Social Psychology Commons^™

An Analysis Of Four Empathy Variables As Predictors Of Marital Satisfaction, Teck Seong Chee

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to determine if empathy was predictive of marital satisfaction, and which, if any, of the four empathy variables from Davis' Interpersonal Reactivity Index (1980), would serve as predictors of marital satisfaction. Correlation and regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships of fantasy, empathic concern, perspective taking and personal distress with marital satisfaction. Variables of secondary interest included those of sex. birth order, length of marriage and age married. Both Individuals and couples were used as units of analysis.

Empathic concern and perspective taking were found to be predictors of marital satisfaction. No significant …

Factors That Relate To Job Retention For Former Welfare Recipients, Lisa Spadafore

Masters Theses

This descriptive study attempted to determine the factors that relate to job retention for former welfare recipients. Welfare recipients (15 women and 17 men), who were participating in a job club program, completed the Wonderlic Personnel Test (Wonderlic, 1985), the 16 Personality Factors Test (Eber, Cattell, & IPAT Staff, 1985), and a Background/Monetary Questionnaire. Thirty-two clients who obtained jobs were divided into two groups, those who retained their job for 90 days (n = 21) and those who did not (n = 11). Of the 31 factors analyzed, four showed a statistically significant relationship with job retention; amount of jail …

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of An Infant-Care Skills Training Program On Fathering Behaviors, G. Joseph Vrazo

Masters Theses

This study replicated the findings and expanded the assessment procedures of a previous study that had established the effectiveness of a multi-component infant-care skills training program for first-time fathers. A multiple probe design was used in this study to demonstrate that the training program produced criterion performance of the infant-care skills by four experimental fathers; also, an increase in the frequency of infant stimulation activities initiated by these fathers was observed. A pre/post training evaluation of the effects of the training program on the fathers' performance of play and affectional behaviors and daily infant-care activities yielded negative results. Four control …

Drug Use And Abuse: A Survey Of Mentally Retarded Citizens In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Sandra Ann Burdick

Masters Theses

An abundant array of research in the area of drug use and abuse among various populations has been conducted in recent years. These studies have determined that although several demographic variables affect the prevalence of drug use, all segments of society who have access to drugs are at some risk. Whether relative risk is influenced by subaverage intelligence is unclear, however, for very little has been done to determine the prevalence of drug use and abuse among the mentally retarded.

In this survey methods were utilized to gather such information in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. A survey return rate of 73% …

Increasing The Participation Rate For International Behaviorists At The Convention Of The Association For Behavior Analysis, Marsha Lee Benz

Masters Theses

This is a descriptive study that reviewed past participation of International behaviorists at the Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA) convention, to provide sore help to these presenters to improve the experience, and to disseminate behavioral information outside of the United States by trying to Increase International participation at the ABA convention.

These methods were used to Invite the behavioristsi (a) call for papers, (b) personalized invitations, and (c) poster invitations. Procedures used to improve the convention experience weret (a) an interest questionnaire, and (b) pre- and post-convention surveys.

Comparisons were made between the number of International presenters from years 1981 …

Social Skills In Vivo: An Experimental And Theoretical Analysis, Stephen Earl Eversole

Masters Theses

A multiple baseline across behaviors was employed to demonstrate generalization effects across settings. A 14 year old shy female was presented with social skills treatment package to increase the rate of eye contacts, verbalizations and smile sin vivo. One of the intervention phases included role-playing of social situations with a peer. A second phase required the occurrence of desired responding while playing foosball-- the same activity which took place in vivo during generality data collection. A third intervention required interaction assignments to be completed in vivo. Results indicate inconclusive evidence of an increase due to the treatment package. A general …

Social Skills Training In Elementary Children, Marsha Calvert Thiel

Masters Theses

A peer rating sociometric scale was administered to fourth, fifth, and sixth graders in six different classrooms. The numbers on the Likert-type scale (1-5) were accompanied by smiling or frowning faces for each student to indicate how much he liked to play with each student in his classroom. Teachers also rated students, indicating how much other children like to play with each student. Ratings given by same sex classmates were used to calculate a mean for each student. Teacher ratings and sociometric means were converted to z-scores. These z-scores were added together with each sociometric z-score receiving …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Among Rhetorical Sensitivity, Communication Apprehension, And Nonverbal Decoding Ability, Mary Aileen Palanca

Masters Theses

This study explored the potential relationship which might exist among rhetorical sensitivity, communication apprehension, and nonverbal decoding ability. Three measuring instruments, the Rhetorical Sensitivity Scale, the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension, and the Profile of Nonverbal Sensitivity, were administered to 109 participants, 68 females and 41 males. Gender and age were examined to see what effect they might have on the potential relationship. No relationship was found among rhetorical sensitivity, communication apprehension, and nonverbal decoding ability. In addition, no relationship was found between gender and the three variables or between age and the three variables. However, it is important to …

Behavioral Science In The Design Of Cultures, Robert G. Brown

Masters Theses

In order the alleviate some of the problems that confront modern society, it has been suggested that we implement a science of cultural design based on the analysis of behavior. A first step in redesigning the entire culture would be the establishment of a pilot experimental community, or behavioral utopia. While Skinner (1969) has suggested that the creation of such a behavioral utopia is currently feasible, to date none has emerged in spite of some noteworthy attempts. The reasons for this are discussed in terms of current behavioral principles, and the early history of one such attempt is described. It …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Life Events And Empathy, Catherine Ferme

Masters Theses

The study investigated the relationship between the occurrence of stressful events in people's lives and their empathy for other people. Subjects were 74 graduate and undergraduate psychology students at Eastern Illinois University. The subects viewed videotapes of persons describing stressful events such as academic problems, death of a relative or friend, divorce, et cetera. The subjects rated themselves on their empathy for each person. They then completed a questionnaire based on Holmes and Rahe's Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Subjects' empathy scores and life event scores were analyzed using Pearson r correlations. Results of the study confirmed the hypothesis that experienced …

Effect Of Changing Appointment Making Procedures On Increasing The Number Of Initial Appointments Kept At A Family Planning Agency, Carla A. Jones

Masters Theses

The procedures for making initial client appointments at a family planning clinic were manipulated to increase the number of kept appointments. Receptionists and counselors made appointments on the two appointment forms used. Questions on the appointment sheet varied depending on the age of the caller. The 1,432 women participating in the study were placed into three groups (a) 19 years of age and under (b) 20 to 30 years of age and (c) 31 years of age and over. The results showed that the occupation of the person making the appointment at the agency did not affect the number of …

Establishing Verbal Behavior: The Effects Of Using Establishing Operations And Imitative Prompts To Teach Mands To Two Non-Verbal Elderly Retarded Persons, Terry Steven Bradford

Masters Theses

The present study tested a procedure to establish vocal mands in a 47- year-old non-verbal male with Down's syndrome and manually signed mands in a 64-year-old severely retarded female who was physically incapable of speech. In a multiple baseline design across subjects and settings, subjects were taught to complete four behavioral sequences. An establishing operation was then introduced: an item required to complete each sequence was systematically removed once as a probe for manding. Following this, relevant establishing operations were paired with imitative prompts to train manding missing items. Following mastery of a ll mands during booster training, subjects were …

The Relationship Of Self-Concept And Locus Of Control, Dirk David Sheehan

Masters Theses

Purpose of the Study:

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate whether relationships could be found between certain characteristics of one's self-concept and locus of control. This paper is a report of that study.

Method of Study:

Data contained in this study were gathered by utilizing the Tennessee Self Concept Scale and the Rotter's I-E (Internal-External) Scale. A total of one hundred 1980 Rantoul High School psychology and physics students were administered the above standardized tests. The sex factor was included to see if there were any noticeable characteristics among students with relationship to their test scores.

The …

A Suggested Sight Vocabulary Training Program, Martin Halvorsen

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Behavioral Analysis Of Ethical Systems, Glen R. Peterson

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Empathy And Socially Deviant Behaviors In Delinquent Adolescents, Terrie L. Fisk

Masters Theses

Past research has demonstrated that empathy, traditionally defined as the ability to discriminate, label and then experience the emotional response of another, acts as an inhibitor of aggressive behavior. Additional evidence has shown an increase in empathic functioning can be the result of various empathy training strategies. It has recently been hypothesized that aggressive behavior might be decreased as empathic functioning increases. The present study sought to determine if an inverse relationship existed between empathy and socially deviant behavior, which is a less extreme degree of aggression characterized by disruptiveness and attention seeking. In addition, it was hypothesized that if …

The Development And Increase Of Two Prosocial Behaviors As A Function Of Social And Peer Reinforcement With Preschool Children, Carol R. Solander

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Sex Roles Orientation And Career Orientation On The Career Development Of Adolescent Females, Karen Fenske Kamischke

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of The Ecological Psychology Literature With Respect To School Size, Behavioral Psychology And Cultural Survival, Bruce E. Hesse

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Elimination Of Disruptive Bus Riding Behavior Via Token Reinforcement, Sandra J. Ferrell

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Training Social Work Students In A Practicum Setting, Linda L. Maier

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Behavioral Assessment Of Preference For Erotic Visual Stimuli, Robert P. King

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Distance And Sex On Verbal Productivity And Anxiety, Peter Lindsay Rogers

Masters Theses

The present study was designed to determine whether physical distance between male and female interviewees and a female interviewer affected verbal productivity and anxiety level when interviewees discussed academic, social, and personal topics. The interview was conceptualized as an information-gathering interview. Crucial variables in such interviews are client participation and information flow. Client verbal productivity appears to be directly related to these variables, and was used as one dependent variable to measure the impact of distance on interviewee verbal behavior. A self-report measure of anxiety, the Fear Thermometer was used as a second dependent variable.

The experimental distances used in …

Sex And Curriculum Differences In Conceptions Of The Teacher Role: A Role Theoretical Analysis, Steven Michael Koning

Masters Theses

This study is concerned with factors which influence the way individuals conceptualize and define their social roles. Role theory suggests that role conceptions, which are individual orientations to a role, are affected by expectations associated with the role and personality characteristics that an individual brings to the role. These suggestions are tested by examining sex and curriculum differences in conceptions of the teacher role among education students at a midwestern university. Conceptions of teacher control and nurturance are assessed by two scales developed by the author. Results indicate that factors associated with a student's curriculum influence orientations toward teacher control …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Loneliness And Differential Diagnosis In A Rural Mental Health Center, Kathryn Dunscomb

Masters Theses

The review of the literature discussed loneliness in general and specified three seperate forms of loneliness; social, psychic, and existential. The relationships between loneliness, social interaction, and pathology were discussed. 139 clients were given the Belcher Extended Loneliness Scale - Revised prior to therapy. They were assigned one of six diagnostic categories to determine loneliness score (LS), diagnostic, and sex interactions. An analysis of variance found a significant difference (p <.0001) between the diagnostic categories’ LS. The schizophrenic’s and the neurotic’s LS s were significantly higher (<.05) than the remaining categories. The males had significantly (p <.036) higher LS than the females. It was also hypothesized that the degree of loneliness would increase the lower the diagnostic developmental level. The hypothesized order was not consistent with the results. Further research was recommended.

Feeling Good And Helping: Really?, Gregory A. Blevins

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Imposed Roles On The Direction And Magnitude Of Group Polarization Of Initially Dominant Responses (Risky Shift) In Small Discussion Groups, Neil W. Blahut

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Study Into The Effects Of Knowledge Of Peer Group Evaluation Upon Self-Concept Change, Janice Marie Beyer

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Male And Female Anti-Feminism: A Further Examination Of The Authoritarian Personality, David L. Arntzen

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Existence Of Ambivalence Among Students: A Question Concerning Alienation, Stephen M. Puckett

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.