Psychology Commons^™

Gender Patterns In Dress And Outward Appearance: An Individual Choice Or Fulfillment Of Cultural Expectations?, Caroline J. Lindemuth, Lindsey A. Thomas, Hadley A. Mates, Jenessa A. Casey

Modern Psychological Studies

This study examines the extent to which males and females conform to gender schemas regarding outward appearance and clothing styles. Participants were observed from a distance in various natural settings and were coded based on estimated age, hair length, certain clothing choices, and certain jewelry and accessory choices. We found statistically significant gender differences (with p <.0001) for all characteristics, with the codes for hair length, earrings, and dresses showing the strongest discrepancies. These data showed a pattern of males being more confined to strict gender displays than were females, which can be seen particularly clearly in the wearing of earrings and dresses, as males rarely deviated from the socially acceptable gender signals. These findings imply that the feminist movement loosened feminine standards for dress and appearance; lacking a similar social movement, men remain more strictly confined to traditional displays of gender.

The Effects Of Video Game Play On Academic Performance, Jancee Wright

Modern Psychological Studies

The purpose of the present research is to determine whether playing video games impacts academic performance as determined by GPA. To accomplish this, 198 participants filled out a Gaming Habits Survey which was analyzed using a series of one-way ANOVAs. The study found that there was a significant effect of player status on GPA at the p < .01 level for the two conditions of player versus non-player [F (1, 169) = 7.08, p = .009]. Comparisons using descriptive statistics indicated that the mean GPA score for the player condition (M = 3.2, SD = .51) was significantly different than the non-player condition (M = 3.4, SD = .47). These results show that participants who indicated that they did play video games had significantly lower GPAs than participants who indicated that they did not play video games.

An Investigation Of Racial Biases Among Rural Police Officers, Emily Pica, Karri Verno

Modern Psychological Studies

The current study examined racial biases in rural police systems. Fifty police officers took part in the study. A likert-type scale was used to measure different aspects of racial bias, and a questionnaire with crime descriptions was used. Each police system received either a Caucasian suspect questionnaire or an African American suspect questionnaire. Results indicated that the rural police officers in this study did not exhibit racial biases. There were additional analyses done which showed that female officers are slightly harsher in their treatment of African American suspects compared to male officers. The findings of the current study are similar …

Positively Biased Appraisals In Everyday Life: When Do They Benefit Mental Health And When Do They Harm It?, Erin M. O'Mara, James K. Mcnulty, Benjamin R. Karney

Psychology Faculty Publications

To promote optimal mental health, is it best to evaluate negative experiences accurately or in a positively biased manner? In an attempt to reconcile inconsistent prior research addressing this question, we predicted that the tendency to form positively biased appraisals of negative experiences may reduce the motive to address those experiences and thereby lead to poorer mental health in the context of negative experiences that are controllable and severe but lead to better mental health in the context of controllable negative experiences that are less severe by promoting positive feelings without invoking serious consequences from unaddressed problems. In 2 longitudinal …

The Structure Of Client Language And Drinking Outcomes In Project Match, Tim Martin, Paulette J. Christopher, Jon M. Houck, Theresa B. Moyers

Faculty Articles

Client language during Motivational Interviewing interventions is an important predictor of drinking outcomes, but there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding what aspects of client language are most predictive. We characterized the structure of client language by factor analyzing frequency counts of several categories of client speech. The results provide limited support for a model proposed by Miller et al. (2006) and Amrhein et al. (2003) but with some important differences. While Amrhein et al. (2003) found that only increasing strength in client commitment language predicted behavior change, the current study revealed that client language preparatory to commitment predicted drinking …

Assessing The Forms And Functions Of Aggression Using Self-Report: Factor Structure And Invariance Of The Peer Conflict Scale In Youths, Monica A. Marsee, Christopher T. Barry, Kristina K. Childs, Paul J. Frick, Eva R. Kimonis, Luna C. Muñoz, Katherine J. Aucoin, Gregory M. Fassnacht, Melissa M. Kunimatsu, Katherine S.L. Lau

Faculty Publications

This study examined the structure of a self-report measure of the forms and functions of aggression in 855 adolescents (582 boys, 266 girls) aged 12 to 19 years recruited from high school, detained, and residential settings. The Peer Conflict Scale (PCS) is a 40-item measure that was developed to improve upon existing measures and provide an efficient, reliable, and valid assessment of four dimensions of aggression (i.e., reactive overt, reactive relational, proactive overt, and proactive relational) in youths. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a 4-factor model represented a satisfactory solution for the data. The factor structure fit well for both …

Expanded Behavioral Model For Online Support Services, Laura Boxley

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The rapid expansion of online technologies and health resources has created opportunities to develop broadly available interventions to address the needs of the modern patient. This study proposes a theoretical structure based on Andersen's Individual Determinants of Health Service Utilization Model to describe who is using online support and how it is being used. Also unique to this analysis was the use of objective behavioral data to describe and predict website utilization, and linguistic analysis to evaluate the content of what is shared in online groups. Eighty-four men and women completed baseline evaluations and were randomized into either online support …

Religious Coping And Depression Among Blacks And Whites After Sexual Abuse, Richelin Dye

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

According to the theory of Fundamental Assumptions, childhood sexual abuse survivors have more depressive symptoms as a consequence of disrupted assumptions relating to optimism and mastery (Janoff-Bulman, 1992). This study tested whether positive religious coping preserves the fundamental assumptions to decrease depressive symptoms. In contrast, negative religious coping was posited to challenge assumptions. These hypotheses were tested in 2949 women from the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health study of which 246 reported childhood sexual abuse (CSA) with no childhood physical abuse and no adult sexual assault. Across all participants, positive religious coping (benevolent God reappraisal, collaborative religious coping, and spiritual connection) …

Memory For Emotional Images: Mechanisms Of Episodic Processing And Its Psychophysiological Correlates, Gregory E. Devore

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Negative emotional stimuli are usually better remembered than neutral emotional stimuli. Previous examination of binding theory found no differences in recall for pure lists of taboo and neutral words. A similar result was found with equivalent recognition memory performance between pure lists of negative, positive, and neutral images. The current research is designed to test the predictions of binding theory using negative and neutral visual stimuli in mixed lists. A rapid serial visual presentation paradigm and recognition memory item-discrimination tasks are used. Binding theory predicts differences in recognition memory performance between arousing and neutral images in mixed lists, but not …

Exploring Gender Differences In Online Cancer Support Groups, Natalie Christine Kaiser

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Gender differences in depression and other psychiatric conditions have been widely

documented in the general population (Nolen‐Hoeksema, 2006). Therefore, several studies have

analyzed the differential gender‐based adaptation of a cancer diagnosis. However, there seem to be contradictory results. While some studies have found there to be no gender differences in terms of cancer‐related distress (Beresford et al., 2006; Deimling et al., 2006; Zabora et al., 2001; & Carlson et al., 2004; Matthews, 2003), other studies have found that females tend to display more anxiety and depressive symptoms (Mystakidou et al., 2005; Deimling et al., 2006). Interestingly, limited studies have reported …

The Impact Of Pomegranate On Memory Dysfunction After Cardiac Surgery, Sapna Patel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Studies have shown a decline in certain cognitive abilities in individuals diagnosed with heart disease of any type or etiology. This decline is observed as the disease progresses (Muller, Grobbee, Aleman, Bots & van der Schouw, 2006; Ernest et al., 2006), as well as after certain interventions, such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and heart valve surgery. In recent years, there has been a great deal of emphasis on the beneficial effects of pomegranate on health, including diseases of the brain and the heart. Few, however, have explored the impact of pomegranate on cognitive functions. Thus, the current …

Myelomeningocele And The Neuropsychological Functioning Of Bilingual Children, Claudia Resendiz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Myelomeningocele is the most common and most severe form of spina bifida, affecting the brain and spinal cord of millions of children. Children of Hispanic background have the highest prevalence rate of this condition. Despite this fact, research that examines the cognitive profiles of Hispanic children with myelomeningocele is limited. A review on bilingualism and neurocognitive performance suggests that a cognitive advantage is present among those who are able to learn and utilize two languages. Although some have investigated the neuropsychological performance of children with myelomeningocele, research has yet to examine whether a bilingual cognitive advantage is present among bilingual …

Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation: Ethnic And Psychosocial Predictors Of Recovery Outcome, Anna Olga Wong

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

As the new focus on preventative medicine has emerged, research continues to expand on diseases that impact physical and cognitive functioning, lead to long-term disability, and increase the risk of mortality. Stroke or cerebral vascular accident (CVA) has been identified as one of such diseases by the Centers for Disease Control (2007). Past literature has identified disparities between ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other diseases in the recovery of stroke. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of ethnicity and psychosocial factors on stroke recovery during inpatient rehabilitation. The study included 446 patients who had suffered an …

Self-Efficacy For Independent Living In Retirement, Jennifer Summers

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A person's ability to live independently plays an important role in their quality of life. Variables such as perceived health, functional status, retirement preparedness, social support, and leisure activities are considered to play pivotal roles in the belief one can live independently. Therefore, self-efficacy towards living independently in the retirement phase of life will be impacted by the elements that set the framework for a rewarding life. The present paper reviews social cognitive theory, the construct of self efficacy as well as current research in the area of retirement and how the two are related. The review concludes with a …

Guidelines For Culturally Informed Interventions: Culture, Attributions And Continuity Of Care, Chung Mu Seo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Although early detection can improve survival of breast and cervical cancer, U.S. Latinas are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of cancer and have poorer survival rates compared to Anglo women. Poorer continuity of care and adherence to recommended screening are seen as contributing factors to this disparity. Existing interventions have tried to reduce human, system, and culture barriers. However, they lacked a systemic guidance in the process of identifying cultural factors and the pathways in which they affect the specific behavior of interest through psychological processes in a minority population. Guided by Betancourt’s integrative model of culture, …

Mrs And Neuropsychological Outcome In Children With Non-Accidental Tbi, Aileen Arratoonian

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Despite the severe and long-term neurological consequences and the prevalence of non-accidental head trauma (NAT) among infants, few empirical studies have specifically examined the neuropsychological consequences in this population of children. The current study examined the relationship between clinical variables, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H-MRS), and neuropsychological outcome in this high-risk population of children. Infants and children with a confirmed diagnosis of NAT were recruited by the Division of Pediatric Neurology at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital and administered a comprehensive follow-up neuropsychological evaluation and neurological exam several months post injury. At the conclusion of the study, there were 13 participants …

Lateralization Of Emotion, Reaction Time, And Skin Conductance Responsiveness, Kimberley Erin Rose

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Bilateral presentations of brief (250 ms), unmasked emotional and neutral stimuli were examined in two experiments with primarily female samples. Reaction time and accuracy data were used to measure perception of emotion and skin conductance response (SCR) was used to measure experience of emotion. Both words and pictures were used to account for hemispheric differences in language and visuospatial dominance. Response time was faster to emotional pictures than words. Reaction time and speeded accuracy data did not support right hemisphere hypothesis (RHH) or valence hypothesis (VH) in the expected manner. Data suggested emotion caused greater interference under speeded conditions in …

Integrating The Development Of Children And Gestalt Therapy, Jennifer J. Thompson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

There are many theories that have contributed to what we know about the development of children; for instance, theoretical diversity supports the complexities of human nature. A child's developmental level will impact his ability to relate. Gestalt theory supports the child's phenomenological view by focusing on the here-and-now of what is happening in the therapeutic environment. Most of what a child will do is in response to a need or want. The child will work toward fulfilling that need. The child may develop maladaptive ways to fulfill his needs based on the environment in which he lives. Gestalt play therapy …

Horticulture Group Therapy With Mentally Ill Older Adults, Kristen J. Hill

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

With a greatly increasing number of older adults due to advances in medical care, aU baby boomers in the United States will be 65 or older by 2029. As the number of older adults grows, so does the number of those with severe mental illness. Treatments are needed to address older adults with severe mental illness that include the negative side effects of medications. Due to the nature of severe mental illness, lower levels of required cognitive processing allows for those admitted to inpatient psychiatric settings to participate, including those with dementia. Horticulture therapy has proven useful to address severe …

The Application Of Dialectical Behavior Therapy To Chronic Pain Management, Jacob S. Iwaszewski

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pain affects more than 50 million Americans annually, costs over 150 billion dollars each year in healthcare and legal expenses, and results in decreased work productivity and missed work days (Ballantyne, 2006; Boll, Raczynski, & Leviton, 2004; Thom, 2004). It is estimated that chronic pain negatively impacts 15% to 33% of the US population (Bokarius et al., 2008). Third-wave acceptance-based therapies, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), have demonstrated significant improvements in mental health functioning for a variety of populations (Carmody & Baer, 2008; Cusens, Duggan, Thome, & Burch, 2010). DBT, one of the primary treatment modalities for Borderline Personality …

Death, Etxtraversion, Commitment, And Sex: A Study On Terror Management, Jalaal Madyun, Wind Goodfriend

Modern Psychological Studies

Several studies have found that when confronted with mortality (i.e., mortality salience), the desire for intimate relationships and the desire for sex increase (Ben-Ari, 2004; Hirschberger, Florian, & Mikulincer, 2002). The current study examined desire for commitment to a romantic partner and the desire to engage in risky sexual behaviors when mortality is salient and added an examination of how these constructs overlap with the personality trait of extraversion. Results showed that, as expected, extraversion was correlated with the desire to engage in risky sexual behavior. Surprisingly, however, individuals under mortality salience were less likely to desire risky sexual encounters, …

A Review Of Literature On The Effect Of Immigrant Status On Hispanic Adolescents' Psychosocial Adjustment And Achievement, Erin J. Carrol, Carolyn Mcnamara Barry

Modern Psychological Studies

In this literature review we examine the effect of immigration on the development of Hispanic adolescents and their ability to succeed academically. The issues of integrating identities, mediating family relationships and avoiding high risk behaviors and their impact on how these young people adjust are also evaluated. Successfully maintaining aspects of both cultures and healthy familial connections were key ingredients to promote an optimal environment for potential achievement, as well as appropriate buffers against ethnic discrimination or prejudice. The paper concludes with limitations of the literature as well as future directions. The findings of these studies support the need for …

The Commonalities Of Creativity And Suicide In College Students, Christopher W. Drapeau, Daniel Debrule

Modern Psychological Studies

More than 1,000 college students die by suicide each year. Commonly found among these suicides are students who are highly creative, mentally ill, and attending highly competitive schools. Research has demonstrated that the risk of suicide is most acute in students displaying hypomania, impulsivity, psychosis, and a personality trait called psychoticism. Interestingly, these four risk factors are also exhibited in highly creative college students. Hypomania was the most significant contributor to creativity and suicide among the four variables. Elevations in hypomanic symptoms were found among the most creative students and those at risk for repeated suicide attempts. A self-report questionnaire …

Increasing On-Task Behavior Using Teacher Attention Delivered On A Fixed-Time Schedule, Jessica L. Riley, Brian Mckevitt, Mark D. Shriver, Keith D. Allen

Psychology Faculty Publications

The effectiveness of fixed-time delivery of attention to increase the on-task behavior of 2 students in general education was examined. The teacher in this study provided attention to students on a 5-min fixed-time schedule and responded to students in her typical manner between cued intervals. An ABAB withdrawal design was used to test the effects of the intervention. The results of this study indicate that a fixed-time schedule of attention was effective in increasing students’ on-task behavior and decreasing their off-task behavior. Implications of the study for research and practice are discussed.

Addressing Work-Related Traumatic Stress Nebraska - Resilience Alliance Participant Handbook, Asc-Nyu Children's Trauma Institute

Other QIC-WD Products

Child welfare staff are first responders; just like police officer and fire fighters, they are asked to respond to emergency situations with very little information, and by doing so often put themselves at risk. In addition to the very real physical risks involved with responding to a report of suspected child abuse or neglect, there are equally real psychological risks involved with taking care of children and families that have experienced abuse, neglect, family and community violence, and other traumas. Unlike police officers and fire fighters, however, child welfare staff get very little public recognition for the hard work they …

The Validity And Incremental Validity Of Knowledge Tests, Low-Fidelity Simulations, And High-Fidelity Simulations For Predicting Job Performance In Advanced-Level High-Stakes Selection, Filip Lievens, Fiona Patterson

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In high-stakes selection among candidates with considerable domain-specific knowledge and experience, investigations of whether high-fidelity simulations (assessment centers; ACs) have incremental validity over low-fidelity simulations (situational judgment tests; SJTs) are lacking. Therefore, this article integrates research on the validity of knowledge tests, low-fidelity simulations, and high-fidelity simulations in advanced-level high-stakes settings. A model and hypotheses of how these 3 predictors work in combination to predict job performance were developed. In a sample of 196 applicants, all 3 predictors were significantly related to job performance. Both the SJT and the AC had incremental validity over the knowledge test. Moreover, the AC …

Designing Pareto-Optimal Selection Systems: Formalizing The Decisions Required For Selection System Development, Wilfried De Corte, Paul R. Sackett, Filip Lievens

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The article presents an analytic method for designing Pareto-optimal selection systems where the applicants belong to a mixture of candidate populations. The method is useful in both applied and research settings. In an applied context, the present method is the first to assist the selection practitioner when deciding on 6 major selection design issues: (1) the predictor subset, (2) the selection rule, (3) the selection staging, (4) the predictor sequencing, (5) the predictor weighting, and (6) the stage retention decision issue. From a research perspective, the method offers a unique opportunity for studying the impact and relative importance of different …

Positioning The Booty-Call Relationship On The Spectrum Of Relationships: Sexual But More Emotional Than One-Night Stands, Peter K. Jonason, Norman P. Li, Jessica Richardson

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Most research on human sexuality has focused on long-term pairbonds and one-night stands. However, growing evidence suggests there are relationships that do not fit cleanly into either of those categories. One of these relationships is a ‘‘booty-call relationship.’’ The purpose of this study was to describe the sexual and emotional nature of booty-call relationships by (a) examining the types of emotional and sexual acts involved in booty-call relationships and (b) comparing the frequency of those acts in booty-call relationships to one-night stands and serious long-term relationships. In addition, the manner in which sociosexuality is associated with the commission of these …

Embodied Cultural Cognition: Situating The Study Of Embodied Cognition In Socio-Cultural Contexts, Angela K. Y. Leung, Lin Qiu, Lay See Ong, Kim-Pong Tam

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Embodiment research has demonstrated that cognition is grounded in bodily interactions with the environment and that abstract concepts are tied to the body’s sensory and motor systems. Building upon this embodiment perspective and advancing our understanding, we discuss the extension of embodied cultural cognition. We propose that some associations between bodily experiences and abstract concepts are not randomly formed; rather, the development of such associations is situated in a socio-cultural context, informed by cultural imperatives, values, and habits. We draw evidence supporting this view of embodied cultural cognition in body–mind linkages manifested in construal of emotions, time perception, person perception, …

Parental Grief And Loss And The Medical Staff Relationship: A Function Of Attachment, Peter Christopher Gleason

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Each year, too many parents must face the horrific ordeal of having to prepare for the death of their child; thought to be the most traumatic event in the life of an adult (Widger & Picot, 2008). It is in the desperate hours just prior to death that these parents, for many reasons, reach out for support to the medical staff around them. This process, particularly if negative, can leave scars that parents will carry for a lifetime (N. Contro, Larson, Scofield, Sourkes, & Cohen, 2002; Tinsley, et al., 2008). However, there appear to be factors that serve to lessen …