Machine Learning Analysis For Animal Behavior In Predator-Exposed Rodents, Hoda Aboueich, Michael Mains, Bailey Wells, Phillip Bakee

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Using machine learning analysis, we analyzed both rats and mice of different strain, sex, age, and housing in order to evaluate behavioral differences in exposure to a 3D printed owl predator that surges toward the center of an arena. As the rodent responded to the stimulus, we were able to evaluate behavioral patterns, such as time spent in hiding, freezing, fleeing, or near the walls of the arena. This will allow us to look at the overall movement trajectories prior to and during predator exposure across species.

Motivation And Resilience: Differences By Generational Status., Miranda Oddy, Tia Pu

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

This study explored whether intrinsic and extrinsic motivation differed between first-generation college students (FGCS) and multi-generation college students (MGCS) and whether resilience explains any of these variations. We hypothesized that FGCS demonstrate higher intrinsic motivation with higher resilience. 56 participants (mostly White and Hispanic, biologically female, 35.7% FGCS and 64.3% MGCS) completed the survey. Neither intrinsic nor extrinsic motivation varied by generational status, which did not change when controlling for resilience. We concluded that demographically different populations would need different kinds of support for motivation and resilience.

Personality And Remote Work/Education-Mode Preferences, Brittany Tausen, Brandon Wells

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

The pandemic accelerated the demand for remote work and education. Importantly, however, not all people thrive in remote environments. Taking a person x situation fit approach, this study explores the perceived connection between personality traits, work mode preferences, and corresponding outcomes. Qualitative data from focus group sessions with employees and students will be transcribed and analyzed. Themes from these sessions will contribute to a deeper understanding of how different people experience productivity, well-being, and belonging in remote vs. in-person work/education environments. Findings will inform future investigations about when and for whom each work/education mode is most effective.

Ruminative Subtypes As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Self-Compassion And Suicidality, Erin Mcmeekin, Michelle Pei, Keyne Law

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

We sought to determine whether ruminative subtypes modulate the relationship between self-compassion and thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB). The coalescence of PB and TB elicits suicidal desire (Van Orden et al., 2010). Self-compassion has been found to ameliorate suffering and self-blame, serving as a reliable protective factor for suicide (Sun et al., 2020). Rumination impacts the relationship between self-compassion and psychopathology (Raes, 2010) and the brooding subtype was consistently found as a risk factor for suicide (Rogers et al., 2017). Participants were undergraduate students (n =264; Mage = 20.85, SD= 5.29; 82% Female, 63% White) who completed the: …

South Asian Perspectives On The Lgbtq Community At A Christian Institution, Esal Shakil

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Current sociopolitical climates for LGBTQ individuals in South Asian countries are hostile. The negative beliefs that contribute to these climates are reflected in South Asian communities and religious Institutions within America, which can leave lasting impact on South Asian youths. The present study qualitatively analyzes how the South Asian and Christian university contexts intersect to influence the attitudes of South Asian college students. We conducted semi-structured interviews with six participants and used Braun and Clarke’s (2008) thematic analysis to identify and organize themes from the interviews. Some preliminary themes include South Asian communities considering LGBTQ issues to be taboo and …

The Psychology Of Protest: Activism Involvement And Burnout, Keyera Gaulden, Tara Shelby, Lynette Bikos

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Since January 2021, the SPU community has protested policies that result in employment discrimination for the LGBTQIA+ community. We tested a model of indirect effects, predicting protest-related burnout directly from hours per week of protest activity and indirectly through eight work values. No work values predicted protest engagement and protest-related burnout was not predicted by weekly hours of protest engagement. The work value relationship, had an was inversely related to protest-related burnout (*B* = -0.293, *p* = 0.003); security was positively related to protest-related burnout (*B* = 0.150, *p* = 0.072). Our model predicted 31% of the protest burnout variance.

Loneliness In Covid-19 Pandemic Among Adults Impacted By Developmental Disabilities, Natalie Snodgrass, Thane Erickson, Beverly Wilson

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Developmental disabilities (DD) are lifelong conditions causing impairment in behavioral, language, physical, and cognitive functioning (Zablotsky et al., 2019). Individuals with DDs were at greater risk for health issues and experiencing loneliness pre-pandemic (Alexandria et al., 2021; Desroches et al., 2021). The COVID-19 pandemic may have further exacerbated loneliness but has yet to be explored in DDs. We plan to examine loneliness in adults impacted by DDs (adults and parents) in context of pandemic stress. Correlations and regression analyses will examine relationships between loneliness and pandemic stress, coping styles, anxiety, and depression.

Academic Motivation In First-Generation And Multi-Generation College Students: The Effect Of Family Influence, Ally Smith, Tia Pu, Esmeralda Bonilla-Quijada, Bella Sangston

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in academic motivation of college students by generational status and to explore whether this relationship varies by family influence. This study was conducted via an online survey, and participants were recruited from a small, religious liberal arts university in the pacific northwest. No significant associations were found between academic motivation and generational status. When considering family influence, there was a significant positive correlation between intrinsic motivation and values/beliefs. This suggests the potential impact of familial values/beliefs on academic motivation and seeking to better understand the implications of different cultural backgrounds.

Covid-19-Related Stress Mediates The Relationship Between Emotional Regulation Difficulties And Disordered Eating In Emerging Female Adults, Emily Anderson, Olivia Gregorich, Kelly Walk, Rianna Miramontez, Katie Savage, Jenny Lee Vaydich

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

COVID-19 has introduced heightened concern for disordered eating (DE) behaviors. Past research has also connected emotional regulation difficulties and DE behaviors in emerging female adults females. However, these variables have not been explored in relation to COVID-19-related stress. The current study examines COVID-19-related stress in the relationship between emotional regulation difficulties and DE in emerging female adults. Data collection from female undergraduate students (N = 378) found COVID-19-related stress mediates the relationship between emotional regulation difficulties and DE. Current study findings suggest COVID-19-related stress may play an important role in the relationship between emotional regulation difficulties and DE in emerging …

Do Role-Playing (Rpg), Action Role-Playing (Arpg), And First Person Shooter (Fps) Video Game Players Differ In Empathy And Ethical Decision-Making?, Jennifer Carron, Jenny Lee-Vaydich

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Video games have become a staple for many, and within the past 15 years, they have become mainstream and widely popular, especially for today’s late adolescents. Children aged 10–14 are said to be easily influenced and emotionally insecure about being different. In 2017, Knoll et al. suggested that playing video games during developmental ages may affect their emotional intelligence (i.e., empathy) and decision-making in adulthood. This is why I propose a study to look at empathy and ethical decision-making in adolescent gamers to understand the effects different video game genres have on adults.

Don’T Worry Deer, Predators Are Not Real (No One Has Seen One Before)., Lillian Loranger, Elissar Hilal, Timothy Chen, Parker Burbridge, Angela Shadle, Baine Craft, Eric Long, Ryan Ferrer

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

The absence of natural predators could have profound behavioral and ecological impacts. Black tail deer (BTD) on Blakely Island provide a unique opportunity to study the effects of predation as there is a multigenerational lack of predators on the island. Therefore, the current study was designed to determine if the lack of predators has a behavioral impact (e.g., vigilance) on BTD as well as forest ecology. Two Douglas Fir saplings, and either cow or wolf urine, were placed in ten locations across the island. Trail cameras recorded BTD behavior. We predicted that predator cues would influence BTD behaviors and foraging.

Mental Health In The Workplace: How First-Generation Professional Status Does Not Predict Mental Health Outcomes., Cammy Widman, Timothy Overstreet, Melissa-Ann Lagunas, Joel Jin

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

First generation professionals (FGPs)––individuals who are the first in their family to receive a college degree and obtain a higher-level professional position––face additional stressors throughout their professional career that may lead to more psychological distress. This study investigates the relationship between FGP status, maladaptive perfectionism, fear of failure, wellbeing, and mental health outcomes within an FGP and non-FGP population (n = 210). We found that maladaptive perfectionism was higher in the FGP population, however findings from our parallel mediation analyses revealed no significant differences between FGPs and non-FGPs mental health outcomes.

Relationship Between Sex And Mk801'S Effects In Rats., Emily Mccurry, Erica Sanchez, Seth Foust

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

In this study, we are investigating the effects of MK-801 on male and female Sprague Dawley rats. According to D’Souza et al. (2001), females have a stronger reaction to MK-801 than males. Correspondingly, the current study measures the varied effects of MK-801 on rat models using an optimal decision-making task. The rats are injected with doses of MK-801. Then, they choose between a Fixed-Delay (FD) (ten-second intervals) and a Progressive-Delay (PD) lever (one second progressive increase) to receive rewards. We are currently in the process of obtaining results analyzing the relationship between sex and MK-801’s effects.

Service Dogs And Their Impact On Psychological Well-Being And Anxiety, Sophie Finneron, Zack Hower, Baine Craft, Jenny Lee Vaydich

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Service dogs are highly skilled animals that assist disabled individuals. The Americans with Disability Act was passed in 1990, which legalized the use of service dogs. Since then, there has been a growing demand for one to obtain a service dog for their disability. Though the popularity of owning a service dog has increased, there is limited research that supports the notion that psychological well-being improves and anxiety decreases as a result of having a service dog. The current proposal seeks to explore whether or not service dogs contribute to changes in psychological well-being and anxiety.

Testing Perceived Moral Transgressions As Mediating Links Of Ptsd Symptoms To Distress, Sarah Roth, Sierra Sumner, Thane Erickson

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms cause distress for 5-20% of individuals worldwide. Cognitive models of PTSD emphasize negative social cognitions about the world, and recent research suggests a relatively unexplored moral dimension. In this study, we test whether perceived moral transgressions mediated the relationship between PTSD symptoms and distress, using both correlational and experimental data., Participants recruited via MTurk (N = 400) completed measures of PTSD symptoms and perceived transgressions of others in the past week, read randomly assigned news vignettes, with and without transgressions, and endorsed current distress levels. We will present study design and preliminary regressions results.

Texting During Lecture...Maybe Or Maybe Not?, Julia Bell, Julia Flores, Sierra Wu, Sienna Smith, Joohwan Lee, Taseandra Dawkins, Dante Buell, Graysen Delich, Brandon Wells, Jocelyne Gaytan, Jiayi Beckham, Keonne Harris, Olivia Gregorich, Baine Craft

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Media distractions constantly break our attention. In previous research, students attempted to multitask during a five min PowerPoint presentation. The results revealed that participants who did not multitask completed the tasks better than those who did multitask. From these findings, further research designed to study the effects of multitasking on learning is warranted. Therefore, the proposed study consisted of examining the effects of multitasking on memory among college students while simulating texting during a video lecture. The results of the study will provide insight into college students’ ability to divide their attention between content on their devices and class lectures.

Tiger Parenting: Authoritarian Or Authoritative?, Huy Hoang

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Tiger parenting refers to a parenting style that is common among families in the East Asian cultural sphere (e.g., China, Korea, Viet Nam), characterized by high levels of parental control, harshness, and demandingness, with the primary goal of cultivating “success” in children (Cheah et al., 2013; Choi et al., 2013; Juang et al., 2013; Kim et al., 2013). The parenting style caught the attention of Western audiences thanks to Amy Chua’s 2011 book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, though it has largely been met with apprehensiveness and criticism. Many Western parents were concerned about tiger parenting’s possible effects on …

How Alzheimer's Disease Is Taking Over (Your Brain), Hoda Aboueich

Honors Projects

As the population continues to age and the burden on our care system grows, it is urgent to understand, treat, and cure Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Despite decades of research, there is currently no known cause for the development of dementia or AD. There are two prominent explanations currently dominant in neuroscience: amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. I will delve into the hypotheses and definitions of each of these pathologies and specifically address how they affect overall neural activity that is proposed to result in the neurodegenerative symptoms of AD. I will also discuss the recent research surrounding biomarkers, age-related neurodegeneration, …

Creating Project Contrast: A Video Game Exploring Consciousness And Qualia, Pierce Papke

Honors Projects

Project Contrast is a video game that explores how the unique traits inherent to video games might engage reflective player responses to qualitative experience. Project Contrast does this through suspension of disbelief, avatar projection, presence, player agency in storytelling, visual perception, functional gameplay, and art. Considering the difficulty in researching qualitative experience due to its subjectivity and circular explanations, I created Project Contrast not to analyze qualia, though that was my original hope. I instead created Project Contrast as an avenue for player self-reflection and learning about qualitative experience. While video games might be just code and art on a …

Sensory Processing Impacts On Sleep Patterns In Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Julianne M. Myers

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The COVID-19 global pandemic in 2020 introduced a sudden disruption to the people’s daily routines, including changes to sleep schedules and, thus, sleep quality. Generally, children with developmental disabilities (DD), such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), experience higher levels of sleep difficulties compared to typically developing youth. These sleep difficulties have been linked to social and emotional abilities, cognitive development, and adaptive functioning. One component found to impact sleep behaviors is sensory processing differences. Individuals with ASD and other DDs exhibit greater levels of these sensory concerns. The current study sought to understand how the sleep behaviors of ASD and …

Exploring The Intersectionality Between Homelessness And Addiction: A Review, Antonia Miranda

Honors Projects

The homelessness crisis and drug epidemic have been, and continue to, ravage the nation in a manner that is both detrimental to society and humanity. The correlation between substance abuse and homelessness is enormous, though not necessarily causal. The conditions of being homeless coupled with the prevalence of mental illness drastically increases the susceptibility to substance abuse and addiction. On the other hand, addiction and substance abuse can contribute to someone entering homelessness. The intersectionality between the two is frequently ignored, yet critical to address. Informed by research regarding both conditions, the implications for public policy and reform are huge. …

Effects Of Pay Transparency On Application Intentions Through Fairness Perceptions And Organizational Attractiveness: Diversifying The Workforce By Effectively Recruiting Younger Women, Phi Phan-Armaneous

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

In the wake of the Great Resignation, employers are desperate to recruit and attract employees (Fanning, 2021). Women employees tend to enhance organizational performance, and as younger employees make up a substantial portion of the workforce, organizations should position themselves to attract younger women employees (McKinsey & LeanIn, 2021; 2022). I suggest pay transparency (PT) as one strategy to attract and trigger application intentions through increased fairness. In the study, I conducted an experimental study on 301 women of ages 18 to 45 where one company promoted PT, and another did not promote PT to better understand applicant attitudes. Serial …

An Evaluation Of Product Descriptions And Brand Trust As Influencers Of Purchase Intent In A Luxury Second Hand Ecommerce Shopping Environment, Nyiesha Jones

Research Psychology Theses

In a world where fashion is a one-and-done look for an Instagram photo, represents 4% of global waste, and is growing at a rate of 11 times faster than traditional retail, there is a growing interest to reduce the carbon footprint of fashion by offering outlets for consumers to circulate their wardrobe through consignment opposed to throwing it away (Bird, 2018). Research has been done to evaluate the importance of information on e-commerce websites, with little focus on secondhand e-commerce. Previous research on secondhand shopping focuses mostly on shopping motivations, but once a customer has decided to shop secondhand what …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Secondary Victimization And Resiliency Following Sexual Assault, Elena Cantorna

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Many individuals report negative experiences with the court system after experiencing a sexual assault (i.e., secondary victimization) and this leads to a belief that they are unable to cope with future stressors (i.e., resiliency). Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted individual’s lives and their overall well-being. In this dissertation, I examined a model predicting resiliency appraisals from positive experiences with the legal system, mediated by COVID-19 weekly metric case rate and the number of COVID-19 vaccines administered. Participants were 18 years and older, self-identified cis females, and were clients of a local legal advocacy clinic (N = 94) following …

Parental Attachment And Compassion As Predictors Of Distress Disclosure Among Young Adults, Ellie N. Wilde

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Distress disclosure is associated with perceived social support, so it is important to understand what supports our ability to disclose distress. This study examined relationships between distress disclosure, fear of others’ compassion, parental attachment, self-compassion, and perceived social support among young adults. I expected young adults with stronger parental attachment security to report greater capacity for distress disclosure and that this relationship would be mediated by fear of others’ compassion. I expected trait self-compassion to moderate relationships between these variables on all paths of the mediation, such that higher self-compassion would reduce the adverse impact of insecure parental attachment on …

Toddler Characteristics And Attention, Lani A. Taylor

Research Psychology Theses

Abstract

Individual differences have become increasingly relevant when addressing variability across child development. Literature bears evidence that these differences may impact a toddler’s ability to respond to Joint Attention (JA). JA refers to a communicative gaze and pointing between a child and another individual. JA has been recognized as being a critical milestone, to the formation and cultivation of shared awareness and attention of an event or object. JA is a skill that is critical to the development of future language acquisition (Vaughan Van Hecke et al., 2007). The aim of this study is to measure whether child characteristics, such …

Ableist Microaggressions And Well-Being: Investigating The Moderating Effect Of Coping Strategies, Whitney Morean

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Purpose/Objective: In prior research, ableist microaggressions have previously correlated with higher depressive symptoms in samples of members of the disability community. Since well-being is more than merely the absence of distressing mental health symptoms; the present study examines the relationship between ableist microaggressions and well-being and whether different coping strategies moderate the relationship. Research Method/Design: Adults (N = 132) who self-identified as having a disability or chronic health condition that significantly impacts one or more major life activities, were recruited online to complete a survey. Measures of well-being, ableist microaggressions, coping, and depression symptoms were administered via an online …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of Telehealth Mindful Parenting Training On Executive Function In Autistic Children And Their Parents, Vanessa Zhou

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

This randomized controlled trial study explored the effect of telehealth mindful parenting group intervention on executive function in autistic children and their parents. Participants included 83 caregivers (29-54 years) of autistic children (5-18 years) in the United States who were randomized into either the immediate (n = 40) or waitlist-control group (n = 43). Of the participants randomized, 55 caregivers (immediate = 33; waitlist = 22) followed the protocol and were included in the primary analysis. Caregivers in the sample (mean age of 42.97 years) were mostly white (73%), married (76%), female (80%), biological mothers (67%), from Washington …

Distress And Growth In The Black Community, Devin A. Noel-Harrison

Research Psychology Theses

Racial discrimination is an unfortunate reality that people of color regularly experience. This leaves lasting impacts on the health of individuals and communities. With the increased use of social media, videos depicting violence against black bodies are widely circulated. The consequences of being exposed to these race related traumatic events online (TEO) can be damaging to the mental health of the black community, maybe even more so if one’s racial identity is important and salient to their overall wellbeing. Though witnessing these race related TEO often lead to posttraumatic stress, positive change may also be possible known as posttraumatic growth.

The Space Between Stress And Reaction: A Three-Way Interaction Of Active Coping, Psychological Stress, And Applied Mindfulness In The Prediction Of Sustainable Resilience, Kait M. Rohlfing Phd

Industrial-Organizational Psychology Dissertations

Amid a global pandemic, data was collected to explore the extent to which resilience practices (active coping and applied mindfulness) under varying degrees of stress levels can promote sustainable resilience, defined as the ability to move through challenges in a way that leads to increased positive adaptation to meet present and future challenges. Results did not support the proposed three-way interaction; however, post-hoc analyses indicated that active coping (r = .316) and applied mindfulness (r = .250) were independently predictive of sustained resilience and, when combined, predicted approximately 20 percent (R² = .203) of sustained resilience …