Psychology Commons^™

Honors Students’ Characteristics, Perceived Locus Of Control And Attributions, Maria E. Leatherwood

Senior Honors Theses

Recent literature has sought to identify variables which can positively affect at-risk student populations when students start college. In conjunction with high school achievement, motivational variables such as locus of control and goal orientation are strong predictors of student success at a university. Students with a strong internal locus of control and reported goals towards mastering content tend to view themselves as responsible for their work and do well academically. Little research has examined the presence of these variables in high-achieving populations. Although it would seem that students would maintain their attributions for their own success throughout school, locus of …

Diabetes Self-Management Education For Adolescent Patients: The Importance Of A Developmentally Sensitive Approach, Laura Mumme

Senior Honors Theses

The attention of healthcare providers to the developmental level of adolescent patients with type one diabetes (T1D) maximizes effective patient education and glycemic control. Due to the dynamic changes that occur in the mind and body during adolescence, self-care for adolescent T1D patients is overwhelming as it envelopes activities of everyday life. The disease process and the unique aspects of adolescence in relation to T1D are important for caregivers to consider. Developmentally appropriate teaching during the initial onset of the disease must inform the patient and the patient’s family of the basics of the disease process and the daily care …

The Effects Of Genes On The Stress Response, S. Andrew Aston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) acts as one of the primary coordinators of the physiological, behavioral, and autonomic stress response. CRH secreted from the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus initiates the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis response by signaling the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary. ACTH then travels to the adrenal glands, leading to the release of cortisol Thus, CRH plays a key role in preparing an individual to adaptively respond to a stressful situation.

An Analysis Of Free-Will, Matthew Campbell

Honors Theses

The following paper is a broad analysis of the concept of free-will. Free-will can be defined as having the ability to act outside of necessity, such that one can be the ultimate author and initiator of their actions and decisions. Stated differently, possessing free-will allows an individual to be held accountable for their behaviors, because those behaviors are the result of something controllable within the individual, rather than something external to the individual and beyond their control.

A belief in free-will is widely assumed, for we hold individuals both legally and morally accountable for their actions. Nevertheless, it remains a …

Coercion And Motivation: Construct Analysis And Factor Association In Entering Treatment For Substance-Abuse, Arthur Tabrizi

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Informed by the theoretical underpinnings of Self-determination theory (SDT), we aimed to examine relationships between motivation and independent measures of external pressure and explore whether or not a directional association exists between perceived coercion and motivation. Using the Circumstance, and Motivation subscales of the CMR and availability sampling method, we surveyed 63 clients seeking substance abuse treatment under legal coercion, social coercion, and voluntarily. Results suggest that motivation to engage in substance abuse treatment is not reliably inferred from referral source. Treatment seeking groups appear to experience greater external pressures to leave treatment than to enter treatment. Results are consistent …

Do Narcissists Tend To Create A Physically Attractive Veneer?, Julie Odom-Dixon

Honors College Theses

Are people high in the Dark Triad are inherently attractive or are they simply more likely to dress up in ways that make themselves more attractive? This study is a partial replication of Holtzman and Strube (2013). We photographed participants (valid N = 65) in the state in which they entered the lab (Adorned Condition). The participants changed into standard gray attire provided for them (Unadorned Condition). Females removed their make-up and jewelry as well as pulled their hair back. Males shaved their beards. After being photographed, participants were asked to complete several Dark Triad surveys. Consistent with Holtzman and …

Understanding Tendencies Of Aggressive Behavior And Cognition As Related To Alcohol Use And Intimate Partner Violence, Taylor D. Thomas Ms.

Honors College Theses

The term intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to any act of aggression (physical or emotional) committed within an intimate relationship by one partner against the other, regardless of gender, sexual intimacy, or sexual orientation. One of the leading risk factors for IPV is the regular abuse of alcohol (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2014). High levels of alcohol consumption predict an increase in aggression in individuals with aggressive dispositions (Barnwell et al., 2006). Extensive research exists on the relationship between alcohol use and IPV, yet there is a dearth in the literature investigating the complexities of the alcohol use-IPV relationship …

Predicting Problematic Alcohol Use And Negative Alcohol-Related Psychosocial Consequences Of Use In A College-Aged Sample, Christa Murray

Honors College Theses

Drinking motivation (Cooper, 1994), coping strategies (Laurent, Catanzaro, & Callan, 1996), and negative alcohol-related consequences (Young, 2003) are theorized constructs that have been demonstrated to be related to problematic alcohol use. These three areas of research vary in findings, which makes clarification of these findings vital to the understanding of problematic alcohol use. The purpose of the present study is to determine to what extent motivation to drink and styles of coping predict problematic alcohol use, as well as to what extent problematic alcohol use predicts the different consequences of use. Participants consisted of 71 undergraduate students (54.2% female; Mage …

The Benefits Of Religious Fundamentalism, Natasha M. Laballe

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study was to experimentally analyze the benefits of religious fundamentalism. We hypothesized that there would be a significant difference between conditions for our dependent variables: hope, spiritual well-being, spiritual anxiety, and self-concept. We tested our hypotheses using a sample of undergraduate psychology students (N = 83) who each completed a religious fundamentalism measure and then several measures of relevant dependent variables. We found that those in the experimental condition had lower average scores of religious doubt than those in the control condition and higher average scores of spiritual well-being. Our results were partially consistent with existing …

The Effects Ncaa Division 1 Women Soccer Coaches Have On The Psychological Well Being Of Their Players: A Qualitative Analysis, Molly C. Williams

Honors College Theses

NCAA Division I college coaches interact with their players on a daily basis, sometimes more than once a day. Research has claimed that a coach-athlete relationship is a critical relationship when talking about psychological effects, and was even compared to that of a parent-child relationship (Sterling & Kerr, 2013). The importance of this relationship stems from the fact that coaches influence athletes’ lives in a plethora of different ways. A coach can influence the atmosphere in which an athlete performs; for example a motivational climate is said to be created by the coach from the perception of the athlete (Olympiou, …

The Relationships Between Television Viewing Behaviors, Attachment, Loneliness, Depression, And Psychological Well-Being, Katherine S. Wheeler

Honors College Theses

With the rise in streaming products such as Netflix and Hulu, there is a need to investigate the new trend of “binge-watching” television programs. Though this phenomenon has been pondered widely in the popular media sphere, little, if any, psychological research has investigated this phenomenon. The present study investigated college students’ television-viewing behaviors, including binge-watching television, television affinity, and television-viewing motivations, and assessed the relationships between these television-viewing behaviors and relationship attachment, loneliness, depression, and psychological well-being. Participants completed several measures, including the Experiences in Close Relationships: Revised (ECR-R), the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies …

The Relationship Between Competitive Trait Anxiety And Optimism In College Aged Individuals, Allison M. Heiskell

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between competitive trait-anxiety and optimism in college students. A sample of 112 undergraduate students from a university in the Southeast completed three questionnaires: a demographics survey, a Life Orientation Test and a Sport Competition Anxiety Test. The data werethen analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to determine if a relationship exists. The hypothesis was that there would be a negative correlation between competitive trait anxiety and optimism levels in college students. This meant that as trait-anxiety in an individual increased, the optimism level decreased. It was found that a statistically …

Using The Stroop Effect To Examine The Effect Of Words To Which Humans Are Sensitive On Cognitive Conflict, Stacia Fritz

Honors College Theses

The purpose of experiment one was to test the effects of drink consumed (glucose, artificial sweetener, or water) and stimuli (food or non-food) on cognitive conflict. Glucose has been known to better cognitive functioning, and preoccupation with food worsens cognitive functioning on a food-related task. We hypothesized that participants who received glucose and non-food stimuli will perform best on the cognitive tests, and participants who received aspartame and food-stimuli will perform worst on the cognitive tests. Participants were each given an 8 oz. drink to consume, shown six minutes of stimuli, performed an “X-word” Stroop test, shown six more minutes …

2nd Place Contest Entry: Treatment Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In A Veteran Population: Efficacy Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine Therapies, Brooke D. Snelgrove

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This is Brooke Snelgrove's submission for the 2014-2015 Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize, which won second place. She wrote about the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans with Complementary and Alternative Medicine therapies. You can read the final essay that came out of her research here.

The Effect Of An Antenatal Breastfeeding Intervention On Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy And Intention Among Inner City Adolescents, Jamie El Harit

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

According to Healthy People 2020, infants who are breastfed have improved nutritional, immunological, developmental, and social outcomes (USDHHS, 2014). Despite the benefits of breastfeeding and the focused international efforts to increase levels of breastfeeding, adolescents remain largely unaware and continue to have among the lowest levels of breastfeeding initiation (CDC, 2013; Spear, 2006). The purpose of this EBP project was to reduce the disparities of breastfeeding initiation by increasing breastfeeding self-efficacy and intention in an inner city specialty high school. Synthesis of the evidence demonstrated that needs-based, repeated antenatal education delivered by a lactation expert including breastfeeding peer counselor supports …

Coloring Expression Perception: An Attempt At Altering The Automatic Perception Of Strangers, Amber Blazer

Honors College Theses

Western society is filled with metaphors that carry through generations. Perhaps the most commonly known metaphor is that involving the colors black and white. Black is the color of choice for villains and demons while white is the color chosen for angels and heroes. The current research sought to explore exactly how far this metaphor might be carried over in real life in a series of two experiments. In the first experiment, neutral faces were surrounded in black and white to see if participants would perceive the faces in black as more aggressive than those surrounded by white. Results indicated …

Moral Reasoning In Dogs, Katherine Ford, Ellen Furlong, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

A sense of morality, values predisposing right (fair, just, kind) from wrong (unfair, cruel, dishonest) appears universally across all humankind (Kinnier, Kernes & Dautheribes, 2000). But where does morality come from? Is it uniquely human or do we share some moral values with nonhuman animals? To explore these questions domestic dogs—nonhumans with exceptional social cognitive skills—were tested for moral values through a replication of a study on moral reasoning in human infants (Hamlin & Wynn, 2011). Dogs watched a puppet show with a moral (helpful) and immoral (hinderer) actor. Dogs looked longer when the neutral puppet chose to associate with …

Anxiety Sensitivity, Stress, And Problematic Drinking Behaviors Among College Students, Kathryn Bulandr, Marie Nebel-Schwalm, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

The association between excessive alcohol use and adverse consequences among college students has been extensively researched over the past several decades. More specifically, heavy drinking in the college population has been linked to severe violence, accidental injuries, sexual assault, poor classroom performance, and psychological impairment (Pedrelli et al., 2010). To successfully limit these adverse consequences, it is important to understand the main risk factors that lead to excessive alcohol use. Anxiety sensitivity (AS) and stress have been separately identified as risk factors for problematic drinking (Stewart et al., 1999; Zvolensky et al., 2004). Additionally, a theory of motivational use of …

Good Dog! Applications Of Dog Science, Brenden Wall, Anthony Bohner, Jeffrey Toraason, Ellen Furlong, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Each year 6 to 8 million pet dogs enter shelters, and unfortunately, many are returned to shelters, or euthanized, due to behavioral problems. Many behavioral problems can be alleviated if dogs get exercise; however, some owners cannot provide dogs sufficient exercise. Further, some dogs may be physically unable to exercise. One possible solution is to provide dogs with mental exercise. We are currently developing a series of touchscreen computer tasks with the hope that they provide mental stimulation and can be made available to owners via a tablet application. As of now, a few dogs in our lab have learned …

Do Dogs Possess Self-Control?, Stephanie Aubuchon, Jessica Kraut, Ellen Furlong, Facutly Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Each year 6 to 8 million pet dogs enter shelters, and approximately 60% are euthanized. Unfortunately, many dogs are taken to shelters or euthanized due to behavioral problems. Identifying dogs who may have these behaviors allows owners to be informed and prepared for these dogs, reducing the number returned to shelters. One way to identify potential problems may be through measuring self-control in dogs. We have adapted our methods from a similar method used with capuchin monkeys (Bramlett et al., 2012). We constructed a wheel with food that rotated in front of dog subjects. The dog had the choice to …

Ex Vivo Comparision Of Lesions Created With Cooled Radiofrequency And Protruding Electrode Radiofrequency Probes, Nitesh Kumar, Joseph Williams Faculty Advisor, David Cedeno Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Radiofrequency (RF) ablation of nerves is a minimally invasive alternative for the treatment of chronic pain conditions. In RF therapy, an electrical current produced by a radio wave is used to heat up the tip of a needle placed near the target nerve tissue, thereby decreasing pain signals from that specific area. Positioning of the RF probe and the size of the ablation lesion produced are critical factors for the success of the treatment. Traditionally, RF has been applied using monopolar electrodes set to generate lesions at 80 °C for 90 seconds. The size of the lesion is limited to …

Hk Children Happiness Index 2014 = 2014年香港兒童快樂指數, Lok Sang Ho, Early Childhood Development Research Foundation 香港嬰幼兒發展研究基金會

Hong Kong Children Happiness Index 香港兒童快樂指數調查

According to the results of the Children’s Happiness Index Survey released by Lingnan University’s Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) today (17 April), the 2014 overall Children’s Happiness Index dropped noticeably to 6.74 (on a scale of 0 to 10) from 7.23 in 2013. This is the lowest on record since the survey commenced in 2012 when the Index was tracked at 6.91. Drop in happiness has been recorded for children of all school grades and age groups.

Commissioned by the Hong Kong Early Childhood Development Research Foundation, the 2014 Children’s Happiness Index adopts methodology similar to previous surveys. …

Research Brief: "Post-Sexual Assault Health Care Utilization Among Oef/Oif Servicewomen", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the use of medical and mental health services by servicewomen after sexual assault that occurred while in the military. In policy and practice, servicewomen who have been sexually assaulted should seek medical and mental healthcare in a timely manner, even if they don't believe it is necessary, to prevent HIV infection and pregnancy; the DoD should continue its use of the DoJ's gold standard of care while ensuring that servicewomen feel that they can reach out for post-assault healthcare. Suggestions for future research include sampling more servicewomen who utilize care, expanding the geographic spread of the …

Altered Resting-State Functional Connectivity In Cortical Networks In Psychopathy., X Philippi, X Pujara, Julian Motzkin, Joseph Newman, Kent Kiehl, Michael Koenigs

Psychology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

A Verification And Extension Of Students' Motivations, Financial Orientation, And Identity Salience As Predictors Of Likelihood To Withdraw From A University, Matthew I. Quinn

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

Broadly, this research examines a student’s likelihood to withdraw from a university based on the relationship between motivations, financial orientation, and identity salience. Specifically, this study empirically examines the relationship between extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, and apathetic motivation, perceived opportunity loss and lifestyle activities related to financial orientation, and satisfaction and reciprocity related to identity salience, as predictors of a student’s likelihood of withdrawing from a university.

A questionnaire was designed by extending scale items related to the constructs of interest. First-year students at a private university located in the upper Midwest were sampled. A hypothesized model was tested using …

Establishing A Solid Foundation Through An Identity In Christ, Matthew S. Pedersen

Senior Honors Theses

An identity in Christ is the only solid foundation on which adolescents or adults can build their life. Identity is a major building block in a person’s life. Individuals with an unhealthy identity as a result of the culture will need to make many changes to this foundation in order to keep an accurate view of their lives. The definition of identity can show examples of negative consequences of an unhealthy identity. An identity based on the views of culture can show areas of weakness. Examining what the Bible says about man before and after a relationship with Christ will …

Machines And Agency: Understanding The Ai Ethics Problem, Addison T. Rahn

Senior Honors Theses

Mankind has long been interested in the unique, the strange, and the new; perhaps nothing more fully encompasses this interest than recent work on developing Artificial Intelligence (AI). With this research, however, comes a great many questions. Are AIs alive? Are AIs moral agents? Can machines be held legally culpable for their actions? These questions, and more, continue to be a topic of much debate in the academic community, and will no doubt remain of interest for years to come. It is the purpose of this research project, however, to investigate the far-reaching effects of this academic debate. While the …

Treatment Of Cognitive Dysfunction In Major Depressive Disorder - A Review Of The Preclinical Evidence For Efficacy Of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors And The Multimodal-Acting Antidepressant Vortioxetine, Alan Pehrson, Steven C. Leiser, Maria Gulinello, Elena Dale, Yan Li, Jessica A. Waller, Connie Sanchez

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Although major depressive disorder is primarily considered a mood disorder, depressed patients commonly present with clinically significant cognitive dysfunction that may add to their functional disability. This review paper summarizes the available preclinical data on the effects of antidepressants, including monoamine reuptake inhibitors and the multimodal antidepressant vortioxetine, in behavioral tests of cognition such as cognitive flexibility, attention, and memory, or in potentially cognition-relevant mechanistic assays such as electroencephalography, in vivo microdialysis, in vivo or in vitro electrophysiology, and molecular assays related to neurogenesis or synaptic sprouting. The available data are discussed in context with clinically relevant doses and their …

Gender Bias In The Perception Of Physicians, Bethany Krawietz, Lauren E. Brewer

Undergraduate Research Conference

Women are often penalized when they do not project traditional, socially defined femininity (e.g., gentleness, nurture, sensitivity, lack of competitiveness, lack of drive for achievement) and instead project traditional masculinity (e.g., ambitiousness, assertiveness, self-sufficiency, authority; Heilman & Chen, 2005; Prentice & Carranza, 2002). A common arena for gender bias and penalization is in the professional workplace where women in high status positions must usually exhibit various masculine-stereotyped characteristics. Judgment disparity is evident in business and corporate marketplaces (Flynn & Anderson, 2003) as well as in the health professions where patients scrutinized female physicians more harshly than male physicians (Cousin, Mast, …

Psychology And The Bible: A Word To The Wise, Janelle Wong

Education Undergraduate Research

The nature versus nurture controversy has been a topic of debate for many years. Although modern psychology does not directly examine the concept of wisdom, it does attempt to examine the idea of intelligence. Modern psychologists have proposed various positions either supporting one side or the other. Most psychologists agree that intelligence is determined by both heredity and the environment. Conversely, the Bible only provides evidence for the environmental influences of wisdom. Although modern psychology views intelligence as being both genetically and environmentally influenced, the Bible views wisdom as being gained through experience.