Psychology Commons^™

Effects Of Visualization On Academic Performance, Brian Michael

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of my study was to investigate the possible utility of visualization, an intervention that has proven useful in both sports and clinical psychology, in an academic setting. However, knowing that there are other powerful performance oriented interventions, such as goal setting and planning, visualization would have to account for unique variance above these to be of value. Specifically, visualization was proposed to help college level students improve exam scores and account for unique variance above that accounted for by goal setting and planning in an intro level psychology course. It was concurrently hypothesized that this relationship would be …

The Challenges In The Transition To Adulthood For Foster Care Youth: A Literature Review, Megan Steffe, Carolyn Mcnamara Barry

Modern Psychological Studies

The years of emerging adulthood are oftentimes filled with both happiness and anxiety while youth move toward adult roles and responsibilities. According to Courtney and Dworsky (2006), a subset of American emerging adults, those who are transitioning out of foster care face greater vulnerability than do their peers in the general population in a number of issues. As a result, this paper reviewed the literature on the challenges faced by these former foster youth, namely relationships, well-being, substance use, education, employment and finances. Limitations of this extant research are noted along with directions in future research on programs designed to …

Front Matter

Modern Psychological Studies

No abstract provided.

Graduate Student Researchers' Knowledge/Efficacy: Results From A Virtual Lab, Lee Stadtlander, Martha Giles

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

Stadtlander and Giles (2010) showed the feasibility of a virtual psychology research laboratory. The present study examines improvement in students’ research skills and efficacy in a three quarter lab. Students conducted interviews in a faculty designed project, analyzed the data, and co-wrote a journal manuscript. Findings indicate lab students’ research knowledge and efficacy improved significantly over non-lab graduate students.

Media Exposure, Juror Decision-Making, And The Availability Heuristic, Judith Platania, Jessica Crawford

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Although much of the research regarding media exposure has centered on the harmful effects of pretrial publicity in criminal cases, it has been argued that civil cases may be more vulnerable to its effects compared to criminal cases (Bornstein, Whisenhunt, Nemeth, & Dunaway, 2002). In large part this appears to be due to the potential influence of media depiction of high-profile lawsuits and atypical verdict awards on judgments of liability and damages (Robbennolt & Studebaker, 2003). In our study we examined the effect of exposure to a news article (relating a verdict award in a product liability case) on juror …

Positive Religious/Spiritual Coping Among African American Men Living With Hiv In Jails And/Or Prisons, E. James Baesler, Valerian J. Derlega, James Lolley

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Physiological Reactions To Uncanny Stimuli: Substantiation Of Self-Assessment And Individual Perception, Tatiana Ballion

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is abundant anecdotal evidence substantiating Mori’s initial observation of the "uncanny valley", a point at which human response to non-human entities drops sharply with respect to comfort (Mori, 1970), and the construct itself has a long-standing history in both Robotics and Psychology. Currently, many fields such as design, training, entertainment, and education make use of heuristic approaches to accommodate the anticipated needs of the user/consumer/audience in certain important aspects. This is due to the lack of empirical substantiation or, in some cases, the impossibility of rigorous quantification; one such area is with respect to the user’s experience of uncanniness, …

In Depth Analysis Of An Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear: Effects On The Mind And Body, Keimi Lew

Whittier Scholars Program

Injuries have always been a major concern for athletes; anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common serious injuries around. With the increase in reported ACL injuries, this has become a sort of epidemic especially among female athletes. Female athletes are three times more likely to experience a knee injury than a male athlete competing in the same sport. Since this increase in the last decade, researchers have developed several different hypotheses as to why females are more likely to experience these injuries. With these injuries there is a physical aspect, however, it is much more than that, …

"...Bless Her Little Heart!": The Culture Of Honor And Emotion Recognition, Forrest J. Rackham

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: Some researchers assert that cultural display rules may explain differences in perceiving emotions (Matsumoto, Yoo, & Chung, 2010). The current study examined the display rule of masking within the Southern culture of honor. It was hypothesized that masking within the culture of honor negatively affects emotion perception sensitivity, particularly in the speed and accuracy of recognizing anger. Southern undergraduate students were primed with the culture of honor and then presented with the Emotional Expression Multimorph Task. Participants chose one of the six emotions (i.e., sad, happy, surprise, fear, disgust, or anger). It was hypothesized participants in the masking …

Motivation, Need Support And Need Satisfaction In Youth Soccer Players, Erica Lippitt

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: Physical activity levels and obesity rates vary greatly across ethnic groups in the United States (CDC, 2011). One popular way to increase physical activity levels in youth is through youth sport participation, which may be influenced by athlete motivation. Numerous studies have determined motivation levels in youth sport participants, but very little done in comparing levels across different ethnic groups. Identifying differences in motivation levels based on ethnicity can allow coaches and sport administrators to adjust practices and program setups to increase participation and meet needs of player competence. The purpose of the study was to determine if …

The Influence Of Phenotypic Variation On Criminal Judgement, Jacque-Corey Cormier

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of phenotypic variation on criminal judgment. This study had two phases. In the first phase, participants rated multiple headshot photographs on the degree to which African American men possess pronounced Afrocentric features (fuller lips, broader nose, curlier hair, darker skin, etc.). The race of the participants predicted 34.2% of the variance in average skin color ratings above all other variables. White participants rated the Black faces as darker than any other participants rated the same faces. Researchers used the faces rated least, average, and most prototypical of Blacks as the …

Critical Bifocality And Circuits Of Privilege: Expanding Critical Ethnographic Theory And Design, Lois Weis, Michelle Fine

Publications and Research

Almost 10 years ago, in Working Method (2004), we argued for a critical theory of method for educational studies, which would analyze lives in the context of history, structure, and institutions, across the power lines of privilege and marginalization.

The Transition Experience To Boarding School For Male Aboriginal Secondary School Students From Regional And Remote Communities Across Western Australia, David James Mander

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The experience of transitioning to boarding schools away from home for Aboriginal secondary school students from regional and remote communities in Australia has not received the attention it deserves (Calma, 2009; Dodson, 2009). The weight of public discourse and a paucity in research provided strong testimony for undertaking the current study. Moreover, it was evident the voice of those Aboriginal students undertaking the experience was absent from this public dialogue and the literature. This qualitative research investigated from a social constructionist perspective how 32 male Aboriginal secondary school students from regional and remote communities constructed meaning and understanding around the …

Criminal, Antisocial, And Temporal Patterns In The Histories Of Serial And Non-Serial Sexual Murderers, Victoria Blair Mesa

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Despite its having been the subject of clinical and scholarly inquiry for more than two centuries, empirical research regarding the phenomenon of sexually-motivated homicide remains limited. In particular, relatively few prior studies have focused on perpetrators' criminal and antisocial backgrounds, and these often examine only the data found in official arrest and conviction records, which frequently provide incomplete accounts of offenders' histories. Even fewer researchers have investigated whether temporal patterns exist in the offense histories of sexual murderers. The current study included data on 46 serial and 93 non-serial perpetrators of sexually-motivated homicide, obtained from a large archive. Data collection …

Does The Approach/Avoidance Task Correlate With Other Measures Of Approach/Avoidance Processes?, Ryan Thibodeau

Psychology Faculty/Staff Publications

The Approach/Avoidance Task (AAT; Rinck & Becker, 2007) assesses approach and avoidance motivational processes by requiring participants to respond to pictures by either pulling a joystick handle toward them or pushing it away. The amount of time required to execute these actions is the dependent variable. The rationale is that appetitive images should facilitate pull (i.e., approach) responses, whereas unpleasant images should facilitate push (e.g., avoid) responses. A small research literature attests to the AAT’s validity in measuring approach/avoidance motivational processes (e.g., Wiers et al., 2010, 2011).

Nevertheless, we deemed it important to empirically explore the extent to which the …

Social Cognition And The Allure Of The Second-Person Perspective: In Defense Of Empathy And Simulation, Karsten R. Stueber

Philosophy Department Faculty Scholarship

This essay serves as an evaluation of challenges to the orthodox way of conceiving "mindreading" abilities by defending a 2006 claim by the author that those abilities involve basic and reenactive empathy .

Dynamic Associations Of Change In Physical Activity And Change In Cognitive Function: Coordinated Analyses Of Four Longitudinal Studies, Magnus Lindwall, Cynthia R. Cimino, Laura Gibbons, Meghan Mitchell, Andreana Benitez, Cassandra L. Brown, Robert F. Kennison, Steven D. Shirk, Alireza Atri, Annie Robitaille, Stuart W. Macdonald, Elizabeth M. Zelinski, Sherry L. Willis, K. Warner Schaie, Boo Johannson, Marcus Praetorius, Roger A. Dixon, Dan M. Mungas, Scott M. Hofer, Andrea M. Piccinin

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study used a coordinated analyses approach to examine the association of physical activity and cognitive change in four longitudinal studies. A series of multilevel growth models with physical activity included both as a fixed (between-person) and time-varying (within-person) predictor of four domains of cognitive function (reasoning, memory, fluency, and semantic knowledge) was used. Baseline physical activity predicted fluency, reasoning and memory in two studies. However, there was a consistent pattern of positive relationships between time-specific changes in physical activity and time-specific changes in cognition, controlling for expected linear trajectories over time, across all four studies. This pattern was …

Social Activity And Cognitive Functioning Over Time: A Coordinated Analysis Of Four Longitudinal Studies, Cassandra L. Brown, Laura E. Gibbons, Robert F. Kennison, Annie Robitaille, Magnus Lindwall, Meghan B. Mitchell, Steven D. Shirk, Alireza Atri, Cynthia R. Cimino, Andreana Benitez, Stuart W.S. Macdonald, Elizabeth M. Zelinski, Sherry L. Willis, K. Warner Schaie, Boo Johannson, Roger A. Dixon, Dan M. Mungas, Scott M. Hofer, Andrea M. Piccinin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Social activity is typically viewed as part of an engaged lifestyle that may help mitigate the deleterious effects of advanced age on cognitive function. As such, social activity has been examined in relation to cognitive abilities later in life. However, longitudinal evidence for this hypothesis thus far remains inconclusive. The current study sought to clarify the relationship between social activity and cognitive function over time using a coordinated data analysis approach across four longitudinal studies. A series of multilevel growth models with social activity included as a covariate is presented. Four domains of cognitive function were assessed: reasoning, memory, fluency, …

An Integration Approach (Chapter 4 Of Counseling And Christianity, Five Approaches), Mark R. Mcminn

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

I puzzle over the adage "to have yout cake and eat it too." If one has cake , why wouldn't they eat it?1 To have your cake and not eat it just seems silly. In the same way, if Christian counselors have the rich theoretical and scientific tradition of psychology to draw upon, why wouldn't they do so? And if the counselor has access to biblical revelation and the theological wisdom of the centuries, of course the counselor should rely on these resources also.

Intra-Individual Variability In Adult Adhd: An Exploration Of The Viability Of Distinct Purely Inattentive Condition, Daniel Proto

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Researchers have suggested that intraindividual variability (IIV), or variation in cognitive testing performance within an individual across a measure or group of measures, may be an endophenotypic marker of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, not all studies have consistently demonstrated significant differences in IIV between individuals with and without ADHD. One potential explanation for this ambiguity is experimental group heterogeneity owing to Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT). Individuals with SCT exhibit behavioral characteristics dissimilar from individuals with ADHD; rather than being impulsive, hyperactive, and aggressive, they tend to be shy, day-dreamy, and cognitively slow. Researchers have hypothesized that the presence of SCT …

Comparing Symptoms Of Autism Spectrum Disorders Using The Current Dsm-Iv-Tr Diagnostic Criteria And The Proposed Dsm-V Diagnostic Criteria, Julie A. Worley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Children diagnosed with Autistic Disorder (AD), Asperger’s Disorder (AS), and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) share overlapping diagnostic criteria. As a result, there has been an enduring debate regarding the appropriateness of the current categorical classification system used to diagnose this group of disorders, commonly referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Ongoing research examining the boundaries of the disorders comprising the spectrum have yielded inconsistent findings in symptom differences; therefore, the American Psychiatric Association has proposed revisions for the upcoming version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (i.e., DSM-5). Revisions include dropping all subcategories …

Using Behavior Screening Data To Predict Scores On Statewide Assessments, Jeffrey Steven Chenier

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Federal and state initiatives (No Child Left Behind, 2001) require schools and districts to set high standards for student growth and achievement. Currently, student growth and progress are measured in Louisiana via statewide achievement tests. In 4th and 8th grades these assessments are considered to be ‘high-stakes’, as promotion and retention decisions are made based on how well students perform on these assessments. Making day-to-day decisions based on one assessment per year is not best practice (Jenkins, Deno, & Markin, 1979); therefore, screening instruments known as curriculum based measures (CBMs) were devised and tailored for school-based implementation. CBMs of academic …

Predictors Of Bullying In An Adolescent School Sample, Schell Hufstetler

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: Bullying is a pervasive problem in our society. Contributing to this problem is the fact that bullying is not well understood. This makes it difficult to design successful interventions. The current study aims to create a complete picture of bullying in order to increase understanding of this behavior. For this study, 59 adolescents completed a survey packet including measures of bullying behaviors and other variables expected to relate to bullying. The results revealed that bullying is a problem for both genders. Multivariate analyses revealed males to be more directly and indirectly aggressive, but there were no significant gender …

The Comparative Effects Of Visual-Only Instruction Versus Modality Principle Instruction On Algebraic Problem Accuracy And Perceived Mental Effort At Varying Levels Of Task Complexity For Undergraduate Nursing Students, Kristina V. Mattis

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two instructional formats on math accuracy and perceived mental effort during a series of math problems that varied in levels of complexity. The multimedia instruction results were compared against a traditional form of instruction using visual-only teaching materials.

Few studies examine the impact of instructional design on learning outcomes math instruction within nursing with a lack of research describing how math is taught to nursing students other than traditional lecture or textbook. Nursing students demonstrate low performance rates on math problems that involve mixed numbers that also tend to …

Arm Flexion, Arm Extension, And Motivational Responses To Feared Stimuli, Ryan Thibodeau, Michael J. Nordquist, David M. Crouse

Psychology Faculty/Staff Publications

People are highly motivated to approach attractive stimuli and to avoid noxious stimuli (e.g., Lang, Bradley, & Cuthbert, 1990; Schneirla, 1959. Approach of attractive stimuli (e.g., obtaining food, pursuit of sexual relations) and avoidance of noxious stimuli (e.g., defense against predatory threat) ensure continued survival, a basic goal of all living organisms. And yet, sometimes approach/avoidance behavior is maladaptive. For instance, individuals with intense fears of spiders experience strong avoidance motivation in spite of the relative harmlessness of most spiders.

The research reported here evaluated whether a simple, easily executed bodily manipulation can dampen the strong avoidance motivation that typically …

Intimate Partner Violence: Implications For The Domestic Relations Practitioner [2012], Carol E. Jordan

Psychology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Framing Effects And Regret On Health Decision-Making, Sarah Falkof

Honors Theses

This study investigates methods for influencing decision-making regarding preventative vaccine shots. Specifically, the research assessed the influence of message framing on regret and future action likelihood. In Experiment 1, participants read information about an available vaccine shot that was either framed positively or negatively. Participants were told whether they decided to get the shot (action) or not get the shot (inaction) and rated their feelings of regret after being told they got sick, regardless of their decision. Results showed that participants who read the positively framed information experienced more regret overall than participants who read the information with the negative …

When Cognitive Bias Masquerades As Intervention Efficacy: Drinking Norms As Anchors And Norm Interventions As Anchoring Effects, Matthew R. Pearson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Problematic drinking is a serious public health concern on college campuses in the United States. College students most frequently report drinking for social reasons, and perceptions of peers' drinking, or perceived drinking norms, are among the most consistent, robust predictors of college student drinking. Therefore, norm-based interventions have risen to prominence in the attempt to reduce the harm caused by college student alcohol use. However, the efficacy of these interventions may be obscured by cognitive bias. Specifically, providing information regarding the drinking norm may "anchor" individuals' estimates of their own behavior. Using samples of college student drinkers, two studies were …

Predicting Rumination From The Five Facets Of Mindfulness, Allen Creamean

Masters Theses

Mindfulness is defined as a process of paying attention to the moment-by-moment experience of thoughts and feelings. It is a non-elaborative, non-judgmental, present-centered awareness in which each thought, feeling or sensation that arises in the attentional field is acknowledged and accepted (Kabat-Zinn, 1990; 1998). The concept of mindfulness adopted in Western therapeutic contexts was derived from Eastern spiritual and philosophical Buddhist teachings. Since its introduction nearly 20 years ago, mindfulness-based treatments have evolved towards altering the relationship between the self and internal/external sensations to reduce multiple forms of psychological and physical morbidity (Bishop et al., 2004). Currently, it is used …

The Effects Of Body Positioning On Compliance Among Children, Andrea Merideth Delaney

Masters Theses

Noncompliance has significant implications for children in both home and educational settings. It can thwart learning and lead to increased levels of stress for parents. This study examined the effect of body positioning on the compliance rates of three children in the clinic setting. Results found that higher rates of compliance were experienced when caregivers issued commands in either the kneeling or bending positions rather than a standing position. For two of the three participants, a kneeling position yielded higher rates of compliance. No differences were seen pre- and post-intervention in regards to parenting style using the PAQ-R. Decreases in …