UMD Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/3
New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a given thesis/dissertation in DRUM.
More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.
Browse
9 results
Search Results
Item How one helps: personality, theoretical orientation, and helping skill preference(2009) Hummel, Ann Martha; Gelso, Charles J; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In order to test the interrelationships among personality, preferred theoretical orientation to counseling, and preferences for various response modes (helping skills) in counseling, undergraduates in peer counseling and basic helping skills courses completed measures of these three constructs. Findings include four significant relationships between personality factors and theoretical orientations, and four significant relationships between theoretical orientation and helping skill preference. Three significant relationships between personality factors and helping skill preference were found, including two replications from an earlier study by the author (Hummel & Gelso, 2007). Identification with and belief in the humanistic/client-centered theoretical orientation was found to be a mediator between emotional stability and preference for direct guidance. Overall, there were modest interrelationships between personality, theoretical orientation, and helping skill preference in beginning helping trainees; but it was suggested that these relationships may not yet be solidified at this point in their development as helpers.Item Investigating the Role of Personality in (Sport) Consumer Behavior(2008-11-17) Mahan III, Joseph Edward; McDaniel, Stephen R; Kinesiology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation is presented as three empirical investigations examining the state of personality research in consumer behavior (CB). Each study supports the notion that the use of established personality theory can serve to better inform CB research (e.g., Baumgartner, 2002). Study one builds upon previous research in evaluating and comparing the validity and reliability of the Impulsive Sensation Seeking (ImpSS) scale with the more established Sensation Seeking Scale, Form V (SSS-V) and a third measure of Optimum Stimulation Level (OSL) in both homogenous and heterogeneous samples. Findings suggest ImpSS to be a valid and reliable alternative to SSS-V. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) results point to concurrent validity of ImpSS and SSS-V. In addition, the predictive validity of ImpSS compares favorably to both SSS-V and CSI in the context of high-risk behavioral correlates (i.e., gambling, smoking, and drinking). Consumer use of imagery to process advertising messages has received much attention in the literature (e.g., Thompson and Hamilton 2006) yet little is known about its underlying structure. Study two adopts a hierarchical personality approach (cf. Mowen and Spears 1999) in examining the influence of certain traits on an individual's processing style. Results suggest that variance in preferences for a visual processing style may be explained by interplay among some higher-order personality traits (i.e., Openness to Experience and fantasy-proneness) but not others (i.e., ImpSS). The findings of study two also provide a platform for the third investigation by demonstrating that a theoretically-grounded personality trait (i.e., fantasy proneness) appears to play a role in mode of processing. The third study examines the role of personality in the imagery processing of sport marketing stimuli. Specifically, this investigation explores the effects of fantasy proneness on processing and response to print ads containing varying levels of sport-related imagery. While the research hypotheses are not supported, this study follows existing imagery-processing literature (e.g., Petrova & Cialdini, 2005) in that manipulation of imagery-eliciting ad elements (i.e., ad copy) can lead to increased processing and more favorable ad response. Results of post hoc regression analyses also imply that fantasy proneness may, in fact, play a small role in consumer processing.Item Creating Persuasive Health Messages: Consideration of Future Consequences and Intention to Pursue Vaccination Against Human Papillomavirus(2007-12-14) Costar, Holly; Hoffman, Mary Ann; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The present study examined the responses of traditional aged college women to health messages about human papillomavirus (HPV) and the new preventative HPV vaccine, Gardasil. These health messages were temporally framed and it was hypothesized that response (i.e. intention to get vaccinated, information-seeking, and thoughts following the message) would be connected with a woman's level of consideration of future consequences (CFC) and the type of temporal frame to which she was exposed. The possible role of attitude, social norms, and perceived behavioral control, as defined by the Theory of Planned Behavior and Reasoned Action, as mediating factors between CFC and intention to get vaccinated was also examined. The temporal frame of a message was not found to moderate the effect of CFC on the dependent variables. While attitude, social norms, and perceived behavioral control did not mediate between CFC and intention to get vaccinated, these variables did significantly contribute to intention, providing support for the Theory of Planned Behavior and Reasoned Action as a useful model for predicting college women's response to health messages about the HPV vaccine. Additional analyses concerning demographic information, risk factors, knowledge about HPV and the vaccine, and responses to qualitative questions were also conducted.Item examining the influence of sensation seeking and gender on consumers' emotional responses to visual stimuli in computer-simulated slot machines(2007-09-10) lim, choonghoon; McDaniel, Stephen R; Kinesiology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Purpose: Based on research on gambling and consumer psychology, the current study examines the influence of individuals' sensation seeking and gender on their emotional responses to visual stimulation during computer mediated slot-machine gaming. Methods: Following a pilot test to establish the reliability of scaled measures, as well as the validity of gambling stimuli and baseline treatments, data are collected from a sample of social gamblers (18+), as identified by the SOGS diagnostic. The experiment consisted of three phases. First, information on subjects' characteristics was gathered, including SS, gambling history, and gambling attitudes. Second, subjects participated in baseline tasks, designed to level their emotional states. Utilizing a randomized block design, participants (N = 200) then played a computer-mediated slot machine, with the conditions varying across groups in terms of level of visual stimulation (speed/duration of spin). Subjects also completed self-report measures of emotion (PAD) relative to their gambling experience. Results: Following the gambling and personality literature, data were analyzed separately by gender. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant interaction effects between SS levels and visual manipulations, in terms of subjects' emotional responses. However, there were significant main effects of SS on A for males and on P for females. Further, there was a significant main effect of visual stimuli on A for males. A post hoc analysis found a significant main effect of winning sequence on D, where sequence of game/spin outcomes (win-near miss, near miss-win, win-miss disconnected) influenced perceived control. Conclusion: This investigation is one of the first attempts to examine emotional response to certain features of slots in terms of SS. SS is not found to moderate visual stimulation effects on emotional responses for either sex. However, the data partially support the notion that certain emotions vary as a function of the main effects of SS or visual stimuli. The study results also indicate that males and females show different patterns of emotion within each treatment condition. Further, winning sequence is found to be a significant predictor for the D dimension of emotion. The applied/theoretical implications of the study's findings are discussed, along with future directions for research.Item Individual Differences in Emotional and Physiological Responses to Televised Sports Violence: A Test of Sensation Seeking Theory(2007-04-26) Lee, Shu-Chen; Hatfield, Bradley D.; Kinesiology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Purpose: To test sensation-seeking theory as an explanation for individual differences in emotional and physiological responses to violence in televised sports and account for sex differences in those responses. Methods: One hundred ten non-smoking subjects prescreened for the personality trait of sensation seeking were selected for the experiment. Subjects viewed two videos of plays from professional football games; one featuring violent action, the other showing little or no violence, and a video of natural scenery (neutral content) as a distraction between the two treatment videos to minimize any carry-over effects. Participants' emotional responses (levels of pleasure and arousal) were subjected to two separate 2 (sensation seeking) x 2 (biological sex) x 3 (video treatment) x 2 (order of video treatment) ANOVAs, while participants' physiological reactions (heart rate, skin conductance, and respiration) were subjected to three separate 2 (sensation seeking) x 2 (biological sex) x 3 (video treatment) x 2 (viewing period) x 2 (order of video treatment) ANOVAs to test the study's main hypotheses. Results: Emotional (self-reported levels of pleasure and arousal) and physiological responses (heart rate, skin conductance, and respiration) were not different between high and low sensation seekers for either high- or low-violence televised sports. However, high sensation seekers did report higher levels of pleasure (for both sexes) and exhibit faster mean respiration (for males only) when watching high-violence televised sports than neutral content, and the pleasure level was significantly higher for high sensation seekers (for both sexes) when watching low-violence televised sports than neutral content. Significant sex differences in self-reported levels of pleasure and arousal were observed; males reported higher levels of pleasure than females when watching high-violence televised sports, and males reported less arousal than females when watching low-violence televised sports. Sex differences in physiological responses were also found; however, the direction of the effect was inconsistent. In addition, viewers' self-reported pleasure and arousal increased with the degree of violence; nevertheless, this relationship was more pronounced in males than in females. Conclusions: Sensation-seeking theory failed to account for individual and sex differences in emotional and physiological responses to sports violence; however, the data support the notion that high sensation seekers enjoyed arousing and exciting media content (both high- and low-violence football plays) more than milder themes (neutral content). Although previous studies have found that the preference for violent televised sports, such as football, is associated with sensation seeking, the results indicated there might be other characteristics besides violent content that account for sensation seekers attraction to football. Biological sex was found to be a strong predictor of spectators' responses to sports violence. In addition, this study provides support for previous research suggesting that violence contributes to viewers' arousal and enjoyment of televised sports, especially for male viewers.Item The Relation of Self Variables to Transfer Student Success as measured by Academic, Psychological, and Career Functioning(2006-04-17) Ling, Thomson Joseph; O'Brien, Karen M; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Research has suggested that transfer students experience difficulty in many domains however limited research has examined the variables associated with transfer student success. The present study examined transfer student success using a sample of first-year transfer students at a large mid-Atlantic university. Independent variables examined were academic self-efficacy, career self-efficacy, and sense of belonging/social integration. Transfer student success was assessed through academic performance, psychological functioning, and career functioning. Using canonical correlation, two patterns of associations were found to explain transfer student functioning in a new institution. Implications of these two patterns of associations are discussed.Item Internal and Environmental Buffers of Terrorism-Related Anxiety(2005-03-31) Spiegel, Eric Baron; Gelso, Charles J.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The current study focuses on the adjustment of Washingtonians to living under the threat of terrorism. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships of six predictor variables - resilience, spirituality, perceived social support, perceived controllability, denial, and previous trauma - with terrorism-related anxiety. The author hypothesized that resilience, spirituality, and perceived social support would all be negatively associated with terrorism-related anxiety. Furthermore, it was posited that spirituality would moderate the relationship between previous trauma and terrorism-related anxiety, and that perceived controllability would moderate the relationship between denial and terrorism-related anxiety. A cross-sectional design utilizing correlation and regression analyses was selected to assess the relationships between the predictor and dependent variables, as well as a series of demographic variables. A total of 154 individuals completed a questionnaire packet containing reliable and valid self-report items, which was posted on a secure web site accessible only to study participants. Of the three main effect hypotheses, only the hypothesis involving resilience and terrorism-related anxiety was partially supported. Resilience was significantly and negatively correlated with one of two measures terrorism-related anxiety; it also had significant negative relationships with both measures of terrorism-related anxiety in separate regression analyses. In addition, the interaction effect involving spirituality and previous trauma was partially supported. For one of two measures of terrorism-related anxiety, the spirituality-previous trauma interaction term had a negative relationship with the criterion. Based on the results of this regression, we see that for those who reported high levels of spirituality, higher amounts of trauma were associated with less terrorism anxiety. For people low in spirituality, the level of anxiety stays roughly the same, regardless of the amount of trauma. The significant and non-significant findings for the present study provide tentative directions for future research into terrorism-related anxiety.Item THE CORRELATION BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPE AND PERFORMANCE TIME WHILE WEARING A RESPIRATOR(2004-12-10) Koh, Frank; Johnson, Arthur T; Biological Resources Engineering; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The brain efficiently utilizes dominant templates to think, learn, create, solve problems, and communicate. Many studies have shown that individuals perform better if not wearing a respirator than with wearing a respirator. This study examined the degree of performance reduction attributable to specific dominant character traits. The subjects performed on a treadmill at a constant speed and grade resulting in 80-85% of maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max). A modified M40 respirator was used to create three levels of inspiratory resistance: 2.78, 16.79, and 27.27 cmH2O*(sec/L). The 31 subjects were tested using a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Multiple regressions and an ANOVA were used to test for correlation. When air intake is very constricted, the multiple regression that was found to be statistically significant was sensing-intuition (how one takes in information) and thinking-feeling (how one makes a decision) versus performance time with 27.27 cmH2O*(sec/L) inhalation resistance.Item Gender Differences in Preschool Children's Activity Level as Measured by Parent and Teacher Report(2004-08-04) Denny, Michelle Lisa; Teglasi, Hedwig; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Gender differences in preschool children's activity level were investigated using archival data, consisting of temperament questionnaires and an open-ended interview. Parents of 63 preschool students ranging in age from 3 to 6 years completed the Temperament Assessment Battery for Children (TABC; Martin, 1988), the Colorado Childhood Temperament Inventory (Rowe & Plomin, 1977), and the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (Rothbart, Ahadi, Hershey, 1994). Teachers completed the TABC. The Structured Temperament Interview (Teglasi, 1994) was administered to both teachers and parents. Results support conceptualization of activity level as comprised of two factors: motoric movement and modulation. Mean gender differences were due to differences in frequency of boys and girls at the extremes of activity level continua. Qualitative analyses indicate parents and teachers conceptualize activity level similarly for both genders, and that low modulation of activity level is maladaptive in preschool children. Implications for the measurement of activity level and intervention development are discussed.