Cognitive Psychology Commons^™

Two Sides Of The Same Coin: Biculturalism, Cultural Ideologies, And Perceptions Of Cultural Change, Stephanie Ann Quezada

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Ethnic minorities are adopting a bicultural identity to simultaneously identify with their heritage culture and mainstream American culture. While much research has investigated the extent to which ethnic majority and minority groups differentially respond to cultural ideologies, bicultural reactions to cultural ideologies remain uninvestigated. Bicultural individuals' differential endorsement of cultural ideologies has critical implications for implementation of assimilation and multiculturalism in multicultural societies. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to test the extent to which the salience of cultural identity predicts bicultural individuals' endorsement of assimilation and multicultural ideologies. Identity saliency was manipulated for bicultural Latino Americans and …

Attachment: The Antidote To Trauma, Joshua Straub

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Trauma and loss in life are inevitable. And all too often the traumatic experience itself can be enough to paralyze the mental, emotional, and spiritual state of any given person. Unable to interpret the traumatic experience, many instead are left defined by it. Helping clients discern the objective experience and their subjective reactions to it will help free them from the emotions and beliefs that subsequently control their lives. Based on the most relevant attachment theory research and clinical techniques, this workshop teaches the attentional strategies necessary to helping clients overcome trauma.

Racial Microaggression At Work: Implications For Caucasian And African-American Employees, Deborah R. Lee

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study is designed to extend the finding of Miner-Rubino and Cortina (2007) on bystander experiences of sexual harassment to bystander experiences of racial microaggressions. Racial microaggressions are a form of subtle racism, which are short, quick, everyday encounters that send degrading messages to people of color. The affects of racial microaggression on psychological, physical, and occupational outcomes were examined for both Caucasian and African-American employees. The results of the study indicate that racial microaggression are negatively related to psychological well-being for both races, as well as correlated to multiple negative work outcomes such as job burnout, job withdrawal, …

Mental Imagery And Basketball: A Comparison Of Cognitive-Specific And Flow Imagery, Evan Welo

Psychology Honors Projects

Flow is a psychological state that is associated with optimal performance. Sports such as basketball are conducive to an individual experiencing flow because they have rules that structure and focus attention. Past research indicates that sports related mental imagery practice improves athletic performance; however few studies to date have systematically included the characteristics of flow in their sports mental imagery interventions. The present study compared the efficacy of a ―flow‖ and a standard basketball mental imagery intervention at improving performance on a basketball-shooting task. No significant differences were found between groups, but both reported increases in flow experiences.

Cognitive Preference And Ethnic Identity Among Anglo And Native American High School Students, Chad Martin Novak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the Office of Educational Research and Improvement: A Project of the Stanford Institute for Higher Education Research, graduation rates for Native Americans from both secondary and post secondary institutions are dismally low at 58% and 7%, respectively. Some research addresses cognitive preference and other ethnic identity, but research animating the cognitive preference---ethnic identity interplay for high school students is absent. These limitations in access to educational opportunities lead to abbreviated quality life experiences and a restriction in individual efficacy and collective agency. The following project assessed ethnic identity using Phinney's Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure and cognitive preference using …

Does A Sense Of Control Moderate Self-Regulation Strategies And Performance? When Feedback Lingers, Annette Feravich

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This study examined whether a sense of control moderated the relationship between self-regulation and performance on an anagram task. High school students agreeing to participate in this study completed the Behavioral Inhibition/Behavioral Approach Scale (BIS/BAS) in order to determine individual promotion or prevention chronic self-regulatory strategies, as well as the revised Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire (CASQ-R) to determine a sense of control based on explanatory style. Changes in mood and performance on anagram tasks were measured at three different times during the study: prior to, after, and after discrediting randomly assigned negative or positive feedback. Performance tasks were designed …

Adaptive Rationality: An Evolutionary Perspective On Cognitive Bias, Martie Haselton, Gregory A. Bryant, Andreas Wilke, David Frederick, Andrew Galperin, Willem E. Frankenhuis, Tyler Moore

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

A casual look at the literature in social cognition reveals a vast collection of biases, errors, violations of rational choice, and failures to maximize utility. One is tempted to draw the conclusion that the human mind is woefully muddled. We present a three-category evolutionary taxonomy of evidence of biases: biases are (a) heuristics, (b) error management effects, or (c) experimental artifacts. We conclude that much of the research on cognitive biases can be profitably reframed and understood in evolutionary terms. An adaptationist perspective suggests that the mind is remarkably well designed for important problems of survival and reproduction, and not …

Attention Allocation And The Variability Of The Stereotype Priming Effect, Katherine R. White

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The stereotype priming effect is assumed to be a rather uniform and robust effect. However, a closer look at the existing literature suggests that the `standard' stereotype priming effect may be more susceptible to variability than originally believed. In the present study, we sought to demonstrate that the stereotype priming effect displays significant variability in strength depending upon the level of attention allocated to the stereotype feature of interest. Participants were assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: a lexical decision task (LDT) condition, a pre-primed LDT condition, and a gender categorization condition. It was predicted that the stereotype priming effect …

Getting To Know You: The Effects Of Familiarity And Time On Social Perception, Clarissa Arms Chavez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A new direction in social perception research is developed. The present research explored the impact of familiarity and time on social perception processes based on cognitive neuroscience models, social categorization models, and memory consolidation constructs. Familiarity was manipulated within an exposure task and time was manipulated by testing participants both 2-6 hr and 48 hr after the exposure task. Experiment 1 investigated the influence of familiarity and time on the argument of the automaticity of social categorization and associated stereotypes by testing the argument with two separate tasks. Experiment 1a tested the influence of familiarity and time on associated stereotypes …

Does Type Of Stimulus Influence Task-Irrelevant Evaluative Categorization Processes?, Guadalupe Corral

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The effect of stimulus type on task-irrelevant evaluative categorization was examined in two separate studies by using the P3 component from event-related brain potentials. The first study presented idiosyncratic stimuli consisting of individuals that were rated by participants as either positive or negative within sequences of pictorial and verbal stimuli. The second study presented sequences of novel and familiar stimuli consisting of previously normed unattractive and neutral individuals. It was hypothesized that pictures would elicit task-irrelevant evaluative categorization processes and so would novel stimuli (relative to words and familiar stimuli, respectively). Task-irrelevance was examined by assessing P3 peak amplitude to …

The Effect Of Facial Resemblance On Alibi Credibility And Final Verdicts, Claudia Ochoa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine an extra-legal variable that may affect the credibility of a defendant and the alibi corroborator's testimonies. In this study, the facial appearance of the alibi corroborator was manipulated to resemble the defendant or the trial judge to different degrees using facial morphing software. Participants serving as mock jurors provided verdicts for a trial summary and rated the credibility of an alibi corroborator. It was hypothesized that as the facial resemblance shared between an alibi corroborator and a defendant increased, the less credible the alibi corroborator's testimony would be perceived, resulting in an …

Connecting The Dots Within: Creative Performance And Identity Integration, Chi-Ying Cheng, Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, Fion Lee

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In two studies drawing from social identity theory and the creative-cognition approach, we found that higher levels of identity integration - perceived compatibility between two social identities - predict higher levels of creative performance in tasks that draw on both identity-relevant knowledge domains. Study 1 showed that Asian Americans with higher identity integration were more creative in developing new dishes using a given set of ingredients, but only when both Asian and American ingredients were available. Study 2 showed that female engineers with higher identity integration were more creative in designing a product, but only when the product was targeted …

Ho'oponopono: Assessing The Effects Of A Traditional Hawaiian Forgiveness Technique On Unforgiveness, Matthew B. James

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study expanded on the existing empirical research on forgiveness and specifically ho'oponopono, a traditional Hawaiian forgiveness process. An extensive literature review revealed that while forgiveness has gained in popularity among researchers and clinicians, few therapeutic process-based models have been researched. Furthermore, ho'oponopono has not been studied as a process-based approach to forgiveness. Therefore, the purpose of the present between-groups, within-groups, repeated measures study was to assess the effects of the application of ho'oponopono (focused on a specific transgressor) on levels of unforgiveness, as measured by the Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory (TRIM). The participants (N = 79) were randomly divided …

Social-Cognitive Biases In Simulated Airline Luggage Screening, Jeremy R. Brown

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The study examined the role that social-cognitive biases play in decision making processes during airline luggage screening, Participants (n = 96) performed a computer simulated task where they tried to detect hidden weapons in 200 x-ray images of passenger luggage. Participants saw each luggage image for either two seconds (high time pressure) or six seconds (low time pressure). In addition, on each trial, participants observed the pictures of the "passenger" to whom the luggage purportedly belongs. The "pre-anchor group" answered questions about the passenger before the luggage image appears, the "post-anchor" group answered questions after the luggage appears, and the …

Social Influence Effects On Romantic Relationships Of College Students, Christine Mary Banach

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social influence is defined as "the influences that people have upon the beliefs and behavior of others" (Aronson, 2004, p. 5). A theoretical model that highlights the importance of social influence pressures and in particular, variability in response to these pressures is known as social identity theory. Social identity is defined as "that part of an individual's self-concept which derives from knowledge of membership of a social group (or groups) together with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership" (Harris & Cameron, 2005, p. 159). The current study explored the potential importance of social groups, especially peers, on …

Children's Use Of Race In Drawing Inferences Based On Their Understanding Of Race Constancy, Casey A. Dawson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Children’s understanding of race constancy and their subsequent use of race as a means of drawing inductive inferences were investigated. Race constancy was determined by children’s tendency to say that people could change category membership by changing their outside appearance. A second phase of the study measured how many race-based inferences children made relative to other social categories such as age or sex. The results indicated that children who had a better understanding of race constancy were also more likely to use race as a means of drawing inductive inferences. These findings support a developmental progression of race constancy and …

The Effects Of Attachment Relationships On The Development Of Effects Of Empathy Or Depersonalization In Adolescence, John Lamanna

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research on attachment theory supports the notion that our early attachment relationships are integral to empathic development, and that early negative attachment relationships can promote depersonalization rather than empathy. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of separations from one’s primary caregiver(s) on the development of empathy or depersonalization in adolescence. Adolescents who have been separated from their biological parent(s) due to abuse and/or neglect were expected to differ on self-reported levels of empathy, dissociation, hostility, and depression when compared to adolescents who have not had such involuntary separations in their life. After performing descriptive, correlational, …

Perceived Desirability Of Given Names: Identifying A Relationship Between Given Names And Associated Personality Traits, Ellen D. Parks

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This study was designed to determine whether participants would have better recall for names with phonetic properties that matched a paired personality trait. In other words, phonetically attractive names paired with positive traits and phonetically unattractive names paired with negative traits should have higher rates of recall than names whose phonetic properties did not match a paired personality trait, such as phonetically attractive names paired with negative traits or phonetically unattractive names paired with positive traits. Given names were deemed to be phonetically attractive or unattractive based on the number of sonorants (soft consonant sounds such as l, m, n, …

Perceived Similarity And Relationship Success Among Dating Couples: An Idiographic Approach, Catherine J. Lutz, Angela Christine Bradley, Jennifer L. Mihalik, Erika R. Moorman

Psychology Faculty Publications

This study utilized an idiographic approach to investigate the relation between similarity on valued characteristics and relationship success. College students (N = 247) rated their current romantic partner on perceived similarity in personality, attitudes, interests, and religious affiliation; the importance of similarity in these dimensions; and relationship satisfaction. Relationship status was assessed 6 weeks later. Results revealed significant similarity by importance interactions for religion and interests in predicting satisfaction. Participants with high perceived similarity in religion or interests reported greater satisfaction than did their low similarity counterparts, but only to the extent that they rated this type of similarity …

Error Management Theory And The Hostile Attribution Bias, Felix J. Thoemmes

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Error Management Theory (Haselton & Buss, 2000) proposes that certain human biases evolved as an adaptation to cost differentials between certain types of errors that can be committed in social situations. This study examined whether the hostile attribution bias (Dodge, 1980), a tendency in aggressive children and adults to over-perceive aggressive intent in others, could be accounted for by Error Management Theory. In a vignette study, participants rated their perceived aggression of a potential perpetrator in a car accident. Different vignettes depicted the same situation under various conditions in terms of who accompanied the "participant". Conditions were changed in order …

Assessing How Identity Lens Accessibility And Distinctiveness Inform Application Of Gender- And Race-Relevant Stereotypes To Black Women, Gina A. Paganini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite clear evidence that stereotypes of women and Black individuals are opposing, little is known about how such identity-relevant stereotypes are applied to Black women. The lens-based account of intersectional stereotyping (Petsko & Bodenhausen, 2020) suggests that judgments of an individual Black woman should shift toward (i.e., assimilate to) stereotypes of whichever identity “lens” (gender, race, or their intersection) is salient. This dissertation builds on the lens-based account by considering whether identity lens salience can lead judgments of an individual Black woman to assimilate or contrast to identity-relevant stereotypes, and whether different ways of inducing identity lens salience are more …

Insights From Cognitive Psychology, Chris Guthrie

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Improving Implicit Beliefs And Expectations In Academic Achievement For Postsecondary Students With Disabilities, Kelly B.T. Chang

Faculty Publications - Psychology Department

In this article, the author introduces the sociocognitive theory of implicit theories of intelligence (developed by Carol S. Dweck and her colleagues) to the field of rehabilitation, and analyzes disability issues in postsecondary academic achievement within this framework. This sociocognitive theory highlights the utility of the social model of disability. People hold two types of implicit beliefs about intelligence. An entity belief can lead to helplessness and negative self-concepts in the face of failure, because it focuses on labels and stable traits. An incremental belief leads to greater resilience in the face of failure by focusing on strategy and effort …

Self-Efficacy, Jennifer T. Gosselin, James E. Maddux

Psychology Faculty Publications

The study of self-efficacy is concerned with understanding this important aspect of self and identity—people's beliefs about their personal capabilities and how these beliefs influence what they try to accomplish, how they try to accomplish it, and how they react to successes and setbacks along the way.

Training And Performance Self-Efficacy, Affect, And Performance In Wheelchair Road Racers, Jeffrey J. Martin

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

In the current study, social cognitive theory was examined with athletes with disabilities. More specifically, hierarchical and self-regulatory performance self-efficacy, self-regulatory training self-efficacy, outcome confidence, and affect were examined with wheelchair road racers (N = 51). In accordance with social cognitive theory, moderate to strong significant relationships among 3 types of self-efficacy and outcome confidence were found (rs = .41 - .78). All forms of self-efficacy and positive affect (rs = .39 - .56) were also related providing additional support to social cognitive theory and the important relationships among training and performance related efficacy and affect in …

How Does The Retail Clerk Make Sense Of His Environment, Tyler L. Watson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The retail clerk is a common feature of today's society. However, the role of the retail clerk has been largely overlooked from the sociological perspective. More precisely from the ethnomethodological perspective. Currently most of the body of research on the retail clerk is from the business perspective and sheds little light on what it is like to be a retail clerk. This study was designed to gain access to the other side of the retail scene, that is, the side of the retail clerk. Most Americans are already familiar with the store but do not know how things are experienced …

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty: Social Cognitions, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article explores social cognitions bearing on support for and opposition to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Women: The Ignored Majority, Carol T. Mowbray, Daphna Oyserman, Catherine J. Lutz, Rogeair Purnell

Psychology Faculty Publications

The major thrust of psychiatric rehabilitation is to provide skill development and supports enabling individuals to function in their roles of choice. The model thus contains an underlying assumption that meaningful life roles are “chosen” roles. It therefore may tend to overlook the impact on persons’ lives of the roles that they are given. These given or ascribed roles include those based on gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic class. Self-definitions, behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, and values are all likely to be structured within such social roles, which can also serve as important social identities (Oyserman & Markus, 1993). In spite of increased …

Effects Of Cognitive Complexity And Individuating Information On Evaluations Of Other-Race Members, Kenneth G. Weigand

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social cognition research has examined the variables involved in stereotyping out-group members. The degree of an individual's domain-specific cognitive complexity has been identified as a mediator. Studies have also examined the tempering effects of individuating versus categorical information upon evaluations of out-group members. Most of the related research had defined out-groups according to gender, age and occupational differences. This study defined group membership according to race, and examined the effects of cognitive complexity and individuating information upon the extremity of evaluations made toward other-race members in a sample of 51 White and 46 Black male college subjects. It was hypothesized …

Examination Of Knowledge And Attitudes About Human Sexuality As Predictors Of Adolescent Sexual Behavior, Diane Waymire

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study investigated the variables influencing adolescent sexual behavior. Using cognitive learning theory, social learning theory, and social development as an organizing framework, factors influencing adolescent sexual behavior and the respondent's personal demographics were examined for their contribution to explaining adolescent decision-making about sexual activity.

A convenience sample of high school students from a Riverside county school district provided data for the study. Data was gathered by using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 55 students from two of the three school sites within the district participated in the study during the winter quarter of 1995.

The findings of the …