Social Psychology Commons^™

Understanding The Influence Of Team Identifications Influence On Perception Of States, Morgan Elizabeth Macke

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Team identification refers to an individual’s psychological connection to a team or athlete (Wann, 2006a), while rival salience involves awareness of a prominent rival team (Wann & James, 2019). This study examined the relationship between sport team identification and perceptions of a state housing a salient rival, specifically whether identification with the University of Kentucky (UK) men’s basketball team influenced perceptions of Tennessee, home to rival team University of Tennessee (UT). It was hypothesized that greater team identification would be associated with more negative evaluations of Tennessee, and that this relationship would be mediated by perceptions of the rival team. …

Master Of Disguise: Humor, Disguise, And Performance Anxiety, Jordan Pearsall

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study examined humorous facial disguise in relation to social anxiety during a speech task. Social anxiety is characterized by a strong desire to present a positive image of oneself to others, while simultaneously doubting one’s ability to do so (Clark & Wells, 1995). Performance anxiety is a subtype of social anxiety that affects individuals in various performative contexts, to include public speaking. Previous research has examined the relationship between social anxiety and facial concealment through face-masking (Karimi 2024; Saint & Moscovitch, 2021), concluding that facial concealment can serve as a safety behavior intended to reduce social anxiety. Further, humor …

Out Of The Circle: Exploring Religious Ostracism In Cyberball, Ralph D. Stewart Iii

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological effects of social ostracism in group settings, particularly in relation to social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) and the need to belong (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Collective self-esteem, hostility, and belonging were examined to see if they changed significantly with the implementation of ostracism through the Cyberball paradigm (Williams, 2000). The relationship between ostracism, hostility, and religious fundamentalism was also explored. Though insignificant results from subsequent analysis were obtained, these results suggest weaker ostracism effects for interpersonal measures rather than intrapersonal measures consistent with findings by Hartgerink et al. …

The Demand For Educational Functions Of Study Tour Products: From Students’ Perspectives, Yaqi Yu, Azizan Marzuki

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Few academic studies have comprehensively examined the actual demands of students regarding the educational function of study tours. This paper develops a demand index system based on three dimensions: cognitive, affective, and behavioral demands. A questionnaire survey was administered to 397 students. Initially, student demands were categorized using the Kano model. Subsequently, the “dependence” and “expectancy” characteristics were analyzed through the dissatisfaction index (DI) and satisfaction index (SI). The impact of fulfilling each demand on dissatisfaction and satisfaction levels was then determined. The results indicated that among the three dimensions, there were 7 must-be demands, 6 one-dimensional demands, 8 attractive …

Shall I: Do The Motivations For Breakup Sex Differ Across Different Scenarios?, T. Joel Wade, Zoe Macuto

Faculty Journal Articles

This research investigated endorsement of the 4 motivators (relationship maintenance, ambivalence, hedonism, miscellaneous) for engaging in breakup sex across three relationship breakup scenarios, i.e., a breakup occurred due to: general reasons, infidelity, and being in a long distance relationship using an online questionnaire with a primarily White, primarily heterosexual sample (n = 304, Mage = 20.67). Results indicated that women are more likely than men to engage in breakup sex for relationship maintenance reasons when the breakup is due to general reasons, and for a long distance breakup scenario, non-heterosexuals engage in breakup sex for relationship maintenance reasons, and overall …

The Influence Of Familial Nudging On Attitudes Toward Climate Change And Monetary Contributions: An Exploration Of Ease And Difficulty With Evidence From Japan, Canada, The Usa, And Norway, Hidenori Komatsu, Hiromi Kubota, Kenji Asano Asano, Yu Naga, Catherine Salmon, David Widman, Elisabeth Oberzaucher, T. Joel Wade, Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, Maryanne L. Fisher, Rebecca Burch, Ryoko Takikawa, Samara Rice

Faculty Journal Articles

Climate change countermeasures require monetary investment for implementation through regulations, often in the form of public taxes. Therefore, public opinion on climate change is an important factor in achieving carbon neutrality (CN). How public perception is formed, leading to motivation to fund measures for CN, needs to be identified. This study aimed to identify the causal structures of attitude change leading to financial investment through two surveys in multiple countries using nudging messages emphasizing familial support (familial nudging), which is effective in promoting pro-environmental attitudes. Study 1 (2023) examined how familial nudging moderates risk-averse attitudes toward climate change. Despite successful …

The Effect Of Need For Closure, Gender Essentialism, And Contact On Transphobia, Jacob E. Vargas

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Using a motivated social cognition framework, this study explores whether there is an indirect effect of need for closure on transphobia via gender essentialism and whether this relationship is moderated by transgender contact. Data were collected from an undergraduate sample of 405 cisgender participants (n_men = 159, n_women = 246). A simple mediation and a moderated mediation were used to examine the hypothesized relationships, controlling for participant gender. Results reinforced the positive correlation between gender essentialism and transphobia and the negative correlation between transgender contact and transphobia. However, the mediation and moderation hypotheses were not supported. Need …

Portrayals Of Autism On Tv And Impact On Autistic Viewers’ Self Esteem, Sam Ryan

Scripps Senior Theses

Portrayals of autism on TV are frequently rife with negative portrayals and inaccuracies, but also contain positive portrayals (Jones et al., 2023). These inevitably both promote stigma and educate individuals about autistic individuals, and also serve to directly and/or indirectly impact their well being. The current study aims to explore how combinations of positive and negative TV portrayals of autism impact autistic viewers’ self esteem. Participants will be exposed to clips of fictional autistic characters on TV shows, and their self esteem will be assessed with the Self Esteem IAT. It is expected that participants who view higher ratios of …

The Ingroup-Outgroup Effect: Effects On Open And Closed-Minded Cognitive Style, Ava Jackson Dempsey

Dissertations

Prior research provides evidence of an Ingroup-Outgroup effect on open-mindedness, specifically, that group membership (ingroup or outgroup) influences Situation-Specific Open-Minded Cognition (SOMC), the intention to be open-minded. Researchers have found that group members were more open-minded towards critics of their ingroup when criticism came from ingroup, as opposed to outgroup members, and that this effect was mediated by normative entitlement (SNORM), that is, how open-minded participants feel they “should be”. The present study aimed to extend these findings, examining actual manifestations of open-minded cognition, as opposed to how open-minded participants say they would be. The present study tested whether political …

Self-Threat And The Anchoring And Adjustment Heuristic, Mattie V. Hedgebeth

Theses and Dissertations

Since its introduction in 1974, the anchoring and adjustment heuristic has been a topic of interest within the field of decision making. Although much work has examined factors that affect the process of the anchoring and adjustment heuristic, very little has been studied about how self-processes that may influence adjustment from an anchor. More specifically, the role of self-threat as a possible motivating factor in the adjustment process had yet to be explored. In my previous research, I explored how anchors that are threatening or flattering to one’s ingroup influences how they adjust from said anchor. Participants adjusted to an …

Echo Chambers On The Left, Echo Chambers On The Right: How Socioideological Identity Emotion Shape Social Interaction Behavior On Social Media, Dean Carl Jackson

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation investigates how echo chambers emerge on social media by shifting the lens from aggregate patterns of information exposure to moment-by-moment, individual level interaction decisions between peers. I theorize that selective exposure online is not only about what content people consume or avoid, but also about selective social exposure—accepting, rejecting, or sharing with the sources of that content—guided by sociopolitical identity, ideological distance (ID), and discrete emotions. To test this, I employ two survey experiments using real tweets varying in ideological extremity and measure user’s likelihood to Block, Follow, Retweet, or reply, alongside self-reported emotional reactions and ID between …

The Meditative Mind In Sync: The Effects Of Meditative Interpersonal Synchrony On Self-Other Merging, Self-Representation, And Social Connection., Nathan Verba

CMC Senior Theses

This study investigates the effects of meditative interpersonal synchrony, operationalized through OM group chanting meditation (OM-GCM), on self-other merging, self-referential thinking, and the quality of social interactions between strangers. Interpersonal synchrony and meditation have been widely studied as distinct phenomena; however, this thesis is the first to examine the potential amplifying effects of their combination. This thesis hypothesized that OM-GCM would lead to higher conversation quality, increased self-other merging, and reduced self-referential thinking compared to a non-meditative synchronous control: humming. To test this, twenty-eight college students, paired into dyads of strangers, engaged in either the OM-GCM or humming condition, followed …

Lgbtqia+ Hate Crimes And State Non-Discrimination Policies: An Analysis, Jillian Jones

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

While LGBTQIA+ rights have been increasing in the United States for decades, many states do not have non-discrimination policies that protect individuals based on their gender identity and sexual orientation. This lack in protection leaves many LGBTQIA+ individuals vulnerable to experiencing discrimination and harassment, which could lead to hate crimes, cultivating an environment of passive tolerance rather than active resistance. Active resistance can be achieved through the passage of non-discrimination policies, as well as addressing minority stress that LGBTQIA+ individuals can be susceptible to when they are actively experiencing or anticipating discrimination and harassment. This research paper addresses whether the …

The Gender Gap In Crime Perception: Exploring How Severity And Stereotypes Influence Individuals, Brianna P. Sexton

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

While research has shown gender differences in emotional and moral responses to crime, few studies have examined how factors such as crime severity, perpetrator gender, and monetary value interact to shape these perceptions. The present study explores these relationships in an area with limited prior investigation, contributing to a broader understanding of gendered moral judgment. Participants completed a survey featuring twelve randomized scenarios that varied in crime severity, perpetrator gender, and stolen item value. They rated their levels of trust, sympathy, and willingness to help after each scenario. This design allowed for a nuanced exploration of how moral and emotional …

Impact Of Expert Witness Gendered Appearance And Emotion On Perceptions Of Credibility And Verdicts, Audrey Molter

Honors College Theses

Past research has highlighted biases in how individuals are perceived based on their gender and expressed emotions. The current study assessed how the perceived femininity or masculinity of expert witnesses impact credibility and verdicts in a jury decision making task. Additionally, it investigated how the presence or absence of emotional expression, specifically, anger versus neutral presentations, affects the perception of expert credibility and verdict outcomes. One hundred and eighteen undergraduate participants assumed the role of jurors in a criminal trial involving ambiguous evidence, with the expert witness serving as the primary source of testimony for the defense. Four versions of …

Exploring The Effects Of Resource Salience On Perceptions Of Social Support And Belongingness In Undergraduate Students, Arya C. Johnson, Karen Z. Naufel

Honors College Theses

In recent years, mental health has been a rising concern among college students (Worsley et al., 2022). One method to mitigate stress and raise levels of mental health is social support, which is support derived from relationships or the environment (Zee & Bolger, 2019). Social support presents in different forms, such as visible social support, or support directly given to and acknowledged by the recipient, and invisible social support, or support indirectly given to and unacknowledged by the recipient. Another method to mitigate stress is belongingness, which is the feeling that one is an intrinsic part of their environment (Hagerty …

Enhancing Nuclear And Radiological Security In Polarized Times: Safeguarding Against Extremist Insider Threats, Jessica Baweja, Madelyn Dunning, Keithan Rogers

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Domestic violent extremism has been on the rise in recent years, fueled by growing political polarization, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the spread of misinformation online. This concerning trend raises an important question: has this increase in extremist violence manifested in more incidents involving radioactive or nuclear (RN) materials and a corresponding security concern? To explore this question, we analyzed existing data on events involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear materials over time. Specifically, we examined the rate of RN-related incidents, the targets of these events, and the ideologies motivating the perpetrators by using the Violent Non-State Actor Chemical, Biological, Radiological, …

This Is How You Can Be A Cool Adult, Angelica Angelica

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

“This Is How You Can Be a COOL Adult” is an interactive and self-reflective lesson designed to help high school juniors through college seniors practice being more compassionate, open-minded, optimistic, and laughing-out-loud (humorous) in their everyday lives. By the end of this lesson, students will be able to describe and explore research-based strategies that foster compassion, open-mindedness, optimism, and humor, and create a personalized “COOL Action Plan” with self-reflection logs to track progress. The lesson takes place in an unconventional classroom setting (outdoors) and includes mini-lectures, meditation, collaborative games, creative role-play, personal reflection, and practical methods for applying these qualities …

Diversity Makes Me Uncomfortable: Effects Of Diversity Language On University Student Belonging, Ziena Baker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diversity statements and experiences form the first impressions students have of their prospective universities and employers, setting the stage for perceived feelings of belonging, otherness, and comfort within new environments (Baleria, 2021; O’Keeffe, 2013; Starck et al., 2021). Diversity statements can signal feelings of comfort and belonging or feelings of stress depending on the way in which diversity is framed (Chaney, 2022; Trawalter et al., 2016). This is especially true for students, who are more often affected mentally and physically by changes in university diversity perspectives (Sladek et al., 2021) The current study thus uses a novel blood pressure measure …

Psychological Contract Breach And Institutional Trust In Higher Education: Extending The Triadic Framework, Hannah E. Blodget, Katelyn R. Raborn, Justin Travis, Susan Ruppel

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

Psychological Contract (PC) theory, originally developed in organizational contexts, has increasingly been applied to higher education to understand the expectations and obligations that students perceive in their relationships with institutions. In this context, the PC refers to the unwritten set of mutual expectations and perceived obligations that shape the student-university relationship (Rousseau, 1998). Psychological contract breaches (PCB), or perceived failures to fulfill promised obligations, can undermine student trust, engagement, and institutional commitment. Despite growing interest, research on PCBs in higher education remains sporadic, often limited to cross-sectional designs, single relational targets, and inconsistent measurement approaches. Moreover, most studies focus on …

Who Belongs And Why It Matters: Belonging At An Oregon Elementary School, Kelly Smith

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

Student sense of belonging is at the foundation of student outcomes with impacts reaching far beyond the walls of the elementary school classroom. This study investigates factors that shape students’ sense of belonging at an Oregon elementary school where Youth Truth survey data over the past three years have revealed a lack of sense of belonging amongst students. Correlates to the low sense of student belonging were identified via a root cause analysis process with students, staff and families. As a result of the root cause analysis, a theory of improvement was developed with input from students, staff and families. …

How Do Human And Ai Gender Bias Interact In Hiring Decisions?, Eyuel Getahun, Daniel Burton Shank, Casey I. Canfield, Jessica L. Cundiff, Jenny L. Davis, Celia Freed

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The hiring process is crucial for organizational success but has long been troubled by human biases. Many organizations now include AI in their hiring protocols to mitigate these biases and increase efficiency. However, AI itself can have biases baked-in. Human biases and AI biases are distinct but related; here, we examine how human and AI biases interact to affect hiring outcomes. Through an online experiment, we examine this question in the context of gendered hiring for a male-dominated leadership position in electrical engineering. The study tests how elevated and depressed AI recommendations for male and female job candidates affect participant …

Urban Isolation In The Digital Age- Examining The Sociological Impact Of The Digital Divide On Civic Life In U.S. Cities, Delante Clark

Graduate Scholarship and Creative Works

The digital divide remains a persistent barrier to civic participation and social inclusion in urban America, particularly in historically underserved communities. This mixed-methods study investigates how digital lack of access affects civic engagement, social capital, and community cohesion in U.S. cities, with a focus on Chicago’s South Side, Harlem New York, St. Louis, and Orlando. Drawing on quantitative data from recent surveys and qualitative insights from peer-reviewed literature, the research applies four sociological frameworks, Urban Sociology, Social Capital Theory, Critical Race Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism. These were used to examine the structural and interpretive aspects of digital isolation. Findings reveal …

How To Remember Names Lesson Plan, Madison Paige Davis

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

This is an introductory lesson intended for any high school- or college-aged student who wants to learn how to deepen connections with others, whether for personal or professional relationships. Through a combination of lecturettes, discussions, reflection time, and activities/ quizzes, students will learn and apply their knowledge about the benefits, science, history, and strategies of remembering people’s names so that they are able to use names in future conversations. The final activity will be a simulation of real life scenarios where students will have to either remember and use a stranger’s name or practice asking for their name, whether they …

Your Words Matter, Sophie Thai

ENGS 15.11: Design and Education

This lesson focuses on helping students understand the profound impact that affirmations and gratitude can have on their mindset and well-being. Applicable for everyone, students are encouraged to take their learnings and practice them in real life, hoping to promote a shift in perspective. Students will be able to recognize the benefits of their words and the way they speak to themselves, and understand how they can make changes in their lifestyle.

In this lesson, students will have a chance to reflect and learn about the science behind affirmations and gratitude while being introduced to strategies used to implement them …

The Relationship Between Autistic Features And Identity Development Processes Among College Students Through An Intersectional Lens, Alejandra Santana

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Research on autistic features and identity development has indicated that autistic traits are positively associated with identity disturbance (Ratner & Berman, 2015). Characteristic attributes of autism, including circumscribed interests and impairments in social relatedness, align with self-rumination and hardships engaging in the components of identity formation (Gotham et al., 2014). Nonetheless, research on this topic remains scarce. The present study analyzed the association between autistic features and identity formation processes while considering sociocultural factors, such as gender conformity and social camouflaging. A sample of college students enrolled in a large metropolitan city (N = 427) was recruited to complete …

Examining The Complex Interplay Of Stress, Social Support, And Drinking Motives On Alcohol Use Behaviors: A Moderated Mediation Model Among College Students, Sabrina Perrin

Dissertations and Theses

College student alcohol use remains a public health concern, yet the psychological and social mechanisms that contribute to high-risk drinking patterns are not fully understood. Guided by the motivational model of alcohol use and stress-buffering theory, this study tested a moderated mediation model to examine how perceived stress, coping motives for drinking, and perceived social support interact to influence alcohol use behaviors. A sample of over 1,100 diverse urban college students completed measures of stress, social support, drinking motives, and four alcohol-related outcomes: binge drinking, frequency of alcoholic drinks consumed, negative drinking consequences, and use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) …

Examining The Social Influences Of Conspiratorial Belief And Endorsement, Phoebe S. Archibald

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether social factors such as the need to belong, fear of negative evaluation, and conformity predict belief in conspiracy theories, and whether political orientation and social media use moderate these relationships. Conspiracy theories play a growing role in shaping public opinion, and identifying the social contributors to such beliefs can help explain why individuals adopt them. Ninety-nine undergraduate students completed surveys measuring conspiracy belief, need to belong, conformity, and fear of negative evaluation, along with questions about political orientation and social media use.

Correlational analyses revealed that all three social variables …

Measuring Personality And Animal Treatment Attitudes With The Pet Scale, Zackery J. Hilton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous research has looked at the association between personality traits and the proclivity, or history, of committing acts that are characterized as animal abuse or animal cruelty. Much research has also found that individuals who exhibit this type of behavior towards animals also tend to exhibit similar behavior towards other individuals, mainly in the form of domestic or child abuse. Previous studies have measured animal abuse using very explicit and extreme criteria, using acts that are without question blatant abuse or torture; however, there is some grey area where many may argue whether certain acts should be considered abuse, which …

Exploring The Link Between Relationship Status And Emotion Regulation Strategy Use, Abigail A. Echols

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Romantic relationships affect many areas of life and are important sources of interpersonal emotion regulation, yet little research has investigated whether relationship status influences emotion regulation strategy use and emotion dysregulation. Considering that the types of emotion regulation strategies individuals use significantly affect their well-being, understanding the link between relationship status and emotion regulation strategy use is important. This study compared single, partnered, and recently separated individuals’ emotion dysregulation and use of eleven intrapersonal and eleven interpersonal emotion regulation strategies in general (i.e., trait) and in a specific situation (i.e., state) through retrospective self-report scales and an autobiographical writing task. …