Experimental Analysis of Behavior Commons^™

The Effects Of Alarm System Errors On Dependence: Moderated Mediation Of Trust With And Without Risk, Eric T. Chancey

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Research on sensor-based signaling systems suggests that false alarms and misses affect operator dependence via two independent psychological processes, hypothesized as two types of trust. These two types of trust manifest in two categorically different behaviors: compliance and reliance. The current study links the theoretical perspective outlined by Lee and See (2004) to the compliance-reliance paradigm, and argues that trust mediates the false alarm-compliance relationship but not the miss-reliance relationship. Specifically, the key conditions to allow the mediation of trust are: The operator is presented with a salient choice to depend on the signaling system and the risk associated with …

Comparing Implicit And Explicit Measures Of Sex Guilt In Predicting Sexual Behavior, Delaram Asadzadeh Totonchi

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Sex guilt is a generalized expectancy for self-mediated punishment for violating or anticipating violating standards of proper sexual conduct. Our current knowledge about sex guilt is primarily achieved through using explicit measures, particularly the widely used Mosher Sex Guilt Inventory. Research has shown that explicit sex guilt can predict many sexual behaviors such as sexual activity, number of sexual partners, and condom use. Responses on explicit measures, however, are influenced by dissimulation and social desirability, especially when assessing socially sensitive domains such as sexual attitudes. The present study hypothesized that adding implicit sex guilt as a second predictor to the …

Environmental Context And Aggression: An Experimental Demonstration Of The Role Of Alcohol Expectancies, Brynn E. Sheehan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Research has extensively investigated predictors of alcohol-related aggression. Alcohol expectancy theory suggests that the link between alcohol and aggression may be related to one's beliefs regarding the expected effects of alcohol on aggression. As such, research has found that exposure to a bar environment may elicit alcohol-related aggression expectancies (Wall, McKee, & Hinson, 2000; Wall, McKee, Hinson, & Goldstein, 2001). Additionally, aggression expectancies have shown to predict direct aggression, such as hitting or yelling (Leonard, Collins, & Quigley, 2003; Smucker Barnwell, Borders, & Earlywine, 2006). While these research studies have shown separately that alcohol cues elicit aggression expectancies, and that …

Default Effects In The Endorsement Of Environmental Policies, Blake J. Bent

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

When making decisions, people are often presented with a default option. Across many different domains, individuals show an inflated preference for the default option, a phenomenon known as the default effect. The current research examined the default effect and the role of loss aversion and implied endorsement in the context of environmental policy. Two hundred nineteen undergraduate participants were asked to vote on an ostensible ballot question regarding the enactment of seven environmental policies. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions based on a manipulation of the default option: a default to enact the policy (the opt-out condition), …

The Effects Of Serial Position, Evaluation Format, And Behavioral Isolate On Verbal And Nonverbal Clinical Cue Recognition And Performance Ratings, Timothy Robert Turner Jr.

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Standardized patients are individuals trained to realistically portray specific physical and psychological symptoms and evaluate healthcare trainees on their patient interaction skills. Prior research suggests that individual differences among standardized patients often result in assessment variance. This study examined the effects of cue serial position and evaluation format on individuals' perceptual awareness and recognition accuracy of verbal and nonverbal clinical cues. It was predicted that implementing periodic evaluations would reduce participant working memory load and permit better awareness and recognition of relevant clinical cues than the traditional post-scenario evaluation format. The concurrent evaluation benefit was also expected to mitigate the …

Gender Stereotypes In Leadership: How Threatening Are They?, Valerie N. Streets

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Women's persistent underrepresentation in management has prompted a considerable body of research to better understand how gender stereotyping contributes to this disparity. One possible explanation for the impact of stereotyping on women in management is stereotype threat (i.e., the risk of confirming negative stereotypes as true). Experimental research concerning stereotype threat as it affects women within the domain of leadership has been limited, with no published study specifically manipulating stereotype threat and testing effects on subsequent leadership performance. This thesis expands upon the current literature by replicating classic stereotype threat experimental designs and applying such a design to a leadership …

Health Promotion In Multiple Domains: Capitalizing On The Spillover Effect, Gabrielle Maria D'Lima

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Lifestyle behaviors, such as physical activity and food consumption choices, play a critical role in the development of chronic diseases and ultimately mortality. Optimally, multiple health-related behaviors are changed to reduce risk rather than targeting only one risk behavior. The purpose of the current research was to examine the potential utility of the spillover effect in the application of a multiple health behavior intervention. The online intervention developed in this study aimed primarily to foster self-regulation, bolstered by impulsivity control and self-efficacy, in one health-related behavior (i.e., physical activity) in order to potentially affect change in other health-related behaviors (e.g., …

Effects Of Vibrotactile Display Position And Shape On Extrapersonal Localization, Adam D. Sitz

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Vibrotactile displays are capable of conveying extrapersonal spatial information to users navigating or operating within a three-dimensional environment (e.g., aircraft pilots). Although vibrotactile displays can be applied to many parts of the body, recent applications have focused on torso-based displays that egocentrically reference distal targets. However, these displays may be poorly suited to convey elevation because of the generally cylindrical shape of the human torso. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relative effectiveness of handheld vibrotactile displays configured either in a cylindrical or spherical-shape as compared to a torso-based display. Due to its shape, the spherical …

Depression, Social Anxiety, And Attachment As Predictors Of The Use And Quality Of Cyber Communication, Stefan E. Latulip

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the influence of depression symptoms, social anxiety symptoms, and adult attachment style on the use and the perceptions of the quality of cyber communications with close friends, romantic partners, and family members. One hundred thirty-five individuals completed an initial survey, with sixty five of the original group completing a follow-up survey five weeks later. Results indicated that anxious attachment was associated with a greater reported usage of social networking sites, whereas avoidant attachment predicted less instant message use over time. Depression symptoms and avoidant attachment were generally associated with perceptions of higher negativity and lower positivity with …

The Role Of Trust As A Mediator Between System Characteristics And Response Behaviors, Eric T. Chancey

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

There have been several theoretical frameworks that acknowledge trust as a prime mediator between system characteristics and automation reliance. Some researchers have operationally defined trust as the behavior exhibited. Other researchers have suggested that although trust may guide operator response behaviors, trust does not completely determine the behavior and advocate the use of subjective measures of trust. Recently, several studies accounting for temporal precedence failed to confirm that trust mediated the relationship between system characteristics and response behavior. The purpose of the current work was to clarify the roles that trust plays in response behavior when interacting with a signaling …

The Effect Of Emotionally Arousing Negative Images On Judgments About News Stories, Martin Daniel Smith-Rodden

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two experiments investigated the effects of the presentations of photographic images (highly emotionally arousing/low arousal/no image) on people's attitudes after reading a news story. Experiment 1 presented a story and images about U.S. involvement in the Afghanistan War. Experiment 2 replicated the design with a story and images about African famine relief efforts. Consistent with predictions of the affect heuristic model of judgment formation, the addition of emotionally arousing pictures had an effect on people's support for the war in Afghanistan and their support for famine aid. Additionally, effects were observed in broader attitudes concerning participant's support of a militaristic …

Effects Of Signal Ambiguity And Signal Location On Target Detection Under Varying Degrees Of Time Constraint, Kimberly E. Culley

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of decision-making strategies and tendencies, time constraint, and signal characteristics on decision-making performance utilizing the fuzzy signal detection theory framework. Participants were tasked with deciding whether x-ray images of passenger luggage contained hazardous objects.

The first objective of the study was to develop a methodology for quantifying optimizing versus satisficing tendencies in decision making through direct measurement and observation.

The second objective of the study was to examine how time constraint and specific signal characteristics contribute to decision making. Interestingly, despite having more time available to conduct a comprehensive …

The Role Of Just Desserts, Deterrence, And An Apology In Recommending Punishment For Violations Of Hiv Non-Disclosure Laws, William Alexander Woody

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

HIV non-disclosure laws, which require people with HIV to disclose their HIV serostatus to potential sexual partners, are common in the U.S. This thesis applied philosophical theories of punishment to examine why people would punish these law violators. Specifically, retribution/just deserts (i.e., an eye for an eye) and deterrence (i.e., general crime prevention) were examined as punishment motivations. Additionally, offender apology was investigated as a potential moderator of the effects of retribution on punishment. A 2 (Just Deserts) X 2 (Deterrence) X 2 (Apology) ANOVA design was used with recommendations for a prison sentence and financial fine as the dependent …

Investigating The Roles Of Time Perspective And Emerging Adulthood In Predicting Driving Behavior, Kristie L. Johnson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

In the U.S., motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for individuals 2 to 34 years of age (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2009c). Of particular interest are 18 to 25 year olds or emerging adults because of their increased crash risk. The prevalence of crashes attributable to the combination of driving inexperience and risky behaviors creates the necessity to identify predictors of crash likelihoods. While there are known personality variables that predict risky driving, time perspective as an additional one was suggested. Time perspective pertains to how the past, present, and future influence an individual's actions. Zimbardo, …

The Effects Of Personalized Boosters For A Computerized Intervention Targeting College Student Drinking, Abby L. Braitman

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Heavy episodic alcohol use within the college student population is both widespread and problematic (Benton et al., 2004; Core Institute, 2006; Hingson, Zha, & Weitzman, 2009; O'Malley & Johnston, 2002; Perkins, 2002; Singleton, 2007). More than 40% of college students report at least one symptom of alcohol abuse or dependence (Knight et al., 2002). Computerized interventions are widely used because of their advantages over in-person interventions. They are more cost-effective and can quickly deliver tailored individual feedback to more students. Computerized interventions can be administered to large groups of students (e.g., incoming students, athletes, fraternities/sororities). However, a (2007) meta-analysis by …

The Impact Of Sleepiness And Sleep Constructs On Driving Performance, Jennifer Freeman May

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Sleepiness causes performance decrements that lead to thousands of crashes and fatalities annually. Research supports the conclusions that sleep duration and circadian rhythms impact sleepiness and affect driving performance. Conflicting in the literature is whether severity of sleep disorders, sleep quality and subjective sleepiness affect driving performance. The correlation between a driver's perception of their sleepiness and their driving performance is also unclear. The primary goal of this study was to create an in-depth model demonstrating which measures of sleepiness influence driving performance. It was hypothesized that sleep quality, sleep apnea severity and subjective sleepiness add to a model of …

Inattentional Blindness In A Simulated Driving Task, Kellie D'Hanis Kennedy

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The visual attention failure of inattentional blindness (IB) frequently occurs for visual information that is relevant and detectable, regardless of whether the unexpected event is congruent or incongruent within the task context. In the context of driving, an occurrence of IB has been associated with deadly collisions as well as significant property damage. For example, in 2008, drivers traveling the wrong way on clearly marked one-way roads caused 747 fatal traffic crashes. Many of these were directly attributable to inattentional blindness. Previous research focused on IB using secondary tasks such as billboards, signage, or bicyclists. The current study explored IB …

Mood And Creativity: The Mediating Role Of Attention, Viktoria Tidikis

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Within literature there are two opposing views regarding the role of emotions in the creative process. The most commonly held view contends that positive emotions enhance creativity, while negative emotions stifle it; yet, some studies show an opposite trend. To help resolve this conundrum, this research examined the mediating effect of attention on the relationship between mood and creativity. The results showed that positive deactivating and negative activating emotions led to broader attention, while positive activating and negative deactivating emotions caused narrowing of attention. Furthermore, the creative process is not uniform in its requirements of attentional breadth; some creative tasks …

When Cognitive Bias Masquerades As Intervention Efficacy: Drinking Norms As Anchors And Norm Interventions As Anchoring Effects, Matthew R. Pearson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Problematic drinking is a serious public health concern on college campuses in the United States. College students most frequently report drinking for social reasons, and perceptions of peers' drinking, or perceived drinking norms, are among the most consistent, robust predictors of college student drinking. Therefore, norm-based interventions have risen to prominence in the attempt to reduce the harm caused by college student alcohol use. However, the efficacy of these interventions may be obscured by cognitive bias. Specifically, providing information regarding the drinking norm may "anchor" individuals' estimates of their own behavior. Using samples of college student drinkers, two studies were …

The Effect Of Improvisations And Observations On Standardized Patient Encounters, Subjective Workload And Stress, Elizabeth T. Newlin-Canzone

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Standardized patients (SPs) are people trained to present a medical case for teaching and assessing medical students and they simultaneously perform several demanding tasks including portraying the patient, assessing the learner, and providing feedback. This study investigated the effect of improvisations and multiple task performance on the ability to observe another's nonverbal (NV) behaviors and rate their communication skills. Subjective reports of mental workload and stress were also obtained. The first study involved undergraduates interviewing for a job. Type of interview (rote and improvisational) and type of observation (passive and active) were manipulated within groups. Based on theories of attention …

A Field Experiment To Test The Effects Of Automated Feedback And Monetary Incentive On Speeding Behavior, Ian J. Reagan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This field experiment tested the effects of two systems on speeding, mental workload, and driver acceptance of the systems. Using GPS technology integrated with GIS referenced speed limit information, eight vehicles were instrumented in a manner that allowed real time knowledge of vehicle speed relative to the speed limit. Fifty participants drove these vehicles, with each individual driving his or her assigned vehicle for a four week trial. During one week, 40 participants experienced an automated feedback system, which provided visual and auditory alerts when they sped five or more mph over the limit. Twenty of these 40 individuals experienced …

An Experimental Analysis Of Couple Aggression Using A Response Choice Paradigm, Claudia R. Viggiano

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Research suggests that a majority of the violence reported by couples involves mutual, low-level acts of aggression; however, there is a dearth of research examining this "common couple violence" using a true experimental paradigm. The current study was designed to more closely approximate a naturalistic situation involving common couple violence by allowing participants to choose whether to retaliate in the face of provocation by their partner. Couples were randomly assigned to four conditions representing different patterns of provocation. Based on the assigned condition, participants received varying amounts of bad tasting juice allegedly poured for them by their partners across 5 …

The Effects Of Automation Expertise, System Confidence, And Image Quality On Trust, Compliance, And Performance, Randall D. Spain

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the effects of automation expertise, system confidence, and image quality on automation trust, compliance, and detection performance. One hundred and fifteen participants completed a simulated military target detection task while receiving advice from an imperfect diagnostic aid that varied in expertise (expert vs. novice) and confidence (75% vs. 50% vs. 25% vs. no aid). The task required participants to detect covert enemy targets in simulated synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. Participants reported whether a target was present or absent, their decision-confidence, and their trust in the diagnostic system's advice. Results indicated that system confidence and automation expertise …

How Do People React To Someone Who Has Recently Tested For Hiv? An Experimental Study Of The Effects Of Sexual Orientation And Hiv Status, Stacie A. Wilson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

HIV/AIDS-related stigma remains prevalent in our society despite advances in medical treatment, and appears to be based on fear of the illness and negative attitudes toward gay individuals. Previous literature examining the phenomenon, enactment, and consequences of HIV/AIDS-related stigma has primarily been based on self-report measures examining participants' imagined reactions toward a person with HIV/AIDS (PWHA). The present study attempted to expand on the self-report findings and contribute uniquely to the literature by examining participants' attitudes toward an individual believed to be gay and HIV-positive after a real-life interaction. This study, which involved the use of a confederate whose sexual …

Measuring Self-Disclosure Over The Internet, David Pope

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

A two-axial measure of disclosure intimacy by Morton (1976, 1978) was expanded to create a new measure usable for linear analyses. Morton's item of "Description" was divided into three "Context" items: Self-Concept, Interpersonal, and Taboo. The other axis of "Evaluation" was divided into four "Expression" items: Detail, Protected, Intensity, and Negativity/Vulnerability. As test data for the measure, demographic information from l50 users' weblogs was compared to free-response disclosures measured with the Morton measure and the linear Context/Expression measure. A multiple regression analysis of profile information versus disclosure intimacy did not reach significance. Results were inconclusive because the measures used in …

The Importance Of Gender And Readiness To Change In The Prediction Of Drinking And Negative Consequences Of First-Year Student Drinkers, Margot E. Ackermann

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

College drinking is widespread, and binge drinkers can experience serious consequences. The present study examined the effectiveness of two interventions, expressive writing and behavioral monitoring, as well a combined condition, in reducing drinking and negative consequences associated with drinking. Gender differences and differences in readiness to change binge drinking were also assessed. Participants (N = 97) completed a pretest, eight weekly intervention activities, and a posttest during their first semester of college. An ANOVA tested the hypothesis that individuals higher in readiness to change binge drinking participated in more of the weekly intervention activities; this hypothesis was not supported. A …

Fatigue's Influence On Workload, Situation Awareness, And Performance In A Military Simulation Of Combat, Carlotta M. Boone

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Military operations routinely require military personnel to consistently perform their duties over several hours or days. Tasks that require prolonged work can lead to mental fatigue and decreased performance. The transactional model proposes that individuals cope with changes in the environment and maintain performance. This ability to cope is determined by factors of the environment and the individual's personality. One environmental factor that can influence coping is extended task performance. This study examined the effect of extended task performance and its interaction with task difficulty. Participants interacted with the military simulation game Command and Conquer: Generals™ for three hours. They …

Pilot Performance And Eye Movement Activity With Varying Levels Of Display Integration In A Synthetic Vision Cockpit, Julie Michele Stark

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The primary goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of display integration in a simulated commercial aircraft cockpit equipped with a synthetic vision display. Combinations of display integration level (low/high), display view (synthetic vision view/traditional display), and workload (low/high) were presented to each participant. Sixteen commercial pilots flew multiple approaches under IMC conditions in a moderate fidelity fixed-base part-task simulator. Pilot performance data, visual activity, mental workload, and self-report situation awareness were measured.

Congruent with the Proximity Compatibility Principle, the more integrated display facilitated superior performance on integrative tasks (lateral and vertical path maintenance), whereas a less …

The Effect Of Pfiesteria Toxin On General Activity And Performance On The Elevated Plus Maze In Rats, Sarah Ann Schultz

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Marine toxins that cause fish kills also threaten human health. Pfiesreria piscicida and Pfiesteria shumwayae are marine microorganisms responsible for periods of massive fish death and are implicated as causative agents in the neurocognitive decline of humans exposed to the aerosols of the Pfiesteria toxin. Past research with animals has demonstrated that exposure to Pfiesteria does result in impaired learning and memory performance. The present study aimed to investigate whether Pfiesreria-exposed animals behaviorally indicate greater anxiety or differing levels of activity compared to control animals; both anxiety and activity might affect learning and memory performance. The behavior of twelve …

Crisp And Fuzzy Signal Detection Theory And Pilot Weather Judgment: Implications For Vfr Flights Into Imc, Joseph T. Coyne

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Weather represents one of the greatest hazards to general aviation (GA), accounting for 15% of the GA accident fatalities. Of the fatal weather accidents 90% are attributed to visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The situation assessment hypothesis suggests that pilots may inadvertently enter IMC because they lack the sensitivity needed to distinguish between visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and IMC. An alternative hypothesis is that pilots recognize conditions have deteriorated but are motivated by some other factor, such as pressure from passengers. The present study uses Jensen's Pilot Judgment Model and Signal Detection Theory to explain …