Psychology Commons^™

Transcendental Beauty And Resilience: The Therapeutic Power Of Studio Ghibli Films, Rimsha Naz

SSLA Culminating Experience

This interdisciplinary project investigates the therapeutic impact of Studio Ghibli films, with a particular focus on themes of resilience and healing. By conducting an in-depth analysis of My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), and Princess Mononoke (1997), the study examines how director Hayao Miyazaki employs motifs such as magical realism, transcendental beauty, and the interconnectedness of humans and nature to craft narratives that evoke profound emotional responses. These motifs not only shape the narrative structure but also create immersive experiences that facilitate emotional catharsis, self-discovery, and a deeper connection to the natural world.

Drawing on narrative psychology, Japanese …

Exploring Communication Gaps In Pakistani Desi Families: A Comparative Analysis Of Joint And Nuclear Settings And How The Existence Of A Communication Gap Impacts The Emotional Wellbeing Of Members In Either Settings, Maria Rehman

SSLA Culminating Experience

This qualitative research explores the existence and impact of communication gaps in Pakistani, desi families and compares joint and nuclear family systems by delving into the nuances of family dynamics. It explores how the presence of a communication gap impacts the emotional well-being of family members. It was aimed to uncover the manifestations of communication gaps, the comparison of that between joint and nuclear families, and how it has an emotional, psychological effect on family members. A sample of six young women were recruited and divided into two groups based on the family they belonged to i.e., joint or nuclear. …

The Human Affectome, Daniela Schiller, Alessandra N.C. Yu, Nelly Alia-Klein, Susanne Becker, Howard C. Cromwell, Florin Dolcos, Paul J. Eslinger, Paul Frewen, Andrew H. Kemp, Edward F. Pace-Schott, Jacob Raber, Rebecca L. Silton, Elka Stefanova, Justin H.G. Williams, Nobuhito Abe, Moji Aghajani, Franziska Albrecht, Rebecca Alexander, Silke Anders, Oriana R. Aragón, Juan A. Arias, Shahar Arzy, Tatjana Aue, Sandra Baez, Michela Balconi, Tommaso Ballarini, Scott Bannister, Marlissa C. Banta, Nora Murphy, Et Al.

Psychological Science Faculty Works

Over the last decades, theoretical perspectives in the interdisciplinary field of the affective sciences have proliferated rather than converged due to differing assumptions about what human affective phenomena are and how they work. These metaphysical and mechanistic assumptions, shaped by academic context and values, have dictated affective constructs and operationalizations. However, an assumption about the purpose of affective phenomena can guide us to a common set of metaphysical and mechanistic assumptions. In this capstone paper, we home in on a nested teleological principle for human affective phenomena in order to synthesize metaphysical and mechanistic assumptions. Under this framework, human affective …

Measurement Matters: A Commentary On The State Of The Science On Patient Reported Outcome Measures (Proms) In Autism Research, Hillary K. Schiltz, Zachary J. Williams, Shuting Zhen, Elizabeth A. Kaplan-Kahn, Hannah E. Morton, Kashia A. Rosenau, Christina Nicolaidis, Alexandra Sturm, Catherine Lord, Autism Promnet

Psychological Science Faculty Works

High quality science relies upon psychometrically valid and reliable measurement, yet very few Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) have been developed or thoroughly validated for use with autistic individuals. The present commentary summarizes the current state of autism PROM science, based on discussion at the Special Interest Group (SIG) at the 2022 International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) Annual Meeting and collective expertise of the authors. First, we identify current issues in autism PROM research including content and construct operationalization, informant-structure, measure accessibility, and measure validation and generalization. We then enumerate barriers to conducting and disseminating this research, such as …

Changes In Parent-Student Text Message And Phone Call Communication During The Transition To College As Predictors Of Cannabis And Simultaneous Use During The First Year, Reed M. Morgan, Bradley M. Trager, Sarah C. Boyle, Layla M. Rainosek, Joseph W. Labrie

Psychological Science Faculty Works

Parent communication can be protective against cannabis use among young adults. However, changes in parent-student communication frequency naturally occur during the transition from high school to college. Recent research suggests declines in parent-student communication frequency predict increased drinking and consequences during the first year of college, yet these effects on other risky behaviors are unknown. The current study investigated whether post-matriculation changes in frequency of texting/calling with parents predict cannabis use and simultaneous use of cannabis and alcohol, and whether pre-matriculation cannabis and simultaneous use predict changes in communication. First-year students (N = 287, 61.3% female, 50.9% White) reported cannabis …

Cognitive Indicators Of Performance In League Of Legends Players, Emerson Fant

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project attempts to discover the importance of several cognitive traits in esports performance, specifically League of Legends. The traits (performance indicators) measured are frustration tolerance, locus of control, self-efficacy, and intrinsic/extrinsic motivation. Participants will take several existing tests to measure each trait, as well as provide their League of Legends username(s) so that their results can be compared to their in-game performance. I hypothesize a positive relationship between League of Legends rank and frustration tolerance, internal locus of control, intrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy. I hypothesize a negative relationship between rank and external locus of control, extrinsic motivation, and frustration …

Effects Of Mindfulness Training On Prosocial Responses In Intergroup Relations: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Denise Yiran Zheng

Theses and Dissertations

Based on social identity theory and intergroup emotions theory, individuals feel for and act toward others based on their group-based social identities. Recent research shows that mindfulness can enhance prosocial responses toward others across group divides. The current research examined the effects of mindfulness training on prosocial behavior in intergroup relations where such behavior is difficult (e.g., with marginalized or devalued social groups). The study also examined potential mechanisms, namely state empathic concern and appraisal, that may explain how mindfulness increases prosocial behavior toward outgroups. This study compared the effects of a 2-week mindfulness training to a matched coping training …

The Cultural Adaptation Of An Eating Disorders Assessment Tool For South Asian American Women, Neha J. Goel

Theses and Dissertations

South Asians (SAs) are less likely to be screened, referred, and treated for eating disorders (EDs), although they experience these serious health conditions at rates similar to those of their White counterparts. Available ED assessment tools do not adequately capture cultural nuances in the presentation of eating psychopathology in SAs. Thus, the current study culturally adapted the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) to enhance its validity, applicability, and cultural relevance for SA women living in the US. During the cultural adaptation phase, the principal investigator consulted with participant experts (N=24) and research experts (n=4) to create the …

A Second Look At Active Shooter Events: Expanding Our Understanding Of Key Factors, Kyle Gamache, Matt Zaitchik, Judith Platania, Cecelia Coslovi, Willem Pontbriand

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

In the current study, we investigate active shooter events (ASEs) with emphasis on expanding our understanding of key factors involved in these events. The impetus for this study is a 2015 exploration (Gamache et al., 2015) that highlighted common perpetrator and event characteristics in ASEs occurring in the US prior to 2014. Since the 2015 study, mass-shooting events have moved from tragic, isolated incidents, to a phenomenon that is widely discussed in the media and highly politicized. Our goal was to investigate continued trends, if any exist, and to compare our current sample of ASEs to the sample utilized in …

Opioid System's Potential Involvement In Ketamine's Cognitive And Antidepressant-Like Effects In Rats, Fan Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Depression stands as one of the most pervasive mental health challenges worldwide, including the United States. Conventional antidepressants typically display a delayed onset of therapeutic action (4-8 weeks) and lack efficacy in a substantial portion of patients (over 40% of depressed patients are treatment-resistant). The dissociative anesthetic ketamine, which is a glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, has emerged as a promising novel treatment due to its rapid and prolonged antidepressant effects, and it is especially beneficial for treatment-resistant depression. Nevertheless, the precise neurochemical mechanisms underlying ketamine’s antidepressant properties remain elusive, hampering the development of safer and more efficacious treatments. The present …

Examining The Effects Of Parameter Correlation And Its Implications For Models Of Learning And Retention: A Large Scale Model Validation : Examining The Effects Of Parameter Correlation And Its Implications For Models Of Learning Andretention: A Large Scale Model Validation, Michael Gordon Collins

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Mathematical models of learning and retention have long been developed in psychology for both basic and applied research. For basic research, models of learning and retention attempt to explain how individuals acquire and retain information over time. While for applied research, models of learning and retention are used to inform education and training decisions. In both of these applications, the primary purpose of using a model is to fit and predict the performance of individuals. However, little attention has been paid to the interpretation of a model’s free parameters (i.e., learning and decay rates) and the effect that a model’s …

Is There More To Organizational Justice Than "Just" Fairness? A Meta-Analysis On The Construct Validity Of Overall Justice, Alec C. Drabish

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Despite there being many meta-analyses on organizational justice in the last 25 years, no meta-analysis has focused on overall justice, a global perception of fairness in organizations. In light of this, my dissertation is a meta-analysis focused on the construct validity of overall justice and its integration with key models of organizational justice. To do this, I identified 183 independent samples from across the globe that use Ambrose and Schminke’s (2009) perceived overall justice scale. From there, I used a combination of traditional meta-analytic techniques and meta-analytic structural equation modelling to test my hypotheses. Foremost, I found that overall justice …

Attentional Demands Of Smooth Pursuit, Sasha Marie Willis

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigates whether maintenance of smooth pursuit eye movements requires attention or if the traditional small-spot pursuit stimulus has propagated this long-held belief by imposing the attentional demands of the saccadic system (through foveation) onto the pursuit task. Using a within-subjects design, we compare single- and dual-task performance for two difficulty levels of an auditory tone discrimination task and a pursuit eye movement task with both small and large pursuit targets (N = 10). Pursuit performance improved when target size increased (for catch-up saccade rate and steady-state gain) and when auditory task difficulty increased (for catch-up saccade rate). …

Engaging Sexual Minority Adolescents In Nationwide At-Home Hiv Prevention Research In The U.S, Ali J. Talan, Carly Wolfer, Nicola Tavella, Cynthia Cabral, Ricardo Despradel, H. Jonathon Rendina

Publications and Research

Objectives: This study examined research-related privacy and confidentiality concerns among adolescent sexual minority males (ASMM) and provides lessons learned to inform recruitment and enrollment strategies for this population.

Methods: Participants were a 2017-2018 internet-based U.S. national sample of sexual minority adolescents who responded to self-report measures of privacy and confidentiality concerns. Results: Bivariate chi-square tests were used to identify participants’ mean differences in worry and likelihood of privacy breach occurrences. Many participants reported privacy-related concerns within remote HIV prevention research.

Conclusions: Study protocols were designed to ensure participants felt safe participating in online HIV prevention research. However, there are challenges …

Observed Parent And Child Differences In Black Mothers Of Children With And Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Sydney E. Padgett

Theses and Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is childhood's most common neuro- developmental disorder, mainly distinguished by a pattern of inattention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity. Compared to the plethora of research on White children with ADHD, the research on Black children with ADHD is limited. Looking more closely at the functions related to parenting children with ADHD, there is even less information known on the interactions between Black children and their parents compared to White children and their parents. The primary aim of the thesis study was to compare observed parenting and child behaviors between Black mother/child dyads of children with and without ADHD. This …

Enhancing Students’ User Experience With A Code Critiquer, Laura E. Albrant

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis explores the role of human factors in the realm of code critiquers and students’ experiences with them. Across three studies, the work utilized Design Thinking to improve the user experience of WebTA for introductory engineering students learning MATLAB. The first two studies gathered observational and interview data to empathize, define, and ideate a new user interface (UI). Said UI was prototyped and then tested with the third study. Overall, the surveys’ data suggests that most students found the new design to be more appealing, useful, and purposeful; however, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Additionally, analysis …

Exploring Usability In Exercise Interventions: From Conceptualization To Measurement And Application, Anne Inger Mørtvedt

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Exercise interventions hold promise for preventing and treating numerous conditions, diseases, and injuries. However, these interventions will only be effective if they are being used. Unfortunately, uptake and adherence to prescribed exercise and physical activity guidelines are insufficient. Some reasons for this include lack of knowledge, resources, flexibility, and enjoyment. Exercise program developers need to not only consider the effectiveness of the program during the development phase, but also involve end-users and receive feedback on program usability to determine likelihood of uptake and adoption. Usability testing can be used to detect barriers to use and implementation likelihood but has not …

Rewriting Reality: The Sociological Context Of Gaslighting, Kristen L. Engasser Jr.

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In 2007, Robin Stern published The gaslight effect: How to spot and survive the hidden manipulation others use to control your life, highlighting gaslighting as a form of psychological abuse that makes victims question the validity of their perceptions. Since then, gaslighting has primarily been tackled from a psychological perspective. Some sociologists, however, theorize that gaslighting is not simply a psychological issue but a sociological one as well. They argue that gaslighting may take place unintentionally when a perpetrator acts on their biases towards members of other social groups, a concept known as epistemic gaslighting. As a form of …

Guns Can't Kill Ghosts, Krista B. Ruffo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores the grieving process of a child, 6-year-old Maple, in a fictional way. As Maple attempts to carry on with daily life, such as attending first grade, after the death of her father, she experiences supernatural visions that cause her to consider what life and, consequently, death is. She also contends with her mother’s unwillingness to tell Maple why her father is dead, since her mother believes that keeping Maple shielded from the full truth is the best course of action. Maple struggles with sleeping issues, reoccurring dreams of her father, depression, lack of interest in formerly exciting …

Are You Looking At Me? The Relationship Between Social Media And Personality Disorders, Madison G. Goran

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis investigates the relationship between social media and Cluster B Personality Disorders: Borderline Personality Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and Histrionic Personality Disorder. This research builds upon previous findings by examining specific negative social media motivations and behaviors, such as excessive use and negative motivations, in relation to Cluster B Personality Disorders. Participants completed the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD; Zanarini et al., 2005), The Short Dark Triad (Jones &Paulhus, 2014), Antisocial Process Screening Device (Frick & Hare, 2002), Self-Test Histrionic Personality Disorder (Olivardia, 2022), and Motivations for Social Media Use Scale (MSMU; Rodgers …

Sexual Assault Disclosure: The Role Of Survivor And Disclosure Recipient Race & Ethnicity, Nola J.A. Browne

Honors Undergraduate Theses

To date, most research on sexual assault disclosure has utilized samples composed predominately of White women (Fedina et al., 2018). As a result, there is a need for research that examines sexual assault disclosure within racially and ethnically diverse samples. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine whether survivors’ race/ethnicity is related to whether they disclose their sexual assault to others of the same and different races and ethnicities. The study recruited undergraduate college students from the UCF Psychology Department Sona System to complete an online survey that assessed history of sexual assault and disclosure of sexual assault …

On The Rocks: The Association Between Dating And Alcohol Consumption Among Young Adults, Hannah Ettele

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Alcohol consumption is becoming an increasing concern among young adults. In 2018, approximately one-third of young adults in the United States reported binge drinking within the past month (Patrick et al., 2020). This peak in binge drinking during young adulthood raises concerns about physical and mental health. There are also societal implications of alcohol consumption, such as drunk driving, that are particularly evident among this age group (Stewart, 2023). As proposed by the Social Learning Theory (SLT) of alcohol use, there are many factors that motivate young adults to drink (Britton, 2004). Some engage in alcohol consumption to cope with …

Exploring The Relationship Between Trust Learning And Social Media Privacy, Alyssa R. Hayes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

With the rise of social media, many social media users have concerns about their privacy and what they share online. Users must reveal certain pieces of information about themselves to benefit from the convenience of social media and the internet, such as allowing a website to access a specific location to find stores nearby. The problem arises when this data, particularly personal data, is misused. This dilemma of choosing which information to share is incredibly important as social media and the internet evolve. Taking control of one’s privacy may assist in determining which information to share and may reduce stress …

Motivations For Retaliatory Aggression On Social Media Among Borderline Personality Endorsers, Hannah Grimes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Social media has become a popular way of connecting with people, but it has also led to an increase in cyber aggression. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a condition that is characterized by retaliatory aggression, difficulty in interpersonal relationships, and high impulsivity. Those who endorse BPD symptoms experience unstable interpersonal relationships and struggle to maintain connections with others which can lead to problematic behaviors on social media like retaliatory aggression. Understanding the motivations behind those behaviors can help inform the experiences of the diagnosed population, mitigate problematic behaviors, and facilitate healthy social relationships. This study aims to explore the motivations …

Childhood Trauma, Stress, Gender, And Depression's Impact On Suicidal Behavior, Emily H. Mezni

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in young adults. Continuous prevention and intervention efforts throughout the world have been made to reduce suicide risk in this population. Two of the biggest known risk factors for suicide is childhood trauma, a traumatic event or events that occur during youth, and depression. Researching the impact childhood trauma and depression make in conjunction with other factors will help to increase knowledge of suicidal behavior. In this study, recent stress and gender will be factored with childhood trauma and depression severity to predict suicidal ideation and attempt. Recent stress is useful …

Investigating The Role Of Glycemic Control In Cognitive Impairement Risk Among Elderly Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes: A Scoping Review, Julia Pessaia

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), presents a significant health burden globally, affecting millions of individuals, especially in the elderly population. While its association with cardiovascular diseases and cognitive impairments is well-documented, further research on the precise influence of glucose control on cognitive outcomes in elderly T2DM patients is necessary. This scoping review aims to address this gap by investigating the impact of HbA1c levels representing glycemic control on the risk of developing cognitive impairments in elderly patients with T2DM. A literature search was conducted on MEDLINE and eligible studies involved T2DM patients aged 60 or older, with documented cognitive function …

The Influence Of Intersectionality On Identity And Resilience, Stephanie Washburn

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Co-occurring multiple minority group membership (e.g., ethnic/racial minority and sexual/gender minority) has come to be referred as intersectionality. The purpose of this study was to explore if intersectionality is related to identity and resilience in undergraduate adults. The participant pool consisted of college students from a large metropolitan university in the Southeastern United States, (N = 340), who took an anonymous online self-report survey battery in exchange for course credit. Higher levels of resilience were associated with lower levels of identity distress. Further, identity commitment, but not identity exploration, predicted resiliency. Sexual/Gender Minority (SGM) individuals had lower resiliency than …

Religious Trauma And Identity, Kylie N. Angiel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Religious trauma is most often the result of prolonged emotional and mental trauma, rather than a one-time occurring physical experience, which can thereby lead to complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). This prolonged form of trauma can have negative impacts on one’s psychological well-being and possibly one’s sense of identity. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how religious trauma may be related to identity development. College students (N = 223) completed an anonymous online survey battery for course credit. Scores on a measure of religious and spiritual struggles was positively correlated with identity distress and …

Breakfast Skipping In College Students And Its Association With Eating Behaviors, Rebekah E. May

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Breakfast is important in maintaining optimal diet quality and decreasing preventable diet-related disease later in life. Breakfast skipping is highly prevalent in the college population, potentially decreasing self-regulation and diet quality and increasing habits of overeating. However, specific eating styles and diet quality have yet to be studied in breakfast skippers.

Objective: To explore and compare the characteristics of eating style, self-regulation, and diet quality among college students between a day when breakfast is skipped and a day when breakfast is consumed.

Methodology: Undergraduate students (n=103) participating in this observational crossover study completed demographics, the Self-regulation of Eating Behavior …

Deceptive Realities: Exploring The Nexus Of Fake News, Artificial Intelligence, And Public Perception, Victor E. Milanes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Our research delves into two critical areas: fake news and artificial intelligence (AI). Historically, fake news predates the printing press, but its resurgence after the 2016 US Presidential Election garnered mass attention. Studies indicate its potency, with one fake article found to be as influential as a campaign ad (Allcott & Gentzkow, 2017). However, partisan media likely skews its impact on public perception.

Conversely, AI's integration has surged in recent years, sparking both excitement and concern among the public (Pew Research Center, 2022). Its ability to generate hyper-specific images, demonstrated by DALL·E 2 and Midjourney, poses challenges in distinguishing real …