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Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania
Psychology Department
THE EFFECTS OF REJECTION SENSITIVITY AND
COGNITIVE PRIMING ON RESPONSES TO AMBIGUOUS
SITUATIONS
Kimberly Clute
Advised by Mandy Medvin
This study looks at how sensitivity to rejection and primed intentionality influence behaviors in response to hypothetical social situations. Rejection sensitivity is the disposition to readily expect and overreact to potentially rejecting situations. The purpose of priming sentences was to create an accessible construct either intentionally or non-intentionally rejecting. Participants were 59 fifth grade students who were primed with intentional rejection and asked to respond to a rejecting scenario which was ambiguous in intent. It was predicted that those high in rejection sensitivity and primed with intentional rejecting sentences will feel the most distress, feel more rejected, and have an angry reaction in response to rejecting situations ambiguous in intent. There were no significant findings to support the hypotheses.
FANTASTICAL REPRESENTATION OF REALITY:
IDEALIZATION OF INDIVIDUALS
Danielle Gorley
Advised by Sherri Pataki
We predicted low self-esteem individuals idealize others. Co-ed 18-22 year olds participated. Study One used Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem scale and an idealization questionnaire to show low SE correlated to idealization supporting the hypothesis, and suggesting low SE individuals may tend to idealize celebrities. Study Two, used the self-esteem scale, integration survey, fictional press articles, and success questionnaires to measure hypothesis two that self-esteem relates to generalization of one success to unrelated aspects of an individual’s life. This supported hypothesis two, suggesting how much an individual idealizes may be predicted by their self-esteem and integration levels.
THE EVOLUTIONARY ORIGINS OF SUBJECTIVITY IN CHOICE BEHAVIOR: AN IMPLICIT MODEL OF REPRESENTATION
Emilee Gustkey
Advised by Alan Gittis
A local model of representation explains the evolutionary origins of subjectivity in choice behavior in rats. Eight adult male rats were randomly separated into two conditions to be run on a radial arm maze. The rats in the control condition were given rewards for each arm at varying probabilities; rats in the experimental condition were rewarded the same probability each time they visited an arm. The rats learned to weigh the arms at different spatial conditions differentially, depending on the probability of reinforcement given. It is hypothesized that, in the control probe condition, the subjects visit the arms in chronological sequential order as predicted by the spatial model of representation. In the experimental condition, it is hypothesized that the previous behavior will be tempered by the probability of reinforcement associated with each arm and thus, the rats are using probability matching rather than spatial strategy. Findings support the hypothesis that animals given varying rewards use an implicit model of representation and animals in the control condition used an explicit model of representation.
THE EFFECTS OF PRIMING ON BODY IMAGE AND SOCIAL COMPARISON
Erin Hinks
Advised by Jamie McMinn
According to Social Comparison Theory people have a drive to compare themselves with others. These comparisons can lead people to feel bad themselves, especially when comparisons are made by a female about body image. Ninety-three Westminster College females participated in this study. They were primed with an image of a thin or overweight female, or no image at all. It was hypothesized that those primed with an image of a thin person would have lower self-esteem and body satisfaction, and those primed with an overweight person would have higher. Participants completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Body Shape Questionnaire, and were given candy to eat. How much they ate was measured. Half of the participants completed the surveys in front of the mirror. The effects of the prime and mirror on a person’s Self-Esteem, Body Satisfaction, and how much candy they ate was analyzed, and there were no significant results.
THE EFFECT OF CURRENT STRESS ON ATTACHMENT TO A ROMANTIC PARTNER
Danielle Kepics
Advised by Sherri Pataki
This study examined childhood attachment styles in relation to adult romantic relationships; specifically, examining attachment stability. This was done by using the Experience in Close Relationship scale (Brennan, Clark, and Shaver, 1987). The Experience in Close Relationship scale measured general feelings towards relationships, and was modified within the stress induced condition to measure participant’s feelings about specific relationships. Stress was induced by having all participants complete a memory task by remembering seven digit numbers while answering questions and then recalling them after answering three questions. It was predicted that individuals who demonstrated an insecure attachment, despite any current secure attachments; will revert back to an insecure attachment when placed under stress. A second hypothesis predicted that those with a general insecure attachment could become securely attached to specific relationships. Results mainly showed support for continuity through general to specific relationships.
ETIOLOGY OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DEFICITS: CAN THEY BE ATTRIBUTED TO OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER OR COMORBID DEPRESSION?
Winifred Limmer
Advised by Kirk Lunnen
Some studies have implied a relationship between executive functioning deficits and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, but they failed to control for depression. Based on screening scores, 46 participants were assigned to an OCD, a depressed/OCD, or a control group. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Trail Making Tests were administered. Some of the OCD and control participants first completed a stressor task. Depressed/OCD participants performed the poorest on both tests. Anxious OCD participants performed poorer than those who were non-anxious. This indicates that executive functioning deficits are due primarily to comorbid depression, not OCD. Results also suggest that the deficits observed in individuals with OCD may be due to hyperarousal.
THE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN SUBJECTIVE
REPORTS OF PARASYMPATHETIC AROUSAL AMONG
SMOKERS: A REINTERPRETATION OF NESBITT’S PARADOX
Tyler Lonigro
Advised by Kirk Lunnen
In 1973, Nesbitt reported that participants in his experiment were undergoing simultaneous inverses in arousal (i.e. increased physiological arousal during decreased emotional arousal). This phenomenon has been termed “Nesbitt’s Paradox.” Most research has primarily focused on physiological explanations of the phenomenon, such as nicotine withdrawal. However, few studies have investigated the possible contributions of psychological factors to Nesbitt’s Paradox. The present study examined the possible impact of access to and manipulation of smoking materials on Nesbitt’s Paradox. A sample of 36 smokers and non-smokers participated in a stressor task and then assigned to one of three experimental conditions: sham smoking, deep breathing, and control. Blood pressure, heart rate, and skin temperature were taken as dependant variable measures. Results were compared across groups (smokers vs. non-smokers) and conditions, however were not significant. Interestingly, some data statistically neared alpha level, indicating the need for future research in this area.
A LOOK AT OVERT AND SUBTLE PREJUDICE IN THE UNITED STATES TOWARD MUSLIMS
Erin O’Donnell
Advised by Sherri Pataki
People’s overt and subtle prejudices towards Muslims were investigated in this study. The participants were men and women from a small liberal arts college, between the ages of 18-22. The prejudices were investigated using a paragraph that explained the function of Muslim and Amish head-covering practices, followed by a survey. A small amount of fear was also induced in some of the participants. The three hypotheses studied were: people tend to be more overtly prejudiced toward Muslims, when fear was induced the participants’ views would be significantly more negative than in the no fear condition, and when fear was induced participants would view Islamic traditions more negatively than Amish traditions. The results were not significant. The results show opposite of what was predicted.
THE EFFECT OF REJECTION SENSITIVITY BETWEEN
FRIENDSHIP SATISFACTION AND QUALITY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS
Kayla Pasquale
Advised by Mandy Medvin
Based on previous studies on the relationship of rejection sensitivity and intimate relationships, this study examined the effect of rejection sensitivity on friendship. Participants from a small, private college were studied on two distinct types of friendship measure. The first looked at positive feelings and satisfaction an individual feels for a specific friend. The second consisted of seven friendship functions (stimulating companionship, help, intimacy, reliable alliance, self-validation, emotional security, and conflict), that would measure the friendship quality within a friendship. Individual differences in rejection sensitivity were compared to both friendship satisfaction, as well as scores on seven friendship functions which evaluated friendship quality. Based on a Pearson-product correlation design significant results were found on six of the seven friendship functions, as well as satisfaction. Therefore, I can accept my predictions and can conclude that individuals who show higher levels of rejection sensitivity tend to have lower friendship functions and satisfaction.
EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS ON PERCEPTIONS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Laura Peters
Advised by Jamie McMinn
Physical attractiveness may influence how people perceive the sexual orientation of others. People who are more physically attractive may be considered more likely to be heterosexual regardless of their actual sexual orientation. The participants compared dating applicants who were either attractive or unattractive, and either homosexual or heterosexual. One applicant was always homosexual and one applicant was always heterosexual. The participants then rated the likeliness that the applicants would date each other and the likeliness that either partner would “change” his/her sexual orientation to date the other applicant. When the targets matched on attractiveness, the homosexual target was rated more likely to change sexual orientation than the heterosexual target, especially for attractive lesbians. More homophobic people were less likely to believe that homosexuality is biological; and were more likely to believe that sexual orientation boundaries are sharply defined (people are either homosexual or heterosexual).
SELF-VERIFICATION AND PERSONAL ATTITUDES TOWARD WOMEN
Meredith Polando
Advised by Jamie McMinn
Self-verification theory suggests that people want others to confirm their self-beliefs even when these beliefs are negative (Swann, Stein-Seroussi, & Giesler, 1992). One such self-belief involves attitudes toward women, including sexism. This study examined self-verification and sexist beliefs. Participants completed implicit and explicit measures of sexism, and they received feedback on the implicit measure that either confirmed or was manipulated to disconfirm their explicit self-beliefs. They were then asked to help a male or female professor on an anagram task. I predicted that nonsexists who received disconfirming feedback would help a woman more than a man, but the reverse would be true of sexists who received disconfirming feedback. This hypothesis was not supported.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENDER SCHEMATICITY AND
MEMORY RECALL OF GENDER STEREOTYPED AND COUNTERSTEREOTYPED INFORMATION
Elizabeth Randall
Advised by Mandy Medvin
This study examined the impact of gender schematicity on recall of gender stereotyped versus counterstereotyped information. Based on Gender Schema Theory and Bem’s (1981) concept of androgyny, gender schematicity focuses on whether people are either gender schematic or gender aschematic; in other words, whether or not a person consciously follows gender stereotypes. Participants were given two short stories to read once, and their recall of the stories was tested one week later with a short questionnaire for each story. At that time participants also completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory to assess their gender schematicity. A one-way ANOVA and planned comparisons showed that gender schematic individuals recalled significantly more stereotyped information from the second story than did gender aschematic individuals. Analysis of incorrect responses showed no significant findings.
FAMILIAL HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION AND ORAL
CONTRACEPTIVE USE AS MODERATORS OF CORTISOL
CONCENTRATIONS IN COLLEGE FEMALES
Anneliese Schwartzmiller
Advised by Kirk Lunnen
Elevated levels of cortisol concentrations have been linked to an increased risk of numerous health related problems (Amhed et al., 2004). Several studies have investigated the relationship between a familial history of hypertension and cortisol concentrations. Research has also considered the impact of oral contraceptive sue on cortisol concentrations. However, to date, no studies have investigated the possible relationship between a familial history of hypertension and oral contraceptive use on cortisol concentrations. Salivary cortisol concentrations were compared across forty females in four groups (with or without a familial history of hypertension and with or without a sue of oral contraceptives) before and after a mental stressor. The data was analyzed using high sensitivity salivary cortisol enzyme immunoassay kits. Although there were no significant findings, the results do support several trends observed in previous research. Future research is needed to determine what prolonged effects these two factors have on the HPA axis.
A COMPARISON OF OCULAR AND EEG ACTIVITY BETWEEN OCD SYMPTOMATIC AND NON-SYMPTOMATIC PARTICIPANTS IN RESPONSE TO DISGUSTING VISUAL STIMULI
April Sobieralski
Advised by Kirk Lunnen
Obsessive-compulsive disorder has been linked to disruptions in brain activity and to variations in eye movements unlike those of non-OCD sufferers. The disgust response in those with OCD is a particular area of interest. The present study used the electroencephalogram to investigate differences in brain activation in response to disgusting imagery between 54 OCD-symptomatic and non-symptomatic participants, and used electrooculography to investigate differences in ocular activity. OCD-symptomatic participants displayed significantly less eye movements on two disgusting images, and trends show OCD symptomatic participants had less eye movements for each disgusting image. New behavior modification treatments can center on training OCD sufferers to visually divert their attention from stimuli that are obsessions and compulsions.
PERCEPTIONS OF CRIMINALITY IN A NON-CRIMINAL MALE POPULATION
Kadie Strosko
Advised by Jamie McMinn
Perceptions of criminality have been revealed by facial features such as long hair, tattoos, and piercings. The Social Dominance Orientation scale was used to determine the participant’s level of social dominance. Fifty-two non-criminal, college male participants were used. They were given the SDO scale and the photo task questionnaire which included 24 photos that vary by facial feature and race. Results were found by using a within-subjects ANOVA and yielded that picture race was not individually significant. Salience was individually significant and remained significant when paired with picture race. This shows that salience does have an effect on the way one perceives criminality.
THE NATURE OF REPRESENTATION: A LOCAL MEMORY MODEL
Lindsey Weber
Advised by Alan Gittis
To survive in an ever-changing environment it is hypothesized that rats develop an implicit and local representation of their environment in distinction to a global map-like representation. To evaluate this hypothesis a dynamic environment was constructed by adapting a radial arm maze working memory paradigm. In this study 10 Long-Evans rats visited a prescribed series of eight spatial locations and then given a two choice discrimination that probed their spatial preference. Probes differed in the amount of spacing, lag and delay between locations visited and probe introduction. Results indicated that the animal’s representation is systematically updated by the most recently visited arms but is maintained over an extended delay interval.
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