Developmental Psychology Commons^™

Failure To Launch? Understanding Variations In Emerging Adult Flight Patterns, Christina Ashley Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

What does the transition to adulthood look like for emerging adults? This study proposes that popular cultural ideas like "failure to launch" imply an oversimplified dichotomy that does not account for the multiple "flight patterns" into adulthood. Focusing on the narratives of six interview cases selected from the larger sample of interviewees from Wave 4 of the National Study of Youth and Religion and drawing on the quantitative data from the broader survey sample, this mixed-methods approach examines in-depth, narrative experiences and the ways structural barriers vary between upper-middle, lower-middle, and working class emerging adults. We find that emerging adulthood …

Understanding The Psychology Of Bullying: Moving Toward A Social-Ecological Diathesis–Stress Model, Susan M. Swearer, Shelley Hymel

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

With growing recognition that bullying is a complex phenomenon, influenced by multiple factors, research findings to date have been understood within a social-ecological framework. Consistent with this model, we review research on the known correlates and contributing factors in bullying/victimization within the individual, family, peer group, school and community. Recognizing the fluid and dynamic nature of involvement in bullying, we then expand on this model and consider research on the consequences of bullying involvement, as either victim or bully or both, and propose a social-ecological, diathesis– stress model for understanding the bullying dynamic and its impact. Specifically, we frame involvement …

Playful Aggression And The Situational Contexts That Affect Perceptions, Jennifer Hart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Play is considered a fundamental tool for early childhood education practices as it provides numerous developmental benefits for young children. However, not all play is viewed by children, parents, and early childhood educators the same, especially playful aggression. For example, rough-and-tumble play, risky play, superhero play, “bad guy” play, active pretend play, play fighting, big body play, war play, gun play, and physically active and imaginative play are types of playful aggression that benefits young children’s development; but are often viewed negatively by the adults who observe it. The contextual factors that influence the development of these conflicting perceptions—the motivation …

Assessing The Effect Of Race Saliency In Measures Of Children’S Implicit Bias, Veronica A. Glover

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The main goal of this study was to determine if race saliency affected responses on implicit measures of racial bias. Including racial labels in measures assessing implicit bias, particularly when presenting two racial groups vs. just one group, may inadvertently cue children that race is an important grouping variable and, in turn, increase the bias they display. We investigated 8- and 13-year old children’s performance on the affective priming task (APT), which does not use labels; the single category implicit association test (SCIAT) with Black faces and the SCIAT with White faces, each of which includes only one racial label; …

Exploring The Relationship Between Early Childhood Attentional Control And Language Ability, Jaima S. Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Relatively few studies have investigated the relationship between early childhood attentional control and later cognitive outcomes, especially language development. The current study is an investigation of the relationship between the executive functioning (EF) component of attentional control and language ability in the second year of life. More specifically, the predictive nature of two aspects of attentional control, attentional focus and resistance to distraction, was be the primary focus of the proposed study. Although it was expected that children both high in attentional focus and resistance to distraction would have significantly superior language development than infants with lower attentional capacities, analyses …

The Impact Of Parental Tough Love On Children, Morgan Spina

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

The Importance Of Treatment For Foster Youth, Lyl T. Cartagena

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

This presentation provides an overview of mental health interventions including highlights of their outcomes.The summary of the extant findings helps identify the strengths and deficits of what has been done, and supports a call for further research in order to change current methods of care provided along with developing an improved method of treatment for foster care youth.

Honors Students’ Characteristics, Perceived Locus Of Control And Attributions, Maria E. Leatherwood

Senior Honors Theses

Recent literature has sought to identify variables which can positively affect at-risk student populations when students start college. In conjunction with high school achievement, motivational variables such as locus of control and goal orientation are strong predictors of student success at a university. Students with a strong internal locus of control and reported goals towards mastering content tend to view themselves as responsible for their work and do well academically. Little research has examined the presence of these variables in high-achieving populations. Although it would seem that students would maintain their attributions for their own success throughout school, locus of …

Diabetes Self-Management Education For Adolescent Patients: The Importance Of A Developmentally Sensitive Approach, Laura Mumme

Senior Honors Theses

The attention of healthcare providers to the developmental level of adolescent patients with type one diabetes (T1D) maximizes effective patient education and glycemic control. Due to the dynamic changes that occur in the mind and body during adolescence, self-care for adolescent T1D patients is overwhelming as it envelopes activities of everyday life. The disease process and the unique aspects of adolescence in relation to T1D are important for caregivers to consider. Developmentally appropriate teaching during the initial onset of the disease must inform the patient and the patient’s family of the basics of the disease process and the daily care …

Altered Resting-State Functional Connectivity In Cortical Networks In Psychopathy., X Philippi, X Pujara, Julian Motzkin, Joseph Newman, Kent Kiehl, Michael Koenigs

Psychology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Establishing A Solid Foundation Through An Identity In Christ, Matthew S. Pedersen

Senior Honors Theses

An identity in Christ is the only solid foundation on which adolescents or adults can build their life. Identity is a major building block in a person’s life. Individuals with an unhealthy identity as a result of the culture will need to make many changes to this foundation in order to keep an accurate view of their lives. The definition of identity can show examples of negative consequences of an unhealthy identity. An identity based on the views of culture can show areas of weakness. Examining what the Bible says about man before and after a relationship with Christ will …

Fluid Grouping: Quantifying Group Engagement Around Interactive Tabletop Exhibits In The Wild, Florian Block, James Hammerman, Michael Horn, Amy Spiegel, Jonathan Christiansen, Brenda Phillips, Judy Diamond, E Margret Evans, Chia Shen

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Interactive surfaces are increasingly common in museums and other informal learning environments where they are seen as a medium for promoting social engagement. However, despite their increasing prevalence, we know very little about factors that contribute to collaboration and learning around interactive surfaces. In this paper we present analyses of visitor engagement around several multi-touch tabletop science exhibits. Observations of 629 visitors were collected through two widely used techniques: video study and shadowing. We make four contributions: 1) we present an algorithm for identifying groups within a dynamic flow of visitors through an exhibit hall; 2) we present measures of …

Deconstructing And Reconstructing Rights For Immigrant Children, Erin B. Corcoran

Law Faculty Scholarship

Children rights advocates and scholars alike continue to call for the development of innovative and alternative rights models, which specifically provide for an expansive conceptualization of children’s rights. Central to their calls for reform is a simultaneous recognition that children’s rights must embody agency – a child’s voice (a proxy for autonomy) – free from governmental interference, as well as the establishment of certain fundamental “needs” that place an affirmative obligation on the State to ensure the child has, and affirmatively provide, when necessary. Reimagining children’s rights also requires reforming our laws in such a way that reflects children as …

Marital Conflict And Child-Mother Attachment Relationships, Laura Y. Anaya

Open Access Theses

The present study explored the relations between marital conflict and child-mother attachment relationships. A nonclinical sample of 86 non-Hispanic Caucasian mother-child dyads participated in the study when children were approximately 3.5 years old (M = 3.73). Maternal sensitivity and children's attachment security were observed across three visits: one visit was in the home, and two visits were in the park. Mothers completed a series of questionnaires measuring a global index of marital discord, spousal verbal aggression, spousal physical aggression, and childrearing disagreements. The relations between the aspects of marital conflict on maternal sensitivity and children's attachment security with their …

The Association Between Preschool Type And Children's Concentration Abilities, Jessica Jarvis

Honors Projects

The author of the study compared concentration abilities in 4-5 year-olds attending Montessori and traditional preschools in Bowling Green, Ohio. Number of errors and processing times on the Marburg concentration test were used to measure children's concentration abilities. No significant differences in concentration abilities were found for preschoolers attending Montessori and traditional schools.

Perspectives On A Positive Youth Development Environment For Youth With Developmental Disabilities In 4-H, Megan E. Zurawski

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

This study is a consensual qualitative research (CQR; Hill et al., 2005; Hill, 2012) investigation of the positive youth development (PYD) model utilized by the 4-H Youth Development Program (4-H). 4-H relies on a four-quadrant model of PYD (belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity), composed of eight elements. My aim was to investigate 4-H’s environment for youth with developmental disabilities, determining whether 4-H utilizes their stated PYD approach with this population. Ultimately, the qualitative study may be utilized by 4-H to inform future programming, not only for youth with developmental disabilities, but for all 4-Hers. There were 15 total participants, 12 …

Fetal Testosterone: Developmental Effects On Externalizing Behavior, Troy A. Webber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fetal testosterone (FT) exposure influences sexual differentiation and may promote well-established sex differences in externalizing (EXT) behavior. Although puberty may be a critical period for these effects, it is unknown how FT exposure influences EXT as a function of pubertal development. We used a longitudinal, multi-sample design to test the relationships between two proxy indices of FT exposure and EXT as a function of age and pubertal development (approximately ages 6, 9, 11, 14, and 16). Twin data were used to approximate FT exposure (TT-FT) because testosterone is thought to cross the intrauterine membrane and cause variability in co-twin gonadal …

An Analytic Study Of The Professional Development Research In Early Childhood Education, Rachel E. Schachter

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The goal of this study was to examine empirical research on the design, delivery, and measurement of the effects of professional development (PD) for early childhood educators in order to provide insight into what the field has accomplished as well as suggest directions for future PD programs and research. Through the use of rigorous inclusion criteria outlined by S. M. Wilson, R. E. Floden, and J. Ferrini-Mundy (2001), 73 studies were included and analyzed. On average, 25% (M = 12.68, SD = 9.99) of references in each study were specifically about PD. The majority of studies (n = …

University Scholar Series: Nadia Sorkhabi, Nadia Sorkhabi

University Scholar Series

Cultural Similarities in Parenting Styles and Practices of Mothers and Father

On March 18, 2015, Dr. Nadia Sorkhabi spoke in the University Scholar Series hosted by Provost Andy Feinstein at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Her talk, titled "Cultural Similarities in Parenting Styles and Practices of Mothers and Father," explored parenting styles and how domain-specific practices of mothers and fathers are related to the academic achievement, social competence, and mental health of children and adolescents. Her research includes frequency and intensity of parent-adolescent conflicts, conflict resolution strategies, and adolescent disclosure of their activities to their parents. Sorkhabi is …

Creating A Motivated And Engaged Workforce, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

All a company needs to do is fulfill employees’ need for three things: competence, relatedness, and autonomy

Hospice Volunteerism In Residents Of A Skilled Nursing Facility, Sarah Stump

Psychology and Child Development

Volunteering within their community greatly benefits older adults, contributing to increased optimism, self-perceived health, and feelings of connectedness. However, most of the literature examines the volunteerism of community dwelling seniors, with few studies examining the experiences of older adult volunteers living in care facilities. The present study aims to compare the motives and experiences of community dwelling volunteers with a sample of four residents of Bayside Care Center that participated in hospice volunteer training. Two focus groups were conducted with the residents following their training, and the recorded contents were transcribed for qualitative analysis. Results indicated that this group of …

Parenting Young Children In Contemporary Chinese Society: A Mixed Methods Study, Lixin Ren

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine contemporary Chinese parents’ childrearing expectations, goals, and practices for their preschool-aged children. Participants included 154 parents with preschool-aged children (children’s mean age was 52.48 months with a standard deviation of 6.84) and 27 teachers recruited from seven preschools located in three small cities in northeastern China. In the quantitative phase, parents completed questionnaires measuring parental expectations (social-emotional and academic expectations), parenting styles, child social competence, and child pre-academic performance. The head teacher of each target child reported the child’s social competence and pre-academic performance. It was hypothesized that parental expectations …

God’S Plan For The Terrible-Two’S, Luralyn Helming

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"I have developed an appreciation of the fact that this age we refer to as “the terrible twos,” is a necessary, and even vital, stage in our development as humans."

Posting about how the "terrible two's" are a necessary, albeit frustrating, part of normal human development from In All Things - an online hub committed to the claim that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has implications for the entire world.

http://inallthings.org/gods-plan-for-the-terrible-twos/

Opportunities For Play-Based Experiences In Post "No Child Left Behind" Kindergarten Classrooms: The Role Of Training, Resources, And Accountability Pressures In Meeting Best Practices, Cristina Medellin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In response to No Child Left Behind (NCLB), opportunities for play-based experiences in classrooms have been challenged over the past decade. Despite research demonstrating the educational benefits of child driven play, teachers and schools have been pressured to focus on improving children's success on standardized assessments which may not relate to the developmental achievements expected from activity based experiences. To explore teachers' response to the tension between assessment driven mandates and best early childhood practices, this study investigated which factors influence teacher practices and values. Specifically, how do teacher training and classroom resources influence teachers' values about the appropriateness of …

Intergroup Contact And Evaluations Of Interracial Exclusion In Offline And Online Settings Among Adolescents And Young Adults, Henry C. Park

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

There is considerable research with adult samples documenting the benefits of intergroup contact, such as improved intergroup attitudes and prejudice reduction. However, developmental psychologists have only recently begun to consider the relationship between intergroup contact and evaluations of interracial exclusion in minority and majority youth. There has also been extensive research studying the social effects of the internet and its ability to influence wide audiences, but little research on the impact of online interactions on intergroup relations. The present study addresses this limitation. Using social media and various online forums to recruit and survey participants about their views of interracial …

The Neurophysiology Of Intersensory Selective Attention And Task Switching, Jeremy W. Murphy

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Our ability to selectively attend to certain aspects of the world and ignore others is fundamental to our day-to-day lives. The need for selective attention stems from capacity limitations inherent in our perceptual and cognitive processing architecture. Because not every elemental piece of our environment can be fully processed in parallel, the nervous system must prioritize processing. This prioritization is generally referred to as selective attention. Meanwhile, we are faced with a world that is constantly in flux, such that we have to frequently shift our attention from one piece of the environment to another and from one task to …

Parental Discussions About Sexual Risk With African American Sons: The Role Of Religiosity., Wadiya A. Udell, Geri R. Donenberg

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The current study investigated the relationship between parental religiosity (i.e., parent church attendance), and frequency of parent-youth communication about sexual risk (i.e., discussion about sex, and discussion about condom use) with African American boys. Participants were 65 parents of African American boys between the ages of 11 and 17 years. Results indicated no relationship between age and parent-son discussion about sexual risk. However, parental religiosity was negatively associated with frequency of communication with sons about sex and condom use. Parents who attended church more frequently reported fewer discussions about sex and condom use than parents who attended church less frequently. …

A Moral Developmental Perspective On Children's Eyewitness Identification: Does Intent Matter?, Toni Spring, Herbert D. Saltzstein, Bianca Vidal

Publications and Research

Plain English Abstract These studies are based on the assumption that when adults, adolescents or children identify someone as the "guilty" one, i.e., the person who committed the act, they are not only making an identification based on memory and thinking, but also a moral decision. This is because, by the act of identifying or not identifying someone, the eyewitness runs the risk of either convicting an innocent person , i.e., making false positive error or letting a guilty person go free, i.e., a false negative error. Our interest is less in the overall accuracy of their identifications and more …

Damage To The Default Mode Network Disrupts Autobiographical Memory Retrieval, Carissa Philippi, Daniel Tranel, Melissa Duff, David Rudrauf

Psychology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

What Develops In Moral Identities? A Critical Review, Tobias Krettenauer, Steven Hertz

Psychology Faculty Publications

According to the standard model of moral identity development, moral identities emerge during adolescence and early adulthood. Contrary to this assumption, however, moral identity research has consistently failed to demonstrate any age-related change in this developmental period. The present paper discusses implications of this non-finding. It is argued that researchers need to broaden the scope of inquiry and include developmental aspects of the moral identity construct that have been neglected in the past. Three areas are identified where moral identity development likely occurs in adolescence and beyond: (1) context-dependent differentiation and integration of the self-importance of moral values, (2) growth …