Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
The Effect of COX-2 and FAAH Inhibition on WIN 55,212-2 Induced Spatial Memory Deficits
The hippocampus is a brain structure that is integral to memory processes. There is a high density of cannabinoid (CB) receptors in the hippocampus and many compounds that act on the endocannabinoid system have a negative impact on memory and learning. It is proposed that these deficits are caused by CB-1 receptor dependent increases in cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). When stimulated, a subunit of the CB-1 receptor can dissociate from the receptor complex and begin an enzymatic cascade which results in increased expression of COX-2. Studies suggest that this effect of CB agonists can be reversed through co-administration of a COX-2 inhibitor. In this study we attempted to ameliorate memory deficits caused by the CB agonist WIN 55,212-2 through co-administration of rofecoxib and URB-597. Task performance on a complex labyrinth water maze served as an objective measure of the subject’s spatial working memory. Although previous research supported this theory, this study did not find a significant effect of drug treatment on either escape latency (p = 0.87) or errors made (p = 0.89).
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Other
Social Views, Familiarity, and Mental Illness
This project was conducted to look at peoples’ perceptions and emotional responses to general statements regarding individuals who have a mental illness; the goal was to find if there are any correlations between individuals pre-existing relations and their responses. This project collected data through an online survey that was administered for participants to volunteer for across the country through the program of MTurk. The final predictors from the collected data was looking at the closest relationship that the individual had to someone with a mental illness, and the outcomes were the responses to the various questions asked about perceived characteristics and emotions felt about those with a mental illness. Overall my thesis was that individuals who had closer personal relations would show more positive understanding and accepting mindsets surrounding this disorder, and less of a negative stereotype or response. The results of my data ended up showing support for my initial hypothesis.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
Glial and apoptosis modulation following in a modified controlled cortical impact (CCI) model in juvenile male rats
Over 50,000 people in the United States die annually from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and even more people are diagnosed with a TBI of varying severities. The only current treatments for TBI are palliative in nature. Understanding how to prevent progressive post-injury symptoms holds significance for improving recovery from TBI. A major pathology that can be targeted through various avenues following TBI is increased inflammation leading to cell death. Microglia in the injured brain can take on a pro-inflammatory pathology which hinders axonal regeneration. Minocycline, a tetracycline antibiotic, has been found to decrease this pro-inflammatory pathology of microglia. Astrocytes also become activated after TBI and work to repair damage. However, they often become dysregulated which leads to dysfunction of neurons and neuronal circuits. Decreasing astroglial activation post injury through the administration of propentofylline (PPF) has been shown to promote repair in the brain. Damage to neurons following TBI also leads to cell death through apoptotic processes. By increasing bcl-2, an inhibitor of the proapoptotic protein, Bax, through administration of 4-phenyl 1-(4-phenylbutyl) piperidine maleate (4-PPBP), has been found to increase neuroprotection in ischemia models. As glia can be responsible or both neuroprotective and neurodegenerative mechanisms, there may be a small effective temporal window for treatment of TBI. The present study was an attempt to determine if modification of neurodegenerative processes at the level of glia and cell death processes could improve functional outcome and degeneration of neurons in the ipsilateral cortex following brain injury. To do this, a modified closed cortical impact (CCI) model was used to deliver a TBI to an anesthetized rat. Treatment with the glial and apoptosis modifiers propentofylline, minocycline, and PPBP occurred ten minutes after the induction of injury. All drug treatments significantly improved motor and spatial learning behaviors compared to untreated animals following CCI. Histological analysis revealed no significant group effects following drug administration of minocycline, PPF, or 4-PPBP.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
The Effects of Priming on College Students’ Attitudes Towards Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
There is little research that addresses peoples’ attitudes towards individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and there is even less research on the effects of priming on these attitudes. The present study examined the effects of priming on college students’ attitudes towards individuals with ASD. Fifty-seven undergraduate students attending Allegheny College participated in the study and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a positive prime condition, negative prime condition, or a control condition. Each condition contained a scenario that differed in how an individual with ASD was behaving. Participants read one of three scenarios that corresponded with the priming group to which they were randomly assigned. After reading their corresponding scenario, the Societal Attitudes Towards Autism Scale (SATA) was used to assess participants’ attitudes towards individuals with ASD. Results found no effect of priming condition and therefore none of the hypotheses were confirmed. Limitations of the study and topics of future research are discussed.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Other
Perception of Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED)
The study conducted was to test the perception of a man diagnosed with intermittent explosive disorder (IED) in a domestic violence relationship. Three hypotheses were tested: 1) a man with IED would be perceived as having less responsibility for his actions compared to a man not diagnosed with IED, 2) a man with IED would be perceived as more dangerous than a man not diagnosed with IED, and 3) the participants of the study would want to keep a farther distance away from a man diagnosed with IED when compared to a man not diagnosed with IED. One hundred and fifty four participants were recruited through a survey website called MTurk. The participants were randomly assigned one of two vignettes, Group A read a vignette about a man named George with IED being abusive towards his wife, while Group B read the same vignette as Group A, except George was not diagnosed with IED. After reading their vignettes, the participants were asked to rate how much they agreed or disagreed with certain statements on a Likert scale. The data was analyzed using an independent sample t test. Two statements were able to support hypothesis 1 and 3, however, there was not enough evidence to support hypothesis 2. Further research should be done to test if the perception of George would be different had he not been an aggressor in a domestic violence setting.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
Comparative Effects of Propentofylline and Microglia Inhibiting Gliosis Potentially Limiting Neuronal Damage
Gliosis is a mechanism used by the central nervous system that responds to neuronal damage. Its primary purpose is to limit potential or further damage by targeting the affected area, clearing out necrotic tissue, and facilitating neurological processes that promote regrowth. However, there is a state of secondary neuroinflammtion that leads to further tissue damage associated with the activation of astrocytes and microglia. Both minocycline and propentofylline display neuroprotective as well as anti-inflammatory effects by targeting astrocyte and microglia activity. The present study was designed to look at the effects of minocycline and propentofylline administration following lesion induction on neuronal tissue damage of the motor cortex. It was hypothesized that the group of rats treated with a combination of minocycline and propentofylline would have the least amount structural as well as neurobehavioral deficits. The combination group would display smaller lesion size, increased time spent on vertical hang test, greater variation in which forepaw falls first, and higher frequency of beam test completion compared to rats treated with only minocycline and propentofylline. Lesion surface area was measured to assess severity of lesion damage. Two neurobehavioral assessments were implemented to identify any deficits related to motor cortex function. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between drug treatment groups and structural and functional test results. There was a slight decrease in lesion severity for the treatment group administered with a combination of propentofylline and minocycline suggesting a need for further research and refinement of methods used as part of the study.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
Acute Supplementation with a Multistrain and Multispecies Probiotic Does Not Improve Gastrointestinal Symptoms, Depression and Anxiety in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Depression, anxiety, and gastrointestinal discomfort are comorbid conditions with high prevalence and, surprisingly, have proven difficult to effectively treat. The gut-brain axis is the term used to explain the connection between the gut microbiome and the nervous system. Studies using animal models have revealed a link between gut microbiome alterations and anxiety and other nervous system functions, suggesting that gut microbes interact bidirectionally with other body systems, especially the nervous system. There are few, rigorous, prospective research examining these effects in humans. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, one-hundred participants were randomly assigned to ingest two capsules, either VSL#3,a multistrain probiotic, or a matched placebo, everyday for 2 weeks. Participants completed the the Center for Epidemiological Studies Scales of Depression, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Questionnaire before and after treatment. It was hypothesized that participants in the probiotic group would have significantly decreased depression, anxiety, and GI symptoms when compared to the placebo at Time 2. However, results indicated no significant interaction between time and treatment groups. These findings suggest that a 2-week supplementation with multistrain probiotics does not decrease depression, anxiety, or GI symptoms in young adults. Future research should further examine strain specific probiotics, and synergistic effects for increasingly longer durations to better understand how supplemental bacteria impact the immune, nervous, and GI symptoms.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
A Randomized Controlled Trail of Ujjayi Breath and Paced Breath has no Effect on Cardiovascular Reactivity to Mental Stress in Young Adults
The cardiovascular reactivity hypothesis proposed hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system to acute stress as a nontraditional, psychosocial risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease – the leading cause of mortality in the United States. Pramayana has been observed to increase parasympathetic activity, in turn decreasing sympathetic activity, reducing the risk for CVD. The present study compared cardiovascular reactivity to a mental stressor in participants who practiced the pranayama techniques of Ujjayi breathing (n=15) or paced breathing (n=15), to normal breathing (n=15). Heart rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were recorded while participants performed a validated stress task. No significant differences of cardiovascular reactivity were observed between groups, in opposition to what was predicted. Unexpectedly, the subjective measures of the stress task demonstrated that the Ujjayi breathing and paced breathing groups perceived the stress task as significantly more difficult, stressful and negative, as well as rated their performance as being more poor when compared to the control group. These differences of subjective measures did not accord with the physiology between groups. This suggested that there is some stress relieving benefit to regulating breath because there were no differences between the conditions on any cardiovascular parameter during the mental stress task, even though the two breathing groups rated their perceptions of the task as significantly more difficult, stressful, and negatively impactful. This study supported the notion that pranayama has the potential to reduce cardiovascular reactivity in response to a mental stressor, if the novelty of the breathing practices is eliminated through practice.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Other
Minocycline and Propentofylline as Treatment for BACE1 Mice through Inhibition of Astrocyte and Microglia Proliferation
It has been previously hypothesized that neurodegeneration seen Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was exclusively ascribed to neuronal cell alterations and death leading to amyloid-β-peptide (Aβ) plaques. However, recent research has provided evidence of non-neuronal interactions playing significant roles in this process. Astrocytes and microglia have been seen to interact with neurons and the extracellular environment in ways that are both constructive and detrimental to the overall health of the brain. Astrocytes possess large scale control over neurotrophic factors released into the extracellular environment, including cytokines, proinflammatory factors, and nitric oxide/reactive oxygen species. As the number of astrocytes increases, these potentially toxic factors are released in greater volume and can lead to cell death, as well as aggregation of cell bodies. β-amyloid proteins, the primary constituent of neuronal plaques observed in AD brains, are released by reactive astrocytes, showed through enhanced immunoreactivities for glial fibrillary acidic protein and basic fibroblast growth factor (Pike et al., 1994). Microglia lie in close association with astrocytes, and act as the brain’s immune response, responsible for monitoring the extracellular environment for injury or toxins. However, as astrocytes accumulate, they interfere with microglial phagocytotic abilities, leading to a buildup of dead neurons inside the brain. Overactivation of microglia can also lead to neurotoxic cascade of amyloid β (1-42) (Aβ42)-positive material and other neuron-specific proteins. Minocycline, a tetracycline antibiotic, has shown improvements in AD mouse models that exhibit proliferation of both astrocytes and microglia. Histology of the treated mice show diminished numbers of microglia by 69% and astrocytes by 36%, coupled with improved behavior and cognition. Propentofylline, a xanthine derivative, exerts a vasodilatory effect on the peripheral and cerebral microcirculation and has neuroprotective properties. It has been shown in preclinical studies to address some of the common pathological processes of AD and vascular dementia (VaD), including glial cell activation and increased production of cytokines, free radicals, and glutamate.
Following similar guidelines, I was able to demonstrate how control BACE1 mice exhibit increased proliferation of neuronal bodies, while mice treated with minocycline and propentofylline, either alone or in conjunction, show decreased proliferation of neuronal bodies. These results are based on assumptions regarding the decreased toxic effects of microglia and astrocytes on the neurons.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
17-β Estradiol Attenuates Inflammatory Mediators in Ovariectomized Rodents after Traumatic Brain Injury
Abstract
Background: In previous studies, the neuroprotective effect of 17β- estradiol (E2) in traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been shown. Yet, there is an alarming paucity in clinical data regarding the use of E2 to afford neuroprotection for TBI survivors. This study used closed cortical injury (CCI), a blast induced TBI model, to test the hypothesis that the neuroprotective effect of E2 in TBI is mediated by the timing and dosage of 17β-estradiol relative to body mass.
Methods: Four groups of ovariectomized (OX) virgin rodents and one group of intact virgin rodents received TBIs. The timing of E2 and E2 placebo was varied by group whose injection occurred either before, after, or before and after the TBI. Behavioral tests characterized alterations in visuospatial memory and limb asymmetry before and after TBI. Histological examination, using Nissl and fluoro-Jade B permitted the measurement of brain tissue/cell morphology, brain inflammation and neuronal degeneration of brain tissue.
Results: There was a significant effect of TBI on all three behavioral tests (the swim trough, the balance test, and the prehensile traction test). There were significant differences between infarct perimeter measured within treatment groups, as well as a significant effect of TBI on the number of cells in the ipsilateral hemisphere (injury zone) and the homotopic contralateral hemisphere.
Conclusion: These findings indicate that a non-feminizing estrogen treatment for TBI is a viable option to afford neuroprotection post-injury in low doses.
Keywords: Traumatic brain injury (TBI); 17β- estradiol (E2); Ovariectomy (OX); Controlled cortical impact (CCI); neuroprotection; neuronal degeneration; blood brain barrier (BBB)
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lydia Jackson
Socioeconomic Status and Effort Levels
There is no research that links socioeconomic status (SES) and effort levels, but many focus on the relationship between SES and achievement. 52 undergraduate students were recruited to participate in the current study, which aimed to examine the relationship between SES and effort levels in a series of word puzzle challenges after a manipulation of SES. Participants were told that the study’s purpose was to examine how efficiently participants could solve a given series of anagrams. This way, people would not share the purpose of the study with others and skew the results. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: in condition one, the low SES condition, participants solved six scrambled words, four of which indicated low SES; in condition two, the high SES condition, participants solved six scrambled words as well, but four indicated high SES. The hypothesis is that the low condition will exert less effort on the ensuing word scramble puzzles. The results indicate that condition two showed higher levels of effort based on the measurement of time spent on the anagrams. Limitations of the study make the results less valid. Because there was a lack of manipulation check, it is unclear if the participants were primed for either condition. More research studies are needed to see if there is a relationship between SES and effort levels. There are also many factors that this study could not manipulate, including participants upbringings, academic stress before or after the study, or family matters that may have influenced how much effort they would like to give their inevitable SONA credits. Knowledge of this relationship is important as it gives us an opportunity to recognize backgrounds of people in society and what they may be capable of and that some people may need extra help to succeed.
Keywords: Socioeconomic status, effort levels, anagrams
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
Early Family Relationships & College Students’ Perceptions of Ideal Romantic Partners
Previous research has shown that the relationship between a child and their primary caretaker affects their relationships later in life. This study examined the correlation between the type of attachment between a participant and their primary caretaker, and the attachment style of a participant’s ideal romantic partner. Undergraduate students (N = 22) were asked to complete the Primary Attachment Style Questionnaire Before Age 12 by Salzman to determine the type of attachment they had to their parents, as well as answering questions from a modified version of Simpson’s Attachment Indexes to determine the attachment style they desired in a romantic partner. A positive correlation was found when the attachment style of an ideal partner matched a participant’s attachment to their primary caretaker.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Patricia Rutledge
Blackout Drinking among College Students: What are the Effects of Intervention?
Many college students experience alcohol-induced blackouts, or periods of time during drinking in which they cannot recall all or parts of the event. Blackouts have many associated negative consequences. The current study aimed to test the efficacy of a brief educational intervention in reducing the frequency of planned blackout drinking among a small sample of college students (N=34). Method: Participants were randomized between the brief educational intervention and a control condition; both conditions were unaware about the actual intention of the study. Of the sample, 10 (29.0%) reported planning to blackout during drinking within the next 30 days. There was no significant difference between the mean frequency of days per month participants in the brief educational intervention condition planned to blackout and those in the control condition (t(32)=.41, p=.69). The average number of days per month total participants planned to blackout during drinking was minimal and the range was positively skewed. However, all previous alcohol consumption-rate variables were strongly associated with participants planned blackout frequency.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Other
Anesthetic Effects of 2-Heptanone versus Lidocaine in Crayfish Peripheral Nervous System
In honeybees, a compound recently believed to act as an alarm pheromone has been shown to have anesthetic properties, capable of rendering honeybees’ pests paralyzed. This compound, 2-heptanone, was theorized to act similarly to lidocaine, a well-known local anesthetic. In this study, 2-heptanone (2-H) was tested alongside lidocaine on the third nerve of Procambarus clarkii crayfish, a tonically firing and easily accessible nerve of only six axons. My main objective was to observe if both 2-H and lidocaine caused the action potentials of the third nerve to diminish in amplitude, frequency, or both, and by how much. I hypothesized that both 2-H and lidocaine would diminish tonic action potential firing of the third nerve in a dose-dependent manner, and that this anesthetic effect would be reversible upon a saline washout. Crayfish tails were dissected to expose the third nerve, bathed in crayfish saline. The nerve was suctioned with a 100μm suction electrode to allow for an airtight seal. Biopac software was used to record and analyze the amplitude and frequency of nerve firing at a start time, and at five minute intervals for 25 minutes after. The saline within the suction electrode was replaced with saline of the appropriate drug concentration, according to a drug schedule. Each drug application was followed by a saline replacement interval. Results were calculated using the axons with the second and third largest amplitudes, to allow for greater consistency. Both amplitude and firing rate over a ten second interval were recorded and averaged from the axons with the second and third largest amplitudes. Amplitude and firing rate for drug applications were calculated as a percent of the initial base value. Results were analyzed with a one-way ANOVA and a Student’s t test, using Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Excel’s JMP software package. Every concentration of lidocaine and the lowest concentration of 2-H resulted in a significant decrease in amplitude from the initial baseline. Certain concentrations of both drugs caused significant increases in firing rate compared to the baseline, but no pattern was seen. Both drugs caused a significant decrease in amplitude, but no dose-dependent relationship was seen.
Major: Psychology/Other
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES IN UNCLE TOM’S CABIN: THE EFFECTS OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT APPEALS ON NARRATIVE TRANSPORTATION AND PERSUASION
The purpose of this research was to examine how individuals engage with narratives from an interdisciplinary perspective. The literary analysis of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin examined how it is situated well within the genres of both realism and sentimentalism and how it employs certain psychological narrative techniques such as narrative empathy and character identification. The purpose of the experimental portion of this research was to examine the effects of two different types of emotional appeals, indirect and direct, on an individual’s experience of narrative transportation and narrative persuasion. Participants (N=40) completed pre-test questionnaires regarding their beliefs on racism and their susceptibility to narrative transportation before reading a short excerpt from Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Participants then completed a post-test questionnaire including duplicate questions from the pre-test questionnaire (to measure belief change). They then completed narrative transportation and narrative engagement scales and an evaluation of narrative comprehension and demographics. The results of this study did not support the hypothesis that the employment of direct appeals to the reader within a text will decrease narrative transportation compared to indirect appeals and did not support the hypothesis that direct appeals will increase narrative persuasion compared to indirect appeals. Significant result were limited, suggesting that other elements of Stowe’s writing may explain the effectiveness of Uncle Tom’s Cabin on reader’s beliefs regarding slavery. This interdisciplinary research opens up channels for future research in the field of narratology.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Joshua Searle-White
Attitudes Of Former Prisoners Towards Mental Health Treatment Programs In Prison
The Department of Justice conducted a study that found that though one out of three inmates are in need of treatment for mental illnesses, only one in every six inmates get the adequate care they need. Through the years, the number of inmates needing mental health treatment has increased significantly. It is necessary to be able to provide the best quality treatment to the people suffering in prisons. This study collected data that looked at the attitudes of former inmates towards the mental health treatment they received while in prison as well as asked former inmates about the long lasting impacts those programs had on their lives. Though some of the attitudes varied, overall, the participants felt that the programs were helpful and successful, and have had a long lasting impact on their lives in a positive way. When asked for suggestion for further improvement, many participants cited problems with low funding and recourses as well as sub part quality of the counselors providing the treatment.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Hollerman
Prenatal Immune Activation as a Model for Cocaine Sensitivity, Social Deficits, and Impairments in Attentional Set Shift Reversal Learning in Schizophrenia
Substance abuse rates among the schizophrenic population are worryingly high, potentially resulting in lower treatment compliance and overall poorer outcomes. To better understand the relationship between schizophrenia and substance abuse, and to examine the validity of the emerging Prenatal Immune Activation (PIA) rodent model of schizophrenia in modeling comorbidity, offspring of dams injected intraperitonially with 10 mg/kg polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid (poly I:C) on gestational day 14 were examined for conditioned place preference (CPP) establishment using 10 mg/kg cocaine. While all animals successfully established CPP, control animals spent significantly more time in the cocaine paired compartment than did the PIA group (p<.05), potentially due to the effect of Poly I:C injection timing in creating either positive or negative effects of schizophrenia. Behavioral flexibility was also examined using attentional set shift reversal task (ASSRT) performance. PIA rats took significantly more trials to learn the task after, but not before reversal, demonstrating a degree of cognitive inflexibility not observed in controls (p<.05). Rats were also tested for social behavior. PIA rats showed a significantly lower interest in social stimuli (p<.05), an observation that was consistent with previous findings. These results have interesting implications for the relationship between timing of prenatal immune challenge and subsequent development of either positive or negative symptomology of schizophrenia.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
Bumetanide Effects on the VPA Model of Autism: Neuroanatomy of the Superior Olivary Complex
Autism Spectrum Disorder can be defined as a combination of social and communicative impairments such as repetitive behaviors, self-injurious behaviors, hyperactivity, sensitivity to social stimuli, and regression of cognitive skills (Schneider and Przewlocki 2005). One possible explanation for the cause of autism is GABA’s inability to switch from excitatory to inhibitory in utero. If these developmental GABA circuits are irregular, hyperactivity and hypoactivity can occur in various regions of the brain, accounting for the various phenotypic effects of autism (Zimmerman and Connors, 2014). The present study aimed its efforts in determining if bumetanide, a common diuretic drug and NKCC1 and KCC2 antagonist (Lemonnier et al., 2012), aids GABA’s inhibitory-excitatory switch in the VPA model of autism in Sprague-Dawley rats. Cellular counts of the superior olivary complex (SOC) reveal that animals treated with bumetanide on day 13.5 of gestation (PreND13.5) effectively blocked the SOC cell loss that characterizes VPA treated animals (p≤ .001). Bumetanide administration on PreND11.5, PreND20, and PostND5,6,7 is not effective in preventing the teratogenic effects of VPA. Analysis of the surface area of the SOC revealed bumetanide administration on PostND5,6,7 had significantly smaller SOC areas than those in PreND13.5 (p=.003), Control (p=.013), and VPA only groups (p=.041). There was no significant difference in cellular density (cell count/surface area) across all treatment groups. Therefore, it is possible for bumetanide to alleviate VPA effects if administered at a specific time before birth (day 13.5 of gestation in rats). Further research should include specifics on this time window in utero.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Ryan Pickering
Does Increased Awareness Promote Slow Fashion? The Effect of Providing Product Information on Consumer Perceptions
The objective of this study was to examine whether participants, when presented with increased information, would perceive clothing items as having a higher cost, quality, and marketing. The slow fashion movement, which aims to produce clothing that is good for both its workers and the environment, is relatively new to the fashion industry. Because of this, little research has been done to examine the perceptions of consumers on slow fashion items. For this study, women aged 18-22, were recruited from Allegheny College. They were randomly placed in one of four conditions: control, priming, eco-label, and written descriptions. Participants were presented with six articles of clothing; the control group and priming group only saw a picture of the item, while the eco-label group had researcher-generated eco-labels next to the picture, and the written description had a description of the clothing item underneath the picture. To analyze the results, all the clothing items were combined into composite scores for cost, quality, and marketing. Results indicate that participants who were exposed to eco-labels or written descriptions perceived clothing items as having a higher cost, quality, and marketing compared to those exposed to the priming condition or in the control group. These results show the importance of educating consumers as it does in fact change their perceptions of slow fashion items.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
Probiotic Use and Theory of Mind: More Questions than Answers
Microbiome research has shown promising results in animals suggesting that probiotic ingestion can affect behavior. No research has examined how or whether microbiome manipulation can affect Theory of Mind (ToM) ability. The present study utilized a double-blind placebo-controlled design in order to test the hypothesis that a multi-species, multi-strain probiotic would increase ToM on the Reading the Mind in The Eyes (RMIE) task. In order to address the ongoing debate that the RMIE task tests for vocabulary rather than mental state representation ability, participants were randomly assigned to either a RMIE task with four word options or no word options. Results showed that probiotics did not increase ToM ability. Further, participants scored significantly higher when words were present, indicating that the RMIE task was not an accurate test for mental state representation. This supports the argument that the RMIE task should not be used to test for ToM. Additionally, since the task itself was not an accurate measure, the effects of probiotic ingestion on ToM cannot be concluded. Thus, future probiotic studies should utilize a different ToM task.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
The Relationship Between Instagram Use and Depression Symptoms
The present study aims to examine the relationship between social media usage, specifically Instagram, and symptoms of depression in college students. This relationship is analyzed through Festinger’s social comparison theory and Beck’s cognitive theory of depression. Instagram is currently the second most used social media site among young adults, trailing Facebook, however it has received little attention from researchers. Depression has been examined extensively in relation to Facebook, and the present study aims to extend the literature to include Instagram. This study spanned the length of a week. Stage 1 consisted of participants (N = 33) completing the Beck Depression Inventory – II (BDI-II) and a Social Media Survey (SMS). During stage 2, participants were sent an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) at the same time each day. Lastly, in stage 3 the SMS was re-administered. A linear regression was conducted to explain the the nature of the relationship between BDI-II scores and the pre and posttest SMS. A paired samples t-test highlighted differences throughout the week in the pre and posttest SMS and a chi-square test of independence explained the association between Instagram usage and mood state reported on the EMA. None of the analyses yielded significant results. Limitations included self-reported data, a small sample, and participants not correctly following EMA instructions. Future researchers should continue examining the platform of Instagram with an emphasis on specific online behaviors.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
A Short Term Trial of Regulated Sleep and its Impact on Memory Consolidation in College Students with Depressive Symptoms
The purpose of this study was to examine the short term effects of regulated sleep on performance during memory consolidation tasks and CESD-R in college students who displayed moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Sleep disturbance, which is associated with poor memory, is prevalent, debilitating, and often unresolved in treatment of depression. Normalizing sleep patterns in this population via a regulated sleep schedule may benefit the memory consolidation process. 54 participants were screened using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-R) and a demographic questionnaire. 11 participants who met inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either the regulated sleep condition, who were instructed to sleep within a specific eight hour time window, or a sleep as usual condition, who were given no specific instructions on their sleep. All participants were given an object paired associates memory test immediately followed by a word paired associates test in the lab. Following the tests, all participants were fitted with a Jawbone UP3 activity tracker which tracked basic sleep data over three nights. At time two, the same memory tests were administered as well as the CESD-R. There were no findings to indicate that the regulated sleep condition significantly improved memory performance on the word and object paired associates tests. However, a statistically significant relationship was found between the regulated sleep condition and improvement in CESD-R scores.
Major: Neuroscience/Other
Comp Advisor: Other
Effects of Dietary Selenium on Reproductive Behavior and Edema in Pimephales promelas
Selenium (Se) is a naturally occurring mineral that frequently leaches into bodies of water as a result of various mining activities. This selenium is then taken in by various small organisms, and is readily transferred when consumed by other organisms. This process frequently results in the abnormal buildup of Se in the tissues of fish that consume large quantities of smaller organisms. Excess concentrations of Selenium in aquatic ecosystems can have detrimental health impacts on fish. In order to quantify the effects of Se on behavior, excess fluid build-up, and hormonal secretion, groups of Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of selenium (0μg Se/g, 10μg Se/g, 30 μg Se/g) mixed in with standard fish feed. Measurements were taken at weekly intervals to examine changes in reproductive behaviors, edema, and cortisol levels. Among courtship behaviors, “approach” was significantly inhibited by selenium (p=0.048) while all other observed behaviors were not altered: “jumping” (p =0.19), “leading” (p=0.50), “quivering” (p=0.35), “butting” (p=0.34) and “display” (p=0.30). Edema levels increased each week between the untreated animals and those treated with 30μg Se/g , supporting the hypothesis that dietary selenium can induce edema in fathead minnows. Cortisol levels in each group were unexpectedly high, perhaps due to stress induced by handling. For future experiments, alternative methods of euthanasia are recommended. Results from this study suggest that acute concentrations of dietary selenium can cause edema in fathead minnows and alter certain reproductive behaviors.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
Placebo Effect of Ergogenic Aids on Performance and Mood
The research surrounding the placebo effect in relation to ergogenic aids has focused on the impact it has on performance and mood. In previous studies the results of this relationship have shown that when under the impression that an ergogenic aid has been distributed, when in fact only a placebo was given, people report higher levels of performance and mood. Furthermore, when a placebo is distributed and labeled as such, people still report higher levels of performance and mood compared to baseline. Although previous research examines each of these variables individually, the studies fail to introduce the combination of all these different factors. The present study attempts to do this by measuring both performance and mood of three different groups, made up of thirty (15 male, 15 female) students at Allegheny College (Meadville, PA). Ergogenic aid, placebo, and control groups were tested in order to see if there was a difference among the participants in performance and mood. The hypothesis was that all three groups would differ in performance and mood, with the ergogenic aid group showing the highest increase, the placebo group following, and the control group having the lowest level. Though the results showed no statistically significant findings in performance and mood, independent differences were discovered as the measure of mood supported the hypothesis of the study, and performance actually revealed outcomes opposite to that of what was predicted.
Keywords: Ergogenic Aid, Placebo, Performance, Mood
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Other
Hyperglycemic in utero conditions in C57 BL/6 mice as a risk factor in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) describes the sleep-related and unexplained death of infants less than one year of age (Kinney, 2009). Some of the most widely documented risk factors of SIDS include smoking during pregnancy, low birth weight, and infantile apnea (Hoffman et al., 1988). However, hyperglycemic in utero conditions can negatively impact neuronal structure and physiology, as well as the response of respiratory muscles to hypercapnic conditions in developing infants. In order to examine in utero hyperglycemia as a risk factor for SIDS, female mice were placed on a high fat (HF) diet to induce hyperglycemia. The female mice remained on the HF diet for the duration of pregnancy and until mouse pups stopped nursing. Mouse pups were exposed to 0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% CO2 on day 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 12 of life. A plethysmograph was used to monitor changes in respiration during exposure to each level of CO2. Results from this study found that blood glucose levels of mice exposed to a HF diet or a hyperglycemic in utero environment were significantly higher than the threshold blood glucose level for hyperglycemia (125 mg/dL); however, maternal mouse blood sugars did not significantly differ from month 1 to month 2. Frequency of breathing for mouse pups exposed to a hyperglycemic in utero environment did not significantly differ from mouse pups exposed to a regular diet. Tidal volume for mouse pups exposed to a hyperglycemic in utero environment was significantly less than tidal volume for mouse pups exposed to a regular diet. Minute ventilation of mouse pups exposed to a hyperglycemic in utero environment was significantly less than minute ventilation for mouse pups exposed to a regular diet. Hence, the data obtained from this study suggests that hyperglycemia may have an impact on fetal and infant respiratory development and responses; thereby creating a predisposition for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
Mental Health Literacy of OCD and OCPD in a Rural Area
It is essential for the public to be literate in the area of mental health to ensure recognition and early prevention of mental illness, as well as to encourage proper help seeking behaviors. The public gains access to information from numerous outlets, and it is critical for that information to properly represent mental health. Misrepresentation can lead to limited and incorrect information, which can further low mental health literacy. This study sought out to evaluate the mental health literacy of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) among the rural public. These two disorders have similarities and are possibly being thought of interchangeably. This study aimed to evaluate if this was true. 89 participants from Greenville, Pa completed this study using vignette methodology and a questionnaire. Results supported the hypothesis that recognition of OCPD would be low, as 100% of participants incorrectly labeled it. A significant relationship was found regarding how often participants labeled the disorder OCD in either vignette. Significant relationships were also found when evaluating how participants answered the OCD and OCPD vignettes regarding if mental illness was reflected, if professional help was recommended, who should be gone to for help, the benefits of medication or counseling, and if symptoms should not be talked about with others. These findings suggest that there is a clear lack of mental health literacy of OCPD, that current understanding of OCD may not reflect true diagnostic criteria, and that individuals view both disorders similarly regarding treatment and stigma.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SHORT-TERM REGULATED SLEEP AS A TREATMENT FOR POST-CONCUSSION SYNDROME IN YOUNG ADULTS
Concussions are the most common type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that can result in impaired thinking and cognitive functioning, memory loss, and deficits with movement and sensation. Currently, there are limited methods for treating concussions, which could lead to individuals suffering prolonged effects due to their injury. Regulated sleep schedules have been shown to promote improved physical and cognitive functioning in healthy individuals, but no studies have examined these effects in individuals with a history of concussions. The present study was designed to examine the effectiveness of short-term regulated sleep as a treatment to alleviate post-concussion syndrome (PCS) symptoms and improve sleep efficiency, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, and total sleep duration in individuals with a history of one or more concussions. It was hypothesized that a short-term regulated sleep schedule would decrease PCS symptom scores and improve sleep efficiency, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, and total sleep duration as compared to a sleep as usual control group. Participants were administered the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) at the start and conclusion of the study to quantify post-concussion syndrome symptoms. For four days and three nights, the participants were also instructed to wear a Jawbone UP3 activity monitor to measure sleep data (sleep efficiency, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, and total sleep duration). The study demonstrated a non-significant decrease in RPQ symptom score and non-significant changes in sleep efficiency, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, and total sleep duration in individuals in the short-term regulated sleep condition. The findings of this study suggest that the regulation of sleep schedules needs further investigation but provides a potential start to discovering effective treatments for post-concussion syndrome.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
Acute Effects of Postnatal Bumetanide Administration in Valproic Acid (VPA) Induced Model of Rodent Autism
The present study examined Bumetanide, a NKCC1 inhibitor, in attenuating Autistic symptomatology. Autism is a complex disorder that contains social deficits, repetitive behaviors, neurologic functioning, and learning. Research has hypothesized that GABA shifts play a role in Autism. Bumetanide has GABAergic properties, modulating inhibition and excitation. Current research has focused heavily on prenatal Bumetanide administration. This study modeled postnatal Bumetanide intervention. Sprague-Dawley (n=8) rats served as subjects. Subjects were approximately 90-110 days old, which generalizes to approximately the 18-22 year old cohort group in humans. Group A and B received 2.5 mg/kg of Bumetanide intraperitoneally. Both groups underwent behavioral testing in the areas of stimulus discrimination and sociability. Results are inconclusive, showing some level of attenuation between original CRF baseline response rates and VR10 drug administration. Between groups differences in response rates were significant during baseline measures (t (7) =4.166, p<.05). Following final drug administration, differences between groups were no longer significant, (t (7)=.346, p>.05). This indicated potential cumulative effects of drug administration. Sociability measures were insignificant. However, data trends indicated an increase in grooming and sexual behaviors, and a decrease in withdrawal behaviors post Bumetanide administration.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Other
The Correlation between Emotional Intelligence and Student GPA at Allegheny College
According to research by Lam & Kirby (2002) and others, it has been reported that there is positive correlations present between EI scores and academic success. This study examined the correlation of EI scores to self-reported student GPA in a small liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania. Thirty-two undergraduate students completed the Genos EI questionnaire and their responses summed up both a Total EI score and seven subscale scores. I predicted the findings to suggest significant positive correlations between Total EI scores and self-reported GPA, and subscale scores with self-reported GPA. Total EI scores had no significant correlation to self-reported GPA. Six of the seven subscales had no significant correlation to self-reported GPA. The subscale of EE had shown a significant positive correlation to self-reported GPA (rs=.431).
Keywords: emotional intelligence, grade point average, genos emotional intelligence inventory, emotional expression
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
EFFECTS OF BUMETANIDE TREATMENT AND SOCIAL ISOLATION ON ASD SYMPTOMS IN FEMALE VPA RATS
This study was designed to investigate Bumetanide as a potential treatment for individuals with Autism-Spectrum Disorder (ASD), using a valproic acid (VPA) rat model. The effects of social isolation on rats’ behavior were also studied, to elucidate the impact of social conditioning on symptoms of ASD. Additionally, this study used all female test subjects, in comparison to previous experiments which used all males. Rats were tested for anxiety (open-field), olfactory preference and discrimination, and social behavior. These tests demonstrated significant differences between the anxiety levels and social preferences of individually housed and communally housed animals, supporting the notion that regular socialization is a key component in proper social development, and is an important consideration in the treatment of the ASD phenotype. Statistical analysis did not reveal expected significant differences for chemical treatment groups (VPA and Bumetanide) due to limitations in sample size. However, analysis of standard error of the mean indicated that significant differences would likely have been observed with larger samples. The lack of significant data to support some expected differences could also be the result of different expression of the ASD phenotype between males and females, though further study is needed to fully examine the effect of gender.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Hollerman
The Role of the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala in Avoidance Behavior Expression in the Valproic Acid Model of Autism
Autism spectrum disorder is a severe behavioral disorder, with 1 in 68 individuals falling somewhere on the spectrum (Autism Spectrum Disorder: Data & Statistics). Currently, the valproic acid animal model for autism is the most consistent and widely studied animal autism model. A prevailing theory for many autistic symptoms is the over active amygdala theory (Lin et al, 2013). The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) has been implicated as being a prime factor in both fear memory acquisition and fear memory expression in a signaled active avoidance task (sigAA). Prior research has indicated that the CeA is a prime driver of the Pavlovian freezing response, therefore causing the nucleus to act as a primary inhibitor of performance for this task. Deactivation of the CeA in untreated animals has enhanced sigAA task performance. In the VPA model, the role of the CeA in sigAA performance has been thus far untested. Following bilateral lesioning of the CeA, both control and VPA animals were tested on a sigAA task. Treatment did not appear to be a factor in control animals with or without lesions, F(1,8)=0.048, p=0.833, nor did it appear to be a factor in VPA animals with or without lesions, F(1,9)=0.553, p=0.553.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Patricia Rutledge
Reasons for Abstaining from or Limiting Alcohol Consumption on Specific Occasions among College Students
This study examines the reasons why college students abstain from or limit alcohol consumption on specific occasions. A general abstention and limitation questionnaire was used, as well as a specific occasion abstention questionnaire. The responses were rated on a four-point Likert scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree. These scores were analyzed in relation to participant’s demographic variables such as being legal age status, being an athlete, and gender. The expected results were that students would be less likely to abstain for religious reasons, and more likely to abstain for academic reasons such as having a test the next day. Results showed no significant correlations between the three chosen specific occasion abstention questions (test next day, fear of getting in trouble, and religious reasons). Descriptive statistics showed that students were less likely to abstain on specific occasions for religious reasons, and social fraternity obligations and more likely to abstain for reasons such as not feeling like it or having a test the next day. Due to the lack of research on the topic, the study had several limitations that are noted.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
The Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy on Sleep Quality in College Students with Insomnia Symptoms
The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of lavender aromatherapy on college students with insomnia. Students who qualified as having symptoms of insomnia according to the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were randomly assigned to either a treatment group utilizing lavender aromatherapy or a control group performing deep breathing. The study was conducted for three nights, and data from the Jawbone UP3 actigraph was analyzed using mixed-between subjects ANOVAs. Participants in both the treatment and control group showed a significant decrease in ISI scores indicating a decrease in insomnia symptoms. The current study suggests that the sedative properties of lavender in conjunction with deep breathing could be a healthy treatment for individuals experiencing insomnia symptoms.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
Rape Myths and their Acceptance Over Time
The present study investigates the influence of rape myth acceptance (RMA) amongst young to middle aged adults. Rape myth is defined as attitudes that are generalized false beliefs about rape that are widely accepted and are persistently held among the population (Lonsway and Fitzgerald, 1994). Research suggests that numerous factors are related to rape proclivity and the occurrence of sexual assault, one of which is the acceptance, and perpetuation, of rape myths (Desai et al. 2008; Loh et al. 2005). The present study took a closer look at the history of rape myths and the evidence of its acceptance, past measures used to assess RMA, psychological studies that exemplify the acceptance, and ideas for future research. For the purpose of this study. While measures, influences, and research methods have evolved, the beliefs of rape myths have maintained a similar and consistent acceptance rate since the turn of the 21st century. Finally, I will examine possible influences that could contribute to theses acceptances in the modern day world.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
Chronic Treatment of Propentofylline May Reduce Fetal Graft Survival in 6-OHDA Rats
The use of neural stem cells is a promising approach in treating chronic neurodegenerative disease and disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. However, there are many challenges in this therapeutic approach. One of the main challenges to this approach is the low survival rate of transplanted cells, perhaps due to immune and neural degenerative mechanisms. Propentofylline has been shown to be effective in increasing overall survival rate of grafted cells, however an overall reduction on graft survival has been observed following chronic propentofylline treatment. Propentofylline is a xanthine derivative, the drug inhibits the inflammatory actions of microglia and astrocytes and is known to mediate astrocytic glutamate clearance. The current study employed the use of 6-OHDA model of Parkinson’s disease in Sprague Dawley Rats. Only animals that displayed rational bias after amphetamine-induced rotormetry testing were used in this study. After confirmation of injury, rats received fetal graft implants along with either a long term (30 days) or a short term (7 days) propentofylline filled Alzet osmotic pump implant. Another group of 6-OHDA lesioned animals also received fetal graft implants, in this group propentofylline was added to the grafting medium, as this group did not receive an osmotic pump implant. Anatomical analysis was completed via freeze mounting brain tissues stained with buffered thionin. Graft survival was quantified using a nikon model 600 epifluorescent microscope. Greater graft survival was observed in the short term treatment as compared to the long term treatment. Furthermore, in post behavioral test analysis, animals treated with 7 and 30 days with propentofylline showed a non-significant increase in amphetamine-induced rotation bias compared to animals who only received propentofylline in their grafting mediums. The current findings are in agreement with previous studies. The current results suggest chronic propentofylline treatment may reduce overall graft survival. Further research will be needed to fully explore any negative effects of chronic propentofylline administration.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
An Acute Double Blind Trial of a Multispecies and Multi-strain Probiotic has no Effect on Anxiety, Perceived Stress, or Cardiovascular Reactivity to Acute Mental Stress in Young Adults
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in America, and chronic exposure to stress and anxiety are known predictors of CVD. The gut-brain axis (GBA) is a bidirectional pathway regulated in part by gut microbiota is shown to impact mood and behavior. We investigated whether an acute dose of a probiotic supplement would impact cardiovascular stress response or perceived stress or anxiety. We hypothesized that two weeks of probiotic use would decrease stress and anxiety, cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress and reduce the perception of stressfulness, embarrassment, and negativity regarding the stress task. Participants were randomly assigned to either a probiotic (n=60) or placebo (n=40) group. Participants then performed an acute mental stress task, and measures of cardiovascular reactivity were taken at baseline, stress, and recovery phases. Finally, participants completed a post-stress questionnaire which captured their perception of their performance in the task. No significant Group x Time interactions were found across any of the measures. Post-hoc analysis for cardiovascular recovery by sex revealed a significant Treatment x Time x Sex interaction (F(1,91)=5.806, p= 0.018, η2=0.060) suggesting that female participants in the probiotic treatment group exhibited improved cardiovascular recovery compared to the placebo treatment group at time 2, but the male sample did not follow the same pattern. Previous studies suggest that a potential critical period, diet, BMI, and sex hormones may contribute to the unexpected findings.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Ryan Pickering
The Existence and Strength of Social Stigmas on Illicit Drug Users, Held by Peers Around Them
Objective: Negative stigmas held by people in today’s society regarding people who partake in illicit drug use, can have severe detrimental impacts on those who are seeking help for their problem use. The aim of this study is to get a better understanding of the existing stigmas that are in place specifically held by Allegheny College students for the potential of eradicating or minimizing the beliefs held. This study delves into the presence of negative drug stigmas and the strengths of which they are perceived. Methods: Participants were first were given a demographic questionnaire where they self-reported personal information. They then were given a fake profile of a person that they were told they would be completing an everyday task with. Assigned randomly, the experimental variable was the illicit drug use. Prior to meeting their “partner” they filled out another questionnaire, regarding their willingness to work with the selected person. Results: Self reported non-users were significantly more willing to work with another individual in general. Participants were found to be significantly more willing to work with partners who were expressed as substance abusers over all other groups. No significant data was found regarding participants willingness to work across conditions. Men appeared to be significantly more inclined to partake in illicit drug use, as well as being less willing to work with a partner regardless of the perceived level of partners drug use. Conclusions: Participants were in general more willing to work with substance abusers than any other condition, this may be due to different forms of psychological phenomena. In addition, supporting previous research, men are less willing to work with other individuals regardless of drug use, and are also more likely to participate in illicit drug use. Also, nonusers are more likely to work with individuals then are drug users.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Other
Investigating Divergent thinking in Those With Cerebral Palsy and Autism
Abstract
Divergent thinking in those with the developmental disabilities of Cerebral Palsy and Autism was assessed through a series of literature review and case studies. Case studies were assessed for factors of divergent thinking including openness to experience, fluidity, originality, episodic memory, socio-economic status, and broad and flexible attention spans. In addition to the aspects of divergent thinking, case studies were assessed for past opportunities for creative opportunities and emotional and environmental stressors/ situations. While the scope of case studies was relatively limited, multiple aspects of divergent thinking were found in all studies. Multiple examples of emotional and environmental stressors along with creative opportunities were also found within the case studies provided. These findings suggest that there may be a link between divergent thinking and those with developmental disabilities of cerebral palsy and autism.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Patricia Rutledge
an examination of the correlational relationship between social context, motivation, and foreign language learning proficiency
In a world, where the global economy and international relations are very much at the forefront of national media, societal perception of foreign languages has become a very important topic of consideration to language educators. The goal in this two-part study, conducted at a small liberal arts college in northwestern Pennsylvania, was to explore factors that influence language learning. For the first experiment the beliefs of Kouritzin, Piquemal, and Renaud (2009) that language learning norms are influenced by cultural contexts, were taken into consideration. To investigate this theory, the Social Norms in Foreign Language Learning (SNIFLL) survey was used to gather data on influential social factors and a self-reported foreign language proficiency scale was created based on the standards used by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). The five social factors of SNIFLL were correlated with the four ACTFL proficiencies; reading, writing, speaking and listening. Results showed positive correlations between the SNIFLL social factor of Personal Experience and all areas of proficiency. The second part of this project was a series of interviews with English-French bilingual students. Inspired by questions from the SNIFLL, the interviews’ aims were to record the experiences, attitudes and beliefs of individuals who have successfully learned two languages. It was found that participants believed personal experiences within certain geographical and social contexts to be very influential factors in their language stories. After analyzing the results from both studies the underlying conclusion highlights that personal experiences are of the utmost importance when considering language learning.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Allison Connell
Active Processing of Musical Mnemonics and their effect on Verbal Memory in Young Adults
Music is a fundamental part of our daily lives and has multiple uses for the different tasks that we work to accomplish. However, one area that can improve the use of music is in the area of learning. In our formative years, individuals learn multiple topics through music such as the alphabet, the states, and much more, yet as we mature, people rely more heavily on memorization-based techniques. Researchers have shown that memory recall has been improved when music is paired along with a sample of connected text compared to just listening to the text itself. Yet, where these studies are lacking is when looking to see if this effect holds when the text is unconnected and also if actively singing along amplifies these learning effects compared to just listening. By utilizing musical mnemonics, individuals can recall new sets of information by pairing it with familiar melodies. In this study, participants were placed in 3 different groups and either experienced a stimulus of 39 spoken words, experienced 39 words paired with the melody of “Twinkle Twinkle little Star”, or experienced 39 words paired with “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” while also being asked to sing along with the melody. When the stimuli finished, the participants completed a recall task, which was repeated for a total of three trials for each participant. Recall patterns, in the form of serial and semantic clustering, were also observed in responses to see how individuals organized information. Differences over trials as well as the interaction between trial and condition were significant. When the effects of prior music training were removed, the interaction between word recall and condition was weakened suggesting that musicians possess an inherent advantage to verbal memory. By utilizing this information, we can make learning more efficient for both teachers and students so that important information is effectively stored in our long term memory and can be accessed in stressful or mentally taxing situations.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
In the Eye of the Beholder: Examining the Type of Information Perceived in Facial Expressions
Facial expressions can provide information about a person’s mental state. However, the type of information communicated is debated. The present research examined what type of information is communicated and perceived in facial expressions. Specifically, it examined the type of label (subjective feeling, social message, action tendency, appraisal) people prefer when judging the meaning of facial expressions and whether that information affects people’s accuracy in judging facial expressions. Participants completed two tasks. The first task was a Preference Task where participants were presented with a picture of a facial expression and asked to choose the label that best describes the face. The second was an accuracy task where participants were presented with a label and asked to choose the picture of the facial expression that best fits the label. In both tasks participants rated confidence in their choice. The hypotheses that participants would report higher confidence ratings, have better accuracy with, and would prefer subjective feeling labels were not supported. However, the results showed that there are certain instances when people are more confident in their judgment of the meaning of a facial expression than others, that people are generally accurate when judging the meaning of facial expressions, and that there is no overwhelming preference for a certain type of label to describe the meaning of facial expressions.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah ConkLin
More than just a Pet Peeve: The Possible Cardiovascular Repercussion of Misophonic Symptoms
Misophonia, characterized by impulsive anger and stress when exposed to everyday auditory stimuli, is a poorly understood phenomenon that afflicts a select population of people. It is possible that the stress experienced by those with misophonia may inexplicably change their cardiovascular physiology. Through the use of a cross-sectional within-subjects design, this study aimed to examine whether severity of misophonic symptoms and the time of symptom onset was associated with exaggerated or blunted cardiovascular reactivity within a college sample. Utilizing a misophonic trigger stimuli stress task, participants’ systolic and diastolic blood pressure were recorded during baseline, stress and recovery phases. Results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that neither age of symptom onset or misophonic severity significantly predicted cardiovascular reactivity, though this could be due to an underpowered sample. While the current study failed to show changes in cardiovascular reactivity due to exposure to a misophonic stress task, previous research has shown that those with misophonia do experience stress and dysfunction in daily life, which urges more research on this topic.
Keywords: misophonia, cardiovascular reactivity, blood pressure, prevalence, stress
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
The Effects of Prenatal Bumetanide and Testosterone on Pilocarpine Induced Seizures in Castrated VPA Sprague Dawley Rats
Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by abnormal behaviors as well as lingual and social deficits. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, with an estimated 65 million people affected worldwide, and is characterized by abnormal neural activity resulting in two or more unprovoked seizures. Autism and epilepsy have been observed to have a strong comorbidity, with an estimated 33% of autism patients also suffering from epilepsy. The animal model to study the comorbidity between autism and epilepsy, involves prenatally exposing Sprague Dawley rats to valproic acid to induce “autism” (the VPA model of autism). The VPA animals were then injected with pilocarpine to induce seizures, as a model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Testosterone is the primary gonadal hormone found in males and several studies have demonstrated its anticonvulsant effects. Bumetanide is loop diuretic that is primarily used to treat hypertension and edema but has also been found to be a novel treatment for autism and epilepsy. Bumetanide has been found to normalize autistic behaviors when administered prenatally and produce anticonvulsant effects postnatally. This experiment was designed to investigate the effectiveness of prenatal bumetanide and acute testosterone administration on seizure latency and severity in pilocarpine induced seizures modeling TLE. It was hypothesized that prenatal bumetanide would increase seizure latency while decreasing seizure severity in all Racine Scale stages when compared to VPA young castrate rats, with the greatest latency and less severe seizures being observed when bumetanide was administered on the 13.5th day of gestation, while the shortest latencies and most severe seizures would be observed when bumetanide was administered on the 11.5th and 20.5th day of gestation. It was also hypothesized that testosterone administration one hour prior to seizure induction combined with prenatal bumetanide would increase seizure latencies and decrease seizure severity when compared to rats in the VPA young castrate group and rats prenatally exposed to bumetanide. The study found that bumetanide and testosterone increased seizure latency for several stages but substantially increased seizure severity, rats prenatally exposed to bumetanide on the 13.5th day of gestation experienced the most severe seizures. Prenatal bumetanide exposure on the 20.5th day of gestation was found to produce the least severe seizures. These finding suggest that late term prenatal bumetanide administration may be an effective prenatal treatment to prevent autism and epilepsy.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lydia Jackson
Development of a Scale Measuring Willingness to be Vulnerable
Human connection is what gives meaning to our lives. We have a need to belong. Impression management is used to facilitate belonging. Furthermore, impression management assures that our shortcomings, faults, and failures aren’t discovered by others. However, every person has shortcomings. We conceal these deficiencies because we fear that others would reject us if they knew about them. This fear of disconnection drives the painful experience of shame. Our culture promotes hiding this shame because shame feels uncomfortable. Shame is never talked about, and therefore, it doesn’t heal. However, choosing to willingly be vulnerable may be a healthy way to cope with shame and social rejection. Vulnerability calls for talking about shame and reaching out to confidants in order to heal from shame and rejection. The emotional exposure, risk, and uncertainty that come with choosing to be vulnerable create a space for individuals to reduce shame and build stronger social bonds. The topic of vulnerability is new in psychology and has yet to be studied quantitatively. This study attempted to develop a measure of an individual’s trait willingness to be vulnerable.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Other
Ancient wisdom, modern science: An empirical look into chakra meditation
The ancient Indian philosophy of the chakra system of the human energetic body posits that there are seven centers of energy along the spinal column and that a balanced and clear chakra system can positively influence the well-being of an individual. This study examines that claim by comparing a seven-session chakra meditation intervention using visualization and mantra repetition with seven sessions of sitting breath meditation. Questionnaires measuring stress and self-actualization as well as psychological states attributed to each chakra were assessed in a pre-posttest design with 52 participants. Results showed significant increases in the experimental group on multiple aspects of self-actualization, suggesting that meditation on the chakras can help to form a stronger mechanism to look inward, allowing for better understanding of emotions and behaviors and a better sense of connection with others. Results also suggest that meditation in either form can have an immediate positive effect, but some psychological states specific to certain chakras, such as perceived levels of security, passion, and openness, can be targeted through chakra meditation. This study serves to provide a modern psychological conceptualization of chakra theory without losing the sacred roots of this ancient wisdom.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
AN INVESTIGATION INTO FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION COMBINED WITH REHABILITATIVE TRAINING: IN CONSIDERATION FOR ENHANCED MOTOR RECOVERY FOLLOWING PRIMARY MOTOR CORTEX LESION
In this study, one set of ten adult, female, Sprague-Dawley rats received 5 mA electrolytic lesions to the right primary motor cortex in the area specific to the forelimb with the intention to rehabilitate any resulting injury with forced limb use and functional electrical stimulation. The presence of a motor deficit was tested using a timed vertical hang exercise pre- and post- surgery to compare. However, when no lasting deficit was found, no significant difference between pre- and post- surgery strength across limbs, the next set of six animals were lesioned at 6 mA current. Again, when no lasting deficit resulted to be rehabilitated, histological analysis of each brain was performed to observe lesion variability as well as lesion sites and the areas opposite and surrounding looking for changes in cell density or size which would indicate reorganization of the motor synapses connected to the forelimb. It is proposed that this disappearance of a motor deficit in the animals that received 5 mA lesions, even after the death of a portion of motor cortex tissue, is due to reorganization of the motor circuit to a nearby brain structure such as the supplementary motor area or the premotor cortex. Likewise, in performing the vertical hang test pre- and post- surgery it is possible that the simple motor task became a learned survival skill, adding to the lack of a presenting deficit simply due to familiarity as well as a possible enhanced neuronal plasticity as a result of learning a new skill. On the rats that were lesioned at 6 mA parameters, the location of the lesion was not reliable as in a few of the surgeries lambda was used as the stereotaxic origin: nothing is able to be said for these surgeries in terms of reorganization or plasticity due to incorrect location out of the motor cortex. To make this study more successful in the future, there would need to be more reliable source for the proportion of the lesion size to the total size of the specialized areas in the primary motor cortex in order to achieve the proper result along with a better technique for quantifying muscle capacity in testing for a deficit to produce more reliable data.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
The Relationship between Maladaptive Perfectionism, Emotion-Focused Coping Mechanisms, and Satisfaction with Life in Undergraduate College Students
In environments fundamentally geared toward peer competition and optimal task completion, such as within the realm of higher education, individuals often exhibit perfectionistic qualities. The negativity of maladaptive perfectionism and emotion-focused coping mechanisms is thought to be associated with a decreased satisfaction with life among undergraduate college students. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism, emotion-focused stress coping mechanisms, and satisfaction with life among undergraduate college students, by having N = 52 participants complete the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R), the Brief COPE inventory, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Prior studies suggested that a significant negative correlation exists between maladaptive perfectionism and satisfaction with life, which findings of the present study supported. Because findings suggested that the Brief COPE might not be a reliable indicator of emotion-focused coping, this study highlighted the importance of evaluating the construct validity for emotion-focused coping and the need for further research into different ways to measure various coping mechanisms. The results of the present study also provided reason to further investigate the effect of gender-related differences and predictive strength between maladaptive perfectionism, emotion-focused coping mechanisms, and satisfaction with life.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
Determining the Characteristics of a Successful Adoption: Through the Lens of Attachment Theory
Most research on adoption has focused on the negative outcomes associated with the process. For example, research has shown that adoptees have a higher risk for developing behavioral, social, cognitive, and emotional problems. One such problem is developing insecure attachment in their relationships. This analysis focuses on the characteristics of a successful adoption in terms of quality attachments. A successful adoption is defined as secure attachment, lower depressive symptoms, and higher quality relationships. The factors being analyzed are disclosure of adoption status, reunification with birth parents, kinship care, and the number of placements a child was in previous to being adopted. These factors are important to form secure and quality attachments as an adult. Results of this analysis suggests that to have a successful adoption, children must be told about their adoption status early in childhood, in ways they can understand. Research also suggests that it is more beneficial to put children in the care of their biological family members, however, if this is not possible, reunification in adulthood is beneficial for the adoptee.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
From Gut Microbiota to Macro-level Influences: A Cross-Cultural Examination of the Statistically Reported Prevalence of Depression with an Acute, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of a Daily Multi-Species, Multi-Strain Probiotic Examining Depressive
Current pharmaceutical methods, grounded in a biomedical, monoamine-based hypothesis of depression, fail to account for the host of multifactorial influences which affect the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD), including stigma, access to mental health care, and other cultural influences, or incorporate models such as the hygiene hypothesis and the inflammatory model of depression into treatment approaches. However, recent research on the influence of gut microbiota on the enteric nervous system has found that specific strains of bacteria may have beneficial effects on the “gut-brain connection” in psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD). This study examined the effects of a multi-species, multi-strain probiotic in a randomized controlled trial of 100 participants on symptoms of depression as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) while accounting for a number of other variables, such as mode of birth, exposure to animals, and a rural or urban upbringing. Probiotic intervention was not found to have any significant effects on symptoms of depression, and correlations between hygiene hypothesis variables were also not significant predictors of CES-D scores at initial testing. These findings indicate a need for more research to rigorously examine the influence of probiotics on mood, specifically the effects of specific strains of bacteria or varying lengths of probiotic interventions to further investigate the reasons for these non-significant findings, as well the development of a new approach to the treatment of depression that incorporates a broader array of factors, including a cultural perspective.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lydia Jackson
Narrating Homelessness: Using Narrative Perspective-Taking to Induce Compassion for a Stigmatized Group
Public perceptions of homelessness are often inconsistent with the reality of the issue, which often contributes to the rampant dehumanization and stigmatization of individuals experiencing homelessness. Previous studies have amassed evidence that taking on the perspective of a member of a stigmatized group and inducing empathy can produce compassion and more favorable attitudes toward that group. This experiment contemplated the role of narratives as one potential source of perspective-taking. The study sought to compare the effects of personal and impersonal narratives as well as imagine-self and imagine-other perspective-taking on outcome variables such as compassion, psychological distance, helping behaviors, affect, and self-other overlap. Ultimately, it was found that participants who read a narrative exhibited more compassion and greater negative affect than participants who did not read a narrative at all. However, no significant differences were found based on how personal the narrative was or the type of perspective-taking.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
A FREQUENCY COUNT OF DISGUISED MANDS IN THE VERBAL BEHAVIOR OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN: EFFECTS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
Verbal behavior of preschool children was recorded to determine any differences in the frequency of specific verbal operants and the effects of socioeconomic status. The verbal behavior of the speaker and listener, more specifically the verbal operants mands, disguised mands, and tacts, of preschool children (ages 4-5) at Meadville Children’s Center was recorded using visual classroom observations. Two classrooms, one containing children from high socioeconomic status and the other containing children from middle-low socioeconomic status were used for the observations. These classrooms exist naturally in the Preschool due to funding. Differences in the frequency of the verbal operants were recorded and the effects, if any, of socioeconomic status were determined with this information. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of children’s socioeconomic status on the frequency of verbal operants emitted. With this information conclusions may be drawn regarding a critical time period in an individual’s life and the likely verbal operants emitted in their adult lives. This is important information to gain to determine if there is any correlation between social class and perceived social etiquette which, in turn, can effect job acquisition and monetary gains. In addition, data obtained can be used to help create beneficial programs focusing on language instruction of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Little research has been conducted focused on the verbal behavior of preschool children in relation to their socioeconomic status. The present study contributed to the literature on such a topic and future research can build on these findings.