Psychology Commons^™

Gun Violence: Is Mental Illness Really The Issue?, Rachel T. Dillon

Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research

As the cases of gun violence are continuously increasing in America, so are the number of assumptions that the incident was caused by a mental illness. Whenever there is a mass shooting, the media is quick to diagnose the shooter with a mental illness, without having the credentials to do so. Previous research has found that stories of mass shootings and incidents of gun violence increase negative attitudes towards people with a serious mental illness (SMI), and an increase in support for gun restrictions for this specific population. This paper uses past research on gun violence beliefs to help answer …

Sleepless In College Town: Causes And Effects Of Poor Sleep In College Students, Isabella E. Pandolfo

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

This article is an examination of the various causes and effects of sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality in college students. Using various studies and articles as evidence, this review explores the causes of sleep deprivation in college students, and addresses the ways in which other parts of one's well-being may suffer as a result of sleep deprivation. The nature of life as a college student is not conducive to good quality sleep or sufficient amount of sleep, and the various detrimental factors to sleep quality, such as napping, technology, and social factors contribute to problems in other areas. According …

Do Humans Prefer Faces? Zygomatic Muscle Responses To Neutral Faces Vs. Neutral Objects, Thomas J. Goetze

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

The present study examined the significance of viewing images of neutral faces versus images of neutral objects on zygomatic muscle activity using facial EMG. Participants (60% women) from a pool of introductory psychology courses had their facial EMG recordings measured in response to images of neutral faces and neutral objects. Participants’ valence rating of each image was also recorded using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) in order to rate their emotional response to each image. The primary hypothesis was that participants would have greater activity in the zygomatic muscle region when presented with images of neutral faces as opposed to lessor …

Can Evaluative Conditioning Change Explicit Attitudes Toward Self-Esteem?, Shantel Richardson

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

The present study used evaluative conditioning in attempt to increase participants’ explicit self-esteem. The method of this study involved pairing pre-rated pictures, both positive and neutral, with pronouns relating to either the self or others. The self-pronouns used were me, myself, and mine. The pronouns relating to others that were used were they, them, and others. It was hypothesized that when self-pronouns were paired with positive pictures, the self-esteem of participants would increase. To counterbalance this, pronouns relating to others were paired with positive pictures. Results showed no significant interactions between group and self-esteem. No groups showed a significant increase …

What You Really See In The Mirror: A Consumer's Journey With Self-Brand Congruence, Alexis Verone

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

In my own life, I have a set of brands that describe my personality, interests, and lifestyle. So, how do companies build this connection between the brand and the consumers’ self-perception? I researched the methods used to establish self-congruence with a brand, meaning how the brand’s personality fits with the consumer’s actual self, versus the consumer’s ideal self. I also examined the different ways advertising can increase brand congruity with the consumer, especially focusing on celebrity endorsements, purchase promotions, and the use of imagery in specific forms of advertising.

Mental Illness Stigma In The Media, Brian Smith

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

The aim of this paper is to explore mental illness stigma and one of its primary causes, the media. Essentially the paper looks at various forms of media (e.g., prime time television, children’s programming, news media) and how they create negative perceptions of both mentally ill individuals, and those who help treat them. Previous research has shown that those with a mental illness are often depicted as violent and socially undesirable by the media. Other previous research has shown that those who treat mental illness are often depicted as unprofessional and untrustworthy by the media, creating a strong negative stigma …

Promoting Independence Among Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Emma Schack

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

Autism spectrum disorders are characterized by deficits in social and cognitive functioning. Many individuals with autism have poor executive functioning which inhibits their ability to initiate a task, to remain attentive, and to organize and sequence information. Poor executive functioning can also make it difficult to generalize learned skills. As a result of these developmental weaknesses, individuals with autism spectrum disorders struggle to function independently. The use of pictorial activity schedules, videos, work systems, and social stories can be implemented to help individuals with autism spectrum disorders become increasingly independent, while reducing the need for adult prompting.

The Different Duties And Responsibilities Of Clinical And Forensic Psychologists In Legal Proceedings, Denise Hugaboom

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph.

Clinicians and forensic psychologists are two types of psychologists who are often required to appear as witnesses in court proceedings. Their roles, duties, and responsibilities in legal issues arc surprisingly different, but it is possible for them to overlap. It is important for psychologists to recognize both the obligations and limitations of their responsibilities when testifying. An important and often unclear question that generally arises is: how can psychologists best fulfill their legal and ethical duties to their clients?

Serial Position And Von Restorff Effect On Memory Recall, Frank Garcea

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

In lieu of an abstract, below is the first paragraph of the paper.

This study tested the von Restorff and Serial Position Effect on memory recall with 28 introductory psychology students at St. John Fisher College. Subjects were tested to see if they would remember the first five words and the last five words of a twenty word PowerPoint presentation. The control group saw all the words in the presentation in a black font; while the experimental group saw the same, they saw the eleventh word in a red type, testing the von Restorff effect. The control group showed results …

The Effects Of Physical Activity And Excerise On Well-Being, Jatha Miner

The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research

A growing amount of research suggests that regular physical activity can have both psychological and physiological benefits to the aging process. Well being, a global psychological state, has been found to be positively influenced by physical activity, even after short durations. The present study investigated the components of happiness, satisfaction with life, and social support, all of which are believed to be parts of overall well-being. Six older, community dwelling adults (M age • 64.5) who recently added physical activity to their lifestyles were surveyed and observed over a five-week period. Pre and post test scores were compared and attendance …