Psychology Commons^™

Derived Textual Control In Activity Schedules Using A Stimulus Pairing Observation Procedure, Grace Felling

All Master's Theses

Activity schedules are commonly used with individuals with developmental disabilities. These schedules have been found to be highly beneficial because they help the learner complete activities independently without additional prompting and support of others. Two young adults diagnosed with Down syndrome, who used pictorial activity schedules, participated in the current study. This study examined an intervention, called stimulus pairing observation (SPO), for helping adults with Down syndrome transfer from use of a pictorial activity schedule to use of a textual activity schedule. Previous research on derived textual control has shown that matching-to-sample (MTS) can be an effective instructional procedure. The …

Contemplating Mindfulness At Work: An Integrative Review, Darren J. Good, Christopher Lyddy, Theresa M. Glomb, Joyce E. Bono, Kirk W. Brown, Michelle K. Duffy, Ruth A. Baer, Judson A. Brewer, Sara W. Lazar

School of Business Faculty Publications

Mindfulness research activity is surging within organizational science. Emerging evidence across multiple fields suggests that mindfulness is fundamentally connected to many aspects of workplace functioning, but this knowledge base has not been systematically integrated to date. This review coalesces the burgeoning body of mindfulness scholarship into a framework to guide mainstream management research investigating a broad range of constructs. The framework identifies how mindfulness influences attention, with downstream effects on functional domains of cognition, emotion, behavior, and physiology. Ultimately, these domains impact key workplace outcomes, including performance, relationships, and well-being. Consideration of the evidence on mindfulness at work stimulates important …

Relations Among Dimensions Of Emotion Regulation And Aggressive Behavior, Jessica M. Baker

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In the absence of the ability to adaptively regulate one’s emotions, individuals may turn to impulsive and maladaptive methods of regulation, including engaging in aggressive behavior. Gratz and Roemer’s (2004) model of emotion regulation (Multidimensional assessment of emotion regulation and dysregulation: Development, factor structure, and initial validation of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 26(1), 41-54) includes the dimensions of nonacceptance, difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior, impulse control difficulties, lack of emotional awareness, access to emotion regulation strategies, and lack of emotional clarity. This study sought to identify the relations among these dimensions and …

Becoming Adults: Trajectories Of Adult Identity Development Among Undergraduate Students With Implications For Mental Health, Jenna Shapiro

Master's Theses

One of the defining developmental processes that occur during the unique stage of emerging adulthood is the emergence of adult identity, or the subjective sense of adulthood. Adult identity has been hypothesized to grow gradually, linearly, and at different rates for subgroups of individuals over the course of this stage (Arnett, 2006; Côté, 2006). Differences have also been suggested to predict wellbeing and distress (Côté, 2006; Kroger, 1996; Kroger, Martinussen, & Marcia, 2010). The goals of the current study were to examine heterogeneity in adult identity development over four years in college and to examine differences in self-esteem and negative …

Measures Of Acculturation And Relations To Weight Among Mexican-Origin Youth, Dorothy L. Mcleod

Master's Theses

Risk for obesity increases dramatically for Mexican-origin immigrants and their children among upon arrival in the United States. Many studies have shown that acculturative factors play a role in this process for adults, which suggests that this could also be the case for children and adolescents. The significance and directionality of this relation may differ based on many factors, including the multitude of methods currently used for the purpose of measuring acculturation. This study examines the relations between several measures of acculturation and child weight in a sample of 6 to 11 year old, Mexican-origin youth, cross-sectionally and longitudinally over …

Cortical And Psychological Mechanisms Of Visceral Pain, Kelly L. Polnaszek

Master's Theses

Objective: Dysmenorrhea is an incapacitating type of visceral pain that affects numerous menstruating women and is defined by painful menstrual cramps and often occurs in the absence of pelvic pathology. Women with dysmenorrhea have reported higher sensitivity to experimental pain, and vulnerability to pain sensitivity may be a primary risk factor for developing chronic pelvic pain for women with dysmenorrhea. Cross-organ sensitization (COS), or the theory that uterine inflammation during menstruation can contribute to chronic pelvic pain by generating neurogenic inflammation in other organs, may be a primary mechanism associated with pelvic pain in women with dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea sufferers with …

Ultrasonic Vocalizations As A Predictor Of Resilience To Intermittent Swim Stress-Induced Anxiety: An Investigation Of Re-Exposure Effects, Yandan Wang, Robert C. Drugan, Nathaniel Stafford

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Socioeconomic Status And Parenting Priorities: Child Independence And Obedience Around The World, Heejung Park, Anna S. Lau

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

This study investigated the extent to which national and personal socioeconomic status shapes national norms and parenting priorities concerning child socialization. Data came from European Values Survey, World Values Survey, and World Bank Data Catalog, resulting in 227,431 parents from 90 nations across fives study waves (1981-2008). At nation-level, child independence was more popular in nations with greater wealth and higher percentage of educated populations; obedience was more popular in nations with less wealth and lower percentages of educated and urban populations. At person-level, personal socioeconomic status rather than national socioeconomic characteristics predicted individual parents’ prioritization of child independence and …

The Impact Of Bicultural Identity On Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy, Miriam J. Alvarez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The primary aim of the proposed research was to investigate the role cultural identity plays in regards to academic perceptions, goals, and motivation amongst bicultural college students. Previous research suggests that biculturals experience shifts in mental frames as they navigate differences in cultural settings. Central to this research is the idea that people who have access to multiple cultural meaning systems switch between culturally appropriate behaviors depending on the context. We hypothesize that biculturals' responses to cultural cues involve more than automatic cognitive processes. Cultural frameworks may depend on their motives to embrace or reject particular cultural identities and multiple …

The Relation Between Appearance Evaluation And Disordered Eating Attitudes Throughout College: Trajectories And Moderators, Amy Heard

Master's Theses

The college years are a time of increased risk for body image concerns and disordered eating in both men and women. Studies have shown that body image concerns may emerge in childhood, increase throughout adolescence, and become more stable in middle adulthood, but less is known about the changes that happen during the college years that may cause these concerns to level off. One of the most common ways of assessing body image is by measuring appearance evaluation, or global satisfaction with appearance. While problematic appearance evaluation and disordered eating attitudes are often associated with one another, all individuals who …

To Be Black, Caribbean, And American: Social Connectedness As A Mediator To Racial And Ethnic Socialization And Well-Being Among Afro-Caribbean American Emerging Adults, Gihane Emeline Jeremie-Brink

Dissertations

Racial and ethnic socialization are integral to the functioning and parenting process in ethnic minorities’ families (Brown & Krishnakumar, 2007; Hughes, Rodriguez, Smith, Johnson, Stevenson, & Spicer, 2006). Unfortunately, there is no scholarly consensus with respect to definitions and operations for racial and ethnic socialization which then evidences several conceptual and methodological shortcomings in racial and ethnic socialization research (Brown, 2004). Furthermore, very little empirical research has used these findings in relation to the socialization processes of first- and second-generation Afro-Caribbean emerging adults.

The purpose of this study was to test the roles of both racial socialization and ethnic socialization …

Status Quo Vs. Change In The Face Of Death And Uncertainty, Justin S. Cheng

Dissertations

A diverse array of empirical research posits a general tendency for people to prefer the status quo over change, all else being equal. In two experiments, we explore the status quo preference phenomenon from a motivated cognition, uncertainty management perspective. Extending the precepts of several related empirical traditions (e.g. terror management theory, system justification theory and related topics), we explore the premise that uncertainty management processes activate social cognitive mechanisms directly favoring the status quo, similar to previously established process mechanisms such as terror management. Across two studies, we find support for the idea that both uncertainty and mortality salience …

Preventing Cia In Women With Breast Cancer Improves Psychological Well-Being, Allison Barnett

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

In adult women with breast cancer, alopecia that often accompanies the use of chemotherapy can be devastating when added to the emotional distress of receiving treatment. According to the Up to Date database, cryotherapy is successful at reducing or preventing alopecia during breast cancer chemotherapy treatment. In addition, several recent studies have shown that chemotherapy-induced alopecia has a negative effect on the body image and psychological well-being of women with breast cancer. The review of literature from Cochrane and PubMed database, from the last ten years, explored studies of women ages 18-80with breast cancer that evaluated the impact of chemotherapy-induced …

The Influence Of Religiosity On Risky Patterns Of Drug Usage And Sexual Practices In Underage Undergraduate Students, Hannah Beth Prassel

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

High-risk behaviors such as illicit drug usage and risky sexual practices have been increasing over the years among underage college students. Research has indicated that religious beliefs and religious behaviors interact to predict risky alcohol use in underage college students, with students having higher religious beliefs but lower religious behaviors being the most at risk. The current study hypothesized that this interaction would predict risky drug usage and sexual practices in underage college students in the same way as it does unsafe alcohol use. Underage students (N=211) at the University of Kentucky completed surveys online. Results indicated that religious beliefs …

Program Evaluation Of The Wayne State University (Wsu) Transition To Independence Program (Tip), Dinah Ayna

Wayne State University Dissertations

Background: A significant number of children in the US are placed in the child welfare system every year. Among the multiple negative outcomes associated with being in the foster care system is a wide academic achievement gap between foster students and the general population, as well as other disadvantaged groups (e.g. low income). Low academic achievement is particularly pronounced in college. The government and higher education institutions are recognizing these educational gaps and developing specialized programs to address the unique needs of foster students; however, the effectiveness of these programs remains unclear. This study aims at evaluating the effectiveness of …

Episodic Memory, Hippocampal Volume, And Effects Of Premature Birth In Young Children, Dana Marie Anderson

Wayne State University Theses

The hippocampus is essential for episodic memory. Preterm birth is associated both with deficits in episodic memory and with alteration on hippocampal structure; however, the effect of term status on the relation between episodic memory and hippocampal volume (HCV) is unclear. We studied the potential of a latent construct of episodic memory as well as the relation between episodic memory and HCV in full-term and preterm born children (ages 5-6). The individual episodic memory measures separated into different components based on the level of association and decision that was required for the tasks. The composite scores were not significantly correlated …

Personality Trait Interactions With Narrator Empathy In A Brief Computerized Intervention, Jennifer Danielle Ellis

Wayne State University Theses

Computer-delivered, brief interventions (CDBIs) have been an increasingly popular way to treat substance use disorders; however, very few studies have examined which characteristics of CDBIs maximize intervention effectiveness. The literature has consistently demonstrated that therapist empathy is associated with reduced substance use; however, it is unclear whether this principal applies to CDBIs. Therefore, one aim of this study was to examine whether the presence of an empathic narrator increases motivation to reduce heavy drinking in a CDBI. A second aim was to examine whether an individual’s personality traits (empathy, psychopathy, and Big Five Traits) interact with treatment characteristics (specifically high …

The Experience Of Same-Sex Partner Loss Among People Age 55 And Older, Courtney Woodburn

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory study was to gain a deeper understanding of how people ages 55 and older experience the death of a same-sex partner. Recruitment occurred using snowball sampling primarily through a social organization for older gay men, resulting in a homogenous convenience sample. The study used semi-structured in-person, phone, and Skype interviews with 12 gay men to gather qualitative data about their experience of losing a same-sex partner at the age of 55 or older. Areas of inquiry within the interview included participants’ emotional experience of grief, social supports, meaning making and coping strategies, and practical matters …

Acute And Chronic Effects Of Inhalants In Intracranial Self-Stimulation, Matthew Tracy

Theses and Dissertations

Inhalants are a loosely defined diverse group of volatile substances which people abuse. Despite widespread misuse of inhalants, there are limited preclinical methods available to study the reinforcement-like properties of inhalants. One procedure which has demonstrated substantial promise as a tool to investigate inhalant pharmacology is the intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) procedure. ICSS utilizes pulses of electrical stimulation to the mesolimbic reward pathway to serve as a temporally defined and controlled operant reinforcer with a highly adjustable efficacy. The first aim of the project was to characterize the effects of commonly abused inhalants: including toluene, trichloroethane, nitrous oxide, isoflurane and R134a …

Stereotype Threat In The Interview : The Effects Of Structure And Priming, Joshua Carrasco

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The most common tool in the job selection process is the in-person job interview. The job interview is used as way to determine if the individual is a match for the job functions and the culture of the organization. Interviews are generally considered to be unstructured, which allows for a free flow of topics or is structured and follows a more ridged format. From the view of the person applying for a job, the interview is the most stressful aspect of the selection. As the interview is considered to be social interaction between many people, many times stereotypes can influence …

The Curvilinear Effects Of Extroversion On Subjective And Objective Sales Outcomes, William T. Sevcik

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Recent advances in the shape of the extraversion-sales performance relationship suggests being highly introverted and highly extraverted can be detrimental to customer interactions. Using two archival data sets (Study 1: N = 574, Study 2: N = 168), the current study explored non-linear extraversion-sales performance relationships at both the factor- and facet-level for predicting objective and subjective criteria. Findings suggest significant non-linear relationships for extraversión facets with specific criteria combinations. Sales organizations should consider facets over factors for performance prediction. Implications for hiring extraverted sales professionals are discussed.

Perceptions Of Leadership : A Policy Capturing Approach, Kelcie Tacchi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Drath’s (2001) meta-theory of leadership posits individuals’ developmental levels (dependent, interdependent, inter-independent) will influence their constructions of leadership (.Personal Dominance, Interpersonal Influence, Relational Dialogue) with advanced development subsuming and expanding less complex principles. While this meta-theory has been influential in practice, little research has investigated its propositions. For this thesis, a policy-capturing methodology with 23 leadership vignettes was used to examine (a) if individuals have different constructions of leadership, b) whether a crisis context will influence leadership perceptions, and (c) the effects of demographic and experiential factors on endorsement of varying leadership principles. Results suggest individuals vary in leadership constructions, …

Differential Effects Of Discrete Positive Emotions On Give-Some And Take-Some Social Dilemmas, Caitlin F. O'Neill

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Building upon the literature regarding the unique effects of distinct negative emotions on decision making, the current thesis investigates the differential effects of distinct positive emotions (i.e., pride, elevation, and amusement) on giving and taking behaviors in social dilemmas. Results of a pilot and experimental studies reveal autobiographical recalls successfully elicited distinct positive emotions, but the effects were generally inconsistent or null in predicting prosocial acts. Supplementary analyses reveal a potential methodological confound, with significant findings more likely to emerge when emotions were measured after as opposed to before the targeted dilemmas. Specifically, elevation led to significantly higher levels of …

Relation Between Harsh Parenting Exposure In Childhood And Adult Externalizing Symptoms : Moderating Role Of The Autonomic Nervous System, Samantha Aldea Barry

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Though literature suggests that many individuals with childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) report having symptoms of the respective disorder as adults, little is known about potential predictors of adulthood externalizing symptoms. The proposed study examines the impact of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), as measured by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), as measured by skin conductance levels (SCL), on the link between harsh parenting experienced during childhood and ADHD and ODD symptoms during young adulthood. Results yielded a significant two-way interaction between harsh parenting and resting RSA, which significantly accounted for …

Does Ego-Depletion Impair The Ability To Identify A Self-Control Conflict?, Jeffrey M. Osgood

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Research from the past fifteen years suggests that strong exertions of self-control in one instance cause self-control failure in subsequent instances. This phenomenon is called the “ego-depletion effect”. More recently, new theoretical and empirical advances in self-control research suggest a Two-Stage Model of self-control. During Stage One, individuals must identify the need to use self-control by recognizing a conflict between their current behavior and long-term goals, values, or social standards. In Stage Two, individuals must implement self-control strategies or willpower to bring current behavior in line with long-term goals, values, or social standards. To date, ego-depletion research has focused mostly …

The Association Of Internalized Stigmas, Culture-Specific Coping, And Depression In Gay And Bisexual Black Men, Duane Glen Khan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Gay and bisexual Black men experience higher lifetime depression rates than both White and Black heterosexual men. Some social stress researchers argued that this rate may be due to having two stigmatized minority identities and therefore being at greater risk. However, gay and bisexual Black men also experience lifetime depression rates significantly below White LGB people, suggesting resilience to depression for those with these intersecting identities, race and sexuality. This study attempted to address the debate between greater risk versus resilience in gay and bisexual Black men.

Predictive Validity Of Curriculum-Based Reading Measures For High-Stakes Outcome Assessments With Secondary Students Identified As Struggling Readers, Tierney Gifford

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) tools are used widely to assess students’ progress within different stages of the Response to Intervention (RTI) process. Despite the wide-spread use, little research has identified the efficacy of reading CBMs in predicting secondary student outcomes on high-stakes assessments. High-stakes assessments are being utilized to determine outcomes for not just students, but teachers, administrators, and districts. More research is needed to determine if reading CBMs are useful tools for the populations of struggling secondary readers. The current study was a secondary analysis of existing data, which attempted to gain an understanding of this through examining the predictive …

Craving In Substance And Behavioral Addiction : The Role Of Emotion Regulation, Natalia Christine Orloff

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Individuals with emotion regulation difficulties lack the strategies to monitor and evaluate the emotional experience, often leading to an increase in efforts to constrict or conceal the emotional expression. Deficits in emotion regulation are associated with an increase in craving for risky behaviors, such as alcohol and internet use. Non-acceptance and impulse control are two domains of emotion regulation that have been linked to behavioral and substance cravings. What remains to be elucidated is whether these relationships are mediated by strategies employed to control the emotional experience. The current study aims to identify whether thought suppression mediates the relationship between …

Perceived Racial Microaggressions And Psychological Well-Being Among African American College Students, Daniel Knauer

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among perceived racial microaggressions, social support, and indicators of psychological well-being in a sample of 155 African American college students from a stress and coping perspective. Perceived racial microaggressions were associated with greater symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, life satisfaction did not account for this relationship, as expected. Two forms of social support, general social support and social support matched for racial situations, were tested as buffers of the effects of perceived microaggressions on psychological outcome variables within a regression framework. The buffering model, which predicted that social support …

Effects Of Consonance And Tonality On The Detection Of Change In Polyphonic Melodies, George Albert Seror Iii

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract