Psychology Commons^™

Functional Correlates Of Verbal Working Memory In Healthy Aging And Early Alzheimer's Disease, Michael Adam Sugarman

Wayne State University Theses

Deficits in the working memory system are common in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, little is known regarding the neurobiological basis of this impairment. The current study examined the neurobiological functional correlates of the working memory system in early AD patients and cognitively intact control participants using a word list repetition task performed during positron emission tomography (PET). Compared to a reading control task, both the AD and control groups utilized a network of parietal, frontal, and cerebellar regions while completing the word rehearsal task. However, control participants displayed greater activation in all regions, especially in the parietal …

Evaluation Of Stress On Laparoscopic Skills Of Surgical Residents In Simulation-Based Education, William C. Boyer Dhsc, Ms, Hubert K. Huang Ms,Med, Charles Scagliotti Md,Ffacs, Robert Ruhf

Department of Education

No abstract provided.

Determining Musical Preferences In Persons With Dementia: Comparing Caregiver Options To Stimulus Preference Assessment, Eva Christine Igler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The music therapy literature supports the use of individualized music in order to reduce problem behaviors among individuals with moderate to severe dementia; however, these interventions frequently rely on family members and/or staff to choose preferred music. Family members and caregivers are often inaccurate when choosing preferred stimuli for cognitively impaired individuals. The purpose of this study was to determine if family members and caregivers could accurately identify the preferred music of individuals with dementia. A single stimulus preference assessment was used to empirically determine preferred music and then these results were compared to family member and caregiver rankings. The …

Perceptions Of Social Decisions Made By Individuals Of Different Ages, Roberta Sutton, Lisa S. Wagner, Kathleen E. Cook

Modern Psychological Studies

This study examines the perceptions that individuals have about the social decisions of others and the role that age plays in these perceptions. In this study, older and young adults read a vignette in which Clare (either 80 or 20-years-old) chose a social partner (either close friend or new acquaintance). Older adults rated Older Clare more favorably when she chose a close relationship and they rated Younger Clare more favorably when she chose the new experience. Young adults showed more mixed results. Unlike older adults, young adults rated Older Clare more favorably when she chose the new experience rather than …

The Ecological Validity Of The Self-Explanation Effect: The Deleterious Effect Of Music On Self-Explanations, Jason Geller, Robert J. Calin-Jageman

Modern Psychological Studies

One of the most powerful ways to boost learning is to require students to self-explain—to generate written or verbal explanations of their study material as they are studying. Although self-explaining is known to enhance learning across a wide range of ages and study materials, this empirical work has focused almost exclusively on optimal study conditions. Here we explore if selfexplaining is similarly effective in the presence of background music, a distraction students commonly elect to incorporate into their study routines. In the first study, 32 university students were asked to learn about neuronal action potentials while we varied both self-explaining …

The Art Of Work Autonomy: A Test Of Its Influence On Job Embeddedness, Qian Jiang, Chris W. Wright, Amy Smith

Modern Psychological Studies

Mitchell, Holtom, Lee, Sablynski, and Erez (2001) demonstrated that Job Embeddedness is connected to intent to leave and voluntary turnover in employment. Previous researchers have also found that Work Autonomy predicts variables similar to Job Embeddedness (Mitchell et al., 2001). We investigated the factors that impact why people stay at their jobs by examining the relationship between Work Autonomy and Job Embeddedness. Data from 190 currently or previously employed participants were collected. As hypothesized, Work Autonomy was strongly correlated with on/off-the-job fit, on/off-the job sacrifice, on-the-job links and overall Job Embeddedness. However it was not correlated with off-the-job links. Implications …

Self-Handicapping Mediates Between Impulsiveness And Self-Discipline, Jessica M. Mckinney, Kyle D. Maxwell, Richard L. Metzger

Modern Psychological Studies

Self-handicapping, while not a very acknowledged tendency, is very prevalent today. Especially among students of any grade level, the behavior prevents many from reaching their full potential. The purpose of this experiment was to see how Selfhandicapping mediated between Impulsiveness and Self-discipline which can later be used by teachers to help students with this phenomenon. A short survey was given to psychology undergraduate students at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga whose age ranged from 18-44 and were predominantly Caucasian. Self-handicapping was found to mediate between Impulsiveness and Self-discipline (r = .512) compared to Impulsiveness and Self-discipline (r= .288) without using self-handicapping …

Moti-Faction: Retaining And Engaging Employees Using Motivation Profile-Based Rewards, Gina A. Anderson, Susan Bornstein-Forst

Modern Psychological Studies

Organizations are searching for opportunities to increase job satisfaction, motivation for higher performance, and retaining their top talent. This study explores an assessment tool to aim rewards to individual motivation profiles so that companies can reach their potential. A survey exploring employee's attitudes on these types of rewards and an assessment tool to determine employee's individual motivation profiles was created and tested within a manufacturing corporate office through use of an online survey tool, Survey Monkey. Results showed that motivation profiles are evident and a relationship exists between rewarding based on the motivation profile's reward preferences and employee satisfaction and …

Confirming The Dynamic Model Of Working Memory, Keith Christopher Weitze

Modern Psychological Studies

The study of working memory capacity has resulted in a plethora of research that has obsequiously polarized professionals into two groups: one that favors a static model of working memory and the other, a dynamic model of working memory. This paper analyzes three areas related to working memory capacity to help confirm the dynamic model of working memory. A neuroanatomical analysis of an individual's brain undergoing a working memory task illustrates converging brain-centers that process information from multiple modalities, thereby, bolstering the dynamic model. Through a careful consideration of the role of inhibitory control on working memory capacity, an argument …

The Effect Of Music Genre On A Memory Task, Darragh Bugter, Randy Carden

Modern Psychological Studies

This study examined the effects of two different music genres and silence on a memory task Sixty participants were randomly assigned to three groups which were exposed to rap music, classical music or silence while playing the Concentration game. The number of flips needed to complete the Concentration game was measured and served as the memory score. Results of a one-way analysis of variance detected a significant difference between the groups. A planned post hoc analysis found that the classical music group completed the Concentration game in significantly fewer flips than the rap group.

Smiley Face Symbols: Students' Reactions As A Function Of A Professor's Request To Meet, Alyssa A. Radford

Modern Psychological Studies

The college years are a period during which students transition from a parent-oriented environment to one in which they take greater responsibility for their personal and social development. Nonetheless, parents remain a lasting influence on children during these years. Attachment theorists have examined the degree to which attachment history with parents influences ones later interpersonal relationships and perceptions of others. For example, college students' attachment styles influence how they interpret a professor's request to meet (Perrine & King, 2004). The present research examined how securely and insecurely attached students differ in their reactions to a professor's written request to meet …

How Willing Are We To Lower Our Standards? Mate Preferences As A Function Of Mate Value And Faithfulness History, Laura Loyola, Theresa E. Didonato

Modern Psychological Studies

This study sought to determine how the mate value and revelation of faithfulness history could affect mate preference. It was predicted that faithfulness would be more important over mate value for a long-term relationship, and the opposite would be so for short-term relationships. Using a between-subjects experimental design, participants evaluated a hypothetical partner of high, similar, or low mate value that had a faithful or unfaithful past. Results revealed that people cared most about faithfulness for a long-term relationship when that person also had a similar or high degree of mate value. For short-term relationships people cared more about the …

Problems In Using Diagnosis In Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services Research, Leonard Bickman, Lynne G. Wighton, E. Warren Lambert, Marc Karver, Lindsey Steding

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper presents results from a three-part study on diagnosis of children with affective and behavior disorders. We examined the reliability, discriminant, and predictive validity of common diagnoses used in mental health services research using a research diagnostic interview. Results suggest four problems: a) some diagnoses demonstrate internal consistency only slightly better than symptoms chosen at random; b) diagnosis did not add appreciably to a brief global functioning screen in predicting service use; c) low inter-rater reliability among informants and clinicians for six of the most common diagnoses; and d) clinician diagnoses differed between sites in ways that reflect different …

Perceived Psychological Distance In Leader-Subordinate And Teacher-Student Relationships, Charles L. Lewis Iv

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this conceptual paper is two pronged; first it surveys the current research literature on perceived psychological and physical distance and its relationship to leader-subordinate interaction and job performance. Secondly, the review suggests that the phenomenon of perceived distance also applies to the teacher-student relationship and school performance. A synthesis of the literature and suggestions for future research are also presented.

Trust In Relationships: A Study To Determine The Importance Of Trust, Cara Cosentino

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research study was conducted to determine the importance of trust in relationships. To determine the difference in trust levels, opinions on being hurt by an intimate partner are studied next to the participants' opinions of being hurt by a close friend. Surveys were completed by 65 participants ages 18-24 on Eastern Illinois University's campus. The survey was nine questions long and had mainly multiple choice answer options. Results were surprising on participants' levels of trust. Every participant believed that trust was the key factor in making an intimate relationship work, yet an almost exact 50% of the participants had …

Stress Reduction Process, Noor Judeh

A with Honors Projects

This paper identifies the background and causes of stress and the different techniques that can be used to reduce stress.

Women, Alcoholics Anonymous, And Related Mutual Aid Groups: Review And Recommendations For Research, Sarah E. Ullman, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Ericka B. Adams

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Recent literature reviews and meta-analyses have supported the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in helping members stop drinking and maintain sobriety. Despite the extensive body of research on AA, less attention has focused on differences in the efficacy of the program for and experiences of women as compared to men. Such a focus is warranted given that there are significant gender differences in the development and progression of alcoholism, impact of drinking, and response to treatment. This review synthesizes results of extant research on women in AA and similar mutual aid groups focused on problem drinking to describe the state …

Trauma Severity And Defensive Emotion-Regulation Reactions As Predictors Of Forgetting Childhood Trauma, Bette L. Bottoms, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Michelle A. Epstein, Matthew J. Badanek

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Using a retrospective survey, we studied a sample of 1679 college women to determine whether reports of prior forgetting of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and other traumas could be explained by trauma severity and individual differences in the use of defensive emotion-regulation reactions (i.e., repressive coping, dissociation, and fantasy proneness). Among victims of physical abuse (but not sexual abuse or other types of trauma), those who experienced severe abuse and used defensive reactions were sometimes more likely to report temporary forgetting of abuse, but other times less likely to report forgetting. We also found unanticipated main effects of trauma severity …

Epigenetics: A Possible Mechanism Of Memory, Aliza Grossman Rubenstein

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The following is an excerpt from the introduction to this article: The mind-body connection has fascinated philosophers and scientists for centuries. How is it possible that consciousness arises from a lump of matter known as the brain? How does neurons’ firing affect choice and beliefs? How do the electrochemical properties of the brain allow for the memory of events long after they’ve occurred? One of the most studied of these areas is that of memory. Researchers seek to understand the biological basis behind memory and how that biology is affected in individuals suffering from memory disorders.

Correlates Of Marijuana Use In A Hispanic College Sample, Joseph Ephraim Charter

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Currently there is a dearth of literature regarding marijuana and its correlates of use, particularly in Hispanics. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug, and its use has increased in recent years. This study aimed to assess correlates of marijuana use in a Hispanic college student sample. Data were collected from 549 participants from University psychology courses. Participants completed a comprehensive survey packet consisting of: demographics, marijuana use history, tobacco and alcohol use, depression, anxiety, stress, and acculturation. Descriptive analyses were used to provide a characteristic profile of Hispanic college student marijuana use. Eight percent reported past 30-day marijuana …

Implicit And Explicit Memory Performance In Bilinguals: Implications For Transfer-Appropriate Processing And Vocabulary Learning, Elva Natalia Strobach

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Two experiments examined whether translation and sentence context improved memory performance in explicit and implicit memory. For explicit memory, an effect of translation was found such that translation led to better item recognition than read aloud encoding. Sentence context did not benefit recognition memory performance. For implicit memory, neither translation nor sentence context led to priming in a word-stem completion paradigm. The results are discussed in terms of the transfer-appropriate processing framework.

Characterization Of The Behavioral, Biochemical And Molecular Indices Of Stress Produced By Nicotine Exposure And Withdrawal In Male And Female Rats, Oscar Valentin Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Tobacco use is a major economic and health problem. Particularly concerning is that women consume more tobacco products, have a more difficult time quitting, and are less likely to benefit from cessation therapies than men. As a result, women are at higher risk of developing tobacco-related diseases. Women are generally more susceptible to stress and are more likely to cope with stress by smoking as compared to men. During abstinence, women also experience intense anxiety as compared to men and report that the anxiety-reducing effects of smoking are the main reason for continued use and relapse. Thus, stress produced …

Adding Within-Utterance Emotion Decay For More Human-Like Dialog, Michael Hans Durcholz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

While spoken dialog systems have been used for commercial applications for several decades, most commercial spoken dialog systems provide only simple information exchange capabilities. Emotion synthesis in spoken dialog systems has become an active research area recently, and use of emotion-adaptive dialog systems has demonstrated improvements in user experience and rapport. This thesis seeks to improve how emotions are conveyed in dialog systems to enable robust emotional support that improves user experiences with dialog systems and models human speech characteristics more accurately than current dialog systems.

Prior work with Gracie (GRAduate Coordinator with Immediate response Emotions), an emotion-adaptive dialog system, …

The Moderating Effects Of Work Control And Leisure Control On The Recovery-Strain Relationship, Jason Nicholas Jaber

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the current study is to improve understanding of the process of recovery from work related stress by examining work and leisure control as moderating variables of the recovery-strain relationship. This study examines the relationships between control (work/leisure), recovery experiences (mastery/detachment), and strain outcomes (need for recovery/psychological distress). Moderation multiple regression analyses (N= 233) reveal that work control moderates the relationship between mastery and psychological distress, mastery and need for recovery, as well as the relationship between psychological detachment and need for recovery. It appears that among individuals high in work control, mastery is related to lower psychological …

Female College Students’ Perception Of Self-Image Based On Fashion Magazine Advertising, Olivia Merritt, Kathleen R. Smith

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The goal of this study was to examine how fashion magazine advertisements affect female college students’ perception of self-image. More specifically, do female college students have high or low self-image perception based upon the fashion magazine’s model images? Results of the study revealed female college students had positive perceptions of confidence with their physical body and body image. Before viewing the magazine advertising, participants liked their own body and would not change their body. However after viewing the magazine advertising, the participant’s confidence level decreased and participants liked their bodies less. While college women were not more likely to change …

Relationships Between Facebook Intensity, Friendship Contingent Self-Esteem, And Personality In U.S. College Students, T.F. Pettijohn Ii, K.E. Lapiene, T.F. Pettijohn, A.L. Horting

Psychology

U.S. college students (N = 200) completed measures of Facebook use, friendship contingent self-esteem, personality, and narcissism. Those who strongly connected their self-esteem with their quality of friendship relationships were predicted to be more active Facebook users. As predicted, a significant positive relationship between Facebook intensity and friendship contingent self-esteem was found. No significant relationships between Facebook use and personality or narcissism were discovered. Implications for how and why college students use social networking media are discussed, including connections to previous research which discuss the relationship between high friendship contingent self-esteem and risk for depressive symptoms. © 2008 Cyberpsychology.

Willingness To Pay For Country-Of-Origin Labeled, Traceable, And Bse-Tested Beef, Kar Ho Lim

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

While previous studies have investigated country-of-origin effect from various angles, it remained unexplored the extent to which Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) affects U.S. beef imports from specific countries. Using choice-experiment data, willingness to pay (WTP) for Australian, Canadian beef in addition to other enhancement attributes were estimated with a Mixed Logit Model and a Latent Class Model. The results revealed unobserved taste heterogeneity and important differences in the WTP between the imported and domestic steak. The Latent Class Model estimated the range of discount needed for consumers to switch from U.S. to Canadian steak was a range from $1.09 …

A Historical Review Of Five Of The Top Fast Food Restaurant Chains To Determine The Secrets Of Their Success, Alex Leon Lichtenberg

CMC Senior Theses

The primary goal of this paper is to critically examine five of the top nine US fast food chains to look at their history and to determine what factors have lead to their massive success. The companies that will be analyzed include: McDonald's, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Domino's Pizza, and Subway. Similarities and differences of these companies are compared and contrasted throughout the paper and clearly demonstrate how each company has managed to capture and maintain major market share in their respective food categories. Areas that are examined range from product quality to to business models to consumer psychology. …

The State Of Mental Health On College Campuses, Melissa Wood

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

In the past twenty years, the number of college students with clinical depression and suicidal tendencies has tripled, and approximately 1.6 million students sought counseling assistance last year. It is perhaps no wonder that acts of violence on campuses have increased as well. This article examines what administrators can do in order to protect our colleges from further tragic occurrences.

Does Behavioral Treatment For Children With Social Anxiety Disorder Change Vocal Characteristics?, Anya Kroytor

HIM 1990-2015

Children with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) characterized by persistent shyness and anxiety in social or performance situation, exhibit social skills deficits. These deficits include difficulty initiating conversations, maintaining eye contact, and taking turns when speaking, which in turn leads to impairments in their daily interactions and development of peer relationships (Greco, 2005; Miers, 2010). Although there are many subjective assessments for treatment outcomes for children with SAD, in order to become more thorough and effective when assessing treatment outcomes, more objective measures of actual behaviors are needed. This study uses digital vocal analysis to examine vocal parameters associated with anxiety …