The purpose of this study was to determine if the present college experience and curriculum fosters cognitive development through graduate school. This thesis also assessed whether any gender differences exist between males and females. The assessment of cognitive ability was undertaken by two distinct instruments. One instrument measured this ability objectively and the other in a more subjective manner. A total of 110 students completed the two measures and these were students covering all four undergraduate levels and also master's and doctoral students. The results of the study suggest that the graduate school curriculum may foster cognitive growth. There were some gender differences with the females performing at a higher level on the subjective instrument. The findings of this study could be used to improve current curriculum by implementing more critical thinking courses. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The present study examined gender differences in the emotional tone of written sexual fantasies. Participants included 182 heterosexual men and 206 heterosexual women enrolled in undergraduate clinical and counseling courses at a mid-sized Midwestern university. Data collected on each respondent was derived from five sources 1) a written sexual fantasy, 2) the Extended Personal Attributes Questionnaire (EPAQ), 3) Human Sexuality Questionnaire - The Heterosexual Experience Subscale, 4) the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS), and 5) the Revised Mosher Guilt Inventory. The Dictionary of Affect in Language (DAL) (Whissell, 1999) was used to obtain two quantitative measures, Activation and Evaluation of the emotional tone of the sexual fantasies. The variables of the study were gender role variables (agency and communion) and sex variables (erotophobia-erotophilia, sex experience, sex guilt, Activation and Evaluation). It was hypothesized that men would score higher on agency, sexual experience, erotophilia, and Activation, which is associated with arousal and action, and women would score higher on communion, erotophobia, sex guilt and Evaluation, which is associated with pleasant feelings. Gender differences were found for all variables except sexual experience and the measures of emotion, Activation and Evaluation. Given the stated hypotheses, canonical correlations were performed to determine the linear relationship of gender role and sex variables for men and women. One significant canonical correlation was found for men indicating that as agency, erotophilia, and sexual experience increase, sex guilt decreases. No significant canonical correlation was found for women. A discriminant analysis was performed to determine if the gender role variables and the sex variables were strong discriminators of sex. Results indicated that communion and erotophobia were the best discriminators for men and women. The study's present findings are discussed in terms of the sexual double standard and the changing social values of women in today's society. Limitations of the study and future directions of research in sexual fantasies and gender differences, specifically in terms of application to counseling are discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive levels of block play among preschoolers in a combined block play and dramatic play center. Gender differences in the cognitive levels of block play as well as the location of block play were explored. The sample consisted of 17 children, 13 girls and 4 boys, enrolled in a preschool at a Midwestern university. Six hypotheses were formulated; two could be tested at the .05 level of significance. The others could not be tested due to insufficient data.Each child was observed, twice before and twice after the centers were combined, in groups of six for 20-minute periods.The findings of the study were:1. There was a highly significant difference in the percentage of time functional block play occurred, for both boys and girls, after the block play and dramatic play centers were combined, with more functional play occurring after (p = .002) after the centers were combined.2. Overall, boys engaged in functional block play a significantly greater percentage of time than did girls (p = .042).3. There was no significant difference in the percentage of time constructive block play occurred, for both boys and girls, after the block play and dramatic play centers were combined.4. Overall, boys engaged in constructive block play a significantly greater percentage of time than did girls (p = .038).5. Dramatic play with blocks did not occur before the block play and dramatic play centers were combined and it occurred only four times after the centers were combined.6. There were no episodes of games with rules play before or after the block play and dramatic play centers were combined.7. All of the block play occurred in the block play center both before and after the block play and dramatic play centers were combined.8. There was no block play in the dramatic play center before or after the block play and dramatic play centers were combined.Overall, the findings favored the block play and dramatic play centers being combined. Block play occurred a greater percentage of time after the centers were combined. / Department of Elementary Education

The purpose of this research was to examine significant change, if any, in instrumental and expressive traits during adulthood. The research was designed to test the assumption that chronological age and psychosocial stage are related to instrumentality and expressiveness.The present study utilized the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ) and a personal information questionnaire. The research question was: Are there differences in traits of instrumentality and expressiveness at different stages of adult development?Three hundred sixty-three men and women between the ages of 20 and 70 participated in the study. The sample included 164 men and 197 warren. Participants were members of volunteer organizations. They were assigned to different groups based on age and psychosocial development.Four 3 x 3 Analyses of Variance procedures were performed. There were three levels of age: (1) 20-35, (2) 36-50, and (3) 51-70. Categorization of psychosocial stage included: (1) no children, (2) children from birth to graduation from high school, and (3) all children graduated from high school. Sex was not combined, rather separate analysis was performed on each sex. The dependent variables were expressiveness and instrumentality as defined by scores on the Personal Attributes Questionnaire. The following effects were studied:(1) Effects of age and psychosocial stage on traits of instrumentality in men.(2) Effects of age and psychosocial stage on traits of expressiveness in men.(3) Effects of age and psychosocial stage on traits of instrumentality in women.(4) Effect of age and psychosocial stage on traits of expressiveness in women.The results of the research indicated that traits of instrumentality and expressiveness in men and women do not change significantly during adulthood. No significant differences were found in men or women with regard to age and psychosocial development on traits of instrumentality and expressiveness.

This thesis has examined the hypothesis that sex differences in perception influence anagram problem solving. Specifically, an experiment was designed to study the effects of different letter sizes on the anagram problem-solving performance of male and female eighth grade subjects. It was postulated that males would outperform females under normal letter size conditions, but that females would perform at least as well as males when the anagrams were printed in large letters.The results showed that the female subjects’ performance was superior to the males under both experimental conditions. The results were discussed in terms of lack of experimental control for cognitive style and of possible individual differences in intelligence between the male and female subjects. Ideas were suggested for further research in this area.

The purpose of this study is to investigate a series of issues around the primary theme of value constructions and the ways that these influence the construction of interior spaces and impact on its occupants. The ways in which knowledge is disseminated currently in our society and the noticeable absence of the female voice in that knowledge construction is perpetuated in social relations. Spatial designs create an envelope that formalizes these relations and create symbols of' status, hierarchy and power at the expense of voices of collaboration and experience. Secondary issues about the absence of female voice in the underlying values that shape space are also studied, as they have evolved historically and as these exist in today's social and economic climate. Theoretical themes are woven around examples of situations in pedagogy and the practice of interior design and architecture.

The current study examined whether female and male newborns could be differentiated using physical and behavioural characteristics. Sixteen female and fifteen male newborns were videotaped interacting briefly with a female and male experimenter. Raters coded neonatal physical characteristics, and both neonatal and adult behaviours. Results showed that raters could discriminate the sex of the newborns based upon the degree of cuddliness and activity level. It was also found that adults responded differently with female and male newborns. Finally, the male and female experimenter were found to differ in their behaviours with the newborns. Discussion focuses on the importance of methodological considerations in assessing sex differences in neonatal behaviours, and on the implications of neonatal behavioural sex differences on subsequent parent-child interaction.

The present study was designed to investigate gender differences in the fragility of children's close, same-sex friendships. Based on past research, it was hypothesized that the close friendships of girls are more fragile than those of boys. A secondary goal of the study was to explore possible reasons for the sex difference in friendship instability. Students from 17 classes of grades one through six of an elementary school were interviewed about past friendships, and conflict resolution among current friends, within their class. The hypothesis that girls' friendships are more fragile was supported: The number of past friendship reported for girls was higher than that reported for boys across all grade levels. No explanations were found for the sex difference in fragility of friendships. Results are discussed in terms of the lack of explanations for gender differences in friendship fragility, as well as the implications of lower friendship stability on the psychosocial well being of girls.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Australian National University, 2003.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-223). Also available via the Internet.