Psychology Commons^™

The Varieties Of Individual Engagement (Vie) Scales: Confirmatory Factor Analyses Across Two Samples And Contexts, Lisa M. Pytlikzillig, Myiah J. Hutchens, Peter Muhlberger, Shiyuan Wang, Rebecca Harris, Jayme Neiman, Alan Tomkins

Lisa PytlikZillig Publications

The field of public engagement, participation and deliberation is fraught with conflicting results that are difficult to interpret due to the very different methods and measures used. Theory advancement and consistent operationalization and assessment of key public deliberation and engagement variables will benefit considerably from standardized measures of constructs and the ability to compare across studies. In this article, drawing from social and educational psychology, we describe the theoretical bases for scales assessing eight varieties of participant engagement that may be experienced during participation activities: Active learning, conscientious, uninterested, creative, open-minded, closed-minded, angry, and social engagement. We describe our development …

Enhancing Self-Efficacy In The Utilization Of Physical Activity Counseling: An Online Constructivist Approach With Psychologists-In-Training, Cassandra D. Pasquariello

Theses and Dissertations

In our sedentary society, physical inactivity has become the biggest public health concern of the 21st century. In addition to physical health promotion, physical activity has been associated with a number of positive psychological and social outcomes. Psychologists are well positioned to provide physical activity counseling and may have ethical obligations to address physical activity with their clients. Training the next generation of psychologists about the role of physical activity and health is critical to ensure best practices in graduate education. Researchers have cited insufficient training as a barrier to integrating physical activity into clinical work, yet little is known …

Discourse On Thinking And The Concept Of Releasement, Jason Scoffield, Dr. David Paulsen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project was threefold. First, the thesis resulting from this project was to provide a basic commentary on Discourse on Thinking. This was be done by using the much simpler “Memorial Address” and how it relates to the ideas developed in Heidegger’s other works to establish the background and approach necessary to understanding the more explanatory “Conversation on a Country Path About Thinking.” Second, the paper was to then describe the concept of releasement, illustrating the primary role it must play if man is to dwell meaningfully in a world dominated by technology and modern science. Finally, …

Analysis Involving Categorical Attributes Having Many Response Categories, Fred B. Bryant, Paul R. Yarnold

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Attributes measured on a categorical response scale are common in the literature. Categorical scales for attributes such as, for example, political affiliation, ethnic origin, marital status, state of residence, or diagnosis may consist of many qualitative response categories. Such disorganized variables rarely appear in multivariable models: some effects are missed in analysis due to inadequate statistical power for the many categories, and some findings are dismissed due to inability of the investigator to recognize the dimension(s) underlying segmented categories. This research note recommends that such multi-categorical attributes are replaced by a new set of attributes created via content analysis. In …

Through The Looking Glass: A Study Of Eeg Data Using Aperiodic Components Analysis, Daniel C. Whitney, Dawson Hedges

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the past, it has been difficult to distinguish between different tasks of cognition using conventional statistical and graphical methods of EEG analysis. Aperiodic components analysis (ACA) offers a new, innovative approach to time series data analysis – a rubric under which EEG data analysis falls – and should allow the differentiation between simple tasks of cognition.

Intra-Cranial Overstimulation Of The Brain Reward System, Lael J. Stander, Dr. Scott C. Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Intra-cranial self stimulation (ICSS) has been well documented in both animal models and humans. Stimulation of various centers in the brain creates a very powerful reinforcement. Subjects will prefer ICSS to food, mating behavior, and drugs of abuse. One such pleasure center is the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) which functions as an information highway between several other pleasure mediating structures in the limbic system. Interestingly, constant stimulation of the MFB produces a highly dysphoric response. Animals respond with aversive behavior similar to pain avoidance. What is the electrophysiological change that mediates this reversal of pleasure to pain? In order to …

Altruistic Vs. Reciprocal Family Relationships: A Levinasian Alternative, Bradford J. Wiggins, Dr. Edwin E. Gantt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Some of the greatest challenges we face today are in our own families. Husbands and wives struggle to find meaning in their relationships. Parents often end up battling with their children as they seek to bring their families together in unified goals and purposes. Many are not successful in their pursuit of meaningful family relationships. Divorce and abuse are all to common in today’s society. Even more pervasive are the strained relationships between family members. How is it that these relationships can fall so short of their seemingly immense potential? It appears reasonable that family members should be able to …

Learning Strategies Of Successful Undergraduate Math Students, David M. Sloan, Dr. Harold Miller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The goal of my project was to identify the strategies of successful undergraduate math students and to then make that information available to those who wish to improve their own study habits. The project consisted of 4 phases. First, I interviewed instructors about what they saw successful students do. Second, I conducted surveys in several math-based classes to find out what students, successful and struggling alike, were actually doing. Third, I took what I learned from those surveys and tried to apply them in a classroom setting to see if the information could elicit a positive effect. Fourth, I took …

Structure And Dimensions Of Maternal Perceptions Of Japanese And American Child Temperament, Kenichi Shimokawa, Dr. David Shwalb

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The study of temperament has an important part in furthering our understanding about human development. Although the word “temperament” is defined in various ways by researchers, two leading theorists defined it as “constitutionally based individual differences in emotional, motor, and attentional reactivity and self-regulation” (Rothbart & Bates, 1997, p. 108). This definition, particularly, the term “constitutional” emphasizes the biological aspect of temperament. However, Dr. Shwalb and other researchers found evidences that suggest the influence of culture on how people perceive others temperament. Specifically, we studied the differences between maternal perceptions of Japanese and American child temperament to better understand how …

Conformity To Masculine Norms And Intellectual Engagement, Heath Marrs

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Research on the relationship between masculinity and intellectual engagement may be helpful in exploring the current challenges of male students in academic settings. Although the traditional male role in Western societies has often included notions of winning, competitiveness, and achievement, there is a growing research literature that documents male struggles with achievement, particularly in academic, intellectual, and occupational domains (Morris, 2011; Rosin, 2010; Sax, 2008a, b). In this study, the relationships between conformity to masculine norms and intellectual engagement were explored in a sample of diverse men in the United States. It was predicted that men who more strongly conformed …

Impact Of Co-Occurring Psychiatric Disorders And Traumatic Brain Injury On Speech-Language Treatment: Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perspectives, Janis Whitney Neal

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Previous studies have associated traumatic brain injury (TBI) with higher rates of psychiatric disorders. This study investigated speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs) perspectives on the prevalence of co-occurring psychiatric disorders in the TBI population and its impact on speech-language treatment. Interviews were conducted with twelve SLPs working with a TBI population. Results revealed a lack of standard measures to assist SLPs in distinguishing between the symptoms of psychiatric disorders versus the neuropsychiatric symptoms of TBI. Also, results indicated the heavy reliance on a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive and individualized treatment for the TBI clientele, and the negative consequences of untreated psychiatric …

The Science And Psychology Of Survival, Thomas Kroll

Arboretum Lectures

Our brains and bodies are wired to survive-whether you are lost in the mountains, lost in a foreign city, or just feeling lost in a crowd. It's not about how many matches, maps, or knives you have, but how adaptable you are and how persistent you are about wanting to live.

On The Importance Of Expectation In Hypnosis And Psychotherapy, Rubin Battino

Human Services Faculty Publications

Expectation is considered to be the basis of the placebo effect in both medicine and psychotherapy. Expectation involves hope and anticipation and wishing.

Increased Risk And Related Factors Of Depression Among Patients With Copd: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Tzung-Yi Tsai, Hanoch Livneh, Ming-Chi Lu, Pang-Yau Tsai, Pei-Chun Chen, Fung-Chang Sung

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Depression is a common and mostly undertreated problem in patients with chronic diseases. However, population-based studies on the association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and subsequent depression are limited in Asian populations. This study evaluated the incidence and risk factors of depression for patients with COPD in Taiwan.

Methods

Using the claims data from the National Health Insurance of Taiwan, we identified 38,010 COPD patients newly diagnosed in 2000–2004 and 38,010 subjects without COPD frequency, matched by sex, age and index date. The incidence rate and hazard ratio for depression were estimated by the end of 2008.

Results …

An Invitation To Debate: Envisioning An Africa-Centered Perspective, Engaging Sociological Endeavor, Nikitah O. Imani

Black Studies Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Presented at the 2013 James Madison University Africana Studies Conference October 18, 2013

Orderly And Disorderly Environments And Creativity: Environment Effects On Behavior., V. Krishna Kumar

Psychology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Residual Fmri Sensitivity For Identity Changes In Acquired Prosopagnosia, Christopher J. Fox, Giuseppe Iaria, Bradley C. Duchaine, Jason J. S. Barton

Dartmouth Scholarship

While a network of cortical regions contribute to face processing, the lesions in acquired prosopagnosia are highly variable, and likely result in different combinations of spared and affected regions of this network. To assess the residual functional sensitivities of spared regions in prosopagnosia, we designed a rapid event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment that included pairs of faces with same or different identities and same or different expressions. By measuring the release from adaptation to these facial changes we determined the residual sensitivity of face-selective regions-of-interest. We tested three patients with acquired prosopagnosia, and all three of these patients …

The Influence Of Technology On Family Dynamics, Alessondra Villegas

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

A powerful tool, that contemporary society uses not only to entertain but also to communicate and educate, there is an ever-present availability to media access. However, there is an ongoing debate over whether or not the power of this influence and its ubiquitous availability yields positive or negative consequences in different aspects of our lives. One area of concern, in particular, is the dynamics of the American family. With the rapid progression of technological advances it is difficult to observe the influence that these devices are having on the ways in which a family interacts. There is research to support …

Predator Recognition In Rainbowfish, Melanotaenia Duboulayi, Embryos, Lois J. Oulton, Vivian Haviland, Culum Brown

Aquaculture Collection

Exposure to olfactory cues during embryonic development can have long term impacts on birds and amphibians behaviour. Despite the vast literature on predator recognition and responses in fishes, few researchers have determined how fish embryos respond to predator cues. Here we exposed four-day-old rainbowfish (Melanotaenia duboulayi) embryos to cues emanating from a novel predator, a native predator and injured conspecifics. Their response was assessed by monitoring heart rate and hatch time. Results showed that embryos have an innate capacity to differentiate between cues as illustrated by faster heart rates relative to controls. The greatest increase in heart rate occurred in …

Effects Of Harmony And Dissonance With Two-Tone Narrow And Wide Range Frequencies On Auditory Evoked Potentials, Richard J. Mcmurtrey, Dr. Donovan Fleming, Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this research was to explore the mechanisms of how the brain is able to distinguish harmony and dissonance. The understanding of how sound is converted to neural messages began with Békésy, who discovered how sound is transduced in the cochlea. Later it was found that each auditory neural fiber, which carried the messages for a specific frequency of sound, corresponded to a specific place in the primary auditory cortex (referred to as “tonotopic”). In this experiment, the neural activity of the auditory cortex (T4) and of the sensory cortex (CZ) was recorded in response to specific auditory …

Non-Invasive Sensor And Method For The Continuous Detection Of Abnormal Intracranial Pressure And Brain Compliance, Jotham Manwaring, Coray Mcclellan, Dr. Erin Bigler

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Children diagnosed with hydrocephalus, or patients suffering from head trauma require treatment by a neurosurgeon and a neurologist. Hydrocephalus is a condition in which the patient has retained too much cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) by either over production, or inability to shunt off old fluid. Since the cranium, effectively a closed boxed around the brain, is rigid, an increase in CSF causes an increase in the amount of pressure the brain experiences. Patients suffering from trauma also experience increased intracranial pressure (ICP) but by a different mechanism; trauma causes the brain itself to swell and push against the cranium. One …

Effects Of Harmony And Dissonance With Two-Tone Narrow And Wide Range Frequencies On Auditory Evoked Potentials, Richard J. Mcmurtrey, Dr. Donovan Fleming, Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this research was to explore the mechanisms of how the brain is able to distinguish harmony and dissonance. The understanding of how sound is converted to neural messages began with Békésy, who discovered how sound is transduced in the cochlea. Later it was found that each auditory neural fiber, which carried the messages for a specific frequency of sound, corresponded to a specific place in the primary auditory cortex (referred to as “tonotopic”). In this experiment, the neural activity of the auditory cortex (T4) and of the sensory cortex (CZ) was recorded in response to specific auditory …

Measuring Phonetic Convergence In Speech Production, Jennifer S. Pardo

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Phonetic convergence is defined as an increase in the similarity of acoustic-phonetic form between talkers. Previous research has demonstrated phonetic convergence both when a talker listens passively to speech and while talkers engage in social interaction. Much of this research has focused on a diverse array of acoustic-phonetic attributes, with fewer studies incorporating perceptual measures of phonetic convergence. The current paper reviews research on phonetic convergence in both non-interactive and conversational settings, and attempts to consolidate the diverse array of findings by proposing a paradigm that models perceptual and acoustic measures together. By modeling acoustic measures as predictors of perceived …

Social Compass Curriculum: Three Descriptive Case Studies Of Social Skills Outcomes For Students With Autism, Louanne E. Boyd, Deborah M. Ward

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

The Social Compass Curriculum (SCC) was investigated for its effectiveness in improving core social skills in three descriptive case studies of students with autism. Treatment fidelity of the SCC was also measured in the school setting. The Social Responsiveness Scale and the Autism Social Skills Profile were completed by parents to measure pre- and postintervention social skills for three students aged 8 to 11 years who participated in the present multisite pilot study. Fidelity of implementation data were collected via a checklist during observations for three educators who implemented the intervention. Results indicate that the SCC improved core social deficits …

The Development Of A Discipline: Examination Of The Profession Of Gerontology And Gerontological Professionals, Tracey Gendron

Theses and Dissertations

The growth of the aging population has warranted increased training and education to prepare professionals with the specific knowledge needed to best serve older adults. Gerontology, as an academic discipline, provides professionals with the conceptual knowledge and the skills necessary to address the complexities of working with a diverse aging population. Little research has been done of the characteristics of professionals both with and without formal education in gerontology that are working with the aging population. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of career motivation, job satisfaction, attitudes about aging, career commitment, and professional identity among …

Hpo: How Would We Know?, Tyler Jonathan Faux, Dr. Bruce L. Brown

Journal of Undergraduate Research

High Performance Organization (HPO) training developed in the early nineties at the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia. This agency has the responsibility to train senior level executives in government agencies. Since its development, HPO seminars have been presented to many government, military, and private institutions. Essentially, the creators of HPO training have attempted to cast a net over the best ideas in organizational theory and to combine it into a coherent, internally consistent picture.

The Effects Of Gender On Human Event-Related Potentials, Kimberly Hales, Dr. Scott C. Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Specific components of the human averaged visual evoked potential (VEP) are task-related. As observers scan a visual scene, they use two main types of visual object search: parallel and serial (Luck and Hillyard 1994). Parallel processing is where the object seems to “pop-out” to the observer, while serial processing requires searching. In this study, two targets were used that were previously characterized as parallel or serial (Salyer 2001) to study their differential effects on late VEP components.

Suppression-Induced Reduction In The Specificity Of Autobiographical Memories, Elizabeth Stephens, Amy Braid, Paula T. Hertel

Psychology Faculty Research

To extend its relevance to everyday forgetting, we applied the think/no-think (TNT) suppression method devised by Anderson and Green (2001) to autobiographical memories. Dysphoric and nondysphoric participants first generated autobiographical memories and corresponding titles to neutral and emotionally positive or negative cues. During the TNT phase, participants repeatedly practiced responding to some cues with their associated titles and avoiding thoughts about titles and memories associated with other cues. Later, they were asked to report memories associated with all cues, including baseline cues not presented during the TNT phase. Results revealed impaired recall, as measured by reductions in specificity, for suppressed …

Day-Night Differences In Neural Activation In Histaminergic And Serotonergic Areas With Putative Projections To The Cerebrospinal Fluid In A Diurnal Brain, Alexandra Castillo-Ruiz, Andrew J. Gall, Laura Smale, Antonio A. Nunez

Faculty Publications

In nocturnal rodents, brain areas that promote wakefulness have a circadian pattern of neural activation that mirrors the sleep/wake cycle, with more neural activation during the active phase than during the rest phase. To investigate whether differences in temporal patterns of neural activity in wake-promoting regions contribute to differences in daily patterns of wakefulness between nocturnal and diurnal species, we assessed Fos expression patterns in the tuberomammillary (TMM), supramammillary (SUM), and raphe nuclei of male grass rats maintained in a 12:12 h light-dark cycle. Day-night profiles of Fos expression were observed in the ventral and dorsal TMM, in the SUM, …

“The Role Of Gaba Electrical Networks In Brain Stimulation Reward”, Seth Gunderson, Dr. Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The basis for my project is predicated on the rewarding properties of alcohol and other substances of abuse. We set out to further our understanding the neural system that is involved in intracranial self stimulation (ICSS) and how this system is mediated by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons. Studies involving intravenous self administration (SA) of opiates and psychostimulants have identified specific neural substrates that mediate the reinforcing actions of these drugs and they constitute part of the same central nervous reward system that has evolved for mediating natural motivated behaviors, the mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) system.1,2