Social Psychology Commons^™

Aging And Associative And Inductive Reasoning Processes In Discrimination Learning, Courtney Ortz

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate how associative and inductive reasoning processes develop over trials in feature positive (FP) and feature negative (FN) discrimination learning. Younger and older adults completed initial and transfer tasks with either consistent or inconsistent transfer. Participants articulated a rule on every trial. The measure of discrimination learning was the number of trials it took participants to articulate the exact rule. In the initial task, older adults articulated the rule more slowly than younger adults in FP discrimination and took marginally more trials to articulate the rule in FN discrimination than younger adults. Age …

Depression In Older Adults, Fred Stickle, Dr. Jill D. Duba

Counseling & Student Affairs Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to address selected aspects of depression in older adults. Specifically, symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, and interventions for depression in older adults are reviewed.

A Multilevel Analysis Of The Relationship Between Birth-Order And Intelligence, Aaron Wichman

Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications

Many previous studies have found relationships between birth order and intelligence, but use cross-sectional designs or manifest other threats to internal validity. Using the National

Longitudinal Survey of Youth Children (NLSY) data and multilevel analyses with control variables, we show that when these threats are removed, two major results emerge : (a) Birth order has no measurable influence on children’s intelligence; and (b) Control variables provide strong evidence that earlier-reported birth order effects on intelligence are attributable to environmental and genetic factors that vary between, not within families. Identical sets of analyses on 7-8 and 13-14 year-old children from the …

“Texts Memorized, Texts Performed: A Reconsideration Of The Role Of Paritta In Sri Lankan Monastic Education.”, Jeffrey Samuels

Philosophy & Religion Faculty Publications

During the past twenty years there has been a growing interest in monastic education within the larger field of Buddhist studies. Within the last ten years in particular, a number of monographs and articles examining the training and education of monks in Korea (Buswell [1992]), Tibet/India (Dreyfus [2003]), Thailand/Laos (Collins [1990], McDaniel [2002, 2003]), and Sri Lanka (Blackburn [1999a, 1999b, 2001] Samuels [2002]), have been published. Many of those works have paid particular attention to the texts used in monastic training, as well as to how the information contained in those very texts is imparted to and embodied by monks …

Impact Of Violence Prevention Programs On The Attitudes Towards Guns And Violence Among Third Through Sixth Grade And Seventh Grade Students In The Bowling Green Independent School District, Michelyn Bhandari

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of violence prevention programs on the attitudes toward guns and violence among students in grades three through seven. This study represents an attempt to prove that third through sixth grade students who receive anger control training and seventh grade students who receive conflict resolution training will show a significantly lower attraction towards guns and violence than students receiving no such training. By understanding interrelation between adolescents' attitudes towards guns and violence and their psychosocial functioning, the public can seek out ways of preventing violence. To measure the impact and to …

Gender Differences In College Students' Attributions For Success And Failure, Anna Hutton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Attributions for success and failure have been the topic of much research. One area of focus is that of gender differences. Research has produced highly inconsistent results, but many believe that differences exist in the way men and women attribute success and failure. The present study was designed to identify differences in the ways college men and women make attributions for success and failure and to determine whether there are gender differences in attributions for success and failure in ego-involved areas. Three hundred and ninety undergraduate students completed the Collegiate Attributions Scale. Results showed that (a) college students are more …

College Students And Drug Use: A Further Analysis Of Peer Cluster Theory, Christopher Rose

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to test the premise of peer cluster theory which suggests that individual drug use is primarily the result of psychosocial characteristics that influence one's peer associations which, in turn, directly influences individual drug use. Using the results of a 1996 drug and alcohol survey of 1312 Western Kentucky University college students, path analysis was used to measure the influence of seven of Beauvais and Oetting's (1986) psychosocial characteristics (sex, religious importance, parental attitudes about the use of alcohol, family use of alcohol and/or drugs, success in school, age of first use, and peer associations) …

Training Program Content Validation: A Practical Application Of Educative Techniques, Julia A. Howard-Johnson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A McDonald’s training program for the positions of grill and counter was evaluated in order to identify recommendations for curriculum refinement or enhancements. The methodological approaches developed by Ford and Wroten (1984) and Bownas, Bosshardt, and Donnelly (1985) were applied. Three evaluation assessment inventories were developed: The Job task Inventory, The training Emphasis Inventory, and The Training Effectiveness Inventory. These inventories were constructed with the assistance of 49 managers, trainers, and employees with six or more months of service. Four managers, seven trainers, and 22 recent training graduates responded to the appropriate inventory and these ratings were used in the …

The Sex Stereotype Of A Job As A Moderator Of Sex Bias In Performance Evaluations, Sandra B. Crooks

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In accordance with the stereotype-fit model of discrimination (Dipboye, 1985), the results of past research indicate that the extent to which jobs are sex stereotyped dictates whether or not a main effect for rate sex is present in performance evaluations. The purpose of this study was to further examine the relationship between the sex stereotype of the job and the presence of sex bias in evaluation. Two hundred and five undergraduate psychology students viewed one of eight videotapes of a confederate job applicant performing a work sample task and evaluated the observed performance. A 2 x 2 x 2 between …

The Effect Of Sex, Gender Identity, & Sex Of Story Characters On The Assessment Of Moral Development, Cathy Frey

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study investigated the three areas associated with sex bias in Kohlberg's theory of moral development --sex, gender identification, and sex of story characters. The Defining Issues Test (DIT: Rest,1986a), a measure of moral development derived from Kohlberg's theory, was used in its original form and two revised forms (Male and Female versions) to determine the effects of sex and sex of story characters on the assessment of moral development. The Bem Sex -Role Inventory (Bem, 1981) was used to classify subjects as either sex -typed or androgynous to determine whether sex -role identification affects the assessment moral development. …

The Effect Of Social Context & Group Decision Making Formats On An Evaluative Task, Joyce Bowers

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A review of the literature on decision making indicated a lack of research attention given to the effects of the dynamics of the social context surrounding participation on decision outcomes. The present study examined the relationship between social context and group decision making formats, and its implications for the effective implementation of group participation in decision making The effectiveness of three decision -making formats, the nominal technique, the interacting technique, and the consensus technique, were compared under conditions of cooperation and competition on the three decision effectiveness dimensions of quality, acceptance, and synergy.

Two-hundred and forty-eight undergraduate students, working in …

A New Measure Of Mature Religiosity, James A. Croxton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In this study, a new measure of mature religiosity was created. One hundred and fifty students were administered an 80 item scale based upon a consensus meaning of mature religiosity. The results of this administration were factor analyzed. Seven First Order Factors and two Second Order Factors emerged which could be adequately assessed by 50 of the 80 item. The revised 50 item scale was administered to 130 students. During the same administration, the students also responded to measures of personal maturity (Dogmatism Scale, Internal-External Locus of Control Scale, Social Desirability Scale) and other measures of mature religiosity (Intrinsic-Extrinsic Religious …

The Effects Of Frequency & Source Of Feedback On Performance Under Goal-Setting Conditions, David Campshure

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Feedback and goal setting are both necessary for either to have an effect on performance (Erez, 1977). In the present study two attributes of feedback, frequency and source, were manipulated under goal-setting conditions to examine their effects on performance. It is generally assumed that performance can be enhanced by providing individuals with frequent feedback and by providing them with feedback that originates from a source close to themselves--that is, feedback from the task itself or self-administered feedback. A third variable of interest, subjects' perceived control over the task, was assessed via questionnaires.

Subjects worked on a problem-solving task. Each subject …

Degrees Of Self-Actualizing And Corresponding Levels Of Jealousy In College Students, Robert Paul

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In order to examine the relationship between jealousy and overall level of self-actualizing, measures of these constructs obtained from four groups of college students, males presently in romantic relationships, males presently not in romantic relationships, females presently in romantic relationships and females not presently in romantic relationships, were compared. Scores obtained from the Inner-directed scale of the Personal Orientation Inventory, a measure of overall level of self-actualizing, and a seven-item jealousy scale were examined separately for each group via 2 by 2 analyses of variance (sex by romantic status) and linear regression analysis. Results of the 2 by 2 analyses …

Characteristics Of Mentor Relationships In Male And Female University Professors, Charlotte B. Miller

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Graduate school socialization and mentoring are based on adult development theory as articulated by Jung, Erickson, and Levinson. As adults mature, they go through several stages of detaching from family and learning how to live in the world. During this period (which encompasses undergraduate and graduate education), special relationships are often formed to help ease the transition to adulthood by providing advice and mentoring.

A mentor is a person who helps guide another person into a profession and contributes to his or her professional development. The mentor may serve as a professional role model and teacher, providing encouragement, direction, information, …

The Traditional Sex-Stereotype Of A Job As A Moderator Variable For The Directionality Of Sex Biases In Performance Evaluation, Bernard Bena

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Accurate and objective performance appraisals are absolutely necessary due to their utility in important personnel decisions such as promotion, demotion and training. This study examines the contaminating effects of sex bias on performance evaluations and it's relationship to the sex-stereotype of the job and levels of performance. Unlike previous studies, this study not only examines these effects at the extremes of performance, but at average levels as well. Also, unlike previous studies, the subjects empirically determined the sex-typed nature of the jobs and the levels of performance within those jobs rather than the experimenter having made a priori decisions. Hypothetical …

The Relationship Of Emotio-Sexual Orientation In Females To Androgyny & Social Self-Esteem, Joyce Gayles

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The research on sex-role development, psychological androgyny, and personality variables in lesbian women was reviewed. Since previous research suggested that lesbian women tend to have characteristics which might be labelled androgynous, a study was undertaken to assess the presence of androgyny among lesbian and heterosexual women and to cross-validate the findings on the relationship between androgyny and self-esteem. In order to assess sex-role classification, the PRF-Andro Scale was administered to 30 lesbian and 30 heterosexual women. The Texas Social Behavior Inventory was used to measure self-esteem. Results showed that a significantly greater proportion of the lesbians were androgynous, and a …

The Relative Efficiencey Of The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (Wais) As A Predictor Of College Academic Achievement, Ollie Dennis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examined the predictive validity of the WAIS in an academic setting. Traditional WAIS IQ scores and subtests of 127 male and 163 female college students were correlated with Grade Point Averages at the end of four semesters and within five academic areas. Five groups were examined including the total group, male group, female group, black group, and white group. The academic University's general and Communication of areas investigated corresponded to the education requirements; Organization Ideas, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Studies, Natural Science and Mathematics, and Physical Development. Results indicated that dictor of both semester GPA and five groups. …

Leniency Error As A Function Of The Rater's Need For Social Approval, Danny Bean

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The effects of the rater's need for social approval (N-SA) on leniency error in ratings was investigated. Each of 19 supervisors rated the performance of a common set of 12 workers. Using an ANOVA procedure (Guilford, 1954) leniency error was identified. The effects of N-SA as measured by the Personal Reactions Inventory (Crowne & Marlowe, 1960) and the Least Preferred Coworker (Fiedler, 1967) were partialed out of the ratings. When the ANOVA was repeated on the partialed ratings, it was hypothesized that reduced leniency error would result. Contrary to expectations, there was virtually no reduction in leniency error. The low …

The Efficiency Of Verbal & Nonverbal Intellectual Measures As Predictors Of Achievement In Culturally Deprived Preschool Children, Beverly Freeman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the study was to investigate the predictive efficiency of verbal and nonverbal measures of intellectual functioning of the disadvantaged child in a preschool setting. The Peabody Individual Achievement Test (FIAT) was used as a measure of the current achievement level, and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI), Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test (GHDT), and the Bender Gestalt as predictors of achievement. The sample included 30 preschool children in an age range from 5 years - 0 months to 6 years - 7 months who were enrolled in a preschool program for the culturally deprived.

Both the …

Predictive Correlates Of Adoption Behavior In A Social Context: A Multiple Discriminant Analysis, Robert Brady

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Working from a communication theory paradigm and from previous literature, the purpose of this study was to empirically examine significant receiver correlates which predict adoption behavior of Sigma Nu Fraternity on three campuses. Drawing from past research, the present study utilized a unique combination of social and communication variables as predictors of fraternity membership. A stepwise multiple discriminant analysis using five factors derived from the thirteen independent variables yielded a highly significant three factor discriminant function (p < .001) which explained 46.65 percent of the common variance in adoption/non-adoption behavior of Sigma Nu. The significant factors were labeled peer group behavior, parental economic support, and social attitudes. Based on intuitive interpretation features of the data, the researcher suspects that adopters are more socially oriented, have a wider variety o: friends, are less dependent on parental economic support, and exhibit higher scores on measures such as self-esteem, liberalism, conservatism, and the need for identification with groups.

The Effects Of Experiential-Gestalt Growth Groups On A Measure Of Self-Acceptance & Acceptance Of Others, Danny Brown

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Two experiential-Gestalt oriented growth groups were conducted with the purpose of determining the effects such a group process has in increasing an individual's acceptance of himself and others. The sample included 26 students who had volunteered to participate in a growth group experience. Ten volunteers were assigned to a control group while the remaining 16 volunteers were evenly divided into two growth groups. Experiential groups met for two hours once a week for eight weeks. Focus of the groups was primarily on the moment to moment experiencing of individual participants and the interaction among them. In order to assess the …