Major: Neuroscience/Other
Comp Advisor: Jeff Hollerman
Effect of CB1 Receptor Antagonist, AM251, on Plasma Corticosterone levels and Anxious Behavior in Sprague-Dawley Rats
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. Debilitating symptoms relating to anxiety disorders affect over 40 million American adults, representing over 18 percent of the United States population (ADAA). Research suggests that methods of acute cortisol elevation may serve as therapy for some anxiety disorders (Wisloska-Stanek et al., 2012). Intraperitoneal administration of AM251, a CB1 antagonist, has been shown to elevate plasma corticosterone levels in rodents, as well as elevate behavioral depression in mice (Ginsberg et al., 2010 and Steiner et al., 2007). These findings suggest that, in addition to clinical treatment of depression, CB1 receptor modulating drugs in the HPA axis may also have a clinical use in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Few studies have investigated intracranial routes of administration, however those that do suggest that AM251 may not be effective alone in initiating HPA hyperactivity, but instead prevent HPA suppression elicited by CB1 agonist administration. These findings develop a level of uncertainty regarding the mechanism by which CB1 mediated suppression of the HPA axis works (Evanson et al., 2010).The aim of the current experiment was to investigate the role of cannabinoid receptor signaling in the regulation of the HPA axis through the use of the CB1 antagonist AM251 to selectively block the function of retrograde CB1 signaling in the hypothalamic PVN. This molecule possesses an inverse agonist relationship with the CB1 receptor making it an ideal antagonist for experimentation (Steiner et al., 2007). Intracranial injections of varying concentrations of AM251 were administered unilaterally to the hypothalamic PVN in sprague-dawley rats, and compared to a control group through plasma corticosterone testing and elevated plus-maze testing. It has been demonstrated that CB1 signaling is significantly involved in the fast feedback response to HPA activation via glucocorticoid signaling (Evanson et al., 2010). This signaling pathway results in suppression and excitation of the HPA axis with regard to CB1 agonists and antagonists, respectively (Ginsberg et al., 2010). Therefore, the hypothesis was that administration of the antagonist AM251 would increase plasma corticosterone levels with a dose-response relationship, such that administration of a lower concentration of AM251 would increase time spent in open arms of an elevated plus maze and decrease other observable anxious behaviors compared to the control. Likewise, administration of a higher concentration of AM251 would increase time spent in enclosed arms of an elevated plus maze and increase other observable anxious behaviors compared to control. Other anxious behaviors to be noted included dips, entries (4 limbs), intermediate entries (2 limbs), and peeks. Results suggest no significant effect of drug concentration on plasma corticosterone levels, although marginal trends were observed. Results additionally suggest no significant effect of drug concentration on anxious behavior, although high levels of behavioral anxiety were observed from all groups. This study presents several novelties. No study has investigated a dose-response relationship of intracranial AM251 administration to the hypothalamic PVN. Additionally, no study has examined intracranial AM251 administration to the PVN with regard to a behavioral test for anxiety. This study was the first examine both and how a possible dose-response relationship correlates with anxious behavior.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Josh Searle-White
How do facets of personality as measured by the NEO PI-R correlate with level of distraction on a reading comprehension test taken while listening to popular music?
Past research has shown that one’s level of extraversion may affect their performance on a test of cognitive abilities taken while in the presence of an auditory distractor. The goal of the current experiment is to investigate if, why, and to what extent, different elements of one’s personality are correlated with level of distraction reported after completing a reading comprehension task in the presence of music. Adopting and modifying the methods of previous experiments, the current research study required participants to complete a reading comprehension task while listening to four popular music selections taken from the Billboard Top 100. Participants then completed a post-test questionnaire that asked them to report their level of distraction, and the NEO PI-R to measure their personality across five personality dimensions and 30 personality facets. Results showed that five facets of personality were significantly correlated with self-reported level of distraction; these facets are: Anxiety, Vulnerability, Assertiveness, Feelings, and Modesty. Limitations of this study are discussed and suggestions are made for conducting future research.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Elizabeth Ozorak
The Awareness of Homelessness and Willingness to Help in Allegheny College Students
Homelessness is an issue in every city across the country, whether the homeless population is visible on the streets to the public or hidden in their cars. The beliefs and attitudes of the public towards homelessness have been looked at countless times but less research has been done to look at how to get the public to participate in helping the homeless. Empathy towards a stigmatized group has been shown to lead to altruistic behaviors towards that group. The hypotheses were that once participants were given the facts on homelessness to encourage empathy, they will act altruistically and be more willing to help the homeless in the community through donations, as well as that lower perceived personal responsibility would lead to a higher willingness to help. The results did not find a significant correlation to willingness and perceived responsibility, nor did donations increase from the survey.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
Perceptions of Sleep Quality While Co-Sleeping.
Abstract unavailable.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Jeff Hollerman
The Role of the Amygdala in Conditioned Fear Response in an Animal Model of Autism
The amygdala theory of autism proposes that many symptoms of the disorder stem from hyperactivity in the amygdala which causes excessive and pervasive fear and anxiety. Other theories of autism use a systems analysis and attribute symptoms to disrupted or abnormal connectivity. This study examined whether presumed hyperactivity of the amygdala in the VPA model of autism was the primary cause of abnormal fear conditioning, and hypothesizing that abnormal connectivity may be a necessary factor in the abnormal conditioning. Using electrolytic lesions of the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA), VPA and control rats were compared to non-lesioned VPA and control rats in tests of fear memories and generalization. When no differences were found at first between the non-lesioned VPA and controls, a long term fear memory tests was added to see if fear extinction would surface in the controls, and it did. Half of the lesions were found in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA) which did not produce the intended block of fear conditioning, and so they were removed from the analysis. Those left were found to be no different between the VPA and control groups, but showed significantly less fear response than both of the non-lesioned groups. It seems that abnormal acoustic fear conditioning in the VPA model is due primarily to the LA, just as in the lesioned control group. Also in this study, differences in conditioned fear response between the VPA model and controls were apparent only after a period of time beyond four days (the long term fear memory test).
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Brian Saltsman
The Relationship Between Physical Health and Body Image
It has been estimated that more than 60% of American women are dissatisfied with their body. Previous research suggests that body image satisfaction might be effected by diet and exercise habits. This study sought to determine whether maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly influenced body image satisfaction, regardless of appearance. It was hypothesized that women who do eat healthy and exercise, whether at a healthy weight or overweight, would demonstrate a higher body image satisfaction than those at a similar weight who do not eat healthy or exercise. This hypothesis was supported by research, although additional hypotheses were not.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
Entering the World of Comics: The Effects of Comic Type and Publishing Format on Reader Transportation, Perceived Realism, and Enjoyment
Comics have formed an extremely lucrative industry that is based on entertainment. Transportation into a narrative (Green, 2000) is considered to be a phenomenon that can impact narrative audience’s feelings and beliefs, and is heavily tied to enjoyment. Other factors that potentially influence transportation and enjoyment are perceived external realism (the narrative’s adherence to real world logic) and narrative realism (its internal story logic). This study examined the impact of comic type (Western comic vs. Japanese manga) and publishing format (original vs. mirror-image) on the scores of transportation, perceived external realism, narrative realism, attribute enjoyment, and overall enjoyment. The results did not significantly prove the hypotheses. Comic type did have a significant main effect. Specifically, participants in the Western comic condition had significantly higher external realism scores than those in the Japanese manga condition. Some levels of transportation and enjoyment were achieved, although they did not differ across conditions. The participants in the study were not experienced with reading the types of comics tested. Further research should investigate the role of experience, as familiarity is shown to significantly increase transportation (Green, 2004), as well as consider the use of eye tracking equipment to better observe how participants read comics.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Josh Searle-White
The Effect of a Priming Statement on Readers’ Analyses of Philip Larkin’s “Aubade”
Research has shown that a priming statement can substantially influence an individual’s interpretation of a reading. Based on literature pertaining to reader response theory and investigations of semantic priming, knowledge of a poet’s religion should influence how a reader interprets a poem. An excerpt of Philip Larkin’s “Aubade” was used in this study to gather evidence to determine if a priming statement actually affects readers’ understanding of the poet’s religion. The question was asked: does prior knowledge of the author’s religion affect an individual’s opinion on how the poem should be read? The independent variable is the statement that the participant received above their poem on a questionnaire, either that he was agnostic, a devout Christian, or there was no religious indication. The dependent variable is whether or not the participant rated the poet as being more religious based on this statement and their subsequent interpretation of the poem. It was found that participants who were led to believe that the author was a devout Christian were more likely to rate the poem as more religious than participants who were in the control group or participants who thought the poet was agnostic.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
The Personal Involvement of College Athletes with Sports Based Advertisements
There is a high volume of research on the implications of advertisements and cognitive processing. Much of this research is based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model and Social Comparison Theory. The ELM argues that people process information with either high or low levels of involvement based on the two routes of persuasion defined as central or peripheral (Petty, Cacioppo, & Schumann, 1983). The Social Comparison Theory elaborates on the fact that we use similar others to make self evaluations (Franzoi & Klaiber, 2007). The primary focus of this study was to see the differences in processing and response between collegiate athletes looking at pictures of other athletes, either professional or nonprofessional. Participants (N=49) took a questionnaire assessing their involvement and response to different types of sports advertisements. The hypothesis claimed that athletes/participants looking at advertisements with nonprofessional athletes would have higher levels on involvement. The results of the 2×2 between subjects ANOVA did not support the hypothesis with any significant correlations between gender and the types of advertisements shown with levels of involvement. The results add to the research of the variables that affect cognitive responses to advertisements.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Calion Lockridge
Does Background Music Played in Supermarkets Actually Affect How We Buy Things?
The following article describes the relationship of background music on people and ultimately tries to determine if that music can have an effect on how much people spend. Participants (33) were from Allegheny College, a small Liberal Arts college in North West Pennsylvania. Participants in the study were asked to complete a simple simulated shopping task while being exposed to one of three variables; slow music, fast music, and a control of no music. Data was recorded from the amount of “money” spent by participants and the amount of time that they took to complete the task. The hypothesis for the study was that participants would spend more and take longer when being exposed to the slow music variable.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Brian Saltsman
Early Childhood Memories of Play Behavior and Sociability in Young Adult College Students
There is very little, if any, research on the significance of early childhood memories of play. Do these early memories influence how people interact with others at later points in life? The hypothesis states that if young adult college students remember partaking in associative and cooperative forms of play as a young child (approximately ages 3 to 5), then they are more sociable than their peers who do not have these same recollections. More specifically, how do they interact with, for example, friends or social media devices, and what are their daily social lives like? Research shows that there is a connection between early childhood memories of play and development. More specifically, autobiographical memories start to form at a very young age and will be carried on throughout an entire life. Studies have been done, for example, to examine what makes play memories last or stand out over others (Sandberg, 2001). Others have been conducted to see what tactics are necessary to create lasting and vivid memories (Goleman, 1993), but none truly examine if there is an impact between early childhood memories of play and young adult sociability. Research and thus literature are lacking and these holes must be filled. This observational study examines young adult college students through play itself and through memories of play and current aspects of sociability. Through two rounds of play, the first intended to reflect that of early childhood memories, and the second intended to reflect that of the present and a series of questions, behaviors and memories are analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively in order to construct a bridge between these gaps in research. Forty-six undergraduate students voluntarily participated in the study and were placed in groups of four to ten to be observed and analyzed. Testing sessions lasted for approximately forty minutes and started with a play session followed by the first half of a questionnaire. Then a second play session occurred, followed by the second half of a questionnaire. Data was analyzed in terms of frequencies, averages, correlation coefficients, and chi-square analyses. Results indicated that there was relatively no correlation between play behavior exhibited in round one and play behavior exhibited in round two. There was no real difference between those who exhibited and did not exhibit associative and cooperative play in round one and the average number of roommates reported. There were also no real differences or significance found in the amount of socializing that occurred via social media applications, talking on the phone or texting, or in the amount of socializing done per week. The number of siblings did not strongly impact current aspects of sociability, either. However, significant relationships were found between the degrees to which participants remembered partaking in associative and cooperative forms of play and specific aspects of sociability such as having a positive outlook on life, being accepting of others, and working well with others.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Josh Searle-White
The influence of pogonotrophy on male college students’ perceived masculinity
This study examined the influence of pogonotrophy, the biological term for the growth of facial hair, on male college students’ perceived masculinity. Twenty male college students were chosen as participants, each of whom has a different history and biological makeup in growing out their facial hair. Participants were asked to withhold shaving for six weeks and take weekly assessments that reflect their previous week’s experience with their facial hair. Two masculinity scales evaluated participants’ attitudes, Conformity to Masculine Norms inventory-46 (CMN) (Parent & Moradi) and Perceived Masculinity Questionnaire 47 (PMQ) (Chesebro & Fuse). In the CMN, results indicated that participants felt higher attitudes of conformity to masculine norms, as well as aggressive and confrontational behaviors. The results from the PMQ suggest that there was a significant decrease in scores that show how strongly participants aligned themselves with the “prototypical” male, while there was an increase in the effect of external appraisals on the participants’ masculine attitudes.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
Effects of Isolation on Sprague-Dawley Rats’ Behavioral Responses during Extinction
This study investigates the impact that housing condition has on the rate of return by rats to an extinction schedule of a previously reinforcement schedule. Social isolation causes a decrease in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that has been shown to have correlation with the rate of response to stimuli. An extinction schedule was implemented after rates plateaued during a schedule of fixed-interval reinforcement and responses and theories were analyzed.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
The Effects of Mood and Object Placement on Change Blindness
Both top-down factors and bottom-up factors have been found to influence gaze and attention in a given environment. A 2X3 mixed design was used with the independent variables, object placement (foreground, background) as the within subjects and mood (positive, neutral, negative) as the between subjects variable. Forty-two participant’s mood states were manipulated into either positive, neutral, or negative before the change detection tasks. Results were examined in terms of reaction time to detect the change and accuracy of detecting the change. Results indicated that foreground objects were faster to be detected than background objects. These results support previous literature concerning figure-ground placement.
Major: Neuroscience/Other
Comp Advisor: Jeff Hollerman
Methylphenidate as a Potential Treatment for the Restricted Repetitive Behaviors Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders using the VPA Animal Model of Autism
Valproic acid (VPA) is a chemical compound that has been used clinically as an anticonvulsant and as a mood-stabilizing drug. It has been used primarily to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder. Exposure to VPA during pregnancy has been shown to cause major anomalies including autism spectrum disorders. Methylphenidate (MPH), most commonly known as Ritalin, is a psychostimulant that has been used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some studies suggest that MPH could also help treat certain behaviors that are associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). This study used the VPA animal model of autism in conjunction with the administration of MPH in order to examine the effects of the drug on restricted repetitive behaviors (RRBs) associated with the disorder. By using the Y-maze and the locomotor activity test as behavioral measures to test the effects of the drug on both VPA exposed rats (n=7) and non-exposed rats (n=6), it was determined that although there may have been an effect of MPH on RRBs, the results were not significant.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
Effects of Febrile Seizures on the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB)
Prolonged febrile seizures are induced by elevated body temperature and are the most common seizure type among the pediatric population. Epidemiological data reveals that in the United States and Western Europe, between 2% and 5% of children will suffer from a heat induced seizure episode during development. The majority of febrile seizures were thought to be benign events but recent studies have suggested negative long term consequences based on the severity of the febrile seizure. According to some studies simple febrile seizures (≤ 15 minutes), do not lead to negative long term consequences, yet seizures lasting (≥ 30 minutes) have been associated with negative long term consequences. There is an undisputable correlation between BBB disruption and seizures. Seizures and epilepsy are commonly observed in conjunction with stroke, traumatic brain injury and central nervous system infections, all conditions are known to result in compromised BBB function. The present investigation was designed in order to determine the effects of a prolonged febrile seizure on the blood brain barrier (BBB) integrity. It was hypothesized that a febrile seizure lasting (≥ 30 minutes) would damage the BBB. The BBB was stained with Evans-blue which helped to identify any leaks in the brain. Results indicate that a febrile seizure lasting 60 minutes will compromise the BBB.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
The Effects of Housing Condition, Gender, and Naloxone Treatment on Heat Induced Tail Withdrawal Latencies in VPA Rats: The Animal Model of Autism
Autism is a severe neurological disorder often characterized by many social and behavioral deficits. Among numerous abnormalities both clinically and biologically, studies have reported that autistic patients often express hyperactivity, lower exploration, acoustic inhibition, and a lowered or even abolished sensitivity to pain (Militerni, Bravaccio, Falco, Puglisi-Allegra, Pascucci, & Fico, 2000; Gillberg, 1995). The abnormal pain sensitivity has been related to opioid theories of autism, which have suggested that those with the disorder develop an overactive endogenous opioid system (Cazzulo et al., 1999). Since social isolation has been suggested to affect regulation of the endogenous opioids system, this study investigates the effects of social isolation in both adult male and female rats prenatally exposed to 376 mg/kg valproic acid (VPA) on the 12.5 day of gestation. Offspring from the VPA treated females were weaned on postnatal day (PND) 26, at which time they were subjected to their social or isolated caging. Experiments were conducted on both male and female offspring, each housed according to one of two environmental conditions: group, in which rats were caged with 2-3 additional rats of same sex and condition, and isolation. Rats prenatally exposed to VPA were caged as follows: males-2 in group, 3 in isolation, females – 3 in group, 2 in isolation. Rats underwent a series of noxious heat evoked tail withdrawal latency (twl) tests, in which tail withdrawal latencies were measured as a means of determining nociceptive thresholds in group housed versus isolated rats and males versus females. Therefore, a single twl test was administered under housing condition one, to ensure that each rat was tested under all conditions, the conditions were reversed and a second twl test was administered. A single tail withdrawal latency was calculated again from each animal a week after; the scores were collected as pre naloxone data. Following pre naloxone twl testing rats were injected with a dose of naloxone (5mg/kg), and twl scores were collected again. Pre and post naloxone data was collected proceeding reversal of housing conditions and separate from housing condition twl scores. While housing and gender were both non-significant, twl scores decreased significantly in naloxone conditions for both housing F (1,8) = 9.77, p < .05 and gender F(1,8) = 9.35, p < .05. Tail withdrawal scores were shorter from pre naloxone in the male group (M = 1.65, SEM = 0.39) and female group (M = 1.53, SEM = 0.42) to post naloxone (M = 1.27, SEM = 0.47; M = 1.33, SEM = 0.27). Furthermore, tail withdrawal scores were shorter from pre naloxone in the group-housed rats (M = 1.34, SD = 0.39) and the socially isolated rats (M = 1.84, SD = 0.14) to post naloxone (M = 1.16, SD = 0.27; M = 1.44, SD = 0.42). The results generated by these experiments are limited to observations of the VPA rat model of autism. Comparisons between VPA and age, gender, housing conditions-matched controls would extend the theoretical importance of the VPA rat model of autism. Additional pharmacological agents could be assessed using the methods of the present experiments which could then be adapted for human research and pharmacotherapies for various aspects of ASD.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Josh Searle-White
The effect of mentally repeating “om” during meditation on mood, relaxation, and sense of a mystical experience.
Meditation is an alternative therapeutic practice that is increasing in popularity. Since the origin of the practice of meditation comes from religious traditions, there are many prescriptions for the proper practice of meditation that have not been tested scientifically. One such prescription is the use of Sanskrit mantras, particularly the syllable “om”, which is said to enhance the relaxing and mystical effects of a meditation practice. Three meditation practices were compared: repeating the syllable “om”, repeating the word “one”, and being told to relax and not repeat a word. Undergraduate students at Allegheny College, a private liberal arts school in Pennsylvania, were given recorded instructions for each practice and performed it for 15 minutes. Dependent variables assessing the effects of meditation were affect, cognitive effects of relaxation, and mystical experience. Materials used were two subscales from the Experience of Meditation Questionnaire and the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist- Revised. No significant differences were found between the groups. However, men had higher cognitive effects of relaxation than women, t (1,13)=2.755, p<.01, d=1.28. The findings support the propositions of Smith’s ABC Relaxation Theory, which suggests that mantra meditation is a singular relaxation technique, and that individual-level variables like gender, attitudes toward relaxation and personality characteristics interact with the type of relaxation exercise practiced.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
The Effects of Smoking on Sleep Quality and Efficiency
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of smoking on sleep as evidenced by PSQI and Actigraphic measures among college students who self-identified as non-smokers, smokers, and social smokers. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI] questionnaires were completed at the beginning of the testing period. Participants (N=46) completed three days and two nights of Actigraphic data collection. While wearing the Actigraph, participants were instructed to record bed times and morning wake times, Actigraphy removal and replacement, daytime naps, and number of cigarettes smoked per day, if any. Results showed that non-smokers experienced the least amount of sleep disturbances as evidenced by multiple PSQI subscale scores compared to smokers and social smokers. Although additional significant differences were not found between smoking status groups, trends emerged demonstrating that non-smokers experience better sleep quality compared to smokers and social smokers.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
Examining testing protocol for positive symptoms of schizophrenia using the methylazoxymethanol acetate model of schizophrenia
Testing positive symptoms of schizophrenia can be challenging when examining the animal models. One of the most publicly recognized symptoms of schizophrenia are hallucinations and delusions. Using Methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM), pregnant dams were injected on gestational day 17. Offspring began testing after postnatal day 40. All rats were given 4 days of lever training followed by a consumption test. After the consumption test rats were divided into representation taste aversion and conditioned taste aversion. Each group of rats received 3 days of taste aversion according to the two different protocols. Following the final day all rats were subjected to final consumption test. The MAM model did not form taste aversion to either protocol while the Control group only formed taste aversion under the conditioned taste aversion protocol. While results were not consistent that what was expected from previous research, MAM rats did show signs of latent inhibition in terms of taste aversion.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Josh Searle-White
Effects of Therapy Dogs on College Students’ Anxiety Levels: Implications for use of “Courthouse Dogs”
The use of therapy dogs in a courthouse setting to help victims testify is a relatively new subject. The present study looked at the relationship between a therapy dog and student’s anxiety levels. The study used a random sample 42 of Allegheny College students that were randomly assigned into either the test group or control group. The control group had no dog present whereas the test group had a certified therapy dog present. The student’s blood pressure was taken pre and post-test. The experiment consisted of the student completing a stressful task and, after the second blood pressure reading was taken, the participants completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1983). It was predicted that there would be a significant reduction of blood pressure (pre to post-test) in the test group. Additionally, it was predicted that the overall State anxiety scores would be lower in the test condition versus the control condition. The test group had significantly lower State anxiety scores than the control group. There were no significant changes between the control and test group for blood pressure before or after. The significance of the interaction between therapy dogs present during a stressful task and State anxiety scores is discussed and the potential implications for therapy dog use in courtrooms and other settings are presented.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
The Effects of Creative Drama, Improvisation, and Devising Techniques on the Self-Esteem of Fourth and Fifth Grade at Risk Youth
The present study examines the effects of participation in a four-week after-school arts program on the self-esteem of at-risk youth. The after-school program involved fourteen fourth and fifth grade students who experienced creative drama, improvisation, and devising techniques. Students’ self-esteem scores were collected at the start and conclusion of the program using the school version of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. It was hypothesized that by participating in four weeks of creative drama the students would show an increase in recorded self-esteem. Results showed overall participants’ self-esteem scores were slightly elevated, but not at levels indicating statistical significance, possibly due to small sample size and practical study design constraints. The additional overall observational data and students reports were positive and enthusiastic.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
The Effects of Caffeine on Anxiety in an Elevated Plus Maze
Caffeine is a widely consumed drug (Ksir, Hart, & Ray, 2006) and the effects on behavior, specifically on anxiety, are not fully understood. A number of different studies have reported different results; some have shown anxiogenic properties, while others have shown caffeine to have little effect on anxiety. In the present experiment rats were injected with varying doses of caffeine, diazepam an anxiolytic drug, or saline. The rats were tested in an elevated plus maze to measure their anxiety levels either under treatment of the caffeine, diazepam or saline. After testing for anxiety in the elevated plus maze, movement was then recorded in a standard locomotor chamber. Statistically significant (α .05) differences were found between injection type and number of head dips recorded in the elevated plus maze (F(3,15)=3.29), and significant differences were also found between injection type and the amount of movement in the locomotor chambers. The 20mg/kg caffeine group had the greatest total movement in the locomotor chamber, and also the greatest number of head dips in the elevated plus maze, suggesting the anxiogenic properties of caffeine.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
Effects of Prenatal Valproic Acid Exposure on Passive Avoidance in Sprague-Dawley Rats
While the valproic acid (VPA) model is considered a valid animal model of autism, there is a lack of substantial literature on the effects of VPA-induced autistic symptoms on avoidance behaviors. The current study sought to investigate this relationship by comparing the performance of control subjects to subjects prenatally exposed to VPA in passive avoidance of aversive shocks in an effort to garner relevant data on behavioral qualities of autistic spectrum disorders. Statistical data for each group of subjects consists of step-down latency averages (measured in seconds) from experimental trials. It was found that VPA subjects (M= 69.26; SD= 63.95) had significantly decreased step-down latencies compared to control subjects (M= 156.87; SD= 61.19), t(10)= 2.40, p < .05. This result suggests that modeling autistic symptoms through prenatal exposure to valproic acid negatively affects the ability to passively avoid aversive stimuli and situations. Looking forward, it is hoped that focused research into specific behavioral effects of prenatal VPA exposure, namely avoidance behaviors, will provide a more thorough understanding of the nuances of autism spectrum disorders.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Juvia Heuchert
Music Sophistication and Emotional Reactivity
Does level of musical sophistication affect how strongly people experience emotions to a piece of music? The GEMS-45 Scale was developed to assess responses to music by using forty-five descriptors categorized into nine groups developed from various studies conducted by Zentner (2008). The Goldsmith Musical Sophistication Index (2012) is a psychometric tool that assesses a multi-faceted profile of an individual’s musical experiences. It is hypothesized that higher music sophistication scores (measured by Goldsmiths) allow participants with higher scores to transfer their attention to the expressive content in songs. It is predicted that this transfer will generate a greater emotional response on the GEMS-45 by individuals who score higher on Goldsmith’s Music Sophistication Index. Means of high and low sophistication groups were found to be statistically significantly different from each other. Furthermore, a moderately strong positive correlation was found between high scorers and the emotional state of “wonder”, while a moderately strong negative correlation was found between low scorers and the emotional state of “tension”.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
The Effects of Identity Salience and Tentative Language on Men’s Directed Gaze
This study wanted to address the context specific consequences of linguistic style and its ability to affect directed gaze. Specifically, this study examined the effects of tentative language and identity salience on perceptions of status and thus, whether a tentative language prime and identity salience could direct gaze towards men of high and low status in a static social scene. The dependent variables tested included number of fixations, time until first fixation, fixation duration, and proportion of fixation duration. No significant interactions were found, however the main effect of identity salience approached significance for fixation duration. While the differences were not significant, participants tended to gaze more at the low status than the high status target in both identity salience conditions. However, these differences were much larger in the college student identity salience condition as compared to the gender salience condition. These results indicate that context-dependent consequences of linguistic style should consider contexts independent of gender, such as education level.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
The Association between Motor Laterality and Hair Whorl Direction in Equines
This study examined the association between motor laterality, hair whorl direction, sex and age in a previously unstudied breed of horse, the Morgan (N= 35). Motor laterality was assessed via a survey evaluating stiffness in the horse. Morgan horses had a greater percentage of well-balanced individuals than was expected. Hair whorl orientation, the directional flow of hair from the whorl’s central locus, was determined by five independent observers. The distribution of hair whorl direction was relatively similar to findings in other breeds. This study found a significant correlation between motor laterality and hair whorl direction (r = .453, p < .05), and between motor laterality and age (r = .640, p < .01), but only in male Morgan horses. There was also a significant correlation between motor laterality and sex in horses with counterclockwise whorls (r = .423, p < .05). These results are evidence for a relationship between motor laterality, hair whorl direction, sex and age in the Morgan horse. Further research on sex differences in the relationship between laterality and hair whorl direction could give valuable insight into the development and organization of the equine brain.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Jeff Cross
Optimizing Methods to Investigate the Regulation of BK Channel Trafficking by the β4 Subunit
BK channels are voltage- and Ca2+-gated K+ channels involved in many facets of nervous system function, including seizures (Brenner et al., 2005; Du et al., 2005), and their activity is upregulated by seizure induction (Shruti et al., 2008). Associated β subunits (β1-4) regulate channel activation and intracellular trafficking (Toro et al., 2006; Zarei et al., 2007; Torres et al., 2007). The brain-specific β4 subunit reduces membrane surface expression of the channel (Shruti et al., 2012), but regulatory processes have yet to be characterized. The Xenopus laevis oocyte is a common model for studying ion channels electrophysiologically. BK channels tagged with GFP or a fluorogen activating peptide (FAP) were expressed in Xenopus oocytes to improve methods of study with the goals of further developing the Xenopus oocyte as a model for studying channel trafficking in live cells, and of understanding the regulation of BK channel trafficking by β4. First, a new protocol for using two-electrode voltage clamp (TEVC) to confirm channel expression was developed. Then, channel-expressing oocytes were viewed with fluorescence microscopy to track expression of the tagged protein. It was determined that visualizing the vegetal pole of the oocytes is the best means of tracking fluorescent tags on the membrane surface.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Calion Lockridge
The Influence of Mood on Politeness Strategies
The present study investigated the influence of mood on politeness strategies. There are two forms of politeness strategies, positive politeness strategies are extensions of intimacy and are social accelerators that clearly indicate the speaker wants to become closer with the person they are addressing and Negative politeness strategies which are consisting of rituals of avoidance that respect the listener’s autonomy and do not clearly indicate the speaker wants to develop or manage a relationship with the person they are addressing (Brown and Levinson 1978). In addition, there is the option of bald on record, which is when the individual shows no use of politeness strategy towards another individual (Brown and Levinson 1978). Although, bald on record is used when two individuals feel comfortable enough with each other, that they do not feel that they have to use a politeness strategy. A sample of 40 undergraduate students completed the following. They were asked to take the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule survey (PANAS), in order to determine their original mood. In order to manipulate their mood, they were randomly assigned to watch a video clip, either from the movie The Lion King, when Simba and Nala are dancing and singing to the song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” to elicit a positive mood or from the movie Sophie’s Choice, when the mother is forced to choose between one of her children to be sent away on a train to a concentration camp to elicit a negative mood. After, they watched the video clip they were asked to take the PANAS survey again to check if their mood had changed. The results indicated that the mood manipulation was successful. Finally, they were randomly assigned a politeness strategies questionnaire, either a positive politeness strategies questionnaire or a negative politeness strategies questionnaire. Each questionnaire also gave the option of bald on record. I hypothesized that, individuals in a positive mood would be more likely to choose positive politeness strategies and individuals in a negative mood would be more likely to choose negative politeness strategies. However, through a 2X2 Between Subjects Design ANOVA I found that there was no overall interaction between mood and politeness strategies. Nevertheless, while there was no overall interaction, there was a main effect of mood condition on positive politeness strategy 2. Moreover, whether individuals were in a positive mood or negative mood, they indicated that they would “most likely” use positive politeness strategy 2. In addition, those same individuals who were in a negative mood indicated they were “less likely” to use negative politeness strategy 2.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
The effects media literacy programs have on body image and social body comparison
The primary focus of this study was to assess whether a media literacy program had a positive influence on body image and social body comparison. As a society we are constantly surrounded and bombarded with messages from the media, and often believe the media portrays a representation of reality. The consistent depiction of a thin, female body in the mass media causes women to idealize this façade and begin to compare their bodies to this image, which in turn may be harming to the way one views her own body. However, these images in the media are often skewed, distorted, and are a misrepresentation of reality. Since media is so prevalent in our culture today, educating individuals, especially women, on media’s falsification and distortion of images, and teaching women to be more media literate may help to lead to more positive body images and will thus cause less women to compare their bodies to those in the media. Participants were recruited from introductory psychology courses at a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania. It was predicted that the media literacy program would have a positive effect on a woman’s body image, thus females would be less likely to compare themselves to the images found in the media, and would be more satisfied with their own bodies. Overall, no significant results were found, however, significant results were found between the responses of the pre and posttest of the Body Image Concern Inventory.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Deb Dickey
An Exploration into the Family Beliefs of the Older, Female Residents of a Guatemalan Children’s Home
This study is an exploration into the familial beliefs of the eleven oldest, female residents, ranging from eighteen to twenty two years of age, of a Guatemalan children’s home. The home is unique as it serves as a childcare institution, but resembles an orphanage and boarding school. Although the institution of family is essential to the Guatemalan culture, the participants have been away from their families for many years. Conducted through interviews, this investigation sought to provide information regarding the work of the center, and to gain an insight into how the residents’ themselves understand family. The results indicate that their beliefs are reflective of the Guatemalan culture, and of their personal histories. For the residents, the biological aspect of defining family membership is of primary importance.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
Young Adult Certified Nurse Aid Students’ Perceptions of the Elderly and Stress Levels during Interaction at Work
The population in the United States and around the world is aging rapidly, which will require that many current young adults interact with the elderly in various roles. However, it has been well documented that young adults’ perceptions of the elderly are often misguided and their knowledge is limited or lacking. This has perpetuated false assumptions about the elderly which has led many young adults to not want to work with the elderly. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of educating young adult Certified Nurse Aids (CNAs) about the elderly and immersing them in interactions with the elderly on the young adults’ perceptions of the elderly. The study also examined the stress levels of the CNAs during their interaction with the elderly to understand if the CNAs would feel more comfortable with the elderly over time. Results indicted a significant positive relationship between time spent with the elderly and heart rate. More time spent with the elderly also allowed the young CNAs to view the elderly as healthier and less sickly. No other significant relationships were found. Similar studies in the future should be completed with larger sample sizes, more measures of stress, and additional measures of perception to ensure that the young adults of the United States are prepared to interact with the booming elderly population.
Major: Psychology/Neuroscience
Comp Advisor: Calion Lockridge
The Effects Of Confirming And Disconfirming Feedback On Confidence Ratings In Suspect Identification
Human memory systems can be quite complex. The human memory can become interrupted or interfered with on multiple different levels and in many different situations. One situation in which memory interference can be extremely devastating is in suspect identification, which is one of the most widely used lines of evidence for prosecutors today. Any external influences, such as feedback, occurring while a witness is making this type of decision can distort their memory of how confident they really were in their selection, as well as many variables associated with their memory witnessing the crime. This study looked at the effects of confirming and disconfirming feedback on confidence ratings in suspect identification, as well as compared the effectiveness of simultaneous versus sequential lineup types. Forty participants viewed a clip of a simulated crime and then immediately chose from a picture lineup and took a survey. A 2×2 Between Subjects ANOVA revealed that lineup type had no significance on any variables, but did reveal that a simultaneous lineup could produce more accuracy. However, confirming feedback did significantly affect how the participants recalled their overall experience as well as increased their confidence in their selection. There was an interaction between both lineup type and feedback type for the ease of selection for the participants, showing that those choosing from a sequential lineup and who were given confirming feedback had the easiest time selecting. The primary conclusion of this study was that confirming feedback can have devastating effects on confidence ratings of the eye witness, which can have many implications in the court of law.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
The prevalence of eating disorders in public and private institutions of higher education
The purpose of the research project was to examine differences in perceived stress and eating pathology in private and public institutions of higher education. Students were recruited from one private institution and one public institution and completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) and demographic information including height and weight. Significant results were not found between stress and eating pathology when comparing private and public institutions, however, perceived stress was correlated with greater symptoms of disordered eating. Inconclusive results may be due to the small sample of private and public institutions. 10.7% was at high risk of having a diagnosed eating disorder, therefore it is imperative that research continues be conducted in college samples on eating pathology.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Juvia Heuchert
The Relationship Between Self-Esteem, Social Comparison Orientation, and Facebook Use
The social networking site, Facebook, is used by millions of people all over the world. Its social relevance has caused researchers to question its psychological implications. The purpose of the current study is to research the relationship between participant scores on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale (RSES)(Rosenberg, 1989), the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure(INCOM)(Gibbons & Buunk, 1999), and the Facebook Intensity scale (FBI)(Ellison, Steinfield & Lampe, 2007). Based on previous research the following was hypothesized: there will be a negative correlation between scores on the RSES and scores on the INCOM, the intensity rates of Facebook use will negatively correlate with scores on the RSES, and the intensity of Facebook use will be positively correlated with scores on the INCOM. In order to gain a better understanding of these relationships, research literature was reviewed regarding self-esteem, social comparison, what type of personality is drawn towards Facebook use, and the psychological implications of the intensity of Facebook use. After the data was collected and analyzed, there was no statistically significant correlation to be found between participants’ scores on the RSES, the INCOM, and the FBI scale. The lack of statistical significance was attributed to Facebook’s transformation into a customary form of social interaction which infers that it has been so heavily integrated into people’s lives that there is not one specific personality type that is engaged in it more than another.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Josh Searle-White
Can Acute Stress Form Stronger Attachments in Other Individuals
Everyone falls under stress in their lives, and the individual will engage his coping mechanisms to deal with the source of the discomfort. How the individual deals with the stress is a topic of interest to psychologist. The fight or flight responses in humans has many different outcomes. The prosocial product from a tend-and-befriend (Seppala, 2012 Taylor, 2006 Dawans, Fischerbacher, Kirschbaum, Fehr & Heinrichs, 2012) coping mechanisms displayed in male and female is still a relatively new to the psychological world. Here we tried to show that acute stress had the ability to influence and strengthen attachment in other individuals. I chose a survey that was intended to show a correlation between stress and group attachment. The results showed that people under stress do not want to be around people who are not stressed, and also they worry about their part within their group.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
The Acute Effects of a 2 Day Vinyasa Yoga Practice on Cognitive Performance in College Students
Objective: Yoga has shown potential benefits for maintaining and improving cognition. The objective of this study is to examine the acute effects of yoga on cognitive performance in college students specifically short term memory, reasoning, centration, and planning. Method: Participants (N=25) were randomly assigned to yoga or control group. Yoga group performed 2 day one hour yoga practice while the control did not engage in any physical activity. Pre-test and post-test of 4 cognition tests were assessed on the participants. Results: The only significance found was the interaction of Spatial Sliders F(1,22) = 14.02, p< .05. pre-test and post-test for the yoga group. Conclusions: Findings suggest that acute effects of yoga practice have potential benefits in improving cognition performance.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
The Frequency Of Mands And Disguised Mands In Children Ages 2 To 5
A mand is technically defined as a verbal operant whose form is determined by a prior motivating variable. The tact is another verbal operant whose form that is guided by a certain nonverbal discriminative stimulus or event characteristics, which manifests as naming or labeling. However, a disguised mand is an indirect verbal request, question or demand, frequently sounding like other classes of verbal operants, being described as a “softened” or “impure mand” or “partial tact.” Using classroom observations of 2, 3, and 4-5 year olds, this study assessed differences in verbal behavior based on sex interaction of the speaker’s and listener’s behavior during daily verbal exchange amongst peers. Sex of both the speaker and the listener was recorded along with style of verbal operant (mand, disguised mand, tact, or other). It was hypothesized that females will vary using mands and disguised mands depending on the listener whereas males will more consistently use mands despite who they communicated to. Results indicate the early establishment of mands and an increase of mands and disguised mands at age 4-5. Overall trends indicate a strong increase in mands and disguised mands for the 4-5 year olds. This study successfully demonstrates that disguised mands are found and can be studied, allowing for future research to explore the more explicit aspects of the acquisition of verbal behavior in children.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Juvia Heuchert
The Effects of Viewing Art on Mood
The goal of this study was to investigate how viewing art, in terms of the color presented in images, affects an individual’s mood. Colors are a part of our everyday lives. Colors are separated by wavelengths, and each color associates human emotion. The participants who were involved in this study were 25 male and female Allegheny College undergraduates, ranging in age from 18- 22. Participants were asked to complete a pre and post questionnaire that would assess mood. In between questionnaires, participants were to view a series of 4 images and to answer a few questions pertaining to the participant and to the images. There were two groups of color images oh which participants were unaware of. The hypothesis was that the images using blue and green colors would have more of an effect on mood change.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
Bystander Sexual Assault Prevention: The Relationship Between Athletes and Non-Athletes in Measures of Rape Myth Acceptance and Need for Help
The primary focus of this study is to assess the relationship between athletes and non-athlete and their response to a bystander sexual assault prevention program. Sexual assault prevention is mandatory to have on college campuses and it is important for program’s effectiveness to be evaluated. It is also important to research different demographics that may affect the frequency of sexual violence. Looking at athletes versus non-athletes allows research to work with an at-risk population and to evaluate differences in the responsiveness to a sexual assault prevention program. Participants were first year students at a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania. It was predicted that athletes would have lower rape myth acceptance and a higher need for help than non-athletes. No significant results were found.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Calion Lockridge
The Effect of Cognitive Load and Ad Involvement Type on Recall of Information from Advertisements
The present study examined the ways in which ad involvement type and cognitive load affected recall for details from a commercial advertisement. Participants were given a cognitive load task (or filler task) to complete while a thirty-second commercial played on a screen in the front of the room. Following a six minute time limit or completion of the task they were asked to complete a packet of questions asking about what they felt, saw, and heard during their testing experience. The results indicated there was a significant main effect found for ad involvement type and recall accuracy for all questions on the recall test, as well as significant results regarding ad involvement for participants’ likelihood to answer questions three and four. Significant results were also found with regard for participants’ likelihood to answer question three based on their level of cognitive load. Significant interactions were found with recall for recall accuracy for question one as well as in terms of likelihood to attempt to answer questions one and three. Discussion of the research addresses why these questions over other questions would have higher recall and/or a higher likelihood for participants to attempt to answer the question based on existing theories of cognition.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Calion Lockridge
Sub-genres of Rap Music and the Big Five Personality Traits
The present research examined musical style preferences and personality traits. A pair of short surveys, one testing for music preference, and one examining personality traits were completed by a sample of 44 participants. The goal of this experiment was to establish a correlation between five different sub-genres of Rap music and the Big Five Factors of personality. Because of the lack of concise information regarding particular sub-genres of Rap music, this research aimed to explore a level of specificity not previously examined by earlier studies. Conscious / Alternative Rap displayed no strong correlations for any of the five traits, which did not support the prediction that participants with a preference for this sub-genre would have high levels of Conscientiousness and Intellect / Imagination. Participants who preferred Underground Rap held a strong negative correlation towards Agreeableness, which was supported in the predictions. Gangsta / Hardcore Rap and Mainstream / Pop Rap both showed no strong correlations in either direction, contrary to the predictions that the former would have negative correlations with all five traits, and that Mainstream / Pop Rap would have negative correlations with Intellect / Imagination. Predictions for Old School Rap were all unsupported, as no strong correlation was found with Conscientiousness and strong negative correlations were shown with both Extraversion and Agreeableness.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: WIlliam DeLamarter
Attitudes towards Marriage as a Function of Gender and Sexual Orientation of the Authors of a Message Advocating Marriage
In the last couple of decades, significant changes in the institution of marriage have been observed, including a decrease in marriage rates and an increase in divorce and cohabitation rates. In an effort to examine what might be influencing these changes, this research examines whether changes in traditional gender roles for women as well as the growing support for same-sex marriage have affected attitudes towards marriage. The hypothesis that gender and sexual orientation of the authors of an article advocating marriage would affect attitudes towards marriage was not confirmed. No significant differences were found among experimental conditions. The suggestion is made that marriage still retains its romantic and idealistic value which overcomes gender differences. Furthermore, the rapidly growing support for same-sex marriage nationwide indicates that hearing a message advocating marriage by a gay or lesbian couple no longer results in negative attitudes towards marriage. Finally, methodological limitations regarding the population sample and the unsuccessful manipulation of sexual orientation of the authors are addressed.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Lauren Paulson
Effects of Coaching Behavior on Intrinsic Motivation between Team Sport Athletes and Individual Sport Athletes and Gender
Intrinsic motivation has always been the primary positive driving force for athletes and why they continue to compete in their sport. It is the motivation in which an athlete choses to participate in a sport solely for their own pleasure and enjoyment. The goal of this study is to see if coaching behavior effects intrinsic motivation and if there is a difference between types of sport and gender. Division III athletes attending Allegheny College were recruited to participate in this study and were asked to complete two questionnaires, the Sports Motivation Scale and the Leadership Scale for Sports. There was also a demographic question asking the participant which sport they participated in. Basketball, Baseball, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball are categorized as team sports while Track and Field, Tennis, Cross Country, Swimming and Diving, and Golf are categorized as Individual Sports. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed to see how gender was affected by intrinsic motivation (Model 1) and also how coaching behavior effects intrinsic motivation and if that differs between different sports and gender (Model 2). Model 1 did show significant results suggesting that females are more intrinsically motivated than males, but Model 2 did not yield significant results suggesting that coaching behavior does not have a significant effect on intrinsic motivation and there is no difference between sport type and gender. Model 1 is consistent with other experiments, but Model 2 is different from other results suggesting more research to be done on this topic to further analyze the effects of coaching behavior on intrinsic motivation in athletes.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Juvia Heuchert
The Effects of Exposure to Media Images on Attitudes Toward Individuals with Schizophrenia
This study examined the effects that prime time television programming had on the perceptions or attitudes of schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was twofold. In one sense this study sought to add information regarding the power of the mass media and its effects on the opinions of the general public. Looking at whether a prime time television show could have a positive or negative effect on attitudes toward schizophrenia could help to further the understanding of how powerful the mass media has become in relation to the information that individuals internalize. The second goal of this research was to see whether or not accurate and factual information about schizophrenia could have as strong an effect as mass media seems to have. After the analysis both hypotheses were confirmed. It was shown in the group that watched a prime-time television show that depicted schizophrenia in a poor manner that they held significantly more negative attitudes toward schizophrenia after watching the show than before. Also, it was shown that the group watching the documentary that accurately portrays schizophrenia held significantly more positive attitudes toward schizophrenia after watching than before they watched.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Rodney Clark
Classically-Conditioning Immunity in Sprague-Dawley Rats
Behavioral Psychology indicates that physiological responses to drug treatments can successfully be Classically Conditioned. The ability to classically-condition a response of the immune system (activation or suppression) could be a powerful tool in, for example, avoiding long-term averse effects of the drug treatment while improving general immune function. In the proposed study, a novel stimulus (saccharin water) will be paired with either saline (control), or naloxone hydrochloride (immune activation), and subjects will then either receive daily exposure to the conditioned stimulus (Conditioning) or repeated naloxone injections (Sustained Drug Treatment). Classical conditioning of the immune response is assessed by measurement of the level of TNF-α present in the rat blood serum following saccharine water presentation at the end of the study.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Josh Searle-White
The Effect of Positive and Negative Television Portrayals of Black People on the Racial Attitudes of People in the UK and US
Television has the ability to influence what we believe and think about the world (Condry, 1989). Stereotypes in the media are important because they are a significant contributor to the continuation of racial myths by consistently and repeatedly offering connections between language and context that are consistent with these myths (Gorham, 1999). When it comes to the history of Black people the UK and US have a very different past. In this project, I showed participants brief positive and negative stereotypes of Black characters on television and used an Implicit Association Test (Shepherd, 2011) to see if the reactions of participants in the US and the UK differed. No significant connections were made between the two countries and cultural generalizations could not be made.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Calion Lockridge
Toilet Talk: An Argument for the use of Bathroom Graffiti to Examine Dynamics of Anonymous Public Discourse
The purpose of this study was to examine the use of bathroom graffiti as a tool to investigate anonymous public discourse. This was done by researching four key topics of bathroom graffiti: similarities and differences between bathroom graffiti and other graffiti; anonymity and accommodation elements in bathroom graffiti; an overview of prior literature; and ethical considerations in researching bathroom graffiti. These subjects serve to move bathroom graffiti research out of pure literature review into a contemporary topic of research, providing a new view on an old type of research. Suggestions for future research based on topics covered are offered.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Calion Lockridge
The Effects of Physical Exercise on Working Memory
This study looked at the relationship between working memory and physical exercise, and if there were differences between cardiovascular exercise, resistance training, or stretching for memory improvement. It also looked at differences in baseline memory scores for athletes versus non-athletes. The primary purpose of this study was to add to previous research by looking at different ways exercise can help improve working memory. A random sample of students was taken from Allegheny College and the participants were divided into two groups: athletes and non-athletes. “Athlete” was defined simply as if the participant played a sport for Allegheny College. They were further divided into cardiovascular, resistance training, stretching, and control groups. A complex repeated measures ANOVA test was conducted, and it was found that there were no significant differences in memory improvement between specific types of exercise, nor where there any significant differences between athletes and non-athletes for baseline memory scores or memory improvement.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Elizabeth Ozorak
The Effectiveness of Mental Training Techniques on Physical Ability and Personal and Impersonal views of Perception in Athletes
The purpose of the study was to investigate whether mental training techniques are effective at improving physical ability and personal and impersonal perceptions of self. Having a strong, unshakable mental game has been shown to be crucial for the success of athletes of all kinds. In order to attain a strong mental game athletes have used techniques such as self talk and mindfulness. Self talk is a cognitive awareness of the situation present, and mindfulness is an awareness of yourself and your emotions. The team was divided into 3 groups, the control group, the self talk group and the mindfulness group. Each players’ stats were taken from batting average, hits, fielding percentage, and errors and calculated for the mean over the course of the first half of the season (the control), and the second half of the season (the experiment). The players were given surveys twice a week to measure the player’s perception of self through offensive, defensive, mentality and confidence. The coaches were given surveys to measure their perception of the individual player’s offensive, defensive, mental, and confidence aspect of players’ game and the scores from both coaches were combined. The mean was calculated from all of the surveys collected over a 1 month period. The study did not draw any significant conclusions but the slight increase showed the players that used mental training techniques was encouraging. It was also encouraging to see that those on the mental training methods saw an increase in their personal perception of self but not in their impersonal perception of self.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Aimee Knupsky
A Comparison Of Self-Generated Versus Expert-Generated Testing Effects And Knowledge Maps
This study examined how self-generated versus researcher-generated material affected both the testing effect and knowledge maps. The primary purpose behind this study was to add to the current body of research on pedagogic studies using ecologically valid stimuli. A random sample of students taking psychology courses from a small highly selective liberal arts school, completed a two session study participating in either the study only, researcher-generated testing effect, student-generated testing effect, researcher-generated knowledge map, or student-generated knowledge map. It was found that students who used researcher-generated knowledge maps had the highest recall one week after the initial learning session. It was also found that students in the researcher-generated knowledge map condition had the highest rating of comfort than the other conditions. The primary conclusion of this study was that students benefited from researcher-generated knowledge maps because of the structure that it provides for a student when learning a new material.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Josh Searle-White
Mania Or Not Clinically Significant? Investigation Into The Diagnostic Appropriateness Of Bipolar Disorder In Children
Bipolar disorder is a well-established disorder within the psychiatric community, featuring extreme mood episodes of mania and depression, with a significant prevalence rate in the general population. However, its diagnosis in pre-adolescent children is controversial, due to similarity of symptoms between manic episodes and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as other disorders, some of which are commonly diagnosed in childhood. Clinicians who do diagnose bipolar disorder in children use the same criteria as are used with adults, albeit perhaps with different phenotypic criteria with the core symptomatology remaining intact, and instruments used to measure mood symptoms in children are consistent across published studies. As many DSM-IV-TR diagnoses contain criteria addendums that the clinician should consider when evaluating children, so should the manic episodes that form a critical portion of bipolar disorder.
Major: Psychology
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
The Influence of Concussion on Depression and Sleep in College Students
The detrimental impact of concussion on depression and sleep is a recent topic of concern. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of concussion history, frequency of concussion, and recency of concussion on measures of depression and sleep. Participants (N=32) included those with concussion history (N=19) and without concussion history (N=13). All participants completed a Demographic and Self-Report Concussion History Questionnaire, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Questionnaire (PSQI). Participants wore wrist-actigraphs that collected sleep data for 3 consecutive days and 2 consecutive nights, and they also completed a daily sleep log journal that was used in conjunction with the actigraph. Individuals with multiple concussions had higher PSQI Sleep Latency scores than individuals with history of one concussion. The multiple concussion individuals also reported significantly higher PSQI Sleep Latency scores than those with no concussion history. Significant differences in the PSQI Sleep Efficiency scores were also found between the one concussion group and the multiple concussion group, and also between the non-concussion group and the multiple concussion group. Total Time in Bed and Total Sleep Time, as measured by actigraphy, also significantly differed between groups.
Major: Other
Comp Advisor: Jeff Hollerman
Methylphenidate (Ritalin®) and its behavioral and neuroanatomical effects on the non-ADHD brain
As far back as 1937, amphetamines have been used to help children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) improve focus and concentration and control impulsive behavior. Although methylphenidate (MPH, e.g. Ritalin) is not an amphetamine, both are similar in their pharmacodynamics and clinical effects (Arnold, 2000), and both are popular among college students across the nation because they are perceived to boost academic performance by enhancing attention and alertness. Since MPH is more commonly prescribed for ADHD than amphetamine, the present study explored the potential behavioral and neuroanatomical effects of intermittent exposure to moderate to high doses of MPH in a non-ADHD population. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were equally distributed into three experimental groups: Group 1 (control group) was subjected to 5 mg/kg of saline solution; Group 2 was subjected to 5 mg/kg of MPH; and Group 3 was subjected to 5 mg/kg and then 10 mg/kg of MPH while following a specific, three-week drug administration regimen applicable to patterns of abuse by college students, who acquire the drug to help them complete large assignments or study during finals. Results showed that MPH did not improve or worsen learning and learning retention as assessed in a shuttle box active avoidance task, did not increase or decrease anxiety as observed in the elevated-plus maze, and did not increase or decrease the size of and neuronal density within the hippocampus. Although the results were not congruent with the present study’s hypotheses, some interpretations of these findings, along with the support of previous studies, suggest that college students may potentially be at risk of impairing cognitive ability and experiencing anxiety in the long-term as a result of illicitly using ADHD medication to enhance academic aptitude.
Major: Neuroscience/Other
Comp Advisor: Sarah Conklin
Have a Left Frontal Day: Coffee, Depression, and Electroencephalography
On electroencephalography (EEG), relatively more activity is observed in the right frontal hemisphere, as compared to the left, in cases of depression. One risk factor in the development of depression is coffee consumption, which may be protective against depression. This study examined coffee consumption with self-reports of depression and resting EEG asymmetry. The study also sought to assess asymmetry under random assignment of experimental coffee consumption (caffeinated versus decaffeinated). Demographic information, health behaviors, and mood inventory scores were assessed by questionnaires in an undergraduate populate (n=102; 76% female). A secondary sample was selected from this pool for EEG procedures (n=32; 72% female), which included pre and post coffee measures of resting frontal asymmetry using a double blind placebo controlled method. Consumption of coffee was not found to influence asymmetry. Consistent with the literature, CESD-R scores were positively correlated with right frontal activity at baseline, but more left frontal activity following consumption of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. The opposite effect was found with lower CESD-R scores. Results support research findings that depression is correlated with asymmetry. However, the protective effects of coffee against depression may only emerge following long term habitual consumption.