Tag: Skaggs N

Elena Kazakevicius

Transforming FYS: an Analysis of Other Institutions FYS Courses  

As institutions are becoming increasingly aware of the individual concerns of incoming students, higher education intends to find a way to make the transition smoother Danitz, Suvak, Orsillo (2016). Through this, First-Year Seminar courses have been implemented within different institutions in varying ways. Analyzing the research on three institutions’ First-Year Seminar courses, one might draw on the benefits of these programs for integration in such existing courses. For example, it has been suggested by Danitz, Suvak, Orsillo (2016), that in order to create the smoothest transition possible, one must first focus on how to interact with one another appropriately and in a helpful way. In response to the literature on First-Year success courses, recommendations for future First-Year Seminar courses at Northwest Christian University will be addressed.   

FYS 101, First Year Seminar 

Falyn Edwards & Nani Skaggs 

L203, poster #1 

10 AM – Noon 

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Stephanie Steinhardt

Definitions of Calling: A Comparative Study of Qualitative Responses
The word “calling” is often used to describe the feeling or urge towards a profession or career; however, “calling” can also be broadly defined as an approach to life, especially for Christians. The present study was a content analysis on qualitative responses of 103 Northwest Christian University traditional and adult degree undergraduate students to open-ended questions on definitions of calling related to work and life. Several themes emerged from the responses. For definitions of calling as it relates to career, the themes identified were guiding factor (e.g., God’s plan), personal fit, and altruism. External forces, internal forces, and the greater good emerged as themes when considering one’s approach to career as a calling. Ninety-eight percent of the participants responded that calling applied to other areas of life; their explanations revealed that calling relates to everything, meaningful relationships, meaningful activities, and lifestyle. The findings of the present study support previous qualitative research that college students apply calling to their work and areas outside of paid work. A sense of calling has been linked with greater job and life satisfaction, so it is an important concept to study. Future research should investigate gender differences and the implications of calling to well-being.
PSY 499, Capstone
Nani Skaggs
SPS 101
11:30 AM – Noon
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Stephanie Steinhardt

Calling Outside of Work: A Comparative Study of Qualitative Responses

Calling often refers to the feeling or urge towards paid work or career; however, calling may also be an approach to one’s life roles. The present study was a content analysis on responses of 103 Northwest Christian University undergraduate students from a pre-existing data set (Skaggs & Lewis, 2016) to the open-ended question, “Does the word ‘‘calling” apply to areas of your life other than work? Please explain.” Several themes emerged from the responses. Of the 98% of participants who said that calling applied to areas of life other than work, the themes included all aspects of life, relationships, service, faith, and meaningful activities such as hobbies and education. Traditional (n = 68) and adult degree (n = 35) undergraduate students reported equally high frequencies in relationship with others, service to others, and faith. However, adult degree students reported higher in calling as it related to all aspects of life and much lower in the hobbies label. There were more differences between males (n = 29) and females (n= 74), as males reported generally lower frequencies in all labels except hobbies. The findings of the present study support previous research that people apply calling to areas outside of paid work. Future research should investigate gender differences and the implications of callings to areas outside of paid work on life or job satisfaction.

PSY 490, Research Practicum

Nani Skaggs

L203, Poster 8

10 AM – Noon

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Janieve Boyles

Changing Attitudes Towards LGBTQ in Christianity

In recent history, acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) individuals has increased in some cultures. Furthermore, some states in the U.S. and countries recognize same-sex marriage. While times are changing, there has been an undeniable divide between Evangelical Christians and the LGBTQ community. This gap has been created due to the firm belief based on scripture that homosexuality is wrong and sinful. Many Evangelical Protestants hold traditional, conservative views and beliefs. These traditional, conservative attitudes towards LGBTQ are harmful and destructive, but are changing due to biological explanations of same sex attraction, personal experience with LGBTQ people, and alternative Biblical interpretations. Contributing factors to an opposition of same-sex rights and prejudice toward LGBTQ in Christianity are right wing authoritarianism, a strong belief that the nature of homosexuality is a choice, and friendships with like-minded thinkers in religious contexts. Traditional, conservative attitudes towards LGBTQ are often filled with disgust, judgement, and lack of acceptance that are hurtful and painful for the LGBTQ community. There are many negative consequences of prejudiced attitudes, discrimination, and victimization of LGBTQ people including increases in substance abuse, homelessness, and suicide. Many Evangelical Christian attitudes are changing due to biological explanations, exposure to LGBTQ people, and acceptance by younger generations. These changes are leading to positive outcomes for LGBTQ people. Christian spaces are becoming more welcoming and appealing to LGBTQ individuals as the environments become safer and accepting. Prejudice, discrimination, and victimization have negative impacts on LGBTQ people, so ways to support the LGBTQ community need to be implemented.

PSY 499, Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P103

1:30 – 2 PM

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Canaan Threlfall

Parental Incarceration and its Effects on Children

Children whose parent is incarcerated struggle emotionally, behaviorally, and educationally.  Emotionally, children experience attachment issues, depression, and high levels of stress due to parental absence.  Behaviorally, children with incarcerated parents have a higher likelihood of being delinquents, and they struggle with behaviors such as aggression and conduct disorder.  Educationally, these children experience many difficulties in school. The difficulties include, trouble completing homework and the struggle to pay attention in class. These difficulties result in a lack of motivation that can lead to poor academic success and school dropout.  Research shows that providing emotional support can help children with incarcerated parents succeed emotionally, behaviorally, and educationally, thus leading to positive outcomes.

PSY 499, Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P103

1 – 1:30 PM

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Chelsea Stone

Substance Abuse and Intimate Relationships

Substance abuse disorder is a mental health issue, which has a significant impact on an individual and their intimate partner. If one or both intimate partners abuse substances, relationship quality and functioning are negatively affected. Further, studies reveal that couples in which one or both intimate partners are abusing drugs or alcohol are at a higher risk for intimate partner violence than couples who do not abuse drugs or alcohol. Effective treatment options for the individual with a substance abuse disorder need to equip the individual with effective tools and resources to increase relationship quality and functioning with their intimate partner.

PSY 499, Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P114

1 – 1:30 PM

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Janieve Boyles

Perceptions of Homeless Youth

Social psychology has shown that people are often quick to judge others simply on prejudices based on group membership. Appearance affects people’s first impressions of and attitudes towards others. The goal of present study was to investigate how people’s perception of a homeless youth varied based on information provided about the individual. Perceptions based on snap judgments to a photograph of a homeless teenager were compared with impressions of the homeless teenager when the photograph was accompanied with her background story. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group or control group. The experimental group read an autobiographical story about a homeless youth and were shown a photograph. The control group was only shown the photograph. Both groups answered questions about attitudes towards and willingness to help the homeless youth. It is expected that those who read her story will feel more empathy and be more willing to help her than those who only see a photograph. It is important to determine whether knowing the background story of someone affects impressions.

PSY 350 Research Methods

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room, Poster #1

1:00 – 3:00 PM

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Ruben Carmona & Emily Sutherland

The Affects of Gender on Following Directions

An individual’s ability to keep on task when doing a task is important for performance and learning. Many times  minds wander to something else while completing  a task.  In the present study  it was hypothesized that female participants would follow the instructions  as compared to male participants.. Each participant was given a worksheet with 10 questions.  They were instructed to read all of the questions before completing the worksheet. The last item on the worksheet instructed the students to complete questions number one, three, and seven. The number of questions each person answered was counted. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in males and females and the number of questions that were answered.

PSY 350 Research Methods

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room, Poster #11

10:00 AM – Noon

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Trevyn DuBois

The Effects of Dog Owner’s Personality on Dog Behavior

The bond between dogs and people is well documented. Many different factors can affect this important relationship, which could include a variety of different aspects of dog behavior as well as human behavior. In the current study, the link between owner personality traits, specifically extraversion and neuroticism, and dog behavior was measured. Twenty-three dog-owner dyads were recruited from a local area pet store. Participants completed a Big Five personality traits scale that measured extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Participants were asked to get their dogs to sit using only commands (no food or physical manipulation were allowed). The number of commands given and the latency to sit were recorded. There was no relationship between owner’s extraversion and number of commands needed for the dog to sit, but there was a statistically significant negative correlation between dog’s latency to sit and owner’s neuroticism. Those dogs that took less time to sit had owners who scored higher on the neuroticism trait. Particular owner personality traits do appear to play a role in dog behavior.

PSY 499 Capstone

Nani Skaggs

PFB 103

1:00 – 1:30 PM

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Sarah Hooker, Geoffrey Sloan, Chelsea Stone

Prune Juice or Plum Juice? A Study on the Effects of Word Framing

Researchers suggest that people, when faced with varying choices, are more likely to select more appealing choices over those that seem less desirable. The way in which a selection is presented, or framed, has an influence on the decision maker. The purpose of the present study was to explore the impact of word framing on decision making when choosing between identical juices labeled either “prune” or “plum.” It was hypothesized that the majority of participants would favor the juice labeled “plum” as the word “prune” may seem less appealing. Traditional undergraduate students at Northwest Christian University were asked to taste both juices and select the juice that they preferred. The results of this study allow for a greater understanding of the impact that framing has on the decision making process.

PSY 350 Research Methods

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room, Poster #12

10:00 AM – Noon

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Alegra Aviña, Janieve Boyles, Trevyn DuBois, Kelsey Hansen, Kaitlyn Moore, Karen Reynolds, Emily Sanders, Chelsea Stone & Chelsea Taylor

What’s going on in there?

The brain is a marvelous structure containing billions of cells making trillions of connections so that we may think, act, and feel. One might ask, “What’s going on in there?” And the response is, “A lot!” Students from a biological psychology course will present current empirical evidence about the brain on topics such as dreaming, attraction, touch insensitivity, smell, dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and marijuana use.

PSY 390, Biological Psychology

Nani Skaggs

PFB 103

10:00 – 11:00 AM

Kristin Fulbright

A Serious Indiscernible Athletic Injury: Sports Related Concussions

Sports related concussions are a serious issue for athletes. Between 1.6 and 3.8 million athletes in the United States suffer a sports related concussion every year. Measuring concussions can be tricky because a concussion is not something that is seen with the naked eye; fortunately, however, there are various tests that can diagnose concussions. Concussions result in a variety of symptoms, both short term and long term, and can impact an athlete’s life permanently if not treated properly. The first and most important step post-concussion is recovery, which begins with rest and plenty of sleep, allowing the brain to relax and recover. Research on sports related concussions has increased significantly within the last few decades; however, there is still a lot of research that needs to be done to understand concussions, its treatments, and return to play.

PSY 499, Capstone

Nani Skaggs

PFB 103

Noon – 12:30 PM

Candis Hatfield

Exercise Effects on Stress

Stress has been known to have many negative effects on one’s health. When faced with stress, many people turn to behaviors that can actually be more detrimental, rather than beneficial to their mental and physical wellbeing. There are positive ways to manage stress. One behavior that has been shown to have a positive impact on stress is exercise. Research has shown that even small amounts of exercise can have a positive effect on mental and physical health. The positive impact that exercise has, promotes better coping mechanisms, and healthier behaviors. 

PSY 499, Capstone

Nani Skaggs

PFB 103

12:30 – 1:00 PM

Jessica Hirte

Behavior Modification

Behavioral modification is the process of changing a behavior based on principles of operant conditioning. A target behavior can be changed through reinforcement or punishment. Behavior modification can be used to decrease behaviors, such as running in the road, or increase behaviors, like holding someone’s hand. The current project attempted to modify the dangerous behavior of running in the road using a schedule of reinforcement called differential reinforcement for an incompatible behavior. The child was reinforced for holding hands, which is incompatible with running in the road. This new behavior was formed by reinforcing closer approximations of the wanted behavior until the desired behavior was performed. 

PSY 330, Psychology of Learning

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1:00 – 3:00 PM

Kaitlyn Moore

Perceived Stress in Athletes, Exercisers, and Non-Exercisers

Stress, a state of mental or emotional strain or tension, affects the well-being of individuals, especially college students. Exercise, which has a positive impact on physical health, has been shown to also help relieve stress. While exercise can be used to relieve stress, exercise may be a source of stress in student-athletes. Student-athletes experience stress even though they participate in physical activity daily. In the present study, it was hypothesized that recreational athletes, as well as exercisers, would report less stress than competitive athletes and non-exercisers. For this study, traditional undergraduate students at Northwest Christian University were recruited. To measure stress levels, students filled out a combination of a Perceived Stress Survey and College Student-Athletes’ Life Stress Scale. Results will be discussed.

PSY 499, Capstone

Nani Skaggs

PFB 103

11:30 AM – Noon

Emily Svendsen-McLean

Prevelance of Eating Disorders

Feeding and Eating disorders (FED) are aptly defined as chronic diseases. The two most studied and well known forms of eating disorders are Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa (Kontic et al., 2012). High mortality and morbidity rates, as well as the spread of the disorders into new areas that previously had not dealt with the condition, make for increased research efforts (Kontic et al., 2012). The characteristics of eating disorders include intentionally restricting food to an extreme degree, overeating, self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise habits, and misusing laxatives and diuretics in an effort to maintain or reduce body weight (Kontic et al., 2012). Two key factors that may increase the propensity for developing feeding and eating disorders are gender and involvement with athletics. The purpose of this paper is to define FED, determine the correlation of gender and FED, and to what extent athletics play in the development of FED. 

This capstone will concentrate on the different types of feeding and eating disorders. Seeking to find if and what makes an individual more “prone” to suffering from these disorders such as sex, athletics, personality type. It will also try to explain what these particular individuals seek when experiencing these types of disorders. 

PSY 499, Capstone

Nani Skaggs

PFB 103

11:00 – 11:30 AM

Shaneesa Applegate, Kristin Fulbright & Hayley Leno

The Effects of Physical Activity on Learning

Exercise may be beneficial in the learning process by helping students focus on the task at hand. The following study was conducted to determine if physical activity before a math test would help improve scores. Students from an introductory psychology class at Northwest Christian University were recruited. The participants were split into two groups. One group was asked to walk for ten minutes, and the other was asked to rest quietly in the room for ten minutes. After this, they were given a ten question high school level math test. The hypothesis was those that went for a walk would perform at a higher level in answering math problems than those who did not walk.

PSY 350 Research Methods

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Chasity Castañeda-Estrada, Jessica Hirte & Karen Reynolds

The Effects of Priming Analytical Thinking on Performance on a Cognitive Task

Priming, a technique used to influence how one thinks, has been shown to affect an individual’s performance on cognitive tasks that depend on either analytical or intuitive thinking. Using pictures of famous statues the Thinker and the Discus Thrower, the aim of the present study was to prime participants to think either intuitively or analytically. Undergraduate students from an introductory psychology class from Northwest Christian University were asked to participate. The hypothesis was that priming participants to think analytically would increase scores on a cognitive reflection task that required analytical, as opposed to intuitive, thinking.

PSY 350 Research Methods

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Haley Cochell, Trevyn DuBois, & Darcy Snyder

Bias Towards Dogs on Euthanasia Decisions

The goal of this study was to measure potential bias towards a certain dog breed, particularly Pit Bulls. In the current study participants were asked to read a description of a dogfight. They were shown one of three pictures of a dog (a Dachshund, Labrador Retriever, or a Pit Bull). Participants were asked to rate how likely they would be to support the euthanasia of the dog that began the fight. It was hypothesized that a higher percentage of people would have a prejudice against a Pit Bull as opposed to the Dachshund or Labrador Retriever.

PSY 350 Research Methods

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Mishayla Bertelsen

Learning Abilities and Memory in Typical and Atypical Children

Learning abilities have a major impact on memory, which combined, play a dominate role in a child’s development. Different learning abilities can affect memory in typically developing students as well as those with learning disabilities like dyslexia and autism. Dyslexic children have a phonological impairment which affects reading and comprehension, therefore making retaining information challenging. On the other hand, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder have basic memory processes, but show impairment of organizational and complex processes. Research on the interaction of learning abilities and memory are important for understanding typical and atypical development.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P103

10:30 – 11 AM

Allie Kelsey

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment.

Substance abuse has steadily increased among adolescents in recent years. Current research has focused on treatment methods and important factors for effective treatment of adolescents. Family-based treatment methods such as Multidimensional Family Therapy and evidence based family interventions are beneficial because of the focus on family. In addition, treatment methods focusing on adolescent strengths, motivational interviewing, and self-teaching workbooks can provide some advantages. The need for adolescents to be committed, disciplined, and focused to treatment is crucial. Research shows that families, friends, and schools play a significant role by offering support and empathy for youth.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P103

10 – 10:30 AM

Patricia Martinez

The Influence of High Neuroticism and Low Self-Esteem on Disordered Eating Behaviors

Research suggests that there are many different psychological traits that may influence disordered eating behaviors which include anger suppression, negative affectivity, obsessive compulsive disorder, high neuroticism, and low self-esteem. Research shows that there is a strong positive correlation between disordered eating behavior and high levels of neuroticism or low self-esteem. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are each influenced by a combination of high neuroticism and low self-esteem. These risk factors in combination with social influences may lead certain individuals to gravitate toward a disordered eating lifestyle. 

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P103

9 – 9:30 AM

Rebekah Rossberg

The Correlation between Attachment Style and Approach to Conflict

People have many ways of approaching conflict and of attaching to one another. This study investigates four attachment styles and five conflict styles. Attachment styles are based on the levels of anxiety and avoidance one typically has in a relationship. Conflict styles are based on the level of concern one has for the good of self and others when solving interpersonal conflicts. It is predicted that those who are avoidant in attachments will be avoiding in conflicts and those who are secure in attachments will be integrating in conflicts.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P103

9:30 – 10 AM

Denise Barrett, Patricia Martinez & Jacob Wathen

Does Gender Influence Bystander’s Willingness to Help?

The more people who witness someone needing help, the less likely they are to offer assistance. This is known as the bystander effect which is due to the diffusion of responsibility. Passersby assume someone else will offer assistance. In the United States, females are often viewed as more helpless than males and receive more assistance. Based on this assumption an observational study was done to see if a female would receive more assistance than a male who posed as a homeless panhandler for one hour.

PSY 350, Research Methods

Nani Skaggs

Sabrina Biggers

Autism: Detection and Cognitive Differences

Autism is a developmental disability characterized by social and cognitive impairments. Symptoms of Autism include but are not limited to challenges in communication, difficulty in focusing on stimuli, and repetitive behavior. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is measured on a scale from highly functioning to low functioning. Current research in the diagnosis and screening of Autism has found that tools used to measure Autism are effective. Further, research has found cognitive variation between individuals with ASD and non-ASD individuals. Research on Autism provides insight on the best practices needed for early detection and success of individuals with ASD.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

Kristin Fulbright, Kaitlyn Moore & Emily Svendsen-McLean

Perceived Stress of Student-Athletes and Non-Athletes

Stress is experienced by everyone, especially college students. Research suggests that student-athletes may experience stress uniquely than their non-athlete peers. Student-athletes have the additional stress of competing, preventing injuries, disappointment, pressure from coaches and time management. The present study compared stress in student-athletes to non-athletes. It was expected that student-athletes would experience more stress than non-athlete students and that student-athletes would have additional stress because of their sport.

PSY 350, Research Methods

Nani Skaggs

Wendie Green

Fear and Memory in the Context of Trauma

Our brains and bodies are designed to remember the things that happen to us, yet some traumatic memories are buried in our subconscious and beg to be released. Combat trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are significantly linked through unique combinations of fear conditioning and memory encoding. Forgetting the trauma, intrusive thoughts, and rumination often disrupt the lives of those diagnosed with PTSD. The common denominator in these phenomena appears to be the initial fear experienced during the moment of trauma. Understanding this link between fear and memory can give insight into helping PTSD patients experience more complete recovery from trauma.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

Linsey Johnson

Comparing Religious Strengths of Athletes and Non-Athletes at a Christian University

College students face many daily stressors, and student-athletes add more pressure and stress on themselves through sports. In past studies collegiate athletes reported higher degrees of religiosity and religious faith compared to non-athletes at public universities (Storch, Roberti, Bravata, & Storch, 2004). The present study looks at the religious strengths, the level of religiosity, the perceived stress, and the coping process of athletes and non-athletes at a private Christian university.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

Sharaya Moretti

Exploring Religiosity and Spirituality of Men and Women

A major portion of research suggests that women tend to be more religious than men. Biological, cognitive, cultural, behavioral, and environmental influences may support the increased religiosity in women as compared to men. Women are most often more social than men; they value praying and reading religious texts in groups in contrast to men. Innate preferences for social activities may lead women to naturally be more religious considering religiousness is often measured by the amount of social activities centered on faith. It is important to consider these gender differences because religiousness relates to better health and well-being.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

Amy Drummer

Specific Learning Disorder Affecting Literacy: The Biological & Environmental Factors, Assessment, & Intervention 

Reading is a skill that is important in academic achievement, socioeconomic status, & overall mental health. Reading combines both biological & environmental factors. Curriculum based classroom assessments measure fluency, accuracy, & comprehension. Brain scans indicate poor readers activate alternate paths in phonological processing, after intensive intervention the same students scans show paths comparable to average readers. Early intervention reduces the gap between average & poor readers. Effects of impaired reading follow children through adulthood as individuals create thought patterns & coping strategies to compensate for their impairment. Individualized interventions incorporating socioemotional skills are most effective.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P114

9 – 9:30 AM

Samuel Eymann

The Effects of Social Acceptance & Rejection on Disabled Individuals

Humans are a social species: acceptance & rejection have significant effects on well-being. Social acceptance tends to have positive effects on people’s mood & outlook on life, whereas social rejection tends to have negative effects. Individuals with disabilities, such as Down syndrome have shown decreases in happiness. The decline of happiness in disabled individuals may be related to social rejection by peers. 

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P114

9:30 – 10 PM

Jenny Maupin

The Power of Baby Sign Language

The benefits of teaching infants to sign includes improved spatial reasoning & executive function, reduction of stress in the parent-child relationship, a calmer academic environment that creates harmony & a universal language in the classroom, enhancing a child’s innate ability to gesture as a form of communication, promote better relations with daycare providers, improve the quality of life of families in stressful low socioeconomic circumstances, & assisting developmentally, physically, &/or medically delayed children who struggle with language & communication to ameliorate their circumstances. Baby boosts language acquisition & learning & increases a child’s confidence that their needs will be met.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P114

10 – 10:30 AM

Jordan Miller

Relational Motivation

Relationships influence our lives; how we use those influences as motivation towards a goal is referred to as relational motivation. Research on relational motivation shows that motivations are increased when there are clear goals & a strong positive relationship. Relationships influence goal attainment by providing a support system. Research has shown that relationships motivate. Autonomy plays a big role in motivation. If autonomy is taken away, so is motivation. Understanding how relationships motivate adolescents could lead to better futures. 

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P114

10:30 – 11 AM

Allyssa Mittleider

The Engagement of Students & their Success in School

Engagement in school is something that not many students view as important to their success in their classes. Recently, researchers have begun using a three-component model that includes relational, cognitive & behavioral engagement. It is important to look at all three of these components carefully to gain a better understanding of their effect on a student’s success. To test the hypothesis that higher GPA is correlated with higher engagement throughout all three areas of engagement in school, an Analysis of Variance will be used. 

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P113

1 – 1:30 PM

Amber Osbourn

Cognitive Dissonance in the LGBT Christian

When faced with the tension that arises out of the conflict between the church & society on the issue of homosexuality, the homosexual Christian is faced with a proverbial dead-man’s land not only outwardly, but internally. This internal conflict between one’s sexuality & religious beliefs is operationally explored through the theory of cognitive dissonance which states that when at least two cognitions are seemingly counterintuitive, there is a drive to resolve the dissonance between them. Resolution strategies include leaving the church permanently, finding one that is accepting, or choosing to live with the dissonance. When faced with the tension that arises out of the conflict between the church & society on the issue of homosexuality, the homosexual Christian is faced with a proverbial dead-man’s land not only outwardly, but internally. This internal conflict between one’s sexuality & religious beliefs is operationally explored through the theory of cognitive dissonance which states that when at least two cognitions are seemingly counterintuitive, there is a drive to resolve the dissonance between them. Resolution strategies include leaving the church permanently, finding one that is accepting, or choosing to live with the dissonance.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P114

1:30 – 2 PM

Emmelene Romer

Effective Therapeutic Treatments for Incarcerated Juveniles

Recidivism rates in juvenile offenders warrant a reevaluation by professionals of current rehabilitation. It was reported that there were approximately 61,000 incarcerated juveniles in the last census. Therapeutic measures are administered in correctional facilities to promote mental well-being among juveniles. To reduce recidivism, the population of juvenile offenders is addressed to evaluate three commonly used therapies: Family-Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, & Multi-systemic Therapy. Educational success & vocational training are two preventative measures that decrease the likelihood of engaging in criminal behavior. Current research shows that multi-systemic therapy is the most effective treatment for reducing recidivism. Recidivism rates in juvenile offenders warrant a reevaluation by professionals of current rehabilitation. It was reported that there were approximately 61,000 incarcerated juveniles in the last census. Therapeutic measures are administered in correctional facilities to promote mental well-being among juveniles. To reduce recidivism, the population of juvenile offenders is addressed to evaluate three commonly used therapies: Family-Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, & Multi-systemic Therapy. Educational success & vocational training are two preventative measures that decrease the likelihood of engaging in criminal behavior. Current research shows that multi-systemic therapy is the most effective treatment for reducing recidivism.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

P114

2 – 2:30 PM

Joshua Alvarado

Academic Dishonesty

Because cheating is viewed as dishonest and goes against biblical teaching, it was hypothesized that NCU students who attend church regularly would have lower rates of cheating compared to those who do not attend church. Participants were asked if they ever cheated in an academic setting including tests, assignments, or papers. In addition, participants were asked to report emotions experienced after cheating or choosing not to cheat. The results showed that most participants reported cheating at least once even if they reported attending church regularly. Results on emotional experiences and conclusions will be discussed.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Joshua Alvarado

Academic Dishonesty

This study examined academic dishonesty and the emotions that follow in college students. Students at NCU were used in this data collection. There are tremendous pressures to succeed in college and many will cheat over their time on a college campus. Also included in the survey was if the individual attended church regularly or not. Our emotions can drive us to act in many different ways. The results of this study indicated that college students will admit to cheating in school and show that being honest has no negatives attached to it.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

L203

9 – 9:30 AM

Sabrina Biggers

Analytical Thinking Promotes Religious Disbelief

The present study is a replication of Gervais and Norenzayan (2012). Participants will be recruited from a Christian school to see if analytical thinking promotes religious disbelief. Participants will view pictures then answer questions on belief in supernatural agents and

intrinsic religiosity. It is expected that this study will show analytical thinking will diminish religious belief.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Travis Brown

Stressed Upon Student Athletes

Stress is a state of mental or emotional tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. Stress has been shown to negatively affect physical health, mental processing, and emotional well-being. Research has shown a unique contribution of stressful events on collegiate athletes as compared to traditional undergraduate students. Collegiate athletes experience a wide range of stress because of the demands of their sport which affects academics, well-being, and athletic performance. College athletes have significantly less time to work on academics due to year-long training (in and out of season), tight scheduling, traveling, tough competition and lack of down time. Learning to cope with these additional stressors is important for the collegiate athlete’s well-being and performance.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

L203

9:30 – 10 AM

Amy Dummer & Wendie Green

The Influence of a Persuasive Message

Drawing from existing research that shows attitude change is associated with higher source credibility, it was expected that an expert would exert more influence in changing attitudes on learning styles than a non-expert. Undergraduates at NCU were recruited to participate in an experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: expert and non-expert. Participants watched a video presentation, but told the source of the video was a student or an expert. The results showed that the message was effective in changing attitudes. However, there was no significant difference between the expert and non-expert groups.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Belinda Kinkade & Sharaya Moretti

The Effects of Color When Purchasing Chocolate

Colors are influential as each color is believed to evoke specific emotions and feelings. Research has shown that males and females like the color blue. This study measured the impact of color on decisions to purchase chocolate bars. It was expected that participants would select the blue wrapped chocolate bar more frequently. Students from NCU (n = 31) completed a questionnaire rating quality and attractiveness of chocolate bars in colored wrappers. The result showed that brown was the preferred color wrapper. Understanding the effect of color perception on decision making is important for marketing. 

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM