Behavioral Sciences

Worry, Check, Repeat: Intrusive Thoughts and Obsessive-Compulsive Checking Following Partner Infidelity 
 

Isabelle Jones
Abilene Christian University

Infidelity within committed romantic relationships may function as a form of interpersonal betrayal which contributes to trauma responses, including intrusive thoughts and hypervigilant checking behaviors. This study hypothesized that individuals with a history of partner infidelity would be more likely to report intrusive thoughts and obsessive-compulsive checking behaviors than individuals without a history of infidelity. Understanding these post-infidelity responses may improve trauma-informed conceptualizations and interventions for individuals experiencing betrayal. This study utilized a cross-sectional design; an online survey was administered to U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. Infidelity was defined as physical, emotional, digital, or sexual/nonsexual betrayal that violated expectations of faithfulness. Chi-square analyses were conducted to examine associations between partner infidelity, intrusive thoughts, and checking behaviors. Results indicated significant associations between partner infidelity and intrusive thoughts, χ²(1, N = 160) = 62.90, p < .001, φ = .627. Participants with a history of infidelity were also significantly more likely to report checking a partner's whereabouts, χ²(1, N = 160) = 24.90, p < .001, φ = .395; checking shared records, χ²(1, N = 160) = 17.80, p < .001, φ = .333; and monitoring social media activity, χ²(1, N = 160) = 29.90, p < .001, φ = .433. These findings suggest that partner infidelity is associated with persistent intrusive thoughts and hypervigilant behaviors which extend beyond typical relationship distress. Future research should explore the long-term course of these symptoms and refine assessment and intervention strategies for betrayal-related trauma.

The Effect of Background Music on Cognitive Performance in the Stroop Task 
 

Jakob Clegg
Harding University

This experimental study aims to explore the effects of background music on cognitive performance and attention using the Stroop task. The Stroop task was first introduced by psychologist John Ridley Stroop, demonstrating how automatic processes, like reading, can interfere with controlled tasks, such as naming ink colors. Participants were tasked with correctly associating ink colors and color words. These words would differentiate between incongruent, color words different from the ink color, and congruent, color words matching the ink color. Using PsyToolKit to administer the Stroop task and Google Forms for participant intake, participants (n = 36) listened to a vocal version or an instrumental version of  'Count on Me' by Bruno Mars, or a no-music control condition, while participants performed the Stroop task. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze differences in test scores across the three groups. The results did not reveal a statistically significant difference in response time among the three groups, F(2, 33)=2.82, p=.074, suggesting that music condition did not influence cognitive performance. However, further research with a larger sample size and different testing conditions is needed to discover other possible influences.

Psychology of online dating
 

Kaden Chandler
Abilene Christian University

The high-choice online dating environments have created a system of psychological consumerism. The many consumers of these products have become stuck within these apps because of their hurtful trapping systems. This study aims to research the effects on high-choice online dating environments and its psychological effects within its users such as self-esteem, relational commitment, general anxiety, and the fear of missing out. These psychological factors were selected for this study due to the potential implications to influence within online dating environments. To conduct this research, 51 participants answered the survey questions about their usage of online dating and the psychological scales associated with them. Results indicated that greater frequency of dating apps use (days used) was significantly negatively correlated commitment, r(49) = -3.84, p = .005. However, neither average app use nor the total number of apps uses was significantly related to self-esteem, anxiety, commitment, or FOMO. Amongst individual app types instagram use was significantly negatively correlated with commitment r(49) = -2.79, p = 0.47. Within the data we also found significant negative correlation between self-esteem and anxiety, r(49) = -3.08, p = .028, and between self esteem and FOMO, r(49) = -344, p = .013. Future research for this study should include increasing the number of participants while expanding its demographics. Researchers can also go more in-depth within the dating apps such as payments, swipes, matches, encounters, where and when the apps are used, etc. A longitudinal study could improve its credibility by examining its participants more closely