Other Psychology Commons^™

Social Media Usage And Motives In Socially Anxious Individuals, Emma Eddy

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social media use (SMU) has grown rapidly in recent years, alongside the rate of social anxiety. Plenty of research has been previously conducted exploring the relationship between SMU and social anxiety, as well as potential motivations for using social media which may explain the recent incline in usage. However, this study combines the two relationships together to test the association between social anxiety and problematic SMU as well as to investigate motives of SMU as potential mediators of problematic SMU. Problematic social media usage, social anxiety, passive vs active SMU, and four different motives of SMU were all looked at. …

Targeting The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation To Improve Depression And Anxiety In Parkinson’S Disease, Brock Renicks

Poster Presentations

Around 40% of people with Parkinson’s Disease experience depression and anxiety (Zhao et al, 2025). Depression and Anxiety have been said to be localized to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brunoni et al, 2016). Transcranial Direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to modulate depression and anxiety by targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Sreeraj et al, 2023). It is beneficial due to its cost, portability, and simplicity of use. Thus we will be assessing the efficacy of tDCS in reducing depression and anxiety in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.

Expressive Suppression Within Male Blue-Collar Coloradans, Kelsi C. Smits

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Blue-collar workers are a population that impacts nearly everyone who interacts with modern infrastructure.  Although they are crucial to modern life they are a population that is not widely researched or understood. This study aims to gain a more robust understanding of blue-collar workers by investigating male blue-collar workers in Colorado. This study will investigate how male blue-collar workers regulate their emotions. Emotional regulation will be measured using the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire. It is hypothesized that male blue-collar workers within Colorado will show that emotional suppression is a used emotional regulation tactic. It is essential to understand this because emotional …

What Are The Roles Of Vocabulary And Working Memory In Metaphor Comprehension?, Claire Simpson

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

One of the most notable factors that influence sentence comprehension is the presence of metaphors (e.g., Inhoff, Lima, & Carroll, 1984). The metaphor interference effect (MIE) is a very interesting result of metaphor comprehension. It is a well-known linguistic effect (e.g., Al- Azary et al., 2021; Glucksberg et al, 1982) that can result in participants taking longer to determine that a metaphoric statement is false compared to other non-metaphoric literally false statements. The present study investigated the impact that vocabulary knowledge, working memory capacity, and memory load have on the metaphor interference effect. We predicted that each of these characteristics …

Leading The Choreography: Preserving Creative Agency In Ai-Supported Problem-Solving, Mikhaila Ackerbauer

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly present in creative and problem-solving contexts, a critical question emerges: how can users engage with AI in ways that preserve rather than erode their own creative capacity? This project explores that question through research synthesis, practitioner conversations, coursework, international conference presentations, and the development of custom AI chatbots trained in the Creative Problem-Solving process. The central finding is a theoretical triangle comprising three interdependent capacities: autonomy, creative self-efficacy, and critical thinking. Grounded in Rhodes' (1961) Four P's framework, the triangle sits within the Person dimension. Convergent themes across the literature, practitioner conversations, and direct …

Evaluating The Psychometric Validity Of Science Curiosity, Brooke Simila

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

As political polarization and mass distrust in scientific consensus increases, psychologists have sought to understand individual differences that contribute to polarized political and scientific reasoning. One emerging concept in this area is science curiosity (SC), the disposition to seek and engage with scientific information for personal gratification (Kahan et al., 2017). A handful of studies have identified SC as an offsetting variable in politically motivated reasoning (Motta et al., 2021). However, the psychometric structure of SC remains underexplored; it is unclear whether SC represents a distinctive, unidimensional disposition or merely a manifestation of general curiosity traits. The purpose of this …

Narcissism And Eyewitness Identification, Haley M. Hearn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

According to the Innocence Project, 69% of individuals exonerated by DNA evidence were initially found guilty due to an eyewitness misidentification (Innocence Project, n.d.-a). A way that investigators attempt to prevent misidentification is by assessing how confident eyewitnesses are in their identifications. There is a large body of research suggesting that these confidence estimates can, in many instances, operate as reliable barometers of accuracy. However, what if an eyewitness is overconfident? Narcissism is a personality trait characterized by overconfidence. If a narcissistic eyewitness reports confidence in their identification of a suspect, should this report be trusted? Two studies were conducted …

Big Feelings, Fast Decisions: Emotion Regulation As A Moderator Of Impulsivity In Binge And Emotional Eating, Emma G. Folk

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Emotion-driven impulsivity and difficulties with emotion regulation are both associated with maladaptive eating behaviors, including binge eating and emotional eating. However, it remains unclear whether broader emotion regulation difficulties intensify the influence of impulsive responses to emotional states on these behaviors. This study examined whether emotion dysregulation moderates the relationship between emotion-driven impulsivity and maladaptive eating behaviors. Participants were 266 adults (ages 18–65) who completed measures of impulsivity, emotion regulation difficulties, binge eating, and emotional eating. Moderation analyses were conducted using PROCESS in SPSS, controlling for body mass index (BMI) and gender. Negative and positive urgency were significantly associated with …

“Everybody's So Punk On The Internet:” What Online Discourse On Taylor Swift’S Life Of A Showgirl Tells Us About Social Movements, Media, And Activism, Kaela Joseph, Tanya Cook

The Manuscript: Journal of Taylor Swift Studies

Taylor Swift’s twelfth album (TS12), Life of a Showgirl, broke multiple records in charting and sales (Sisario), however, early online discourse focused less on the album’s commercial success and more on Swift herself as a public figure in the current sociopolitical landscape. While some critiques were typical, discursive of Swift’s lyricism and composition, as well as the expectations set by Swift’s marketing of the album, others questioned what the album says about Swift’s sociopolitical positionality. More specifically, discourse questioned how the album contributes to, or detracts from, Swift’s role as a starticipant; a celebrity who contributes to the success …

A Trauma Psychology Approach To Space Psychology And Long-Duration Space Travel In Consideration Of Isolation, Resource Scarcity, And Group Dynamics., Alden Nicoll

Honors Projects

As modern societies research and prepare for long-duration deep space travel, psychological research becomes increasingly prevalent into understanding the effects of trauma on the psyche. This present study looks at the current research outcomes of “Team Dynamics”, “Social Isolation”, and “Resource Scarcity” within the literature of Space Psychology. Current research on social isolation is taken from past missions in outer space and analog missions in Antarctica, at sea, and prison research. While research is vast on social isolation, it doesn’t consider how trauma could be intensified with both time and duration in space. Next, when considering team dynamics and how …

Attitudes Toward Menstruation In Transgender/Nonbinary Menstruators, Destiny J. Pacchelli

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the unique experiences and attitudes that transgender and/or nonbinary (TNB) menstruators have related to menstruation. Participants (n = 103) were 19 to 60-year-old Americans who identified as TNB and have menstruated, and whose primary language is English. They were recruited through Prolific and asked to describe their first period and how their gender identity influenced their feelings toward menstruation. Additionally, participants responded to quantitative questions related to menstrual symptoms, attitudes, beliefs, and emotions, body image, well-being, and demographic questions to determine family culture at childhood and now. TNB menstruators reported …

Who Will Grow Our Food In The Future? Factors Influencing A-State Agricultural Student’S Intentions To Enter Production Agriculture, Kamana Kafle

Create@State

The future of agriculture depends on what motivates today’s student to pursue careers in production agriculture. This study identifies key drivers of career intention among College of Agricultural students at A-State using an extended Theory of Planned Behavior framework. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The model explained a substantial 74.2% of the variance in agricultural career intention. Results revealed that Career Planning was the strongest positive predictor, followed by Attitude Towards Agriculture and Perceived Value. Interestingly, factors such as Perceived Behavioral Control, Subjective Norms, and access to Facilities …

Utilizing Dungeons And Dragons With Expressive Arts Therapy To Analyze Sense Of Connection Socially And To The Self: A Literature Review And Autoethnography, Neve N. Johnson

Expressive Therapies Theses

This expressive arts-based autoethnography explores the use of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) as a tool in expressive arts therapy to foster self-expression and connection to oneself and others. Research on the use of TTRPGs as a viable therapeutic medium is in its early stages, particularly for the widely-renowned fantasy TTRPG Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). Geek Therapy, a therapy surrounding “geek culture” and affinities, emerged in 2011 and began research questioning if such affinities as costume play, anime, video games, or TTRPGs could be tools for self-expression in therapy. This has led to a range of current literature on the therapeutic …

A Proposal To Examine Naturally Occurring Mindfulness And Correctional Officer Stress And Burnout, Anthony M. Nasrallah

Undergraduate Theses

Correctional officers (COs) work in institutions characterized by high interpersonal demand, safety risk, and organizational complexity; as a result, they experience elevated rates of occupational stress, burnout, and mental-health disorders relative to the general workforce. At the same time, research in allied helping professions demonstrates that mindfulness and related contemplative practices can reduce stress and improve emotion regulation and well-being. However, little is known about whether COs’ own, pre-existing informal mindfulness practices are associated with lower on-the-job stress or burnout rather than formal training courses. This review integrates findings from qualitative studies, quantitative analyses, and systematic reviews to show what …

The Efficacy Of Informal Mindfulness Practices Towards Enhancing Psychological Well-Being And Life Satisfaction Among College Students, Carol Patrick, Tianhui Xie

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

US college students face psychological challenges from academic pressure and social demands. Informal mindfulness practices may help reduce stress and improve mental well-being. Previous studies have looked at informal contemplative practices in daily life. However, none have studied skincare as a mindfulness practice. This study investigates whether incorporating informal mindfulness into skincare routines can enhance well-being, life satisfaction, and mindfulness in US college students.

Over a 14-day experimental period, approximately 150 participants were assigned to one of the three groups: a mindful skincare group, a descriptive skincare group, or a no-intervention group. The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the PERMA …

Defining The Meta-Story Of Heroism Science: Initiation, Formation, And Governance In An Emerging Discipline, Peter Bray

Heroism Science

This article traces the meta-story of the journal Heroism Science across Volumes 1–10 by treating the publication record as a living narrative of field formation. Using an eight-dimension decoding framework (D1–D8), it argues that the journal’s development is best understood as a braided trajectory in which methodological maturation and theoretical maturation co-evolve. Special issues function as turning points: downside dynamics, whistleblowing, and heroic screens formalize consequence sensitivity and contestation, while later conference and legacy issues consolidate pluralism and reflexive ethics. The article contributes (a) an explicit coding and audit method for reading a journal as a field-forming narrative and (b) …

The Role Of Religiosity In Moderating The Relationship Between Social Media-Induced Upward Social Comparison And State Self-Esteem, Cade Matthias Swearingen, Cindy Miller-Perrin, Elizabeth Mancuso

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

The purpose of this study was to examine whether religiosity was a moderator in the relationship between social media induced upward social comparison and state self-esteem. Festinger’s social comparison theory suggests that upward social comparison negatively impacts self-esteem due to comparing oneself to someone perceived as better. It was hypothesized that individuals experiencing an upward social comparison social media condition would experience greater decreases in state self-esteem than individuals experiencing a lateral social comparison social media condition, and this effect would be moderated by strength of religious faith, such that stronger religious faith would be associated with less decreases in …

Disgust Sensitivity And Orderliness, Ari Rad

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This literature review serves as a map for understanding the relation between disgust sensitivity and trait orderliness, with a focus on a cybernetic framework to conceptualize the emotion of disgust as an evolutionary system. It adopts a systematic approach that begins with the evolutionary foundations and basic definitions of disgust as an emotion, trait orderliness, and, lastly, the process by which these traits could be pathologized. The pathologization is explained within the hypothesized cybernetic system (the Cybernetic Disgust-Orderliness Hypothesis) with the goal of demonstrating the interdependency of trait orderliness and the emotion of disgust. The body of research regarding the …

Relational Victimization And Student Dropout Intentions: Examining The Impact Of Trauma And The Buffering Role Of Friend Support, Makaila Belk

Honors Theses

Universities prioritize strategies that improve student success, with graduation rates serving as a key indicator of institutional effectiveness (Kinzie & Kuh, 2017; York et al., 2015). Considering this, we examined peer relational victimization, an interpersonal stressor involving exclusion and reputational harm (Casper et al., 2020; You & Bellmore, 2012), as a predictor of dropout intention. Using archival data collected from undergraduate volunteers recruited from the University of Southern Mississippi (N = 291), we tested a moderated mediation model. We predicted that trauma-like symptoms would partially mediate the relationship between peer relational victimization and dropout intention and that perceived social …

Extending The Job Demands-Resource Model In Classified Work Environments: A Longitudinal Analysis Of Job Demands, Resources, Job Satisfaction, And Retention Among Engineers, Gregory Gooden

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model is a widely used framework for understanding how work conditions influence employee attitudes and retention-related outcomes. However, empirical evidence testing JD-R dynamics in classified technical work environments remains limited, particularly using longitudinal designs that account for structural constraints, nonrandom participation, and outcome-specific measurement challenges. Classified work is characterized by persistent demands, restricted flexibility, and security-driven limitations on available resources, raising questions about whether and how JD-R processes generalize to this context.

This study examines whether job demands and job resources predict subsequent job satisfaction and retention intent in a classified technical workforce using multi-wave longitudinal …