Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lydia Jackson
Positive Stereotypes And Their Effect On Anxiety And Performance In College Students
Previous stereotype threat research has primarily focused on the negative stereotypes of race or sex differences and standardized test performance. The present study expands on that by looking into positive college student stereotypes. The first hypothesis of this study was that college students exposed to the positive college student stereotypes will perform worse on the standardized test than those not exposed. The second hypothesis of the study was that those students exposed to the positive stereotypes would have increased anxiety. Participants completed a questionnaire manipulating identity salience, took a test containing questions from a practice GRE, and then completed a mood questionnaire. Data were analyzed on 49 college students. The manipulation check was not successful in that neither group was more worried about their performance. Differences were present in the total GRE scores and the total quantitative scores but not for the total verbal scores. Overall, differences were not present in anxiety. However, the experimental group reported feeling more confident and more tired compared to the control group. These findings can be utilized in school and college settings. These findings also add to the body of literature in stereotype threat in relation to positive stereotypes. Limitations and future research are discussed.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
The Effect Of Exercise Mirrors And Gender On Self Presentational Efficacy And State Social Anxiety
The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence or absence of mirrors in an exercise setting on a sample of undergraduate college students’ self-presentational efficacy and state social anxiety by means of pretest-posttest design. Previous research found that in female undergraduate students, regardless of the presence or absence of mirrors, self-presentational efficacy increased after exercise and state social anxiety decreased after exercise (Lamarche, Gammage, Strong, 2009). Participants in the current study were 36 male and female Allegheny College students. Each student was randomly assigned to either the mirrored or non-mirrored exercise setting condition. The dependent variables were the changes in the self-presentational efficacy scores and state social anxiety scores from pretest to posttest. The results of the relationship, both strongest and weakest, were recorded. It was hypothesized that students in the mirrored exercise setting would report higher self-presentational efficacy and lower state social anxiety following exercise than students in the non-mirrored environment. This hypothesis is based off of evidence from previous research which found that mirrors have a positive impact on psychological outcomes (Katula & McAuley, 2001). Results showed that mirrors had no effect on the participants in the study
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
Let’s Talk About Sex Baby: Sexual Regret And Liberal/Conservative Attitudes Towards Sex
The purpose of the present study was to investigate college students’ sexual attitudes (liberal/conservative) and sexual regret. The research focused on the difference between males and females in the amount of sexual regret. Another primary focus was to determine if there was a correlation between sexual attitudes and sexual regret. Allegheny College undergrad students (N=113) completed three different questionnaires that asked questions about their levels of sexual regret and their attitudes towards sex. Males and females did not significantly differ in the amount of sexual regret they had. However, the correlation between sexual attitudes and sexual regret was found to be significant. Further research could determine if gender is a factor in predicting sexual regret. Also further research could bridge the gap between the variables of attitudes towards sex and sexual regret.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Brian Saltsman
Influential Factors On Consumer Food Choices And Nutrition Literacy In College Students
There is a direct link between dietary intake and chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. The factors that influence consumers in their food purchasing process need to be better understood to develop powerful and effective nutrition and consumer education programs. This can lead to increased nutrition literacy and make improvements in public health and reduce health care costs. This study tested Allegheny College students using an online survey that determined whether or not nutritional literacy could predict the purchasing of healthier food products, or the purchasing of food products based on their nutritional content. Although the results were not significant, trends did show that as nutritional literacy scores increased, the importance of nutritional content did as well.
Major: Psychology/Other
Comp Advisor: Brian Saltsman
A Genetic Prisoner’s Dilemma
Using a genetic algorithm (GA), this study re-imagines the prisoner’s dilemma (PD). More specifically, the research question examined is: can a genetic algorithm learn how to play the iterated prisoner’s dilemma (IPD) to better predict the correct strategy as compared to humans. This question is relevant to fields of computer science, as well as psychology, for it helps further the PD by figuring out the optimal series of choices one should make if a person is put in this theoretical situation. This furthers the field of Artificial Intelligence in computer science by giving a new mindset for a genetic algorithm to co-evolve. This study’s hypothesis is that the GA will be able to better predict (receive less jail time) as compared to what a human would be able to in the IPD games of 25 or more rounds. Furthermore, this paper is interested in the journey to get the best answer, not just the best answer. This paper is looking for the array of answers to give us the best strategy. The study found that the best way to solve this IPD is to cooperate every time. The study’s data found that with Chi Squared (3, N=60) = 18.99 with the two tailed P = .0002, namely P < .01 level. B conventional criteria this difference is considered to be significant.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
Non-Medical Prescription Nootropic Use Among Undergraduate Students Is Predicted By Symptomology Consistent With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Social Fraternity/Sorority Membership, And Past Substance Use
Objective: Given the growing use of non-medical prescription nootropics (NMPN) among college students, this study sought to examine the relationship between NMPN use, undiagnosed disorders for which these drugs are commonly prescribed (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS)), and the potential contributing factors. Participants and Methods: A broadcast email was sent to 2,200 undergraduate students from a small private liberal-arts college in Northeastern, United States inviting them to complete a short anonymous web-based survey. The final sample size was determined to be 546. Results: Symptomology consistent with ADHD, social fraternity/sorority membership, and past use of tobacco, marijuana, and street drugs are effective predictors of NMPN usage when controlling for additional predictors. Conclusions: Noting the serious potential for nootropic abuse and dependency, the present study identified several predictors of NMPN use and potential mediums which may be used by college administrators to establish effective preventative and interventive recourses designed to reduce NMPN use among college students.
Keywords: non-medical prescription nootropic use, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, college students, predictors of use, preventative and interventive programming
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
A Genetic Algorithm Approach To Modeling Fixations On Advertisements
Using eye-tracking equipment, participants were tracked while viewing advertisements, half with search based instructions and the other half with free viewing instructions whiled they viewed the ads. After the number of fixations was collected a genetic algorithm was developed to attempt to model how the participants viewed the advertisements, in both the search based instruction condition and the control group, by producing fixation plots for both of the advertisements. The genetic-algorithm-produced fixation plots were compared to the participant-produced fixation plots, using quadrant analysis, to measure the accuracy of the algorithm. It was expected that people viewing advertisements with a search-based goal in mind would score higher on a post test about the information from the ads viewed than those without the search based goal. Inn addition, it was expected that the algorithm would better reflect the results of the search condition than those of the free viewing condition. The goal of the present study was to attempt to replicate human fixations on advertisements with algorithmically generated fixations.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Brian Saltsman
Self-Regulation And Parenting Style: Is There A Correlation Amongst College Students?
Self-regulation is the process through which individuals are able to make choices to change their own behavior that benefits them. Research has shown that self-regulation is a determinant for positive outcomes in ones life, having high levels of self-regulation has been linked to well adjusted behaviors in children, adolescents and adults. Previous research suggests that how an individual was parented is likely to have an impact on their capability to self-regulate. This study sought to determine whether there was a correlation between the specific method of parenting used to raise an individual and their level of self-regulation. It was hypothesized that those who were raised using the authoritative parenting style would have higher levels of self-regulation in comparison to those who were raised using the authoritarian and permissive parenting styles. This hypothesis, as well as additional hypotheses, was not supported by research.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Elizabeth Ozorak
Effects Of Dance And Movement Group Practice And Performance On Perceived Self-Efficacy In The Creating Landscapes For Families Program
This study assessed levels of perceived self-efficacy of individuals between ages 8 and 62 (n=8) in the Creating Landscapes for Families program before and after implementation of a dance and movement group practice and performance. Rehearsals were held once a week for one hour between October and December 2013. Participants performed at the Cookies and Milk holiday dance concert at Allegheny College. Participants completed a 20 item questionnaire in October and again in December/January in order to assess changes in their PSE levels. Hypotheses of this study were: (a) participants would report higher PSE levels after participating in the dance and movement group practice and performance and (b) post-test answers to general measure control questions would not significantly differ from pre-test answers. Due to the small sample size, no significant data were found: t ≤ 0.05 and p ≥ 0.05 in all cases. These findings do suggest, however, that hypothesis (b) was not disproven. Overall, although no significant data were found, it is important to consider the value of PSE testing and statistical analysis of results when evaluating any programs that aim to increase PSE of a population, specifically tutoring and mentoring programs that boast high achievement guarantees.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
Pain-Elicited Aggression And Targeting In Sprague-Dawley Rats
Pain-elicited aggression in rats is a well-studied behavior and while there has been a large amount of research on how rats respond to aversive shock in the presence of conspecific intruders there has been little research about the response to predator intruders. The present study examined how changes in the intruder (either a simulated rat or simulated snake) and corresponding odorant would affect the amount of bite responses when an aversive shock was delivered. The present study examines relevant research on the subjects of tail shock, foot shock, shock-elicited aggression in rats, learned helplessness, and how rats will respond to conspecific and intruder odors. The results suggested, due to there being few bites when the subject was exposed to shock than there were when no shock was present, that foot shock will not elicit biting responses in rats if the intruder is an inanimate object even if the object resembles a conspecific or predator and odorants (conspecific and predator respectively) are present.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
Technological Advancement Of Video Games And Their Effects On Players’ Aggression
Aggression, immersion, and arousal levels were examined in relation to participants who were assigned to play either an older violent, older non-violent, new violent, or new non-violent video game. Participants completed a word completion task (Anderson et al., 2004) as well as the Game Immersion Questionnaire (Jennett et al, 2008), and had their blood pressure and heart rate recorded throughout the study. The hypotheses were not confirmed, but the results suggest that there could be a possible relationship between the technological advancement of violent video game content and heightened levels of aggression. The results of this study mainly suggest that there is an increasing need to determine any and all relationships between video games and aggression. Due to the constantly increasing realism the players experience during video game play, it is possible that gamers could be subjected to greater effects.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
The Restorative Impacts Of Nature On Distributed Attention And Working Memory: An Eye-Tracking Analysis
The main goal of the present study was to examine the impacts of viewing different scenes on attention and memory while also implementing an eye-tracking analysis to assess how attention was distributed across those scenes. Extending upon previous research demonstrating the restorative impacts of nature scenes on working memory and attention, the present study developed a method of analysis using fixations and fixation durations to assess visual behavior when viewing different scenes. A 2×2 mixed design was used with picture type (nature vs. city scenes) as the between-subjects variable and time (pre vs. post) as the within-subjects variable. Twenty-two participants took part in assessments measuring recall and attention. They were then randomly assigned to view a series of nature scenes or a series of city scenes. Participants then completed the assessments measuring recall and attention a second time. Results indicated there was no difference in recall across time. Results also showed picture type had no impact on recall. Finally, no difference in the distribution of attention in both picture type conditions was found in the eye-tracking analysis. Overall, the findings failed to replicate previous research, suggesting the use of an eye-tracker might have an impact on the results. However the development of the distributed attention analysis provides an informative tool for future research.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
Promoting The Power Of Green: The Effects Of Print Media On Connection To Nature And Psychological Well-Being
Researchers suggest that offering positive communications on the health benefits of nature, rather than the environmental movement’s stereotypical fear communications, would provide messages that would effectively increase individuals’ environmental attitudes and behaviors (Hartig et al., 2011; Mayer et al., 2009). The present study investigated the effects of randomized exposure to print media with fear-inducing, health-promoting, or controlled communications on connection to nature (Connection to Nature Composite Variable) and psychological well-being (Positive Affect, Negative Affect, Psychological Well-Being Composite Variable) in young adults. At Time 1, participants (N=45) completed demographic questionnaires, five connection to nature surveys (CNS, NRS, EAN, EID, INS), and four psychological well-being assessments (PANAS, Ryff PWB, FS, SWLS). Those assigned to exposure groups were given two printed articles with either negative or positive tones and content. At Time 2, participants (N=43) completed the same measures. As evaluated by four repeated-measures mixed-model analyses of variance, the study’s findings did not support the hypothesis that exposure to fear-inducing and health-promoting communications would be associated with significant differences in connection to nature and psychological well-being. Only significant differences within the control group (N=13) between Positive Affect scores were found by a one-way analysis of variance, t(40) = 2.581, p = 0.014. Although the study was limited, the results converged with ecopsychology’s prevalent reports on strong correlations between connection to nature and psychological well-being scores.
Keywords: nature; communications; connection to nature; psychological well-being
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Juvia Heuchert
Birth Order, Personality Traits, And Their Influence In Interpersonal Relations
A cross-sectional design was utilized to examine the specific personality characteristics of the NEO-FFI-3 and their influence in the nature of participants’ interpersonal strengths. The purpose of this research was to determine if there is a correlation between birth order, participants’ personality traits, and their role in interpersonal relationships amongst a sample of students in a college setting, specifically Allegheny College. Numerous areas of research have explored the ways birth order and personality characteristics have had a role in shaping a person’s emotional capabilities, their behavior, and other components of their life. Although certain stereotypes have long been associated with birth order, these stereotypes are also seen in different aspects of behavior. As stated by Sulloway, firstborns are seen to be higher in Neuroticism and Conscientiousness whereas laterborns are seen to be higher in Agreeableness and Openness to experience, both with exhibit themselves in different ways when interacting with others (Sulloway, 1996). Data analysis was used to test for a relationship between common personality characteristics of children in a certain birth order and common ways in which they act in their interpersonal relations. Tools used include the NEO Five Factor Inventory-3 (Costa & McCrae, 2010), the Inventory of Interpersonal Strengths (Inventory of interpersonal strengths, 2009), and a few demographic questions. These questionnaires were previously utilized in both large and small scale studies. Additionally, this study will look specifically at the five facets of the NEO-PI-3 and those most common for participants of different birth order. The influence of these traits will exhibited through the responses and will be correlated with the responses on the Inventory of Interpersonal Strengths (IIS). No significant correlations were found between birth order and facets of the IIS, however results from the data analysis showed important trends to be considered for further research of distinct interpersonal relations.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Monali Chowdhury
Relation Between Traits Associated With Autism And Reading Emotions In College Students
Some persons within the population share traits with persons having autism-spectrum disorders (ASDs) yet are still considered neurotypical, suggesting that a spectrum exists between autism and neurotypicality. The current study aimed at exploring how sub-clinical traits of autism found in neurotypical persons influence the ability to read emotions. Certain aspects studied in prior research that was also considered in the current study: GPA, sex, intelligence, and academic major/area of expertise. Participants were recruited from Allegheny College and were students in one of three different academic areas: natural science, social science, and humanities. All class years were able to partake in the current research. Subjects completed a demographic form asking for information regarding the participants GPA, sex, academic major, and areas in which the participant felt his or her natural abilities were located. Afterward, participants completed the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) followed by the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test. Scores on the Autism-spectrum Quotient and Reading the Mind in the Eyes test were compared across academic major and sex using a one-way ANOVA. Correlations between GPA, Autism-spectrum Quotient scores, and Reading the Mind in the Eyes test scores were performed. Females scored significantly higher than males on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test and natural science majors scored higher than humanities majors on the Autism-spectrum Quotient. There were no significant relationships found between among GPA, the Autism-spectrum Quotient, and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
Look This Way: The Role Of Color Saturation In Advertisements
The main goal of this research was to examine how color saturation of print advertisements affects viewer attitudes and eye fixation patterns. A one-way ANOVA eye-tracking design was used with the level of color saturation (low, control, high) as the between-subjects variable. Thirty-five participants viewed a set of five advertisements. The results were examined in terms of how saturation affect an individual’s mean duration of fixation, mean number of fixations, average attractiveness of advertisement, and average probability of buying the product presented after viewing the advertisement. Results indicated that color saturation has an effect on both average fixation duration and average number of fixations, where low saturation conditions had higher numbers of fixations for longer periods of time. Saturation did not have an effect upon advertisement attractiveness ratings or likelihood of buying the presented product, but attractiveness of advertisement and likelihood of purchasing the product were found to be positively correlated. These results shed light on how the individual components of color affect viewing of advertisements and open up paths for further research.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Juvia Heuchert
Depression, Treatment And Outcome From Childhood To Adulthood
This study looked to predict the levels of depression of people in young adulthood when the person was diagnosed with depression in childhood. This was done by looking at what type of treatment people received, if they received treatment, and how helpful they found the treatment to be. Childhood was defined as birth to 18 years old and young/early adulthood was defined as 19-25 years old, for this study. This study was done online using SONA. The participants each filled out a survey on treatment, treatment effectiveness, and life events, and the Beck Depression Inventory II.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
Reading Junot Díaz: An Interdisciplinary Project Involving The Effects Of Code-Switching On Narrative Transportation And Story-Consistent Beliefs
The purpose of this research was to examine how individuals engage with narratives from an interdisciplinary perspective. The literary analysis of this research examined the interaction of language and cultural identity through Spanish language use and masculinity in addition to an exploration of the importance of empathy in narratives. The purpose of the experimental portion of this research was to examine the effects of code-switching on narrative transportation and story-consistent beliefs. This study sought to find whether Spanish language familiarity affected transportation and story-consistent beliefs when reading a narrative that contained code-switching. Participants (N=42) completed pre-test questionnaires regarding their beliefs on racism in the United States and opinions on language use before reading a copy of Junot Díaz’s short story “The Cheater’s Guide to Love” from his collection entitled This Is How You Lose Her. Participants then completed a post-test questionnaire including duplicate questions from the pre-test questionnaire (to measure belief change) as well as transportation, perceived realism, and language fluency scales. The results of this study did not support the hypothesis that language familiar participants would report higher levels of transportation than language non-familiar participants when reading a narrative that contained code-switching. Although significant results were limited, this interdisciplinary research has promising directions for future research.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lydia Jackson
The Relationship Between Experienced Parental Discipline And Endorsement Of Aggressive Discipline: Is Moral Disengagement A Mediator?
This study examined the relationship between experience with parental discipline, the endorsement of aggressive discipline behaviors, and moral disengagement in college students. It was hypothesized that all three of these factors would be highly correlated with one another, thus creating a mediation model with moral disengagement as the mediator between experience with parental discipline and the endorsement of aggressive discipline behaviors. 52 participants took three questionnaires that measured these factors and a linear regression was run to find if there was a significant relationship. The only significant relationship found was between the endorsement of aggressive discipline behaviors and moral disengagement, which is consistent with previous studies. It was also found that participants who scored the highest in experience with parental discipline had the lowest scores for endorsement and moral disengagement. Links between aggressive parental discipline and its endorsement, like moral disengagement, should continue to be studied in order to better understand how these values are passed down and accepted from generation to generation.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
Music Language Familiarity And Reading Task Difficulty On Reading Comprehension
The current study looked at the distraction of background noise and how streams of information compete within the phonological store. Specifically, the study looked at the effects of passage difficulty and music language familiarity on reading comprehension. Participants were required to read both an easier and more difficult reading passage while listening to music in either English or Portuguese and to answer corresponding comprehension questions for each passage. When a 2×2 mixed ANOVA analysis was run, no main effects of passage difficulty or music language on reading comprehension scores were found. There were also no significant interactions. Results are discussed in terms of what features of background noise contribute the most to distraction and how this information is applicable to a school and work environment
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
Amber-Tinted Glasses Do Not Counteract The Effects Of Technological Glow: A Study Of Sleep, Stress, Depression, And Late-Night Electronics Use
According to the National Sleep Foundation, 60% to 70% of Americans did not get the recommended amount of sleep each night, which is why sleep research is of great importance. Participants who demonstrated depressive symptoms rated their sleep quality as poor and participants experienced an average of 89% more perceived stress because of a change in sleeping habits. Late-night technology usage has increased, presenting a possible mechanism for decreased sleep quality. Amber-tinted glasses have been shown to decrease the affects of these electronic devices on sleep quality. Demographic information, electronic usage, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and self-perceived sleep quality were assessed by questionnaires in an undergraduate population (N= 79; 83% female). A secondary sample (N= 16; 87% female) was selected from this pool for actigraphy sleep testing, and participants were randomly assigned to either the treatment group (Amber-tinted glasses) or to the control group (no glasses). Consistent with the literature, self-perceived sleep quality was found to be correlated with depressive symptoms (r(77) = .383, p < .01) and perceived stress (r(77), p < .05). Perceived stress was also highly correlated with depressive symptoms (r(77) = .771, p < .01). However, no relationships between electronic usage and sleep, stress, or depression were found in this study. Furthermore, no relationships were found between sleep quality and the use of amber-tinted glasses. Due to inconsistencies with this study and the current literature, further research is needed on electronic usage, sleep, depression, and stress.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
Technology In Education: The Effects Of Blogging Versus Note Taking On Information Recall
This experimental study used a one way between subjects design to explore whether blogging or note taking better influenced student comprehension. Allegheny College students from psychology courses (n=29) were recruited to read an article and either take notes on the article or write a blog about the article and then take a recall test based on the article read. Analysis revealed no significant difference in recall test scores between bloggers and note takers, although results of the post-test questionnaire revealed that 70% of the participants indicated they used technology in their courses the majority of the students tested found blogs to be either somewhat enjoyable, quite enjoyable, or very enjoyable. The post-test questionnaire also revealed that more participants believed that they would learn more if required to blog for class, than did not believe. The benefits of educational blogging and ideas for future studies are also discussed.
Major: Psychology/Other
Comp Advisor: Robert Hancock
I Am Not An Island: How Mainstream Mental Health Care Fails Low-Income Women
This paper explores how low-income women are not adequately served by the mental health care system and explores potential new approaches to mental health care that can better serve those women. First, I review how psychological treatment came to be both individualized and based on sick care rather than preventative care. Then, I will explain how women are disproportionately poor and how poverty influences mental illness. Low-income women experience poverty differently than men and therefore have specific barriers to accessing effective treatment. This problem of low-income women not receiving adequate mental health care will be put in the context of potential shifts in the field of psychology. Specifically, some psychologists are now claiming that the traditional therapy model is unsustainable for all Americans. Finally, I will explore how new approaches to mental health care can incorporate the needs of low-income women.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Brian Saltsman
The Effect Of Media Awareness Skills On Body Perception Produced By Media
With the growing rates of magazines and other media sources using image editing techniques in order to make models look thinner, taller, more muscular, tanner, ect. There is a growing rate of body dissatisfaction among women. Since these features are physically unobtainable there will be no improvement unless something is done to counterbalance these images the media are portraying. A possible solution to this problem is to teach media awareness skills in order to help individuals detect when the media is manipulating them. In order to test this, the researcher compared the results of participants who watched a film about Photoshopping techniques, compared to participants who watched a clip from the 2013 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. From previous studies done it seems that females who receive the media awareness are less likely to have negative effects on their body image perception when compared to peers who have not received media awareness, it is expected that this study will show similar results.
Major: Psychology/Other
Comp Advisor: Juvia Heuchert
Desire And Dissatisfaction In Sister Carrie: The Gendered Process Of Consumption And Identity Formation
My comp focused on consumer ideology and it’s influence on social interaction, identity formation, and understanding of self identity as mediated by consumer ideology gender roles. I synthesized a literary analysis of Sister Carrie with empirical psychological research.
Major: Psychology/Other
Comp Advisor: Brian Saltsman
Where’s My Happily Ever After: A Retrospective Analysis Of Disney Princesses Impact On Childhood Beauty Standards And Current Racial Identity In Black Women La Complexidad De La Identidad Negra En La Literatura De Mayra Santos-Febres: La Virgen, La Intel
This research focuses on the impact of the Disney Princesses Happily ever after that does not apply to Black and other minority women because of the difference of their race and culture. From childhood into adulthood the Eurocentric standards of beauty (White beauty ideals) are imposed on minority women who can never meet the criteria of blonde hair and blue eyes through media, mainly Disney movies. In relation to racial awareness and physical appearance preference, the majority of research that has been done on Eurocentric beauty ideals has mainly focused on White women, Black and minority women have been typically left out. This study was influenced by the Clark & Clark study (1940) on the racial preference and awareness in young Black children. The Allegheny College women population between the ages of 18-23, were studied to analysis their views on beauty standards based Disney Princesses characteristics in relation to their awareness of race and ethnicity. The last section is written in Spanish and it focuses on the complexity of the Black female identity in Puerto Rico through the literary lens of Mayra Santos-Febres. The novels Fe en Disfraz (Faith in disguise) and Nuestra Señora de la noche (Our lady of the night), reevaluate the stereotypes of the virgin, the intellectual, and the prostitute, that pertains to Black women.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Elizabeth Ozorak
Food Neophobia And Openness To Experience
Food neophobia, known for less consumption of vegetables and fruits, relates to public health. And people with food neophobia may have the potential to develop a general neophobia, avoiding new people, places and activities, which are characteristics of closed people. In contrast, open people express their love for novelty and variety and may have more willingness to try new foods. These two traits can both be learned through certain environment. The aim of the following study was to determine if there exists a negative correlation between food neophobia and openness to experience; to figure out if there is a gender difference in food neophobia; and to see if overseas experiences impact individual’s food neophobia scores. The result showed food neophobia and openness negatively correlated. However, we failed to find a gender difference and overseas trips effect in food neophobia.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Patricia Rutledge
The Harmful Effects Of Advertising Aimed At Young Children
Advertising for the numerous products that people use and consume in their daily lives has grown and can be seen in every facet of media in today’s world including, but not limited to, television, internet, and radio. How do these advertisements and marketing campaigns affect children and what kind of effect do they have? This question will be addressed from three different perspectives which will support the hypothesis that advertisements aimed at children have a negative effect on their health and on their development. First, from a marketing perspective including the tactics and strategies used by marketers, second, a psychology perspective examining why children are targeted and how they are affected and finally, a public health perspective looking at the potential health concerns that children face because of exposure to various advertisements. Steps that have been taken to correct the problem will also be included, as well as proposed solutions.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
Effects Of Perspective Taking On A Recognition Task Of Conceptually Related Tool Objects
Tools are used everyday to make our lives easier. By retrieving function and manipulation information of tool objects, we know how to use tools correctly according to their function and how to hold tools to perform their appropriate actions. The present study examined the effects of context, specifically, perspective taking, on semantic activation of conceptually related function and manipulation tool objects within a triad picture display of tool objects. Participants (n=23) completed a recognition task in which target tool objects shared function or manipulation information with another tool object within the display. Reaction time (RT), accuracy, and eye movements were measured throughout the experiment, and tool object recall was measured on a post-test questionnaire. Main effects of perspective taking for RT and word recall were found, as well as main effects of conceptual relationship of tool objects for accuracy and eye movements. An interaction effect of perspective taking and conceptual relationship was found for accuracy on the recognition task. Results suggest that perspective taking influences semantic activation of function and manipulation information of tool objects.
Major: Psychology/Other
Comp Advisor: Juvia Heuchert
Domestic Violence Experience, Participant Sex, And The Acceptance Of Domestic Violence Myths In College Students
This research examines domestic violence myths. The prologue, “Domestic Violence Myths,” discusses these myths as enmeshed in United States culture, with a focus on patriarchal social constructions of gender and gender roles. Domestic violence is attributed to patriarchy and is defined as direct and structural violence. Women’s shelters as part of the contemporary anti-domestic violence movement are critiqued. It is concluded that in order to end domestic violence society must change cultural beliefs that are foundational to and supportive of domestic violence, such as by changing perceptions framed by patriarchy of gender, gender roles, and the use of domestic violence as appropriate to maintain gendered hierarchy. The research study, “Domestic Violence Experience, Participant Sex, and the Acceptance of Domestic Violence Myths in College Students,” examines domestic violence myths with respect to the participant’s biological sex and domestic violence experience or perpetration, as little quantitative research has been done on this subject. Factor analysis of the ten self and partner subscales of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2) (Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy, and Sugarman, 1996) yielded four factors. Scores from the Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance Scale (DVMAS) (Peters, 2008) were then regressed onto the four factors. Sexual coercion perpetration was a statistically significant predictor of domestic violence myth acceptance. Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance scores approached statistical significance between male and female participants, with males having higher myth acceptance than females, once perpetration severity had been controlled for. Research findings support the need for a change in cultural beliefs about domestic violence, represented here by myths about domestic violence, which may act as either direction for the perpetration of domestic violence or rationalization for occurrences of domestic violence.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
The Unforeseen Consequences Of Removing Music Education From Us Public Schools
This paper explores the negative repercussions of the No Child Left Behind Act when music education was consequently cut from the curriculum of many US public schools due to inadequate funding. It attempts to provide evidence of varying degrees as to why music education should be reinstated into the regular curriculum. The synthesis of research, review articles, and related texts demonstrates the positive effects music can have on enriching students’ education. Through its inherent benefits on the brain, children with disorders, and academic and social aspects, music education deserves a place in the regular curriculum of US public schools.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
The Preferences Between Endogenous And Exogenous Opioids In Sprague Dawley Rats
The motivation behind drug preferences and drug addiction can begin to be understood by the reward mechanism controlled by dopamine neurons in the brain. Mu opioid receptors play a role in the activation of this rewards system, therefore exogenously made opioids such as morphine, which activate mu receptors, are often used to study drug choices. Beta endorphin is a mu opioid naturally made within the body. It is released with exercise; therefore in studies of the endogenous opioids system, exercise is often implemented. Cross tolerance between endogenous and exogenous opioids has been evidenced in previous studies, which used a combination of reinforcement schedules and conditioned place preference procedures. The current study examines the choice between morphine and running on a running wheel in Sprague Dawley rats. A modified conditioned place preference chamber was built by attaching a running wheel to one arm of a y maze. Rats received an injection in the other arm. After given a history of morphine injections at the dosages 1.0, 1.7, 3.0, and 5.6 mg/kg (one dosage per week of the experiment) and given a history of exposure to the running wheel, they were given a choice between the arms of the maze. It was hypothesized that there would be an increase in the likelihood that the rat will choose the morphine associated arm as the morphine dosage increased and choose wheel running as the wheel rotations increased. The results of this study partially supported this hypothesis but were overall inconclusive, so further research must be done to reexamine the link between endogenous and exogenous opioids and if there is a link between the two that could be used for the study of drug addiction.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
Condom Use Self-Efficacy, Perceptions Of Sexually Transmitted Disease And Physical Reminder Cues: Does Gender Matter?
The current study examined condom use self-efficacy, STD perceptions, the use of a physical reminder cue, and whether gender plays a role. By using a pretest/posttest design, participants were to wear a silicone wristband for three weeks after watching two short videos regarding HIV positive individuals and STD rates. Participants were recruited from a small liberal arts college and were randomly assigned to three groups: a control group, a video only group, and a wristband and video group. Overall, there were no significant differences from the pretest to the posttest when comparing mean scores of both the Condom Use Self-Efficacy scale and the Worry About Sexual Outcomes scale. Future research is needed for physical reminder cues as an intervention tool that can be paired with sexual education and increase the use of condoms among young adults.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
Labeling Bias And Its Relation To The Avoidance And Perceived Dangerousness Of Children With Conduct Disorder
The purposed of the present study was to investigate the perceived dangerousness and avoidance of children labeled with conduct disorder compared to children without a given diagnosis of conduct disorder. This research wanted to look at labeling bias and how it affects the perceived dangerousness and avoidance of the children. Undergraduate students (N=80) were randomly given one of two profiles of a young boy with conduct disorder. One of the profiles disclosed the diagnosis and the other did not. The participants were asked to read the profile and answer questions about the child on a 9 point Likert-scale. Attributes measured were anger, blame, pity, help, dangerousness, fear, avoidance, segregation, and coercion. Overall, the study showed that knowledge of a conduct disorder diagnosis decreased blame and anger toward the child. Although the hypotheses were not found to be significant, there were important trends found, including the sex and college major of the participants. Considerations of these findings could be important in the decisions to disclose a conduct disorder diagnosis and can lead to further research on labeling conduct disorder.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
Violent Video Gaming Is A Predictor Of Depression, But Is Inversely Associated With Anxiety In Undergraduate Students.
Objective: The present study aimed to determine if people who frequently play violent video games have lower reactivity to a mental stress task compared to non-violent gamers, as well as poorer mood and sleep quality. Methods: For Part 1 (N = 73), participants completed a battery of questionnaires including a video game questionnaire, the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-R), Social Anxiety Questionnaire for Adults (SAQ-A30), Levenson’s Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRPS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). For Part 2 (N = 18), selected participants were assigned to control and violence groups to complete the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to determine if violence exposure (VE) predicted depression, anxiety, psychopathy, and lower mean arterial pressure (MAP) reactivity compared to a control group. Results: Higher VE was found to be a predictor for depression among violent video gamers (B = 0.175, p < .05), whereas low VE predicted anxiety among controls (B = -0.243, p < .05). No significant differences were found between violence and control groups in regards to MAP reactivity (B = 0.210, p < .38). Conclusion: Independent of sex, race, sleep quality and dispositional mindfulness, VE through the act of playing violent video games was still found to predict depression, whereas no exposure to violence predicted anxiety. Since symptoms of depression and anxiety often occur comorbidly, these opposite correlations between mood and VE warrant further research on identifying the precise psychopathological contributions of violent video gaming. Key words: Violent video gaming, violence exposure, depression, anxiety.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Brian Saltsman
A Study Of Intuitive Eating And Mood In College Students
Research has shown that dieting can have many negative effects on people’s physical and mental health. With dieting being such a common phenomenon in our society, and the importance of maintaining a healthy body, an alternative approach, called intuitive eating was developed. Intuitive eating is a method of natural eating that involves listening to the natural cues of the body, and has been shown to have many positive effects on peoples mental and physical health. For this study, participants were asked to learn about intuitive eating and follow it for a week. Mood state and levels of intuitive eating behavior were measured before learning about intuitive eating, and again at the end of the week. The hypothesis of the present study was that participants will have an increase in positive mood after engaging in this non-dieting approach, and that participants will have an increase in intuitive eating behavior after engaging in the non-dieting approach. The hypotheses were supported by the findings of this research.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
Perfectionism Traits Among College Dancers Of Varying Styles
The present study examined perfectionism traits within different styles of dance: ballet, jazz, tap, ballroom, and hip hop. The participants were 56 female undergraduate students who participated in a dance concert at a small liberal arts college in northwest Pennsylvania. The researcher asked the participants to self-identify their style of dance, how many years of experience within that dance style, and to complete the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Frost, 1993). Perfectionism traits were separated into two categories: adaptive and maladaptive. There was no significant difference among dance styles and maladaptive perfectionism traits as well as dance styles and adaptive perfectionism traits. There was a significant difference between level of experience and adaptive perfectionism traits. There was no difference between level of experience and maladaptive perfectionism. There was no significant difference among dance styles and overall perfectionism as well as level of experience and overall perfectionism.
Major: Neuroscience/Other
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
Dispositional Mindfulness And Cardiovascular Reactivity To Mental Stress
Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) to a mental stress task, in undergraduate students who were not recruited for psychopathology.
Methods: The Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-S), and demographic information were administered to college undergraduates (N=25). Participants then completed a mental athematic stress task in the laboratory where cardiovascular measures of heart rate (HR), mean arterial, systolic, and diastolic blood pressures measured. Multiple linear regression analyses and an independent samples t test were conducted to determine if high Mindfulness predicted lower HR, mean arterial pressure (MAP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity compared to lower Mindfulness group.
Results: There were no significant findings suggesting that Mindfulness predicted CVR or that the low and high mindfulness group showed any difference in reactivity to the stressor. Participants (N = 25) in the higher Mindfulness group had a tendency toward increased CVR. Consistent with previous research in the field, participants who scored higher on the MAAS, indicating high mindfulness, significantly also scored lower on the CES-D, which indicates less depressive symptoms p <0.05.
Conclusion: These results disagree with what was hypothesized. In this sample study, Mindfulness was not shown to predict low or high CVR. Further research should assess if CVR related to mindfulness groups are not high, but compared to participants who scored low on MAAS scales actually have hypoactivation of stress responses to better determine the relationship between CVR, mindfulness, and psychopathological disturbances.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
Mode Of Presentation And Level Of Expertise On Perceptions Of Deception
Recent research examining the ability to detect deception suggests it is a difficult task because of the multiple cues present in a person’s dialogue. The current study expected to expand past research by examining how the level of speaker expertise and the mode of presentation affect a listener’s ability to detect deception. A total of 52 participants were recruited to participate in the study. Participants were asked to watch a video or listen to a series of statements regarding debt collection policies, told by a speaker who was identified as an expert or non-expert in the field. Participants then identified whether they believed the statement was true or false. Finally, they completed a post-test questionnaire regarding their experience with the study. A 2×2 between subjects ANOVA was conducted with mode of presentation (audio, visual) and level of speaker expertise (expert, non-expert) as the independent variables, and number of correctly identified statements, ratings of speaker trustworthiness, and perceived difficulty of the task as the dependent variables. Contrary to the researcher’s predictions, results indicated no main effects. Participants were just as likely to correctly identify deceptive statements in the visual-only expert, visual-only non-expert, audio-only expert, and audio-only non-expert conditions. The only significant effect, agreeing with previous research, was that task difficulty was associated with mode of presentation. These findings highlight the difficulty of identifying deception. The unpredicted outcomes illustrate the need to further examine which characteristics are more useful to identify deception in a conversation.
Major: Neuroscience/Other
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
The Effects Of Rocking During A Daytime Sleep Period On Cognitive Performance In College-Aged Students
This study examined the effects of rocking during a daytime sleep period on cognitive performance in college-aged students. Rocking during sleep has been correlated with increased time spent in stage two sleep as well as sleep spindle density which are both thought to aid in declarative memory consolidation. This study recruited 78 participants who were then screened through a demographic questionnaire for handedness, health conditions, medication use, age, and race, as well as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. 15 participants who met inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to an experimental group who were given the opportunity to sleep in a hammock for 60 minutes, or a control group who were given the opportunity to sleep in a stationary recliner for 60 minutes. A paired associates task was utilized to score declarative memory both pre and post sleep period. EEG was recorded during sleep via the international 10/20 system of electrode placement and polysomnographic activity was scored according to AASM standards. While participants in the experimental group did show significant decreases in latency to stage one and two sleep onset as well as significant increases in time spent in stage three sleep, they did not show significant differences in time spent in stage two sleep, sleep spindle density, K complex density, or declarative memory speed or scores.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Juvia Heuchert
Levels Of Athletic Involvement And Well-Being
This paper addresses the differences in top-down (life satisfaction/distal) and bottom-up (mood or affect/proximal) happiness experienced by collegiate athletes across a spectrum of involvement levels (high to low). Across this spectrum of involvement exists broad differences in the time commitment, magnitude of one’s identity as an athlete, the amount of time spent bonding with teammates, and the level of coach demand experienced by athletes of different involvement. For the current study, 82 Allegheny College student athletes (43 males and 39 females) with a mean age of 19.37 years (SD = 1.072) were recruited and data was collected. Distributed in two parts, a series of self-report questionnaires including the Profile of Mood States 2 (POMS2) (Heuchert & McNair, 2012), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985), and the General Involvement Questionnaire (GIQ) were utilized. The first portion, the High Involvement Period, took place directly before athletes’ midseason practices, and the second portion, the Low Involvement Period, was distributed and completed online during athletes’ 2013 Thanksgiving Break. Of the initial sample, 37 participants (9 males and 28 females), who represented the High Involvement Period participants in age, sport, and year, returned for the Low Involvement Period of the study. The results were analyzed across Total Involvement Scores using an Independent Samples t-test, a Paired Samples t-test, a Factor Analysis, a linear regression, and the top-down and bottom-up happiness scores were compared using correlational statistics. This research suggests that athletes of higher involvement levels experience lower Total Mood Disturbance and greater bottom-up happiness then lower involvement athletes. There was, however, no statistically significant relationship found between high and low involvement athletes on measures of life satisfaction. Implications of these findings, as well as suggestions for future research are provided.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
How Interruption During The Preparatory Phase Of A Cognitive Task Impacts Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, And Performance On The Stroop Task
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that interruptions had on cardiovascular reactivity and performance of a cognitive task. Forty-one Allegheny College students were assigned to one of three conditions: no interruption, short interruption (eight seconds), and long interruption (sixteen seconds). Participants’ blood pressure and heart rate were measured at baseline and then once at the start of the cognitive task. Overall, there were no significant differences between the three groups in regards to cardiovascular reactivity or performance. Although the differences were not significant there was a noticeable relationship between the groups. These findings, while not significant, lend support to the hypothesis that interruptions raise blood pressure and heart rate which has relevance in a society where cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
Methylphenidate Intervention Delaying Impulsivity For Distal Goal Achievement
The study was conducted to determine the characteristics of Methylphenidate (MPH) and an undetermined dopamine antagonist under an IRT>t (interresponse time greater than t) schedule of water presentation to discern the location of impulsivity delay within the prefrontal area of the neocortex. After an operant conditioning time (t=5seconds) was achieved 10.0mg/ml methylphenidate was determined most effective in combination with 1.0mg/ml of SCH-23390 HCl. MPH decreased the number of reinforced responses indicating decreased impulsivity. Due to subject loss, this experiment found no significant results that contribute to current studies showing 1, 5 dopamine antagonist SCH-23390 as an indicator of delayed or inhibited function of dopamine receptors in the prefrontal cortex.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
The Relationship Between Two Non-Traditional Models Of Leadership Using The Leadership Beliefs Of College Students
The present study examined the relationships between the transformational model of leadership and the ecological model of leadership. The researcher hypothesized an association between hierarchical thinking and transactional leadership and an association between systemic thinking and transformational leadership. Participants were 211 undergraduate students at Allegheny College, a small liberal arts college in Northwestern Pennsylvania, all at least 18-years-old, 156 of which were female, and 55 of which were male. Participants filled out an online survey through Allegheny College’s SONA system, which was comprised of demographic questions, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire: Ought Form (Bass, 1985), and the Leadership Attitudes and Beliefs Scale version three (Wielkiewicz, 2000). Statistical analysis of the data partially supported the hypothesis of an association between hierarchical thinking and transactional leadership and fully supported the hypothesis of an association between systemic thinking and transformational leadership.
Keywords: transformational leadership model, ecological model of leadership
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lydia Jackson
Benevolent Sexism In Criminal Court Case Sentences And Perpetrator Attributions
This study examined the relationship between benevolent sexism, defendant gender, and perpetrator attributions within the context of a violent crime. 43 Allegheny College Psychology students were randomly assigned to two conditions based on the gender of the defendant described in a news article. They were evaluated on defendant gender, verdict, severity of punishment, perpetrator attributions, and ambivalent sexism. It was predicted that participants who scored higher in benevolent sexism would give women a lighter sentence, and participants who scored lower in benevolent sexism would give women a harsher sentence in comparison to men for the exact same crime. It was also predicted that women would be given attributions related to mental illness and emotion, while men would be given attributions related to violence and calculated thought. Gender had no effect on verdict or severity of punishment. However, a significant interaction was found between higher benevolent sexism scores and attribution scores, suggesting that the nature of the crime described in the news article did have an effect on what other factors participants thought could have been involved, especially within the context of benevolent sexism.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Brian Saltsman
Social Stigma Of Mental Illness: Survey And Card Sorting Task
Mental illness is something that affects most people’s lives in some form or another, with high prevalence among college students. A major issue surrounding mental illness is social stigma. This study sought to determine whether there was a relationship between social stigma and contact and integrated rooms, in a card sorting task. It was hypothesized that a relationship would be found with higher levels of social stigma would have a lesser number of integrated rooms (one disorder with no disorder). None of the hypotheses were statistically supported by this research.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
Measuring Astrocyte Domains With Modified Golgi Staining Techniques In Post-Natal Brain Development Using An Aging Model Of Rats
Mammalian brain development does not end at birth. There is a tremendous growth of neurons in the hippocampal region during postnatal time. It is thought that astrocytes play a key role in this early neurogenesis. The benefits of this process allow us to become more cognizant and intelligent as we age. The potential downsides include the mutation and degradation of this process, resulting in neurodegenerative diseases and symptoms. A greater understanding into our postnatal astrocyte growth is crucial to unlocking the mysteries of our early developing brains. This study investigated the growth and genesis of astrocytes in the CA1 section of the hippocampus in rat brains over the course of four weeks during postnatal development. A modified Golgi-Cox staining technique was used to identify protoplasmic astrocytes under a microscope. Leica Application Suite software was used to determine astrocyte number and domain area. There was a significant increase found in average domain area from postnatal week 2 to week 3. There was also a significant reduction found in the number of individual astrocytes during that same time. It is thought that these findings were a result of rapid astrocytic reactive morphology changes due to encroaching domains.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
The Effects Of Ω-3 Fatty Acids On Development Of Hypertension In Stroke Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
The Stroke Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHRSP) model has been used widely by many researchers investigating high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. One of the best ways to avoid heart disease is to eat a diet rich in ω-3 fatty acids. ω-3 fatty acids found in fish oil (FO) help lower triglycerides, which are fats located in the blood, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of stroke, improve the health of arteries, decrease the amount of plaque and serve to maintain the function of the nervous system. The effect of oral FO administration via gavage (0.4% body weight) was investigated in young male SHRSP rats. Animals in this study were fed FO every day for 0, 3, 6 or 9 weeks. SHRSPs with the longer regimen of FO had significantly lower systolic blood pressure (BP) and shorter escape latency in the Morris Water Maze (MWM), which suggests that FO improves intracerebral blood vessels and can facilitate learning and memory processes. Evans blue(EB) staining of brain parenchyma was more evident in animals that with the shortest regiment of FO and suggesting that vulnerability to leaks in the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) can be reduced by FO supplements.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Elizabeth Ozorak
The Eden Alternative: A Developing Transformation Of The Nursing Home Model
In the year 1991, the Eden Alternative model was founded in order to relieve the internal plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom often present in long-term care facilities. Differing from previous research on the Eden Alternative, this literature review examines how the specific qualities of enriched environments, belonging, and agency contributes to positive well being and improved psychological, physical, and emotional functioning through the Eden Alternative. For research purposes, interviews were conducted at Rolling Fields nursing home located in Conneautville, Pennsylvania to show a real life example of how the Eden Alternative impacts older adults. Participants included three female and two male residents, as well as two female employees.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
The Affect Of Personalization And Topic Type On A Recipients Response To An Email.
The main goal of this research was to examine how accommodation is demonstrated in email between college students. The study explored how the level of personalization and the type of topic affected rates of accommodation in a student’s response to an email. Participants read and responded to an email that was either personalized or non-personalized with a neutral topic or an email that was personalized or non-personalized with a controversial topic from a hypothetical peer with a gender neutral name. The controversial topic used was Facebook Confessions and the neutral topic used was Gator Day. Accommodation was measured through language style matching scores and whether the participant complied with a request made in the email from their peer. Higher scores and compliance were expected to be seen when an email was more personalized and when an email contained a neutral topic. The personal language that participants used in the emails they constructed was also assessed to see if they used more personalization if they received an email that was more personalized. While results of the current study supported the interaction that higher language style matching scores would be seen in emails that were more personalized and about a controversial topic, there was little support for higher rates of accommodation when the email was more personalized or when the topic was neutral. It would be important for future research to explore different topics, more features of personalization, and the influence of sex on rates of accommodation.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
Acute Gluten Abstinence Improves Gastrointestinal Health But Not Brain Efficiency In Healthy Young Adults
Although the impacts of gluten abstinence have been empirically examined in individuals with chronic bowel diseases such as celiac, colitis, and Crohn’s disease, the impacts of a gluten-free diet (GFD) have not yet been studied in a healthy population. This study was conducted in order to determine the impact of a GFD on gastrointestinal (GI) health, and measures of Brain Efficiency including mood, awareness, and cognitive function in healthy young adults. Given the ability of diet to alter the composition of the digestive system, which then in turn can impact the brain by mechanism of the Brain-Gut Axis, this study hypothesized that an acute, two week GFD would elicit improvements in GI symptoms and Brain Efficiency. GI health, mood, awareness, and cognitive function scores were obtained in pre and post treatments in control participants (N=19) and the Gluten-Free Diet (GFD) group (N=20), as determined by random stratified assignment. Independent sample t tests of change scores indicated no significance between groups over time related to mood, awareness, or cognitive function, but did find a significant difference in regard to GI health (p= 0.04, p<0.05). These findings do not exhaustively eliminate the possibility that a GFD can impact measures of Brain Efficiency, but present the need for longitudinal study. Importantly, significant treatment changes in GI health suggest that acute gluten abstinence benefits healthy individuals, which is important to study in concordance with the growing consumption of gluten as a main component of the Western Diet.
Key Words: gluten-free, gastrointestinal health, cognitive function, mindfulness, depression, mood
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lydia Jackson
A Little Help Ya’ll: The Effect Of Accent On Willingness To Help
This study was conducted to investigate if accent has an effect on willingness to help. Using a well-established helping paradigm by Batson et. al 1997, participants listened to a radio broadcast of a young woman who has recently lost her family. The recording was either done in a Northern standard accent or Southern non-standard accent. The participants were then informed the woman was in fact real and had recorded a personal appeal asking for help with a fundraiser. Participants then heard the personal appeal in the same accent first heard. Participants reported if they were willing to help the woman. Perceptions varied due to accent but helping did not vary due to accent. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
Perfectionism And Cognitive Anxiety In Collegiate Varsity Athletes
This study addressed the relationships between cognitive anxiety and perfectionism. Specifically, the multidimensional approach to perfectionism was studied looking at two specific areas: perfectionist strivings and perfectionist concerns. The study also studied gender differences in cognitive anxiety prior to and post competition. Participants (N=42) from NCAA Division III recognized sports (Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball and Women’s Lacrosse) participated in this study. A multiple regression and correlational analysis was run to explore any significant relationships. Multiple regression analysis revealed significant results for cognitive anxiety where both perfectionist strivings and perfectionist concerns were significant predictors of cognitive anxiety. Perfectionist concerns showed the strongest correlation with cognitive anxiety. Overall, results of this study supported previous studies and contributed to the body of research behind perfectionism and cognitive anxiety in athletes. Future research should be dedicated to further investigation of perfectionism with other athletic characteristics such as self-confidence and self-talk to obtain a broader scope of perfectionism’s importance.
Major: Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
Choroid Plexus Target-Based Therapy In Rats With Chronic Hydrocephalus: Use Of An Aquaporin-1 Antibody Treatment
Hydrocephalus is characterized by an excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricular system, which causes a swelling of the lateral, 3rd and 4th ventricles, also referred to as ventriculomegaly. Current treatments for the disorder include procedures such as implantation of a shunt system or a 3rd ventriculostomy. These options are invasive and tend to fail within three to five years, resulting in multiple surgeries in a patient’s life. Aquaporin-1 (AQP1), a water channel showing high expression on the apical surface of the choroid plexus has shown to play an important role in CSF formation. Previous research has predicted that an AQP1 antibody could serve as a potential adjunct therapy in treating patients with hydrocephalus. The aim of the present study was to analyze whether an AQP1 antibody treatment in the right lateral ventricle of a hydrocephalic rat model could improve the common physiological and behavioral deficits characterized by the disorder. Anatomical analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to assess uptake of the antibody as well as effects on ventricle size. IHC was also used to assess possible uptake of antibody in another AQP1 expressing organ, the kidney. Behavioral changes were measured with the Morris water maze and the object preference test. Results showed that animals treated with an AQP1 antibody in the right lateral ventricle expressed positive staining, indicating antibody uptake, as well as significantly smaller right and left ventricles nearest the pump implant compared to saline treatment animals. There was no positive staining of the antibody in the kidneys. Behavioral improvements in memory and cognition tasks across the 14-day treatment were observed. This study indicates a viable relationship between AQP1 antibody therapy and improvement in behavioral and physiological symptoms of hydrocephalus.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
The Dose Dependent Effect Of Goal Attainment On Exercise And Mood And Its Relationship With Personality Traits
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise goal attainment on mood pre-test and post-test and the relationship with personality factors in undergraduate college students. Participants set goals to exercise for the upcoming week and then completed the Current Mood Assessment (Sechrist, Swim & Mark, 2003) and NEO-FFI (Costa & McCrae, 1995) prior to the start of the week. The Current Mood Assessment (Sechrist, Swim & Mark, 2003) was completed again after assessing if the personal goals of the week were met for the participant. There was a dose dependent response in which participants who had low goal attainment saw mood score change to be negative and high goal attainment increased mood score change. This data suggests that setting goals is a means for overweight individuals to reach weight loss goals and increase mood if goals are met. Additional research should be conducted to test the effects of mood score change after long time period such as a month or more.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
Voluntary Recent Exercise Related To Depression And Cognitive Function In Undergraduate College Students
The present study examined exercise duration and frequency to see if there was any association with mood or cognitive function. Would more days spent exercising per week and more time spent while exercising lead to lower scores on the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and higher scores on Cambridge Brain Sciences online cognitive tasks? Participants indicated the amount they exercised within the past 30 days, completed the CES-D, and finished three online cognitive tasks. It was hypothesized that more exercise would lead to higher scores on the cognitive tasks and lower scores on the CES-D. The results showed no significant finding between the amount of exercise and the scores on the CES-D and online cognitive tasks.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Patricia Rutledge
Student Attitudes Towards Marijuana Use And How They Change Over Four Years Of College
The study examined attitudes towards marijuana use among college students along with time spent in college and actual marijuana use. It was hypothesized that both would significantly correlate with attitudes towards marijuana use. It was also hypothesized that time spent in college would predict more tolerant attitudes towards marijuana. Participants were recruited, and completed an anonymous, online survey containing items from Ford, Watkins and Blumenstein (2011); Khatapoush & Hallfors (2004); and the CORE Drug and Alcohol survey. Multiple regression was used to analyze the results. While actual marijuana use correlated significantly with attitudes towards marijuana, time spent in college did not. Time spent in college also did not significantly predict attitudes towards marijuana, though actual marijuana use did significantly predict attitudes. Thus, neither hypothesis was confirmed. These results suggest that time in a specific environment alone as a variable is not enough to predict attitudes.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
The Effects Of A One Week Trial Of Mindfulness Meditation On Academic Procrastination In College Students
The effects of a one week mindfulness meditation intervention on levels of mindfulness across five facets and the frequency of academic procrastination were assessed. Forty-three undergraduate college students listened to CDs containing either relaxing music (approximately 16 min) or mindfulness meditation instructions (approximately 19 min). Participants were instructed to listen to their entire CDs daily for one week somewhere they were unlikely to be disturbed. Participants in the meditation condition (N=22) were hypothesized to increase mindfulness scores across three facets and decrease frequency of academic procrastination. A two-way mixed ANOVA was run to test the hypotheses. Statistical analysis revealed that only two of the five facets of mindfulness significantly increased, but no significant interaction occurred due to treatment group. Procrastination frequency did not significantly decrease from pre to post test.
Major: Psychology/Other
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
The Effects Of Gonadal Hormone Status On Thermal Nociception In Sprague Dawley Rats
Men and women differ in many ways, one of which is in their sensitivity to pain, also known as nociception. It is generally observed that men have lower levels of nociception than women. It is thought that this difference may be due to differences in gonadal hormone statuses. Therefore, it was hypothesized that Sprague Dawley rats with testosterone present would have lower levels of nociception than those with 17β-estradiol present or no gonadal hormone. Those with 17β-estradiol would have higher levels of nociception than those with testosterone or no gonadal hormone. Gonadal hormone phases of both male and female subjects were manipulated to include intact, gonadectomized, gonadectomized with 17β-estradiol replacement, and gonadectomized with testosterone replacement. Tail-immersion tests were conducted at both 1° C and 50° C during all hormone phases. The results showed that there were differences between intact males and intact females that were eliminated after gonadectomization. Data within the sexes were more inconclusive. In the future, hormone concentrations could be modified, a circulating water tub should be used, and stressors should be reduced. Also, similar methods should be used to study these differences in other species. The mechanism by which these gonadal hormones cause these differences should then be searched for so that nociceptive differences between males and females can be further understood.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
The Effects Of Cognitive Load Intensity On Rates Of Change Detection
Change blindness has been shown to occur across many contexts. Change detection has been a measure of the rate of change blindness in studies investigating its’ occurrence. Furthermore, it’s been shown that cognitive load delays responses to detection of changes. A one-way ANOVA was used with the Sudoku puzzle difficulty levels as the between-subjects variable (Simple vs Complex Sudoku puzzles). Twenty-seven participants’ cognitive load was manipulated into either a simple Sudoku group or a complex Sudoku group. Participants were then subsequently asked to complete a change detection task. Their perceptions of the task were gathered in a post-test questionnaire. Results were examined in regards to reaction time, as well as perceptions of the cognitive load task. Results indicated that the cognitive load task did not significantly affect reaction times and accuracy of the change detection task, although it did have a significant impact on one aspect of perceptions of the cognitive load task. These results both conflict with previous literature in respect to reaction times and almost all of the task perception measurements. This experimental framework also provides a novel pathway to further explore change detection and cognitive load in relation to change blindness.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Patricia Rutledge
Accuracy In Self-Report Of Body Weight: Impact Of Body Consciousness And BMI
Inaccuracies in self-report of weight have been found almost universally across women of different age groups and ethnicities. Research has shown that women in general overestimate their height and underestimate their weight. The degree of inaccuracy has been linked with several factors such as BMI, fear of negative evaluation and weight concern. The present study examined the role of BMI, public body consciousness and private body consciousness as possible predictors of inaccuracy of self-reported weight. Female college students (N=28) were asked to report their weight and height and completed the public and private body consciousness portions of the Body Consciousness Questionnaire. Their actual height and weight measurements were also taken. The data were analyzed using a multiple regression, predicting accuracy of self-reported weight from BMI, public body consciousness and private body consciousness. None of the variables were found to be significant predictors of self-reported weight, but public body consciousness and private body consciousness were found to be associated. Differences between the sample of the present study and the samples of previous studies are discussed
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
Behavioral Effects Of Mefloquine, Nmda, And Dissociative Anesthetics On Schedule-Controlled Responding In The Rat
Behavioral research on the antimalarial drug, mefloquine (MFQ), and its interactions with behavior are limited, but an increasing number of clinical reports have appeared describing neuropsychiatric disturbances. These disturbances, such as psychosis, have been reported without sufficient reasoning as to the cause but are consistent with descriptions of behavioral effects produced by the dissociative anesthetic class of drugs. The present study examined the similarities between mefloquine, NMDA, and three dissociative anesthetics, phencyclidine (PCP), ketamine, and MK-801 (Dizocilpine) in six Sprague-Dawley rats responding under a Fixed Interval 32” (FI 32”) schedule of food presentation. The drug regimen was applied on a BDBSD schedule (B = baseline, D = drug, S = saline) Monday through Friday with all drugs administered intraperitoneally at ten minutes pre-treatment time. Results indicate that low doses of mefloquine, similar to PCP, ketamine, and MK-801, did not alter response rates relative to saline values. At intermediate doses, mefloquine and MK-801 produced a marginal increase in responding while PCP and ketamine produced an overall decrease in response rates. At high doses, mefloquine, PCP, ketamine, and MK-801 produced a marked decrease in overall response rates. The testing of NMDA produced dose-related decreases in overall responding. Although the behavioral effects of mefloquine are relatively unknown, it was suggested that they parallel the effects of the dissociative anesthetics.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
The Relationship Between Neo-FFI Agreeableness Score And Vocal Accommodation In The Sexes
This study investigated the relationship between the NEO-FFI Agreeableness subscale, sex and vocal accommodation. Agreeableness and sex were used as predictors with vocal accommodation as the criterion. Participants read a list of ten words aloud while being audio recorded (N = 46). They then heard a prerecorded voice say the list of words which they shadowed while being audio recorded. The participants also completed a twelve item personality questionnaire of questions from the NEO-FFI Agreeableness scale and then indicated their sex. Accommodation score was defined as how many times out of the ten words the participant convergently accommodated. Accommodation was determined by trained research assistants using an AXB forced choice procedure. Both Agreeableness and sex were found to be not significant predictors of vocal accommodation.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conlkin
Strength Of Religious Affiliation Increases Likelihood Of Engagement In Risky Sexual Behavior
Objective. The purpose of this experiment is to examine the influential role that religion has on an individuals’ sexual behavior. Methods. Study aims involve measuring religious affiliations effect on sexual behaviors (number of sexual partners, frequency of sexual activity, and contraceptive use) and determining that participants strength towards their religion (religiousness, i.e., frequency of attendance at religious services) increases the likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behaviors (unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, and psychological strain (STD/STI)). Results. Seventy-eight religious and non-religious undergraduate students completed this demographic questionnaire study. Consistent with the hypothesis that religious individual engage in risky sexual behavior, significant differences were found between religious affiliation and participants total number of sexual partners despite participants strength of religiousness. Conclusion. This data suggests that the value of religion and sexual behaviors should be further examined in order to determine how these factors may affect an individuals’ overall health. Sexual health should be a primary concern for all regardless of religious affiliation. Additional research should examine individuals’ perception of sexual behaviors before and after attending religious services to see if there is a stronger relationship between religiousness and affiliation as being a strong predictor for influencing individuals’ sexual behaviors.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lydia Jackson
Exploring The Link Between Dispositional Traits And Patterns Of Volunteering
Volunteerism has traditionally been considered a function of altruism and the goodness of people’s hearts. More careful consideration reveals that people exhibit many different patterns and motives for volunteering; some people choose short-term events, some have an ongoing regular commitment, and still others do not act on their intentions to volunteer. This study sought to build on past research by examining what predicts long-term volunteering. The current study examined five predictor variables, including empathy, identification with humanity, self-efficacy, perceived overlap between participants’ current and ideal communities, and emotional self-regulation. Contrary to expectation, self-efficacy was found to be the only variable studied that predicted frequency of volunteering. Higher scores in Identification with all Humanity and self-efficacy were associated with having a regular volunteering commitment and with volunteering on multiple occasions. These findings are important in that they help to describe more precisely who volunteers and for how long, and they suggest that organizations seeking to recruit committed volunteers should focus most on demonstrating what exactly participants will accomplish through volunteering.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
Behavioral Tolerance Of Methylphenidate In Rats
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common disorders diagnosed among children in the United States (Lynch, 2013). Its growing prevalence in the United States is becoming a major controversy in the field of Psychology. Children are given methylphenidate to treat ADHD at starting at a very young age. According to Marco et al., dopamine systems in the forebrain change dramatically during adolescence; methylphenidate exposure during adolescence may be very detrimental (2011). Despite possible long term effects, the use of drugs to treat ADHD in kids 4-17 increased 28% from 2007 to 2011 (CDC, 2011). One of the possible effects of exposure to methylphenidate, an indirect dopamine agonist psychostimulant, is behavioral tolerance (Zhu and Reith, 2008) (Julien, Advokat, & Comaty, 2011). Behavioral tolerance occurs when a drug is no longer present in an individual’s system and behavioral symptoms arise (Schuster, 1968). Six experimentally naïve Sprague- Dawley were water deprived and dipper trained. Baseline lever pressing responding rates were established for each water-deprived rat in an Operant Conditioning Chamber. Rats received water after pressing the left lever in accordance with a DRL schedule. Then acute and chronic phases of methylphenidate were introduced. Responding rates in each condition were recorded and analyzed. Each rat served as its own control and received each dose of methylphenidate (1.0, 3.0, 5.6, and 10.0 mg/kg). Significant differences the rats’ responding rates were found in the chronic phase of the experiment. Though no statistically significant behavioral tolerance was found, visual analysis of the pre-drug responding rates and post-drug responding rates show evidence of a trend suggesting the beginning of behavioral tolerance.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Elizabeth Ozorak
The Relationship Between Religious Affiliation, Religious Orientation, And Preferred Types Of Community Service
This research focuses on correlations between religious orientation, religious affiliation, and preferred types of community service. Since approximately ⅔ of Allegheny students participate in some type of community service during their time here, this research focuses most heavily on type of service – specifically, the degree to which recipients of each type of service are considered responsible for their situation, and which orientations are most likely to volunteer for services in each category of personal responsibility of the aid recipient. Students from many diverse faith and service backgrounds were incorporated into the population sample.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lydia Jackson
Link Between Parent’s Marital Quality And Offspring’s Potential To Self Disclose In Relationships
It’s been estimated that almost 50% of marriages today end in divorce. Previous research suggests that marital quality, particularly divorce, has a negative impact on offspring, affecting not only their overall perception of marriage, but even their desire and potential to commit to one overall. This study aims to determine if there is a correlation between parent’s marital quality, specifically divorce, and offspring’s willingness to self-disclose in relationships. It was hypothesized that offspring from divorced households will be less likely to self-disclose than those from intact families in relationships. While this hypothesis was not supported, an additional hypothesis regarding willingness to self-disclose was. If further research were to be conducted, a larger, more equal sample size across conditions would be beneficial.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
The Impact Of Interest And Choice On Learning And Affect
The overall purpose of this research was to investigate how having an interest in or choice about what we learn influences the process of learning (recall) and our enjoyment of the material. In the study, there were four different conditions: choice of interesting videos, choice of less interesting videos, no choice and will watch an interesting video, or no choice and will watch a less interesting video. Participants were all students of Allegheny College who volunteered to take part in the study. This study explored a few of the components of interest, as well as the effects of interest and choice on participants’ ability to recall information. To measure student learning, participants watched a TED talk and were later tested on the video material. It was hypothesized that there would be both a main effect of interest and choice, with participants in the more interesting and choice of video conditions showing greater scores on the recall test and having greater positive changes in affect and arousal. Results were analyzed through a series of 2×2 between subject ANOVAs, and post-hoc correlations were run to see if any relationships existed between participant perceptions of interest and their actual performance. There were minimal significant results in support of the cognitive enhances suggested by previous research with regard to interest, but one of the main findings from the study supported the hypothesis that participants in the more interesting video conditions showed a greater change in positive arousal after viewing the video. This study should contribute to the field of research on interest by suggesting the need to attempt to manipulate interest in future studies, and exploring the interdependent relationships of the components that characterize the state and nature of interest.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Juvia Heuchert
Art Participation And Mood In College Students
Previous research suggests that art therapy as well as tactile forms of therapy can be beneficial as anxiety reduction tools for observed individuals. The purpose of this study was to explore the correlation between participation in a creative activity and reduction of anxiety and improvement of mood in college students. Subjects were given the Profile of Mood States 2 (POMS2) (Heuchert and McNair, 2012), to assess the anxiety levels and moods of the participants. Next they were given paint and asked to create something using just their hands for twenty minutes, with the emphasis being on the participants’ use of just their hands to create, another group was given watercolor paints and brushes and asked to create with those for twenty minutes with the emphasis being on determining whether or not touch was a factor in the study that caused the moods of the participants in the testing group to improve more so than the moods of the participants in the control group. Finally, they were given the same test; the Profile of Mood States 2 (POMS2) a second time along with a demographic questionnaire (respectively) to reassess their stress and mood levels. The questionnaire assessed whether the participants thought the creative act along with the creative process helped to improve their mood and reduce their anxiety. The demographic questionnaire was also used to assess whether or not the participants would consider utilizing art therapy at school as a coping mechanism for anxiety if it was offered to them. Tactile forms of therapy have been found to be effective in many situations, therefore the expectation of this study was that the act of creating something artistic with their hands would improve the moods of the participants and reduce their anxiety levels.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
Relationship Between Parental Educational Attainment, Perceived Control, And Diet Quality In Undergraduate Students
It has been discovered that higher levels of education are associated with higher quality diets. This relationship may be mediated by an individual’s level of perceived control. This study sought to investigate the role of parental educational attainment and participant perceived control as predictors of diet quality. It was hypothesized that higher levels of parental educational attainment would correlate to higher levels of perceived control, which would in turn predict higher quality diets in participants. A sample of 40 undergraduate students was tested using the Perceived Control Questionnaire, the Food Intake Survey, and the Educational Attainment Survey. Results indicate that parental education level and perceived control did not predict diet quality in participants, but increased education level did positively correlate with perceived control and healthy food intake score. These results suggest that further investigation of the mediating factors in the relationship between educational attainment and diet quality is necessary.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
Effect Of History Of Unavoidable Aversive Stimulation On Effectiveness Of A Punishment Contingency In The Rat
The present study examined the behavior of ten female Sprague-Dawley rats responding under a concurrent continuous reinforcement and continuous punishment schedule. The experimental group of rats had previously been given a history of unavoidable shock on a fixed time ninety-second schedule (FT90”). The control group had no such history and both groups were lever trained under continuous reinforcement via the presentation of a food pellet. The study did not yield pre-post-test results within either group. Yet, there was an apparent trend in the data of the control group. This group did demonstrate a reduction in responding during the experimental phase, p=0.276. This is not a statistically significant result, but it approaches significance when compared to the experimental group, p=0.747. This trend in results suggests support for the hypothesis that the control group would reduce its rate of responding during the experimental phase while the experimental group would not see a reduction in response rate. The present study did have limitations, the control and reduction or elimination of which may lead to more significant results.