Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

D Is For Dillydally?, Arthur J. Caplan, John Gilbert

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

Evidence from online assignments in an intermediate microeconomics course suggests that nonprocrastinators (both early-starters and front-loaders) score higher than their dilly-dallying counterparts. Students who are busier in school tend to start their assignments earlier.

Application Of The Transtheoretical Model Of Change To Saving Behaviors Of College Students, Benjamin Franklin Cummings

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Using the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of change (Prochaska & Di Clemente, 1982) as a guide to analyze financial behavior, college students were asked a variety of questions about their financial situations. Recruited from undergraduate classes at Utah State University, 112 students took the online survey. Surprisingly, 44.4% of participants reported being in the Maintenance stage of the TTM, and 71.2% reported contributing at least monthly to some sort of savings or investment account. In terms of Financial Planning Personality Type (Lown, 2007), 46.3% of respondents were Planners and 23.1% were Savers. Though the study displays limitations, it begs further investigation …

The Relationship Between Childhood Bereavement And Adult Mental Health, Alicia Kimball

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Bereavement, due to the loss of family and friends, affects approximately 3.7 million children per year in the United States. These losses can have lasting effects such as changed dynamics within a family, decreased academic performance, and poor physical and mental health that not only inhibit a child's ability to function normally but if not dealt with sufficiently can persist into adulthood.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if individuals who experienced a loss in childhood exhibit more mental health problems in adulthood than those who did not. A survey was administered to 209 college students requesting …

Northern Utah Speaks: Usu's Oral History Effort, Randy Williams, Elisaida Méndez

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

"Northern Utah Speaks: USU's Oral History Effort," is a PowerPoint presentation by Randy Williams (Fife Folklore Curator, USU Libraries' Special Collections Division) and Elisaida Méndez (Latino Voices Assistant Director) at the October 2007 Cache Community Connections meeting at Logan's Historic Tabernacle. The presentation gives an overview of USU's oral history efforts, especially the award winning Latino/a Voices Project.

As an outgrowth of the evening's endeavor, three local groups conducted oral history projects: Providence City, the Logan Presbyterian Church and the Cache Community Connection organization. And the Cache Community Connections and the Cache Valley Presbyterian Church have deposited their oral …

Marginalia No. 23, Merrill-Cazier Library

Marginalia

Issue Number 23: Hallowe’en Issue: Autumn 2007

AUTUMN: A SEASON OF CHANGE-Interim Vice Provost John Elsweiler reports on old and new projects

IN THE SPIRIT OF HISTORY: THE CAZIER ENDOWMENT-former USU President provides funds for books on history

FIVE YEAR PLAN PROVIDES FOR ELECTRONIC RESOURCES-Kim Winger describes science professors’ involvement

INSTRUCTION PROGRAM: A RECORD BREAKING YEAR-Wendy Holliday discusses the critical role this program plays

RELIGIOUS STUDIES: LIBRARY COLLECTIONS GROW WITH Program -Off to an impressive start according to Steven Harris

2007 CLASS GIFT BENEFITS LIBRARY-Kim Winger reports on new study room dedication

THAT OLD BLACK(WELL) MAGIC … AND OTHER METHODS …

Cognitive Load And Classroom Teaching: The Double-Edged Sword Of Automaticity, David F. Feldon

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Research in the development of teacher cognition and teaching performance in K–12 classrooms has identified consistent challenges and patterns of behavior that are congruent with the predictions of dual-process models of cognition. However, cognitive models of information processing are not often used to synthesize these results. This article reviews findings from the research on teaching and teacher education through the lens of a dual-process model and emphasizes the role that cognitive load plays in driving teaching performance. Data reflecting the salience of automaticity and its relationship with cognitive overload are highlighted, and implications for teacher preparation and inservice training strategies …

Implications Of Research On Expertise For Curriculum And Pedagogy, David F. Feldon

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Instruction on problem solving in particular domains typically relies on explanations from experts about their strategies. However, research indicates that such self-reports often are incomplete or inaccurate (e.g., Chao & Salvendy, 1994; Cooke & Breedin, 1994). This article evaluates research on experts’ cognition, the accuracy of experts’ self-reports, and the efficacy of instruction based on experts’ self-reports. Analysis of this evidence indicates that experts’ free recall of strategies introduces errors and omissions into instructional materials that hinder student success. In contrast, when experts engage in structured knowledge elicitation techniques (e.g., cognitive task analysis), the resultant instruction is more effective. Based …

Consumption, Time Preference, And The Life Cycle, Michael Charles Bailey

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This paper presents two life-cycle models of consumption implementing novel assumptions about time preference and subjective time. The goal of this paper is to investigate implications of the existence of subjective time to consumption decisions over the life cycle. The first model is a model of 'systematic impatience' and implements the assumption of increasing subjective time by specifying a time dependent rate of time preference upon which the rational consumers in this model maximize lifetime utility. The second model investigates consumer behavior in subjective time, or the subjective sense of the actual passage of time. Consumers in this model maximize …

Difficulties Associated With Stepparenting As Predictors Of Remarital Satisfaction And Adjustment, Aaron I. Anderson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

As a result of high divorce and remarriage rates, stepfamilies have become commonplace in society. Researchers and clinicians have suggested that stepchildren can positively and negatively affect remarriage quality. Despite the increasing literature on stepfamilies, few studies have comparatively researched specific stepparenting difficulties as they affect marital satisfaction. Utilizing a sample of newlyweds, this study examines fourteen stepparenting related issues, as measured by the stepparenting subscale of the Questionnaire for Couples in Stepfamilies, and their relationship to marital satisfaction and adjustment.

Interpersonal Distance In Social Relationships And Mental Health Outcomes In A Glbt Sample, Kristina Mcdougal

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Ample research has been conducted on how heterosexuals distance themselves from gays and lesbians through lack of emotional attachment, job discrimination, and lack of familial support, yet there has been little research on how people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (GLBT) view this distancing. To examine the distancing from the point of view of people in a GLBT sample we surveyed 200 GLBT people at the Annual Pride Not Prejudice celebration in Salt Lake City. Participants were asked how they viewed their relationship with their parents, and how they perceived their parents religiosity. Participants also completed the Beck …

The Chasm Between Two Parallel Worlds, Brandi Harline

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In much of the research conducted on military issues, problems are identified years, sometimes decades, before the military publicly acknowledges these concerns; an example of this is sexual assault, which scholars discussed for over thirty years before the military acknowledged the issue. In this paper, I study the value differences between the military leadership and the scholars who study military topics and how these different values may hinder effective communication between the two groups. The method I use in identifying the standards by which the two groups identify problems is content analysis on articles published by the two communities, calculating …

Efficacy Of A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment For Weight Loss In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Kathy Wickersham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing across all sociodemographic groups. Obesity and overweight are major risk factors in the development of the disease and in the development of complications. Conversely, weight loss improves glycemic control, which reduces likelihood of complications. Interventions combining cognitive and behavioral components show promise in addressing the problem of weight loss maintenance. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral intervention. Participants were 54 adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control. The assessment measures utilized in this study were the …

Student Teachers' Explicit And Implicit Perceptions Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Hollie K. Berglof

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined student teachers' explicit and implicit perceptions of ADHD and the relationship between perceptions of ADHD and social desirability. In addition, the relationship between a current measure of implicit perceptions of ADHD and one that was adapted for this study was also investigated. Findings indicate that student teachers view a student portrayed as exhibiting symptoms consistent with ADHD more negatively than a "normal" child in terms of their self-reported first impressions of the child as well as their predictions for the child's future success. Participants' perceptions, as measured by two implicit measures, however, were mixed, with results from …

Characteristics Of Helping Relationships For Emotional Distress: Older Adults' Perceptions, Alison L. Rencher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Geriatric depression reduces older adults' quality of life, yet few will seek formal help. Older adults often seek help for emotional distress from informal helpers, which appears to have a therapeutic benefit for them. This qualitative study was designed to investigate older adults' perceptions of helping relationships that they used when faced with emotional difficulties or concerns, characteristics that facilitated their approaching helpers, and what they perceived as helpful in those relationships. This study also looked at older adults ' perceptions of professional mental health practitioners and barriers to seeking help.

Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with 8 older adults …

A Comparison Of Cognitive Autonomy In Adolescents From A Residential Treatment Center And A Traditional Public High School, Matthew Laurence Reiser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which factors influencing cognitive autonomy differed for "identified" and "not identified" troubled adolescents. One hundred and nineteen residential treatment youth aged 14 to 18 and 137 public high school adolescents were compared using the Cognitive Autonomy Self Evaluation (CASE) inventory, which examines five elements of cognitive autonomy including evaluative thinking, voicing opinions, decision making, self-assessing, and comparative validation. Findings reveal that generally cognitive autonomy did not differ according to troubled status. However, ninth-grade females at the traditional public high school rated themselves much higher in evaluative thinking, voicing opinions, …

Kindergarten Teachers' Developmentally Appropriate Beliefs And Practices And Perceived Problems Of Kindergarten Transition, K. Marie Sorenson Mecham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined kindergarten teachers' developmentally appropriate beliefs and practices, and kindergarten teachers' perceived problems of children entering kindergarten. The relationship between kindergarten teachers' beliefs and practices and their perceived problems of children entering kindergarten was studied, as was the relationship between teachers' beliefs and practices and their perception of children's successful kindergarten entry.

Participants included kindergarten teachers from eight Utah school districts. Teachers were surveyed using both the Transition Practices, and the Teacher Beliefs and Practices Survey. From these surveys, data were collected on kindergarten teachers' beliefs and practices, and perceptions of problems children may have upon entering kindergarten. …

Congruence Of Perceptions Of Motivation Between Adolescent Clients, Their Therapist, And Parent, Amberly R. Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of adolescent's motivation to change in therapy, specifically while residing in a residential treatment center (RTC) and participating in family therapy. Motivation for change was examined in three contexts. The first context for examining the adolescent's motivation for change was in relation to their stage of therapy. The second and third contexts for examining the adolescent's motivation for change was in relation to perceptions the adolescent's therapist and parent had of their motivation to change. In addition, the study explored whether there was a relationship between the congruence of perceptions of …

Examining The Relationship Between Connection Rituals And Marital Satisfaction: A Correlational Study, Heather Holmgren Brown

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the types, frequency, and meaningfulness of connection rituals and the relationship between these items and marital satisfaction. Past research has shown that rituals correlate with marital satisfaction. Three research questions guided the study: (1) What connection rituals do couples participate in and with what frequency? (2) How meaningful are the connection rituals to the husband or wife? and (3) Are some connection rituals more strongly associated to marital satisfaction?

The research questions were tested with data from eighty couples who completed a survey designed specifically for this study. The top three reported …

The People Of Bear Hunter Speak: Oral Histories Of The Cache Valley Shoshones Regarding The Bear River Massacre, Aaron L. Crawford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Cache Valley Shoshone are the survivors of the Bear River Massacre, where a battle between a group of US. volunteer troops from California and a Shoshone village degenerated into the worst Indian massacre in US. history, resulting in the deaths of over 200 Shoshones. The massacre occurred due to increasing tensions over land use between the Shoshones and the Mormon settlers. Following the massacre, the Shoshones attempted settling in several different locations in Box Elder County, eventually finding a home in Washakie, Utah. However, the LDS Church sold the land where the city of Washakie sat, forcing the Shoshones …

Does Teaching Problem-Solving Skills Matter?: An Evaluation Of Problem-Solving Skills Training For The Treatment Of Social And Behavioral Problems In Children, Bryan B. Bushman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Parent training combined with problem solving skills training has been proposed as a comprehensive treatment for childhood oppositional behaviors, poor child social skills, and parental stress. The current study compared Parent Training + Problem Solving Skills Training with a Parent Training + nondirective condition. Parents of 32 children first attended Parent Training. After the parents completed Parent Training, children were randomly assigned to individual therapy in either a Problem Solving Skills Training condition or a nondirective condition. Data comparisons between the groups were made at postindividual therapy and at 6-week follow-up. Results indicated that children in the Problem Solving Skills …

Psychosocial Variables And Their Relationship To Diabetic Outcome Among The Strong Heart Study Cohort, Brian D. O'Leary

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United Sates. Certain Native American groups have been harder hit than the mainstream population, both in prevalence of the disease and in rates of related complications. The highest known prevalence in the world is found among a Southwestern U.S. Tribe, and other Native American Tribes have demonstrated similar prevalence rates. It has been shown that certain psychological factors such as depression and hostility impact both the occurrence and outcome of certain diseases, including diabetes.

This study examined whether those individuals who have not met the criteria …

Relationship Among Team Collective Efficacy, Cohesion, And Coaching Competency In Sports, Clayton T. Manning

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A team's performance in any sport can be predicted by many factors. Some of these factors include team collective efficacy, team cohesiveness, and coaching competency. Currently, there is little research investigating the relationships among teams' beliefs about their capabilities, their level of cohesion, and their perceptions of coaching competency on overall sport performance. The purpose of this study was to document the relationship among collective efficacy, cohesion, and coaching on sport performance in a sample of university athletes. The objectives of this study were to identify the level of cohesion, collective efficacy, and perceptions of coaching competency by each athletic …

The Temporal Relationship Between Environmental Factors And Psychological Symptoms In Native American Adolescents, Georgia Lee Matt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Native American youth often experience high rates of environmental risk factors that may put them at increased risk for developing psychological problems, yet research within this high-risk population is severely limited.

The present study was designed to provide information on the rate of psychological symptoms in a sample of Native American youth, and evaluate the impact of environmental factors (risk, protective, and cultural) on psychological disorder symptoms over time. Data were collected with a sample of Native American youth using the Youth Self Report, the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory–Adolescent 2, and a researcher-designed Biodemographic Questionnaire.

Findings indicate that clinically …

Child Sexual Abuse: Development Of Psychiatric Disorders And Interventions, Toshikazu Kuroda

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Child sexual abuse has become a serious social concern due to the recent report of its higher incidence rate than commonly believed. This form of child abuse has been proposed to bring about adverse effects on children's development since more than one century ago. However, research over past decades reveals that effects of sexual abuse are extremely complex and diverse. Particularly, there appear to be many unclear factors increasing the probability for the development of psychiatric disorders in sexually abused children. The present paper investigated how child sexual abuse creates diversity over the course of the victims' development from multiple …

Hezbollah - Terrorist Or Not?, Erin E. Forsberg

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Determining whether or not an organization such as Hezbollah is or is not a terrorist group is a rather arduous process, especially since the international community can not agree. However, due to the reasons why Hezbollah was first organized and the group's involvement in the Lebanese political system, along with its network of social services, Hezbollah is not a terrorist organization. In order to prove such a bold statement, the first step must undoubtedly be to come up with a workable and effective definition of terrorism that is hopefully free from moral implications. The second step would be to see …

Common Nutritional Deficiencies In The Three Richest Versus The Poorest Countries In The World: Why Are They Similar Or Different?, Ginger Ann Bailey

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Over one billion people suffer from nutritional deficiencies, and they reside in both the poorest and the richest countries in the world. What needs to be determined is if the deficiencies are similar or different, and most importantly why. By learning what nutritional deficits exist in these countries and why they occur, we are then able to create appropriate interventions in order to improve the nutritional status of populations worldwide.

Premarital Preparation And Marital Satisfaction: What Utah Individuals Are Doing To Prepare For Marriage And How Premarital Preparation Can Enhance Marital Satisfaction, Fay L. Belnap Foster

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This is a systematic representative sample study of newlyweds designed to investigate aspects of participation in marriage preparation activities as well as determine what effect participation in activities had on marital satisfaction. A retrospective survey instrument was utilized which included the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale.

Statistical analysis revealed that the majority of individuals in Utah prepare for marriage by visiting with parents or relatives, visiting with other married couples, and talking with religious leaders, and considered these activities to be helpful in their preparation. The smaller percentage of individuals who participated in more formal preparation activities also considered these activities …

Malnutrition In The Elderly In Long-Term Care Facilities, Cindy L. Pitcher

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In 2000, there were 17,000 nursing homes in the United States housing about 1.5 million residents over the age of 65. Approximately 75% of long-term residents are women. The average length of stay for residents is 2.5 years, so in essence the nursing home becomes their home. Those who are in these long-term care facilities are generally characterized as frail elderly adults who suffer from a host of chronic and acute diseases and conditions. They are most likely cognitively impaired and have a great number of limitations in their activities of daily living (ADL). In addition, data collected by the …

An Examination Of The Structure Of Affect In A Sample Of Inpatient Adolescents, Marietta A. Veeder

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Multiple studies investigating the validity of the tripartite model of affect in youth have been supportive of the model; however, few studies have examined the model in narrow age bands or large clinical samples. The current study examined the structure of affect in a sample of psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. Structural equation modeling was used to examine two-factor (negative affectivity [NA] and positive affectivity [PA]) and three-factor models (NA, PA, and physiological hyperarousal [PH]) with item level data from the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS) and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS), and from the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI), RADS, …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Supplemental Labels In Museum Exhibits, Clint B. Eliason

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The present study used an experimental design to investigate the efficacy of using short (12 words or less), prominently placed supplemental labels to increase the effectiveness of select extant labels in museum exhibits. The experimenter-developed supplemental labels were designed to leverage exogenous/bottom-up and endogenous/top-down sources of influence on selective attention. Measures of patron behavior, knowledge retention, and attitude found no significant differences between group means under control and treatment conditions. These outcomes were surprising and inconsistent with findings from similar research conducted by Hirschi and Screven. The supplemental labels in the present study might have failed to capture attention because …