Social Psychology Commons^™

The Efflorescence Of Apocalypticism (Imminent & Prepping Beliefs): Considering Informational And Motivational Regulatory Mechanisms, James T. Good Mr.

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In the last quarter of the 21st century, apocalyptic beliefs emerged in scholarly and lay representations notably doubling over the last decade. With nearly forty percent of United States citizen reporting this belief, unfulfilled questions arose: What drives discrepancies in beliefs of an imminent end of the world? Additionally, what drives beliefs in the need to prepare for an end of the world? These individual questions were examined together in this study using Construal Level Theory (CLT) and Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) in an attempt to identify how psychological mechanisms are significantly affecting the fluctuations, in these self-reported beliefs. A …

Impact Of Religion On Mental Outcomes Among Racial/Ethnic And Sexual/Gender Minority Individuals, Braden J. Waugh, Michael E. Nielsen

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Marginalized identities (Adams & Miller, 2022) are associated with elevated risks for negative outcomes (Ching et al., 2018; Kayode et al., 2024). Religion has been found to act as a protective and risk factor. Minority Stress Theory (Meyer, 2003) and Intersectionality Theory (Crenshaw, 1991) are used to examine the relationship between identity status and anxiety, prosocial tendencies (PT), and quality of life (QoL). One hundred fifty-two participants were primed with a religious or neutral stimulus, and then answered measures regarding these outcomes (GAD-7, Spitzer et al., 2006; PBIS, Baumsteiger & Siegel, 2019; WHOQOL-BREF, The Whoqol Group, 1998; IFS, Hammer & …

Community Care During Austerity: Mutual Aid And Online Connection Among Disabled Americans, Maeve J. King

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Amidst a mental health epidemic and rising inequality, online communities offer a medium for peer support networks for disabled Americans. Community care, especially in the form of mutual aid, has increased in popularity since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering troubling increases in eugenics-based messaging and disproportionate economic inequality, disabled Americans in particular have leaned into community care. Previous research establishes social media as a hub for resource mobilization and safe space for members of marginalized communities to connect. This research aims to explore the impacts of social, political, and economic unrest on the development of community care and …

The Effect Of Complexity Of Expert Testimony And The Presence Of A Defensive Rebuttal On Jurors' Decisions In Criminal Trials, Shelby E. Madden

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Forensic science plays a critical role in criminal trials, yet forensic techniques vary in their reliability. Expert testimony, often held in high regard by jurors, can be a decisive factor in verdicts, but its influence is complicated by factors such as technical complexity, adversarial bias, and heuristic processing. The present study examined how the complexity of prosecution expert testimony and the presence of a defensive rebuttal influenced jurors’ decisions when presented with faulty forensic evidence. Participants (N = 142) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2 (testimony complexity: high v. low) x 2 (defensive rebuttal …

Emotion Regulation: The Effectiveness Of Reappraisal And Potential Benefit Of Music, Ezra J. Greidinger

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Literature has supported potential benefits to cognitive reappraisal as a method of emotion regulation, as well as intentional music usage as an enhancer of these effects. It has been suggested that instruction be provided to individuals to use these methods, especially in highly stressed populations (Sakka et al., 2018). However, there has not been an experimental study to follow up on these claims. When instruction is provided, is cognitive reappraisal more effective than naturally developed habits in regulating anxiety, and would music enhance these effects? College students (N = 170) were randomly assigned to three treatment conditions: control, cognitive reappraisal, …

Paradox Mindset In Working Parenthood: Linking Dual-Role Enrichment To Pursuit, Success, And Satisfaction, Tengjiao Huang, Xiaoyu Dai, Chi-Ying Cheng, Angela Leung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Managing the simultaneous demands of career and parenthood often generates tensions—particularly for women, who have historically been expected to take primary responsibility for caregiving. These gendered expectations persist, even as men increasingly express a desire to engage more actively in caregiving while maintaining their professional roles. Drawing on paradox mindset theory and work-family enrichment literature, this research investigated whether a paradox mindset—a cognitive tendency to embrace and value tensions—is positively associated with an aspiration for enrichment between work and parenting roles. In turn, this aspiration is hypothesized to predict intentions and outcomes related to dual-role pursuit. Three cross-sectional survey studies …

Exploring Relational Leadership And Psychological Safety During Ai Integration In The Workplace, Solmaz Kaynama

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explores employee psychological safety, or its lack, during artificial intelligence (AI) integration in the workplace through a relational leadership lens. The population included employees of for-profit business corporations currently integrating or adopting AI technologies (N = 14). Participants completed in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Results showed eight themes: relational leadership creates a psychologically safe workplace climate; unsupportive and dysfunctional leadership erodes trust and psychological safety; psychological safety determines whether employees speak up openly or hold back; employees’ experience daily work through workplace culture, pace, and remote or hybrid conditions; AI may delivers immediate productivity benefits while introducing new psychological and …

A Qualitative Study Of Existential Paralysis As A Pathway To Meaning And Purpose Among Generation Z, Oksana V. Panchenko

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the lived experiences of emerging adults from Generation Z (N = 26) with a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis. Data was collected with an online survey and open ended prompts. Twelve themes were identified as part of data analysis: (1) Feeling Lost, Immobilized, Isolated and Overthinking, (2) Feeling Depressed and Experiencing Identity Erosion and Functional Disruption, (3) Anxiety, the Struggle for Authentic Connection, and Fear About the Future, (4) Social Media, Comparison, and Fear of Missing Out, (5) Cultural and Sociopolitical Pressures on Self-Expression, (6) Ambiguous Loss and Disconnection in Social Presence, (7) Social Skills, Self-Confidence, and Adaptation …

“Do We Play By The Same Rules?”: Exploring The Involvement Of The Magic Circle In Navigating Relationships In Popular Multiplayer Video Games, Nathan Toshihiro A. Villanueva, Julianne Margaret M. Lao, Thea Juliana Alvarez Jocom, Liezl R. Astudillo

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

Just like leveling up in a game, dating has transcended the physical world into the realm of multiplayer games where individuals are able to communicate and interact with one another within the virtual third space, the magic circle–the boundary that separates life from play. Within these immersive environments, players create shared experiences that often extend beyond the screen, blurring the line between in-game interactions and real-life emotions. This blurring can lead to emotional spillovers and identity challenges as players navigate the complexities of digital intimacy in world and relationship formation. To define the fluidity of the magic circle, the study …

Laughter In Adversity: Exploring The Meaning, Motivations, And Social Uses Of Dark Humor Among Filipino College Students, Jermilen S. Murillo, Criztine A. Capin, Monica R. Mesa, Robyn Nicole A. Torres, Chrizelle M. Villanueva

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

This study explores how Filipino Generation Z college students in Metro Manila utilize dark humor as a coping mechanism for stress management, mental health resilience, and navigating social dynamics. Drawing on a descriptive phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews with nine students aged 21 to 23 years old revealed that dark humor operates as both an emotional outlet and a cultural expression rooted in Filipino values. Themes showed that its use is mindful and context-sensitive, shaped by pakikiramdam (emotional sensitivity) and pakikipagkapwa (relational empathy), allowing participants to reframe grief, ease emotional burdens, and build intimacy within trusted circles. These practices reflect pantawang …

Hanggang Kaibigan Lang, Hindi Kailanman Kasintahan: A Descriptive Phenomenological Approach On The Unrequited Feelings Within Cross-Sex Friendships Leading To Friendzone, Shekinah Mizpah P. Alutaya, Jm Cassandra M. Cammayo, John Kyle C. Mendoza, Liezl Rillera-Astudillo

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

This study examined the long-term emotional and relational consequences of being "friend-zoned" by a cross-sex best friend among Filipino young adults. Nine participants aged 18–35 met the inclusion criteria of having experienced unreciprocated romantic interest toward a cross-sex best friend; “best friend” was operationalized by relationship duration, mutual emotional disclosure, frequent contact, and self-identification as best friends, situating the inquiry within the Philippine cultural context. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews that were analyzed using Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method, bracketing, to articulate the essential structure of the experience, with reflexive memo writing and an audit trail to support rigor. …

Decoding The Girl Code: Exploring The Unwritten Norms In Female Adolescent Friendships, Lindsay Angela F. Azura, Annica Mariz G. Ilagan, Krystine Jean O. Obia, Natalie Allyana P. Talplacido, Stella P. Go

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

The girl code refers to a set of unspoken social rules that shape how adolescent girls form, maintain, and navigate close female friendships. These unwritten norms influence how they provide support, handle emotional challenges, and navigate moral decisions. Despite its significant impact on female adolescent relationships, research on the girl code, especially within the Philippine context, remains limited. This qualitative exploratory study examines how the girl code operates among cisgender Filipino adolescent girls, focusing on its key aspects, underlying values, development, enforcement, and consequences. Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among close-knit female friendship groups of senior high school …

Opening Paths: Subjective And Professional Trajectories In Psychosocial Intervention For Victims Of The Armed Conflict In Colombia, Edwin Alexander Hernandez Zapata, Diana Vanessa Vivares Porras, Juan David Soto-Fadul

The Qualitative Report

In this study, we analyzed the affective experiences and labor subjectivation processes of community psychologists working in intervention programs implemented by state institutions in Colombia for victims of the armed conflict, a conflict that remains ongoing in various regions of the country. By labor subjectivation processes, we refer (drawing on Foucault) to the ways in which individuals come to relate to themselves and to others through the norms, discourses, and practices that shape their roles within a given historical and institutional context—in this case, the field of psychosocial labor. To conduct this research, we used discourse analysis and semi-structured interviews …

Women's Social Roles And Alcohol Use Among Military-Connected Spouses, Sheila Kathleen Mccabe Nickerson

Dissertations and Theses

Increases in women's alcohol use are an intensifying public health problem in the United States, contributing to a hidden epidemic of alcohol-related mortality. Women's alcohol consumption is often not openly discussed or recognized due to social stigma, the perception that women drink less than men, and the fact that women can experience negative health consequences from lower levels of alcohol consumption (relative to men), making the issue less visible than it actually is. A range of factors potentially influence women's drinking, including social roles (i.e., mother); yet, the literature is varied as to whether the combination of multiple-role demands/expectations fosters …

What Is The Most Important Issue In Indonesia’S Political Belief System? Network Analysis Of Attitude And Voting Behavior In 2014 And 2019, Khaerullah Fadhli Arasy Hasan, Whinda Yustisia, Mirra Noor Milla, Mark Brandt

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Previous research has shown that attitudes toward political issues have a significant influence on voting behavior (Bukari et al., 2022). However, not all issues exert equal influence, and some may have a more direct impact on voting behavior than others. This study applies network analysis within the framework of the PBS model (Brandt & Sleegers, 2021) to explore the issues that most strongly shaped voters’ choices in Indonesia’s 2014 and 2019 elections. To answer the research question, we used data from a national survey (n = 962) conducted in 2018. The analysis was conducted by evaluating the shortest path values …

Green Nudging: Psychology Facilitates Environmental Protection And Climate Policy, Fuming Xu, Anning Liu, Xinjing Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Environmental pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and global warming are the major realities threatening all mankind today, urging all countries in the world to take immediate actions to protect the environment, save energy, reduce emissions, and curb global warming. In practice, it is difficult to completely solve these urgent problems by relying only on laws and regulations, administrative orders and other coercive means, as well as incentives such as monetary incentives. Hence, it is necessary to use the results of relevant research in psychology and behavioral sciences to facilitate environmental protection, energy conservation, and climate policy, and to play an important …

The Cost Of Getting To “No”: Cultural Evolution Of Community Psychology In Two Indiana Communities, Catherine Cullen, Megan Peek

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Creating A Radical Social Change Campaign To Restore Rational Thinking: A Theoretical Framework, John S. Long

Student Theses and Dissertations

Rational thinking is a skill and mindset that is under siege in modern society, becoming increasingly endangered as we devolve into increasingly hyper-partisan communities rife with echo chambers and confirmation biases. The most basic processes of analyzing issues and facts to develop clearly thought-out and defendable positions have been abandoned in favor of a zealous devotion to toe the party line, no matter the evidence or implications. What we are witnessing firsthand is the fast-approaching culmination of the post-truth era.

One might assume that an issue with such far-reaching implications across our entire society would generate a significant amount of …

“In A Relationship”: Can Ai Take The Place Of A Human Relationship?, Hannah Smith

Student Scholar Symposium

This research explores the impact of AI on adolescent development, specifically focusing on how large-language models (LLMs) influence the way adolescents approach and value human connections. While AI can offer some benefits, it cannot fully replace the essential elements of human relationships, such as empathy, creativity, and emotional understanding, which are fundamental to a fulfilled life.

Exploring The Impact Of Inpatient Mental Health Care On Adolescents, Alexandria M. Mckahan

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Adolescent psychiatric hospitalizations continue to rise, yet there is limited research on which daily practices inside inpatient units genuinely support engagement and recovery. This project examined how structure, staff tone, and therapeutic programming influence adolescents’ participation and emotional stability within a real inpatient setting. The study focused on three questions: how structured routines affect recovery, what challenges staff face when supporting adolescents with complex needs, and how adolescents’ engagement patterns reflect their perception of care. Using a mixed-methods case study at Mesa Springs Behavioral Health Hospital, I conducted approximately twenty field observations, semi-structured staff interviews, and descriptive engagement tracking across …