The Effects of Sensory-Processing Sensitivity
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2012 Communicating while stimulated: the effects of sensory-processing sensitivity on behavior and relationships Christopher Charles Gearhart Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Communication Commons Recommended Citation Gearhart, Christopher Charles, "Communicating while stimulated: the effects of sensory-processing sensitivity on behavior and relationships" (2012). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 4054. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/4054 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. COMMUNICATING WHILE STIMULATED: THE EFFECTS OF SENSORY-PROCESSING SENSITIVITY ON BEHAVIOR AND RELATIONSHIPS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Communication Studies by Christopher Charles Gearhart B.A., University of North Texas, 2003 M.A., San Diego State University, 2006 May 2012 i DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this dissertation and the work that I do to all those family and friends who provided support, showed patience, and helped give me confidence over the years. Were it not for your love and guidance I would not be where I am today. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge the individuals who provided direct support toward the completion of this dissertation. First and foremost I must thank my mentor and advisor Graham Bodie for showing me the dedication and persistence necessary to be a productive scholar capable of producing quality work. Next, I would like to thank the members of my committee, in alphabetical order of last name: Dr. Jim Garand, Dr. Frank Gresham, Dr. Jim Honeycutt, and Dr. Loretta Pecchioni. I would also like to thank the administrators at LSU including Dr. Renee Edwards and Dr. Andy King, as well as the incredible CMST support staff, most notably the multi-talented Lisa Landry, Ginger Conrad, and Donna Sparks. Data collection was assisted by a number of student workers, in alphabetical order of last name, John Matthew Adamo, Tyler Carlos, Elizabeth Gallagher, Rachel Hill, and Simone Laroussini. I would also like to thank my colleagues and great friends, Shaughan Keaton and Andrea Vickery, who shared research lab time (and sometimes participants!) with me. My time in Louisiana would not be the same without my hospitable, generous, and entertaining next door neighbors, the Chustz family. Paul, Lisa, Dillon, Kelli, and Jackie Boy all made me feel right at home from the first gusts of Hurricane Gustav to the last line in this dissertation. I am truly blessed to find a family of friends unlike any other. Saving the most important for last, I must acknowledge my beautiful dog, Madison. The Mad-Dog. MD 20/20. Maddie Annie. Maddie Mae, and all her other nicknames from friends across the United States. We probably walked around the block 1000 times since we moved to Louisiana, but for her every time is like it’s the first. Her happiness brings me joy and energy, and her love gives me stability and security. She is truly and forever this man’s best friend. “I love you, have a good day. I’ll be back later, I’ll miss you” iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION …………………………………………………………………………… ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………………………… iii LIST OF TABLES ………………………………………………………………………. vi LIST OF FIGURES ……………………………………………………………………… viii ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………………... ix CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………. 1 Sensory-Processing Sensitivity ………………………………. 2 Project Importance ……………………………………………... 4 Project Goals …………………………………………………… 6 TWO REVIEW OF LITERATURE ……………………………………………... 8 Sensory-Processing Sensitivity Conceptualization ……………. 8 Biological Qualities of SPS ……………………………... 9 Construct Validity ………..…………………………….. 12 Link to Communication ……………………………………… 13 Implications for Communication ……………………………. 16 Consequences for the Individual ………………………… 18 Consequences for Relationships ………………………… 27 Review of Implications …………………………………. 32 Research Questions ……………………………………………. 33 Summary ……………………………………………………… 36 THREE STUDY ONE ……………………………………………………………… 38 Decoding Ability and Arousal ………………………………. 39 Positive Implications …………………………………. 39 Negative Implications …………………………………. 40 Method ………………………………………………………... 42 General Setup ……………………………………………. 42 Participants ……………….………………………………. 42 Procedures ……………………………………………….. 42 Measures …………………………………………………. 46 Manipulation Checks …………………………………... 56 Construct Validity ……………………………………... 58 Confusion Matrices and Test Means …………………… 59 Results …………………………………………………………. 62 Hypothesis 1 ……………………………………………… 62 Hypothesis 2 ……………………………………………… 63 Hypothesis 3 …………………………………………….... 65 iv Discussion ………………………………………………........... 69 Limitations ………………………………………………. 73 Conclusion ……………………………………………………. 75 FOUR STUDY TWO ……………………………………………………………... 76 HSM Are Not “Real” Men? …………………………………… 77 Self-Awareness ………………………………………….. 77 Relational Consequences ……………………………………… 81 Emotional Reactivity and Deeper Processing …………… 81 Method ………………………………………………………… 85 General Setup ……………………………………………. 85 Participants ……………………………………………….. 85 Procedures ……………………………………………….. 87 Measures …………………………………………………. 88 Results …………………………………………………………. 98 Hypothesis Testing ……………………………………… 98 Discussion …………………………………………………….. 104 Limitations ………………………………………………. 105 Conclusion …………………………………………………….. 107 FIVE DISCUSSION …………………………………………………………….. 109 Discussion of Results …………………………………………. 109 Limitations …………………………………………………… 113 Future Research ………………………………………………... 119 Conclusion …………………………………………………….. 122 REFERENCES ……………………………………………………………………………. 125 APPENDIX A: PILOT STUDY ………………………………………………………… 136 APPENDIX B: INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE DANVA-2 ……………………………….. 152 APPENDIX C: ITEMS REMOVED FROM SCALES USED IN STUDY 1 …………… 153 APPENDIX D: HISTOGRAM OF SENSORY-PROCESSING SCORES …………… 155 APPENDIX E: ANOVA, SENSITIVITY BY CONDITION ON AUDIO …………… 156 DISTRACTION SCORES APPENDIX F: EMAIL TO RELATIONAL PARTNERS …………………………… 158 APPENDIX G: ITEMS REMOVED FROM SCALES IN STUDY 2 …………………… 159 APPENDIX H: LSU INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL ……………... 161 VITA ……………………………………………………………………………………… 162 v LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: Propositions concerning SPS and communication outcomes ……… 17 Table 2.2: Primary research questions ………………………………………… 33 Table 3.1: G*Power 3.1 a priori sample size recommendations ……………. 44 Table 3.2: Sample sizes by sensitivity and stimulation condition …………….. 44 Table 3.3: Items and statistics for the HSPS …...……………………………… 49 Table 3.4: Items and statistics for the distraction measures …..………………. 50 Table 3.5: Items and statistics for the Conners and Wells ADD/H .………….. 52 Self-Report Scale (version 1.0) Table 3.6: Items and statistics for the Big Five Inventory …………………….. 54 Table 3.7: Items and statistics for the BIS/BAS Scale ………………………… 55 Table 3.8: Bivariate correlations between validity variables and SPS …..…….. 58 Table 3.9: Mean DANVA-2 errors by sensitivity and modality ………………. 60 Table 3.10: Confusion matrices for all tests of the DANVA-2 with total …….… 61 errors, H, and Hu Table 3.11: Comparing Hu values between HSPs and non-HSPs …………….… 62 Table 3.12: Means of processing distraction scores by sensitivity and condition . 65 Table 3.13 Planned contrast effect size comparisons ……………………….….. 65 Table 4.1: Number of couples by sensitivity …………………………………... 87 Table 4.2: Items and statistics for the HSPS …………….………………….…. 90 Table 4.3: Items and statistics for the Conformity to Masculine Norms .…..... 92 Inventory-22 Table 4.4: Items and statistics for the Gender Role Conflict Scale ……….…… 93 Table 4.5: Items and statistics for the Relationship Assessment Scale ……..… 95 Table 4.6: Subscales of the Managing Affect and Differences Scale ………….. 97 vi Table 4.7: Items and statistics for the Managing Affect and ………………….. 97 Differences Scale Table 4.8: Bivariate correlations between male-reported sensitivity ……….…. 99 and masculinity variables Table 4.9: Bivariate correlations between male-reported sensitivity ……….…. 102 and female reports of affect Table 5.1: Propositions tested and outcomes …………………………………. 113 Table AA.1: Items and statistics for the HSPS ………………………………….. 141 Table AA.2: Sample sizes by sensitivity and stimulation condition …………….. 142 Table AA.3: Distraction measure reliabilities and means by stimulation type …... 143 Table AA.4: Items for manipulation checks ……………………………………… 143 Table AA.5: Paired-samples t-tests, audio distraction scores in the ……………… 147 audio condition Table AA.6: Paired-samples t-tests, audio distractions scores in the …………. 149 audio condition by sensitivity Table AA.7: Means, audio distraction scores by sensitivity and condition …...…. 150 Table AE.1: Means, audio distraction scores by sensitivity and condition ……. 156 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1: Audio distraction scores by stimulation intensity ……………………... 57 Figure 3.2: ANOVA, stimulation condition by sensitivity on processing scores …. 64 Figure 3.3: MANOVA, condition by sensitivity on facial errors …………….…… 67 Figure