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Consistent personality differences (e.g. shyness, sociability) among animals have been frequently reported by scientists. Such information used to be considered unscientific, even though it was widely used to describe animals and predict their behaviour (Hebb, 1946). Over the past three decades however animal personality has been studied systematically in various species (Gosling, 2001), using provided lists of descriptors, consistent with the five-factor model of personality (Costa & McCrea, 1992). Few researchers have allowed raters to produce their own list of descriptors (Dutton et al., 1997; Wemelsfelder et al., 2000), and none have investigated the potential influence of human individual differences on ratings. The three main goals of this thesis were (i) to develop in-depth personality profiles of domesticated horses, (ii) to investigate the effect of personal backgrounds and attitudes of observers in their construction of these profiles, and (iii) to provide insight into the reliability and validity of the provided assessments of horse personality. The thesis starts with a literature review of personality psychology, psychometrics, animal and horse personality; followed by the introduction of the concept of animal-as-a-scientist. As methodology is an important part of the project, the repertory grid technique (RGT) originally developed by Kelly (1955), was employed as a novel method to assess horse personality. This method gives observers the freedom to generate their own descriptors, which allows them to integrate the totality of their experience with animals into personality constructs which are meaningful to them. RGT has previously been used for personality assessment in chimpanzees (Dutton et al., 1997) and for the assessment of individual styles of interaction in pigs (Grajfoner et al., 2002). The experimental part of the thesis consists of two studies. In both, horse personality was assessed by groups of human participants, either familiar or unfamiliar with the horses. The familiar groups assessed the horses based on their past experiences. The unfamiliar groups watched short videos of horses interacting with a human. In the first study 44 female observers rated 21 horses from two stables. The results show a significant degree of agreement within the observer groups for 95% of horses. However, correlation of horse personality scores between the observer groups was not significant. The degree of agreement was higher when the observers were familiar not only with the horses but also with the descriptors (Adams-Weber, 1970). In the second study we further investigated the observed incongruity between familiar and unfamiliar observers. A novel object test was added to provide the unfamiliar observers with more information about the horses. Thirty four female observers rated 38 horses from three stables. Again, the degree of agreement was highly significant within the observer groups; however, correlation of the results between familiar and unfamiliar observers was only marginally improved. The degree of agreement was not consistently higher when the horses were rated on elicited constructs. Both studies showed that two personality dimensions, neuroticism and extroversion, are fairly robust in horses. The third dimension, agreeableness, was generated only by familiar observers. Contrary to expectations, observers’ personality, empathy or emotional intelligence did not significantly affect the degree of agreement or how they rated the horses’ personalities. Assessment of individual differences in horses using qualitative descriptors generated by the observers themselves is therefore not observers’ self projection. These results make a significant contribution to the debate on anthropomorphism. The overall degrees of agreement between the observers indicates consistent reliability of the RGT throughout the observer groups in both studies. Finally, the academic and practical implications of the study are discussed. On an academic level, individual differences in animals are of pivotal importance for understanding personality in the contexts of evolutionary, comparative and social psychology. On a practical level horses are, according to their individual differences, selectively used for different purposes: horse assisted therapy, racing and the police. Avenues for investigating the relationships between animal personality, performance and welfare should therefore be further explored.

<p> Research demonstrates that cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) predicts hypertension and contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, social support can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. People with high levels of trait displaced aggression (TDA) aggress against innocent individuals, such as family and friends, thus pushing away important sources of social support. The current study was the first to manipulate social support and look at the interaction of TDA, provocation, and social support on CVR and displaced aggression. Contrary to expectations, social support did not moderate the effect of TDA on either systolic blood pressure (SBP) or displaced aggression. However, among provoked participants, those who received social support displayed significantly less displaced aggression than those in the no social support or no interaction control conditions. Implications of these findings for reducing aggression are discussed.</p>

<p> This dissertation utilizes the archetypal and symbolic image of the Crone as a way to imagine and integrate present-day depth psychotherapy as a model for the treatment of <i>stuck-ness.</i> The Greek myth of Demeter is used as a mythical and archetypal background to explore the inclusion of the analytic third (Ogden, 1985, 1994, 2010) as embodied in the Crone. This allows for the connection and treatment of unconscious narcissistic defenses, collaboratively enabling the patient&rsquo;s transformation towards individuation and wholeness. Demeter, as a mother in depression, illustrates characteristics of a patient who presents as narcissistically organized, complicated by grief with the inability to mourn. This hermeneutic research recognizes the isolative nature of depression as well as the patient&rsquo;s identification with a role that leads to feeling stuck and separated. The importance of Christine Downing&rsquo;s (2010, lecture) understanding of mythology as the study of the <i>other</i> is examined and the psychoanalytical presentation of envy, pride, and the denial of mortality is explored. The depth psychological notion of the integration of the unconscious through countertransference and the experience of co-creation through the analytic third and as represented through the feminine archetype of the Crone, are presented.</p>

The relationship of personality disorders and persistent post concussive syndrome (PPCS) in mild head injury was investigated. Personality disorders were measured with the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II (MCM-II). Mild head injury referrals were compared to a moderate head injury group, (n=46), and to a non-head injured neurological control group, (n=93). There was little evidence to suggest that the mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) group had more personality disorders than either of the two comparison groups. The mild TBI group did endorse more passive-aggressive, aggressive-sadistic, self-defeating and borderline personality traits; however, the overall scores were below ranges which indicate a personality disorder. The relationship between personality disorders (the MCMl-Il) and emotional status, as measured by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) was also examined. Neither maladaptive personality characteristics or psychological distress were related to performance on neuropsychological tests. The results are discussed within the context of physiological and psychological determinants of the PPCS. / Graduate

This study was intended to assess the generality of a particular type of cognitive structure characteristic, that of integrative complexity. Pursuant of this, the theories of H. M. Schroder and O. J. Harvey were com- pared, and their respective measures administered to 440 students (Ss) of both sexes from three different southern schools. The theoretical analysis suggested that Schroder's theory is more truly structural in nature, and is more powerful in that it is more easily and obviously applicable to a broad range of cognitive domains. Harvey's position is much more firmly grounded on the content of the interpersonal domain. Both theories claim that the characteristic of cognitive structure which is most important in determining cognitive complexity is not differentiation, or an increase in the dimensionality, of the cognitive domain, but the subsequent integration of the differentiated components. Unfortunately, neither theorist is able to define integration so as to clearly distinguish it from a dimensional position. Here again, however, Schroder's theory seems to be the stronger, since it is at least explicit enough that the locus of difficulty can be precisely identified. Further, even if Schroder is un- able to define adequately the integration concept, his theorizing suggests the importance of the possibility of super- and sub-ordinate relationships among dimensions. Results of the testing were as follows: (a) As expected, the respective measures of cognitive integration were non-significantly correlated with each other, (b) Both measures of integration were significantly correlated with such measures of intelligence as vocabulary, abstract thinking, and SAT verbal and mathematical scores, (c) Sex differences in the scores may exist, although the pattern is not clear, (d) Other sample characteristics may affect the distribution of scores, e.g. large intelligence differences, socioeconomic differences, etc. On the other hand, Negroes are not ipso facto inferior to Caucasians, even when the latter enjoy a 100- point advantage on SAT averages. Nor are Southern whites inferior to Northern whites, at least when both are of superior intellectual ability. (e) Reliability, as estimated by coefficient alpha, is satisfactory for Harvey's measure and unsatisfactory for Schroder's, (f) The distribution of scores is such that for both measures complex Ss are rare, so pools of Ss must be tested in order to obtain adequate numbers of complex Ss. This is more a problem in attempting to apply Schroder than Harvey, largely because Schroder has often not bothered to study middle-range Ss, so their characteristics are unknown. Schroder's variable (especially) is essentially inapplicable to an unscreened group of subjects. Overall, Schroder's theory seems more promising than Harvey's. Suggestions were made for improving the reliability and distribution of scores. Additionally, a translation of Schroder's theory into dimensional terminology was attempted, and some important implications of his position for the dimensional orientation were discussed. / This thesis was digitized as part of a project begun in 2014 to increase the number of Duke psychology theses available online. The digitization project was spearheaded by Ciara Healy.

This investigation was designed to add to and clarify, somewhat, the results of previous studies concerning the relationship between rigidity and ethnocentrism. A manifest rigidity scale, based on theory, was utilized to clarify existing confusion over what constitutes rigidity.

The present study examines the relationship of diagnosis and denominational affiliation in light of the work of Charles Glock and Rodney Stark. The major hypothesis of the study was that diagnoses of first admissions to Timberlawn sanitarium would vary by denominational affiliation.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of classroom lectures regarding personality theory on the incongruencies of one's self concept. Relying heavily upon the individual's drive toward integration, health, and self-actualization as summarized in the preceding section, as it is contended that, while some information will be rejected because of one's tendency to maintain and preserve established consistencies within himself, the individual's inherent motivation toward personal growth will result in the assimilation of many of these basic psychological beliefs into his own personality structure.

This thesis is concerned with the effects that the meaning of the concept MYSELF had on the meanings of other selected personal and social concepts. Meaning of the concepts was measured by the semantic differential.