Social Psychology Commons^™

Colorism Among Black Youth In The United States: An Examination Of Impacts On Education, Jasmine Major, Teneeshia R. Johnson, Antoinette Wilson, Stacie Defreitas

Psychology from the Margins

Black students with darker complexions experience a disproportionate application of exclusionary practices within educational settings (Crutchfield et al., 2022). This review seeks to highlight colorism’s impact on the Black community in the education system through examining the historical context of colorism, the connection between colorism and racism, and how colorism is manifested and perpetuated in contemporary society in the United States. “Antiblackness” is an enduring trait of the United States that has rooted and fixed itself to its school structures (Coles & Powell, 2019). Schools are inherently political in that they adhere to and perpetuate the dominant ideologies of society …

History Untold: A Historical Review Of Psychological Harm Of Racialized Minorities, Coralann M. Garcia, Kyana D. Hamilton

Psychology from the Margins

The legacy of social sciences is riddled with examples of harm toward racial minorities. Since its inception, the field of psychology has enforced power imbalances between researchers and research participants (APA, 2021a). Due to this imbalance, there have been violations of human dignity by psychological researchers from disciplines including social, clinical, cognitive, and counseling psychology (Winston, 2020). As the field of psychology continues to expand, it is necessary to redress the harmful legacies of psychological practices hindering help-seeking behaviors for many minoritized groups. As future practitioners and researchers, we recognize the instrumental role of past and current psychologists in shaping …

From We To Me: Moving Towards An Examination Of Self Identity In An Online, Global, Collaborative, Learning Environment, Danielle P. Espino, Eric Hamilton, Kristina Lux, Seung B. Lee

Education Division Scholarship

This paper reflects on previous work using QE to examine patterns of discourse of adolescent learners in a virtual, global, collaborative informal learning setting. The collective impact of involvement in the project on participants’ experiences was observed in various reflective interviews over the last five years. The deep reflection of this work resulted in a research shift from the general impact on the participants to a shift towards examining how such experiences shape self-identity, such as recognizing identity congruence, relational self, and overcoming negative identity fostered by master narrative frameworks. An initial examination of pre-assessment interviews indicates that younger students …

Guilty As Charged: The Role Of Judge Instructions On Metaphor Produced Biases In Jury Decision Making, Gina N. Rita

Master's Theses

In this study, we hope to determine if the placement of judge instructions mitigates our previous study’s effect of metaphors on memory and verdict decisions. Our previous study showed in the metaphor condition, participants were more likely to vote guilty and remember more metaphor-related evidence compared to those in the control group. In addition to replicating the previous study’s results, we hypothesize judge instructions stated at the beginning of the trial will have little influence on the metaphor effects, and judge instructions at the end of the trial will weaken these effects. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of …

Outbreak Communication: Exploring The Relationships Between Health Information Seeking Behaviors, Vested Interests, And Covid-19 Knowledge In U.S. Midwest Populations, Alicia Mason, Josh Compton, Elizabeth Spencer, Kaitlin Barnett

Faculty Submissions

On February 15, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director, General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated at a Munich Security Conference, “We’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic,” (Zarocostas, 2020, p. 676). The term ‘infodemic’ refers to the onslaught of both accurate and inaccurate health information surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of an ‘infodemic’ was quickly integrated into mass media, popular culture (i.e., documentaries, podcasts), and eventually scholarly literature. In response to COVID-19, health communication scholars have centered on understanding specific messaging strategies such as the use of fear appeals (Stolow et al., 2020), nature of advertising …

Diagnosed By Dr. Hollywood: The Media’S On-Screen Depictions Of Mental Illness & Scripting The Public’S Perceptions, Grace Salloum

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In this study, the primary goal is to observe how media portrayals of mental illnesses can influence society’s perceptions of mental illness, notably when an individual’s knowledge largely hinges on these portrayals. Stigmas shape the attitudes of others towards individuals with mental illnesses. Stigmas refer to the devaluing of attributes rejected by society, and are characterized by status loss, stereotyping, and discrimination. They are sustained through framing effects and attribution. Framing is often used in the media’s presentation of mental health to sensationalize the experience or to generate alarm toward the afflicted. This study includes an analysis of movies and …

Analyzing Stress Levels Of Volunteers Hand-Rearing Juvenile Spectacled Flying Foxes (Pteropus Conspicillatus) At The Tolga Bat Hospital, North Queensland, Australia, Olivia Knight

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study, conducted at the Tolga Bat Hospital in North Queensland, Australia, focuses on analyzing the stress levels of volunteers hand-rearing juvenile spectacled flying foxes (Pteropus conspicillatus). Given the endangered status of this species and the intensive care required for their rehabilitation, the research aimed to understand the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of the volunteers engaged in this demanding conservation work. The study was conducted over a five-day period during the peak pupping season in November 2023, utilizing self-administered questionnaires to assess the well-being and stress levels of volunteers both before and after their nursing sessions. The participants, primarily …

When One's Partner Wants Out: Awareness, Attachment Anxiety And Accuracy, Kenneth Tan, Laura V. Machia, Christopher R. Agnew

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Can a person tell whether their romantic partner wants to break up and, if so, how is such accuracy associated with their own attachment anxiety? We examined these questions by proposing and assessing the construct of perceived partner dissolution consideration (PPDC), including its validity. We then assessed the extent to which partners were accurate in their perceptions of each other's dissolution consideration, focusing on the perceiver's attachment anxiety as a potential moderator. Specifically, in two studies involving couples, dyadic analyses of couple data showed that couple members significantly underestimated (negative mean-level bias) partner dissolution consideration and also projected their own …

Beneath The Surface: An Investigation Into The Relation Between Power, Dehumanization, And Objectification In And Initial Social Interaction, Lillian Hefner

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Objectification theory suggests that women are disproportionately affected by objectification leading them to experience more negative health outcomes such as depression and eating disorders. Further research on objectification and synthesis of leading theories in the area suggest that power may be one factor likely to predict the objectification and dehumanization of women. One important dimension of this objectification and dehumanization is the environment in which it occurs. Few studies examine a social/dating context as the current study does. We expected the men in the study who felt a stronger sense of power during the interaction would exhibit more objectification of …

Sense Of Control Mediates The Relation Between Discrimination And Executive Functions In Middle-Aged And Older Adults: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach, Wee Qin Ng, Gilaine Rui Ng, Hwajin Yang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Background Despite previous findings of a negative association between everyday discrimination and executive functions (EF) - a set of domain-general cognitive control processes - in middle-aged and older adults, less is known about the underlying mechanism. Thus, we focused on sense on control and its two facets - perceived constraints and personal mastery - as potential psychosocial mediators of this relation. Methods By analyzing a nationally representative adult cohort from the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) 2 study, we examined two mediational models: a single mediation model with sense of control and a parallel mediation model with perceived …

Relationship Between Contentment And Working Memory Capacity: Experimental And Naturalistic Evidence, Khai Qing Chua, Rachel Ng, Clarissa L. Q. Sung, Andree Hartanto, Vincent Y. S. Oh, Eddie M. W. Tong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Contentment is a positive emotion characterized by perceived goal attainment, a sense of having or being enough, and a focus on the present. Research on this new construct is thin, and no studies have examined its cognitive properties, particularly whether it facilitates or impairs controlled cognitive processes. We hypothesize that contentment positively predicts working memory. We found support for this hypothesis in two experimental studies (Studies 1 and 2) which showed that induced contentment improved working memory in the operation span task, and in one non-experimental study (Study 3) which showed that measured contentment positively correlated with working memory on …

Social Anhedonia, Communication And Marital Satisfaction In Newlywed Couples, Kenneth Tan, Amber M. Jarnecke, Susan C. South

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Objective: Social anhedonia is associated with disinterest in social interactions and poor relationship functioning, yet little is known about the specific mechanisms underlying associations between social anhedonia and romantic relationship behaviors and satisfaction. We examined the links between social anhedonia, perceptions of conflict communication patterns, and marital satisfaction. Method: The current research examined the role of social anhedonia on marital quality and functioning longitudinally across a year in a sample of 100 newlywed couples using an actor-partner interdependence framework. Results: Social anhedonia was negatively associated with own and partner's marital satisfaction. It was also negatively associated with constructive communication and …

Third-Party Reactions To Performance Feedback, Daroon Mohammed Jalil

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Although the provision of feedback has traditionally been treated as a dyadic event, I argue for the existence of a neglected third-party - the witness. Drawing from the dual process model of vicarious mistreatment and feedback intervention theory, I hypothesize that 1) third parties experience negative [positive] affect when witnessing an unjust [just] feedback event, 2) negative [positive] affect is stronger when feedback cues are self-referenced [task-referenced], and 3) negative [positive] affect is related to a subsequent decrease [increase] in feedback seeking intentions. Results from a 2x2 between-subjects experiment with 470 participants provide partial support for the hypotheses. Third-parties experienced …

Stress-Reduction From Positive Support: Impacts Of Receiving Partner Capitalization Support On Veteran Stress/Work Stress, Maryann Dona Samson

Dissertations and Theses

Prolonged stress, a pervasive experience in the United States, has been linked to numerous adverse outcomes. The workplace commonly operates as a source of chronic stressors, in fact 25% of Americans find their job is the most stressful part of life. This tendency is particularly true for military veterans, who reliably experience elevated stress and burnout and low job satisfaction. Inspired by the pervasiveness and seriousness of the chronic stress issue, the current study addresses chronic stress in a veteran sample by examining the stress-protecting effects of social support. Whereas social support has traditionally been conceptualized as providing aid when …

The Resilient Families Project @ Wayside’S Hotel Louisville: Strategies For Building Resilience, Mindfulness & Happiness In At-Risk Adults, Lexi N. Frederick, Hannah Parker, Angela Ely, Lora Haynes

The Cardinal Edge

The Resilient Families Project (RFP) provides educational experiences to strengthen evidence-based habits of resilience, mindfulness, and happiness in at-risk individuals. RFP holds programs for adults facing homelessness and women in drug/alcohol recovery who are housed by Wayside Christian Mission in their Emergency Shelter or Hotel Louisville.

RFP programs work to promote healthy attachment relations, a sense of belonging/purpose, and interactive reading, and children’s storybooks serve as the foundation for designing programs. The book “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse'' was reviewed through content analysis to emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as RFP Core Ideas. Thanks …

A Longitudinal Study Of Covid Stressors And Wellbeing Outcomes : The Role Of Global Meaning Violation, Mindfulness, Meaning Making, And Meaning Made, David Kansakar

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

This longitudinal study explores the hitherto untested role of global meaning violation (GMV) in the longitudinal wellbeing and distress outcomes during the pandemic. It also tests if mindfulness buffers the effect of Covid stress (CS) on GMV. Further, as implored by Park (2021), the potential for meaning making processes to help in longitudinal positive adaptation to CS via meanings made is explored. Using the meaning making model (Park, 2010) it is proposed that CS will be positively related to GMV and mindfulness will moderate this relationship. Further, GMV will predict wellbeing and distress longitudinally. GMV will also trigger the meaning …

If You Don’T Live By The Sea, You Won’T Talk About Sailing: An Interpretative Phenomenological Approach Of The Polish Immigrant Experience In Chicago And The Acculturation Of Racial Beliefs, Monica Zabinski

Dissertations

There has been a steady increase in research and focus on defining and understanding racism and the role it plays in the ongoing inequality and inequity between individuals of White descent and individuals who are Black, indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC). However, little research has focused on what changes with racial beliefs when individuals immigrate between various countries where racism, discrimination, and racial beliefs may appear differently. Our objective was to increase our understanding of how the acculturation process may impact or change racial beliefs over time. Our research sought participants of Polish descent in the Chicagoland area and …

Investigating The Link Between Iadl And Depressive Symptoms In Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Serial Mediation Model, Wee Qin Ng, Hwajin Yang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Objectives: There is a dearth of research on the psychological processes that underlie the negative relation between impaired instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and depressive symptoms in older adults. Drawing on the stress process model and the resilience framework, we investigated whether purpose in life and resilience serially mediate the relationship between impaired IADL and depressive symptoms.Methods: We recruited 111 cognitively healthy community-dwelling older adults (ages 54-85; M = 66.5) who scored a minimum of 25 points on the Mini-Mental State Examination.Results: We found that purpose in life and resilience serially mediated the relationship between IADL and depressive symptomatology …

Not Getting Laid: Consumer Acceptance Of Precision Fermentation Made Egg, Oscar Z. Thomas, Mark Chong, Angela K. Y. Leung, Tricia M. Fernandex, Shu Tian Ng

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Mounting concern over the negative externalities of industrialized animal agriculture, coupled with falling cost curves of novel food technologies have birthed the field of cellular agriculture: a new category of food technology seeking to reproduce the sensory experiences of animal protein, and promising a cleaner, more ethical way of enjoying animal proteins. This research examines consumer acceptance of precision fermentation (PF) made egg products in Germany, Singapore, and the USA. Using an online survey of 3,006 participants, the study examines demographic and dietary traits that predict willingness to try such products and identifies the reasons why consumers are most attracted …

How Smoking Became A Moral Issue: A Complex Systems Perspective On Moralization, Matthew Vanaman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

When something is morally wrong, it is in the moral domain; when something becomes morally wrong, it is moralized. But how do we know when something is in the moral domain, and how can we tell whether something is becoming moralized? The empirical study of morality, or a given person’s judgment of what constitutes moral virtue or vice, has historically approached these questions through one of three theoretical perspectives: cognitivism, which argues that people primarily or mostly use effortful thought to judge right from wrong; emotivism, which sees these judgments as flowing from emotion; and dual-process models, which …