<p> Behavioral sensitization is an increase in a behavioral response (e.g., locomotor activity or stereotypy) induced by previous drug exposure. The present study examined one-trial methamphetamine behavioral sensitization in male and female rats during early or late adolescence. During pretreatment, male and female rats received methamphetamine (0.0&ndash;6.0 mg/kg) in the home or in a novel chamber during early (PD 38) or late (PD 48) adolescence. After 24 hours, rats received a 1 mg/kg methamphetamine challenge test dose in the novel chamber to assess for sensitization. The results showed that rats in both age groups exhibited robust locomotor activity to the acute effects of methamphetamine. However, male and female rats at either age group did not exhibit one-trial methamphetamine behavioral sensitization. Overall, females exhibited greater locomotor activity than males, while males exhibited greater stereotypy. These findings do not provide evidence that the ontogeny of one-trial methamphetamine sensitization emerges during adolescence.</p>

<p> The CDC (2016) recommends children engage in 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily to achieve health benefits. Recess in school settings can provide opportunities for children to try and meet these guidelines. However, research suggests that recess alone does not increase physical activity levels. To combat this problem, antecedent manipulations (e.g., manipulating the physical environment or introducing planned activities) are commonly implemented as an intervention to increase physical activity. These interventions, however, do not provide salient consequences for physical activity to ensure the likelihood that these behaviors will occur again in the future. A more promising approach might be to develop interventions that assess the use of group contingencies in an effort to increase physical activity during recess time. The purpose of the current study was to implement the Step it UP! game (a modified version of the good behavior game) in three different classrooms during their recess periods and to evaluate the effect of group contingencies on physical activity levels in elementary school-aged children. The Step it UP! game was compared to traditional recess periods (i.e., without the game) in an alternating treatment design. The overall results of the study indicated that the Step it UP! game engendered higher mean step counts than traditional recess periods. These results suggest that schools should provide contingent reinforcement for children&rsquo;s increased physical activity during recess.</p>

<p> Early literature on leadership focused on the traits of a single individual, usually male, who manages employees within a clearly defined hierarchy for a U.S.-based company. The last several decades have seen the concept of leadership expand to include followers, peers, supervisors, the public and the non-profit sectors, and culture across a diverse sample of populations globally. Indigenous leadership contributes to this discussion by including a social, historical, and political context that acknowledges connection to land. However, leadership theories have yet to address the topic of reconciliation and overall community wellbeing. To address this gap, this paper explored what leadership looks like in a more holistic community context where a community program that includes food production, native reforestation, cultural education revitalization, and healing are all meaningful components of leadership development and community transformation. The following questions were explored: 1) What does leadership look like when one seeks to provide people of a community the freedom and space to build meaningful relationships with land, each other, and themselves? and 2) How can we help leaders flourish in our communities to work towards this and other types of reconciliation? Using phenomenology as a method of inquiry, interviews and participant observations were used to capture the stories of staff and volunteers as part of program connected to a comprehensive health center in Kalihi. Leadership in this program is understood as the matching of gifts to kuleana. This leadership model recognizes the potential for all members of the community to fulfill meaningful leadership roles. The synergistic process of offering a gift, and having it valued is healing for both an individual and a community. Being in a safe and welcoming space offers an environment where people are free to explore what their gift and kuleana may be. Parallels between shared leadership, multicultural leadership, and Indigenous leadership are presented. This model of leadership contributes to the literature by grounding leadership in reconciliation and healing for all. This model and how leaders are developed within it are discussed.</p><p>

<p> The present study investigated the effects of various fluency aims on the emergence of derived relational responding for various populations. Derived relational responding is a skill needed to develop complex language. Determining fluency aims to ensure derived relations can impact how we teach language and other complex skills. A parametric analysis of various fluency aims was completed using a multiple treatments design with ongoing probes of derived relational responding. Participants&rsquo; performance during accuracy and fluency tasks was assessed using a computer program designed for this study and presented on a tablet computer. The computer program recorded correct responses per minute and number of correct responses out of a total number of responses. A fluency aim could be experimentally verified if participants met criterion during tests of derived relational responding at an initial aim, that aim could be replicated with a novel symbol set, the participant met criterion during a test probe after performing at a higher frequency and failed to meet criterion during a test probe after performing at a lower frequency. Across all populations recruited for this study, a fluency aim that was empirically verified was not found. Participants performance did not match the performance described above and in some cases, performance was opposite, meaning participants passed a test probe after performing at a lower aim and failed the test probe after performing at a higher aim.</p><p>

<p> Assuming the perspective of evolutionary psychology it was hypothesized that tattoo stigma is the result of evolved socially exclusionary mechanisms activated by heuristic cues signaling a potential threat of infectious disease. It was conjectured that perception of atypical morphology, like the discoloration associated with significant tattooing, would activate into working memory implicit associations linking tattooing with infectious disease, triggering an aversive reaction. Using a quantitative quasi-experimental approach, the study measured participant implicit associations between disease connoting concepts and the perception of images of tattooed people as compared with images of non-tattooed people. Implicit associations between disease connoting concepts and tattooing were measured using an Implicit Association Test. An assumption made by the IAT developers that people accomplish tasks faster and with greater accuracy when the tasks are based on well-established learned cognitive routines or associations that are the product of evolved adaptive mechanisms, as compared with unpracticed tasks. This study provides the first empirical test of a causal link between tattooing, disease threat management, and stigma. Findings indicate that a significant majority of the sample associated tattooing with infectious disease, this association is not affected by the participants having tattoos or expressing a positive or neutral attitude toward tattooed people. Given these findings, it is recommended that future research more broadly test the construct of voluntary disfigurement (e.g., body scaring, piercing, and &ldquo;face painting&rdquo;) which BIS theory predicts would be likely triggers for BIS reactions.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to investigate how participation and racing in ultra-endurance events contribute to an executive's self-leadership habits. Some research indicates that physical fitness is a key component of an executive's program (e.g., Neck, Mitchell, Manz, Cooper and Thompson, 2000; Neck and Houghton, 2006; Lovelace, Manz, and Alves, 2007; Moore, 2015, Manz, 2015). However, much of this research reflects approximately one hour of physical fitness work per day, five to seven days a week. Scant research exists on how extreme levels of exercise (i.e., 18&ndash;30 hours per week) can contribute to successful self-leadership. Some research indicates that participation in ultra-endurance sports increases self-efficacy (e.g., Simpson et al., 2014). Likewise, a growing body of research (e.g., Baker, 2015; Simpson et al., 2014) shows that ultra-endurance athletes commonly apply constructive thought patterns, behavioral strategies and natural rewards strategies synonymous with the self-leadership literature without realizing it. This study will investigate how an ultra-endurance athlete develops self-leadership habits through the formative experience of ultra-endurance racing and how he/she applies these habits away from racing. Furthermore, this study intends to lay the foundation for the creation of a prescriptive theory of self-leadership habit building that other executive leaders can apply to their own lives.</p><p>

<p> This paper reviews existing literature on Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and the benefits and challenges associated with conducting the cornerstone of behavioral observation, Systematic Direct Observation (SDO), in schools. It also presents literature on Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) and its application to conducting an FBA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate paraprofessionals&rsquo; ability to generate believable data using DBR to assess functional relationships relative to SDO and to examine their perceptions regarding DBR&rsquo;s acceptability. In the study, paraprofessionals (<i>n</i> = 7) observed the behavior of 16 students in their classroom setting and then completed DBR ratings of disruptive behavior and four potential consequences (adult attention, peer attention, escape/avoidance, access to tangibles). Concurrently, an expert observer collected SDO data using a combination of a 15-second partial interval recording system and frequency count. Estimates of the true occurrence of disruptive behavior and the percentage of disruptive behavior met with each consequence were calculated based upon the SDO data. Differences in agreement between the DBR and SDO data were examined to obtain an understanding of the degree of association between the two observation methods. The results of this study indicated strong levels of agreement between the DBR and SDO data for overall disruptive behavior. However, despite a visual analysis of the data that suggested similar conclusions would be reached regarding the function of the disruptive behavior, weaker levels of agreement were found regarding the similarity of the data for each of the consequence targets. Results did indicate paraprofessionals perceived DBR to be an acceptable tool for collecting data related to functional contingencies. Guidelines for implementing DBR when conducting an FBA, limitations of the study, and suggested directions for future research are discussed.</p><p>

<p>An interesting unsolved case in cognitive science, and one that impacts education and decision-making, is the whole number bias: when people compare fractions they rely on the numerical values of the components (numerator or denominator). A handful of theories have been proposed to explain the bias in Arabic formats, all sharing the assumption of some fundamental difficulty in estimating ratio magnitudes. This thesis contrasts them in a perceptual setting by means of a cognitive model of ratio comparisons. Contrary to the assumption, for the visual system the bias is automatic even when fraction magnitudes are mentally available (Chapter 2a). Moreover, it is present in indigenous populations living in the Amazon, suggesting a limited role of culture and a more generic feature of cognition (Chapter 2b). The automatic activation of numerical magnitude can impact confidence (Chapter 2c), visual selection (Chapter 3) and modulate how the motor system displaces effectors (Chapter 4). The overall results are consistent with the view that the whole number bias is part of a larger phenomenon: people spontaneously and robustly represent numerical value across a variety of perceptual decision tasks.

<p> The literature supports that as leaders pursue personal and professional growth, they achieve a sense of well-being, become healthier, more engaged, and more productive. This study explores how Christian leaders who have a strong core spiritual identity experience growth toward their <i>best-self. </i> According to the literature, the best-self is a positive psychology approach to personal growth that utilizes a person&rsquo;s natural strengths and skills to describe one&rsquo;s personal best. Adult identity development is multifaceted and influenced by numerous factors. A spiritual identity built upon strong beliefs results in a salient identity that influences every part of one&rsquo;s life. Utilizing a generic qualitative methodology and a snowball sampling strategy, eight participants were interviewed. Multiple consistent themes were identified in the data: (a) an integration of spiritual identity (b) enhanced self-awareness (c) saliency of spiritual identity, (c) roles and motivations defined by faith, (d) altruism, (e) role identity as a calling, (f) faith-based decision-making, (g) intrapersonal and interpersonal prayer, a personal relationship with God, (h) the need to be supported by like-minded individuals, (i) the alignment of organizational values and personal values, and (j) personal growth defined by God. One unexpected finding was the way the participants defined best-self. Based on their narratives, the participants viewed their best-self, including their talents and abilities, as being defined by God, stating that to become the person that God designed them to be would be achieving best-self. The significance of spirituality in the workplace was discovered through the participants&rsquo; experiences. This was also supported in the literature. These themes are presented and explored along with recommendations for future research.</p>

<p> Globally, more than 1.9 billion people are overweight, and 600 million are obese (World Health Organization [WHO], 2016). The consequences are expensive: The associated costs to treat co- morbid illnesses in the United States amounted to $190.2 billion (Cawley &amp; Meyerhoefer, 2012). Elevated body mass index (BMI) is directly related to premature death, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, and cancers (WHO, 2016). Weight regain after weight loss has emerged as one of the most significant obstacles for weight management therapeutics, undoubtedly perpetuating the epidemic of excess weight that affects over 60% of American adults (Maclean, Bergouignan, Cornier, &amp; Jackman, 2011). Weight management is a complex and covert interplay between biology, psychology, and environment (Brownell, 2010; Moffitt, Haynes, &amp; Mohr, 2015). The majority of weight management treatments have demonstrated high prevalence of relapse after weight loss and failed long-term efficacy after diverse healthcare treatments (Dombrowski et al., 2012; Moffitt et al., 2015; Munsch, Meyer, &amp; Biedert, 2012). This dissertation examined the most effective forms of evidence-based psychotherapeutic and technological interventions for weight management treatment, focusing specifically on populations between the normal and overweight BMI range from peer-reviewed journals dated from 1950-2017. The objectives of this doctoral project were four-fold: (a) to conduct a systematic literature review and gather information from experts in the field regarding weight management, (b) to explore the biopsychosocial implications related to weight re-gain after loss, (c) to identify the most effective psychotherapeutic interventions and mHealth implications that aid long-term weight management, and (d) to disseminate these findings using a professional presentation.</p>