Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Psychology Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2016

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 1501 - 1530 of 3702

Full-Text Articles in Psychology

Decision Making Theories Of Retaliation, Katlyn S. Farnum May 2016

Decision Making Theories Of Retaliation, Katlyn S. Farnum

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In 2013, the Supreme Court decided, in University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center v Nassar, that Title VII retaliation claims should be interpreted under the stricter but-for causality instructions. This requires claims of retaliation to show that the plaintiff’s discrimination complaint (or involvement in a discrimination claim) is the direct cause of the adverse action, as compared to a motivating factor that is required under the less strict motivating factor causal instructions. The current research examines the role of regulatory focus (promotion v. prevention), causal instructions, employment action (promotion v. dismissal), and number of claims considered on both juror …


An Integrated Theoretical Approach For Applying Evidence-Based Practices To Art Therapy, Ashley Walter May 2016

An Integrated Theoretical Approach For Applying Evidence-Based Practices To Art Therapy, Ashley Walter

Senior Capstone Theses

Evidence-based practice is a scientific approach to therapy that uses research to determine whether or not interventions are efficacious. In the field of art therapy, patients may not be receiving the best possible treatment due to the lack of well-researched evidence-based practices. This deficiency means that clinicians cannot be certain of the efficacy of their interventions, thus running the risk of wasting patients’ time and money on treatment that is not healing them, or worse, is actually causing them harm. This ethical dilemma can be somewhat remedied by employing an integrated theoretical approach. So, how then, can an integrated theoretical …


A Preliminary Investigation Of Positive Imagery Training To Reduce Risk For Suicidal Behavior Among Adolescent Girls, Sasha Micaella Rojas May 2016

A Preliminary Investigation Of Positive Imagery Training To Reduce Risk For Suicidal Behavior Among Adolescent Girls, Sasha Micaella Rojas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents, with risk for suicidal thoughts and suicidal behavior emerging during adolescence particularly among girls. Consistent with theory and empirical evidence, the current study examined the effects of Socially-focused positive imagery training among a small sample of adolescent girls evidencing suicidal thoughts. This preliminary small n design also allowed for a detailed assessment of acceptability of imagery training for the adolescent sample. Risk for suicidal intent was indexed by 1) negative affect, 2) positive affect, 3) greater resting right (relative to left) prefrontal asymmetry, 4) perceived Social isolation, and 5) suicidal …


What Influences Dolphin Interest In Video?, Kelley Ann Winship May 2016

What Influences Dolphin Interest In Video?, Kelley Ann Winship

Dissertations

Environmental enrichment is an important component in maintaining the welfare of animals housed in human care. While a variety of enrichment types (e.g., objects, food, sound) have been utilized, a major challenge in developing enrichment is determining the enrichment potential of various techniques for individual animals. In this study, the efficacy of video clips as enrichment devices was assessed in two species of captive dolphins, exposed to video footage accompanied by sound. Videos were evenly divided into five categories, based on content, and played at underwater viewing windows across 20 sessions while the animals were housed with conspecifics. Species and …


Completing The Puzzle: Exploring Possible Antecedents To Rape Myth Acceptance, Skye A. Geeslin May 2016

Completing The Puzzle: Exploring Possible Antecedents To Rape Myth Acceptance, Skye A. Geeslin

Theses and Dissertations

Rape myths are commonly accepted, but usually false, attitudes and beliefs about the act of rape, the perpetrators, and most often the victims (Aronowitz, Lambert, & Davidoff, 2012). Studies have shown that the endorsement of rape myth attitudes influences not only the likelihood of a sexual assault occurring, but also whether or not the incident is reported, and how the victims view themselves and their experiences afterwards (Burnett et ah, 2009). The present study surveyed college students to assess their levels of social competence, semantic knowledge of sex, bystander attitudes, and rape myth acceptance (RMA). The purpose of this study …


Zephyr: A Social Psychology-Based Mobile Application For Long-Distance Romantic Partners, Dhiraj Bodicherla May 2016

Zephyr: A Social Psychology-Based Mobile Application For Long-Distance Romantic Partners, Dhiraj Bodicherla

Open Access Theses

Long-distance romantic relationships have become quite common nowadays. With CMC tools advancing day-by-day, their usage among LDRs is proliferating rapidly. Attachment-related anxiety and avoidance can block the ability to enjoy happy relationships. During such situations, remembering happy past moments can be comforting. In this study a mobile chat application that enables LDR couples to reminisce about happy moments was developed. This study primarily focuses on evaluating the usability of this mobile application using survey-based methods. System Usability Scale was considered to discuss the outcome of the study. The overall results provide useful recommendations for further improvements in the design of …


Effects Of Optogenetic Activation And Pharmacological Modulation Of Dopamine Neurons, Remington J. Rice May 2016

Effects Of Optogenetic Activation And Pharmacological Modulation Of Dopamine Neurons, Remington J. Rice

All NMU Master's Theses

This study explored the use of optogenetic tools to better understand treatments used for schizophrenia. The “positive” symptoms (e.g., hallucinations, paranoia, etc.) of schizophrenia may come from overexpression of dopamine in mesolimbic dopamine neurons. Positive symptoms can be produced in healthy volunteers treated with amphetamine, a psychostimulant drug and dopamine releaser. Conversely, antipsychotic drugs may reduce positive symptoms by blocking dopamine receptors. This study used optogenetics to explore how drugs that alter neurotransmission, might alter behaviors occurring from activation of mesolimbic dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Light-induced activation of DA neurons in the VTA in male …


Assessment Of Neurotensin Receptor Agonist Effects On Fear-Potentiated Startle, Mark Aaron Vanden Avond May 2016

Assessment Of Neurotensin Receptor Agonist Effects On Fear-Potentiated Startle, Mark Aaron Vanden Avond

All NMU Master's Theses

Systemic administration of the NTS1 receptor agonist PD149163 has exhibited anxiolytic effects in male rats. The present study sought to further evaluate the potential anxiolytic effects of PD149163 by assessing this compound in both male and female C57BL/J6 mice using the fear-potentiated startle (FPS) paradigm. Startle chambers were equipped with a shock-grid floor, fluorescent light, and an acoustic startle speaker. Conditioning took place between the light and floor shock, and test sessions measured startle to a 90 dB noise burst while the light was on (FPS) or off. Startle magnitude did not differ between the male and female mice. …


Influence Of Personality On Emotional Contagion Through Social Media, Theodore T. Jensen May 2016

Influence Of Personality On Emotional Contagion Through Social Media, Theodore T. Jensen

Honors Scholar Theses

The rapid growth of computers and computing technologies in the recent past has led to dramatic changes in modern social interactions. Connectivity through the internet and social networking sites is a massive part of people's lives, with younger generations learning to interact more and more through these means. It is necessary to recognize the emotional influence of these forms of communication- their influence on mental health will grow as they become a larger part of the social fabric. Facebook and other social media have been shown to be a form of emotional contagion; emotional states can be transferred from one …


The Use Of Criminal Background Checks: Does Type Of Offense Influence Likelihood To Interview, Likelihood To Hire, And Salary?, Brittany Sentell May 2016

The Use Of Criminal Background Checks: Does Type Of Offense Influence Likelihood To Interview, Likelihood To Hire, And Salary?, Brittany Sentell

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

To protect organizations from liabilities and litigation, background checks are becoming increasingly common during the hiring process. Correspondingly, many individuals have committed criminal offenses which often excludes them from being selected for a job. This study examines the effects of criminal offenses, such as those often identified through background checks, on selection decisions such as interviewing, hiring, and starting salary. For this study, a résumé with an accompanying background check similar to what is used in many organizations were provided to professionals and to undergraduate psychology and business students at a midsized university located in the southeastern United States. As …


Combined Influence Of Personality And Leader Member Exchange On Task And Citizenship Performance, Jennifer B. Scroggins May 2016

Combined Influence Of Personality And Leader Member Exchange On Task And Citizenship Performance, Jennifer B. Scroggins

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

As organizations continue to focus on improving their effectiveness, research suggests that employee performance should be an obvious consideration due to the significant influence employee behavior can have on organizational outcomes. The present study evaluated the relationship between the personality traits of Conscientiousness and Agreeableness, Leader Member Exchange (LMX), and two basic types of performance: task performance and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Insights into how personality and LMX impacts employee performance has implications for both employee selection and organizational design. Using a sample composed of students and non-students (N = 215), results support a positive relationship between LMX, conscientiousness, and …


Authoritative Parenting And Transformational Leadership: An Example Of Family-To-Work Enrichment, Katherine Kearns May 2016

Authoritative Parenting And Transformational Leadership: An Example Of Family-To-Work Enrichment, Katherine Kearns

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The present study was designed to examine the relationship between authoritative parenting and transformational leadership as an example of family-work enrichment. Participants were working managers who are parents (N = 150), recruited from MBA programs, manufacturing companies, and social media. Participants responded to an internet-based survey composed of measures of parenting style, work-family enrichment, and transformational leadership. Participants also provided responses regarding the overall impact of having children on their personal leadership development. Analyses of self-reported data consisted of correlation and regression-based methods for identifying relationships and predictor variables. Qualitative data were also gathered and content analyzed, helping to illustrate …


Anticipated Work-Nonwork Balance And Conflict As Predictors Of Job Choice: Identity Salience As Moderator, Christopher R. Hudson Jr. May 2016

Anticipated Work-Nonwork Balance And Conflict As Predictors Of Job Choice: Identity Salience As Moderator, Christopher R. Hudson Jr.

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines individual job choice decision making with the foreknowledge that such choices will impact the quality of a person’s future work-nonwork roles. It is likely that job applicants have at least some anticipation of the work-nonwork conflict (WNC) and work-nonwork balance (WNB) they will face if they accept a certain job offer. Although most research has provided reasons for organizations to promote WNB and reduce WNC in the workplace, little research has examined the influence of anticipated WNB and WNC on applicant job choice. The present study explores this question and considers whether a person’s work and nonwork …


Scared To Death: An Examination Of Underlying Terror Following Death Awareness, Robert B. Arrowood May 2016

Scared To Death: An Examination Of Underlying Terror Following Death Awareness, Robert B. Arrowood

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

According to Terror Management Theory, when mortality is made salient the potential to experience terror causes powerful worldview defenses to manifest to suppress this potential. Recently, however, the theory has been criticized because no actual evidence has been found to show this potential to experience terror. The current research used Galvanic Skin Response and a battery of self-report measures (e.g. negative affect, stress, fear, distress, etc.) to attempt to provide evidence of potential terror. The results were partially confirmatory suggesting that although mortality salience failed to evoke arousal, negative affect, and stress, it did evoke sadness and distress and suggests …


Waiting For The Right Place And Right Time: Belief Content Correlates Of Academic Procrastination, Steven S. Littrell May 2016

Waiting For The Right Place And Right Time: Belief Content Correlates Of Academic Procrastination, Steven S. Littrell

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The present study investigated a conditional model of dispositional and situational variables to predict academic procrastination and academic achievement. Traditional predictive models focus on personality traits, specifically conscientiousness and neuroticism. The dispositional variables of interest in the present study were self-regard, frustration intolerance, grit, and goal orientation. The situational variables were course/task self-efficacy, boredom, and task value. It was hypothesized that self-regard, frustration intolerance, grit, and goal orientation would each be associated with self-efficacy, boredom, task value, academic procrastination and academic achievement and that the conditional model would more strongly predict both academic procrastination and academic achievement than personality traits …


The Relationship Between Dispositional Mindfulness Characteristics And Anxiety In High Functioning Adults Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Max Emanuel Maisel May 2016

The Relationship Between Dispositional Mindfulness Characteristics And Anxiety In High Functioning Adults Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Max Emanuel Maisel

Theses and Dissertations

Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience elevated levels of anxiety and worry compared to neurotypical people. However, there is a dearth of extant research on effective interventions for comorbid anxiety and worry in this population. Mindfulness, which is often defined as paying attention to the present moment in a nonjudgmental manner, has been shown to be a propitious treatment for anxiety, worry, and other psychological ailments in neurotypical people. However, in a relatively new area of study, evidence has been growing which suggests mindfulness can also be effective in helping people with ASD cope with anxiety and worry. The …


Psychotherapy Dropout : The Influence Of Ethnic Identity And Stigma On Early Termination., Le'keldric Jawon Thomas May 2016

Psychotherapy Dropout : The Influence Of Ethnic Identity And Stigma On Early Termination., Le'keldric Jawon Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although clients continue to drop out of psychotherapy, researchers have made few inroads into understanding the dropout phenomenon. Clinical studies have reported client dropout rates based on demographic factors (e.g., race, socioeconomic status, educational status). However, few studies have investigated the cultural correlates that may underlie these demographic factors and affect client termination. Furthermore, none have provided an empirically driven explanation as to why some clients drop out more often than others. In two studies, I explore dropout in two settings: a community mental health center and a university counseling center. Guided by current theory and research, I will examine …


Spirituality And Psychological Well-Being Among Als Caregivers: Hope And Perceived Stress As Mediators, Bridget R. Jeter May 2016

Spirituality And Psychological Well-Being Among Als Caregivers: Hope And Perceived Stress As Mediators, Bridget R. Jeter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The empirical study of the salutary relationship between spirituality/religiousness and psychological well-being is burgeoning. However, mechanisms of this association have received less empirical attention. Theory suggests that spirituality/religiousness may lead to positive psychological characteristics such as hope, which may function as a means of coping in the context of a significant stressor or stressful situation. The perceived burden and stress associated with caring for individuals with chronic illnesses such as ALS is significant, and caregivers may be at risk for increased symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety, somatic symptoms, and other deleterious psychological well-being related outcomes. Within the context of …


Diversity-Related Experiences And Academic Performance Among Ethnic Minority College Students, Amanda K. Blume May 2016

Diversity-Related Experiences And Academic Performance Among Ethnic Minority College Students, Amanda K. Blume

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Students of color experience numerous educational disadvantages compared to White students. These disadvantages begin in elementary school and continue into college and adulthood. Ethnic minority students typically have less resources available to them than White students and are typically less prepared for college—academically and financially. Once students of color enroll in college, they face additional barriers due to discrimination and negative attitudes towards diversity. These factors play a key role in student engagement and persistence. The campus racial climate of a university, defined as the overall racial environment of the campus, has been shown to strongly influence students’ feelings of …


Traditions And Proficiency Abroad - Spain (Tapas) Program: A High School Study Abroad Program For District 128, Michaela Kendzior May 2016

Traditions And Proficiency Abroad - Spain (Tapas) Program: A High School Study Abroad Program For District 128, Michaela Kendzior

Capstone Collection

As colleges begin to internationalize campuses and global competencies continue to become a demand in the workforce, secondary schools should also aim to internationalize the curriculum and offer international education opportunities to their students. In an effort to do this, I have created the Traditions And Proficiency Abroad - Spain (TAPAS) Program for Community High School District 128 in Illinois. The TAPAS program is a 20-day summer intensive cultural and language immersion program created to maximize learning potential in D128 students. While the program’s focus is on Spanish language and culture education, the orientation and instructional activities have been designed …


Patterns Of Early Lexical And Gestural Development In Children With Williams Syndrome., Angela M. Becerra May 2016

Patterns Of Early Lexical And Gestural Development In Children With Williams Syndrome., Angela M. Becerra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addressed the early gestural and lexical development of very young children with Williams syndrome (WS), as measured by the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI, Fenson et al., 2007). Receptive vocabulary (RV), expressive vocabulary (EV), early gesture (EG), late gesture (LG), and total gesture (TG) abilities were considered. Findings from cross-sectional samples of 49 18-month-olds, 56 24-month-olds, and 55 30-month-olds indicated considerable variability within each age group, with almost all children evidencing significant delay as measured by the CDI norms. Strong concurrent correlations were found among RV, EV, EG, LG, and TG for each age group. Longitudinal analyses indicated …


Exchange Patterns And Relations In Collaborative Governance., Charles Wharton Kaye-Essien May 2016

Exchange Patterns And Relations In Collaborative Governance., Charles Wharton Kaye-Essien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collaborative governance has received considerable attention in recent years. From environmental resource management to public safety, collaborative governance continues to play a vital role in regional problem solving. In spite of this increasing popularity previous attempts to model the political, economic, and demographic determinants of collaboration have in most cases produced inconsistent results, thereby undermining the ability to generalize from such findings. Additionally, our understanding of the relational patterns that emanate from collaborative agreements remains fairly rudimentary. The main objective of this research is to address some of the gaps in the literature and improve our understanding of collaborative governance …


Effect Of Empathy Intervention On Perceptions And Beliefs About Individuals Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asia Rose Hulse May 2016

Effect Of Empathy Intervention On Perceptions And Beliefs About Individuals Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asia Rose Hulse

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience stigma through acts of discrimination, bullying, and feelings of isolation and loneliness. Additional concerns of bearing the diagnosis include being treated differently by peers and an overall sense of feeling different than others. However, inclusive behavior and positive attitudes toward individuals with ASD can be facilitated through contact and interventions. This study sought to understand the impact of an empathic training video compared to an educational training video on college students' beliefs and knowledge about peers with this disorder. Results were significant for participants receiving the empathic training for higher scores …


The Relationship Between The Buss-Perry Aggression Scale And Evoked Heart Rate While Attending Aggression And Friendly Dyadic Interactions, Sarhand Awla Hasan May 2016

The Relationship Between The Buss-Perry Aggression Scale And Evoked Heart Rate While Attending Aggression And Friendly Dyadic Interactions, Sarhand Awla Hasan

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The relationship between an individual's propensity of displaying aggressive behavior, as assessed via the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and physiological responses (evoked heart rate (HR)) while viewing 5-sec video clips of aggressive and friendly dyadic interactions was examined. No significant differences between aggressive and friendly groups' Evoked HR were found. However, there were significant individual differences in aggression identified within the aggressive and friendly video groups. Individuals who scored low on Buss-Perry Verbal Aggression subscale displayed HR deceleration, whereas individuals who scored high on Buss-Perry Verbal Aggression subscale displayed HR acceleration when viewing verbal but not physically aggressive video clips. This …


Evaluating The Effectiveness Of An Ecological Momentary Intervention Targeting Body Checking Behaviors, Jamie Marie Smith May 2016

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of An Ecological Momentary Intervention Targeting Body Checking Behaviors, Jamie Marie Smith

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study investigated the efficacy of an ecological momentary intervention (EMI) targeting body checking behaviors (weighing, mirror checking, and feeling the body for fat). Body checking has been shown to increase body dissatisfaction and play a role in eating disorders. A digitally based intervention delivered in individuals' naturalistic environments has not yet been explored in the literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to combine ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to capture body checking frequency and an EMI to target body checking. For the current study, 44 female undergraduates with high body checking levels and healthy weight participated in a …


Ethnic Differences In Depressive Symptoms And Risky Behaviors Among Hispanics And Non-Hispanic Whites, Irma De Santiago May 2016

Ethnic Differences In Depressive Symptoms And Risky Behaviors Among Hispanics And Non-Hispanic Whites, Irma De Santiago

Honors College Theses

There is limited research on Hispanics in regards to experiencing depressive symptoms and the risk factors that accompany it. Understanding how these symptoms manifest in different ethnic groups can lead to the development of appropriate interventions to lower diagnoses. The purpose of this study was to examine ethnic differences in depressive symptoms, ethnic differences in risky behaviors, and to see if the association between depressive symptoms and risky behaviors differs by ethnicity. There were 401 young participants, ages 18 to 25; however, because of the goals of the study we only analyzed the data of 312 participants. Of the participants …


Attitudes To Wards Prenatal Genetics Among Southeast And East Asian Women: A Qualitative Pilot Study, Ginger J. Tsai May 2016

Attitudes To Wards Prenatal Genetics Among Southeast And East Asian Women: A Qualitative Pilot Study, Ginger J. Tsai

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

From 2000-2010, the Asian population in the United States grew five times faster than the overall US population. As Asians become incorporated into the US health care system, it is important to recognize cultural differences that may arise between Asian patients and their health care providers. Prior studies show that cultural values influence genetic perceptions within Asian populations. The reputation of the family unit factors into decisions such as pregnancy termination and disclosure of family medical history, and the non-directive model of American genetic counseling conflicts with the historical Asian model of paternalistic health care. Previous studies also provide conflicting …


Exceptionally Cleared Cases In Intimate Partner Violence: A Comparison Of Same-Sex Couples Versus Heterosexual Couples, Clarice Ambler May 2016

Exceptionally Cleared Cases In Intimate Partner Violence: A Comparison Of Same-Sex Couples Versus Heterosexual Couples, Clarice Ambler

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Most of the literature regarding intimate partner violence (IPV) focuses on heterosexual couples, with little emphasis on how same-sex couples are specifically and uniquely affected by IPV, especially in terms of how such cases are treated by the criminal justice system. The purpose of this study is to identify factors that influence the odds of intimate partner violence (IPV) cases being exceptionally cleared. This study analyzed 207,008 incidents of IPV that occurred in 2013. Using logistic regression, this study determined how weapon use, injury severity, and drug use affected the likelihood of a case being exceptionally cleared across heterosexual and …


Disparate Bilingual Experiences Modulate Task-Switching Advantages: A Diffusion-Model Analysis Of The Effects Of Interactional Context On Switch Costs, Andree Hartanto, Hwajin Yang May 2016

Disparate Bilingual Experiences Modulate Task-Switching Advantages: A Diffusion-Model Analysis Of The Effects Of Interactional Context On Switch Costs, Andree Hartanto, Hwajin Yang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Drawing on the adaptive control hypothesis (Green & Abutalebi, 2013), we investigated whether bilinguals' disparate interactional contexts modulate task-switching performance. Seventy-five bilinguals within the single-language context (SLC) and 58 bilinguals within the dual-language context (DLC) were compared in a typical task-switching paradigm. Given that DLC bilinguals switch between languages within the same context, while SLC bilinguals speak only one language in one environment and therefore rarely switch languages, we hypothesized that the two groups' stark difference in their interactional contexts of conversational exchanges would lead to differences in switch costs. As predicted, DLC bilinguals showed smaller switch costs than SLC …


Age Matters: The Effect Of Onset Age Of Video Game Play On Task-Switching Abilities, Andree Hartanto, Wei Xing Toh, Hwajin Yang May 2016

Age Matters: The Effect Of Onset Age Of Video Game Play On Task-Switching Abilities, Andree Hartanto, Wei Xing Toh, Hwajin Yang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Although prior research suggests that playing video games can improve cognitive abilities, recent empirical studies cast doubt on such findings (Unsworth et al., 2015). To reconcile these inconsistent findings, we focused on the link between video games and task switching. Furthermore, we conceptualized video-game expertise as the onset age of active video-game play rather than the frequency of recent gameplay, as it captures both how long a person has played video games and whether the individual began playing during periods of high cognitive plasticity. We found that the age of active onset better predicted switch and mixing costs than did …