Tag: PSY

Travis Brown, Samuel Eymann & Allyssa Mittleider

Correlation Between Stress and Illness

Stress and illness are two social factors that affect everyone’s daily life. In our study we looked at how these two correlate with one another by constructing a questionnaire with specific questions relating to stress and illness. It is expected that the questionnaire will reveal information that each participant, who has been sick within a the month prior to taking the questionnaire, will have written about or marked events as “stressful” that they have experienced with the month prior as well. The answer will correspond with each other in such a way that it exemplifies the illness leading to stress.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Khala Carpenter

The Personality’s Eye on Emotion: How Personality Affects Emotion Recognition

This study is designed to explore the relationship between personality and one’s ability to recognize emotions based of facial expressions. Participants take a personality test and are then asked to judge people’s emotions. Then they are asked how they made their judgments: based on their thoughts, feelings, or emotions. 

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Karlie Griffith-Solinger

Does Analytical Thinking Promote Disbelief in Science?

Current research in the cognitive science of religion has implied that analytical thinking promotes disbelief in God. In a study conducted by Gervais and Norenzayan (2012), participants were primed to think analytically through a sentence construction task, and then they were asked to rate their belief in God. Drawing from Justin Barrett’s suggestions for future research, the present study primed participants to think analytically using the same sentence construction task, but then asked participants to rate their beliefs in science. It was predicted that those in the analytical condition would express a greater disbelief in science than the control condition. 

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

A201

9:30 – 10 AM

Danielle Nance

Sleep Patterns Among College Students

College students do not get enough sleep due to hectic schedules. This presentation will explore empirical findings of sleep patterns among college students as well as the consequences of lack of sleep and benefits of proper amounts of sleep. The relationship between sleep, GPA, health, and energy levels will be addressed. The importance of and the effects of sleep will be discussed to increase awareness for college students. Suggestions will be offered for good sleep hygiene and a healthy lifestyle for the college aged student.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

A201

10 – 10:30 AM

Charlene Able, Karlie Griffith-Solinger & Charolene Somatis

The Effects of Communication Style on Writing Complexity and Length

This study is an investigation of the difference in description complexity while describing a photograph using handwriting and typing techniques. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one will use handwriting and the other will use a computer to type the description of a photograph during a defined time allowance. It is hypothesized that the participants that type a description will have more complex written communications.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Laynee Bevans, Rose Carrigan, Danielle Nance & Britney Yip

The Effects of Exercise on Stress

NCU athletes will be participating in a study to investigate the effects of exercise on stress. The researches hypothesize that exercise reduces stress. In addition, the researchers are interested in determining whether or not there is a gender difference in stress levels. Johansson, Hassmen, & Jouper (2008) did a study on the effects of Qigong exercise and found that participating in Qigong exercise helps reduce stress.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Teresa Harvey

Emotion Regulation: A Mental Health Investigation

This presentation is an exploration of recent literature on the subject of Emotional Regulation (ER). This study will focus on cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression, and relational categories such as brooding and rumination. It will explain how emotion regulating skills are developed, what the biological effects are, and most specifically, the relationship between ER and depression vulnerability. It will also examine current cognitive methods utilizing ER skills to reduce the risks of depression as well as generate sound ideas for further research in this area.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P114

9 – 9:30 AM

Kaye January-Pocza

Learned Helplessness: A Literature Review of its Symptoms and Effects on Various Stages of Life

This literature review is an exploration of learned helplessness, the feelings that one does not have the ability to affect life circumstances because of a perceived lack of sense of control. This paper will discuss symptoms, behaviors, and treatment of learned helplessness.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P114

9:30 – 10 AM

Kenneth Latham

A Multicultural Approach to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD affects 12% of the U.S. civilian population and approximately 14-15% of military personnel returning from combat operations. Current mainstream theories of counseling and psychotherapy do not adequately address the cultural diversity or our civilian and military population. The purpose of this paper is to examine the need for a multicultural approach to cognitive behavioral theory for the treatment of PTSD to properly diagnose and treat our culturally diverse civilian and military populations.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Steve Caloudas

A201

10 – 11 AM

Crystal Rutherford & Jacob Smyth

Compassion or Sympathy: Do we Have a Negative Bias Against Middle Aged Homeless Male Adults

This study looks to explore if the general public view homeless people with either sympathy or compassion as defined as feeling sorry for a human being under unfortunate circumstances but doing nothing to change it, whereas compassion is feeling sorry for a human being under unfortunate circumstances and doing something to change it. We plan to use pictures of homeless males of varying ages to determine which of these emotions, if any, can be seen in a sample group.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Charolene Somatis

Resilience in Youth: How At-risk Children Bounce Back

One of the most intriguing and optimistic psychology concepts is that of resiliency, the ability to “bounce back” in the face of adversity. In the past, psychologists have been confounded by how, in a population of at-risk youth, some of them go on to succeed in life in spite of their rough childhood while most of their counterparts struggle. This presentation will describe the theory of resilience in detail, the current body of literature that exists on the subject, and how it specifically applies to at-risk children and adolescents.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P114

8:30 – 9 AM

Samantha Zysett

Framing the Worship Setting: Lyrical Content Explored

Many pastors and worship leaders propose that any song, whether originally proposed for Christ or not, when put into the context of a    worship setting can be used to glorify God. The present study will explore whether or not framing has any effect in the presentation of secular, non-God centered, or ambiguous lyrical content when this same said lyrical content is presented in the context of a worship setting.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Alana Bratcher

The Effects of Sexual Assault Awareness Program on College Students’ Rape Myth Acceptances

Sexual assault is an issue that is not easily discussed but that affects many. It is believed 1 in 6 women in the United States have been victims of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault. Many beliefs about sexual assault are incorrect. These false beliefs are called rape myths. These rape myths contain false beliefs regarding rape, rape victims and rapists. These myths help to create a culture that allows, justifies, and perpetuates rape. This study looks at the effects of a sexual assault awareness program on college students rape myth acceptance scales.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

L203B

9 – 9:30 AM

Lindsey Hall

Dissociative Identity Disorder: What is it?

“If you smash anything hard enough enough times, it will smash into pieces. I guess that’s what happened to me…” Many people feel they have a grasp on what Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is while some have never heard of it. I invite you on a journey of delving deeper into the mystery, reason and conflict behind Dissociative Identity Disorder. At the end, we will come out clearer than when we first started and find our own personal answer to its credibility as a disorder.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

L203B

9:30 – 10 AM

Ruth Ralph

Helping Children Overcome the Effects of Trauma from Witnessing Domestic Violence: What Current Research Recommends and Further Implications

According to research, one in four families in the US will have firsthand experience of domestic violence in their home. DV appears to be a cycle that perpetuates itself from one generation to the next. Children who witness DV are at high risk for long-term developmental, social, and psychological dysfunctions. Focusing on treating the children with empirically supported intervention programs may help alleviate the effects. This research paper examines children’s intervention programs, and discussion of how these interventions can be implemented in the community will follow.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

L203B

10 – 10:30 AM

Veronica Ross

Likeness within a Christian Environment

This study investigates the correlation between groups and religious ideas. It is hypothesized that people who tend to have strong religious views associate with groups that believe the same thing and vice versa. Participants in this student will complete a survey asking questions regarding their religious beliefs and their preferences in groups. 

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

L203B

10:30 – 11 AM

Chelsie Elkins, Ken Latham, Melanie Lowery & David Vermilyea

The Effect of Initial Bias on the Suitability of Adoptive Parents

Research has shown that people demonstrate prejudice in selecting job applicants when presented with photographic images of people from different racial groups with resumes. The relationship between prejudice and photographic images of couples of different racial background and sexual orientation was examined. Participants were given packets containing an adoption application and a photograph of a couple who were Caucasian, bi-racial, Middle Eastern, or gay. The participants rated the suitability of the couple as adoptive parents. It is expected that the Caucasian couple will receive higher ratings of suitability than the other couples.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Quentin Guidry, Lindsey Hall, Joel Leinbach & Brittany McKinley

The Effects of Varied Types of Exposure on Subconscious Memory

Many studies have shown that information can be retained on a subconscious level. The relationship between different types of presentation of to-be-remembered objects and subconscious memory was studied. Undergraduate students from Northwest Christian University were asked to participate and were assigned to a “hands-on” group or “list” group. Participants in the hands-on group were asked to arrange nine physical objects in any manner. Participants in the list group viewed the word names of these same objects on a PowerPoint slide. After three minutes, all participants were asked to recall as many items as they could. It is expected that participants in the hands-on group will recall more items than those in the list group.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Kristi Munyan

Understanding Sex-Offender’s Cognitive and Hunting Patterns

Sex-offenders come in many guises. They can blend in with society and become an integral part of someone’s life. Different kinds of sex-offenders have different methods and criteria they use when hunting for victims, but commonalities exist. Cognitions and justifications can mirror their grasp on reality and the way they view their victims. There are misconceptions about who a perpetrator is. Added to that is the complexity of how victim-offender relationships affect violence used in the assault. After the assault, the survivor has the choice of reporting the assault. Treatment for convicted offenders depends on the individual.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

9 – 9:30 AM

L203A

Lori Renner

The Effects of Learning Style on Memory

Claims have been made that different modes of learning in students can be improved by matching one’s teaching with the preferred learning style of the student. The two modes that are used to describe learning styles are auditory and visual learning. Some teachers believe they should take a student’s different learning style into account and match the mode of instruction to the individual’s learning style. However, there is little empirical support to conclude that this type of teaching should be implemented in classrooms. The current study tests if participants recall more items through auditory-only, visual-only, or auditory-visual presentation of material. It is hypothesized that participants who receive the auditory-visual condition will perform better than participants receiving either the auditory or visual condition independently.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

L203A

9:30 – 10 AM

Beverly Hoberg

The Role of Music on Mood and Recovered Memories

This study investigated whether there was a correlation between music, mood, and memory. It was hypothesized that when thinking of a familiar tune from the childhood of the participant, that participant would recall a vivid and positive memory that they would not otherwise have remembered. While the results of this experiment did not support the hypothesis, the data did show that there is a relationship between thinking of a song from childhood and recall of a mood-congruent memory. Results are discussed as they relate to the possibilities of using music to recover and enhance forgotten childhood memories in adults during therapy sessions in clinical settings.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

L203B

1 – 1:30 PM

Mindi Wagner

Supporting Adult Learners in Higher Education

This capstone project is a literary review of adult learners in higher education. The thesis of this essay is although there have been a variety of recent works on the theory of adult learners and their unique needs in the classroom and required administrative services, much of the thoughts and premises are often too theoretical and therefore often do not address the particular skill sets necessary to meet the current needs of adult learners. The essay and presentation will explore the unique needs of the adult learner while summarizing findings and conclusions.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

L203B

2 – 2:30 PM

Alana Bratcher, Emily Gray, Beverly Hoberg & Lori Renner

The Effects of Gender on False Memory

Roediger and McDermot (1995) found that individuals who learned lists of words related in meaning to GIRL and MAN, but did not contain those words, falsely recalled GIRL and MAN. Bauste and Ferraro (2004) found no significant effect of gender on false memory using the DRM lists for GIRL and MAN. The present study used a modified MAN list to reflect more stereotypical gender words as compared to the GIRL list. It was expected that there would be an effect of participant gender on false memory using the modified list.

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Elizabeth Hadley

Non-Pharmaceutical Therapies and Outcomes in Pediatric Depression

Early onset depression has an increased risk of co-morbid disorders and increased risk of depressive episodes in adulthood. After the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) announcement regarding the safety of some SSRI’s in the treatment of child and adolescent patients in relation to a heightened risk of suicide, non-pharmacological treatments and therapies began to be researched as an alternative treatment route. There therapies and treatments include: problem solving therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, play therapy, interpersonal therapy, family therapy, and vitamin and nutrient alternatives. The outcomes and practices of these therapies are important to those interested in non-pharmacological treatment options.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Amy Pruitt

L203A

10 – 10:30 AM

Sarah Barberis

Utilizing Harm Reduction & Recover-Oriented Care Philosophies in the Treatment of Individuals with Dual Diagnosis

Treatment programs that integrate basic needs and harm reduction principles allow for individuals with dual diagnosis to be more successful than in traditional programs.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Beth Aydelott

Banquet Room

9 AM – 11 AM

Jessica Carlson

A Meta-analysis of Negative Social Effects of Self-perception of Dyslexia and other Learning Disabilities and Early Identification

Children suffer from many different types of learning disabilities with dyslexia being a main one. Learning disabilities affect children, not only in school, but also in the rest of their lives, though not every child will have a lower self-perception than an average child with no learning disability.  Three questions will be answered throughout this paper in hopes that in the future there will be a way to prevent, reverse, or lessen negative social effects.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

George Letchworth

L203B

9:30 – 10 AM

Alana McNeery

Primary Preventors of Stress Related Illness in College Students

Stress occurs when there are demands on an individual that exceeds his or her coping capabilities.  Stress is a very common occurrence and not a stranger to many.  The purpose of this paper is to a) acknowledge stress, b) find the sources of stress, and c) figure out ways of preventing the stress that cause the issues.  By narrowing the source of stress within college students it would give the college students tools to use when they become stressed.  By providing ways for college students to deal with their stress, such as meditation classes, helpful seminars, and other ways or outlets, it will cause a chain reaction of peace of mind, better habits, healthier lifestyles, and wellness.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

George Letchworth

L203B

10 – 10:30 AM

Meghan Tweit

Review & Meth-analysis of the Effects of Thought Suppression on Depressive Rumination

Thought suppression has been used as one of the primary modes of treatment for depression as a means to decreasing the rumination of depressive thinking.  In this review of the literature, recent studies are compared through meta-analysis to gain more insight on thought suppression by looking at different variables that may contribute to  depressive rumination.  Effect sizes show a relation under certain  situations, but more research is needed to effectively show where thought suppression is useful and in which cases it could be harmful.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

George Letchworth

Banquet Room

9 AM – 11 AM