Psychology Commons^™

Anxiety, Sex-Role Orientation, And Computer Interaction, Mary Donlin-Senne

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

A group of 125 female college students were given Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory and Bem's Sex Role Inventory. Those females with minimal typing skills and minimal computer experience interacted with a computer ten minutes and then given a second State Anxiety Inventory. Pretest and posttest data were obtained from forty-eight subjects selected on the basis of Bem's Sex Role Inventory to test the hypotheses: females that score high on the Androgynous scale of the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) will experience relatively low levels of anxiety while interacting with computer, females that score high on the Feminine and Undifferentiated scales …

Fitness Level, Type A Behavior, And Anxiety Levels In An Occupational Setting, Susan D. Kilduff

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

An assessment was made of the relationship between physical fitness level, anxiety level and Type A behavior in a non-clinical sample of healthy middle-age adults. Forty nine mid-level managers from Westinghouse Steam Generator and Turbine Division, world Headquarters participated by filling out a battery of tests, including the Jenkins Activity Survey, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a fitness questionnaire. No significant relationship was found between physical fitness level and Type A behavior. A significant negative relationship was found between physical fitness level and trait-anxiety. Trend analysis revealed a significant linear decrease in mean anxiety scores for groups of increasing levels …

The Effect Of Differential Levels Of Assumed Confidentiality On Amount Of Self-Disclosure In Hight Trait-Anxious Students, Gretchen S. Thwing

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Therapeutic Touch On Anxiety And Physiological Measures, Marie Nicholas Bremner

Ellmer School of Nursing Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of therapeutic touch to anxiety, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate of 30 hospitalized women between the ages of 30 and 65 with the medical diagnosis of cancer. Subjects were matched into three intervention groups; three consecutive days subjects received a five minute intervention by therapeutic touch, casual touch, or no touch. A-trait and A-state anxiety were measured by the Self-Evaluation Questionnaires developed by Spielberger, Gorsuch, and Lushene. A factorial two-way analysis of variance revealed that subjects who received intervention by therapeutio touch experienced a significant reduction in A-state …

The Problem Of Pain: What Do Animals Really Feel?, Dana H. Murphy

Sentience Collection

Much of the contention and confusion that seem inevitably to arise whenever the subject of pain in animals comes up appear to stem principally from problems with the word "pain" itself. When used to describe responses in humans, "pain" can mean any subset of an incredibly broad spectrum of sensations and emotions, ranging from the instantaneous, galvanizing effect of a dentist drill hitting the nerve in a molar, to more airy notions such as the "pain" of rejection or "painfully" embarrassing situations. Humans even use concepts as abstruse as the German term, weltschmerz, or "world pain," which denotes a vaguely …

A Relationship Between Anxiety And Present-Centeredness, Edward Allen

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Casual Attributions Of Performance Outcome On Nature Of Self-Statements And Self-Esteem, Samuel Horace Wood

Master's Theses

36 college students participated in a study to determine the role of causal attributions of success and failure on the modification of self-esteem. Although Brockner (1979) has suggested that the key to augmenting self-esteem is the increasing of positive self-evaluation that follows success, several studies suggest that it is not the positive self-evaluation after success but the negative self-evaluations after failure that are crucial in determining one's level of self-esteem. Thus it was hypothesized in the present study that if external attributions were made for failures while internal attributions for success were maintained, self-esteem would increase. Subjects high and low …

A Comparison Of Cerebral Electrotherapy And Relaxation As Anxiolytics, Robert B. Shelton Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The treatment of anxiety is assumed to be fundamental to the alleviation of various kinds of psychopathology. Because of the unwanted side effects of anxiety reducing (anxiolytic) drugs, non-pharmacological treatments should be investigated. A considerable body of literature exists on the use of relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, as anxiolytic methods. Previously published reports have suggested that cerebral electrotherapy (CET) also possesses anxiolytic properties. In this study 33 subjects from an alcohol rehabilitation unit were randomly divided into three groups. The treatment subjects received seven 1/2 hour sessions of CET using bi-polar electrodes and .3 ma current or …

State-Trait Anxiety And Incidental Learning Of Shapes And Colors In Learning Disabled Adolescents, Ladonna Gail Cabell

Master's Theses

The present study attempted to examine the effects of anxiety on incidental learning of colors and shapes. The central task was the learning of six eve syllables with meaningfulness association values between 2.41 and 2.49. The incidental taslc was the learning of the color or shape that the syllable was printed on. The subjects were thirty-four male and female adolescents identified as learning disabled. The subjects were divided into three anxiety groups (high, medium and low) using Spielberger's State­ Trait Anxiety Inventory. The results· indicated that anxiety (state or trait) had no significant effect on incidental learning in adolescent subjects. …

The Effects Of Stimulus Flooding Procedures With Acrophobia: A Test Of Nonspecific Treatment Effects, Gil Krawitz

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Twenty acrophobics recruited from the community and 11 undergraduate student acrophobics were assigned randomly to either a stimulus flooding condition or a placebo control condition.

Initially, care was taken to ensure that the treatments were not significantly different on the dimensions of treatment credibility and generated expectancy for improvement. Additional

measures of expectancy for improvement and treatment believability were taken during and after treatment. Results indicated that neither treatment was significantly different on any of the expectancy measures or on behavioral and self'-report measures of outcome performance. Furthermore, subjects' belief in the efficacy of treatment was significantly correlated with improvement …

Avoidance Learning Of Anxiety : An Application Of Signal Detection Theory, Maribeth Ekey

Master's Theses

The purpose of the present study was to test the appli­ cation of Signal Detection Theory to a model for the development of anxiety. An attempt was made to condi­ tion anxiety responses to decreasing magnitudes of a noxious stimulus through the negative reinforcement of avoidance behavior. An analogue based on Mandler and Watson's (1966) interruption theory was designed. Data from 32 male and female volunteers from the University of Richmond subject pool were used in the final analy­ sis. All students were pretested with Sarason's (1972) Test Anxiety Scale and placed in high- and low-anxiety groups according to …

The Influence Of A Diverse Relaxation Training Program Upon A Measure Of Anxiety, Julie A. Joseph

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Fourteen subjects from among the student and staff population complaining of anxiety, volunteered to participate in a relaxation training program. The subjects were referred by the University Counseling Center, the Office of Undergraduate Advisement, or responded to an article and advertisement published in the school newspaper. Assignment to control or experimental groups was based on date of response and availability for participation. The experimental group, which consisted of eight subjects, received training in deep muscle relaxation, electromyography, skin temperature, and concomitant biofeedback, and systematic desensitization over a three week period. The controls received no relaxation training. Both groups were administered …

Relationship Of State-Trait Anxiety And Type Of Practice To Reading Comprehension Of College Students, Lewis R. Waid

Master's Theses

Sixty male and female college students of average scholastic aptitude, 30 with high A-trait and 30 with low A-trait, were tested for reading comprehension following either massed (MP) or distributed practice (DP) with narrative reading material. Twice during the experiment the students' A-state was assessed through Spielberger's STAI A-state scale. The findings demonstrated; (a) high A-trait students responded to the experimental situation with greater elevations in A-state; (b) performance on the reading comprehension task was related to A-trait level with low A-trait students performing significantly better; (c) the A-state level of the students immediately prior to the reading comprehension test …

A Comparison Of Three Behavioral Methods For The Treatment Of Shyness, Patricia Hunter

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to compare both existing and new behavioral treatments for a prevalent problem, shyness. The relative contributions of mastery imagery, coping imagery, and self-instructions in a systematic desensitization procedure were evaluated in an SPF 3.3 design. Sixteen severely shy college students were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 5, 6, and 5, respectively, and were treated by either desensitization using mastery imagery, desensitization using coping imagery, or desensitization using both coping imagery and self instructions. Results indicate that although each of the three treatment procedures helped to reduce shyness anxiety, the treatment employing self-instructional …

The Effect Of Natural Childbirth Classes On Anxiety In Pregnant Women, Kitty M. Wilkinson

Dissertations and Theses

A study was conducted to investigate the claim made by proponents of the natural childbirth method that attendance in the program results in a decrease of the anxiety commonly associated with pregnancy and delivery. Seventy-two pregnant women filled out the A-State and A-Trait forms of the STAI twice in their obstetricians' offices at points which approximated 6.5 and 8.5 months along in their pregnancies. Subjects who elected not to attend natural childbirth classes evidenced significantly higher state and trait scores as compared to those scores of subjects who did attend classes. Implications for dealing with these differences are discussed in …

Relationships Between Sex Role, Empathy And Anxiety, Charles M. Fantz

Dissertations and Theses

Recently Sandra Bem, a psychologist at Stanford University has written about the importance of developing a conception of mental health which is free from culturally imposed definitions of masculinity and femininity. She believes that defining certain behaviors as appropriate only for women and other behaviors as only appropriate for men is restricting and debilitating for both sexes. This sex-typing of behaviors has led to masculinity being associated with assertiveness and dominance, pragmatism, problem solving and task orientation, and a concern for one's individuality, whereas femininity is associated with emotional sensitivity and concern for the welfare of others, the seeking of …

Anxiety Correlates Of Sex Role Identity, Mary Kay Biaggio

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in anxiety levels between the sexes and between sex role identification groups (as defined by scores on a test of masculinity-femininity). Possible explanations for these differences were explored using a questionnaire made up of an openness versus closedness scale, a liberalism versus conservatism scale, and a cross-sex versus same-sex parent identification scale.

A sample of 108 females and 71 males was administered Gough's Femininity Scale, Cattell's IPAT Anxiety Scale Questionnaire, Taylor's Manifest Anxiety Scale, and a questionnaire devised for this particular study.

The sexes did not differ significantly in anxiety level …

Differential Approaches To The Reduction Of Phobic Anxiety Responses, Bruce W. Bundy

Master's Theses

This experiment was designed to answer two questions: (1) Is relaxation training a necessary element in the reduction of phobic anxiety responses? and (2) Does reciprocal inhibition by relaxation constitute the most viable conceptual basis for the successful operation of desensitization therapy, as compared to alternative interpretations investigated? An equal number of freshman and sophomore college students were assigned to one of three experimental groups and a control group (Reciprocal Inhibition, Habituation, Facilitation, and Control). Treatment effects were evaluated with regard to reduction of snake-phobic anxiety by way of two physiological measures (skin conductance and respiration) and a behavioral measure …

Non-Contingent Reinforcement In A Counseling Like Situation, Robert B. Shelton Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine if a variable, non-contingent reinforcement, could account for a significant amount of the effect of psychotherapy. A sample of ninety subjects was drawn from basic psychology classes and randomly assigned to six groups in a variation of the Soloman 4-group design. The treatment groups were connected to sham GSR equipment and told that when a light flashed they had made an anxiety reducing statement and were becoming more mentally healthy. The subjects were given three by five cards upon which were typed positive-negative adjective pairs and told to use the cards as …

The Role Of Anxiety In The Stimulus Preference And Play Patterns, Betty R. Rutherford

Student Work

The play patterns and stimulus preference of 20 preschool children were observed during low and high s tress conditions. The stress manipulation was contingent upon the child's preparation for a medical appointment. Heart rate recordings and a questionnaire were used as Indices of stress. Children manifested a preference toward creative-constructive play under conditions of increased stress , with a resultant decrease in manipulative and imaginative play. Play with relevant or irrelevant toys did not change significantly during the increased stress condition. Pencil—paper measures of stress used in previous studies were significantly related to the physiological measure of stress . No …

Anxiety Level Of Graduate Students In Social Work, Sophia Kouidou-Giles, George Albert Mckee

Dissertations and Theses

This study was designed to determine (1) the trend of anxiety level of social work students, term by term, over the academic year; (2) the cyclical trend of anxiety level of social work students within each term and (3) the effects of age and sex on level of anxiety among social work students.

Anxiety was measured with the IPAT - 8 Parallel Form Anxiety Battery. This test was administered to twenty randomly selected first year students in the School of Social Work during the 1969-1970 academic year at Portland State University. Data was collected from six test administrations which …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Anxiety, Manifest Needs, And Creativity In Upward Bound Students, Neal A. Davidson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Previous investigators have indicated that low socio-economic students have difficulty experiencing success on tests heavily loaded with verbal material. Differences in personality characteristics between students of high and low creativity have also been found. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of manifest needs and anxiety on creative thinking.

The Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale, which determines anxiety level, the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, which measures manifest needs, and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, which provides an index of creativity were administered to Spanish-American, Anglo-American, Negro, and Navaho high school students, who constituted the 1967 Upward …

The Effects Of Anxiety Producing Stimuli On Visual Perceptual Thresholds: A Study In Perceptual Defense, David A. Johnson

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to examine experimentally the phenomenon of perceptual defense as it is related to cigarette smoking behavior. In making this examination a population of undergraduate college students was divided into three groups according to their smoking habits. The three groups were identified as smokers, non-smokers, and quitters. A list of smoking related words was equated with a list of neutral words according to their frequency of appearance in print. These lists of words were then combined to form one list with a random distribution of smoking and neutral words, and this list was presented as …

Anxiety And Fear In Personality Structure, Robert Robert Mickelson

Graduate Student Research Papers

The problem to be studied is the effect of anxiety and fear on the personality. Concern with this problem stems from the fact that on many occasions anxiety and fear blocks a person's free approach to experience and often anxiety and fear prevent one from building sound interpersonal and intergroup relations.

The Value Of Relaxation As Preparation For Rational Psychotherapy, John M. Hadley

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The suggested uses of relaxation given by the technique of Freud coupled with the findings of Jacobson, Ferenczi and Bagchi have prompted the investigator to make some observations of the function of relaxation in rational psychotherapy. This presupposes that relaxation is used with considerable discretion. The investigation has been stimulated by a growing tendency in the Fort Hays Kansas State College Psychological Clinic to treat patients from the standpoint of the whole individual until specific traumata can be discovered In considering the value of relaxation, it may be well to think of the individual in much the same manner as …