Psychology Commons^™

Finding Still Waters And Green Pastures: Understanding And Reducing Stress In Urban Church Planting, David R. Dunaetz

Selected Faculty Publications

The work of urban church planters is often hindered by high levels of stress. Stress may be viewed as a process that involves stressors and an individual’s perceptions of both the level of threat and his or her ability to deal with the threat. The long term and the short term consequences of stress can be attenuated through appropriate coping strategies such as problem solving, prayer, and seeking social support. Recent empirical evidence indicates that exposure to nature is also very effective, a strategy that might be especially beneficial to urban church planters and their ministries. Several practical applications are …

Goals And Accountability For Ministry Effectiveness: Insights From Psychological Science, David R. Dunaetz

Selected Faculty Publications

In this overview of what psychological science has discovered about goal setting, we will see that goal setting tends to make people more productive. This essay examines the conditions under which goal setting is most effective, as well as the situations where goal setting can be dangerous. Studies of goal-setting theory have found that job performance increases when people have challenging but specific performance goals. The mechanisms that cause goal setting to lead to greater effectiveness are just as present in Christian ministry as in any other kind of work. Also the dangers associated with goal setting are especially relevant …

Assessing Stages Of Team Development In A Summer Enrichment Program, Marcella Charlotte Wright

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Collaborative problem solving teams are an important component of successful schools. Groups move through a predictable pattern of development and it has been proposed that teams move through a similar development. The main objective of this study was to determine whether the teams that were formed during the Marshall University Summer Enrichment Program in 2012 displayed a pattern of development similar to group development. The study found that high performing teams develop similarly to groups.

Everyday Confrontation Of Discrimination: The Well-Being Costs And Benefits To Women Over Time., Mindi D. Foster

Psychology Faculty Publications

Taking action against discrimination has positive consequences for well-being (e.g., Cocking & Drury, 2004) but most of this research has focused on collective actions and has used methodologies assessing one point in time. This study therefore used a diary methodology to examine how women’s everyday confrontations of discrimination would affect measures of subjective and psychological well-being, and how these relationships would change over time. In a 28-day online diary study, women indicated their daily experience of discrimination, described their response, and completed measures of well-being. Results showed that at the beginning of the study, using indirect confrontation predicted greater well-being …

How Do Interviewers And Children Discuss Individual Occurrences Of Alleged Repeated Abuse In Forensic Interviews?, Sonja P. Brubacher, Lindsay C. Malloy, Michael E. Lamb, Kim Roberts

Psychology Faculty Publications

Police interviews (n = 97) with 5- to 13-year-olds alleging multiple incidents of sexual abuse were examined to determine how interviewers elicited and children recounted specific instances of abuse. Coders assessed the labels for individual occurrences that arose in interviews, recording who generated them, how they were used, and other devices to aid particularisation such as the use of episodic and generic language. Interviewers used significantly more temporal labels than did children. With age, children were more likely to generate labels themselves, but most children generated at least one label. In 66% of the cases, interviewers ignored or replaced …

Ethnic Identity Among Arab Americans: An Examination Of Contextual Influences And Psychological Well-Being, Rand Ramadan Fakih

Wayne State University Dissertations

Existing theories and research have indicated that ethnic identity is crucial for ethnic minority young adults because ethnicity is an important component of their personal identity that is likely to influence various aspects of their development. Given the centrality of this construct, the overarching aim of the present study was to examine ethnic identity and psychological well-being among members of an ethnic group that have long been ignored in the psychological literature: Arab Americans.

Specifically, the goals of the study were threefold. The first goal was to examine the association between multiple contextual factors (such as students' perceptions of their …

Neuropsychological Outcome In Relation To Duration Of Early Orphanage Experience, Jacquelyn Marie Perry Avery

Wayne State University Dissertations

In this sample of 144 children with a history of prior orphanage experience, increasing duration of institutionalization is related to decreasing performance for a number of cognitive domains, most consistently verbal measures and executive Functioning measures. The relationships with duration for measures requiring visual-spatial skills were more mixed and a visual reasoning task was found to significantly relate to duration but not a measure of visual memory or a measure of nonverbal achievement. There was little evidence to support a relationship between the duration of institutionalization and fine-motor dexterity. The strongest relationships with duration were observed for language measures followed …

Risk Taking Behaviors In Emerging Adults And Peer, Sibling & Parental Relationships, Malasri Rani Chaudhery-Malgeri

Wayne State University Dissertations

Research shows emerging adults are more likely than younger and older cohorts to engage in such risky behaviors. However, research on the outcomes of emerging adults and their relations with peers, parents, and siblings is less conclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between emerging adults' perceptions of peers', siblings', and parents' risk-taking behaviors, and risk behavior after controlling for participants' sensation seeking tendencies. This study explored the moderating role of emerging adults' relationships with peers, siblings, and parents in the relation between these models' risk taking behaviors and emerging adults' risk taking behaviors, The mediating …

Gender Differences In College Student Drinking: The Relations Of Social And Cognitive Constructs, Leah Dawn Terian

Wayne State University Dissertations

Emerging adulthood is an important developmental stage for individuals ages 18-25 and can be categorized as a period of increased autonomy and identity exploration. It can also be a time in which there is increased exploration of risk taking behaviors, such as alcohol consumption. Current literature suggests that alcohol consumption is an increasing trend on college campuses, with more college students experiencing negative consequences such as alcohol related accidents, injury, and even death. The current study sought to examine the social (peer modeling, descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and parental monitoring) and cognitive (alcohol expectancies and drinking motives) factors that contribute …

Examination Of The Acquired Preparedness Model And Alcohol Use In Emerging Adults, Richard Michael Staszkow

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive utility of the acquired preparedness and alcohol use in emerging adults. Data were collected from a sample of 273 participants, ages 18 to 25 years old, from an urban university in the Midwest. The participants completed self-report questionnaires via SurveyMonkey. It was predicted that expectancy variables would mediate the relations between impulsivity and the frequency and quantity of drinking. Results suggest that social pressure self-efficacy was found to fully mediate the relation between the impulsivity variables (lack of premeditation and positive urgency) for both drinking frequency and quantity. Increased confidence, …

Subordinate-Supervisor Demographic And Perceived Value Similarity: Relationships To Subordinate Perceptions Of Organizational Justice, Charles Levi Wells, Iv

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the empirical relationship between subordinate-supervisor demographic and value similarity with subordinate perceptions of organizational justice using three structural equation models. The first model indicated that subordinate-supervisor demographic and value similarity were directly related to subordinate perceptions of organizational justice (Direct Model). The second model indicated that subordinate perceived value similarity with their supervisor mediated the relationship between the subordinate-supervisor demographic similarity and subordinate perceptions of organizational justice (Mediated Model). The last model indicated subordinate perceived value similarity with their supervisor moderated the relationship between subordinate-supervisor demographic similarity and subordinate perceptions of organizational …

Work-Related Stress And Mental Health Of Child Care Center Workers, Sarah Lietzow Witherell

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate what factors are associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, somatization, and general psychological distress in a sample of child care center workers. A sample of 101 employees from 14 different child care centers in the southeastern Michigan area were administered questionnaires that asked about work and home life, social support, and mental health. Data was also collected from center directors regarding the type and size of the child care program and the annual turnover rate of each facility. One of the key findings of the study was that a significant number of …

Child And Family Predictors Of Bullying In Middle School Students, Rene Michele Nota

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the shared variables that contribute to direct and indirect aggression, specifically bullying and to explore the role of family context, and adolescent personality characteristics on predicting bullying behavior. The theoretical framework of this study was based on evidence that no specific element can describe why some individuals are at risk for behaving aggressively and other are more resilient. The study included 259 middle schools students in grades six through eight. The students were enrolled at a single middle school located in a suburban area. The largest group of students was African American, …

Moving Engagement Research To A Higher Level: The Impact Of Unit-Level Engagement On Business Metric Outcomes, Tara Kristen Mcclure

Wayne State University Dissertations

Although engagement has been slow to take hold within the academic literature, it has quickly become a hot topic within the applied and business environments. Because of the rapid growth within these areas, there has been a great deal of conceptual confusion and mystery surrounding the engagement construct. Recent research within the literature has sought to define engagement, differentiate it from existing job attitude constructs, and link it with both personal and organizational outcomes. To date, a majority of the research demonstrating the impact of engagement has been conducted at the individual-level. While individual-level outcomes are of use to organizations, …

Does Empathy Promote Emotion Regulation In The Context Of Pain? An Experimental Investigation, Laura E. M. Leong

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a perspective-taking instruction would promote empathic behaviors in couples, resulting in better emotion regulation and greater pain tolerance during a cold pressor task. Based on empathy and intimacy theories, it was expected that observers who were instructed to take the perspective of their partner would feel and express more empathy, and that their partners would have better pain and pain tolerance compared to a control group. A sample of 128 undergraduate romantic couples participated where one partner was randomly assigned to complete the cold pressor task while the …

White Matter Integrity And Age Related Differences In Reaction Time Components, Yiqin Yang

Wayne State University Dissertations

Reduced speed in information processing is a well-documented phenomenon associated with advanced aging. Age-related deterioration in white matter integrity might play a role in age-related increase in reaction time (RT). However, the association between microstructural differences in particular white matter regions or tracts with RT is unclear. Decomposing RT into parts might be a better way to understand the relationship due to multiple processes involved in RT. In a lifespan sample of 90 healthy normotensive participants, this study examined the association between RT components derived from the Ratcliff diffusion model with age related difference in DTI indices of a wide …

Dispositional Mediators Of Burnout Syndrome In A Sample Of Direct Care Staff Employed At Group Homes In A Midwestern State, Cristovao Bartolo Carreira

Wayne State University Dissertations

The current research examined the dispositional characteristics that mediated burnout syndrome in a sample of direct care workers who were employed in group homes for the mentally ill in a Midwestern state. Specifically, the indirect effects that the direct care staff's attachment systems and problem solving ability were examined as they applied to their potential burnout status. Attachment theory, a contemporary psychodynamic theory of personality, was used to provide a context for the study. The researcher studied the interactions between construct subcomponents to address a criticism in the literature stating that only total scores were used to study burnout and …

Steering The Cultural Dynamics, Yoshihisa Kashima, Emiko S. Kashima, Ruth Beatson

IACCP Proceedings of the Biennial International Conferences

A peer-revieved book based on presentations at the XX Congress of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology, 2010, Melbourne, Australia. Edited by Yoshihisa Kashima, Emiko Kashima, and Ruth Beatson.

(c) 2013, International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology

A Qiang Perspective On Promoting The Rehabilitation Of Children Affected By The Earthquake, S. Chai, Xian Gui Yang, Shuguang Wang

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

The Qiang ethnic minority had a population of around 300,000 at the time of the earthquake. The Qiang mostly inhabit the poorest and most socially disadvantaged remote rural mountainous areas of the Wen Chuan and Mao Wen Qiang Autonomous Counties of Sichuan. The Qiang have a continuous cultural history dating from the Diqiang groups of the Xia Dynasty (16th to 11th century BC). They have their own language and animistic belief system, and have developed their own traditional ways of dealing with disasters. The Qiang’s myth of “Bubita” (God) and the legend of “Mutazhu and Douanzhu” (a heroic story) are …

Early To Bed, Early To Rise: How Changing To An Earlier School Start Time Affects Sleep Patterns And Cognitive Functioning In School-Aged Children, Laura Pistorino

Undergraduate Review

The purpose of this project was to elucidate the impact of earlier school start times on elementary school children. Research demonstrates that adolescents are chronically sleep deprived due to shifting biological rhythms and early school start times. As a result, some schools have restructured their schedules to allow for later start times for middle and high school students. This change has inadvertently resulted in earlier start times for the elementary school students. Although studies demonstrate a positive impact of later start times for adolescents, no studies have examined younger children. This project, therefore, examined the effect of an earlier start …

Virtual Ideals: The Effect Of Video Game Play On Male Body Image, Zeely Sylvia

Undergraduate Review

Popular media has long been cited as a negative influence on body image and self-esteem by perpetuating unrealistic ideals of the human body. However, the influence of video games has remained largely unexamined despite their growing popularity as a media form, particularly among men. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether playing video games that emphasize an unrealistic male body ideal has a negative impact on male body image. Male participants were randomly assigned to play a highly realistic video game with either a muscular character or a character of average build. Men in the muscular condition reported …

Gone Fishing: I–O Psychologists’ Missed Opportunities To Understand Marginalized Employees’ Experiences With Discrimination, Enrica N. Ruggs, Michelle R. Hebl, Cody B. Cox, Mark V. Roehling, Richard L. Weiner, Laura Barron

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This article focuses attention on research examining workplace discrimination against employees from marginalized groups.We particularly consider the experiences of seven different groups of marginalized individuals, some of which have legal protection and some of which do not but all of whom we feel have been overlooked by the field of industrial–organizational (I–O) psychology. We briefly describe the importance of studying each group and then delineate the brief amount of research that has been conducted. Finally, we make recommendations for I–O psychologists in terms of research and advocacy. Overall, we argue that I–O psychologists are missing an opportunity to be at …

Countervailing Parental Monitoring On Teenage Deviance, Cheng-Hsien Lin

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

The Boston Miracle Version 2.0: The Organizing Role Of Technology In The Boston Police Department's Community Problem Solving Strategy, Michael J. Jenkins

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

Psychologists And Medications In The Era Of Interprofessional Care: Collaboration Is Less Problematic And Costly Than Prescribing, William N. Robiner, Tim R. Tumlin, Tanya Tompkins

Faculty Publications

Increasing emphasis on interprofessionalism and teamwork in healthcare renders psychologists’ collaborations critical and invites reexamination of psychologists’ roles related to medications. The Collaboration Level outlined by the APA’s Ad Hoc Task Force is more achievable and in synch with health reform than prescription privileges (RxP). RxP remains controversial due to training and safety concerns, lacking support from health professionals, psychologists, and consumers. Differences in educational preparation of psychologists relative to prescribing professionals are discussed. Enactment of only three of 170 RxP initiatives reveals RxP to be a costly, ineffectual agenda. Alternatives (e.g., integrated care, collaboration, telehealth) increase access without risks …

Worker Wellbeing In Malaysia: Prediction Of Wellbeing From Psychosocial Work Environment, Organizational Justice And Work Family Conflict, R Zirwatul Aida R Ibrahim, Keis Ohtsuka

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

The current study investigates if psychosocial work environment, organizational justice and work family conflict predict Malaysian workers’ wellbeing. The current study expands previous research by assessing wellbeing using composite measures of job satisfaction, life satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect as well as job affective wellbeing, psychological and spiritual wellbeing. One thousand one hundred and sixty five Malaysian workers in the manufacturing sector (551 men, 614 women, age range: 18-59 years) answered questionnaires. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that psychosocial work environment, organizational justice and work family conflict predicted wellbeing. With regard to ethnic and cultural differences in wellbeing, Indian-Malaysians …

The Persistence Of Bullying At School And Public Policy Responses: What Ails?, Rajeet Guha

Master in Public Administration Theses

No abstract provided.

Building Coalitions, Making Policy: The Politics Of The Clinton, Bush, And Obama Presidencies, By Martin A. Levin, Daniel Disalvo, And Martin M. Shapiro, Eds., José Villalobos

Departmental Papers (PS)

No abstract provided.

Heterosexual Romantic Relationships And Mate Preference In College Students From The U.S. And China: Cross-Cultural And Gender Difference In Beliefs And Attitudes, Feiran Chen

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

This study examines how culture influences U.S. and Chinese college students’ mate preferences, and attitudes and beliefs on the following elements of romantic relationships: love as the only basis for marriage, premarital sex, and the influence of family and friends on mate choice. I surveyed 291 American participants and 292 Chinese participants and found that: Overall, American and Chinese participants vary in their mate preferences; Most American participants, especially female participants, would be more likely to “marry for love,” whereas Chinese participants, especially female participants, would be more likely to consider health and financial conditions in a mate; Chinese participants …

Music And Aspects Of Identity In People With Alzheimer's Disease, Rachel L. Heying

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Music has been used as a healing tool for centuries, now commonly in the form of music therapy. Music therapy has been beneficial for people with Alzheimer’s disease by brightening moods, increasing social interaction, and reducing the difficulty of finding words (Brotons, Koger, & Pickett-Cooper, 1997). In the current study, the effect of music on aspects of identity in individuals with Alzheimer’s was investigated. Twenty-three participants (nine with Alzheimer’s, fourteen non-Alzheimer’s controls) responded to the Autobiographical Memory Interview (AMI) and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) with and without music played immediately beforehand. It was hypothesized that music would increase autobiographical …