Psychology Commons^™

The Effect Of Journey Around The World Curriculum On Prosocial Behavior In Elementary School Children: A Pilot Study, Jae Seung Cha

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This small-scale pilot study explored the effectiveness of proposed research instruments in measuring the outcomes of the prosocial and global education curriculum, Journey Around the World (JAWD), regarding attitudes toward school, affective language, prosocial motivation and behavior of second-grade school students.

Overall, the results of this study support the research methodology. Specifically, the proposed measures demonstrated the capacity to detect the positive changes following the Journey Around the World program in the attitudes toward school, learning motivation, affective vocabulary, and prosocial behavior and motivation. Furthermore, the results demonstrated the sensitivity of the proposed method to reflect the children’s growing appreciation …

Incorporating Visual Communication Desensitization In The Treatment Of Depression In Women With Sexual Trauma Histories, Nino Chkhaidze

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Depression is a complex condition which requires a multi-faceted approach and adjustment of the treatment method depending on the etiology of the disorder. One of the possible causes of depression is trauma experienced by an individual, especially when the traumatic event involves an interpersonal component. An innovative interview/therapeutic technique called Visual-Communication Desensitization (VCD) aims to help individuals process their traumatic experience and cope with negative effects of trauma by means of a line graph, which allows visualization of the event on timeline. In the current study, our goal was to identify VCD’s effects on depression in women with sexual trauma …

Integrating Implementation Fidelity And Learning Improvement To Enhance Students’ Ethical Reasoning Abilities, Kristen L. Smith

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Examples of demonstrable student learning improvement in higher education are rare (Banta, Jones, & Black, 2009; Banta & Blaich, 2011). Perhaps because outcomes assessment practices are disconnected from pedagogy, curriculum, and learning improvement. Through partnership with the Madison Collaborative, the current study aimed to bridge this disconnect. Specifically, researchers applied implementation fidelity methodologies (O’Donnell, 2008) to an academic program, under the guiding framework of the Simple Model for Learning Improvement (Fulcher, Good, Coleman, & Smith, 2014). In doing so, researchers helped faculty create and elucidate an ethical reasoning educational intervention and accompanying fidelity checklist. Both were well-aligned with a University-level …

Functional Analysis And Treatment Of Self-Injurious Feather Plucking In A Black Vulture (Coragyps Atratus), Kristen L. Morris

Thesis Projects

Feather plucking (FP) is a maladaptive behavior observed in captive avian species. This self-injurious behavior results in damage to and removal of feathers and skin tissue, resulting in animal welfare and financial consequences. The etiology and maintenance of FP have been hypothesized through medical and environmental processes, yet a definitive solution has not been found. The current study investigated the environmental variables maintaining the FP of a Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), as well as evaluated a function-based treatment for this behavior. The behavior was found to be maintained by positive reinforcement in the form of contingent attention. Treatment …

Ruminative Exploration In Late Adolescence And Its Relationship To Depression, Self-Esteem, And Parental Autonomy Support, Kelsey A. Redmayne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ruminative exploration is considered a maladaptive dimension of identity development that appears to be at its highest during emerging adulthood (Luyckx, Klimstra, Duriez, Petergem, & Beyers, 2013a). Previous studies have assessed the relationship between ruminative exploration and well-being in populations in Dutch speaking populations of university students in Belgium (Luyckx, Gossens, & Soenens, 2006a; Luyckx, Gossens, Soenens, & Beyers, 2006b; Luyckx et al., 2007a; Luyckx et al., 2008; Luyckx et al., 2013a). Following the Dutch research, it was predicted that ruminative exploration will be positively correlated with symptoms of depression and low self-esteem among US college students. Beyond replicating the …

Neural Networks Of Eye-Movements During Reading, Trenton D. Jackman, Benjamin Carter, Steven Luke

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Reading is an important part of normal life. We move our eyes 2-4 times per second. Each movement is called a saccade, and each pause is called a fixation. Progress has been made understanding saccade control during deliberate tasks. Not much is known about saccade control during more automatic tasks like reading. Using fMRI concurrently run with eye-tracking we looked at BOLD MRI response compared to amplitude of saccades, for 43 participants performing a simple paragraph reading task.

Warrior To Civilian: The Impact Of Social Identity And Emotional Well-Being On The Community Reintegration Of Us Service Members And Veterans, Mary E. Fortson-Harwell

Doctor of International Conflict Management Dissertations

In this dissertation, the author explores the relationship between the social identity and emotional well-being of military service members and veterans when transitioning to civilian roles following deployment(s) and/or the end of military service. This mixed-methods study uses participant observations, survey measures, and semi-structured interviews to answer the following questions: How does social identity impact the emotional well-being of military service members when transitioning to civilian roles following deployment(s) and/or end of military service? How does participation in formalized or ad hoc community reintegration “rituals” influence the service member’s felt sense of return? By combining Social Identity Theory with Maslow’s …

Impact Of Social Contact On Predator-Induced Fear Responses In Young Male Chicks, Jessica Czarnecki, Kristina Humphreys, Danielle Hurmis Ms., Colin Kalmes, Lauren Pasetes, Megan Steinhoff, Steven Todorov, Shara Stough

Celebration of Learning

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is thought to involve unusually strong associative memories between the intense fear felt during a traumatic experience and other environmental cues present at the time of the trauma. Our study uses an animal model to investigate social contact, one of the factors that can impact fear responses, to learn more about possible risk factors or interventions that may be relevant to humans who may experience PTSD. Freezing, or the cessation of movement, is a common fear response observed in laboratory animals in the presence of a perceived threat. We tested whether or not the degree of …

Investigating Trust And Trust Recovery In Human-Robot Interactions, Abigail L. Thomson

Celebration of Learning

As artificial intelligence and robotics continue to advance and be used in increasingly different functions and situations, it is important to look at how these new technologies will be used. An important factor in how a new resource will be used is how much it is trusted. This experiment was conducted to examine people’s trust in a robotic assistant when completing a task, how mistakes affect this trust, and if the levels of trust exhibited with a robot assistant were significantly different than if the assistant were human. The task was to watch a computer simulation of the three-cup monte …

Narcissism And Short-Term Mating Attempts, Rebecca E. Burchette

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this research is to measure the behavioral choice of narcissists when presented with an opportunity for short-term or long-term mating in an online simulation. Participants were randomly assigned to either a short-term mating (STM) or long-term mating (LTM) condition in which they saw women that were interested in “casual” or “lasting, loving” relationships. Participants had the option of emailing as many women as they liked. However, there was no significant moderation found.

The Effect Of Quantity And Quality Of Contact On Heterosexual Civilian Attitudes Toward Gay Men And Lesbians In The Military, Brienne Brown

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the impact of contact with gay men and lesbians on attitudes toward gay men and lesbians in the military. Specifically, this study examined the extent to which heterosexual civilians’ quantity of contact and quality of contact with gay men and lesbians predict their attitudes toward gay men and lesbians in the military over and above demographic traits and social desirability.

An online survey was administered to participants (N = 140). Attitudes toward gay men and lesbians were measure using the Attitudes Toward Homosexuals in the Military Scale (ATHM), quantity of contact and quality of contact were …

The Effects Of Pointing Gestures On Visual Attention, Samaria J. Hamilton

Honors College Theses

Visual attention is a process that involves concentrating on select features, such as sensory cues, within the complex environment. Sensory cues within the visual field capture and redirect our attention. Previous research on eye gaze revealed that direct gaze captures attention. In the present study, pointing gestures and motion cues were tested together in a visual search task to examine their effects on attention. Participants were instructed to identify a target letter presented on one of four hands. Initially, two hands displayed a pointing gesture while the other two displayed an open gesture. Next, a target letter appeared, one open …

An Examination Of Goal Orientation Between Genders – An Exploratory Study, Amanda M. Boyd

Honors College Theses

Goal orientation is defined as the perceptual-cognitive frameworks that determine how an individual approaches, interprets, and responds to achievement situations (Janssen & Van Yperen, 2004). Goal orientation refers to the reasons an individual engages in an activity and the goals he or she sets to define success (D’Lima et al., 2014). Research has shown that there are gender differences when examining goal orientation. However, little research has been found that has examined this within the millennial generation. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the differences between male and female millennial college students on goal orientation. The …

More Than Skin Deep? The Effect Of Visible Tattoos On The Perceived Characteristics Of Sexual Assault Victims, Rebecca Vilk

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Stereotypes may affect perceptions of rape victims in the courtroom and could possibly lead to unjust trials. Because rape victims who are perceived as counter-stereotypical women are often judged more harshly than stereotypical women and women who have tattoos are stereotyped as having negative characteristics, we tested whether having tattoos would impact the characteristics attributed to victims of rape. Using a mock-juror paradigm, we experimentally examined how a rape victim’s tattoo would impact perceptions of the victim and trial judgments. Participants read a fictional rape trial summary, viewed the alleged victim (with a flower, script, or no tattoo), rendered and …

What Do We Think About Birth Order?, Jessica Garcia

Student Research Posters

Stereotypical beliefs people have of personality traits that are expected from children in relation to their birth order has become a popular area of study. Parents can be consciously or unconsciously swayed to form impressions of their children based on birth order personality attributes formed by society and family. How parents act towards their children can impact a child’s cognitive and behavioral development (Eckstein & Kaufman, 2012). Using Adler’s psychological perspective theory, the present study hypothesized that there is a positive correlation between people’s perception of birth order traits and self-reported personality. Participants were 50 adults (84% female) 18 to …

Literature Review Of Animal Hoarding, Corina L. Schroeder

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

This paper reviews the characteristic features, origin, and treatment of animal hoarding. It evaluates the similarities and differences of hoarding disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, showing that it seems to be more closely related to object hoarding. This disorder often originates with a traumatic life event, which triggers a psychological vulnerability to compulsively collect animals. In some cases, the hoarder was neglected by parental figures at a young age, so he or she developed relationships with animals to cope. Other theories for the origin include addiction models, delusional disorders, and dementia models. Several theories are reviewed to explain the characteristic lack …

Reduced Vagal Tone In Women With The Premutation Is Associated With Mrna But Not Depression Or Anxiety, Jessica Klusek, Giuseppe Lafauci, Tatyana Adayev, W Ted Brown, Flora Tassone, Jane E. Roberts

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Autonomic dysfunction is implicated in a range of psychological conditions, including depression and anxiety. The () premutation is a common genetic mutation that affects ~1:150 women and is associated with psychological vulnerability. This study examined cardiac indicators of autonomic function among women with the premutation and control women as potential biomarkers for psychological risk that may be linked to . METHODS: Baseline inter-beat interval and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (a measure of parasympathetic vagal tone) were measured in 35 women with the premutation and 28 controls. The women completed anxiety and depression questionnaires. genetic indices (i.e., CGG repeat, quantitative FMRP, …

Racial Discrimination In A Rural Midwest Town, Emily Peterson

Honors Projects

This study examines how a rural Midwest community views race and discrimination, and how these views affect community members’ experiences. The results of the survey provide a means of determining the lack of cultural competence and discrimination within a rural Midwest populace. The purpose of this research is to examine and analyze individual discrimination and racism in a Midwest rural community. A 10-question survey was administered to teachers, elderly individuals, law enforcement officers, and former students about their experiences with diversity within the community. The questions centered upon topics of race, discrimination, and personal experiences within the community. The data …

Religious Problem Solving And Methods Of Control, Richard Michael Eason

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the connections between religious problem-solving strategies and experiences of control, specifically an internal and external locus of control, God locus of control, and the illusion of control. In addition, it explored how these connections relate to psychological well-being. Undergraduates enrolled in psychology courses were recruited to participate in this study. They completed five scales and a computerized task. These scales consist of the Religious Problem-Solving Scale, the Locus of Control Scale, the Multidimensional Locus of Control Scale-God Control Revision (God control subscale), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depressed Mood Scale, and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. The computerized task …

Accepting Differences For An Inclusive Society, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Everyone has a role in upholding values and having tough conversations to build inclusion

How To Measure Well-Being At Work And Why It Matters, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Supported staff are key drivers of high performing workplaces

Bleeding Ink: Creativity In Grief For Resilience, Gabriel E. Sayre

Senior Honors Projects

A venomous void pierces the present.

Emanating from the past, echoing to the future.

Seething sensations burrowing beneath the bone.

Seek a road, to not corrode.

Scribe or scribble, Scavenge salvation.

Settle cement of a new foundation.

Faceless fears fading,

weakening woes waning,

mending mentality.

Internally Inspired.

Transformation Transpired.

Grief After Death, Allison Mccormick

Senior Honors Projects

Child grief and bereavement are widely misunderstood and under addressed, frequently disenfranchising children and teens. Child and family bereavement centers are a crucial resource. I wanted to know how these non-profit organizations benefit young grievers from their own perspective.

To strengthen my understanding, I volunteered at FRIENDS WAY in Warwick, Rhode Island for six months to learn more about bereaved children and families and to assess how it serves this client group. A program evaluation was then conducted. Survey questions asked the participants about the value of their experiences, and which specific activities they find most helpful and most enjoyable. …

Smoking, Depression, And Hospital Costs Of Respiratory Cancers: Examining Race And Sex Variation, Baqar A. Husaini, Robert S. Levine, Phillip Lammers, Pam Hull, Meggan Novotny, Majaz Moonis

Center for Prevention Research Publications

Objective To investigate the effect of smoking and depression on hospital costs for lung cancer (LC).

Methods We extracted data on depression, smoking history, demographics, and hospital charges for patients with respiratory cancers (ICD-9 codes 161–163, 165) from the 2008 Tennessee Hospital Discharge Data System. The sample (n=6665) was mostly white (86%) and male (57%). Age-adjusted rates were developed in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention methods, and hospital costs were compared for patients with LC with versus without depression and a smoking history.

Results Three findings (P<0.001) emerged: (1) the LC rate was higher among blacks than among whites, and higher among men than among women; (2) while 66% of LC patients smoked (more men than women without racial variation), 24% had depression (more females and whites were depressed); (3) the LC hospital cost was 54% higher than the non-LC hospital cost, and this cost doubled for patients with LC with depression and smoking versus those without such characteristics.

Conclusion While LC is more prevalent among …

The Effects Of Spoken Accent On Verbal Working Memory Performance, Faithe Snyder

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

Language diversity is continually increasing in the United States. In the 2007 American Community Survey taken by the U.S. Census Bureau, it was found that about 20 percent of the U.S. population spoke a language other than English at home. As language diversity increases in the country, the language diversity of individuals diagnosed with cognitive or communicative impairments also increases. As a result, understanding how language and spoken accent difference affects the accuracy of diagnostic testing becomes an important question. A large challenge facing speech-language pathologists regarding culturally and linguistically diverse clients is distinguishing communication differences from communication disorders. As …

Heads Up! Dynamic Similitude For Perception With An Object Wielded By Head Or Hand, Jeffrey B. Wagman, Alex Dayer, Alen Hajnal

Faculty Publications – Psychology

Possibilities for behavior (i.e., affordances) can be perceived with units spanning anatomical components and external objects. For example, affordances for standing on an inclined surface can be perceived with an object held in the hand or attached to the head. We investigated whether these two person-plus-object perceptual systems exhibit the same pattern of nonlinear phase transitions in perception of this affordance. Blindfolded participants explored an inclined surface with a rod held in the hand or attached to the head and reported whether they could stand on that surface. Inclinations were presented in ascending or descending sequences. In both conditions, responses …

Reconstruction Of The Destroyed Sinjali Secondary School, Isabella Kaganowski

Sustainability and Social Justice

This practitioner paper chronicles my involvement of the grant writing proposal that was designed on behalf of a non-for-profit organization, the Association of Dalit Women’s Advancement of Nepal (ADWAN), in order to secure funding and donations for the reconstruction of the destroyed Sinjali Secondary School in Gorkha district, Taklung village, after a 2015 earthquake struck Nepal. The proposal was guided by and collaborated with Professor Jude Fernando of Clark University, as Professor Fernando was able to visit Taklung village and gather information about the needs in the educational sector damaged by the earthquake. Literature review and research was gathered to …

Imposed Versus Affect-Based Resistance Training Intensities On Adherence, Session Affect, Session Perceived Exertion, And Intrinsic Motivation Measures During A Six-Week Program In Novice Female Lifters 2017, Ryan Joseph Brennan

Master's Theses

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that individuals perform resistance training exercises at a specific intensity based on external load (percentage of one repetition maximum; %1RM). However, only 29.6% of adults in 2013 reported strength training two or more times per week. Furthermore, individuals lifting at recommended percentages vary in their pleasure and displeasure. Self-selected exercise seems to promote positive affective responses, in part, due to the perceived autonomy. The effects of regulating exercise intensity using affect as opposed to imposed intensities as a means for improved fitness, promoting exercise behavior, and enhancing other psychological outcomes have yet …

A Behavioral Prerequisite For The Genetic Analysis Of Auditory Feature Detection Mechanisms In Female Crickets, Rebecca L. Blisko

Senior Honors Projects

Sexual dimorphism is exhibited across all cricket species and is a central aspect of the mating processes of these insects. Only male crickets possess wing structures and pattern generators in the central nervous system that allow them to produce a mating call that is unique to their species in order to attract conspecific females. Conspecific females possess an auditory feature detection circuit in the central nervous system that is capable of detecting the species-specific frequency and temporal pattern of sound pulses within a male call. In order for dimorphic differences in mating behavior to result in successful continuation of a …

Engaging In Effective Behavioral Health Treatment Methods: The Importance Of Building Trust And Relationships With High And Proven Risk Men With A History Of Childhood Trauma(S), Tracie Sullivan

Sustainability and Social Justice

Nearly 60% of youth involved in the juvenile justice system in the United States have a diagnosable mental illness (Buffington, 2010; SAMHSA, 2012). These high and proven risk youth have fallen through the cracks in the behavioral health system, with a lack of prevention, intervention, and effective treatment methods being provided to them prior to incarceration. This paper presents connections between childhood trauma, undiagnosed and untreated mental illnesses, and delinquency in adulthood for high and proven-risk young men. It also investigates barriers to engaging high and proven risk young men in treatment with the concepts of stigma, and hyper-masculinity introduced. …