Psychology Commons^™

The Effects Of Varying Duration Of Reinforcement On Novel Selection-Based Mands Versus Topgraphy-Based Mands, Nicholas S. Acker

Masters Theses

In recent years, researchers have evaluated individuals' preferences for different mand modalities and its effects on the acquisition of novel mands during functional con1munication training (i.e., FCT; e.g., Falcomata, Ringdahl, Christensen, & Boelter, 20 I 0). In many of these studies, the modality of responding that Michael ( 1985) classified as selection-based responding, is preferred by participants (e.g., Falcomata et al., 201 0). Wraikat, Sundberg, and Michael (1991) suggest that topography-based responses may be preferable for the acquisition of complex language. However, selection-based verbal responses may have faster acquisition in learning initial verbal operants (Charlop-Christy, Carpenter, Le, LeBlanc & Kellet, …

Community Perceptions Of Rape And Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study In Rural Tanzania, Muzdalfat Abeid, Projestine Muganyizi, Pia Olsson, Elisabeth Darj, Pia Axemo

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Rape of women and children is recognized as a health and human rights issue in Tanzania and internationally. Exploration of the prevailing perceptions in rural areas is needed in order to expand the understanding of sexual violence in the diversity of Tanzania’s contexts. The aim of this study therefore was to explore and understand perceptions of rape of women and children at the community level in a rural district in Tanzania with the added objective of exploring those perceptions that may contribute to perpetuating and/or hindering the disclosure of rape incidences.

Methods: A qualitative design was employed using focus …

Daily Racial Microaggressions And Ethnic Identification Among Native American Young Adults, Merrill D. Jones, Renee Vickerman Galliher

Psychology Faculty Publications

The current study investigated 114 Native American young adults’ experiences of racial microaggressions, and links between microaggression experiences and self-reported ethnic and cultural identification. Microaggressions were assessed using the Daily Racial Microaggressions scale, Short Form (DRM). Ethnic identity and cultural participation were assessed using the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) and the Orthogonal Cultural Identification Scale (OCIS). Participants reported strong identification with their Native/indigenous ethnicity, along with stronger commitment than exploration on the two MEIM subscales. On the OCIS, participants reported moderately strong identification with Native culture and practices, with strong identification with White American culture. Females reported higher White …

Generalization Of Fear Effects In Reinstatement To A Discrete Stimulus, Lauren Best

USC Aiken Psychology Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate generalization of reinstated fear effects to a discrete stimulus. McAllister and McAllister (2006) reported that reinstated fear could generalize over time to similar contexts. The present study aimed to determine if reinstated fear could generalize to similar or different stimuli than conditioning after a long delay between reinstatement and testing. Rat subjects were randomly assigned to six groups (n = 10) which received conditioning and extinction to a 3000 Hz tone. Reinstatement conditioning was then conducted with either the same, similar, or different CS as used in conditioning. Testing for reinstated fear …

A Comparison Of Two Variations Of A Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing Procedure On Novel And Infrequent Vocalizations Of Children With Autism, Andrew J. Bulla

Masters Theses

Despite the growth in a behavioral technology for the treatment of autism, a small population of individuals with autism fails to develop functional language. One procedure used for inducing vocalizations in non-verbal children is a stimulus-stimulus pairing (SSP) procedure. In an SSP procedure a vocalization is paired with a reinforcer over a period of time to establish the vocalization as a learned reinforcer, and any utterance of the target vocalization is believed to be automatically reinforced thus increasing the frequency of the vocalization. Past research has yielded mixed results with the SSP procedure, and more research is warranted to identify …

Emotional Interference Of Response Inhibition In Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Thomas Grover Adams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have hypothesized that failures of inhibition are partially responsible for habitual and perseverative symptoms that are unique to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It is also well known that sequelae of emotional processes are also implicated in the etiology and maintenance of obsessions and compulsions. However, little research has tested how emotional processes moderate inhibitory functions in OCD. In the present study, high contamination phobic (HCP, n = 17) and low contamination phobic (LCP, n = 30) participants completed an emotional go/no-go task, which measured the interfering effects contamination-threat processing on action restraint. The present study had a two level between-subjects-quasi-independent …

The Relationship Between Parenting Styles, Acculturation, Individuation, And Mental Health In Arab American Adults, Mira Atia

HIM 1990-2015

Parents are among the important socialization agents that influence the persons we become. Previous research (Baumrind, 1967; 1972; 1991; 1987) has identified three primary parenting styles: permissive, authoritative, and authoritarian, and a large amount of research has investigated the long term implications of these styles. The current study aimed to investigate the universality of these parenting styles, in particular, among Arab American Adults (N =22). The study examined the relationships between overall mental health and parenting styles, acculturation, and individuation in this population. Unfortunately, a small sample size limited the analyses performed, and the findings did not show any significant …

The Relationship Of Parents' Work Stress And Child Functioning In The Context Of Spillover Effects, Marital And Parenting Stress, And Parents' Perceptions, Megan Hare

HIM 1990-2015

Given that working is something parents cannot avoid in our society, understanding the ramifications that work stress can have is an important tool in today's society. This study sought to investigate the impact of parents' work stress on young children in the context of work-family spillover, parenting stress, marital stress, and perceptions of parenting. As part of this study, 106 working parents of children who ranged in age from 1- to 5-years rated their stress levels across multiple domains (i.e., work, marriage, and parenting), their perceived parenting behaviors, and their young child's emotional and behavioral functioning. Correlational results of this …

The Fatherhood Factor: The Impact Of The Father-Child Relationship On The Social, Interpersonal, And Recidivism Risk Factors Of Previously Incarcerated Men, Larissa A. Maley

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Of the men who return home from prison, nearly 7 out of 10 will be re-arrested and sent back within 3 years of their release (Travis, Solomon, & Waul, 2001). This trend has large- scale implications, not just for individuals, but for their families and communities as well. Clearly, understanding the factors that contribute to a man’s success or failure in staying out of prison is extremely important in constructing policy and programs to assist these at-risk individuals and communities. Of the few studies that have explored the lives of previously incarcerated men, some have found fatherhood to be a …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Attachment Style And Body Image In Adolescent Girls: A Focus On The Mother-Daughter Relationship, Jaclyn Bex

Dissertations - ALL

Using Bowlby's attachment theory and a family systems perspective, this study explored the relationships between attachment between mother and daughters, daughter's body image, and the daughter's perception of what her mother thinks of her body. It was hypothesized that secure attachment would correlate with satisfied body image in the daughters and the belief that their mother's had a satisfied image of the daughter's body. Participants were female undergraduate students recruited from a private university. Participants completed self-report questionnaires about attachment (Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, IPPA), body image (Contour Drawing Rating Scale, CDRS), and a researcher created demographic questionnaire. …

Relationship Maintenance Of Military Couples, Jessica N. Modrell

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Deployment-based separations cause significant challenges for romantically involved individuals, bringing about uncertainty and decreased relational closeness. This study investigated how military couples perceive the challenges they face, their biggest struggles during deployment separation, helpful strategies utilized for maintaining their relationship during deployment separation, and suggestions for improving ways to meet the needs of military couples. Based on the information gathered, recommendations are offered to help civilian psychologists gain pertinent information pertaining to military culture and the process of deployment separation that may increase effectiveness of their therapeutic practice with military couples. Forty-two participants completed four open-ended questions and responses were …

Do Social Control Motives Combine With Perceptions Of Social Support To Predict Relationships Between Interpersonal Stress And Blood Pressure In The Normal Environment?, Gavin James Elder

Dissertations - ALL

Social support is related to lower risk for cardiovascular disease development. Yet, research has failed to yield consistent evidence for psychological mechanisms of relationships between social support and health outcomes. Explanations for these failures include limitations of research design and statistical analysis, inadequate theory-building, and a failure to investigate implicit psychological processes that operate during normal everyday social interactions. The present study utilized a promising theoretical framework (i.e., social action theory) to evaluate implicit mechanisms within a naturalistic observation study design using multilevel modeling. The primary aims of this study were to evaluate the role of between-person differences in agonistic …

Tall Tales: Editing Autobiographical Memories, Holly Elizabeth Cole

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The impact of exaggerating when sharing an autobiographical memory with another person was investigated. Literature indicates that sharing an autobiographical memory serves a social function. However no research has investigated the impact that exaggerating when sharing specific memories has on this function. Research on lying suggests that deviating from the truth would cause the listener to like the speaker less. Research on what makes a good story indicates deviating from the truth could enhance the social benefits of sharing specific autobiographical memories by increasing the quality of the story. In Study 1, participants read scenarios of a person telling a …

Predictors Of Major Commitment, Anna Jill Womack

Master's Theses

Contextual (e.g. job fit, job involvement), individual (e.g. job satisfaction, need for achievement), and demographic (e.g. gender, educational level) factors have been related to forms of career commitment (i.e. affective, continuance, and normative commitment), highlighting that the commitment one feels toward his or her career is a complex variable. Furthermore, commitment has been associated with intent to remain within a profession or organization (Bowling, Beehr, & Lepisto, 2006; Den Hartog & Belschak, 2007; Duffy, Dik, & Steger, 2011; Goulet & Singh, 2002), suggesting that commitment is an important component of retention within a career. Correspondingly, commitment to one's academic major …

A Description Of Vocalizations And Their Association With Mouthing Behaviors And Social Context In Bottlenose Dolphins, Tursiops Truncatus, Christina Elyse Perazio

Master's Theses

Dolphin communication is multimodal and incorporates physical behaviors and vocalizations. Dolphins often exchange information with conspecifics using different types of vocalizations, and these vocalizations are sometimes associated with specific behaviors. However, the relationship of vocalization type and mouthing behavior type has not been investigated. This thesis examines simultaneous acoustic and visual recordings of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to determine the relationship between type of mouthing behavior and type of vocalization (whistle, whistle-squawk, chirp, moan, burst-pulse type A, burst-pulse type B, and click trains). The role of the social context of a mouthing behavior is also evaluated. Data were obtained opportunistically …

The Treatment Utility Of Hypothesis-Driven Functional Analysis Methods For Students Whose Behavior Is Elevated During Escape, Attention, Or Escape-To-Attention Contingencies, Chandler Erin Mclemore

Master's Theses

Current research indicates that function-based treatments, based on functional analysis data can be effective for decreasing an array of problem behaviors. The vast majority of the functional analysis literature has focused on single variables that maintain problem behavior. More recently, it has been hypothesized that perhaps multiple variables may maintain a problem behavior at a given time, for example; conceivably, escape and attention could maintain a child’s problem behavior simultaneously. Research regarding multiple variables, specifically the use of an escape-to-attention (ETA) condition has been limited. Furthermore, prior studies have fallen short in reporting treatment data. The purpose of the present …

The Ontogeny Of Whistle Production In Infant Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) During The First Thirty Days Of Life, Brittany Leigh Jones

Master's Theses

The manner in which dolphin calves acquire their whistle repertoire is largely unknown. This paper focuses on whistle development in four bottlenose dolphin calves during the first thirty days of life in order to increase our understanding of the early emergence of whistles and whistle-like vocalizations. The acoustic parameters of whistle-type vocalizations (i.e., whistles and whistlesquawks) that coincided with a bubblestream emission from the focal calf and/or its mother were analyzed, as were the behavioral states of the mother-calf pair during the emission of such vocals. Mother and calf whistle rates are inversely related, with the mother whistling more often …

Ethnocultural Differences In Motivations For Sex, Arthur Robert Andrews Iii

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Motivations for sex are numerous and varied (Browning, 2004; Meston & Buss, 2007). Using exploratory factor analytic methods, 21 theoretically distinct motivations have been proposed (Browning, 2004; Meston & Buss, 2007). A comprehensive number of motivations for sex has yet to be examined with confirmatory techniques. Theoretical work related to the treatment of sexual dysfunction has suggested that motivations focused on individual and partner pleasure would positively relate to sexual functioning (e.g., Leiblum & Rosen, 1992). Motivations for sex also appear to vary as a function of ethnocultural factors, as some motivations have only been uncovered utilizing qualitative methods with …

Interpersonal Needs And Suicide: Strengthening Measurement In An Offender Population, Rose Angeline Gonzalez

Dissertations

A disproportionate number of prisoners suffer from mental illness and engage in suicidal ideation or behaviors when compared to community adults (Tartaro & Lester, 2005; Torrey, Kennard, Eslinger, Lamb, & Pavle, 2010), placing a heavy burden on the correctional system for both housing and mental health treatment (Baillargeon et al., 2009). The Interpersonal-Psychological (IP) theory has been offered as a comprehensive framework for understanding and evaluating suicide risk (Joiner, 2005). The theory delineates two components that underlie both suicidal ideation and suicide behaviors, called interpersonal needs and acquired capability (Joiner, 2005). Although this theory could offer a clinically useful method …

Evaluating The Use Of Tootling For Improving Upper Elementary/Middle School Students' Disruptive And Appropriate Behavior, Abigail Melanie Lambert

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to extend the literature on a positive peer reporting procedure called Tootling. There has been limited research on the effectiveness of the Tootling intervention for reducing disruptive behavior in the classroom (Cihak, Kirk, & Boon, 2009; Lambert, 2012). Additionally, Tootling has primarily been utilized with lower elementary school students, and the present study evaluated the intervention procedures with upper elementary/middle school students (i.e., sixth and seventh grades). The current study also examined the effects of the Tootling intervention on individual target students referred for disruptive behavior in addition to classwide student behavior. An …

Hardiness, Social Support, Parental Stress, And Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms In Recent Service Members, Victoria Jane Tomassetti-Long

Dissertations

Previous research has demonstrated a link between PTSD symptomatology (PTSS) and parenting stress in veterans. As the literature on veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is increasing, there has been a call to identify variables which may contribute to positive outcomes in these service members (e.g., Cornum, Matthews, & Seligman, 2011). Hardiness is a personality variable that describes an individual’s sense of commitment, control, and challenge in light of life stress and has been identified as a protective factor against the development of psychological symptoms and parenting stress in combat veterans. Social support also seems to have benefits …

Thwarted Belongingness In Relation To Face-To-Face And Online Interactions, Fallon B. Moberg

Honors Theses

Suicide has become an increasing problem, and it is ranked as the tenth leading cause of death for all ages (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Joiner’s (2005) interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide states thwarted belongingness - the feeling of being alienated from others - and perceived burdensomeness - the feeling of being a liability to others – are the primary proximal factors leading to suicidal desire. The current study focuses on thwarted belongingness and examines its relationship to face-to-face interactions and online interactions. We hypothesized that negative face-to-face and online interactions would independently predict higher levels of thwarted belongingness. …

Egocentric Reference Frame Bias In The Palmar Haptic Perception Of Surface Orientation, Allison Coleman , '13, Frank H. Durgin

Psychology Faculty Works

The effect of egocentric reference frames on palmar haptic perception of orientation was investigated in vertically separated locations in a sagittal plane. Reference stimuli to be haptically matched were presented either haptically (to the contralateral hand) or visually. As in prior investigations of haptic orientation perception, a strong egocentric bias was found, such that haptic orientation matches made in the lower part of personal space were much lower (i.e., were perceived as being higher) than those made at eye level. The same haptic bias was observed both when the reference surface to be matched was observed visually and when bimanual …

Taking Clinical Judgment Out Of The Equation : A Call For The Standardization Of Mci Diagnostic Criteria And Construction Of A Model To Predict Conversion To Dementia., Adam Tyler Gerstenecker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although the diagnostic criteria for mild cognitive impairment have evolved considerably since their inception, they remain varied and able to be interpreted and implemented in different ways depending on the judgment of the clinician. Because of this issue, a wide range of incidence, prevalence, and conversion rates are found in the research literature. Using data collected from 400 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment, limitations inherent in current mild cognitive impairment diagnostic criteria were addressed. First, using Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative diagnostic criteria, an equation was constructed to predict conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia by analyzing the predictive …

A Micro-Level Analysis Of Behavioral Dynamics In Parent-Child Synchrony, Kadie L. Ausherman

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study investigates parent-child synchrony, a multilevel construct that has not been operationalized in a precise or standardized way. Synchrony is frequently discussed theoretically, yet there still lacks a clear means of measuring it, even on the behavioral level. When parent-child synchrony is operationalized in a study, it is rarely analyzed in such a way that reflects the dyadic dynamics that unfold as the parent and child are interacting. The aim of this study is to operationalize parent-child synchrony in terms of the dyadic behavior patterns. An overview of the current literature with regard to synchrony as a multilevel construct …

The Effect Of Yoga Lessons On Young Children's Executive Functioning, Heidi L. Beattie

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Individual differences in preschool and school-aged children’s attention, inhibition and spatial working memory were examined after exposure to a yoga intervention. Previous research has found that exposure to yoga has improved attention in both adults and children. Previous research, however, is limited in regards to examining this relationship in a preschool-aged population. The purpose of the current study is to examine and compare the relationship between preschool-aged as well as school-aged children’s attention, inhibition, and spatial working memory abilities for children who participated in a yoga intervention and children who do not participate in a yoga intervention. Twenty-six 4 to …

Basic Psychological Needs, Suicidal Ideation, And Risk For Suicidal Behavior In Young Adults, Peter C. Britton, Kimberly A. Van Orden, Jameson K. Hirsch, Geoffrey C. Williams

ETSU Faculty Works

Associations between the satisfaction of basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness with current suicidal ideation and risk for suicidal behavior were examined. Two logistic regressions were conducted with a cross-sectional database of 440 university students to examine the association of need satisfaction with suicidal ideation and risk for suicidal behavior, while controlling for demographics and depressive symptoms. Suicidal ideation was reported by 15% of participants and 18% were found to be at risk for suicidal behavior. A one standard deviation increase in need satisfaction reduced the odds of suicidal ideation by 53%, OR (95% CI) = 0.47 (0.33–0.67), …

Effects Of Parental Modeling On The Development Of Panic-Relevant Escape And Avoidance Among Adolescents: An Experimental Study Using A Biological Challenge Procedure, Liviu Bunaciu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Escape and avoidance behaviors play a prominent role in the maintenance of panic-spectrum difficulties and may also be implicated in the development of such problems. Although the current state of the literature regarding the etiology of these emotion-regulation strategies is relatively underdeveloped, it appears that learning experiences involving parental modeling of such behaviors may be instrumental in the development of panic-relevant escape and avoidance. Given that no tests of such a conceptualization exist at this time, the current study proposed an initial experimental examination of whether parental modeling of defensive reactivity during a well-established biological challenge could impact panic-relevant escape …

Differences In Narcissistic Presentation In Abused And Non-Abused Children And Adolescents, Mallory Laine Malkin

Dissertations

The present study examined whether children and adolescents who have been victims of sexual or physical abuse report higher levels of narcissistic tendencies than children and adolescents who have not been victims of abuse. Inaddition to narcissism, internalizing symptoms, externalizing behaviors, and risky behaviors were evaluated, as such issues have been associated with both maltreatment (Baer & Maschi, 2003) and narcissism (Barry & Malkin, 2010; Bushman & Baumeister, 1998). One-hundred fifty- six (156) children and adolescents (100 females, 56 males) ranging in age from 8 to 17 (M = 12.90, SD = 2.66) were recruited as participants. The vast majority …

Career Decision Status, Career-Related Thinking, And Emotional Distress: A Structural Equation Model, Lindsey Marie Andrews

Dissertations

The choosing of a college major or occupation is an important decision with which many individuals struggle. Prior research has suggested that difficulty choosing a major or occupation affects a majority of students entering college and stems from multiple sources including lack of information, insufficient learning experiences, and ineffective decision-making processes. Cognitive-behavioral theory has shown utility in working with a diverse set of difficulties and with diverse populations through the examination of the influence of thoughts and emotions on resulting behavior. Research in the career literature has begun to emphasize connections between one’s thoughts and emotions in regards to career …