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.
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Item "I Want You to Want Me": Implications of the Desire to Be Sexually Valued for Psychological Functioning and Romantic Relationships(2021) Teneva, Nadya; Lemay, Edward; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)People often want to be seen as sexually appealing and desirable sexual partners. I refer to this tendency as the desire to be sexually valued, and I propose that it can differ between people and have effects on functioning within romantic relationships. I expected this desire to be psychologically important for cognition, well-being and behavior within relationships. I hypothesized that this desire would be associated with psychological well- being through biasing perceptions that one is sexually desired by their partner and exacerbating reactivity to sexual rejection. Furthermore, I proposed that this desire can refer to evaluations by others in general, or it may be targeted toward a specific person such as one’s romantic partner. I expected the desire to be sexually valued to be associated with behavioral tendencies within romantic relationships, including initiation of sexual activity and a number of other behaviors targeted at increasing sexual value. Moreover, I hypothesized that people who desire to be sexually valued might adopt a communal sexual motivation towards their partners, a motivation to meet their partner’s sexual needs, which can, in turn, be associated with their own and their partner’s higher sexual and relationship satisfaction. Three studies were utilized to test these hypotheses. Study 1 and Study 3 were dyadic studies, and Study 1 included a daily diary component. Study 2 was a self-report study including only people involved in romantic relationships. Results suggested that the desire to be sexually valued exacerbated the effects of daily, but not chronic, sexual rejection on some relationship outcomes. Further, this desire was associated with wishful thinking within romantic relationships, but the strength and nature of these effects depended on participants’ attachment anxiety in Study 1. The desire to be sexually valued by one’s partner predicted increased sexual communal strength toward that partner as well as engagement in a number of behaviors aimed at increasing one’s sexual value. Finally, this desire was indirectly associated with relationship quality through perceptions of being valued by partners, suggesting that wishful thinking may explain some of its relationship benefits. Implications are discussed.Item Cognitive and Behavioral Biases Toward Close Partners in Conflict with Others(2019) Ryan, Joshua Everett; Lemay, Edward P; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The current research explored whether people exhibited biased perceptions and behavioral responses to conflicts involving close partners relative to more psychologically distant relations. In Study 1, participants read a short vignette describing a conflict between two individuals in which one person (i.e., the perpetrator) upset or hurt another (i.e., the victim). Participants either imagined a close partner filling the role of perpetrator, victim, or neither role, in the conflict scenario. Results indicated that participants both attributed and communicated more blame for individuals who hurt or upset close partners relative to strangers – a “magnification” effect. Participants also communicated less blame for victims who were close partners relative to strangers. In Study 2, participants recalled actual conflicts where either close or distant partners served the role of perpetrator or victims in conflicts with other individuals. Results indicated that participants “magnified” the blame for individuals who hurt or upset close, but not distant, partners. Participants also attributed less blame to close partners that they empathized with, and this reduction in blame predicted biased behavioral responding, which included more favorable portrayals of partners, less favorable portrayals of adversaries, more consolation of close partners, and more validation of partners who were upset by adversaries when partners were close relative to distant. Implications for these results and suggestions for future directions are discussed.Item The Impact of Guilt on Interpersonal Relationships(2019) Teneva, Nadya; Lemay, Edward; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)People feel guilt when they harm others. Research on guilt has found its mixed effects on interpersonal relationships. The current dyadic study investigates the primary hypothesis that two facets of guilt expression: sharing repair motivations and elaborating on transgression details, have offsetting effects on outcomes through their influence on victim’s perceptions. Perpetrators described an incident in which they expressed guilt to a partner (victims), and both parties completed measures regarding the incident. Results suggest that perpetrators who feel guilty expressed more repair motivations and more wrongdoing, and victims’ perceptions of the incident were connected to personal and relational outcomes. However, victims and perpetrators did not agree on perpetrators’ expressions of wrongdoing or repair motivation, suggesting that guilt may often have weak or mixed effects because it is not always accurately detected. In addition, several moderators of the links between guilt, guilt expression, and victims’ perceptions of the conflict were identified.Item Reimagining Resilience: Exploring Black Early Adolescent Girls’ Experiences, Desires, and Needs While Growing Up In Baltimore City(2018) Akoumany, Stephanie Yvonne; Parks, Sheri L; American Studies; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)"Reimagining Resilience: Exploring Black Early Adolescent Girls’ Experiences, Desires, and Needs While Growing Up In Baltimore City" asks the following research questions: What are black early adolescent girls’ resilience strategies while growing up in poor and working class communities in Baltimore City? What are the girls’ perceptions of their own life experiences, desires, needs, and the quality of their interpersonal relationships? This dissertation is informed by a three year longitudinal ethnographic and participant action research study, conducted from 2010-2013, at a Baltimore City public school. Eighty-five, hour-long, weekly and biweekly workshops were conducted with 55 black middle school girls between the ages of 11-14 years old, who were in three different grade-based cohorts, until their respective eighth grade graduations. The black early adolescent girls in this study shared that their major stressors were feeling misunderstood, increased domestic and academic responsibilities as they transitioned into adolescence, conflicts with peers and adults, cyberbullying on popular social media sites, race, gender, and class stigmatization and policing at school, a lack of social supports, pressure to engage in sexual activities, physical and sexual violation, navigating structurally decaying neighborhoods, and community violence. This dissertation argues that black early adolescent girls utilize resilience strategies, particularly, self-assertion, storytelling, creativity, play, and community building to cope with these daily stressors and other traumatic life events. This dissertation explores connections between adolescent development, relational aggression, adverse childhood experiences, emotional intelligence, neuroplasticity, and resilience. It suggests that holistic wellness approaches such as mindfulness and play based therapy, socioemotional learning opportunities, restorative justice, facilitated intergroup dialogue, story exchange, participant action research, and comprehensive and medically accurate sexual education interventions that listen to black girls’ perceptions of their own experiences and needs can help schools promote health equity among adolescents in Baltimore City, the United States, and the world.Item THE ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL ANHEDONIA WITH ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP PROCESSES(2016) Assaad, Lily; Lemay, Edward; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Social anhedonia is a deficiency in the capacity to experience pleasure from social interactions. This study examined the implications of social anhedonia for romantic relationship functioning, including the association of social anhedonia with sentiments towards romantic partners that are central to relationship functioning (satisfaction, commitment, regard, and care), analogous perceptions of the partner’s sentiments, hostile behavior during relationship conflict, and perception of the partner’s hostile behavior. Data were collected from 281 participants who were involved in romantic relationships. Support was found for social anhedonia’s hypothesized negative association with satisfaction, regard, and care, as well as all four perceived partner sentiments. These associations were independent of attachment anxiety and avoidance. Additionally, attachment avoidance mediated social anhedonia’s relationship with commitment. However, no support was found for social anhedonia’s hypothesized positive association with actual and perceived partner hostile behavior. Results suggest that social anhedonia may undermine the functioning of interpersonal relationships.Item DRINKING, TEXTING, AND HOOKING UP: THE FEMALE PERSPECTIVE ON GETTING TOGETHER WITH MEN IN COLLEGE(2014) Ross, Katherine; Hoffman, Mary Ann; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Non-platonic relationships are a significant stressor for women in college, and can lead to a variety of negative outcomes (Lindgren, Parkhill, George and Hendershot, 2008). Flirting is how non-platonic interactions begin, yet it has not been studied in a university setting. In this study, semi-structured interviews with twelve heterosexual female college students gathered information about women's intentions, behaviors, and outcomes in non-platonic heterosexual interactions. Understanding college students' goals and communication strategies in non-platonic interactions may improve educational and intervention strategies (Lindgren, Blayney, Schacht, George & Pantalone, 2009). Researchers analyzed interview data using Consensual Qualitative Research methods, which allow for rigorous exploratory analysis aimed at describing the actual experiences of college student women. Students spoke about their personal experiences as well as to their perceptions of norms on college campuses. The conclusions drawn from the data demonstrate the ways in which the college social environment, indirect interpersonal communication, and a desire for human connection characterize college student women's experiences of non-platonic relationships in college.Item Teachers' Ratings of Relationships with Students: Links to Student and Teacher Characteristics(2012) Buhl, Sara J.; Rosenfield, Sylvia; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This exploratory study examined the associations between teacher-student relationship ratings and characteristics of students and teachers. A sample of fifth grade teachers (N = 115) and their students (N = 2070) were studied. Hierarchical linear modeling was employed to explore the associations between variables while taking both individual characteristics and classroom context into account. An investigation of within-teacher variation indicated that males, Asian students, Hispanic students, FARM eligible students, and students with high prior internalizing scores generally received lower closeness scores. A between-teacher (level-2) model was created to gain a better understanding of the influence of classroom context on teacher reports of closeness with their students. Classroom context was found to play a significant role in relationship ratings for students in general and also for subpopulations of students (i.e., male, high prior externalizing, or high prior internalizing). Teacher self efficacy was positively associated with relationship closeness. Longitudinal data were used to explore the association between the ratings that teachers had provided during previous years (with prior students) and ratings of closeness with their current students. Results indicated that teacher ratings of their previous students during prior years were a significant positive predictor of how their current relationships were rated. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.Item EXPLORING THE ROLE OF SELF-DISCLOSURE AND PLAYFULNESS IN ADULT ATTACHMENT RELATIONSHIPS(2005-08-02) Mount, Mandy K.; Hoffman, Mary Ann; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study utilized attachment theory as a framework for investigating aspects of relationship adjustment and emotional exploration, including self-disclosure and playfulness, in the romantic relationships of adults. 132 participants completed an online survey that included measures of adult attachment, relationship adjustment, playfulness, self-disclosure to partner, generalized exploration, and social desirability. Participants were also given the opportunity to write about dimensions of play behaviors in their relationships. A series of hierarchical linear regressions indicated that attachment orientation may be related in important ways to playfulness and self-disclosure, while these variables serve an important role in the successful adjustment of adult attachment relationships. The data suggested that avoidant attachment was negatively related to the intent, honesty, depth, amount and valence of self-disclosure while anxious attachment was positively related to the depth of self-disclosure. Additional regression analyses determined that avoidant attachment was also negatively related to playfulness with one's partner. Both avoidance and anxiety were found to contribute significantly to poor relationship adjustment, while playfulness and all dimensions of self-disclosure except intent were positively related to overall relationship adjustment. The present study also utilized a cluster analysis to identify ways that natural groupings of individuals formed on the variables of interest. The clusters indicated that people in better-adjusted relationships tended to be more playful with their partners on a more consistent basis and reported greater honesty, depth and amount self-disclosure relative to those in less well-adjusted relationships. The valence of self-disclosure had a particularly strong relationship with adjustment such that those who disclosed more positive information were also those found in well-adjusted relationships. The area of adult attachment is still in its early stages of development, but helping individuals understand developmental relationship patterns and the impact of "working models" may be of great importance for individuals' psychological and emotional well-being. The findings of this study support the importance of using attachment theory as a model for understanding the ways that behavioral systems, such as exploration, may play a role in the development and maintenance of adult romantic relationships.Item ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND INTERNAL COMMUNICATION AS ANTECEDENTS OF EMPLOYEE-ORGANIZATION RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CONTEXT OF ORGANIZATIONAL JUSTICE: A MULTILEVEL ANALYSIS(2005-04-19) Kim, Hyo Sook; Grunig, James E.; Communication; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)One research direction that is needed but has not been fully exploited in studies of organization-public relationships is research on the antecedents of relationships. The antecedents of relationships are the first stage of the relationship framework, for they are what cause specific relationships between an organization and its publics to develop. The purpose of this study was to explore possible antecedents of internal relationships in organizations. I examined the direct and indirect influences of organizational structure and internal communication on employee-organization relationships using organizational justice as a mediating factor. Organizational justice is a relatively recently developed but widely used concept in organizational studies that refers to the extent to which people perceive organizational events as being fair. This study was a typical example of multilevel research in that it gathered and summarized individual-level data to operationalize organizational-level constructs such as organizational structure and internal communication. The multilevel nature of the main constructs of this study was addressed by using the multilevel analysis method. Data were collected by conducting a survey of about 1,200 employees in 31 Korean organizations. I used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), which is a type of random coefficient model and is specifically designed to accommodate nested or multilevel data structure, to test the cross-level hypotheses of this study. The findings suggested that organizational structure and the system of internal communication were associated with employee-organization relationships, playing the role of antecedents of internal relationships. More specifically, asymmetrical communication was negatively related to employees' commitment, trust, and satisfaction. Also it was shown that symmetrical communication was associated positively with communal relationships. Lastly, organic structure was negatively related to exchange relationships and positively related to trust and control mutuality. On the other hand, organizational justice was associated with organizational structure and internal communication as well as with employee-organization relationships. Organizational justice also mediated the effects of symmetrical communication and organizational structure on communal relationships and four relationship outcomes (control mutuality, trust, commitment, and satisfaction), implying that symmetrical communication and organic structure can contribute to building quality relationships when they are combined with fair behavior by management.