Psychology Commons^™

Identifying Factors That Increase The Likelihood For Alcohol-Induced Blackouts In The Prepartying Context, Joseph W. Labrie, Justin F. Hummer, Shannon Kenney, Andrew Lac, Eric Pedersen

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The present study examined risk factors related to “blacking out” (e.g., temporary periods of memory loss during drinking) during preparty drinking events (i.e., pregaming, predrinking). Participants were students from two universities on the West Coast who reported past month prepartying (N = 2,546) in online surveys administered in the fall of 2008. Among these students, 25% (n = 636) reported blacking out during at least one occasion in which they prepartied in the past month. A logistic regression model underscored that Greek student affiliation, family history of alcohol abuse, frequency of prepartying, and both playing drinking games and …

Descriptive Drinking Norms: For Whom Does Reference Group Matter?, Mary E. Larimer, Clayton Neighbors, Joseph W. Labrie, David C. Atkins, Melissa A. Lewis, Christine M. Lee, Jason R. Kilmer, Debra L. Kaysen, Eric R. Pedersen, Heidi Montoya, Kimberley Hodge, Sruti Desai, Justin F. Hummer, Theresa Walter

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Objective:

Perceived descriptive drinking norms often differ from actual norms and are positively related to personal consumption. However, it is not clear how normative perceptions vary with specificity of the reference group. Are drinking norms more accurate and more closely related to drinking behavior as reference group specificity increases? Do these relationships vary as a function of participant demographics? The present study examined the relationship between perceived descriptive norms and drinking behavior by ethnicity (Asian or White), sex, and fraternity/sorority status.

Method:

Participants were 2,699 (58% female) White (75%) or Asian (25%) undergraduates from two universities who reported their own …

Testing A Model Of Minority Identity Achievement, Identity Affirmation And Psychological Well-Being Among Ethnic Minority And Sexual Minority Individuals, Negin Ghavami, Adam W. Fingerhut, Letitia A. Peplau, Sheila K. Grant, Michele A. Wittig

Psychological Science Faculty Works

How is social identity related to psychological well-being among minority individuals? Drawing on developmental models of identity formation (e.g., Erikson, 1968) and on Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979), we tested a conceptual model examining links between two key aspects of social identity and psychological well-being. We proposed that the association between identity achievement (exploring and understanding the meaning of one's identity) and psychological well-being is mediated by identity affirmation (developing positive feelings and a sense of belonging to one's social group). Across three studies, including ethnic minority high school students (Study 1), ethnic minority college students (Study 2) …

Ovarian Hormones, Aging And Stress On Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity, Michael R. Foy

Psychological Science Faculty Works

The ovarian steroid hormones estradiol and progesterone regulate a wide variety of non-reproductive functions in the central nervous system by interacting with molecular and cellular processes. A growing literature from studies using rodent models suggests that 17β-estradiol, the most potent of the biologically relevant estrogens, enhances synaptic transmission and the magnitude of long-term potentiation recorded from in vitro hippocampal slices. In contrast, progesterone has been shown to decrease synaptic transmission and reduce hippocampal long-term potentiation in this model system. Hippocampal long-term depression, another form of synaptic plasticity, occurs more prominently in slices from aged rats. A decrease in long-term potentiation …

Intrapsychic Predictors Of Professional Quality Of Life: Mindfulness, Empathy, And Emotional Separation, Jacky T. Thomas

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

A growing literature documents the inherently stressful nature of working with persons who are suffering or traumatized, and the potential for the development of stress disorders among social workers and other helpers. Previous studies of compassion fatigue and burnout have provided important information about professional and workplace variables that might influence risk, but little attention has been given to studying intrapersonal skills/abilities that might reduce risk and/or increase resilience and work satisfaction among helping professionals. This exploratory study asked whether levels of mindfulness, empathy, and emotional separation would influence professional quality of life, including compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. …

Artful Liars: Malingering On The Draw-A-Person Task, Dennis P. Carmody, Angela M. Crossman

Publications and Research

Malingering is a form of deception in which one fakes illness to earn (positive or negative) reinforcement. The purpose of the current research was to explore the ability of naïve participants to malinger distress on a clinical, projective measure (Draw-A-Person; DAP). In two experiments, individuals first drew figures of a man, woman, and self. Then, they imagined they were in a motor vehicle accident and drew the figures again as if they were falsely claiming distress from the accident. In Experiment 1, 65 undergraduates participated and in Experiment 2, 70 undergraduates and 40 high school students participated. The drawings were …

Exploring The Potential For Independent Control With The Nia/Brainfingers System - Is Independent Control Of Glance, Muscle, Alpha And Beta Waves Possible?, Jehangir Cooper

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BCI (Brain-Computer-Interface) devices on the market today, such as the NIA, have the capability to assign computer commands to specific channels (e.g., EMG, EOG, Alpha, and Beta) associated with different methods of control. However, the utility of this capability is dependent on the ability of users to selectively/independently control the specific channels. The NIA system was evaluated to determine if independent control of its channels is possible. Two users with varying levels of experience were used in this study. The users played pong using each of the channels to control the pong paddle, while the data on the activation levels …

Relationships Between Organizational Variables And The Inclusive Language Used By Leaders, Matthew J. Keller

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I investigated relationships between organizational variables and leadership, as measured by inclusive language use. Specifically, I examined whether organization size and profitability relate to the organization leader's use of language. I expected language use to be more inclusive in smaller and more profitable organizations, relative to larger and less profitable organizations. In this study, I used a regression approach to test my hypotheses. Results indicated that organization size was positively related to passive voice indicators, in support of Hypothesis 1. However, profitability was negatively related to inclusive pronouns and positively related to passive voice indicators, both of which were opposite …

Sex And Racial Differences In Socially Desirable Responding, Kathryn G. Van Dixhorn

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The purpose of this study was to examine the magnitude of sex and racial differences in faking behavior, specifically socially desirable responding, in a large (N = 295,517), applied sample. Results indicated that females are engaging in more intentional socially desirable responding, whereas males are engaging in more inadvertent socially desirable responding. However, these differences are not likely to influence selection. Caucasians are displaying more intentional socially desirable responding than African Americans (d = 0.55), Hispanics (d = 0.57), and Asian Americans (d = 0.29). Asian Americans - iii - engaged in less inadvertent socially desirable responding than Caucasians (d …

The Decision To Pursue Self-Interests: Cultural Implications At The Individual Level, Corinne Patrice Wright

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In the current study I examined the relationships between personality, culture, and the decision to pursue self-interests. Specifically, I proposed that conscientiousness, extraversion, idiocentrism, masculinity, and power distance would be positively related to the decision to pursue self-interests whereas agreeableness would be negatively related to the pursuit of self-interests. I also proposed an exploratory examination of interactions between personality and individual cultural values in predicting the decision to pursue self- interests. As predicted, idiocentrism and masculinity significantly predicted the decision to pursue self-interests. In addition, masculinity moderated the effects of both agreeableness and neuroticism on the pursuit of self-interests. Also, …

Team Conflict And Effectiveness In Competitive Environments, Julie A. Steinke

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Substantial time and money are spent assessing workplace teams to delineate what makes a team effective. Historically, as teams developed into vital components of organizations, they also became the target of empirical research (see Kozlowski and Bell, 2003, for a review). However, questions remain concerning how individuals function within teams. My study was restricted to influences on individual functions within teams, and I offer a conceptual model of the effects of both individual and team factors on individual level outcomes (e.g., conflict and team effectiveness). Specifically, I examined these effects for a relatively unexamined population, i.e., college athletic coaching staffs. …

The Effects Of Causal Attributions On Subordinate Responses To Supervisor Support, Kevin Eschleman

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Causal attributions can play an integral part in how employees respond to events in the work environment (Bowling and Beehr, 2006; Dasborough and Ashkanasy, 2002; Perrewé and Zellars, 1999). Causal attributions of a work behavior or event include locus of causality (i.e., self-directed, supervisor-directed, organization-directed), stability, and intentionality (i.e., altruistic, self-serving). In the current study, I examined the consequences of subordinates' causal attributions on responses to emotional and instrumental supervisor support. As expected, emotional and instrumental supervisor support were positively associated with job satisfaction, supervisor satisfaction, organizational citizenship behaviors, and organizational commitment assessed 30 days later. Emotional supervisor support also …

Turnover Reasons And Employee Attitudes: Examining Linkages Within The Framework Of Behavioral Reasoning Theory, Gregory D. Hammond

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This study investigated the relationship between individuals' reasons for leaving their former employers (e.g., inadequate pay) and relevant attitudinal variables (e.g., attitudes regarding pay and other compensation). The role of attitudes as a mediator of the relationship between reasons and intentions was also investigated. Finally, the relationship between reasons, attitudes, and reemployment in the same industry was investigated. Results from an archival sample of former employees (n = 5044) from 8 small to medium-sized companies in a variety of industries indicated mixed support for the hypotheses. Implications and directions for future research were discussed.

Personality And Simulated Employment Decisions In Perceived Gay And Lesbian Applicants, Megan Brianne Morris

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Currently, there is no research that assesses how individual's perceptions of personality and other characteristics in gay male and lesbian applicants affect employment decisions. I examined individuals' perceptions of personality in gay and lesbian applicants and the effect of these perceptions on employment outcomes. I hypothesized that individuals would prescribe gender atypical traits to gay male and lesbian applicants, and that qualification ratings for these applicants would depend on job-type match with the applicants' gender atypical traits. In the current study, I used a sample of undergraduate students. Each participant evaluated a resume that potentially contained cues reflecting a homosexual …

A Comparison Of Work-Specific And General Personality Measures As Predictors Of Ocbs And Cwbs In China And The United States, Qiang Wang

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Previous studies on frame-of-reference effects have focused on domain-specific personality measures as predictors of performance in North America. The current study expands on this research by comparing work-specific and general personality as predictors of CWBs and OCBs in an East Asian culture (i.e., China). Consistent with the literature on frame-of-reference effects in personality assessment, I found that three Big Five personality dimensions, including agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability, were significantly related with OCBs and CWBs. Also, use of a frame of reference that is conceptually relevant to the criterion led to increased validity as a result of the decrement in …

Multipurpose Map Designs For Gps Surface-Vehicle Navigation: Spatial Knowledge And Advisory Functions, Caitlan A. Rizzardo

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Current car navigation systems primarily utilize track-up maps with spatial turn arrows, which facilitate turn decision-making but do not facilitate acquisition of spatial knowledge of the region. North-up maps do facilitate acquisition of regional spatial knowledge, however, these displays sometimes have arrows heading in directions misaligned with a driver's forward view, such as when the car is heading south. Drivers have difficulty making turn decisions in these misaligned maps because of stimulus-response reversals (Chan and Chan, 2005; Levine, 1982; Levine, Marchon and Hanley, 1984; Montello, 2010). A new display was designed using a fixed orientation north-up map and added a …

Developing A Word Fragment Completion Task For Measuring Trait Aggression, Steven Khazon

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The goal of this paper was to develop a test that uses the implicit processing style to assess aggression. This paper begins by reviewing current aggression theories and how aggression is assessed. Next it discusses the implicit and explicit processing styles and how scholars have used these methods of information processing to create psychological assessments. Afterwards, it presents a new indirect test of trait aggression that is based on the word fragment completion task and attempts to evaluate its validity in three experiments. In Study 1, psychometric methods are used to derive a 9-item trait aggression scale and initial support …

The Role Of Deliberate Behavior In Expert Performance: The Acquisition Of Information Gathering Strategy In The Context Of Emergency Medicine, Frank Eric Robinson

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Effective performance in dynamic domains requires experts to assess problems and implement solutions within the constraints of their work system, but these processes are not well accounted for in the expertise literature. I observed resident and attending emergency physicians to determine the behaviors that distinguish doctors as they manage patients and what contextual variables may affect these behaviors. Factor analyses revealed three types of behavior: goal establishment behavior, goal enactment behavior, and acknowledging uncertainty. Multilevel analyses indicated that doctors' experience and both the local and global context of care impact these behaviors. More experienced doctors appear to be more sensitive …

Sound Localization In Multisource Environments: The Role Of Stimulus Onset Asynchrony And Spatial Uncertainty, Brian David Simpson

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Several studies have shown that detection of a target in a concurrent noise masker improves when the masker onset occurs prior to that of the target (see, e.g., Zwicker, 1965; McFadden, 1966; Yost, 1985). Recent research indicates that this "masker fringe" (i.e., the portion of the masker occurring prior to the target onset) also facilitates sound localization in noise (Simpson, Gilkey, Brungart, Iyer, & Romigh, 2009a; Simpson, Gilkey, Brungart, Iyer, & Hamil, 2009b). However, these studies do not provide a clear indication of what information listeners are exploiting to obtain this improved localization performance. This dissertation was designed to determine …

Replacing Indirect Manual Assistive Solutions With Hands-Free, Direct Selection, James W. Leonard Jr.

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Case study BK is a teenage male who suffers from severe cerebral palsy, making communication very difficult using his current assistive technology. His performance with a manual switch was compared to a hands-free system for computer interaction (Cyberlink Brainfingers/ NIA). BK uses a switch scanning menu, which steps through predetermined options till he chooses the current option being read aloud by pressing a button. A yes/no menu was used for the switch scanning interface for both manual and hands free conditions, as well as the point and click condition. In both hands-free conditions, BK was as fast and accurate as …

Reconstructing Autism: A Phenomenological Study Of The Relationship Between Parents And Their Children Diagnosed With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Laura Elizabeth Solomon

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This study aims to serve as a deconstruction of the experience of parenting a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The increasing number of families with children affected by ASDs has led to many questions about the impact of ASDs on the family unit; however, the voice of parents is sorely missing in the extant research. The history of ASDs and disability in general continues to impact the ways families, society, and professionals treat families affected by ASDs, and particularly the ways they view and value the parent-child relationship. Six mothers of children with ASDs were interviewed about their …

Children's Grief Resources: A Website For Children Grieving The Loss Of A Parent And Their Caregivers, Jami L. Pfirrman

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The death of a parent can represent one of the most devastating life experiences for children. It is an experience that disrupts a developmental path. It is also a crisis that families and communities must address in order to help a grieving child cope and develop resilience. Currently, there are few mental health resources available for parentally bereaved children. Literature on bereavement following the death of a parent suggests that children may experience long-term negative psychological consequences from the loss. However, the literature also notes that with appropriate support, access to resources, and opportunities to express their grief and build …

Mindfulness For The Millennial Generation: A Clinician's Handbook For College Counseling Centers, Shaznin Percy Daruwalla

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The current generation of college students, the Millennials (Howe & Strauss, 2000, 2007) lead highly pressured and achievement-oriented lives. Along with generational changes, change is occurring on university campuses, especially in terms of mental health demographics. There is an increase in the severity of presenting concerns reported by students as seen at counseling centers (Gallagher, 2008), and more students with existing mental health diagnoses are seeking college admissions (Gallagher, 2009). Changes in the current college student generation and socio-cultural changes underscore the need for an effective stress-reduction program for university students. Mindfulness-based interventions have received attention from researchers and clinicians. …

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Pcit) & Maternal Depression: A Proposal For The Application Of Pcit With Mothers Who Are Depressed And Their Children, Seema Jacob

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Maternal depression is often a prevalent disorder in society, which has far reaching effects on the psychological well being of both the mother as well as her child(ren). Research has indicated that maternal depression impacts the parenting skills of a woman and thereby puts her children at risk for maladaptive ways of behaving. Children of mothers who are depressed are at a higher risk of developing externalizing and internalizing problems. Many of the empirically supported treatments for depression focus on the individual aspects of the person, without considering the roles and stress of being a parent. Many treatments for children …

Sexual Satisfaction In Women With Physical Disabilities: Results Of An Online Survey, Jessica Rose Heschel

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The study of sexual satisfaction and pleasure in Women with Disabilities (WwD) represents a significant gap in the current literature. The present study, using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, attempted to explore several areas of the sexual satisfaction of WwD. An internet-based survey was used to gather information in five specific areas: the messages WwD had received about sexuality and disability, their personal feelings about sexuality and disability, the specific elements that contribute to their sexual satisfaction, the amount of useful education and information they had received from mental and physical healthcare providers regarding their sexuality as WwD, and …

Multicultural Group Screening Form (Mgsf): Development Of A Pre-Group Screening Form For Use With Diverse Groups At University Counseling Centers, Taronish H. Irani

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To date, no instrument has been developed that specifically assesses multicultural issues within the context of group work. Rather, such issues are based to a large extent on clinician's judgment (Corey & Corey 1992; Jennings & Anderson, 1997; Riva, Lippert, & Tackett, 2000). The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument (i.e., the Multicultural Group Screening Form, MGSF) designed to address this void in the literature. Such a tool provides a basis for future studies on the multicultural factors that could impact the group process and outcome. Among the group literature reviewed, DeLucia-Waack's and Donigian's (2004) discussion on …

Pre-Group Preparation In College Counseling Centers: Through The Use Of An Audio-Visual Aid, Darius Dexter Campinha-Bacote

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The current dissertation articulates the importance of pre-group preparation, specifically in college counseling centers. The dissertation examines relevant research related to the need for pre-group preparation, as well as the various methods in which information can be delivered to clients. The researcher found that although there are several effective ways to prepare clients for group therapy, an underutilized, efficient, and cost effective way to deliver this information is through the use of an audiovisual aid (Acosta, Yamamoto, Evans & Skilbeck, 2006; D'Augelli & Chinsky, 1974; Egan, 1970; Hoehn-Saric, 1964; Martin & Shewmaker, 1962; Orne and Wender, 1968; Sloane, Cristol, Pepernik, …

The Impact Of Non-Reading Language Performance On The Estimation Of Premorbid Iq Among Normal Elderly Individuals, Abraham Maniparambil-Eapen

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The influence of non-reading language ability was studied in the context of estimating premorbid IQ among normal elderly individuals. Non-reading language performance was measured by the Controlled Oral Word Association (COWA) Test and the Animal Naming (AN) Test. Non-reading language disturbances were divided into three levels (i.e., no disturbance on COWA and AN, either COWA or AN disturbance, and both COWA and AN disturbances). Intellectual ability was primarily measured by the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Additionally, reading measures such as the New Adult Reading Test- Revised (NART-R) and the Wide Range Achievement Test- Fourth Edition (WRAT-4) Word Reading …

Growth Attenuation, Sterilization, And Cochlear Implants: Ethical, Legal And Social Themes, Jenna Nicole Mercadante

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Individuals with disabilities have been the subject of invasive medical procedures throughout history, violating their bodily rights and integrity. Because of a history of abuse, medical procedures performed on individuals with disabilities, especially those who cannot consent, require close scrutiny and analysis. This paper explores three controversial medical procedures performed on individuals with disabilities, which include sterilization, cochlear implants, and growth attenuation. Embedded in each medical procedure mentioned above are social, legal, ethical, and psychological variables that influenced the emergence of each procedure and the receptiveness of society. This project explores each of these variables in detail as it relates …

Deaf Group Identification And Sexual Esteem, Anne M. Willis

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The purpose of this study was to examine sexuality in persons who are deaf. Specifically, it examined group identification and sexual esteem, sexual satisfaction, and sexual preoccupation. Deafness was viewed in this study as not only a level of hearing loss, but as a source of identity and culture. While varying levels of group identification are well defined in the literature, it is unclear as to how this impacts the individual's experience. Analysis of the current sample (N = 68) suggested that there was a slight difference in sexual esteem between subjects who identified as Bicultural, Immersed, Marginalized, and Hearing. …