Title: The Relationship Between Sympathetic Yawning and Emotional
Intelligence
Author: Nicole Owen
Abstract: The relationship between sympathetic yawning and emotional
intelligence was investigated in 40 college age subjects who were given a sleep
study and a test of emotional intelligence. While the sleep study was
administered to provide stimulus yawns in the oral instructions, only the results of
the EQ test were scored. Subjects were placed into two groups on the basis of
whether they produced sympathetic yawns or did not and these groups were
compared on mean level of EQ. An independent samples t-test was performed to
reveal higher levels of emotional intelligence for sympathetic yawners. Some
discussion is presented about the connection between emotional sympathy and
sympathetic yawning responses.
Title: Examining Cultural Differences in Mental Models of Health
Author: Nicole L. Beeson
Abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate cultural differences in mental
models of mental and physical health. Sixty participants from a lower income
housing subdivision in a large city were randomly selected form three groups of
residents: Hispanics, non-Hispanic minorities, and non-Hispanic Caucasians.
Two case scenarios modified from the DSM-IV Case Book were selected and
translated for language congruency. Participants read two cases scenarios
illustrating two different sets of symptoms of mental illness: anxiety with panic
attacks and depression. Participants answered questions about how they
perceived the scenario, if the situation requires help, and where help might be
received. Results suggest that Latinos have different mental models of health
and indicated dissimilar approaches to the situation.
Title: Gender Differences in Response to Stress
Author: Jessica K. Hill
Abstract: The study was to determine a relationship between gender and type of
response to stress. In particular, the study investigated the tend-and-befriend
model of female responses to stress proposed by Taylor and her colleagues
(Taylor, 2000). The responses of 48 students at a small private college in
Kentucky were collected in this study. Participants were given a questionnaire
developed by the researcher and composed of seven stressful scenarios in
which the participants were given a choice of four possible responses (two
consistent with the tend-and-befriend model and two inconsistent with the
model). The results indicated a relationship between female response to stress
and the tend-and-befriend model.
Title: Conditioning Avoidance of Everyday Harmless Things with Verbal Materials
Author: Megan K. Church
Abstract: Conditioned emotional responses in humans were first studied by
Watson in the famous Little Albert study in 1920. In order to establish an
avoidance response in the present study, subjects read 3 short stories about a
paperclip, ballpoint pen, and a mechanical pencil that served as symbolic
aversive stimuli. The control group read 3 non-aversive stories. A recall task was
then performed for which subjects could choose to use the objects about which
they read. Chi-Square analysis revealed that the feared objects were chosen
significantly less by subjects who read two of the three aversive stories than
subjects who read the non-aversive stories.
Title: The Importance of Positive Distraction as a Component of Attentional
Focus
Author: Vitalis A. Lanshima
Abstract : Many sports psychologists seek informative relationships between
cognition and performance, especially in regard to attention, arousal, anxiety,
and distraction. This study examined the relationship between positive distraction
and performance to investigate how distractibility can lead to significant
increases in performance. A total of 20 student- athletes from a small private
university in Kentucky completed a distraction assessment before exercise, and
were then randomly assigned to different groups based on their exercise
experience. Subject’s ability to maintain a high level of performance with and
without environmental distraction cues was measured, and a post test was
administered to ascertain the subject’s use of distraction to determine if
distractions have a positive effect on athlete’s performance, determination, and
drive. The results of the study suggest, contrary to popular views, that the use of
positive distraction is beneficial for enhancing athletic performance.