Psychology

This  dissertation  provides  an  examination  of  the  cultural  significance  of  mannequins during the interwar years. As women grew increasingly visible outside of domestic roles subsequent  to  the  First  World  War  and  emerging  trends  for  streamlined  and  practical fashion posed an assault on traditional ideals of femininity, this thesis questions why it was  that  mannequins  became  suddenly  more  realistic  than  those  seen  in  previous decades.

The study was developed in the context of Personality and Social Cognitive Theory with constructs that encapsulate non-intellective processes of academic achievement. The goal was to explore the role of the Five Factor Model (FFM) of personality in academic performance and to use this model as a reference point to test the incremental validity of two measures of Self-efficacy (Academic and Emotional) and an indicator of Absenteeism. Participants (N = 120) were comprised of 17-year-old male (n = 47) and female (n = 73) opportunistically sampled secondary level college students. A cross-sectional design was used to examine the relationship between the independent variables (FFM, Academic Self-efficacy, Emotional Self-efficacy, and Absenteeism) and the outcome variable, Grade Points Average (GPA). Correlation analysis found that four FFM factors and the two Self-efficacy measures were associated with GPA. In a hierarchical regression analysis, the FFM explained 22% variance on performance and the two Self-efficacy measures added 9% incremental variance followed by 3% for Absenteeism. Overall, the non-intellective constructs explain a substantial 34% variance on achievement and provide focal points for theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical evaluation. Moreover, they are suggestive of the pathways and processes that support learning, augment ability, and enhance achievement.

Policing and mental ill health are inextricably entwined. The police have a role to respond to distressed persons and depending on the circumstances act as mental health practitioners or law enforcement officers.  Policing can have an impact on the mental health of those delivering the service. Those working within policing will either experience, work alongside and/or manage colleagues with mental ill health. Therefore it is important that the attitudes of police officers and police staff to mental ill health are established. The research employs the Time to Change Survey to bench mark police attitudes against the general public. Results indicate that police officers/staff hold similar attitudes to the public. However police officers are less supportive of community based interventions. Police data portrays an organisation where mental health related stigma persists, where discussing or seeking help is avoided and having a mental health issue seen as career destroying.

Policing can be injurious to the mental health of those delivering the service. The causes can be operational, organisational or a mixture of both. Mental health related stigma is prevalent within policing; thus, help seeking is avoided. Those who do seek help are often thought to be malingerers. Managers are considered to be ill equipped to identify and support those at risk. The processes and policies that are meant to support recovery do not meet the needs of the officers and staff living and working with mental ill health. Consequently, disclosing a mental health issue is seen as career destroying.

Widening participation has led to a growth in university places across the Higher Education Sector. Alongside this, there is greater public scrutiny of the quality of both degrees and institutions. Additionally, students have a greater awareness of the potential quality of the institute they are attending via league tables and the annual NSS. While research has been undertaken exploring how students make choices there has been less focus on the experience of students at "lower status" universities. Three focus groups of N = 19 Psychology students from a NorthWest university were conducted to discuss issues of identity. Thematic Analysis was used to explore issues of Social comparisons and Identity processes. The main themes to emerge were transitional issues, threats to identity and identity protection as students developed narratives around their perceptions of status of student and institution. Furthermore, "othering" processes allowed exploration of the dual comparison processes when identifying with the institution label. These findings are discussed in relation to enabling students to develop a stronger identity.

Widening participation has led to a growth in university places across the Higher Education Sector. Alongside this, there is greater public scrutiny of the quality of both degrees and institutions. Additionally, students have a greater awareness of the potential quality of the institute they are attending via league tables and the annual NSS. While research has been undertaken exploring how students make choices there has been less focus on the experience of students at “lower status” universities. Three focus groups of N = 19 Psychology students from a North-West university were conducted to discuss issues of identity. Thematic Analysis was used to explore issues of Social comparisons and Identity processes. The main themes to emerge were transitional issues, threats to identity and identity protection as students developed narratives around their perceptions of status of student and institution. These findings are discussed in relation to enabling students to develop a stronger id...

Background -A frequently observed age-related effect is a preference in older individuals for positive stimuli. The cognitive control model proposes that this positivity effect may be mediated by executive functions. We propose that cognitive reserve, operationally defined as years of education, which tempers cognitive decline and has been linked to executive functions, should also influence the age-related positivity effect, especially as age advances.

The benzodiazepine lorazepam is widely utilized in the treatment of elderly individuals with anxiety disorders and related conditions. Negative effects of acute lorazepam administration on cognitive performance, especially memory, have been reported in both previously untreated elderly and in individuals who have received short term (up to three weeks) treatment with therapeutic doses. However, it remains unclear if these adverse cognitive effects also persist after long-term use, which is frequently found in clinical practice. Cognitively intact elderly individuals (n=37) on long-term (at least three months) daily treatment with lorazepam were studied using a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study design. Subjects were administered their highest daily unit dose of lorazepam (0.25 -3.00 mg) and placebo on different days, approximately 1 week apart in a random order, and were assessed on memory, psychomotor speed, and subjective mood states. Subjects had significantly poorer recall and slowed psychomotor performance following acute lorazepam administration. There were no significant effects on self-ratings of mood, sedation, or anxiety in the whole group, but secondary analyses suggested a differential response in subjects with GAD. Reduced recall and psychomotor slowing following acute lorazepam administration in long-term users reinforces the importance of cognitive toxicity as a clinical factor in benzodiazepine use.

Background: Determining etiological factors and reviewing advances in diagnostic modalities sensitive and specific to Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is of importance in its evaluation and treatment. The inflammatory hypothesis is one of the most prevalent topics concerning MDD and may provide insight into the pathogenesis of depression, development of biomarkers, and ultimately production of more effective depression therapies. Method: We reviewed several studies to evaluate contemporary concepts concerning proinflammatory cytokines and their relationship to various depressive disorders, the use of antiinflammatory therapies in MDD treatment, and the application of neuroimaging in conjunction with cytokine profiles from both plasma and CSF as possible diagnostic tools. Results: Proinflammatory cytokines in both plasma and CSF have been found to influence the progression and severity of depressive disorders in different populations. Studies have shown elevated serum levels of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, CRP, and MCP-1 in depressed patients, but have presented mixed results with IL-8 serum levels, and with IL-6 and MCP-1 CSF levels. Antiinflammatory treatment of MDD may have adjuvant properties with current depression medications. MRI and NIRS neuroimaging confirm neurological abnormalities in the presence of elevated proinflammatory cytokines in depressed or stressed patients. Limitations: Heterogeneity of MDD and limited CSF cytokine research complicate the study of MDD pathogenesis. Conclusion: There is significant evidence that inflammatory processes influence the development and progression of MDD. Future studies with larger arrays of cytokine profiles aided by neuroimaging may provide more sensitive and specific modes of diagnostics in determining MDD etiology and provide guidance in individual therapies. Highlights  Inflammatory hypothesis postulates depression pathogenesis is related to increases in inflammatory cytokine production in peripheral and central nervous systems.  Elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines in both serum and CSF found in different populations with depressive disorders.  Anti-inflammatory medications such as NSAIDs and Infliximab reported to decrease depression severity.