| ILLOWA Abstracts from 2007 | |
| By Institution | |
| Culver-Stockton College | |
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Title: |
The effect of first names on judgments of self-esteem |
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Authors: |
Erika High, Krissy High, and Lindsay Sargent |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Greg Bohémier |
| This experiment tested the effect of a person’s first name (popular and unpopular) on the perception of a person’s level of self-esteem. Participants (N=43) were presented two different random orders of generationally-normed popular and unpopular first names on a projection screen and were asked to immediately rate the name on a questionnaire containing a scale measuring the most likely level of self-esteem of a person with such a name. The results revealed that men and women with popular names are perceived to have significantly higher self-esteem then men and women with unpopular names. This finding converges with previous studies that suggest that a label, even in terms of one’s first name, affects a person’s self-esteem. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Beautiful people and fancy cars: The effect of facial attractiveness and symmetry on product preference |
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Authors: |
Carlos Singer, Ashley Nagel, Kim Sansone, Nate English, and Andrew Kendrick |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Greg Bohémier |
| This experiment is based on Shackelford and Larson’s (1997) finding that a “beautiful person,” which is defined as a person with a more symmetrical face than a less attractive person, is more likely to benefit from their status. We tested if beautiful people are perceived to be more likely than less attractive people to prefer luxurious products. Participants were shown pictures of people that varied in facial beauty and rated the type of car (luxurious vs. non-luxurious) they would most likely buy. The results showed that beautiful people are perceived to prefer more luxurious cars then less attractive people. This finding shows another way on how attractive and unattractive people are perceived to differ from each other; namely, in product preference. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Last night I went to bed with a 10 at 2, but woke up with a 2 at 10 |
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Authors: |
Brian Minks, Shandi Jobert, and Scotty Wolfskill |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Greg Bohémier |
| This experiment investigated if visual and perceptual impairment caused by alcohol consumption, which was mimicked by wearing “drunk goggles,” influences how attractive and sexually desirable a member of the opposite sex is perceived. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups, control, legal-limit, and very drunk and rated pictures of the opposite sex on how likely they would ask for a date or pursue a sexual encounter with that individual. The pictures were normed as being attractive or unattractive and were shown to the participants at random. The results did not reveal any main effects or interactions. Possible reasons for the null effects will be discussed. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Are attractive people perceived to be more promiscuous? |
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Authors: |
Michelle Schwanke, Vanessa Knudson, Je'Ta'ime Austin, and Rebecca Humphrey |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Greg Bohémier |
| The purpose of this study was to determine if attractive people, defined as people who have symmetrical faces, are perceived as being more promiscuous than unattractive people. The participants were shown a random presentation of pictures of both males and females who varied in their attractiveness. The participant’s perception of the promiscuity of the people shown in the stimulus set was measured by a questionnaire containing questions using a 7-point Likert scale. The results revealed that attractive males and attractive females are perceived to be significantly more promiscuous than unattractive males and unattractive females. There were no other interactions. The implications of these findings will be discussed. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
The effect of background music on cognitive performance during distraction |
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Authors: |
Sara Bainbridge, Sarah Hellige, Jamie Owens, and Rebecca Wendle |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Greg Bohémier |
| This experiment examined the effect of familiar fast and slow background music in a setting involving distraction on cognitive performance. Many studies; e.g., Roy (2001) converge to suggest that performance on a cognitive task is facilitated by slow background music. We wondered if such an effect is robust enough to be revealed in a setting of distraction were keyboarding was also going on in the background. In this setting, participants solved anagrams during familiar slow and fast tempo background music. The results revealed that the tempo of background music did not modulate the number of anagrams solved. We concluded that a floor effect -- the anagrams were too difficult -- was the cause of the null result. Additional implications will be discussed. | |
| Eureka College | |
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Title: |
Perceptions of Guilt and Innocence |
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Authors: |
Triscell Knuppe, Laura Parks, Shannon Schmider, and Meagan Wilson |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Glenn J. Scheyd, Ph.D. |
| The difference between finding an accused criminal guilty or innocent may be partially due to the perceived intelligence or psychological health of the accused. This study looked at "jurors'" perceptions of innocence or guilt when given minimal information about a defendant including his IQ score and a mental illness diagnosis. We hypothesized that people would find accused individuals with lower IQ scores guilty more often than those with a high IQ. Even though we were not able to reject the null hypothesis, this research is important when analyzing our current criminal justice system and understanding how juries may decide innocence or guilt. This experiment did reveal a sex difference with men, more than women, were confident that the amount of information they had been given was sufficient to make a judgment of guilty. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Is this too close for you: A study of proximity and gender |
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Authors: |
Jayme Zobrist and Emily Benedict |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Glenn J. Scheyd, Ph.D. |
| We investigated interpersonal space and how it relates to biological gender; specifically we tested the hypothesis that males are more protective of their personal space. Thirty-nine students (22 female and 17 male) participated in the study. Participants walked into a classroom with one available chair (which was extremely close to confederate) and were asked to make themselves comfortable. A series of questions about global warming was asked while the confederate was judging the distance the S moved the chair, if at all. There was no significant relation between gender and moving the chair or between comfortability and the distance the chair was moved. Results indicated that men do, however, feel more comfortable at closer distances than women. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Analyzing the Influence of Model Size on Body Dissatisfaction |
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Authors: |
Hillary Gerkin, Laura Walsh, and John Kern |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Glenn J. Scheyd, Ph.D. |
| Body dissatisfaction is an issue many people regularly face. Because of this fact, a large body of research has accumulated on this topic. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between body dissatisfaction and viewing advertisements. The study consisted of a sample of forty-two college students who viewed one of two sets of commercials. One set of advertisements involved average size models, while the other set prominently featured ultra-thin models. No limitations were placed upon who the sample population was and the two groups were determined by random assignment. The research gathered determined an interaction effect between model size and body satisfaction. | |
| Knox College | |
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Title: |
Politics and Psychology: Linking Political Efficacy and Depression |
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Author: |
Anna Straczek |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Colleen Conley |
| The study examined the relationship between depression, political efficacy, locus of control and self-efficacy. Three hundred two participants from Knox College and Monmouth College completed electronic survey reporting their age, gender, class rank, profession as well as filled out the questionnaire that assessed the above personality traits. The results show that people with higher levels of political efficacy suffer from fewer symptoms of depression. Upperclassmen who scored higher on political efficacy experienced less depression than low political efficacious group and lowerclassmen. Participants with higher political efficacy showed greater self-efficacy. Females who were highly self-efficacious demonstrated the lowest level of depression. People with internal locus of control scored higher in political efficacy. The present findings shed new light on the concept of political efficacy affecting individual well-being. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
The Health and Social Effects of Writing Behind a Mask: Towards a Literary Science |
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Author: |
Matt Andersson |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Colleen Conley |
| The current study examined the health and social effects of perspective in writing, in a sample of creative writers (n = 56). Experimental subjects wrote expressively by disclosing their deepest thoughts and feelings on stressful life events either directly (in the first person) or indirectly (in the third person). Control subjects wrote non-expressively about their weekly schedules. Both forms of expressive writing elicited cognitive change across sessions, and both served as resilience factors by preserving psychophysiological health amid cognitive stress. In addition, third-person writers revealed their emotions more than did first-person writers, were more likely to use socially-oriented linguistic constructions, and were more likely to share what they wrote. Social sharing, in turn, predicted a host of social support outcomes. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Attached to Eating Disorders? Attachment and Eating Disorders in College Women |
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Author: |
Rachel Megibow |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Colleen Conley |
| The aim of the present study was to examine the possible relationship between attachment styles and eating disorders as well as possible mediating factors such as body teasing, perfectionism, and anxiety in a sample of college women. Twenty-eight Knox college women were recruited by email to complete surveys measuring anxiety, attachment, body teasing, and perfectionism as well as the SCID modules for eating disorders and anxiety disorder. While the original hypothesis that there would be a correlation between attachment and eating disorders was not supported, the analysis did reveal were several trends and correlations. One significant correlation showed that anorexia was correlated with bulimia. Those correlations that were insignificant became trends when mediating factors such as body teasing, perfectionism, and anxiety were added. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
How motivation and lifestyles affect subjective well-being: A study of Australian organic farmers |
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Author: |
Tessie Jo Ortega |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Tim Kasser |
| Self Determination Theory (SDT) predicts that people are happier if psychological needs are satisfied (Ryan and Deci, 2002). The needs - autonomy, relatedness, and competence - may be satisfied through lifestyle behaviors. Australian hosts for an organic farm organization, WWOOF, (n=112) completed electronic surveys that assessed autonomous or controlled motivation for behaviors and evaluated subjective well-being (SWB). Pearson Correlations supported the hypothesis that participants with autonomous motivation for behaviors would report higher SWB than those with controlled motivations. Furthermore, t-tests revealed that WWOOF hosts reported higher SWB in lifestyle domains of achievement, safety, and community and lower SWB in relationships when compared to Australian norms (Cummins et al, 2002). While supporting SDT, results suggest that WWOOF-type lifestyles may improve SWB. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Contextual Cueing and Memory |
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Authors: |
Cailyn Healy, Noelle Bykowski, and Anna Straczek |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Alex Varakin |
| In visual search tasks, search time decreases faster for repeated configurations relative to novel ones. However, observers typically fail to notice configurations repeating and cannot recognize them on memory tests. This implicit acquisition of spatial information to guide attention is called contextual cueing. In this experiment, we tested whether associating novel words with repeated arrays would allow explicit access to contextual information learned in the visual search task. Contextual cueing occurred only when learning was implicit. Participants who noticed associations between words and spatial configurations did not show contextual cuing, and their explicit memory for the spatial arrays was at chance. These findings suggest that it might not be possible to merge the benefits of implicit and explicit learning. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
All Good Things Must End: An Application of Terror Management Theory to Hedonic and Eudaimonic Conceptions of the Good Life |
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Author: |
Mike Prentice |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Tim Kasser |
| Terror management theory states that subjects defend their cultural worldview and strive for self-esteem more strongly when death thoughts are made salient (mortality salience; MS) to maintain a meaningful outlook in the face of death. Good life conceptions indicate how people define meaningful pursuits in life. We hypothesized people would strive for more personal meaning through their good life conception under MS, especially if that meaning is not typically present (as evinced by low self-esteem). Study 1 found that subjects find more meaning available in eudaimonic pursuits (true/ideal selfhood) than hedonistic ones (seeking pleasure/avoiding pain). Study 2 demonstrated that self-esteem interacted with MS in predicting eudaimonic conceptions of the good life. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Let the force guide you: The influence of instructions on change detection |
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Author: |
Carolyn Ly and Chie Yammoto |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Alex Varakin |
| Changes in displays are difficult to detect when there is interference between the two displays. Previous studies suggest visual search response times can be accelerated when individuals are not actively looking for the target. This study investigates how instructions (passive or active) influence the participants’ ability to detect change. Passive instructions ask participants to let the change “pop” out; active instructions request participants use their top-down processing to seek out the change. Participants were to identify the type of change the target was undergoing (e.g., how the orientation of the circle changed) as the displays were flickering. The results produced null effects for both set size-instructions and accuracy-instructions interaction, suggesting preattentive information does not help guide attention to the target. | |
| McKendree College | |
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Title: |
What do you drink? Alcoholic Beverage choice and its effects |
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Authors: |
Nicole Kirk, Krysti Boden, and Carrie Distler |
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Faculty Sponsors: |
Dr. Segrist, Dr. Eggleston, and Dr. Bosse |
| The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of beverage choice on college students’ drinking behaviors. Surveys assessing beverage choice, alcohol use, alcohol expectancies, drinking and driving, and frequency of playing drinking games were given to 212 undergraduate college students at a Midwestern university. A one-way MANOVA indicated that beer drinkers, compared to those who typically consume other alcoholic beverages, drank more frequently and heavily, had stronger alcohol expectancies, were more likely to play drinking games, and were more likely to drink and drive. Additionally, beer drinkers had more exaggerated perceptions of the drinking behaviors of their peers. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Personal Attachment Orientation and Desired Attachment in Others |
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Author: |
Michael R. Knobeloch |
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Faculty Sponsors: |
Dr. Murella Bosse & Dr. Tami Eggleston |
| Since the development of attachment theory, the understanding of attachment dynamics has grown to include anxiety and avoidance. These two dimensions have been found to influence coping, self-perception, group interactions, friendships, and relationships. In the current study, the influence on an individual’s attachment orientation on perceptions of attachment types in hypothetical friendships and relationships is explored. The survey was distributed to 73 college students at a small liberal arts college. The results indicated significant differences between various attachment types in ratings of others which ran contrary to the hypotheses. Interactions between anxious and avoidant attachment orientations are examined within the context of prior research. The author proposes possible implications of the study and tentative theoretical explanations for the results. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Red: Color's Effects on the Perception of Emotions |
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Author: |
James J. Cole |
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Faculty Sponsors: |
Dr. Murella Bosse & Dr. Tami Eggleston |
| This experiment examined the effects of coloration on the perception of emotion. The aim was to increase understanding of emotional processing in humans. Eighty-three college students, divided into two experimental groups and one control, were sequentially shown five images, each depicting a person displaying a different emotion: happy, sad, excited, anxious, or neutral. They then indicated on Likert scales the degree to which they perceived five different emotions from the people in the images. The two experimental groups and control group were shown achromatic, tinted red, and original color versions of the images, respectively. Achromatic images were found to increase some perceptions of happiness and excitement while decreasing perceived anxiety, and reddened images elicited some lower anxiety and anger ratings. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Morality Among College Students |
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Author: |
Brittany Zahn |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Murella Bosse |
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College student's levels of moral judgment may be influenced by
a number of factors such as age, major, and classes taken. Participants included 99 college students at a small, liberal arts college. Surveys were distributed to students in classrooms and the dining hall on campus. The survey was based on Kohlberg’s levels of moral reasoning. There were four ethical situations along with a list of moral reasons for the participant’s decisions. There was no significance between college major, familiarity with physician assisted-suicide and classes taken with morality levels. Finally, there was significance between a person’s religious affiliation and lower moral reasoning .The study is relevant because it provides guidelines to aid in the development of moral reasoning. |
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| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Factors Related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders |
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Author: |
Natallia Sullivan |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Murella Bosse & Dr. Tami Eggleston |
| The current study examined the relationship between academic majors/minors of college students, birth order, gender, level of stress, locus of control (LOC) and the amount of obsessive-compulsive behaviors. A sample of 75 undergraduate students was surveyed. Questionnaires assessing OC behaviors using 1-7 Likert scale were administered to participants. The findings suggest that stress level was positively correlated with the amount of OC behaviors. While no relationship was found between the LOC and OC behaviors. Significant differences related to gender and amount of OC behaviors were found. The hypotheses regarding academic majors/minors, birth order, LOC and OC behaviors were not supported. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Imaginary Companionship and Dissociative Experience |
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Author: |
Nicole Holcomb |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Murella Bosse & Dr. Tami Eggleston |
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Individuals with Imaginary
Companionship have been linked to higher scores on the Dissociative Experience Scale; positive dissociating has been associated with self-actualization experiences. In this study, Imaginary Companionship experience was measured in correlation to self-actualization scores and scores on the DES. The participants include male and female college students from a small Midwestern liberal arts college ages 17-26 years. The methodology of this experiment included the use of one questionnaire and one scale in a survey format. The Imaginary Companionship Questionnaire (Hoff), the Self-Actualization Scale (Maslow), and the Dissociative Experience Scale (Putnam). There appears to be a correlation between imaginary companionship and dissociative experience which has recently been linked to self-actualization experiences (Beere); the field of dissociation research may be benefited by the concluding information gathered with in this study. |
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| Monmouth College | |
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Title: |
The Relationship of Group Membership, Sensitivity, and Discrimination |
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Author: |
Kelli Wefenstette |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Joan Wertz |
| Surveys were administered to 64 students (24 men and 40 women) who were asked to explain behavior depicted in five ambiguous scenarios and provide demographic information concerning majority/minority group status. Hypothesis 1 was supported in that participants self-reported as victims of discrimination reported higher levels of discrimination sensitivity than non-victims. Additionally, non-heterosexuals and non-whites reported more discrimination sensitivity than heterosexuals and white participants with marginal significance although results yielded significance when testing sexual orientation alone. Other marginally significant results indicated that non-whites were more likely than white participants to explain ambiguous behavior as discriminatory. Perhaps non-whites and non-heterosexuals are more sensitive to discrimination as they have been victimized on account of their group membership, which leads them to also perceive such behavior in ambiguous situations. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Birth Order and the impact it has on Personality and Self Attribution |
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Author: |
Mandy Mowen |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Corrinne Lim-Kessler |
| The researcher was interested in birth order and the impact it has on self-attribution and personality. Surveys were administered to 61 students; these surveys investigated students’ perception of whether a situation was caused by the student or the situation, and correlated these scores with ratings on the NEO-PIR. It was expected that first-born/only children would 1) have more self-attribution and 2) be introverts. No significant correlations were found between self-attribution and birth placement nor between NEO-PIR factors and birth placement. An ANOVA determined that, among these college students, 71% attributed their success to themselves while 29% attributed their success to the situation, perhaps support of a self-serving bias among college students. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Drinking Attentional Bias among College Students: A Function of Familiarity and Exposure? |
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Author: |
Kenny Weitzmon |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Joan Wertz |
| Examining attentional bias among college students was done by, utilizing a modified stroop task containing both alcohol and neutral words. 59 participants (16 Males, 43 Females) were conveniently sampled from both introductory psychology courses, and freshman seminar classes. Each participant was asked to perform the stroop task, followed by an AUDIT, and customized survey. The aim of these surveys was to identify varying drinking expertise and familiarity along with family history of alcohol use. The scores on the surveys were used as predictor variables for attentional bias. The results showed that all college students displayed an attentional bias towards alcohol words. | |
| Quincy University | |
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Title: |
Gender differences in childhood aggression |
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Author: |
Dana Tardella |
| Aggressive behavior is especially susceptible to restrictions of gender stereotypes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the gender differences in children’s behavior and the parents’ response to their child’s aggression. The study involved 22 boys and 18 girls, estimated to be between the ages of two and eleven. Observations were restricted to families with both male and female children, and in which both the mother and father were present. Girls were the most common instigators of verbal aggression, whereas boys most frequently instigated physical aggression. Mothers responded in all cases, while fathers responded only to physical aggression that involved a girl or to verbal aggression when their daughters directed it at a boy. Gender stereotypes not only restrict children’s behavior, but can have damaging effects on both self-esteem and social skills. | |
| Southwestern Illinois College | |
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Title: |
An Exploration of the St. Louis Bondage, Discipline, Sadism and Masochism Community |
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Authors: |
Dawn Marie Blades and Elizabeth McCoy |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Barbara A. Hunter |
| This study explores numerous aspects of bondage, discipline, sadistic and masochistic behavior, such as what attracts people to these behaviors, participants’ first experiences with BDSM and how these activities impact children, family, friends and their interactions in their broader world. Participants were most likely to indicate that they were attracted to BDSM by the exchange of trust and power, the appeal of surrendering power and having decisions made for them and curiosity. Bondage was the most common first experience with BDSM followed by spanking. Consistent with gender roles, men were more likely to prefer the dominant role and women the submissive role. The most common explanation for their preference was that it felt natural and they were born that way. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Sex, Toys, and Videotapes: The Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors of a Community College Sample |
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Authors: |
Cassi Hayward, Ashley Zach, and Abbey Green |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Barbara A. Hunter |
| The present study examines the demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors of a community college sample. Almost 90 percent of the sample had viewed an adult video. Women were more likely than men to have seen a homosexual adult video. Thirty percent of our sample had tried some kind of bondage, discipline or sadomasochistic behavior and 74.3 percent of those who had tried it were still practicing these activities. Fifty-one percent of our sample had tried some kind of sexual aid particularly lotions and oils, vibrators and dildos. Individuals with a higher socioeconomic status and those participants whose family included someone who is homosexual or bisexual reported experimenting with a broader range of sexual behaviors. Additional findings will be discussed. | |
| St Ambrose University | |
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Title: |
Effects of Labels on Attributions about the Sources of Academic Difficulties |
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Authors: |
Jacie Knewtson and Edward Fox |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kathleen Trujillo |
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We examined the effects of
labels (“Learning Disabled,” “Brain Injured” or “Academic Difficulties”) on perceptions about the causes of academic errors. University students (n=145) read a vignette about a student who performed poorly on an exam, and then rated the degree to which poor exam performance could be attributed to various factors. Results indicate that participants rated the poor performance of those labeled as Learning Disabled or Brain Injured as being caused by internal, uncontrollable factors; but rated the students described as having “academic difficulties” or no label more negatively. Results suggest that the labels “learning disabled” and “brain injured” affect perceptions about the causes of academic failure, but may not cause peer stigmatization among college students. |
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| University of Missouri - Rolla | |
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Title: |
Sex, Lies, and Trustworthiness |
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Authors: |
Jennifer Haslag, James McDonald, and Kent Morgan |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Canu |
| The goal of this study was to determine whether the gender of a deceiver had any significant effect on participant’s ratings of the liar’s likeability, trustworthiness, attractiveness, or intelligence. We hypothesized that participants would rate the female liar more negatively than the male liar across the four measures. To measure this, 44 participants (27 male, 17 female) reviewed transcript packets of a résumé and a fictional interview of either a male or female interviewee, some containing multiple deceptions. Participants then rated the interviewee for honesty, likeability, trustworthiness, and attractiveness. Though females were slightly more penalized for deception, lying had no global effect and there was no interaction effect of character gender and deception on participants’ ratings of our four measures. | |
| Western Illinois University | |
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Title: |
Attitudes about Domestic Violence in Rural versus Urban Areas |
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Author: |
Gina Manolis |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Polly Radosh |
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This study examines attitudes toward domestic violence in students from rural versus urban areas. A questionnaire was distributed to students in several classes asking for demographic information including age, gender, home town population and political views. The remainder of the questions represented common myths about domestic violence. Participants marked whether they then agreed or disagreed with the statement. After data was collected and analyzed, there was no significant difference in attitudes based on population. Although not part of the original hypothesis, the data showed strong significance between genders. Males had more misconceptions about domestic violence than females. This may suggest that there is no difference between attitudes toward domestic violence based on population size, but may be differences between genders. |
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| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Terror Management Theory and Death Anxiety: Examining a Fundamental Connection |
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Authors: |
Raymond Serra and Erin Hall |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kristine M. Kelly |
| Terror Management Theory states that humans are aware that they will die and that this realization produces terror due to death anxiety. This study examined the fundamental assumption that reminders of death arouse death anxiety. Participants were randomly assigned to write about either their own death or visiting the dentist. They then completed a 20-item Death Anxiety Scale. A t-test was conducted with reminders of death vs. dentist as the independent variable and death anxiety scores as the dependent variable. Results indicated no significant difference in death anxiety scores between the two groups, suggesting that being reminded of death may not arouse death anxiety any more than being reminded of other unpleasant experiences. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Responding to Ostracism: Aggression, Anger, and Cognitive Deficits in Children of Divorce |
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Authors: |
Mindy Sharp, Amy Smith, and Laura Page |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kristine M. Kelly |
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The purpose of this study was to examine emotional, aggressive, and cognitive responses to ostracism in adult children from divorced vs. intact families. Participants first took part in a chat room discussion with two confederates. They were randomly assigned to be either included or excluded in the discussion. Then they completed a questionnaire assessing emotional reactions to the interaction. Next, a timed cognitive test was administered. Finally, the participant and a confederate were asked to play a prisoner’s dilemma game, which was used to measure aggression. We hypothesize that, when excluded, children from divorced families will be angrier, act more aggressively, and show deficits in cognitive abilities compared to children from intact families. |
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| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Heavy Drinking, Promiscuous Sex, and Popularity in College |
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Authors: |
Wendy Bednarz and Adam Carton |
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Faculty Sponsors: |
Kristine M. Kelly and Eugene W. Mathes |
| Numerous studies have shown that college students regularly engage in risky behaviors such as binge drinking and acting sexually promiscuous. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which these behaviors have become the norm on college campuses, with those who violate the norm being subjected to social ostracism. Participants were presented with 9 questionnaires purportedly completed by other college students regarding their alcohol and sexual behavior. These students were depicted as engaging in high, moderate, or low levels of alcohol use and sexual behaviors. Participants rated the degree to which each student would be accepted by their social group. It was hypothesized that students portrayed as abstaining from alcohol consumption and promiscuous sex would be ostracized. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Conformity vs. Creativity: A Look at Influences on Death Anxiety |
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Authors: |
Brandy Mowen and Wendy Bulthuis |
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Faculty Sponsors: |
Kristine M. Kelly and Eugene W. Mathes |
| According to Terror Management Theory (Greenberg, et al., 1997), awareness of one’s own death creates anxiety that can be relieved by accepting a cultural worldview. The purpose of this study was to examine creativity as a potential mediator. Participants completed a measure of creativity. They then were randomly assigned to write about either their own death or the dentist. Next, participants read two essays ostensibly written by students about their views on death. One essay advocates a Christian heaven, and the other essay advocates immortality through creative works. Finally, participants rated each essay author’s likeability. Data was analyzed using an analysis of variance, which revealed a marginally significant creativity x mortality interaction. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Ways of Coping: Does Trauma Type Affect Coping Style? |
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Author: |
Candice R. Riso |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Melanie D. Hetzel-Riggin |
| The purpose of the present study was to determine if experiencing different types of trauma affected the way one copes after the event. As part of a larger screening battery, participants were asked to indicate whether they had experienced any of 22 traumatic events. They were also asked to complete a 65-question scale which assessed how they coped with the event or events. Participants who experienced both non-interpersonal (i.e., MVA, unexpected death) and interpersonal (i.e., rape, abuse) trauma reported significantly more use of different coping methods than participants who only reported a non-interpersonal trauma. These findings suggest that multiply traumatized individuals may need to utilize varied coping methods for longer time periods than singularly traumatized people. | |
| Ψ Ψ Ψ | |
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Title: |
Self-Mutilation and Self-Esteem |
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Author: |
Brandy L. Mowen |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Eugene W. Mathes |
| According to Yaryura-Tobias et al (1993), self-mutilation is defined as the conscious choice to inflict moderate to severe pain upon one’s body in the absence of any suicidal ideations. There is a plethora of probable motives or causes for self-mutilation. These include, but are not limited to, depression, frustration, self-punishment, symbolism, and relief of tension (Ross & McKay, 1979). The purpose of this research was to test whether there would be a negative relationship between self-esteem and self-mutilation. The data were analyzed by correlating responses to a self-esteem measure with responses to a self-mutilation item. A significant correlation was found between self-mutilation and self-esteem. | |
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Title: |
Optimism and Academic Achievement |
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Author: |
Erin N. Bedford |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Eugene W. Mathes |
| The purpose of this research was to test the hypothesis that there would be a positive relationship between optimism and academic achievement. Forty-nine participants responded to measures of optimism and academic achievement. Although the two measures were correlated the correlation was not statistically significant. | |
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Title: |
Attendance and Grade Point Average |
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Author: |
Lisa M. Petesch |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Eugene W. Mathes |
| The purpose of this research was to test the hypothesis that there would be a positive relationship between class attendance and grade point average. Forty-nine participants responded to measures of class attendance and grade point average. A positive and significant correlation was found. | |
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Title: |
The Effect of Number of Sexual Partners on the Belief That Sex Is Not Sacred and Endorsement of Sexual Promiscuity |
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Author: |
Stephanie Kandlik |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Eugene W. Mathes |
| Previous research has found that there is a negative relationship between number of sexual partners and measures of the belief that sex is sacred, sexual anxiety, and a negative attitude toward sexual promiscuity. To determine whether number of sexual partners caused participants to believe that sex was not sacred, to loose their sexual anxiety, and to endorse sexual promiscuity, a longitudinal study was carried out. Causation was not found. | |
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Title: |
Town Size as a Predictor of Introversion and Extroversion |
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Author: |
David Aguirre |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Eugene W. Mathes |
| The purpose of this research was to test the hypothesis that there would be a positive relationship between the size of a person’s home town and his or her extroversion. Forty-nine participants responded to measures of town size and extroversion. The hypothesis was not supported. | |
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Title: |
Testing the Contrast Effect for Men and Women: Media Images and Perceptions of Opposite-Sex Targets |
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Authors: |
Kendra Pugh, Ray Serra, Jennifer Johnson, and Brian Scott |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kristine M. Kelly |
| The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which media images influence people’s perceptions of the opposite sex. Numerous studies have shown that media images of women influence men’s perceptions of women. However, few studies have examined this effect with women’s perceptions of men. Thus, in this study, both men and women were tested. Participants viewed magazine advertisements that contained either attractive models of the opposite sex or neutral images. They were then presented with photographs of average-looking individuals of the opposite sex and were asked to rate their attractiveness. We hypothesize that both men and women will view average looking people more negatively after seeing the advertisements that include models as compared to neutral advertisements. | |
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Title: |
Extraversion and the Bystander Effect |
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Authors: |
Colin Clark, Ryan Ungashick, Melissa Porter, and Tara Beckman |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kristine M. Kelly |
| Many studies have documented the bystander effect in simulated emergency situations as well as non-emergency situations. However, few studies have examined personality characteristics that might mediate a person’s likelihood of succumbing to the bystander effect. Thus, the purpose of our study was to investigate extraversion as one potential factor. Each participant completed an extraversion scale in the presence of either no confederates (control condition) or three confederates who were posing as other participants (bystander condition). Next, the experimenter “accidentally” dropped a stack of papers. The participants’ helping behavior was coded by an observer. We expect that extraverts will be more likely to help in the bystander condition than introverts. | |
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Title: |
Does Visual Arousal Affect Helping Behavior in Strangers? |
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Authors: |
Candice R. Riso, Shaun Thompson and Nick Weaver |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kristine M. Kelly |
| This study examined the arousal of participants and the effect it had on their helping behavior toward a stranger. Participants were asked to watch either a visually stimulating video clip or a visually neutral video clip, and then complete a filler task in the form of a brief questionnaire. After this, they were led to believe that the study was over. Once they left the room, a confederate dropped their books and an observer rated the amount of help given to the confederate. Our hypothesis is that participants who are more visually stimulated and aroused will be more likely to offer help to a stranger than those who have not been stimulated. | |
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Title: |
The Effects of Leading Questions and Misinformation on False Memories |
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Authors: |
Adam Carton, Courtney Clippert, Kristen Szopa, and Ryan Smith |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kristine M. Kelly |
| Research has demonstrated the ability of both leading questions and misinformation to create false memories. However, research has not directly compared the effects of these two paradigms against each other, which was the purpose of our study. Each participant viewed an ambiguous video clip from the television show “Cops” in the presence of a confederate. Two independent variables were manipulated: misinformation (confederate provided bogus vs. neutral information about the video) and leading questions (questionnaire asking leading questions or not). It is hypothesized that the combination of leading questions and misinformation will create the highest level of false memories. We also expect that leading questions will have a greater effect on false memories than misinformation provided by a confederate. | |
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Title: |
Justifiable Violence and Acceptance of Aggressive Behavior |
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Authors: |
Ashley Sparks, Adam Craig, Ashley Knott, and Jonathan Fitch |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kristine M. Kelly |
| Many studies have investigated the connection between media violence and aggressive behavior. However, only a few studies have examined the extent to which individuals are accepting of violence. The purpose of this study was to look at the relationship between justifiable violence and acceptance of aggressive behavior. Participants read a narrative that introduced a violent video clip they were about to view. The narrative portrayed the violence depicted in the clip as either justified or unjustified. After seeing the video clip, participants completed a survey assessing their acceptance of aggressive behavior. We hypothesize that participants who were led to believe that the violence was justified will report more acceptance of aggressive behavior in general than those who believed the violence was not justified. | |
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Title: |
The Effects of Responsibility on Empathy and Altruism |
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Authors: |
Jessica McCray, Emily Helling, William McClary, and Katie Ferb |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kristine M. Kelly |
|
According to Batson’s
Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis, a person witnessing another person in need may
experience empathic concern which leads to altruistic behaviors directed toward
that person. Research shows that individuals who are personally responsible for
their situation induce less empathy than those who are not responsible. The
purpose of our study was to simultaneously investigate these
responsibility-empathy and empathy-altruism links. Participants first read a
narrative depicting a man who was either responsible or not responsible for his
situation. Next, participants completed an empathy questionnaire. Then a
confederate staged an accident and the participant’s helping behavior was coded.
We expect that participants will feel more empathy for the man who was not responsible for his situation and will be more likely to help the confederate. |
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Title: |
Fulfilling the Need to Belong: Partner Reactions to Sadness |
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Authors: |
Meleia Browning, Wendy Bulthuis, and Erin Hall |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kristine M. Kelly |
| The purpose of this study was to investigate the connection between affect, partner responses, and belongingness needs. Female participants first completed a measure of threat to one’s belongingness needs then watched a sad or neutral movie scene. They then completed the belongingness threat measure again. Next, they engaged in a face-to-face conversation about the movie scene with a confederate who responded positively or neutrally towards the participant. Finally, they filled out the belongingness threat measure again. We expect to find that participants who viewed the sad video will experience heightened threat to their sense of belonging but then the threat will decrease when the confederate interacts positively. However, the threat should remain high when the confederate interacts neutrally. | |
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Title: |
The Self-Conversion Phenomenon as a Treatment for Behavior Change |
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Author: |
Melissa G. Mazias |
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Faculty Sponsors: |
Dr. Melanie Hetzel-Riggin and Dr. Matthew Blankenship |
| The self-conversion phenomenon is when one tries to convince another and convinces themselves. This can be utilized to make various rehabilitation programs more effective. Participants were students attending a mid-sized university. Participants answered demographic questions and an attitude assessment. Participants then gave speeches to convince another student in which they believed was at risk for alcohol related problems. Participants took another version of the attitudes assessment. The difference in scores between the assessments was the measure of self-conversion. The control group gave the speech to a video camera. The hypothesis was that the experimental group would have a larger self-conversion score. The results of the study showed that the hypothesis was correct for four of the assessment items. | |
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Title: |
Recent Trends: Working Mothers and College Students |
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Author: |
Ashleigh Semplowski |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. Paula Wise |
| Research on the subject of working mothers began in the 1980s and explored the pros and cons of maternal employment. In this study 138 participants (69 males and 69 females) were recruited. Participants were assigned to either a working mother or non-working mother condition. It was found that college students rate working mothers less favorably than they rate non-working mothers. There was also a non-experimental part that assessed behavior and academics. It was further found that working mothers have no negative effects on their children academically or behaviorally. These findings are very mixed, but it can be said that working mothers, at least in this study, are not having negative effects on their children academically or behaviorally. | |
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Title: |
The Effect of Social Comparison on Self-Esteem |
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Authors: |
Gina Manolis, David Aguirre, Sara Pemberton, and Ashli Piper |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Kristine M. Kelly |
| According to Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954), individuals gauge the value of their appearance by judging it against that of similar others. An abundance of studies have shown that social comparison affects individuals’ self-esteem, but these studies have used overt self-esteem measures. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which social comparison affects self-esteem when it is measured covertly. Participants were randomly assigned to receive one of two photographs (attractive or unattractive same-sex person). After looking at the photograph, participants completed a self-esteem measure that was intermingled with filler questions to mask the true purpose of the study. We expect that individuals who view attractive photos will have lower self-esteem than those who view unattractive photos. | |
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Title: |
The Relationship Between Depression, Life Satisfaction, and Mental Health Literacy |
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Authors: |
Amy J. Dunton & Courtney A. Clippert |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Robert C Intrieri, Ph.D. |
| Mental health literacy has relevance in preventing suicide, particularly among those that have a major depressive disorder, which is the syndrome most closely associated with suicidal behavior. According to the National Mental Health Association, 60 percent of college students have been diagnosed with depression. Articles in the popular press suggests that “Mental illness is going off the charts on college campuses” (USA Today, May 21, 2000) thus making it crucially important to learn how much college students know about mental health conditions in general and depression in particular. One hundred thirty participants completed a survey designed to measure Mental Health Literacy and completed scales that measured depression, life satisfaction, and knowledge about depression and alcohol. A moderate correlation (-.486) was found between depression and Life Satisfaction. | |
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Title: |
Mental Health Literacy: How literate are college students? |
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Authors: |
Courtney A. Clippert & Amy J. Dunton |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Robert C Intrieri, Ph.D. |
| Mental Health literacy was first introduced to the literature in 1997 and was defined as “the Knowledge and belief about mental disorders which aid their recognition, management, and prevention (Jorm et al, 1997)”. In contrast, “Health literacy” has been referred to in the literature for at least 30 years and is important because it is considered instrumental in producing and maintaining good health (Nutbeam, 2000). Studies assessing mental health literacy in Australia have demonstrated that the general public is not well informed about mental health issues. This study measured Mental Health Literacy through the presentation of nine scenarios that described different mental health conditions. One hundred thirty college students chose a response that best represented the condition described. Results showed that participants accurately identified only 46.9% of the scenarios correctly. | |
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Title: |
Who Works Harder: Motivations Effect on Involvement in College Student Organizations |
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Authors: |
Alison Schuler, Ashleigh Semplowski, Erin Bedford, and Raynesia Fleming |
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Faculty Sponsor: |
Dr. David Lane |
| The purpose of this study is to determine if reason’s for joining and motivation and type of organization (social, volunteer and honors organizations) predicts involvement within a college student organization. We are basing our study off of Vroom’s (1964) Expectancy Theory which states that motivated individuals put forth the greatest effort, believe that effort will lead to good performance, and that good performance will lead to preferred outcome. Our hypothesis states that those students in volunteer organizations will have the highest internal reasons for joining, highest motivation leading to higher involvement, social organizations will have the highest social reasons for joining, and honors will have resume building as their highest reasons for joining and lowest motivation leading to lower involvement. | |
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