Psychology Masters Theses

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Aging and Object-Based Inhibition of Return
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Huether, Asenath Xochitl Arauza
Inhibition of return (IOR) is a cognitive mechanism to bias attention from returning to previously engaged items. While aging models have proposed deficits within select inhibitory domains, older adults have demonstrated preserved IOR functioning in previous studies. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether IOR associated with objects showed the same age patterns as IOR associated with locations. Both young and older adults produced significant location-based IOR in static and dynamic paradigms. In contrast, young adults produced object-based IOR in a dynamic paradigm, whereas older adults failed to produce significant object-based effects. The findings provide partial support for unique age-related inhibitory patterns associated with anterior and posterior attention systems.
Antisocial and Prosocial Peer Experiences and Social Cognitions as Predictors of Children's Responses to Harassment from Peers.
(North Dakota State University, 2009) Visconti, Kari Jeanne
The current study examined whether prosocial and antisocial peer experiences and cognitions are predictive of changes in children's coping behaviors in response to peer victimization. Longitudinal data spanning two time points across two consecutive school years were analyzed. Participants included 305 children who were in the 3rd and 4th grades at the beginning of the study. Peer victimization, a significant form of peer stress for many youth, and positive peer treatment were examined, as well as the beliefs children hold about the characteristics and dispositions of their peers (e.g.,peer beliefs), including both antisocial peer beliefs (i.e., perceptions of agemates as mean, bossy, and untrustworthy) and prosocial peer beliefs (i.e., perceptions of agemates as prosocial, cooperative, and helpful). Five coping strategies were examined - support seeking from friends, parents, and teachers, behavioral avoidance, and retaliation. A series of regressions was performed in which children's coping in the Spring of their 4th or 5th grade year served as the criterion variable. Analyses controlled for children's use of these strategies during the Spring of their 3rd and 4th grade year, respectively, allowing for a test of changes in responses to peer victimization. Children's antisocial and prosocial peer treatment and peer beliefs in the Spring of the 3rd or 4th grade were the primary predictors, and interactions between sex and peer treatment and peer beliefs were included in each regression equation. Results demonstrate that victimization is predictive of decreased retaliation for all children as well as decreased friend support seeking for girls, but not for boys. Prosocial peer treatment was associated with marginal decreases in parent support seeking for girls and was predictive of iv increases in friend support seeking for all children. Although no significant relations were found between antisocial peer beliefs and children's coping with victimization, prosocial peer beliefs were predictive of decreases in retaliation for boys; however this relation was not significant for girls. Furthermore, that friendship moderated the link between victimization and retaliation such that peer victimization predicted decreases in retaliation over time for those children with no mutual friendships in their classroom. Findings from this study help elucidate how children's social experiences and related cognitions contribute to the strategies they utilize when coping with peer victimization.
Applying a modern situational measure to improve the reliability, validity, and outcome predictability of dream assessment
(North Dakota State University, 2024) Garcia, Odalis
Dreams are hallucinatory activity occurring during sleep that nearly everyone experiences. To understand and research dreams, the field needs a reliable and valid dream assessment tool. The current, most used, measure (Hall and Van de Castle measure) has presented with various reliability and validity issues since its development in 1966. I propose adapting the DIAMONDS taxonomy for situational characteristics to assess dream content. The validation process of this adapted measure has begun with foundational work informing the development of dream-specific subscales. In two preliminary studies I provide some evidence for substantive and structural validity of the adapted measure. Interim data analysis (n=53) in a larger study begins to establish its external validity as it relates to the measure’s ability to predict next-day affect. The completion of this study should present some evidence of all phases of the validation process, therefore providing the field with a novel validated dream assessment tool.
Applying the Situational Judgment Test Method to Assess Individual Differences in Health Competence
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Persich, Michelle Ruth
People regularly make decisions about their health, yet they clearly differ in their ability to successfully make healthy decisions. We sought to understand this important individual difference by developing a scenario-based measure of health competence (HC) modeled from the Situation Judgment Test (SJT) method. People were required to judge certain responses to health-related scenarios in terms of how healthy the response was and the likelihood that they would enact the response. In study 1, we showed that those with high HC scores tended to participate in less risky health behaviors and more protective health behaviors. In study 2, we used a daily diary methodology to show that HC scores were predictive of daily substance use, healthy eating, impulsivity, and coping. These findings suggest that this HC assessment will contribute to our knowledge of how people make health decisions and how those decisions affect their health.
Are two heads better than one? Investigating the influence of collaboration on creativity
(North Dakota State University, 2024) Knopps, Alexander
Creativity and collaboration are considered fundamental skills for student success in STEM Education (Karimi & Pina, 2021) and are consistently among the top-ranked skills for employers (Flaherty, 2021). To assess creativity, the Remote Association Task (RAT) is an increasingly used tool to measure creative problem-solving (Wu et al., 2021). However, no research has systematically investigated the effectiveness of working collaboratively versus individually using this measure. The current research evaluates how collaboration impacts creative problem-solving using the RAT. Participants worked collaboratively or individually to solve 20 RAT problems (Experiments 1-2) and completed a later, individual test that involved the same 20 RAT problems and 20 novel RAT problems (Experiment 2). Outcomes suggest collaboration lowers performance during initial problem solving, but may benefit later, individual problem solving. Evaluating how best to support creative processes in the context of collaboration has implications for supporting student success and helping them develop highly applicable skills.
Are You a Good Partner? Using the Situation Judgment Test Method to Identify and Measure Romantic Competence
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Penzel, Ian B.
We devised a measure seeking to assess competency within romantic relationships using a scenario-based paradigm that was informed by the situation judgment test (SJT) and emotional intelligence literatures. Pilot data revealed positive correlations between romantic competence (RC) and romantic relationship outcomes such as satisfaction and self-efficacy within romantic relationships. To further research of this type, we conducted a study examining daily romantic behaviors, feelings, and motivations, while also collecting partner and peer reports. Results revealed that RC was a significant predictor of romantic success as quantified by self-perceptions and peer reports, and some of these relationships remain significant when controlling for personality and attachment style. Somewhat surprisingly, RC did not predict partner perceptions. Regardless, RC was a robust predictor of the daily outcomes, suggesting that RC has daily manifestations. The bulk of the evidence supports the idea that RC is an important individual difference within romantic relationships.
At the intersection of gender and sexuality: the role of a counselor in the co-transitioning process
(North Dakota State University, 2024) Simenson, Sara
Transgender and gender-diverse people experience prejudice, invalidation, and minority stress. There have been strides towards counselor competency when working with this population, however research is limited in exploring how a counselor can help the cisgender partners and partner dynamics. The research becomes scanter if the cisgender partner identifies as gay or lesbian. “Co-transitioning” is a term introduced by Theron & Collier (2013) that refers to the adaptation process a partner undergoes alongside their transitioning partner (Theron & Collier, 2013, as cited in Siboni et al., 2023). While a trans individual is transitioning, their partner must also renegotiate different aspects of their identity, as well as navigate a new relationship dynamic. Thus, the cisgender partner is engaging in a transition of their own. With limited evidence-based research available, counselors may not be providing competent services to trans partners. Research suggests that the partners who seek counseling services often experience a lack of psychological support (Van Acker et al., 2023). To combat the lack of research and support, this study aimed to answer the following research question: “What is a counselor’s role in helping gay/lesbian, cisgender partners of trans individuals navigate the co-transitioning process?” The goal of this study was to explore this population's needs and how a counselor may assist these individuals through the co-transitioning process.
Belief and Belongingness: Are Supernatural Agents and Forces Social Surrogates?
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Nelson, Taylor
Motivational approaches to the study of supernatural beliefs propose that such beliefs serve psychological functions. I tested the proposal that supernatural agents and forces are sought out as social surrogates to fulfill the need to belong. First, I present preliminary data consistent with the claim that the belongingness motive and deficits in belongingness (i.e., loneliness) are related to supernatural beliefs. Next, I report an experiment testing the supernatural social surrogate proposal. I hypothesized that affirming belongingness would reduce supernatural beliefs and that the relationship between the predictors and supernatural beliefs would weaken if one’s belonging is affirmed. If supernatural beliefs are motivated by belongingness concerns, then meeting people’s belongingness needs should reduce their inclination to turn to supernatural social surrogates. I further predicted these effects would remain significant when controlling for known cognitive correlates of supernatural beliefs. Results did not support the social surrogate hypothesis.
The Body Inversion Effect: The Role of Visual Appearance on Body Processing
(North Dakota State University, 2015) Huynh, Carol
The purpose of this study was to determine if body stimuli are uniquely processed by the visual recognition system. First, my results supported past findings showing that body processing differs from object processing (e.g., cars, chairs, houses). However, body processing depended on the presence/absence of a head. Second, the nature of appearance impacted observers’ performance such that discrimination was better for real than artificial bodies. Finally, I examined the impact of body appearance on event-related potential (ERP) responses, specifically the P100 and N170, and found that amplitudes elicited by real headless bodies was significantly larger than amplitudes elicited by all other variations in body appearance. In general, these results suggest the existence of a body recognition system that processes body images varying in visual appearance. However, this system may be more tuned to bodies that most resemble natural appearance and less tuned to bodies that deviate away from it.
Bridging Attention Across Space and Time: Do Positive Emotion Generated Shifts in Spatial Attention Lead to Changes in Attention Across Time?
(North Dakota State University, 2016) Saxton, Brandon Tyler
Previous research has demonstrated that positive emotion influences various aspects of attention including spatial attention and attention across time. Research has commonly focused on how emotion influences one aspect of attention at a time. Recently a study was done that showed how one’s natural global or local spatial attention bias predicts subsequent performance of attention across time. This study proposed to use a similar mechanism to investigate how positive emotion might influence the link between spatial attention and attention across time. It was hypothesized that individuals who are experiencing positive emotion during a spatial attention task will have a more global attention bias and perform better on a subsequent attention across time task in comparison to those in a neutral or negative emotion. The data were inconsistent with this hypothesis. There were no significant differences between emotion conditions. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Buddhism is More Than Just Meditation: A Cognitive Non-Attachment Training for Social Stress
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Klein, Robert
Buddhism is essentially a cognitive-behavioral intervention where oral teachings and meditation work together to develop nonattachment, a mind-state considered to be the antidote to all human suffering. The present work investigated a twelve-minute cognitive nonattachment induction that taught a wisdom training called the “Three Marks of Existence.” We expected nonattached attitudes to increase following the training. Anxious reactivity to a public speaking task was also expected to be reduced. Results were mixed, and suggested that the training increased agreement with nonattachment world-views, and reduced threat appraisals as hypothesized. However, the training generally did not reduce anxiety measures, although it was effective across several measures among women. These results suggest that nonattachment could be an important mind-state for mitigating the emotional and social stressors inherent to everyday life, and that more research is needed to better understand the cognitive and behavioral development on nonattachment.
Changes in Negative Affect Following Pain (vs. Nonpainful) Stimulation in Individuals With and Without a History of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury
(North Dakota State University, 2011) Bresin, Konrad Winston
Theoretical models of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI; i.e., purposeful destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent) suggest that individuals engage in NSSI in order to regulate intense emotions. However, empirical support for these models is limited. This study attempted to address previous limitations by comparing the emotional response to a mood induction and pain (vs. nonpainful) heat stimulation in individuals with history ofNSSI (vs. no history of NSSI) following a negative mood induction. It was predicted that individuals with a history ofNSSI would have a larger increase in negative emotion following the mood induction, and individuals with a history of NSSI who are exposed to a painful stimuli would have the largest decrease in negative emotions compared to the other three groups. Though the first hypothesis was not supported, the second hypothesis received partial support. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.
Changing Dating Behavior Expectations by Using Judgmental Anchors to Induce Cognitive Dissonance
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Semanko, Anna Maruska
This study expanded upon literature separately examining numerical anchors and cognitive dissonance, by attempting to use numerical anchors to induce cognitive dissonance and change dating behavior expectations. The high numerical anchors had an effect on dating behavior expectations, such that the expectations assimilated in a healthier direction toward the anchor value. The dissonance manipulation resulted in higher levels of psychological discomfort, as measured by the scale created for this thesis. Further, an exploration of assessing magnitude of dissonance and an examination of the theoretical antecedents of dating behavior intentions was conducted. Overall, future dating behavior intentions for respect, trust, communication and helping behaviors were in healthy directions. Additionally, dating behavior intentions assessed four to six weeks after the study remained in a healthy direction. These findings are informative and contribute to our knowledge regarding the use of numerical anchors, cognitive dissonance, and undergraduate dating behavior expectations and intentions.
Conquering Avoidance by Avoiding Death: The Effects of Mortality Salience on Goal Value, Goal Commitment, and Goal Pursuit in Depressive Individuals
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Myxter, Peter John
Research into the antecedents and consequences of successful goal pursuit is reviewed within the framework of a proposed existential intervention for depression. Behavioral perspectives propose that insufficient goal pursuit and concomitant positive reinforcement leads to depressed mood. While substantial research has been conducted examining the relation between goal pursuit and psychological well-being, little research exists regarding strategies for fostering increased motivation for goal pursuit in depressed individuals. This review suggests that novel strategies for increasing goal pursuit motivation can be derived from the existential paradigm of Terror Management Theory (TMT). Past TMT research indicates that reminders of mortality lead to greater valuing of the standards and values of one's cultural worldview. The current study screened a sample of individuals exhibiting depressed mood to examine whether reminders of mortality lead to greater valuing and pursuit of individualized goals. Participants were randomly assigned to mortality salience or control condition and completed depression and well-being measures in a baseline session and a follow-up session two weeks later. Results indicated that reminders of mortality did not lead to greater valuing and pursuit of individualized goals.
Creativity and Randomness
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Zabelina, Darya Lvovna
Major theories of creative cognition are reviewed in the present thesis. These theories are diverse yet seem to converge on similar key processes. One definition of creativity emphasizes going beyond stereotypical responses in the service of truly novel thought patterns. However, the generation of remotely associated elements must be done in a 111 controlled, goal directed manner. To examine stereotypic and novel thought patterns, I used a cognitive measure termed Random Number Generation (RNG). Baseline tendencies reflecting departures from randomness ('trait' tendencies) were assessed, as were tendencies exhibited in a condition in which participants were asked to type number sequences in as random an order as possible ('ability'). Creative originality and creative achievement were found to relate to lower trait randomness on the Repetition of Responses factor of RNG. Creative fluency and creative flexibility, on the other hand, were related to higher ability for randomness according to the Prepotent Associates factor of RNG. Results indicate that the ability to overcome stereotyped sequences is beneficial for generating ideas, but that a certain rhythmicity of responding facilitates creative achievement. Limitations of the study and future directions are discussed.
Development, Validation and Reliability of the Chrononutrition Profile
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Engwall, Allison Christine
Chrononutrition, or the circadian timing of food intake, has garnered attention as a topic of study due to its associations with health (e.g., weight gain); however, a valid assessment of chrononutrition in daily life has not yet been developed. The present study therefore aimed to develop and validate both a diary and questionnaire version of the Chrononutrition Profile which assess 6 components of chrononutrition that have been associated with poor health (breakfast skipping, night eating, eating window, evening latency, largest meal, and evening eating). The measure demonstrated preliminary evidence of test-retest reliability and convergent validity, though concurrent validity was not interpretable. Based on analyses, the final diary and questionnaire versions of the CP assess 5 components of chrononutrition: breakfast skipping, night eating, eating window, evening latency, and evening eating. This measure offers health care professionals, researchers, and stakeholders a cost-effective method of evaluating chrononutrition and identifying targets for health improvement.
Do Highly Mindful Individuals Experience Less Interference as a Result of Better Attention Control and Emotion Regulation?
(North Dakota State University, 2016) Siyaguna, Tharaki Javendra
Mindfulness has been found to be beneficial to psychological health. Furthermore, research suggests that mindfulness is associated with better attention control and fewer difficulties in emotion regulation. The purpose of the current study was twofold. First I investigated whether attention control and emotion regulation are mechanisms of mindfulness that aid performance on two cognitive tasks. Second, I investigated whether mindfulness moderates the relationship between rumination, a risk factor for mental health, and cognitive interference. In this study, participants completed two cognitive tasks that measure interference from emotional stimuli. They also completed self-report questionnaires that measure levels of mindfulness, attention control, difficulties in emotion regulation, and rumination. The results indicated that mindfulness was related to attention control, difficulties in emotion regulation and rumination. However, mindfulness did not predict attentional performance as measured by cognitive interference. It was also found that mindfulness did not moderate the impact of rumination on cognitive performance.
Does Discussing Problems Online Change the Nature of Co-rumination and Its Associated Effects on Negative Affect and Perceived Friendship Quality?
(North Dakota State University, 2012) Ranney, John D.
Engagement in problem-focused discussions that direct attention to negative emotions predicts heightened depressive affect and feelings of closeness with friends (Rose, 2002). The goal of this study was to test whether the psychosocial correlates of such conversations are altered by engaging in those conversations through computer-mediated forms of communication and to identify mechanisms that may account for those differences. Fifty-three female friend pairs engaged in problem-focused discussions in an online or face-to-face context. Observers rated expressed negative affect and information disclosure. Self-reports of self-disclosure, true self-expression, and feelings of similarity were obtained. Although participants interacting online were rated as exchanging less information than those interacting face-to-face, they reported feeling more similar, engaging in more self-disclosure, and expressing fewer aspects of their true self. Discussing problems online was indirectly related to feelings of closeness through greater felt similarity. Implications for the study of computer-mediated communication and problem-focused talk are discussed.
Dual Effects Model of Social Control: Extending the Model to 24-Hour Health Behavior
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Mead, Michael P.
The Dual Effects Model of Social Control suggests that partners can positively and negatively influence the health behaviors of their partner. However, the model fails to consider the impact of control on non-targeted health behaviors, such as sleep. The current study sought to expand this model by including sleep continuity and duration as outcomes related to control efforts targeting diet and exercise. Partner control and objective sleep data were collected via daily sleep diaries and Fitbit Charge HR. Regression models were used to test the direct and indirect effects of control on sleep duration and continuity and the extent to which affective response mediates this relationship. Negative control had a significant effect on negative affect, but not on sleep continuity or duration. Positive control had a significant effect on positive affective response, but the full mediation model was not supported. Recommendations for future research using the proposed model are discussed.
Effortful Control Moderates the Association Between Emotional Instability and Binge Eating
(North Dakota State University, 2015) Stevenson, Brittany Leigh
We hypothesized that (H1) emotional instability would be associated with an increased likelihood of a binge episode, and that (H2a) this relationship would be potentiated among individuals with low cognitive control and (H2b) high behavioral impulsivity. Methods: Participants were 48 community-dwelling adults and college students. Participants completed the stroop task (cognitive control) and stop signal task (behavioral impulsivity), followed by two weeks of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) examining mood, hunger, and binge eating behavior up to 9 times per day. Results: There was no main effect of emotional instability on the likelihood of a binge outcome (H1 unsupported). Consistent with H2a, participants with lower cognitive control were more likely to binge as emotional instability increased (OR = .9899, p = .006). Counter to H2b, participants with higher behavioral impulsivity (stop signal scores) were less likely to binge as emotional instability increased (OR = .9916, p = .029).

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Browsing Psychology Masters Theses by browse.metadata.department "Psychology"