Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2012, Psychology

The present study tested the association between fear and perception in individuals across a range of spider fear (n = 60). Participants first reported their level of spider fear and then completed six Behavioral Approach Tasks (BATs). In the first three BATs, participants approached a series of inanimate objects (a rectangular block, a dead spider encased in plastic, and a plastic flower). In the final three BATs, participants approached three different live spiders. During each BAT, participants reported their level of fear. At the end of each BAT, while the approached stimulus was still in view, participants estimated the size of that stimulus by drawing a horizontal line on a piece of paper. Consistent with predictions, results indicated that high levels of spider fear were associated with magnified perceptions of live spiders and dead spiders encased in plastic. Taken together with past investigations, these results further support the notion that fear is involved in the encoding and processing of perceptual information, such that individuals tend to overestimate the size of threat-relevant stimuli when in a fearful state. Surprisingly, we also found that high levels of spider fear were associated with magnified perceptions of the rectangular block. Moreover, we found that that fear ratings during each BAT (for live spiders and all inanimate objects presented) were significantly associated with size ratio for that stimulus. These findings suggest that the perceptual properties and direct threat-relevance of the object being viewed may not be the only factors associated with perceptual bias. Rather, it appears that a more generalized state of anxious arousal drives perceptual processing; when a perceiver is in this state, any object may be capable of appearing magnified.

Committee: Michael Vasey PhD (Advisor); Russell Fazio PhD (Committee Member); Julian Thayer PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Psychology; Social Psychology

PHD, Kent State University, 2012, College of Communication and Information / School of Communication Studies

In this study, I utilized the third-person effect hypothesis to examine high school administrators' perceptions and self-reported propensity to censor a potential story in their school newspaper about teenagers engaging in sexual activity. The sample consistent of (N = 187) public high school administrators from across the United States. Participants completed measures of third-person perceptual bias, locus of control, self-efficacy, perceived First Amendment knowledge, actual First Amendment knowledge, First Amendment support, past experience with censorship, message desirability, social distance, and propensity to censor to protect students enrolled in the administrator's school and the school's reputation. Results indicated the administrators exhibited third-person perceptions when comparing perceived effects of exposure to the story on themselves to other groups including students in their school, parents of students in their school, and members of the school community. Message desirability significantly negatively predicted third-person perceptual bias. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine predictors of propensity to censor to protect students and propensity to censor to protect the school. Variables were entered in three steps (background variables, external factors, and perceptual bias). Self-reported propensity to censor to protect students was predicted by self-efficacy, message (un)desirability, and third-person perceptual bias. When considering the role of social distance and perceptual bias from oneself to parents of students, external locus of control was also a predictor. Self-reported propensity to censor to protect the school was predicted by self-efficacy, First Amendment support, message (un)desirability, and third-person perceptual bias. When considering the role of social distance and perceptual bias from oneself to school community members, external locus of control was also a predictor. Practical and theoretical implications for (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Paul Haridakis PhD (Advisor); Stanley Wearden PhD (Committee Member); Alexa Sandmann EdD (Committee Member); Mark Goodman JD (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Education; Journalism; Law; Mass Media; Social Psychology

PHD, Kent State University, 2009, College of Communication and Information / School of Communication Studies

In this study, I utilized the third-person effects/first-person effects hypothesis to examine the perceptions and self-reported behaviors of sports fans, and more specifically, National Football League (NFL) fans. The sample (N = 417) consisted of NFL fans who completed an online questionnaire. Participants completed measures of NFL team identification, perceived effects of televised NFL games, perceptual bias of televised NFL games, perceived social distance, perceived exposure to televised NFL games, message desirability, Basking in Reflective Glory (BIRGing), Cutting Off Reflected Failure (CORFing), exposure to NFL-related television, and sociodemographic variables. Results indicated that NFL fans exhibited third-person perceptions when comparing perceived media influence on themselves and fellow fans of one' favorite/most familiar NFL team, while exhibiting first-person perceptions when comparing perceived media influence on themselves and other groups of comparison others (i.e., other fans around the NFL, the average person). First-person perceptual bias positively correlated with NFL team identification, message desirability, and BIRGing. Third-person perceptual bias negatively correlated with NFL team identification and message desirability. NFL team identification and message desirability were not significantly correlated with NFL team winning percentage. Perceptions of social distance and perceptions of NFL television exposure significantly predicted perceived effects for both the self and various groups of comparison others. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine predictors of self-reported NFL fan behaviors (i.e., BIRGing/CORFing). Variables were entered in four steps (control variables, team performance, audience factors, and perceptual bias). Self-reported BIRGing behavior was negatively predicted by age and education and positively predicted by NFL team identification, message desirability, and first-person perceptual bias. Self-reported (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Paul Haridakis (Committee Chair); Stanley Wearden (Committee Member); Adam Earnheardt (Committee Member); Shawn Fitzgerald (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Journalism; Mass Media; Psychology; Social Psychology