Master of Science / Department of Psychology / Laura A. Brannon / Self-monitoring was examined as a moderator of the effectiveness of persuasive messages for reducing college student binge drinking. Low self-monitors tend to be influenced by their personal values and attitudes, while high self-monitors tend to be influenced by the behavior of those around them. Via a website simulation, college students were presented with one of three types of anti-binge drinking messages: a self-schema message, which highlighted how responsible drinking is consistent with the message recipient’s personal values and attitudes; a social norms message, which explained that most college students drink less than one might think they do; or a control message, which stated in general terms that people can experience a variety of problems from binge drinking. Overall intended drinking behavior in the self-schema message condition was almost identical to that of the social norms message condition, both of which were lower than drinking intentions in the control message condition. When presented with a self-schema matched message, low self-monitors intended to drink less alcohol than did high self-monitors, but these means were not significantly different. However, high self-monitors intended to drink significantly less than did low self-monitors when presented with a social norms message. The results suggest that self-schema matched messages may be effective at reducing binge drinking for most students, and that social norms messages may be equally as effective but only for high self-monitors.

Master of Science / Department of Psychology / Donald A. Saucier / Research has shown that attributions and behavioral reactions toward individuals may be based on their appearance; our studies examined how appearance-based assessments for individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) determined how others think and react toward a target individual. Two studies examined the effects of appearance and identification on perceptions (i.e., agentic and communal traits) and behavioral reactions (i.e, self-efficacy expectations, anxiety, willingness to interact) toward targets. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that individuals with atypical appearances were rated higher on communal than agentic traits. Study 2 revealed that greater self-efficacy expectations and lower anxiety were associated with individuals with atypical appearances and individuals identified as having an ID. These studies increase understanding of perceiver-focused and target-focused factors related to bias toward individuals with IDs.

Master of Science / Department of Psychology / Donald A. Saucier / This research examines the effect of exposure to anti-gay humor on individuals’ tolerance of anti-gay discrimination. Participants were exposed to one of four conditions in a 2 (message type; joke or statement) x 2 (disparagement; anti-gay or neutral) design. They read vignettes that contained anti-gay jokes or statements, or neutral jokes or statements. Individuals’ sexual prejudice, humor styles, discrimination tolerance, feelings of compunction, and perceptions of others’ tolerance were also measured. Results showed that individuals exposed to humorous stimuli were more tolerant of discrimination, compared to those exposed to non-humorous stimuli. Further, levels of discrimination tolerance were significantly related both to individuals’ levels of sexual prejudice and their preference for an aggressive humor style. No significant interaction effects were found among these variables. These findings contribute to the literature on disparaging humor by examining its effects on targets of a different social group, and by incorporating humor style as a potential moderating variable.

Master of Science / Department of Psychology / Richard J. Harris / Previous research has indicated that many factors influence the likelihood of using the central or peripheral routes of processing during exposure to a persuasive message, including involvement in the message. Previous research has generally focused on response involvement, which is based on outcome, while the focus of the present study is involvement based on personal investment. In the present study, 229 undergraduates were assessed on their trait empathy toward animals, and attitudes toward animals. They read a strong or weak persuasive message presented by either an attractive or less attractive writer. This design replicated previous findings by Bae (2008) on empathy and attitude change, and extended them by examining them experimentally, with a focus on issue-based involvement, which relies on moral or ego involvement. Participants were tested on several distinct DVs designed to indicate their change in attitude and behavior. Results varied for each DV, with source attractiveness predicting willingness to wear a button and display a bumper sticker, but with trait empathy predicting willingness to adopt a pet and vote to support a petition. The results imply that participants relied on different routes of processing depending on the DV, and that the role of emotion in issue involvement may inform advertisers in ways to effectively increase the likelihood of paying attention to a message.

Among several difficulties associated with immigration, acculturation process has been recognized as one of the main stressors and one of the major risk factors associated in the incidence of mental disorders. The strategies adopted by individuals to deal with the acculturation process appear to be predictive of different mental health outcomes. This exploratory study investigated the relationship between acculturation strategies and the occurrence of symptoms of depression in the context of the Brazilian immigrant community living in the Greater Toronto Area. The results demonstrated that Separation and Assimilation were the predominant strategies for this sample and that acculturation strategies failed to serve as significant predictors of depression scores. However, participants with Separation as their predominant acculturation strategy exhibited higher depressive symptom endorsement. The significance of these findings in the context of previous research as well as its implications for future research and critical multicultural practice in mental health are discussed.

Tous les individus possèdent plusieurs identités, qui peuvent être vues entre elles comme étant conflictuelles ou compatibles. Lorsque des identités sont perçues comme compatibles, elles sont qualifiées d’intégrées. Deux théories tentent d’expliquer le processus cognitif derrière l’intégration identitaire. Le modèle biculturel de l’intégration des identités propose que les identités sont fusionnées alors que le modèle cognitif-développemental de l’intégration des identités (MCDII) suggère qu’elles restent distinctes. Afin de comparer ces modèles, deux études préliminaires et une étude expérimentale ont été menées. L’activation de l’identité étudiante fut manipulée auprès d’étudiants travailleurs, suivie d’une tâche de décision lexicale. Si les identités sont fusionnées, un effet de facilitation devrait être observé pour identifier des mots reliés à l’identité travailleuse. Si elles sont distinctes, un effet d’inhibition devrait être observé. Les résultats révèlent que les participants intégrés du groupe expérimental étaient plus lents pour identifier les mots ayant rapport à l’identité travailleuse que les participants du groupe contrôle. Conformément au MCDII, les résultats soutiennent que les identités intégrées sont distinctes. Les implications théoriques et pratiques sont discutées. / Every individual has multiple identities, which can be seen as conflictual or compatible. When identities are seen as compatible and complementary, they are said to be integrated. Two theoretical models try to explain the cognitive processes by which identities become integrated. The bicultural identity integration model propose that identities are merged while the cognitive-developmental model of identity integration (CDMII) proposes that identities stay distinct. Two preliminary studies and an experimental study have been conducted to compare the two models. The activation of the student identity has been manipulated with student workers, followed by a lexical decision task. If identities are combined, a facilitation effect should be observed. However, if they are distinct, an inhibition effect should be observed. Statistical analyses reveal that participants having integrated identities in the experimental group were slower to identify words linked to the worker identity than participants in the control group. These results support that integrated identities stay distinct. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Psychology / Donald A. Saucier / Three studies were conducted to further validate the belief in pure evil (BPE) and belief in pure good (BPG) scales (Webster & Saucier, 2012). Study 1 assessed the relationships between BPE, BPG, and sociopolitical ideology, while Study 2 assessed the relationships between BPE, BPG, and various forms of religiosity. Study 1 and Study 2 also tested whether BPE and BPG predicted aggression and helping via support for relevant foreign (Study 1) or domestic (Study 2) policy issues above and beyond sociopolitical attitudes and religiosity, respectively. Study 3 tested whether BPE and BPG predicted evaluations of a prototypically (vs. non-prototypically) evil perpetrator and a prototypically (vs. non-prototypically) good apprehender. Together, these three studies showed that BPE consistently related to greater aggression and less helping, while greater BPG consistently related to less aggression and more helping, while demonstrating convergence but not redundancy with variables known to justify/suppress aggression or helping. In sum, these studies further demonstrate the reliability and validity of the BPE and BPG scales as well as provide solid groundwork for future correlational and experimental research on these constructs.

Master of Science / Family Studies and Human Services / Farrell J. Webb / Relationship and risk factors of infidelity within intimate and romantic relationships were examined using the Relationship and Risk factors influencing Infidelity Model (RRIM). It is based in part on Sternberg’s (1998) theoretical construct known as the triangular theory of love. Relationship factors included demographics, and relationship, development, strengths, and dynamics. Risk factors included sexual compatibility, and relationship problems. Data gleaned from Wave IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) measured a subsample of approximately 1,000 respondents (n = 939) young adults from 24 to 32 years of age (M = 28.64, SD = 1.79, Mdn = 28.61) and was designed to test the accuracy of the RRIM. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to explicate the relationships found across the elements within the RRIM. The overall results revealed that the RRIM correctly classified that 72.2% of the men and 78.8% of women were not likely to commit infidelity. The final results revealed that the level of commitment, the feeling of love, and the frequency of sex within the relationship were statistically significantly likely to influence infidelity between both men and women. Meanwhile, education and believing that one’s relationship would be permanent were statistically significantly likely to influence infidelity for women, but not for men. Although these results are encouraging, limitations were found within the RRIM and problems generated from using the Add Health must be acknowledged as several measures were not reliable. Future investigations should focus on how role models within young adults immediate and external environment influence their participation in committing infidelity.

Previous research suggests that the amount of food that women eat may fluctuate depending on their impression-management motivation; however, the results do not provide direct evidence supporting such an explanation. That is, no studies conducted to date have actually manipulated impression-management motivation and measured its effects on eating behavior. The present program of research aimed to confirm that eating behavior in women does, in fact, change as a result of impression-management motivation. Experiments 1, 2, and 3 tested this by manipulating impression-management motivation via direct and explicit instructions. Experiment 3 was also designed to investigate how impression-management motivation might affect eating in situations in which females are eating with a friend (as opposed to a stranger). The results demonstrate that women motivated to make a good impression on a male stranger (Experiments 1 & 2) and a female stranger (Experiments 2 & 3) eat less than do those for whom the desire to make a positive impression has been disrupted. The results also confirm previous findings showing that women eat less when eating with a male stranger than when eating with a female stranger (Experiments 1 & 2). The findings from Experiment 3 suggest that there may be a different pattern of eating associated with impression-management motivation when women eat with female friends; it was found that participants ate more with a friend when they were motivated to make a good impression compared to when this motive was not present. These results may be explained by impression-management theory, in combination with notions about the complexity of female friendships and female-female competition surrounding eating, dieting, weight, and appearance.

Pitting long-term goals against short-term desires is among the most difficult tasks in human decision-making. According to behavioural and neuroeconomic theories of self-regulation, these decisions involve a competition between “hot” reward-focused impulses and “cool” cognitive control mechanisms. The current dissertation examines this topic from the perspective of social and personality neuroscience, exploring the cognitive and affective dynamics underlying the self-regulatory process. Chapters 1 and 2 explore how the “hot” system is dispositionally expressed in the personality trait of Extraversion, and the implications of this finding for decision-making behaviour. Turning to the “cool” system, Chapter 3 examines the role of effective performance monitoring in predicting real-world self-regulatory outcomes. Finally, Chapter 4 addresses the question of whether self-regulatory performance can be improved, reporting the effects of a goal-setting intervention on long-term decision-making. Results across the studies are discussed within an integrative model of self-regulation, situated within a social-personality neuroscience framework.