Psychology Commons^™

Evalutaion Of Embedded Malingering Indices In A Non-Litigating, Relief Seeking Sample: A Partial Cross-Validation Using Control, Clinical, And Derived Groups, Russell D. Pella

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Researchers have recently noted college students fail validity measures and base rate data are needed for students meeting Slick et al.’s criteria (1999) for malingering. The association between meeting Slick Criteria and subsequent recommendations (i.e., to receive external gain) is unknown as is the diagnostic utility of embedded validity indices in this population. The authors utilized archival data from: 1) a university psychological clinic (n = 986) and 2) a university student control sample (n = 182). Measures included the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III, Wechsler Memory Scale-III, and Personality Assessment Inventory. Empirically supported embedded validity indices were utilized to retrospectively …

Between Pierce (1878) And James (1898): G. Stanley Hall, The Origins Of Pragmatism And The History Of Psychology, David E. Leary

Psychology Faculty Publications

This article focuses on the 20-year gap between Charles S. Peirce's classic proposal of pragmatism in 1877-1878 and William James's equally classic call for pragmatism in 1898. It fills the gap by reviewing relevant developments in the work of Peirce and James and by introducing G. Stanley Hall, for the first time, as a figure in the history of pragmatism. In treating Hall and pragmatism, the article reveals a previously unnoted relation between the early history of pragmatism and the early history of the "new psychology" that Hall helped to pioneer. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Visions And Values: Ethical Reflections In A Jamesian Key, David E. Leary

Psychology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to provide a quick survey of William James's views on the plurality of visions that humans have regarding reality, as a background for more extensive discussions of his views on the plurality of values that orient human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, as well as his views on the enactment of those values through active resistance to the ways things are and the risk-taking involved in striving to improve the human condition. Consonant with pluralism itself, I intend this discussion to open up rather than close off further considerations of James's views on ethics.

Comorbid Psychopathology In Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Intellectual Disabilities, Santino Vincent Lovullo

LSU Master's Theses

While there has been an abundance of research investigating Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in children, very little emphasis has been placed on ASD in adults, especially in regards to comorbid psychopathology. This is of great concern considering that ASD often co-occurs with intellectual disability (ID), and that both may serve as risk factors for additional psychopathology. While instruments exist that measure comorbid psychopathology in adults with ID, these scales are not targeted to the unique expression of comorbidity in adults with ID and ASD. The Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for Adults (ASD-CA) was devised for this reason. This paper begins with …

The Efficacy Of Positive Peer Reporting Procedures For Use With Neglected-Status Students In General Education Classrooms, Lisa Libster

LSU Master's Theses

Children who are neglected or rejected by their peers may require social skill interventions in order to develop the social competencies needed to establish satisfactory interpersonal relationships. One promising social skill intervention is Positive Peer Reporting, which has been shown to produce increases in positive social interaction and peer acceptance for these groups of children. As most previous investigations were conducted in residential or special education settings, further research is needed to support the use of this intervention in general education settings. Therefore, the present study examined the efficacy of Positive Peer Reporting with two neglected-status children in general education …

Team Task Interdependence Perceptions: Toward An Integrative Model Of Teamwork, Jared Ledoux

LSU Master's Theses

The present study examines perceptions of task interdependence and workflow at the individual- and team-levels to evaluate the degree to which team perceptions and homogeneity of perceptions predict team communication and performance in a military combat computer simulation. Team members who perceived higher levels of task interdependence and workflow performed better at both the individual and team levels of analysis. These teams also communicated more frequently, although communication was not significantly correlated with performance. The present findings provide support for the examination of task interdependence perceptions as a means to explain team performance and communication.

Intellectual Ability In Children With Anxiety: A Replication And Exploration Of The Differences, Melissa S. Munson

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of anxiety on the intellectual functioning of children. Specifically, the current researchers sought to replicate previous findings that children with higher levels of anxiety have significantly lower scores on tests of intelligence. A second goal was to examine possible reasons for these deficits, including possible deficits in working memory and/or attention. Participants were divided into two groups with high and low anxiety, based on a self-report measure, though none of the children reported clinically problematic anxiety. The participants were 19 children (10 males, 9 females) who were recruited from the …

Teaching Level-1 Braille Reading Skills Within A Stimulus Equivalence Paradigm To Children With Progressive Visual Impairments, Karen Ann Toussaint

LSU Master's Theses

Degenerative visual impairments refer to conditions that result in the progressive loss of vision; several of these conditions have their onset during childhood. Nearly 3% of the school-aged population will experience vision loss that will require specialized support, yet there has been little attempt to systematically evaluate braille-instruction programs. The current study evaluated an instructive procedure for teaching early braille-reading skills with four school-aged children with degenerative visual impairments. Following a series of pretests, braille instruction involved providing a sample braille letter and teaching the selection of the corresponding printed text letter from a comparison array. Concomitant with increases in …

Affective Reactivity Of Speech Disturbances In Schizotypy, Kyle Stuart Minor

LSU Master's Theses

Speech disturbances (SD) are a stable, pernicious symptom of schizophrenia that increase when negative emotion and/or arousal are elicited. While considerable research has examined SD in patients with schizophrenia, much less is known about individuals at risk for the disorder, who demonstrate schizophrenia-like, or schizotypic, traits. The present study examined SD and speech reactivity to stress, termed affective reactivity (AR), produced during a laboratory procedure in separate groups of controls and individuals with psychometrically identified schizotypy. This project had two primary aims: 1) to examine SD severity across schizotypy symptoms and 2) to examine how SD varies as a function …

Gender Differences In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Comorbid Psychopathology, Julie Hess

LSU Master's Theses

Abstract Children and adolescents diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) frequently exhibit symptoms that are not associated with the core features of ASD. These symptoms may meet criteria for an additional diagnosis; however, accurate assessment of comorbid psychiatric conditions in ASD has been hindered by a lack of measures designed for this specific purpose. The newly constructed assessment measure, Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbid for Children (ASD-CC) has been developed specifically for examining comorbid psychiatric disorders in ASD. Therefore, this study set out to assess differences in the endorsement rates of psychiatric symptoms in children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD compared to …

Factors Affecting The Efficacy Of Feedback Use During Source Monitoring, Stephanie Groft

LSU Master's Theses

The current study considers how individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) affect feedback effectiveness. Participants, selected to have high and low WMC, first watched a video of a crime. Subsequently, a post-test questionnaire was administered concerning events taken from the video and additional information suggested to have occurred in the video. After a 10 minute filler task, participants were given a two-part memory test requiring them to identify the source of the information presented in the test statements. During the training portion of the test, half of the participants received feedback as to the accuracy of their source decisions. …

Autonomic Response And Behavioral Performance Of Avid Video Game Players On A Decision-Making Task, Patrick Clinton Lingenfelter

LSU Master's Theses

Avid video gaming is proposed as a term for individuals that play video games for prolonged periods of time. These individuals were predicted to show similar performance on a MineHunter, an analogue to the Iowa Gambling Task, comparable to the performance of pathological gamblers reported in the literature. Comparisons have been made between gamblers and video gamers based on similarities in the interaction level of the activity, as well as similarities in demographics and reported detriments in social and employment areas. The results of the study do not support a comparison. Avid gaming may be a hobby rather than a …

Comparing Social Skills In Children With Autistic Disorder And Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Mary Elizabeth Shoemaker

LSU Master's Theses

Although in recent years there has been a large amount of research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in general, relatively few studies have focused on Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) as a distinct category. As a deficit in social skills is said to be the primary defining feature of ASD, continued research on assessment and treatment of social skills deficits in ASD is warranted. The present study aims to examine the differences in social skills between children diagnosed with Autistic disorder and PDD-NOS using the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Youngsters (MESSY). This study extends a previous …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Women After Hurricane Katrina: Predictors And Symptom Endorsement, Julia E. Thompson

LSU Master's Theses

Hurricane Katrina devastated areas of New Orleans and caused the evacuation of most of the city’s residents. Many people were exposed to dangerous storms and flooding and lost many of their possessions. One of the most common psychological disorders following a disaster is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. This study describes the PTSD symptom endorsement of a sample of women who experienced Hurricane Katrina. In addition, many of these women had previous trauma histories which are also described. Participants included 287 women from New Orleans, Jefferson and East Baton Rouge Parish recruited for a larger study on mother’s and children’s psychological functioning …

The Effect Of Stimulus Choice On A Discrimination Task: Pictures Vs. Objects, Kristen Abbondante

LSU Master's Theses

The effect of the type of stimuli, pictures vs. objects, on discrimination behavior, specifically noun discrimination, was examined with a single-subject multi-element design. A multiple probe across behaviors was used for two participants. The type of stimulus, picture or object, was the alternating treatment. Two autistic children were trained in six noun discrimination tasks utilizing a discrete trial training model counterbalancing the type of stimuli across participants. Generalization of object to pictures and pictures to objects was also examined. Results showed that type of stimuli, picture or object, did not affect treatment. Generalization data was idiosyncratic.

Cognitive Modeling Analysis Of Decision-Making Processes In Young Adults At-Risk And Not At-Risk For Alcohol Dependence, Lori Anne Wagner

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

This study used the Valence-Expectancy Learning model, a mathematical cognitive model, to dissect young adult performance on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Drinking behavior and monetary incentive were examined as predictors of performance on the IGT. No differences were found among groups when data were analyzed using traditional behavioral analyses. However, when the Expectancy-Valence Learning model was applied to the data, differences between groups were found related to attention and choice consistency. Importantly, the cognitive model was not a good fit for fifty-seven percent of the data, meaning that it did not succeed in explaining how the participants' choices were …

Robert Schultz, Willis Kern

Interviews for WGLT

Robert Schultz talks about the new book he is writing that analyzes the depiction of male roles in American culture through book and film.

Young Women's Perspectives On Tanning In Solariums: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study, Michelle Louise Russell

Theses : Honours

Despite Australia's general public awareness regarding the dangers of UVR exposure, young women continue to tan in solariums. This study utilised a qualitative approach with eight in-depth interviews to explore young women's perspectives on tanning in solariums. The 'core category' or storyline underlying participants' responses was 'being in control'. Three core themes emerged from the data: 'positive reinforcers', which related to attractions and motivations to tan, 'possessing knowledge' which concerned the different types of knowledge which participants held, and 'change' which represented participants' outcomes from external pressures. It was found that body image concerns and reinforcing rewards were motivators to …

Effects Of Ancient And Modern, Avoidant And Approach Stimuli On Visual Search Task Reaction Times, Sanja Bojic

Theses : Honours

The threat superiority effect refers to faster and more accurate detection of fearful stimuli. This has been explained as evidence for evolution, as ancient fearful stimuli are detected more quickly than modern fearful stimuli. The aim of this study was to investigate which of two alternate evolutionary explanations best explains the findings. Whereas Ohman and Mineka (2001) dealt only with avoidant responses, Lang suggested that stimuli may evoke either an avoidant (fearful) or approach response, associated with negative or positive valence, respectively. The experiment employed a same-different task where Age (ancient, modern), and Valence (approach, avoidant, neutral) were manipulated and …

Reasons For Migration And Cultural Distance In South African Women's Migratory Adjustment Experiences: A Phenomenological Account, Ida Steyn

Theses : Honours

Researchers have identified migration to a new country as a stressful life event that is associated with loss of family, friends and community, and adjustment difficulties in the new country (Markovizky & Samid, 2008). In addition, involuntary migration and adaption to a new cultural environment is known to be a factor of psychological distress. Much is unknown about the adjustment of involuntary migrants during the critical period of reestablishment in the new environment. Moreover, less is known about transition processes between similar cultural contexts. It might be that transition is not as well supported when there is cultural similarity between …

Attitudes Toward Asylum Seekers: The Role Of Beliefs In Procedural Fairness, Lisa Palamountain

Theses : Honours

This study investigated the relationship between beliefs in procedural fairness, humanitarian values, and attitudes toward asylum seekers amongst a sample of first year university students in Western Australia (N = 148). Beliefs in procedural fairness were measured in terms of beliefs in the fairness of decision making and beliefs in the fairness of treatment. Findings supported the hypotheses, in that beliefs in procedural fairness were significantly related to attitudes and humanitarian values. Regression analyses revealed that beliefs in the fairness of treatment and humanitarian values made unique contributions in predicting attitudes. However beliefs in the fairness of decision making did …

Trauma Practitioners' Lived Experience Of The Impact Of Therapy On Trauma Recovery Outcomes, Francess M. Day

Theses : Honours

Much has been written about evidence-based treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A number of treatment guides have been written (e.g. AMCPH, 2007; Briere 2006; Foa Keane, & Friedman, 2000;). Medicare criteria based on empirical research and outcome measures stipulate which treatments and practitioner qualifications will be funded. However, little is known about the relationship between these guidelines and what clinicians actually utilize in trauma treatment and use as indicators of good outcomes. The research studies compromise external validity by excluding the majority of typical PTSD clientele, necessitating exploration of treatment effectiveness in diverse real-life populations (Spinazzola, Blaustein, & van …

[Introduction To] Medicating Children: Adhd And Pediatric Mental Health, Rick Mayes, Catherine Bagwell, Jennifer L. Erkulwater

Bookshelf

Why and how did ADHD become the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder among children and adolescents, as well as one of the most controversial? Stimulant medication had been used to treat excessively hyperactive children since the 1950s. And the behaviors that today might lead to an ADHD diagnosis had been observed since the early 1930s as “organic drivenness,” and then by various other names throughout the decades.

The authors argue that a unique alignment of social and economic trends and incentives converged in the early 1990s with greater scientific knowledge to make ADHD the most prevalent pediatric mental disorder. New …

Student Perceptions Of Streaming-Media Effectiveness, Sara Floyd Baber

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate cognitive-load theory as applied to the design of streaming media. In this study, student learning preferences and cognitive style were measured on a visualizer-verbalizer scale to determine the perceived importance of visual and audio components of streaming media used to supplement classroom instruction. Additionally, this study investigated cognitive-load theory by assessing attitudes regarding the importance of learner control when accessing streaming media files. The writer used 4 existing visualizer-verbalizer instruments in combination with 1 original survey that was designed to gather student perceptions and attitudes regarding the effectiveness of streaming media …

A Meta-Analytical Study Of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: Symptomology And Comorbidity, April Walter

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

A meta-analysis approach was employed to research the symptomatology andcomorbidity of pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD). This approach was chosen due to the wide range of previously published research results and the limited size of the populations investigated. Database searches of peer-reviewed empirical research identified 861 journal articles published on the topic of pediatric bipolar disorder over the last 49 years. Fifty-four articles, with a total subject pool of 10,318, met specific inclusion criteria, which included being a quantitative study using standardized mean difference, correlation coefficient, or odds-ratio statistics. Fifteen separate meta-analyses were used to determine specificity regarding: differences reported in …

An Examination Of Environmental Collective Identity Development Across Three Life-Stages: The Contribution Of Social Public Experiences At Zoos, John Robert Fraser

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This research breaks ground toward a revised theory of how collective environmental identity is associated with pro-environmental behaviors. My research comprises three activities that examined the experiences of three groups of people who claim zoo visiting as an important part of their life-story. The three studied groups were; conservation biologists who describe zoo experiences as having significant formative role in their childhood development of environmental values; parents who prioritize zoo visits as an important cultural experiences for their children; and a active zoo volunteers. This research also investigated whether the group experiences these participants had at zoos contributed to the …

Relational Being: Beyond Self And Community, Kenneth J. Gergen

Psychology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

A Search For Meaning: The Family’S Response To Serious Mental Illness, Katherine Marie Burrelsman

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

It is a commonly held belief that it is inherent in human nature to strive for coherence and meaning in the midst of adversity. Whether this is short or long term, for immediate or prolonged functioning, we all strive to put experiences within events into a framework that enables us to develop a sense of order leading to acceptance and resolution. Therefore, each individual within a family system may develop a hypothesis in order to make a modicum of sense of what can appear to be an impossible situation. The participants involved in this study were individuals with relatives suffering …

Meeting John Glover, Kenneth A. Kiewra

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Procedural Justice In Resolving Family Disputes: Implications For Childhood Bullying, Michael R. Brubacher, Mark R. Fondacaro, Eve M. Brank, Veda E. Brown, Scott A. Miller

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

High levels of family conflict and poor family conflict resolution strategies are often associated with externalizing behaviors in children, including the behavior of bullying. Through family interactions, parents have the opportunity to convey a variety of messages to the child. Some of these messages are sent through the child’s appraisal of procedural justice, which refers to the judgments of fairness directed at the process by which a conflict is resolved. The current study investigated the relationship between appraisals of procedural justice in family conflict resolution and bullying among middle-school students. A sample of 1,910 sixth through eighth graders completed a …