high or low) were examined in terms of effectiveness (detection accuracy) and efficiency (reaction time). Three hypotheses were put forth; two postulated main effects for color contrast and …

Non-Acute Cognitive Sequelae Associated With Recreational Ecstasy Use: A Meta-Analysis, Tiffany Leigh Linkovich Kyle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies using animal models have found considerable evidence of neurological damage resulting from exposure to 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy). Yet, studies comparing the cognitive performance of human recreational ecstasy users to ecstasy naïve controls have produced inconsistent results. The present study is a meta-analysis of the published empirical literature on the cognitive sequelae of human recreational ecstasy use. The pooled effect size estimate for combined cognitive domains was statistically significant and moderate in size. Small to large, statistically significant aggregate effect sizes resulted for eight of the nine cognitive ability domains included in the analysis. Moderator analyses suggested that frequent …