Psychology Commons^™

Perceptions Of Masculinity And Femininity Of Gamers Playing Violent And Non-Violent Video Games, Amanda M. Mangalavite

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Video games are a popular pastime in today's society for both men and women, as approximately one-half of the United States' population play them. The idea that men and women's masculinity and femininity are perceived differently for the type of video game that they play is a concept that has recently been questioned and confronted in research. In the present study the genre of the video game, skill level, and gender are examined in regards to the ratings of masculinity and femininity of the player. Results found that genre and skill level had no effect, but gender of the player …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Help Seeking And Emotional Intelligence In College Students, Brooke S. Aldridge

Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Cell Phones And Couple Communication: The Impact Of Mobile Device Distractions During A Dyadic Interaction, Alyssa Servies

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Currently, the research concerning technology’s impact on couple’s communication is scarce. Although anecdotal evidence suggests mobile devices may be negatively impacting romantic couples’ communication and intimacy, to date, no research has been done that looks at how technological distractions, such as text messaging, impact couples. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact that distractions by mobile devices had on couples’ feelings of connectedness during a dyadic interaction focused on solving a specific relationship problem. Participants included 40 heterosexual couples who had been in a romantic relationship at least 6 months. Couples were randomly assigned to either a …

Cultural Bias During Word Learning, Akihiro Eguchi

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Children are known to use various learning biases to efficiently develop their language skills. Prior studies have confirmed that young children keep track of reliability histories of possible teachers in order to selectively learn words. Furthermore, it has been shown that they are less likely to learn from foreign language speakers or foreign names of objects. Recent studies even indicated that children seem to change their patterns of learning just by hearing the cultural background of the target objects. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the cultural bias in word learning among 2- to 3-year-olds. We hypothesized that …

The Impact Of Incentives On Neuropsychological Test Performance: An Analog Study, Laura Marie Spenceley

Psychology - Dissertations

Concussion, also known as mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), represents a common injury in children, young adults, and athletes in particular. High rates of malingering have been demonstrated in individuals with MTBI when faced with monetary incentives, but research is yet to explore the impact of other incentives on test performance. The present study sought to examine the rate of effort test failure, symptom report, and neuropsychological test performance in college students assigned to one of three conditions: Fake Good, Fake Bad, and No Incentive conditions. All groups were asked to simulate concussion and provided a description of the injury …

The Prefrontal Cortex: A Predictor Of Psychotic Symptoms In Children With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome?, Nicole Addonizio

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Up to 30% of young adults with velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS; 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome) develop schizophrenia or psychosis. As a result, identifying the neuroanatomic trajectories that increase risk for psychosis in youth with VCFS is of great interest. Pinpointing a specific subregion of the brain that has a pattern of change in VCFS could aid in further research of schizophrenia and help to distinguish neuroanatomic changes.

In this study, high-resolution anatomic magnetic resonance brain images and measures of psychiatric function (i.e. symptoms of psychosis) were recorded in 40 youth with VCFS, 14 unaffected siblings, and 19 age-matched community control subjects at …

Drd2 Polymorphisms Imparting Risk For Schizophrenia, Lauren Paish

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Schizophrenia is a disorder that affects 1% of the population and causes enormous deficits in functioning. The development of this disorder is through unclear mechanisms, yet studies suggest that genetics and dopamine processes play a major role in the manifestation of schizophrenia. This study considers the gene that encodes dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) and how single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) affect alternative splicing of the gene and the balance between the two different protein isoforms, Long (D2L) and Short (D2S). Four mutations (rs12363125 and rs2511521 from intron 5 and rs6275 and rs6277 from exon 7) were studied. Constructs were derived …

Birth Order And The Academic And Social Success Of College Students, Jessica Nissenbaum

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The purpose of the study of Birth Order and the Academic and Social Success of College Students was to examine the relationship between birth order and the academic and social experiences that students have during their college years. An ideal college experience involves students being actively engaged in what they are learning and having positive social interactions and support networks. Unfortunately, the college experiences of many students fall short of these expectations and they struggle to continue their pursuit of higher education. Depression has become a serious concern on college campuses. Understanding the birth orders that may create challenges in …

Perceptions Of Factors Related To Therapeutic Change In Face-To-Face And Distance Counseling Environments, Stephen Harding Wright

Counseling and Human Services - Dissertations

Videoconferencing is quickly becoming a part of daily life as technologies using the Internet and computer advances are now being employed to deliver synchronous, highly discernible video and audio content on devices used for daily communication. Videoconferencing is also being increasingly used by counseling professionals to provide counseling sessions and other services, and counseling accrediting and licensing bodies have recognized its use in some professional practice situations.

This experimental study used a regional sample of counselors, other mental health professionals, and counselors-in-training (N = 126), to examine whether participants, randomly assigned, rated three different measures of counseling process-working alliance, session …

Global Career Development Facilitator Romania: Training Evaluation And Job Analysis, Elena Amalia Stanciu

Counseling and Human Services - Dissertations

The Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) Romania training program was the focus of the current study. GCDF is a paraprofessional certification program in the field of career counseling and development, which was created in the United States by the Center for Credentialing and Education, and was adapted to Romanian needs with the intention of preparing career specialists and of developing a national certification system. This cross-sectional quantitative study had two purposes: to evaluate the GCDF Romania training program and to conduct a job analysis of the tasks performed by Romanian GCDF career consultants.

Kirkpatrick's model was used in designing and …

A Cognitive Investigation Of Computerized Walk-Through Models, Maria Carrillo

HIM 1990-2015

The growth of the World Wide Web has prompted many businesses to develop electronic commerce (e-commerce) as a domain where consumers can conveniently purchase their products (Chittaro& Ranon, 2002). Marketing and Human - Computer Interaction (HCI) research has focused on the ways interactivity can improve purchasing experience. One particular technique is through the use of computer models of products known as visual object representations (Ozok& Komlodi, 2009). Research on visual product representations is focused on models of objects typically purchased in a store, such as clothing and electronics, which can usually be manipulated and rotated as desired (Ozok& Komlodi, 2009). …

Exploring Mdma And Its Therapeutic Potential, Michael Christian

HIM 1990-2015

The clinical application of MDMA has long been an issue of great interest for doctors, counselors, researchers, and users alike. Originally synthesized by a pharmaceutical company and subsequently tested on military personnel, the drug was then used by many clinicians and physicians prior to the DEA's strict regulation of the drug, which began in the mid 1980s (Mithoefer et al, 2010). The DEA has classified MDMA a "Schedule 1" drug, which means that it among the most controlled substances, a fact which has hindered the progress of research. For a detailed explanation of the DEA's scheduling of controlled substances, please …

The Role Of Communication Technology In Adolescent Relationships And Identity Development, Betty-Ann Cyr

HIM 1990-2015

Text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging, and social networking sites are changing the way people interact with each other. The popularity of these communication technologies among emerging adults in particular has grown exponentially, with little accompanying research to understand their influences on psychosocial development. This study explores the relationship between communication technology usage (text messaging, e-mail, instant messaging, and social networking) and adolescent adjustment among 268 high school students. It was hypothesized that use of communication technology would be related to psychological adjustment, including identity development, relationship attachment and peer conflict. Participants were recruited from three public high schools in central …

Dividing America? The Role Of 'Division Streets' In Residential Segregation, Kate Griffin

HIM 1990-2015

Residential segregation is an issue where multiple variables such as race, class, and income converge. Identifying the remaining variables contributing to the continuation of residential segregation is what remains in order to understand the issue completely. A possible variable that has yet to be considered is the effect that the name of a road has on the surrounding area. The objective of this research is to identify the relationship between Division Streets and residential segregation. Although this relationship may not be causal, the existence of any tie between labels as apparent as 'division' on a road where residential segregation is …

Evaluating The Psychometric Properties Of The Aggressive Driving Behavior Questionnaire (Adbq), Ajla Gurda

HIM 1990-2015

A principal axis factor analysis with promax rotation yielded four factors, or joint variations between the 20 items, that were inter-correlated with eigenvalues greater than 1. The ADBQ was also found to have high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .86). The four factors were used to form four subscales of aggressive driving behavior that included anger/aggression, speeding/minor infractions, overt expression, and judgment of other drivers. The four subscales were found to correlate with self-reported biographical and driver history data, as well as, gender differences across scales. Additional analyses were conducted using data from the present sample from the University of …

An Exploratory Factor Analysis Of Self-Reported State And Trait Guilt, Christina Lacerenza

HIM 1990-2015

The construct of guilt has been a subject of debate among philosophers, theologians, sociologists and psychologists for centuries. Disagreements concerning guilt have emerged on the definitional level, measurement level, and conceptual level due to the various ways guilt can be experienced and interpreted. Researchers continue to empirically investigate various aspects of guilt in an effort to advance and refine our understanding of the construct; however, differences among researchers in assessing the impact of guilt on psychological well-being still exist. The purpose of this study is to investigate the internal factor structure of three prominent measures of guilt. This will enable …

Attitudes Towards Corporal Punishment As A Function Of Ethnicity And Gender, Nadine Richardson

HIM 1990-2015

This study explores the topic of corporal punishment and examines the degree to which young adults have been subjected to corporal punishment, their attitudes about corporal punishment, the likelihood of them using corporal punishment on their children, and their propensity towards violence. Among African American participants, I also examine the correlation between their attitudes toward corporal punishment and their levels of acculturation toward the dominant culture. I predict that African Americans will have been subject to Corporal Punishment more than White Americans. I hypothesized that participants who have been subjected to corporal punishment will have a higher propensity towards violence …

Perceptions Of The Consumption Of Sexually-Explicit Material As An Act Of Infidelity In The Context Of College Romantic Relationships And Their Connection To Population Variables, Diego Plaza

HIM 1990-2015

This study sought to examine whether individuals perceive the consumption (i.e., viewing) of sexually-explicit material (SEM) as an act of infidelity. The study also looked into whether ethnicity, sexual orientation, religiosity, self-esteem, and femininity/masculinity influence this opinion. As an extension of the study, the participants' susceptibility for jealousy, general attitudes toward infidelity, attitudes toward SEM, opinion toward sexuality, and fear of abandonment were also analyzed. Social desirability was also used to find people's tendency to give socially desirable answers to questions related to sexuality. A statistical analysis of the study's results showed that religiosity significantly predicted opinions toward SEM as …

The Effects Of Sports Team Allegiance On Jurors' Perceptions Of A Defendant, Andrea Ranieri

HIM 1990-2015

This study examined the relationship between levels of sports team identification and sentence leniency. It was hypothesized that sharing the same sports team affiliation with the defendant would create bias in the form of juror leniency, and that highly identified fans would show more bias than lower identified fans. A case description of a hit and run accident, in which the defendant was described as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, was read by 220 participants. Results showed a significant difference in recommended sentence length and levels of sympathy between the three groups (High Identity, Low Identity, & No Identity). However, …

What Do You Think Of Others Who Pursue Cosmetic Surgery? Influences Associated With Perceptions Of Cosmetic Surgery, Angela Vergara

HIM 1990-2015

In the current climate in which it seems like popular media determines normality, it is not surprising to find that reality television, especially programs geared towards elective cosmetic surgery, are correlated with the decision making processes associated with actually pursuing cosmetic surgery. Research suggests that attitudes towards cosmetic surgery have changed dramatically due to the public's exposure to reality makeover shows; these shows have increased the popularity of such procedures and have highlighted and implied that cosmetic surgery is associated with little pain and risk. In this study, I sought to determine if attitudes toward cosmetic surgery vary as a …

Agency And Emotion In Interactions With Technological Representatives Of Organizations, Daniel Burton Shank

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Technology often displaces humans in organizations as a representative to customers. How does the use of computer technology instead of humans to represent an organization change customers’ feelings and behavior toward that organization? Drawing on attribution theory and the affect theory of social exchange, I argue that the customers’ perception of agency of the computer or human representative is the primary mechanism through which customers respond differently. I theorize that agency not only mediates the computer-to-emotion and computer-to-patronage relations but also alters whether the organization or its representative is the primary target of the emotions and patronage. My central argument …

Thought-Action Fusion And Neutralization Behavior, Angela L. Foster

Honors Theses

This study presents a new inventory to assess thought-action fusion (TAF). 160 college students ages 18 to 22 (M = 19.17, SD = 1.11) completed the new Modified Thought Action Scale (MTAFS). Results indicated high internal consistency in the MTAFS (Cronbach’s α = .95). A principal component analysis suggested a three factor solution of TAF-Moral (TAFM), TAFLikelihood (TAFL), and TAF-Harm avoidance-Positive (TAFHP) all with eigenvalues above 1, and factor loadings above .4. A second study examined the association between TAF, obsessivecompulsive and anxiety tendencies after the activation of TAF-like thought processes in a nonclinical sample (n=76). Subjects were randomly assigned …

Fighting The Current: Recalling Specific Self-Relevant Memories, John Walden Ransom

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study was designed to address whether recalling specific autobiographical memories is more difficult when they are self-relevant compared to non-relevant. In recent years, a number of experimental studies have indicated that self-relevant memories are more likely to be recalled without a specific time frame or very much detail. Unfortunately, these findings have not been integrated into the popular executive resources theory of autobiographical memory recall or theories of independent semantic and episodic memory stores. This study tested the hypothesis that self-relevant memories will be accessed in the semantic store and therefore will require more executive resources to generate …

Worry Induction Among Adolescents: A Laboratory Evaluation, Jamie Leigh Frala

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Available research indicates that worry is an important process involved in the development and maintenance of both psychological (e.g., Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and physical (e.g., coronary heart disease) problems. However, this process is still in need of further investigation, particularly among adolescents. While a sizable body of literature has examined the nature, prevalence, and correlates of worry in both adults and youth, laboratory investigations of this variable using a real-time worry induction paradigm have previously only been done with adults. The current study aimed to extend the literature by using the controlled laboratory methods well established in the adult literature …

Evaluating Complementary And Alternative Medicine (Cam) Utilization In A College Sample: A Multisite Application Of The Sociobehavioral Model Of Healthcare Utilization, Kimberly M. Pratt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among U.S. college students and the general public is substantial and growing; however, research on the characteristics of college students who use CAM and the factors that influence their decision to use CAM is scarce. Even fewer studies have explored such factors within the framework of an empirically supported theory. The college years are seen as an important time for developing long-lasting health behaviors and in many ways college students play an important role in setting the foundation for future healthcare. Thus, it is important for healthcare practitioners to have a clear …

Parenting Stress, Behavior, Treatment Satisfaction, And Hope In Caregivers Of Children With Developmental Disabilities, Paige Cristin Schultz

Dissertations

Parenting stress has been shown to be related to both negative parenting behaviors and child behavior problems in the general population as well as with children with developmental disabilities. With the majority of children with developmental disabilities participating in multiple treatments, little is known about the effect of treatment satisfaction on caregivers. Hope has also been shown to reduce stress in caregivers, yet little research has examined this relationship with respect to parenting stress specifically or in parents with children with developmental disabilities. Treatment satisfaction has also been associated with less parenting stress in other populations; however, no study has …

Cogtool-Helper: Leveraging Gui Functional Testing Tools To Generate Predictive Human Performance Models, Amanda Swearngin

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Numerous tools and techniques for human performance modeling have been introduced in the field of human-computer interaction. With such tools comes the ability to model legacy applications. Models can be used to compare design ideas to existing applications, or to evaluate products against those of competitors. One such mod- eling tool, CogTool, allows user interface designers and analysts to mock up design ideas, demonstrate tasks, and obtain human performance predictions for those tasks. This is one step towards a simple and complete analysis process, but it still requires a large amount of manual work. Graphical user interface (GUI) testing tools …

Palliative Care Consultation Trajectories, Elissa Kozlov

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

In 2008, the Veterans Association: VA) mandated that all VA hospitals have a palliative care consult team: PCCT) to provide services to veterans with life-limiting illness. PCCTs within the VA are new, so little is known about their efficacy and utilization. The purpose of this study is to examine the timing of PCCT consultations and responses; document and categorize types and rates recommendations; determine rates at which recommendations are implemented; and identify factors related to if recommendations are made and implemented. This electronic medical records review study examined 200 initial palliative care consultations conducted in one VA hospital between January …

The Universality Of Emotional Facial Expressions Across Culture And Implications For Survival, Lindsay Trefney

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Emotion is one of the greatest links for human interaction. Emotion allows people from culture to culture to relate to and communicate with one another when language barriers exist. Emotional facial expressions were once thought to be culture specific, much like the emotions attached to those expressions. Research exists suggesting facial expressions across culture must be universal based on Darwin’s theories of evolution and survival (Ekman & Friesen, 1971; Hansen & Hansen, 1988; Hock, 2009; Pinkham, Griffin, Baron, Sasson, & Gur, 2010; Rosenberg & Ekman, 1993), and without some universal agreement about emotional facial expressions and their attached emotions, humans …

Perceived Competence, Autonomy, And Relatedness As Predictors Of Academic Burnout In Undergraduate Students, Ben Maxwell

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Burnout is one of the most pervasive threats to students’ psychological and physical well-being. The present study was conducted to examine the relationships among academic burnout in college students and self-perceived levels of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The researcher postulated that scores of perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness would be negatively correlated with levels of academic burnout. One hundred thirty participants—57 men and 73 women—were recruited from the Lindenwood Participant Pool. In order to collect data, participants were given a packet of surveys. The three surveys were a demographic questionnaire, the Basic Psychological Needs Survey (accessed from www.selfdeterminationtheory.org), and the …