Doomed To Scroll: Examining The Role Of Motives In Problematic Social Media Use And Associated Psychopathologies, Charlotte Eley

Psychology Student Publications

Problematic Social Media (PSMU) is a serious concern in society—as illustrated by recent lawsuits filed against big tech companies.

PSMU is related to anxiety and depression, but the directionality of that relationship remains unclear (Andreassen et al., 2016; Coyne et al., 2020).

Time spent on social media, by itself, is not a strong indicator of negative physical or mental health outcomes (Burénet al., 2023; Coyne et al., 2020), suggesting that certain motivational or dispositional factors may underlie and further explain PSMU.

This study aims to examine how one’s motives behind using social media relate to the experience of fear of …

Evil Done In The Age Of “New Terrorism”: A Red-Team Study Of U.S. Lone Actor Target Selection Across Weapon Conditions, Torrin Jacobson

Psychology Student Publications

Background of the Present Study 1. Starting in the early 2000s, the internet has played a larger role in all aspects of terrorist activities, creating the age of “New Terrorism”. 2. This has led to a more unstructured model of violence, allowing homegrown domestic lone actors to become the largest terrorist threat in America. The Present Study 3. However, little research has been conducted on how this affects target selection decisions. Building on prior lone actor–red team research (Romyn & Kebbell, 2014; 2018), the present study uses a red team simulation to examine how lone actor target selection is influenced …

How Mindfulness And Yoga Practices Are Implemented In Occupational Therapy, Madeline Roberts

Honors Theses

The application of yoga and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in occupational therapy (OT) and their effects on occupational, cognitive, emotional, and physical outcomes are examined in this literature review. Occupational therapy is a comprehensive, client-based field that helps people engage in everyday activities to improve overall well-being, health, and independence. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in using mindfulness-based interventions in occupational therapy, as they align with OT's focus on well-being and quality of life. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, WMU Library Search, and ScienceDirect to identify peer-reviewed research on mindfulness-based interventions, yoga, and occupational …

Assessing Visual Analysis Skills With Board Certified Behavior Analysts: A Replication And Extension, Daniella Fronte

Thesis Projects

Visual analysis of single-subject data is a necessary decision-making method in the field of behavior analysis. This analysis helps practitioners evaluate the efficacy of their interventions and informs subsequent decisions to complete, continue, modify, or discontinue an intervention. The purpose of this study was to assess behavior analysts’ visual analysis skills and to evaluate whether using a decision-making flowchart increases correct clinical decisions. Talk-aloud data were used to analyze errors in behavior analysts’ decision-making. Additionally, the extent to which participants rated the flowchart’s significance and effectiveness was assessed. Four of 16 participants reached mastery in the baseline phase without access …

Investigating The Synergistic Effects Of Mental And Physical Exhaustion On Learning And Attention In Emergency First Responders: An Eye-Tracking Study, Kayla Page

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Exhaustion is known to impair cognitive functioning and performance, yet its effects on learning during video-based instruction among first responders and military service members remain underexplored. This study examined how mental, physical, and combined exhaustion independently influence learning outcomes and visual attention in a physically active sample drawn from military, public safety, and emergency service roles. Visual attention was measured utilizing eye tracking, focusing on fixation duration (FD) and fixation rate (FR). Participants completed instructional tasks under each exhaustion condition, allowing comparison of learning and gaze behavior across fatigue states. Results indicated that mental and physical exhaustion were associated …

Exploring Marital Resilience Through The Lived Experiences And Perception Of Spousal Support During Events Of Shared Stressors, Prince-James Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Marital resilience during shared stressors remains insufficiently understood, particularly when both spouses are simultaneously affected by the same external stressor and must adapt together over time. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore marital resilience through the lived experiences and perceptions of spousal support during shared stressors among individuals who had been legally married for 10 years or more, with specific attention to how participants described the shift from solo coping to dyadic coping over time. Bowlby’s attachment theory provided the theoretical foundation, and Senge’s learning organization theory served as the conceptual framework. Participants included 18 legally …

Interoperability For Human-Ai Teaming And Decision-Making In Extreme Contexts, Amber King

Psychology Student Publications

• Emergency response agencies are consistently challenged with communication breakdowns that limit coordination, where these interoperability failures contributed to the tragic loss of lives [11, 13].
• Human-AI teaming encompasses complexities, including shared knowledge, trust, interdependence, and effective communication that are essential for improvement of performance & decision-making, while poor integration of AI can create overreliance that hinders coordination [4, 7, 9, 10, 14]. 
• The current study aims to investigate how AI reliability & explainability affect decision accuracy and perceived team interoperability, while questioning how trust in AI can impact an individual’s decision.

We’Re Playing Basketball, Lana Ammash

Psychology Student Publications

African American (AA) youth face a host of sociological challenges that impact their marginalized status, especially during their formative years of racial/ethnic identity development that compromise self-esteem (Cross et al., 1991). As a result, racial socialization strategies are employed within Black communities to offset these negative consequences by bolstering ego strength and Black pride.

Therefore, a local afterschool program in an AA community, provides enrichment programs for success, academic achievement, and positive self-esteem using Afrocentric models. This includes programs focused on building ego strength and self-esteem through sports’ programs, such as basketball, as sports can promote social and emotional growth, …

Rapid Evidence Assessment: Eyewitness Testimony Of Anomalous Events, Tanna-Leigh Wesson

Psychology Student Publications

1. Memory is best when events and information either fit existing schema, or clearly violate known schema, while memory is weaker for events that are unrelated to any schema (Greveetal.,2019).

2. Anomalous events are not reproducible and cannot be examined through traditional experimental scientific methods, meaning that it is studied through sighting reports. Therefore, eyewitnesses have an important role in reporting information (Mavrakis,2023).

3. Collecting accurate information is important for perceiving and understanding national security threats, such as drone warfare (CPNI,2022).

4. Currently, the method of collecting information and data from witnesses has been insufficient and prone to error (daSilva,2022). …

Aces And Trust In Courts, Michael A. Wesley Jr.

Psychology Student Publications

Trust in the American court system is a foundational pillar of the legal system, based on the public's belief that authorities will make fair and just decisions.1 Therefore, understanding what factors degrade the public’s faith in the system is crucial. Most research on this topic examines the amount of trust placed in the police or the government.2, 3, 4However, there are no articles that investigate the relationship between trauma and trust in American courts. This is an issue because, as previously mentioned, individuals who have any number of ACEs are more likely to encounter the criminal justice system, including courts.5Understanding …

Age, Income, And The Discounting Of Delayed And Probabilistic Rewards: The Roles Of Financial Resources And Attribute Salience, Haoran Wan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Many everyday decisions involve outcomes that are both delayed and probabilistic. Although previous research has reported inconsistent age-related effects on discounting, few studies have taken into account the multi-attribute nature of real-world choices or the moderating role of financial resources. Accordingly, the present research examined the interactive effects of age, income, and multi-attribute contexts to test how resource constraints and task dimensionality moderate attribute salience. Across two studies (total N = 600), stratified samples of younger (35-45) and older (62-72) adults with lower (<$60,000) and higher (>$100,000) annual household incomes completed standard and multi-attribute adjusting-amount discounting tasks. In Study 1 (Delay Discounting), …

Attitudes Toward Menstruation In Transgender/Nonbinary Menstruators, Destiny J. Pacchelli

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the unique experiences and attitudes that transgender and/or nonbinary (TNB) menstruators have related to menstruation. Participants (n = 103) were 19 to 60-year-old Americans who identified as TNB and have menstruated, and whose primary language is English. They were recruited through Prolific and asked to describe their first period and how their gender identity influenced their feelings toward menstruation. Additionally, participants responded to quantitative questions related to menstrual symptoms, attitudes, beliefs, and emotions, body image, well-being, and demographic questions to determine family culture at childhood and now. TNB menstruators reported …

Investigating The Relationship Amongst Nursing Students’ Academic Self-Efficacy And Mindfulness, Joshua Josey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Undergraduate nursing education presents ongoing challenges related to student stress and persistence, and the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated these existing challenges for many students and programs. In this quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional study, the relationships among state mindfulness, trait mindfulness, and academic self-efficacy in undergraduate nursing students were examined and whether state and trait mindfulness predicted academic self-efficacy was tested. Participants were recruited through nursing student Facebook groups and completed an anonymous SurveyMonkey questionnaire that included the State Mindfulness Scale, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Academic Behavioral Confidence Scale, and demographic items. Data were collected over 6 weeks ending August …

The Lived Experiences Of The Strong Black Woman Cultural Convention On Black Women Counselors’ Emotional Intelligence, Pranati Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a critical competency for counselors due to the relational and emotionally demanding nature of counseling. Although existing literature explored EI among Black women broadly, limited research examined the experiences of Black women counselors (BWCs). This descriptive phenomenological study was guided by the philosophy of phenomenology and explored the lived experiences and impact of the SBW cultural convention on the EI of BWCs. The researcher explored the lived experiences of BWCs regarding the SBW cultural convention and its impact on emotional intelligence. Participant data from eight semi-structured interviews were collected. The participants identified as female gender identity, …

Self-Esteem, Self-Control, And Self-Acceptance As Predictors Of Grit And Resilience, Ava N. Krolnik

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Introduction: The debate between whether grit and resilience are the same thing or different concepts has long been discussed. While they may have different definitions, many claim that they measure the same thing while others claim that they are indeed separate ideas. During this debate, many studies have found that self-control, self-esteem, and self-acceptance are all positively correlated with both grit and resilience. Despite these positive correlations, it is unclear which of these self-factors is the strongest predictor of grit and resilience and if they are the same for both. The current study aims to delve deeper into these connections …

Cheating On Cognitive Dissonance Theory: An Investigation Of Moral Disengagement, Javier Mora, Jana Michelle Hackathorn

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger, 1957) theorizes that when individuals experience discrepancies between attitudes, actions or beliefs, the resulting psychological discomfort leads individuals to use one of many “dissonance reduction strategies” such as justification, attitude change, etc. to feel better (Mcgrath, 2017).

Moral disengagement theory refers to tendency of people to lessen the implications of their perceived immoral actions, through various behaviors such as blaming others, diffusing responsibility, etc. (Bandura et al, 1996).

However, no known research has examined whether moral disengagement is merely a dissonance reduction process.

Understanding Factors Associated With Mental Health Among Collegiate Athletes, Kaidin S. Barnes, Paige Christianson, Kylie Buck, Kyra Nelson

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Understanding factors associated with mental health among collegiate athletes may help inform targeted support and reduce barriers to care. This study examined relationships among athletic identity, perceived stigma, psychological distress, and sport participation in college students. Participants (N = 312) reported varsity or club sport involvement, with 28.2% identifying as varsity or club athletes. Variables measured included athletic identity, perceived stigma, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. A subset of participants also reported injury history. Data were analyzed using correlations and independent samples t-tests. Athletic identity was moderately and positively associated with stigma, indicating that students who identified more …

What Is The Impact Of Stress? A Comparison Study Of College Athletes & Non-Athletes, Paige M. Christianson, Kyra Nelson, Kylie S. Buck, Kaidin S. Barnes

Research & Creative Achievement Day

The aim of this study was to explore differences in stress mindset, perceived stress, and extreme life stressors among athlete and non-athlete college students. The sample included participants recruited from a Midwestern university (N = 312), in which 28.2% identified as an athlete in either a NCAA Division II team and/or a sports club. Participants completed an online anonymous Qualtrics survey answering questions measuring their stress mindset, perceived stress, and current most extreme life stressor. Comparisons between the two groups, stress mindset scores and perceived stress scores were evaluated through independent samples t-tests, while differences in most extreme life stressor …

The Role Of Group Guidance With Psychodrama In Promoting Self-Adjustment: Does It Really Work For Adolescents?, Hanifa Salsa Bila, Dian Ari Widyastuti, Sri Tutur Martaningsih, Agungbudiprabowo Agungbudiprabowo, Taquddin Abd Mukti

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of group guidance using psychodrama techniques in improving self-adjustment among students. The study employed a quantitative approach with an experimental research design, specifically a pretest–posttest control group design. The participants consisted of ten students, divided into an experimental group of five students and a control group of five students. The experimental group received group guidance with psychodrama techniques, while the control group received treatment as usual. The research participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-adjustment scale, which had been analyzed for validity and reliability using …

Rationale Behind Subtitle Usage In Non-Deaf Individuals Across Various Platforms, Jenna E. Kasselman

Honors Theses

Subtitles have a long history with the medium of audiovisual communication. Options for viewing media with added text have only increased with technology, and in the age of the internet, more accessible material is available than ever before. While numerous studies have been conducted on the beneficial effects of subtitles for both the deaf and the hearing, little academic publication has been done on the rates of subtitle usage, reasons for usage, and how that usage differs based on what media is being viewed. The current study examines subtitle usage, frequency of subtitle usage, and reasoning for that usage divided …

The Weight Of Marijuana: Marijuana As A Gateway To Binge Eating, Hailey Proctor

2026 Student Academic Showcase

As many societies move toward the legalization of marijuana the other underlying side effects and symptoms of this drug must be analyzed so that users may be fully informed about the effects of their drug usage. Therefore, this exploratory project looks to evaluate the relationship between the use of marijuana as a recreational drug and binge eating. Throughout the project three main topics have been explored including the adverse outcomes of binge eating and over eating, how cannabis use can play a role in binge eating, and if binge eating can be a contributing factor in initiating the use of …

The Impact Of Prior Abusive Dating Experiences And Gender On Romance Scam Victimization And Monetary Loss, Trevor Rowe

Department of Psychology

Online romance scams are a rapidly expanding cybercrime that affects millions of people each year, financially and emotionally. This study examines an underexplored question: Will individuals with a greater number of abusive partners be more vulnerable to romance scam victimizations and lose more money? Adult dating app users (N = 518) completed an online survey. After controlling for being approached for relationships, those with a greater number of past abusive partners were more likely to be victims and lost more money. In addition, men reported a higher frequency of romance scam victimizations and more money loss.

Limits To Human Reason, Violette Geerling

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Human reasoning operates on a continuum that integrates rational analysis with intuitive and emotionally driven thought. While rationality is often idealized as logical and evidence-based, irrational thinking is not merely a flaw; it often plays a functional or adaptive role. Drawing on work by Galotti (2008), Michalik-Jeżowska (2019), and others, this paper explores how reasoning interacts with unconscious processes in everyday decision-making, sports performance, and social behavior. Findings indicate that irrational cognitive tendencies, though often maladaptive, can, under certain conditions, enhance resilience, focus, and social cohesion. The integration of rational and irrational elements within human cognition illustrates the complexity and …

Dopamine, Addiction, And Cocaine, Addison Delisle

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that strongly affects brain function by altering the dopamine system. This project examines both the short- and long-term neurological effects of cocaine, focusing on molecular, cellular, and brain-wide changes. Short-term use increases dopamine in the synapse, causing intense euphoria, heightened alertness, and impaired decision-making. Repeated use leads to long-term changes, including fewer dopamine receptors, structural changes in the prefrontal cortex and striatum, and reduced synaptic plasticity, which contribute to addiction, cognitive problems, and emotional instability. Drawing on neuroimaging, behavioral studies, and molecular research, this project highlights how cocaine progressively reshapes brain circuits. Understanding these effects …

Understanding Attachment To God And Close Relationships After Perinatal Loss, Alicia Mcconachie

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Experiencing perinatal loss is a singular type of grief that can profoundly affect someone’s thoughts, feelings, connections with others, and sense of faith (Brier, 2008). However, research on attachment processes related to adjustment after perinatal loss is sparse. The parent study from which the data for the current project were taken aimed to assess the psychological, interpersonal, and religious correlates associated with perinatal loss in adults who suffered miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss in the past three years. The current secondary study focuses on attachment-related measures and their relationships with posttraumatic growth and stress symptoms. Participants were recruited using Prolific, …

Weight Concerns And Body Image Dissatisfaction Elicit Maternal Psychological Control Through Escalating Appearance Anxiety Behaviors, Madeleine Guillont

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

The current study examines bidirectional associations between adolescent body-related concerns and maternal psychological control, and the behavioral mechanism through which these associations operate. Participants were 723 sixth- through ninth-grade students (350 girls, 373 boys; ages 11–15) attending all public middle and secondary schools in a mid-sized Lithuanian community. Self-report surveys were collected at three time points across the course of a school year. Results from full longitudinal mediation models indicated that higher body image dissatisfaction and weight concerns at the beginning of the school year predicted increases in maternal psychological control at the end of the school year, through increases …

Paws And Predictions: Interpreting Intraspecific Cat Social Interactions Through Facial Signals, Levi Neal, Lauren Scott, Gosia Zobel, Brittany Florkiewicz

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

There has been limited research on humans’ ability to perceive and predict social interactions among cats using facial signals. This area is crucial to explore since conflicts between cats often cause significant stress for their guardians. By evaluating individuals’ skills in understanding cat interactions, researchers can develop tools to help guardians predict affiliative and nonaffiliative behaviors, leading to effective intervention strategies for multicat households. We distributed a survey to individuals subscribed to the Companion Animals New Zealand newsletter to assess cat guardians’ effectiveness in perceiving and predicting various social interactions among cats. We hypothesized that guardians with one or more …

Using Ai Tools Shifts The Cognitive Structures Of Creative Problem-Solving In A Prompt-Based, Free Response Task, Veronica Smith, Andra Geana

Psychology Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Association Between Sleep And Social Media Among Older Adults, Ava Santoro

Psychology Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Smartphone Notifications And Locus Of Control On Reading Comprehension, Katherine Visner, Sarah M. Fritts, Audrey Laskey, Chloe Giraud

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Locus of Control, defined as “...individuals' beliefs about the degree of control they have over events in their lives,” has long been associated with task performance, specifically in both compliant and initiative domains (Blau, 1993; Galvin et al., 2018). Existing literature on task performance suggests that, aside from Locus of Control, noise distractions play a significant role in individuals' ability to focus and concentrate (Jafari et al., 2019). In academic contexts, research indicates that noise disturbances and subsequent inability to concentrate impede an individual's task performance by reducing reading comprehension and textual processing (Foroughi et al., 2015). As such, the …