Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: T. Manson
The importance of extrinsic and intrinsic facets to job satisfaction in two occupations
The current study examined which individual facets of job satisfaction correlated more highly with overall job satisfaction in two different jobs, full-time faculty and staff members at an institution of higher education. Intrinsic (e.g., nature of work) and extrinsic (e.g., pay, co-workers) facets of job satisfaction were measured. Forty-eight faculty and 44 staff members at a small, rural, Liberal Arts College participated. The participants completed the Job Satisfaction Survey, which measured nine facets of job satisfaction, and an additional survey, developed by the researcher, measuring autonomy and overall job satisfaction. Bivariate correlations were computed for each of the 11 facets. Combined Extrinsic facets correlated more highly with overall job satisfaction in staff, than for faculty. Combined Intrinsic facets correlated with overall job satisfaction about equally in staff and faculty. No significant differences were found across the occupations. The results indicate that faculty place more importance on intrinsic aspects of job satisfaction, while staff place nearly equal importance on both intrinsic and extrinsic aspects.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Sr. Project Advisor: R. Clark
Effects of Punished Responding on Feeding Behavior in PVN Lesioned Rats
A physiological punishment paradigm may exist in the naturally produced satiety signals that occur after sufficient food intake to eliminate continued eating. Stomach and gastric distention following eating may serve as physiological SDs to reduce food intake, thereby making food no longer reinforcing. However, with the overwhelming prevalence of obesity, it perhaps can be concluded that satiety signals no longer control feeding behavior and overeating and weight gain is a result. The current study investigates the effects of punishment on feeding behavior in PVN lesioned rats. Before and after bilateral electrolytic lesions, lever pressing behavior was observed in an alternating schedule of food and shock presentation. Although previous research suggests that PVN lesioned rats make more punished responses for reinforcement, similar results were not found in the present study. Furthermore, the results also contradict other research that suggests when paired with food, shock may actually serve to increase response rates.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: J. Searle-White
Should Children diagnosed with depression be placed on Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors?
This project looked at all available information on childhood depression, and then how it is treated with SSRI’s. It then looked at available information in journal articles and popular books as well as clinical trials to see if SSRI’s should be used to treat children diagnosed with depression.
The Biasing Effects of Pre-trial Publicity on Potential Jurors
This literature review was intended to investigate and report the psychological research that has been conducted in the area of prejudicial pre-trial publicity and the effect it has on potential jurors. The hypothesis of the paper was that despite the legal acknowledgement of, and remedies for, pre-trial publicity still has a biasing effect on potential jurors. Pre-trial publicity was found to work through three different avenues of cognitive psychology: memory formation, emotional bias formation, and schema reinforcement. The literature confirmed the hypothesis and also showed that the various legal remedies for pre-trial publicity effects are ineffective. It was found that further research is needed in the area and suggestions for how future research should proceed were given.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: T. Manson
The Biasing Effects of Pre-trial Publicity on Potential Jurors
This literature review was intended to investigate and report the psychological research that has been conducted in the area of prejudicial pre-trial publicity and the effect it has on potential jurors. The hypothesis of the paper was that despite the legal acknowledgement of, and remedies for, pre-trial publicity still has a biasing effect on potential jurors. Pre-trial publicity was found to work through three different avenues of cognitive psychology: memory formation, emotional bias formation, and schema reinforcement. The literature confirmed the hypothesis and also showed that the various legal remedies for pre-trial publicity effects are ineffective. It was found that further research is needed in the area and suggestions for how future research should proceed were given.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: D. Dickey
Exercise Motivations in Adult, Female Members of Curves: Looking at Perceptions of “Women’s Health”
The purpose of the current study was to perform an investigation into a group of adult female members of Curves and examine the issues or themes that emerged. Participants were asked to identify their initial reasons for choosing Curves and their motivations for adhering to the workout. Using collected data and the application of feminist scholarship, the study strives to illuminate the “women’s health” debate. Results showed that participants initially chose Curves because it offers a 30-minute workout. There was no clear indication that participants were motivated to exercise for one particular reason, or for reasons that fall under wellness or beauty. Instead, results showed that participants exercised for a combination of reasons. This suggests that women are concerned with beauty, but they are also concerned with their physical and psychological health.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: D. Dickey
Academic Self-efficacy and College Students’ Classroom Participation
This study looks at the relationship between academic self-efficacy and the frequency of college student classroom participation. It was hypothesized that students with high academic self-efficacy beliefs would participate more in the classroom than students with low academic self-efficacy beliefs. The participants (n = 254) completed two surveys, the College Academic Self-efficacy Scale (Owen & Froman, 1988) and the Frequency of Classroom Participation Scale. The results found that students who are highly competent in performing school-related behaviors participate more often in the classroom than students who are not as competent. Future research in these areas should look at how students with a low sense of academic self-efficacy can increase their competency beliefs, and contribute more in the college classroom.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: W. DeLamarter
Online Violent Video game Play and Aggression
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between online violent videogame play and aggression. Furthermore, this study investigated the possible effect of the interaction between game outcome and gaming environment on aggression. Thirty-eight male participants completed three questionnaires. The Buss-Perry aggression questionnaire was completed both before game play and after. Another questionnaire taken post-game determined participants’ experience with videogames, competition, and believability of their human opponent. The results suggested, for college men, online violent video gaming and aggression are not related. In addition, results suggested that game outcome and aggression are not related. A stronger online and offline manipulation may have yielded different results because participants in the online condition did not report a stronger belief in their human opponent. Additionally, the low sample size of the winning condition indicated a need for an easier game or more practice time.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: D. Dickey
Parental Attachment as a Factor Related to College Adjustment for First-Year Students
The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between attachment style, the independent variable, and college adjustment, which was the dependent variable. At the present time, minimal research was available examining all aspects of college adjustment and attachment style. The hypothesis of this study was that securely attached individuals would have better college adjustment than individuals with fearful, preoccupied, and dismissing attachment styles. The participants of this study were first-semester, first year students at a small liberal arts college in western Pennsylvania. The study found that securely attached individuals had significantly higher scores on the Social, Personal-Emotional, and Institutional college adjustment subscales compared to other attachment styles. No significant results were found for the Academic adjustment subscale. No significant results were found for the dismissing attachment style. Implications of this study include: participants’ perceptions of academic ability were inaccurate due to higher or lower perceived self-efficacy, self-report is a poor way to measure academic ability, and the dismissing attachment style may not useful in this context.
Major: Psychology/Other
Sr. Project Advisor: E. Ozorak
The Language of Poverty: Exploring Verbal Intervention Strategies That Foster and Encourage Language Development and Vocabulary Growth in Children of Varying Socioeconomic Statuses
Factors such as mother- child interactions, maternal education, environment, and socioeconomic status affect how children from low and middle to upper class families will develop language and vocabulary. However, not all children are raised in environments that foster and supplement linguistic development. The present study was intended to explore verbal intervention strategies based on dialogic reading methods developed by Whitehurst et al. (1988). Such methods are intended to improve language development and vocabulary size during early childhood. The goal of the study was to determine if such interactive teaching and learning methods improve verbal ability scores. The intent of the research was to determine ways to equalize linguistic development of children from families of different socioeconomic status. Such linguistic development has been linked to later reading ability and school achievement. Significant improvements were found in overall pre to post- test scores at both locations. However, only small improvements were found in the intervention group in relation to the nonintervention group. Such findings indicate that although the interventions appeared to be successful, other factors may have contributed to significant improvements found in the scores of the groups that participated in the verbal interventions.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: G. Kenney-Benson
Divorce and beyond: The cognitive effects of divorce on children and young adults.
The negative emotional effects of divorce on children were studied to determine if there was a significant difference of effects between elementary school children and high school children. Elementary school children consisted of those in kindergarten through sixth grade while high school children consisted of ninth through twelfth graders. Various psychological journals were used to study the three emotions that were focused. These emotions were anger, depression and anxiety, as well as outlying factors. Coping mechanisms were also studied to see if they had any different effects on the two groups’ emotions. Findings suggested that younger children may have more severe emotional effects resulting from divorce, but one must also consider the outside factors as they make the final determination on how the emotions affect an individual.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: D. Dickey
Reference Group Identity Dependence and Alcohol Use Among College Males
College student alcohol use is prevalent and potentially dangerous, especially among males. Recently, most research concerning college male drinking has examined social and gender-related influences on alcohol use, including peer influence, traditional masculine ideology, and gender role conflict (Capraro, 2000; Huselid & Cooper, 1992; McCreary, et al., 1999; Monk & Ricciardelli, 2003; West, 2001). The current study further examined aspects of the masculine experience, namely masculine reference group identity dependence. Multiple regression analysis of 44 males’ responses to the Reference Group Identity Dependence Scale, Bem Short Form, and the Drinking Norms Rating Form showed that status of reference group dependence influenced the extent to which masculinity and peer norms predicted self-reported alcohol use. Understanding which aspects of male gender role socialization are related to, and predictive of, alcohol use could aid in the reduction of problematic male alcohol use through the development of appropriate prevention and intervention programs.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: J. Cross
The Possibility of Human Pheromonal Conveyance of Personality Trait Information, Contributing to a Female’s Attraction to a Male
The possible pheromonal conveyance of personality information was studied. Participants included fourteen males who wore t-shirts to collect pheromones and thirty-four females (eighteen oral contraceptive (OC) users and sixteen non-users) who rated each shirt’s scent attractiveness. The female’s most and least preferred males’ NEO PI-R scores were compared to the female’s ideal male personality score for all participants and then separately for OC users versus nonusers and for fertile versus non-fertile menstrual cycle stages. Results indicated that females successfully differentiated between preferred and non-preferred personality traits including neuroticism, extroversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness through pheromones supporting the hypothesis. OC users better differentiated between most and least preferred neuroticism and conscientiousness scores. Fertility did not clearly affect differentiation ability.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: J. Searle-White
Designing an effective rehabilitation program for substance abusing incarcerated females
As prison populations are on the rise it is important that the reasons behind incarceration are examined and treated appropriately. This paper will draw on previously published articles pertaining to the causes of substance abuse in women and the steps necessary for a successful recovery, as well as examinations of current substance abuse rehabilitation programs offered for women through the prison system. From this information an ideal rehabilitation program is proposed for the treatment and recovery of substance abusing incarcerated females. The hope of the program is not only to rehabilitate those currently in prison but also to enable them to help end the cycle of drug/alcohol use and crime within their families and communities.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: G. Kenney-Benson
Child’s Own Contingent Self-Worth as a Function of Parental Contingent Self-Worth
This study evaluated the concept of contingencies of self-worth within the parent/child dyad. Parents serve as an important key in the development of their children. As parents aid their children in development, it was believed that parental contingencies of self-worth could be associated with child’s own contingencies of self-worth. It was discovered that parental contingencies of self-worth had no relation to child’s own contingencies of self-worth, even if children perceived their parents as being contingent. Further research plans to build upon the current study by including measures that assess the relationship between parents and children. The level of parent-child connection could possibly have bearing on contingencies of self-worth. Moreover, future research will aim to evaluate multiple schools to establish a more diverse sample in regards to academic achievement.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advior: T. Manson
Job Applicant Faking on the NEO-FFI Personality Inventory Across Jobs.
The current study examined the extent of job applicant faking on personality inventories across jobs in a laboratory-based setting. One hundred undergraduate students at a small liberal arts college participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three job conditions (Car Salesperson, Customer Service Representative and Accounting Clerk/Bookkeeper) or a control group. Those assigned to the three job conditions were instructed to take the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) so as to increase their chances of being hired, whereas those in the control group were told to answer the NEO-FFI as honestly as possible. Analysis of Variance and Tukey’s HSD tests were performed to find significant effects on each of the five personality dimensions across all conditions. Results indicated that participants in each of the job conditions scored significantly higher on conscientiousness and emotional stability than those in the control group. Across jobs, participants in the Car Salesperson and Customer Service Representative groups scored significantly higher on extraversion than the Accounting Clerk/Bookkeeper and control groups. Results indicated that across jobs, applicants in a laboratory setting are able to distort their responses on personality profiles to fit a more stereotypically desirable description of a successful incumbent in that position.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: G. Kenney-Benson
How Siblings Influence Gender Identification and Cross- and Same- Sex Friendships
The aim of the present study was to determine if siblings play a role in gender identification and same- and cross-sex friendships. Participants for this study were all college-aged students with a mean age of 19.58. Participants were asked to take a survey pertaining to friendship preference, and sibling exposure. They also completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory to establish gender identification. This study hypothesized that having a sibling will affect same-sex and cross-sex friendships and that having a brother or a sister will create a more diverse gender identity. After the data collection, these hypotheses were not completely supported. There was no significant difference between siblings and a diverse gender identity. There was no significant difference between femininity scores for males or masculinity scores for females with or without opposite sex siblings. Only 31 of the 154 participants showed androgynous qualities, suggesting that same- and cross-sex siblings do not have as strong an impact as thought with gender identification. There were significant findings between males with sisters and same- and cross-sex friendships, but not for females and brothers. More research is needed to rule out the effect siblings may have on gender identification and same- and cross-sex friendships.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: J. Searle-White
Puerto Rican Mental Help-Seeking Behavior: A Cross-cultural Investigation
The present study was conducted to investigate the mental help-seeking behaviors of mainland Puerto Ricans compared to Anglo-Americans. Fifty Puerto Ricans and 43 Anglo-Americans residing in the city of Cleveland, Ohio participated in the study. The participants were presented with six different mental help options to choose to seek help from for eight different hypothetical situations. The participants were also asked to give a justification for their choice in each question. The data was subjected to a chi-square analysis in relation to the variables of ethnicity, sex, age level, and education level. A significant relationship was found between choice in help option and ethnicity for half of the questions. Overall Puerto Ricans chose not to seek help from a mental healthcare professional in favor of some other option, while Anglo-Americans chose to seek help from a mental healthcare professional. No significant relation was found between choice in help option with regards to sex, age level, and education level.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: G. Kenney-Benson
Parental psychological control and acceptance as predictors of a child’s goal orientation
This study investigated the extent to which a child’s achievement goal orientation (mastery, performance-approach, or performance-avoidance) can be predicted by parental acceptance and psychological control. Children in seventh grade (N=54) completed measures evaluating goal orientations, perceived parental acceptance, and perceived parental psychological control. Parents (N=29) also completed a questionnaire concerning beliefs about their own use of psychological control, which was combined with the child’s measure. It was found that parental acceptance positively predicted a mastery goal orientation and negatively predicts performance-avoidance goal orientations. Psychological control, on the other hand, was found to be associated with lower levels of mastery goal orientation and, from only the children’s perspective of parental psychological control, higher levels of performance-avoidance goal orientation. Performance-approach goal orientation was not predicted by either psychological control or acceptance. In addition, no interactions were found between levels of parental acceptance and psychological control and any of the three goal orientations.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: W. DeLamarter
The Politics of Gender in a Post-9/11 World: A Terror Management Perspective: The current study was conducted to assess the effects of death-related thought on evaluations of political candidates as a function of the candidates’ sex and gender
Using terror management theory, it was hypothesized that people would show a preference for stereotypic and gender role consistent candidates. Following a death-related thought induction, 147 participants read a masculine or feminine position statement paired with a male or female photograph. Participants then evaluated each candidate on a scale designed by the researcher. The results obtained were mixed. When induced with death-related thought, participants preferred feminine candidates to masculine candidates in nearly every evaluative measure, with the exception of fighting terrorism. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: R. Clark
Effects of in-utero exposure to methamphetamine on learning acquisition
The effects of in utero exposure to methamphetamine (MA) on learning acquisition were investigated. MA was administered to pregnant Sprague Dawley dams at a dose of 3.0 mg/kg intramuscularly once daily. Drug administration occurred throughout either the first, second, or third week of gestation, or not at all. Offspring were subject to 23-hour water deprivation prior to daily behavioral testing which commenced at 9 weeks of age. Pups were placed on a schedule of Continuous Reinforcement until the specified criterion of 100 reinforced lever presses was met. Pups were then placed on a schedule of FI30” for one-hour daily sessions. The results indicate that pups prenatally exposed to MA acquired the lever pressing behavior significantly faster than the non-injection control pups. There was no difference in responding among groups on the first day of FI30”. Conclusions are based upon previous research findings that in utero exposure to amphetamines results in hyperactivity.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Sr. Project Advisor: J. Cross
Comparing the treatment effects of direct GABA agonist and NMDA partial agonist for the treatment of pilocarpine induced seizures
Seizure disorders and epilepsy are the number one neurological disorder in canines. There are many treatment options for seizure disorders. They fall into three main groups: GABA agonists, partial NMDA agonists, and NMDA antagonists. The present study compared the effects of GABA agonist, Valproic Acid, and NMDA partial agonist, D-cycloserine, in terms of time of onset of the seizure and the severity of the seizure. Pilocarpine (10 mg/kg) was used to induce the seizure through an intraperitoneal injection. First the animal was pretreated with either saline (control group), Valproic Acid (200 mg/kg) or D-cycloserine (160 mg/kg). After seven minutes the pilocarpine was injected and timing began. The time that the first sign of seizure activity began was recorded. Also the severity, according to a modified Racine Scale, that the seizure reached within 15 minutes was recorded. The seizure was then stopped using the same dose of the same drug used during pretreatment (Valproic Acid in the control group). The results were not significant, but found that the control group had an overall higher time of onset and the D-cycloserine group had the lowest time of onset. Week two had the highest time of onset and week three had the lowest time of onset. Lastly, the control group reached the highest level of seizure severity and the valproic acid group had the lowest level of severity. The highest average seizure severity occurred in week one and was the lowest in week three.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: W. DeLamarter
Changing Relationship Between Sex and Self-Esteem due to Change in Gender Role Norms
Humans have a strong desire for social approval. This approval will increase their self-esteem levels (Campbell, 1984). Self-esteem has been found to be influenced by day-to-day events (Ninot, Gregory, Forts & Deligniers, 2005). One event that is becoming more and more common for adolescents is engaging in premarital sex (SISCUS). The question becomes what are the consequences of that act on an individual’s self-esteem level? Gender roles may play a significant role in what the outcome of premarital sex will be on self-esteem. Gender roles are the social norm that society expects an individual to follow like rules (Mahalik, Morrary, Coonerty-Femiano, Ludlow, Slattery, & Smiler, 2005). In recent years gender norms regarding premarital sex have begun to change and more adolescents are engaging in sex. As negative social norms towards premarital sex decrease, so should the negative effect of premarital sex on self-esteem.
Major: Psychology/Other
Sr. Project Advisor: G. Kenney-Benson
Mexican Political and Ethnic Identity in the U.S.: An Examination of Santa Ana, CA
The large Mexican population in the United States has been the result of both historical and contemporary events. Unlike other immigrant groups, Mexicans are highly concentrated in the Southwest and have achieved a distinct cultural impact in the region.
The purpose of this research is to examine both the political and ethnic identity of Mexicans in the U.S. The results of this study concur with research that suggests that the formation of the Mexican ethnic identity is influenced by the group’s unique contextual factors (e.g., dense population, immigration, discrimination). As a result, Mexicans are in a preferable position to achieve an integrated identity (e.g., bi-cultural), which impacts their political ideologies.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: JW Heuchert
Psychometrics of the Profile of Mood States – Revised
The study tested the psychometric properties of the Profile of Mood States – Revised (POMS-R), a self-report instrument. Twenty-four items and one factor have been added to the new version of the POMS. A test of Cronbach’s alpha showed test-retest reliabilities ranging from .64 to .79, compared to the standard POMS’s reliabilities of .65 to .74. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed that all except one of the 24 new items loaded significantly on one of the seven moods. These findings suggest that the POMS-R is an appropriate and valid revision of the POMS and that replacement of weaker items from the POMS with new ones in the POMS-R would create an equally or more reliable test.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: D. Dickey
Narcissism and Sexual Harassment Proclivities
In past research, narcissism has been linked with aggression. This study investigated the relationship between narcissism and sexual harassment proclivities under the assumption that sexual harassment was a specific kind of aggressive behavior. The Narcissistic Personality Inventory was used to measure normal, or sub-clinical narcissism, and the Sexual Harassment Proclivities Scale was used to assess likelihood of sexual harassment. From a sample of 106 college males, results showed a significant positive correlation between normal narcissism and sexual harassment proclivities.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: JW Heuchert
The Relationship between Attitudes Towards Marriage and Personality
The purpose of this study was to define the relationship between personality and attitudes towards marriage. Fifty participants, ranging in age from 18 to 22, filled out the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R), Marital Attitude Scale (MAS), and a questionnaire concerning events associated with marriage (Braaten & Rosen, 1998; Costa & McCrae, 1992). Results showed no correlation between the MAS and the domains of the NEO PI-R. The facets of Self-Consciousness (r (50)= -.32, p<.05) and Values (r (50) = -.47, p<.01) were found to correlate significantly with the MAS. Significance was also found within events associated with marriage in the domain of Extraversion (t(43)= 2.57, p<.05) and the facets Assertiveness (t(43)= 2.29, p<.05), Values (t(43)= -2.09, p<.05), Action (F (49)=3.97, p<.05), and Compliance (F (49)=3.20, p<.05.). This led to the general conclusion that attitudes towards marriage and events associated with marriage correlate with aspects of personality.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: JW Heuchert
Family Environment, Self-esteem and Peer Relationships
This study explored the relationships between family environment, self-esteem, and peer relationships. Participants were 134 students from Allegheny College between the ages of 18 and 22. Participants were asked to complete a brief demographic questionnaire asking their age, sex, academic year, and parents’ marital status. They also completed the Real Form of the Family Environment Scale, Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventories, and the Peer Attachment Scale from the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment. It was hypothesized that a positive relationship would be present between each of these variables. Correlations were performed for each of the variables and t-tests and one-way analyses of variance were performed for the significant correlations. Results supported each of the hypotheses that there was in fact a positive relationship between each of the studied variables. Sex was found to only significantly affect self-esteem and academic year was found to significantly affect both self-esteem and self-report of family environment. Parental status was found to only be significantly related to the self report of family environment.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: D. Dickey
Service Learning: An Examination of Prosocial Inclination and Narcissism
Utilizing a pre/posttest design, the present study examined whether students choosing to take service-learning courses differed in levels of narcissism and prosocial inclination from students who registered for similar courses without ongoing service-learning components. Furthermore, the study examined whether narcissism and prosocial inclination changed differently in participants choosing to take service-learning courses from those who did not. The relationship between participants’ sex and narcissism, prosocial inclination, and community service involvement was also examined. Thirty-one college students between the ages of 18 and 21 participated (9 males and 22 females). Participants completed a pretest survey approximately two weeks into a semester and a posttest survey approximately two months later. Both surveys consisted of a demographic questionnaire which determined the type of pedagogy participants had chosen (service-learning or non-service-learning) and the number of community service hours participants had completed; a measure of narcissism, Phares and Erksine’s Selfism Scale (1984); and a measure of prosocial inclination, Shelton and McAdams’ Visions of Morality Social subscale (1990). No significant differences in narcissism or prosocial inclination were found between service-learning and non-service-learning participants at either pre-or-posttest. Furthermore, no significant changes in narcissism or prosocial inclination were found due to pedagogy. Consistent with previous research, female participants had significantly higher scores than male participants in prosocial inclination and completed more hours of community service (Ozorak, 2003; Shelton & McAdams, 1990). Limitations of the current study are acknowledged and suggestions for future research offered.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: G. Kenney-Benson
The Effects of Parental Warmth on Academic Achievement and Motivation
The purpose of this present study is to investigate any effect that parental warmth (both paternal and maternal) has on academic achievement and motivation. 177 participants took part in this study, in which they filled out different questionnaires measuring their level of academic motivation, achievement (GPA), and degree of parental warmth experienced in their childhood. Correlations were run between the independent variables (paternal and maternal warmth) and dependent variables (motivation and achievement) in order to distinguish any type of relationship. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) were also run to further explore any effects. Positive correlations were found between paternal and maternal warmth, paternal warmth and motivation, and with motivation and GPA. Despite these correlations there were no significant results found in the ANOVA’s. Warmth (especially paternal) seems to have a positive correlation with motivation, but not enough to have any significant effects on achievement or motivation as a whole, which is consistent with prior research.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: A. Dale
An EEG Examination of Differences in Alpha Desynchronization Between Languages
During the Performance of Simple Cognitive Tasks in Different Groups of Language Learners
The current study set out to investigate whether examining alpha desyncronization in the frontal and temporal lobe language areas could be a new approach to studying the cerebral organization of language in 5 intermediate and 5 advanced orally proficient French language learners. Epoch records were taken during the performance of simple cognitive tasks in both languages, one of which required lexical access. According to the results, L2 lexical access was correlated with increased right hemisphere (RH) activity. There were numerous sample and experimental control issues in this study. The study should be replicated in order to determine if the RH activity is still observed during L2 lexical access. The presence of the effect would then provide evidence in support of RH activity being correlated with L2 lexical activation, support for Knupsky’s (2006) language model, and show that epoch studies can be used as a tool to investigate language storage and processing during the acquisition process.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: E. Ozorak
Examining God Images through Self-esteem and Prayer Styles
This study examined the interaction between religion and psychology. This research was intended to be a psychological study of religion as termed by Batson (1997). Specifically God images were compared in simple t-test analysis with the self-esteem of young adults, mainly college students. God images were further expanded by analyzing interactions of prayer styles and specific God descriptors. Secondarily sex differences were also explored. There was expected to be a significant positive relationship between benevolent God images and high Self-esteem. Specifically prayer styles relating to a Connection with God were also expected to correlate positively with all God Images. Finally, male participants were expected to have a preference over female participants for genderizing God as male. The results of analysis showed that all major hypothesizes were not supported. While some secondary tests on specific prayer styles and God images were significantly related.
Major: Psychology
Sr. Project Advisor: J. Searle-White
The Relationship Between Family Structures And Attachment Styles on Family Functioning in College Student.
Attachment styles are important in how one perceives their relationship with others. One’s parental marital structure has an effect on ones attachment style. It is through the internal working-model that develops from out attachment-figures, that influences one’s relationships later in life. The main interest of this study is to see if ones parental marital status and their attachment style influences ones perception on their family functioning. It was hypothesized that those whose parental structures are intact and are secure attachment will perceive their family in a positive perception on how their family functions. It was also hypothesized that those who fall into insecure attachments come from divorced families and will view their family in a negative light. It was found that parental marital status does significantly differ on how one perceives their family functioning but there was not a significant difference.
Major: Psychology/Other
Sr. Project Advisor: W. DeLamarter
Troubled Waters within, Stormy Weather without: The Effects of Responsibility on Attitudes towards the Physically and Mentally Disabled
By using a fictional scenario and Likert type questionnaire, attitudes toward the disabled were evaluated on the basis of disability type and responsibility attribution. It was that hypothesized stigma towards the mentally and physically disabled as well as responsibility for the disability would influence overall assistance giving and general attitudes toward the disabled. A total of 115 participants were recruited from introductory psychology classes. While the initial hypotheses were not supported, there was some support for Weiner’s (1995) model of responsibility judgment. Assistance giving behavior and responsibility assignment differed on the basis of disability condition although participants made no explicit attribution of a difference between the mentally and physically disabled. Alternative explanations for the lack of support for differences based on stigma are discussed and interpreted in light of the responsibility model.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Sr. Project Advisor: R. Clark
The Teratological Effects of Paternal Ethanol Exposure: Behavioral Observations
This assay was designed to study the effects, if any, of ethanol as a paternal teratological agent. Three treatment groups were administered differing concentrations of ethanol, (0% acting as a control, 5% ethanol, and 15% ethanol) for the length of a spermatogenesis cycle and then bred to virgin females. Their offspring were housed under normal conditions until adulthood, approximately 155 days of age. Previous data obtained from similar experiment was inconclusive, yet presented the notion that differences were observable. Spontaneous alteration, maze learning and memory, and a locomotor hang-test were administered as behavioral tests, to determine the presence or absence of hyperactivity. While significant, (p> .05), statistical differences were observed between treatment groups and control group offspring with regards to maze learning and memory and the hang- test, no difference was observed with regards to spontaneous alteration. The most marked differences were summarized as visual observations made while the tests were administered; which indicate that ethanol as a paternal teratological agent can have some affect on the behavior of their offspring. These results are however unsubstantiated and require extensive further experiment.