Lehigh Valley Undergraduate Psychology Conference (2004)Introversion and the Use of Internet Dating Services The purpose of the current study was to assess differences in personality, specifically introversion and extroversion, between students who do and do not use Internet Dating Services. Students at an all women’s college in eastern Pennsylvania (n=102, 18 and older) were given 3 questionnaires: a researcher-designed survey regarding Internet Dating Service use and perception, the Five-Factor Model (McCrae and Costa, 1987) personality inventory, and the Cheek and Buss Shyness and Sociability scale (1981). Results revealed the researchers’ hypothesis that introverts are more likely to use Internet Dating Services was erroneous. Although a significant correlation between introversion and shyness was found, there were no correlations between either of these personality values and the use of Internet Dating Services. Faculty Advisors: Dr. Kerrie Baker and Dr. James Scepansky
The current study examines the influence of frustration on aggression. Participants were 76 Cedar Crest students who played one of two versions of a computer game: level one (low frustration) vs. level two (high frustration). All participants then read one of two versions of a story about a truck driver who got in an accident, where previous driving history was manipulated: version one (no speeding tickets) and version two (history of speeding tickets). They then completed a questionnaire assessing their perceptions of the victim, as well as the Just World Belief Scale (Lerner, 1978). Results indicated that the participants who played the more difficult game were more likely to blame the victim than the participants who played the easy game. Faculty Advisors: Dr. Micah Sadigh and Dr. James Scepansky Perceptions of Blame in Cases of Medical Error This study examined participants’ perceptions of blame in cases of medical error. Participants were 90 Cedar Crest College students who read a description of a fictitious person who suffered a stroke, supposedly due to a medical error related to a drug that was prescribed. The victim’s background varied in one key way; they were described as a smoker, non-smoker, or an occasional smoker. Participants rated the amount of responsibility of the victim and the pharmaceutical company for causing the stroke. Inconsistent with my hypothesis, the individual’s smoking history did not influence these perceptions of responsibility. However, several individual ratings were marginally significant. Limitations will be discussed, as will relation of participants’ perceptions and belief in a just world. Dr. James Scepansky The Impact of Leadership Style and Familiarity on
Group Members The current study examines the impact of both democratic and autocratic leadership styles on success. Data was collected from 22 participants, organized into small groups, through two self-designed questionnaires and a group problem-solving task. Results indicated leadership style had a significant impact on the groups’ timed completion of the task, with participants in democratic groups finishing faster. Questionnaire data indicated that participants had a preference for a leader who possessed both democratic and autocratic characteristics; strictly autocratic leaders were rated as least preferable. When measuring the participants’ level of trust with their group members in each condition, a leadership style by familiarity interaction was found to be significant. Implications for these results will be discussed. Faculty Advisors: Dr. Kerrie Baker and Dr. James Scepansky Relationship between Adolescents' Perceptions of Their
Parents' Disciplinary Styles and Academic Self-efficacy The current study was designed to determine whether self-esteem, and self-handicapping are influenced by how a child was raised. Participants were 67 female students from Cedar Crest College who completed four measures: Buri’s (1991) Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) completed twice, Rosenberg’s (1965) Self-esteem Scale, and the Self-Handicapping Scale (Higgins, Snyder & Berglas, 1990). It was anticipated that participants who perceived their mothers and fathers as possessing an authoritative disciplinary style would display higher self-esteem and a more adaptive personality in the classroom compared to participants who perceived their parents as possessing an authoritarian disciplinary style. No differences were found. There were differences found in self-esteem scores. Specifically, participants who lived with both biological parents possessed higher self-esteem than other participants. Faculty Advisor: Dr. James Scepansky Personality Differences and Response to Anxiety-provoking
Situations: A Study of First-year Students at an All
Female College The purpose of the current study was to examine effects
to Locus of Control (LOC) in reaction to anxiety-provoking
situations in first year College students. Female Cedar
Crest College students (n = 53) completed measures
of state and trait anxiety (Spielberger Faculty Advisors: Dr. Diane Moyer and Dr. James Scepansky Examining the Influence of Gender and Age on Career
Values The current research investigated the influence of gender and age on career values. Participants were 35 Cedar Crest College students, 29 St. Joseph’s College students, and 15 workers at Lovett Silverman Construction. Participants completed a demographic survey and the 32-item Work Orientation and Values Survey (Brady, 2002). Eight career values were measured including earnings and benefits, working conditions, time orientation, task orientation, mission orientation, managing others, co-worker relations and supervisor relations. Results revealed that age and gender significantly influenced career values. For instance, results revealed older individuals were more concerned with mission orientation than younger individuals, and females put more emphasis on earnings and benefits than males. Future research should focus on such factors as generational differences, and gender differences. Faculty Advisors: Dr. Kerrie Baker and Dr. James Scepansky
Previous studies have indicated that differences in perception of death exist for both gender and ages. The current study examined age differences in perception of death. Participants consisted of two female age groups: traditional undergraduate students (18 - 22 years of age, n = 32) and nontraditional undergraduate students (23 years of ages and older, n = 32). Participants completed the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS) and a demographic questionnaire. A significant difference was found on two MFODS subscales. Older people had more fear of what would happen to their bodies after death and how they would die than did younger people. Increased knowledge about the perceptions of death will enhance the treatment of those facing death. Faculty Advisors: Dr. Diane Moyer and Dr. James Scepansky The Effects of Age and Work Ethic on One's Choice
of Academic Major This research investigated the effects of age and work ethic on one’s choice of academic major. Specifically, it was hypothesized that older students and students with a high work ethic were expected to gravitate toward certain majors (e.g., physical sciences). Participants included 133 undergraduate traditional students (ages 18-22 years) and nontraditional students (age 23 and older) representing a broad range of majors at a liberal arts undergraduate college in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Participants completed a demographic survey and a 65-item Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile questionnaire (MWEP). The MWEP measured total work ethic as well as seven dimensions of work ethic including self-reliance, morality/ethics, leisure, hard work, centrality for work, wasted time and delay of gratification. Analyses revealed no statistically significant differences in one’s choice of college major based on age and work ethic. Implications for these findings will be discussed. Faculty Advisors: Dr. Kerrie Baker, Dr. Diane Moyer
and Dr. James Scepansky |
