Psychology Commons^™

Group Dynamics In Extreme Earth Environments: Analogs For Space Missions (Past And Present Expeditions Analysis), Matthew M. Allner

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Crew performance in space has become an increasing focus of many space faring nations due to the recent shift in focus of colonizing the Moon and then preparing to travel to Mars and beyond. This recent shift in focus to more long- duration missions has moved researchers in the direction of analyzing crew performance aspects associated win, crew dynamic development on such long missions. More recently researchers have been analyzing past expeditions carried out on Earth, as these expeditions kept records of crew performance, which have been compared and analyzed to those reported on space missions. Purpose: This study …

Understanding Perceptions Of Hypnotically Recovered Memories In A Civil Sexual Abuse Case, Samantha Fusco

Psychology Theses

Perceptions of hypnosis and hypnotically recovered testimony were examined in a civil sexual abuse case. One hundred eighty-eight undergraduate students read one of eight trial transcript summaries varying expert witness testimony and victim testimony regarding the use of hypnosis in recovering a repressed memory of sexual abuse. We hypothesized that expert testimony would moderate the relation between victim testimony and perceptions of hypnotically recovered memory. In addition, we expected attitudes towards hypnotically refreshed memories would predict perceptions of the victim. Results found testimony elicited under hypnosis to be less accurate, less credible, and less believable than testimony not elicited from …

Alcohol-Related Information In Multi-Component Interventions And College Students’ Drinking Behavior, Vandana Thadani, Karen Huchting, Joseph W. Labrie

Heads Up!

Education-only interventions produce little change in drinking behaviors; but, multi-component prevention programs, which include alcohol information as one feature, can decrease drinking. This study examined the role of alcohol knowledge in a multi-component intervention previously found to reduce first-year female college students’ alcohol consumption. Intervention and control group students completed pre and postintervention assessments of drinking behaviors, and a postintervention assessment of alcohol-knowledge. Intervention students outperformed control students on the measure of alcohol knowledge. However knowledge did not predict drinking outcomes for this group, and it was positively correlated with drinking behaviors for control students. The findings suggest that, although …

Alcohol-Related Information In Multi-Component Interventions And College Students' Drinking Behavior, Vandana Thadani, Karen Huchting, Joseph Labrie

Psychological Science Faculty Works

Education-only interventions produce little change in drinking behaviors; but, multi-component prevention programs, which include alcohol information as one feature, can decrease drinking. This study examined the role of alcohol knowledge in a multi-component intervention previously found to reduce first-year female college students' alcohol consumption. Intervention and control group students completed pre and postintervention assessments of drinking behaviors, and a postintervention assessment of alcohol-knowledge. Intervention students outperformed control students on the measure of alcohol knowledge. However knowledge did not predict drinking outcomes for this group, and it was positively correlated with drinkingbehaviors for control students. The findings suggest that, although learning …

Personality, Self-Efficacy, And Barriers To Participation In A Health Promotion Program, Eliza C. Hegwood

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Organizations are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of fostering a healthy workforce. Health promotion programs, wellness programs that address a range of health-related behaviors, can be very beneficial for both employees and organizations, but only if the employees use them. Although corporations are offering such programs to employees, many individuals choose not to participate. The reasons for this non-participation are not yet fully understood, especially from a psychological perspective. The present study examined the relationship between perceived barriers to exercise and participation in a health promotion program, and the influence of self-efficacy and Five Factor Model personality traits on …

A Psychometric Evaluation Of The Revised Optimism-Pessimism Scale Of The Mmpi-2, Ginger Burge Debrule

Dissertations

The present study tested the psychometric properties of the Revised Optimism-Pessimism Scale (PSM-R) of the MMPI-2. This scale purportedly measures the respondent's explanatory style on a dimension of optimism and pessimism. Participants included 92 college undergraduates and 2,729 participants from archived outpatient data. The PSM-R is a reliable measure, based on test-retest reliability and internal consistency. However, the construct validity of the measure is questionable. Evaluation of the PSM-R items suggests that the items are not all related to the optimism-pessimism construct. In addition, convergent validity of the PSM-R was assessed using measures of attributional style, dispositional optimism, hope, depression, …

A Longitudinal Examination Of Outcomes Related To Emotional Abuse In Children, Lauren Seale Fryer

Dissertations

Emotional abuse has been linked to both intemalizing and extemalizing outcomes in adults and children, even after controlling for the presence of physical and/or sexual abuse in childhood (Braver, Bumberry, Green, & Rawson, 1992; Gibb et al., 2001; Kaufman & Cicchetti, 1989; Kim & Cicchetti, 2006). The developmental/organizational perspective, as well as attachment theory, suggests that emotional abuse occurring in childhood will result in disrupted views of subsequent relationships, leading to maladaptive outcomes such as aggression, depression, and low self-esteem (Cicchetti & Toth, 1995). The current study examined these relations in an archival sample of lowincome urban children ages 5 …

Attachment Anxiety And Avoidance: Relationship To Body Image And Exercise Behavior, Kathryn Louise Brown

Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the role of attachment anxiety and avoidance in predicting persons' body image, body appreciation, and obligatory exercise behavior. Two hundred and twenty eight participants (100 men and 128 women) completed the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994), Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ; Cash, 2000), Body Appreciation Scale (BAS; Avalos et al., 2005), and Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire (OEQ; Pasman & Thompson, 1988). Results provided at least partial support for many of the hypotheses. The current study replicated results from previous research pertaining to the relationship between attachment and body image. However, the results …

The Relation Among Sleep, Routines, And Behavior In Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jill Angelique Henderson

Dissertations

Children with an ASD have a propensity for routines and reportedly have a greater incidence of sleep disturbance and externalizing behaviors than typical children. In addition, significant relations have been identified among routines, sleep behavior, and externalizing behavior in a community sample of children, suggesting that a lack of routines maybe related to sleep disturbance and externalizing behaviors. However, to date, no known studies have thoroughly examined the relation between these variables in children with an ASD. The primary purpose of the present investigation was to examine relations among routines, sleep, and behavior in children with an ASD. Primary caregivers …

Posttraumatic Spiritual Growth: A Phenomenological Study Of Cancer Survivors, Ryan Myles Denney

Dissertations

A small but growing body of research has sought to investigate the specific role of religion and spirituality in posttraumatic growth. Recently investigations have begun to focus on spiritual growth following trauma, specifically that of cancer patients and survivors. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how having cancer effects the spiritual growth of cancer survivors across a multidimensional conceptualization of spirituality (Hill 2005; Tsang & McCullough, 2003). The researcher investigated the lived experience of thirteen cancer survivors with posttraumatic spiritual growth using a phenomenological method of data analysis. Participants reported experiencing spiritual growth across the following domains …

Interrelations Among Personality, Religious And Nonreligious Coping, And Mental Health, Jude Martin Henningsgaard

Dissertations

Religion's involvement in the coping process remains an underexplored area of coping research despite most psychologists agreeing that religion is integral to this process for many individuals. Interestingly, there is some disagreement among psychologists regarding whether religious coping can be "reduced" to nonreligious coping (Siegel, Anderman, & Schrimshaw, 2001). To better understand how religious and nonreligious coping contribute uniquely to the prediction of mental health outcomes, the study's first and second goals were to determine the incremental validity of each type of coping, above and beyond the other. The study's third goal was to determine whether select coping strategies mediated …

The Effects Of Differential Negative Reinforcement Of Task Engagement On Escape From Academic Tasks, Brett Vivian Mehrtens Prince

Dissertations

The effects of differential negative reinforcement of alternative behavior (DNRA) were examined on the escape behavior of four 1st and 2nd grade general education students. The alternative behavior that was negatively reinforced was task engagement during reading or math periods. The DNRA treatment was evaluated for its effects on task engagement in either a DNRA with access to a preferred activity condition or a DNRA without access to a preferred activity condition. In the preferred activity condition, the participants were allowed to engage in a high preferred activity when they had been engaged with an academic task for a certain …

The Effect Of Holland's Person-Environment Fit On Trait Anger, Interpersonal Conflict At Work, And Workplace Aggression, Aimee Chantelle Pseekos

Dissertations

This study examined the effect of Person-Environment fit, as defined by Holland's (1997) theory, on trait anger, interpersonal conflict at work, and workplace aggression in a sample of employees in the United States. Job satisfaction was also examined with regard to concurrent and discriminant validity information for this sample. Results indicated that there was not a statistically significant effect of Person- Environment fit on trait anger, interpersonal conflict at work, or workplace aggression. The concurrent and discriminant validity of findings was supported through relationships between job satisfaction, Person-Environment fit, and workplace aggression. Limitations and implications for further research related to …

Effects Of Spritual Well-Being, Religious Coping, And Hardiness On Parenting Behaviors In Low Socioeconomic Status Families, Jane Elizabeth Schenck Varner

Dissertations

Children from low socioeconomic status families are at risk for poor academic, emotional, and behavioral outcomes (Owens & Shaw, 2003). Multiple variables have been associated with resiliency in such families (Walsh, 2003). Spiritual and religious constructs have demonstrated positive effects on quality of life (Perrone, Webb, Wright, Jackson, & Ksiazak, 2006), emotional well-being (Davis, Kerr, & Kurpius, 2003; Calicchia & Graham, 2006), and positive health outcomes (Edmondson et al., 2005) in various populations. Previous research has not examined the relationship between spiritual and religious variables and resiliency, nor has previous research considered how the religious, spiritual, and resiliency variables affect …

Selecting Effective Mathematics Interventions In The Rti Process Via Brief Experimental Analyses, Carmen Daniela Reisener

Dissertations

The treatment utility of brief experimental analyses (BEAs) for identifying effective treatments for individual students experiencing mathematics difficulties is a novel area of research; especially in a Response-to-intervention (Rtl) framework. One fourth and three sixth grade students served as participants in the current study. The effects of a variety of evidence-based mathematics computation fluency interventions were examined in a BEA format. Effective treatments identified from the BEA for each participant were alternated during an extended analysis. The results of the current investigation indicated variability within and across participants in response to a variety of evidence-based interventions. Visual analysis of the …

Exploring The Relationships Between White Racial Consciousness, Feminist Identity Development And Family Environment For White Undergraduate Women, Kara E. Wolff

Dissertations

Although the literature has emphasized the importance of understanding between White racial consciousness, feminist identity development and family environment. Based on the relationships described by the canonical functions considered noteworthy in the analyses three main findings appeared to emerge. First, family environments that were perceived by White undergraduate women to promote engagement with a variety of outside perspectives were related to more actively antiracist worldviews and well-developed feminist identities; while family environments perceived to reflect a more insular focus (i.e. less exposure to divergent opinions) were related to more prejudicial racial attitudes and less feminist identity development. Second, the more …

The Inner Experience Of Older Individuals, Todd Michael Seibert

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Older individuals are susceptible to the development of numerous age-related neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia. This is continuing to become a more serious social, financial, medical, and psychological problem as the average life span continues to increase across the world. Nevertheless, very little is known about the inner experience of older individuals. This study used Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES) to investigate the inner experience of twelve older individuals with and without cognitive impairment. Five of six unimpaired individuals were able to engage successfully in DES compared to only one individual with cognitive impairment. The findings suggest that …

Studying Personality In Juvenile Prostitutes: Aren't All Delinquents The Same?, Nina S. Brathwaite

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to test whether specific personality traits differentiate juveniles who engage in prostitution from those who do not. Juvenile prostitutes (n =34) and delinquent non-prostitutes (n =33) being detained in the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center were compared on a number of personality variables and offender subtype classifications measured by the Jesness Inventory-Revised (Jesness, 1988). It was hypothesized that the prostitution group would score significantly higher on scales closely related to immaturity, depression, denial, and sensation-seeking. Results of MANOVA and chi square indicated that the two groups did not differ significantly with regard to their …

The Relationship Between Darkness Of Skin Tone And Mediators Of Elevated Blood Pressure, Brandy Trevino

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Numerous studies have found that blood pressure is higher in persons with darker skin tone but the reasons for this remain unclear. This study attempted to investigate this relationship in Hispanics. If such a relationship was found, then it will be addressed whether or not one or more mediators, e.g., hostility, locus of control and perceived racial discrimination mediated the relationship. No such relationship between darkness of skin tone and blood pressure was found. However, statistically significant positive relationships between perceived racial discrimination, locus of control, and hostility were revealed. Discussion of these results focused on the plausible explanation of …

Adult Sexual Adjustment After Experiencing Sexual Abuse In Childhood, Liliana G. Moyers-Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

A sample of 465 Junior and Senior college students was tested at the University of Texas-Pan American to test our primary hypothesis that argues that individual who had suffered CSA rely more on cybersex activities as a means of sexual gratification to cope with the long term effects of sexual abuse as a result of adulthood sexual maladjustment, as opposed to individual who did not suffered CSA. The statistical analyses performed failed to reject the null hypothesis of this thesis that the experience of CSA has no effect on adult use of internet cybersex. Further research is suggested using measures …

Racial Discrimination, Skin Tone, Locus Of Control, And Acculturation Among Mennonite Latino/As Of The Rio Grande Valley, Nancy Rivera

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study assessed the relationship between perceived racial discrimination, and skin tone, locus of control and acculturation among Latino/a Mennonites of the Rio Grande Valley. Eighty nine Latino/a Mennonites were recruited. The following measures were used: Schedule of Racist Events, Intrinsic Spirituality Scale, a short version of the revised Acculturation Scale for Mexican Americans-II, and Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. A window tint meter assessed skin tone. Multiple regression analysis and multivariate analysis of variance was used to determine how rates of perceived discrimination among Mennonite Latinos/as were related to skin tone, locus of control and acculturation. The results …

Living With Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Ibd) : A Test Of The Meaning Making Model Of Coping., Erica Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic illness with the potential to affect many areas of one's life through painful physical symptoms and psychological distress. Despite the debilitating nature and increasing prevalence of IBD, there is little research addressing the coping processes and related psychological adjustment among individuals living with the disease. Moreover, there has been no research conducted investigating how those with IBD make meaning out of their illness experience. Research conducted with other illness populations suggests that meaning making, a specific type of coping may have important implications for psychological adjustment. This cross-sectional study examines the coping processes …

Investigation Of The Chemical And Physical Properties Of Asian Dust And Asian Pollution Transpacific Transport During The Intex-B Field Campaign, Timothy S. Logan

Theses and Dissertations

Asian dust events during INTEX-B were analyzed by using chemical and physical in situ measurements taken by instruments on board a NASA DC-8 aircraft during the INTEX-B (2006) field campaign. From this analysis, the three following scientific questions about the nature of the Asian dust events were answered: (1) How can we identify which mode dominates in the observed dust plumes, (2) How do the pollutants and Asian dust interact with eac': other to form secondary pollutants, and (3) Has the pollution measured over the remote Pacific increased over the time interval of two previous field experiments (PEM-B 1994 and …

Testing An Extension Of The Job Demands-Resources Model :The Addition Of Personal Resources As Mediators To The Resources - Engagement Relationship, Marilyn Deese

All Theses

I review the construct of work engagement and discuss the Job demands-Resources (JD-R) model, a theory to describe the causes of engagement. The study investigates the inclusion of personal resources in the JD-R model. This research tests the hypothesis that personal resources (self-efficacy, optimism, and self-esteem) will mediate the relationship between organizational resources (method control and social support) and engagement. The hypotheses were tested in a longitudinal design with a sample of nurses from the Northwestern United States (N = 428). Method control significantly predicted self-esteem, and coworker support significantly predicted selfefficacy. Further, supervisor support and self-efficacy predicted dedication, and …

Exploring Erotic Plasticity As An Individual Difference Variable: Theory And Measurement, Lorraine Benuto

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Baumeister's theory of female erotic plasticity is supported by a significant body of data suggesting that female sexuality is more malleable and more greatly influenced by cultural and contextual factors than male sexuality. Sex differences notwithstanding, it is reasonable to theorize that erotic plasticity might also vary across individuals. Based on a thematic/conceptual organization of relevant current literature, we explored erotic plasticity as optimally encompassed by six dimensions: (1) changes in sexual attitudes over time, (2) changes in sexual behaviors over time and across context, (3) fluidity of sexual behaviors along a same-sex/opposite-sex continuum (evidence of attraction and/or sexual involvement …

Narrative Theory And Fort Berthold's Stories Of The Paranormal Or Supernatural, Waylon C. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

The author collected stories of the paranormal and supernatural from 10 enrolled members of the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold, North Dakota. The research participants were members of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara tribes. Five research questions guided the study: (1) Where did these contemporary stories of the paranormal or supernatural originate? (2) What is the meaning behind these stories? (3) How are these stories different from other stories of the paranormal or supernatural? (4) Do the respondents “believe” in these stories of the paranormal? (5) Do these stories connect to traditional American Indian customs and beliefs?

The content …

Depression And Health Among American Indian And Alaska Native Elders, Crystal R. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

There is evidence of an association between depression, chronic disease, health status, and functionality among the elderly population. Research examining these relationships among American Indian elders is limited. This paper used data from the Identifying Our Needs: A Survey of Elders II to examine the relationships between target health variables and depression in a national sample of 10,743 American Indian elders. The data suggests that depression is significantly related to self-rated health, overnight hospital stays, spiritual activities, vigorous exercise, activity limitations, chronic disease, and community service usage. Additionally, self-rated health, limitations, binge drinking, and chronic disease were predictive of which …

The Effect Of A One Time Imagery Intervention On Self-Efficacy And Exercise Frequency In A Non-Exercising Population, Lindsay Ross-Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

We all know physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, yet many people are still living sedentary lifestyles. One theory used to explain why some people exercise, while others do not is self-efficacy theory. Past research has indicated that people's self-efficacy may be related to their exercise behavior. It has also been shown that imagery can positive affect self-efficacy. Past research has shown that there is a relationship between imagery, self-efficacy, and exercise frequency, however no intervention studies have assessed this relationship. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a one time …

Pain Management: Knowledge And Attitudes Of Senior Nursing Students And Practicing Registered Nurses, Sherry Messmer

Theses and Dissertations

Despite scientific advances in pain management, inadequate pain relief in hospitalized patients continues to be an on-going phenomenon. Although nurses do not prescribe medication for pain, the decision to administer pharmacological or other interventions for pain relief is part of nursing practice. Nurses play a critical role in the relief of patients' pain.

Some authors have argued that nurses are not well prepared in pain management because of deficiencies in nursing curricula. Over the past ten years, however a significant amount of information about pain management including assessment and intervention for relief has been incorporated into basic programs of study …

Energy Drink Consumption In College Students: Report Of Physical And Psychological Symptoms In Association With Chronic Consumption Habits, Rebecca J. Cicha

Theses and Dissertations

Within the past decade, energy drink consumption has increased, particularly within young adult populations. Though current studies have investigated the acute effects of energy drink consumption, little data exists in regards to consumption patterns amongst college students, particularly differentiating acute vs. chronic consumers. As caffeine is recognized as the main acting ingredient in energy drinks, the effects of acute and chronic energy drink consumption may be related to that of general acute and chronic caffeine consumption. To date, much literature has highlighted a connection between caffeine intake and general pathology, specifically, that caffeine is highly correlated with the endorsement of …