Date of Award
June 2019
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Psychology
Advisor(s)
Natalie Russo
Keywords
cannabis use, mentalizing, social cognition, social emotional functioning, theory of mind
Subject Categories
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract
Over the past decade, the United States has had a 58% increase in the number of daily or near-daily cannabis users. Frequent cannabis users are at increased risk for developing cannabis use disorders (CUDs) and psychosocial dysfunction is a key criterion for CUDs. Recent studies demonstrate the association between cannabis use and interpersonal dysfunction, such as perceiving others to be more hostile, being socially withdrawn, and being less genuine during social interactions. One approach to better understand the interpersonal dysfunction associated with cannabis use frequency is by examining cannabis users’ social cognitive abilities. The present study aimed to explore performance on an emotion recognition (Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test; RMET) and on mentalizing (Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition; MASC), as two subcomponents of social cognitive abilities, in recent cannabis use and lifetime cannabis use by assessing varying use frequency, quantity, and duration. Results revealed that in a wide range of cannabis users, the number of days of recent cannabis use and the cumulative amount of cannabis they have been exposed to was not associated with social cognitive abilities.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Rodrigues, Alyne, "Cannabis Use and Social Cognitive Ability" (2019). Theses - ALL. 349.
https://surface.syr.edu/thesis/349
