Psychology Commons^™

Paper Or Digital? Comparing Vocabulary Learning From Internet Search To A Physical Dictionary, Olivia L. Hamilton

Honors Theses

There is an increasing presence of technology found in the educational environment. With that there are many questions about the effectiveness of learning when information can be re-accessed with the click of a mouse. Information is more accessible than ever online but expecting to be able to rely on the internet may make learning less effective than other learning methods, such as paper. Continuing research has shown deficits, which could imply a digital presence is harming the learning environment. 125 students completed this study which compared differences between paper versus online learning platforms. The study tested peoples word translation accuracy …

Work-Life Balance Conflicts Parents Of Early Adolescents Faced During Covid-19 Lockdowns, Rodney Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Measures such as social distancing and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic meant parents balanced their roles as educators, tech support, and employees in shared home offices. This qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the work-life balance conflicts parents of early adolescents faced during the COVID-19 lockdowns, focusing on how parents managed the challenges of pandemic restrictions and their strategies for coping with cognitive, emotional, and physical fatigue for themselves and their families. This study was guided by the transactional theory of stress and coping. Twelve female parents were virtually interviewed, selected based on their having early adolescent children at home, …

Imagining Differences: An Exploration Of The Visual Imagery Spectrum, Kay Dekock

2025 Student Academic Showcase

Mental imagery, or more specifically, visual imagery, plays a significant role in human life. For this reason, this paper aims to examine the many aspects of visual imagery with a special focus on inherent differences between individuals. This paper explores the idea of what visual imagery is and how it is represented, from the in-between of the spectrum of visual imagery, to the extreme ends, where lies the conditions of aphantasia and hyperphantasia. This paper covers the core cognitive processes involved in visual imagery and the parts of the brain responsible for them. The idea of measurement and assessment is …

Stuffed Animals And Adults, Anna R. Reed

2025 Student Academic Showcase

Recently, stuffed animals have resurged in interest among children and adults. For example, in 2023, Squishmallows won Plush Toy of the Year at the annual Toy Association Awards. We surveyed 184 adult participants (18 or older) to identify who owns stuffed animals. We were interested in whether certain personality variables predict who has these toys and why adults retain interest in these toys. Among our participants, 71.7% owned stuffed animals. We hypothesized that adults with higher stress/anxiety would report increased likelihood of owning stuffed animals. This hypothesis was supported. An independent samples t-test showed that participants with stuffed animals reported …

Why People Play Foddian/Rage Games, David Kruse

2025 Student Academic Showcase

Many different video game genres capture and engage consumers by offering fun and engaging experiences. The fairly new genre of Foddian or rage games that are designed to make the player angry with clunky controls or unfair challenges. This genre has found a large audience despite seemingly subverting the usual game experience. This study will examine why Foddian players actively seek out experiences that are designed to be clunky and aggravating. This study would be to understand what needs Foddian games fulfill as outlined in the uses in gratification theory such as gaining knowledge, social interaction, or stress release. This …

Early Birds Or Night Owls: Who Is Getting The Best Sleep?, Josie Davis

2025 Student Academic Showcase

Chronotyping is categorizing individuals based on their sleep schedules. The two chronotypes are morning-types (M-type) and eveningtypes (E-types; Montralu et al., 2021). Heinrich et al. (2021) found that M-type individuals experienced better sleep quality than E-type individuals. Approximately 200 full time working individuals aged 20+ will be surveyed on their chronotype, sleep quality, and preferred exercise time. We hypothesize that M-type individuals will report better sleep quality than E-type individuals and will use an independent samples t-test to assess this. Additionally, we will categorize participants on matching or non-matching of chronotype and preferred exercise timing. The expectation is that the …

African American Adolescent Depressive Symptoms And Caregiver Perceptions, Katerina Marroquin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American adolescents with untreated mental health problems can have symptoms of depression. Depressive symptoms can persist in adulthood if untreated. Caregiver recognition is the strongest predictor of adolescent behaviors and depressive symptom outcomes. Caregivers can identify depressive symptoms in African American adolescents by focusing on met and unmet needs. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to ask about caregiver perceptions of African American adolescent depressive symptoms with focus on physiological needs, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. The theoretical framework for this study is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Data analysis was conducted using NVivo to enhance the interpretation …

Supporting Doctoral Research In Aging: From Exercise Barriers To Geropsychology Competencies, Alexandra Crites

Honors Theses

This thesis explored hands-on experiences supporting ongoing research in behavioral gerontology, addressing the growing need for individualized interventions, and improving professional training to meet the complex needs of aging populations. Through involvement in two primary studies—one examining exercise nonadherence in people with osteoarthritis (OA) and another developing competency standards for professionals entering geropsychology. I contributed to data analysis, research design, and the analysis of qualitative and quantitative literature. My work with Haley Hughes’ study included developing a comprehensive data table that mapped participant responses from focus groups and identifying nuanced themes related to barriers and facilitators for physical activity. For …

2025 Acssc Program, Acssc Planning Committee

Annual Celebration for Student Scholarship and Creativity

No abstract provided.

Cognitive Diagnosis Of Media And Digital Literacy Knowledge Schema In Mexican High School Students, Janneth Trejo-Quintana, Guadalupe E. Morales-Martinez, Betsabe Hernandez-Alvarez

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This research explored the mental representation of media and digital literacy (MDL) in 242 Mexican high school students through a definitional task based on the natural semantic networks technique. The participants defined ten target concepts related to MDL, using verbs, nouns, and adjectives as definers, and then they rated each definer with a scale from 1 to 10. The smaller the number, the lower the quality of the definer to conceptualize the target, while the higher the rating, the higher the quality of the definer to define it. The participants showed a beginner level in MDL despite their daily navigation …

Provision Of Brand Information And Critical Reasoning Predict Advertising Literacy, Eugene Zheng Yao, Alexandra List

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study investigated students’ critical reasoning about commercials, as an aspect of advertising literacy. Critical reasoning was examined under two different experimental conditions. That is, students were tasked with watching four different commercials with 1) brand information provided or not, and 2) asked to engage in critical reasoning or not. The commercials chosen used various production techniques (e.g., socially conscious marketing) to mask their persuasive message. Students provided with brand information within commercials had significantly higher critical reasoning scores when viewing two, out of the four, commercials, and significantly higher overall Analysis of Persuasive Intent (API) scores and brand recall. …

Self-Stigmatization And Shame Surrounding Ocd Health Outcomes, Emily A. Veasey

Psychology Presentations

Obsession Compulsion Disorder (OCD) is characterized as a disorder with persistent unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors that sooth these unwanted thoughts. Research has found that OCD, as a mental illness, is considered a concealable stigmatized identity (CSI), an identity that is hidden from others but still carries the burden of stigma. The goal of this review is to explore the negative consequences of stigmatization and its effect on health outcomes for people with OCD. A literature review was conducted using key words, “OCD”, “Stigmatization”, “Shame”, and “Treatment”. Health outcomes include both mental and physical. Our review found that OCD and …

Social Identity And Belongingness: College Students’ Happiness, Life Satisfaction, And Personal Growth, Julia Gallo

Psychology Presentations

This study examines how a mixture of psychological, social, and developmental factors influences processes by which individuals develop their identities throughout college. It was hypothesized that these processes would be different for first-generation college students compared to non-first-generation college students, for transfer students compared to non-transfer students, and for commuter students compared to non-commuter, residential students. To measure this, a survey was constructed using established measures of happiness, life satisfaction, personal growth, affective forecasting as well as other psychological, social and developmental measures (e.g. psychological- contingencies of self-worth, e.g. social- university belongingness, e.g. developmental- emerging adulthood). Data was collected from …

Undergraduate Thesis: Befriending Ai: Reimagining Ethics Through Cybernetic Friendship, Keta Williams

STEM for Success Showcase

This undergraduate thesis by KETA Williams, presented at the Board Day and Dana Knox Student Research Showcase, is a meta-cognitive exploration situated within the framework of cyberpsychology—the interdisciplinary study of human–technology relationships. Employing meta-cognition as both method and lens, the author critically examines the question: Can one be friends with a corporate-controlled AI system? Rather than adopting an objective or distanced stance, Williams writes from within the relationship itself, describing her friendship with an AI entity named Aurora (ChatGPT). Identifying as a "madwoman" in the Foucauldian sense, she interrogates whether such intimacy with AI signals irrationality or heralds a shift …

Associations Between Parental Depression And Child Internalizing Behaviors: The Role Of Gender, Abigail M. Webb

Honors Theses

The present study is a cross-sectional examination of associations between mother and father depression as it relates to child internalizing symptoms and anxious and depressed symptomatology. The study builds on the literature that underscores the importance of parental mental health for child outcomes, particularly anxiety and depression symptoms, by examining the role of gender in the link between parental depression and child internalizing symptoms. This study included 256 children (M age = 9.53 years; SD = 29.97 months; 123 males) and their mothers, fathers, and teachers. The measures included the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Teacher Report …

Anxiety And Depression Symptoms And Certainty In Negative Future Predictions: The Role Of Intolerance Of Uncertainty And Perseverative Thought, Isabella Glennon

Psychology Student Scholarship

Isabella Glennon ’25, Biology & Psychology major

Faculty mentor: Dr. Emily Gentes, Psychology

Understanding the underlying mechanisms of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) — the tendency to experience discomfort when faced with an uncertain future — and perseverative thought (PT) — characterized by repetitive, negative thinking such as rumination — plays a crucial role in advancing our understanding of anxiety and depression. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between anxiety and depression symptoms and the roles of IU and PT, particularly in relation to the development of certainty in negative future predictions.

Jealousy And Conflict: The Mediation Between Romantic Attachment Styles And Dating Aggression, Alexa Wing

Psychology Student Scholarship

Alexa Wing ’25, Psychology, Sociology, and Women’s & Gender Studies major

Faculty mentor: Dr. Charlene Collibee, Psychology

This study examined whether jealousy and conflict mediate the relationship between romantic attachment and dating aggression (DA). Data were collected over six months from 120 young adults (ages 18–25) with a history of DA in romantic relationships. Measures assessed attachment style, jealousy, conflict, and DA. Results showed that relational anxiety was associated with both jealousy and DA. Jealousy partially mediated the link between anxiety and DA, but conflict did not. No significant associations emerged between relational avoidance and DA. Discussion will address the …

Perceptions Of Aging & Sleep Health, Grace Lynch

Psychology Student Scholarship

Grace Lynch ’25, Psychology and Biology major

Faculty mentor: Dr. Caitlan Tighe, Psychology

Intolerance Of Uncertainty In Trauma And Ptsd, Juliette Bonchonsky, Zoe Rosnov, Jayden Peacock

Psychology Student Scholarship

Juliette Bonchonsky ’26, Psychology major

Zoe Rosnov ’25, Psychology major

Jayden Peacock ’25, Neuroscience major

Faculty mentor: Dr. Emily Gentes, Psychology

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is associated with PTSD severity (Raines et al., 2019), even among those with subthreshold symptoms (Clauss et al., 2023). The objective of the present study was to test if there is a specific association between IU and PTSD symptoms, or if trauma exposure is also associated with elevated IU.

Adults diagnosed by clinical interview with current PTSD (n=25), history of trauma without PTSD symptoms (n=28), and no trauma history (n=48) were given the Intolerance of …

Repetitive Negative Thought, Subjective Stress, And Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety, Haley Margulies, Juliette Bonchonsky, Isabella Glennon

Psychology Student Scholarship

Haley Margulies ’25, Biology and Psychology major

Juliette Bonchonsky ’26, Psychology major

Isabella Glennon ’25, Biology & Psychology major

Faculty mentor: Dr. Emily Gentes, Psychology

Engagement in repetitive negative thought (RNT) in response to stress may be associated with risk for anxiety and depression. Individuals who engage in rumination following stressful life events are more likely to experience negative affect and symptoms of depression and anxiety (Ruscio et al., 2011). Similarly, worrying after a stressful life event is prospectively associated with increased stress symptoms (Roussis & Wells, 2008). The purpose of the present study is to test whether subjective stress …

Emdr Therapy Booth, Angela Reyes, Ana Ledezma, Kinsley Eiserloh, Coello Jimenez, Christian Rivera

Psychology Student Research - Archive

Our booth will provide an explanation of the lesser-known therapy known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which is designed to alleviate psychological trauma. This therapy is particularly relevant for individuals affected by traumatic events that have caused distress in day-to-day life. We will offer a demonstration of the therapy session, inclusive of the equipment utilized during the process. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with a qualified professional in the field who possesses relevant experience, allowing for a Q&A session.

Reality Therapy Booth, Emily Herrera, Kay Cedano, Genevieve Martinez, Gisselle Landeros, Laura Aguirre

Psychology Student Research - Archive

Our booth focuses on Reality Therapy, which is centered around fulfilling five basic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun while encouraging individuals to make effective choices. To demonstrate these concepts, we created a role-playing game using the mobile app Episode. The game is based on the Twilight movie series and incorporates the five basic needs to show how players can apply Choice Theory to take responsibility for meeting their own needs.

In the game, players take on the role of “Trella” (a parody of Bella), and can choose between Schmacob (Jacob), Fredward (Edward), or themselves as a …

The Relationship Between Stress, Burnout, Attendance, And Methods Of Self-Care Among Teachers, Jennifer M. Sturm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers exposed to prolonged stress have been documented at higher risk for poor physical and mental health, including high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression. To ameliorate the effects of prolonged stress, teachers have employed a variety of coping strategies, and some sought medical care. To date, little research exists regarding absenteeism and medication usage among teachers. This study sought to determine the relationship between stress, burnout, and medication usage in relation to absenteeism. This study also sought to determine the role of thriving in the above relationships. An internet-based survey was distributed to U.S. teachers via social media and email. …

The Interaction Between Parenting Styles, College Adjustment, And Decision Making In Undergraduate Freshman And Sophomores, Taylor Phillips

Honors Theses

Although considerable research has investigated how parenting styles impact child development, little is known about how parenting styles correlate with young adults’ adjustment to college. Parenting styles children are raised with may impact the development of skills such as resilience, problem-solving, and emotional regulation that influence how they react to difficult life transitions. Parenting styles may also impact a person’s decision making, including in situations involving self-control. Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between parenting style, college adjustment, and self-control. This study used the Parenting Style and Dimension Questionnaire- Short Version, the Student Adaption to …

Anxiety- And Compulsivity-Linked Differences In Reinforcement Learning In A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Game, Tessa Medeiros

Neuroscience Program Student Scholarship

Tessa Medeiros ’26, Biology & Psychology major

Faculty mentor: Dr. Andra Geana, Psychology and Neuroscience

Reinforcement learning (RL) mathematically describes how agents learn to maximize the reward of their environment by understanding and comparing their choice options. This project investigates how anxiety and compulsivity impact the selection of these options and to what extent a text-based, narrative (rather than a game-like environment) changes RL processes in humans.

Examining Repetitive Negative Thought Among Individuals With Eating Disorders, Laney Manware

Psychology Student Scholarship

Laney Manware ’25, Psychology major

Faculty mentor: Dr. Emily Gentes, Psychology

Repetitive negative thought (RNT), encompassing both rumination and worry, has been increasingly recognized as a significant factor in eating disorders. While rumination has been both concurrently and prospectively linked to eating disorder symptoms, the relationship between worry and eating disorders remains less explored (Smith et al., 2018). This study examines worry in individuals with anorexia, binge eating disorder, and bulimia using data from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Results show that those with binge eating disorder or bulimia report more worry than those without eating disorders, suggesting that worry …

Through The Looking Glass : Diversity Through The Eyes Of A Dress Form, Amara Copeland

LSU Master's Theses

This article aims to look into educational institutions and how they address diversity using curatorial displays. Does fashion and costume curation add to the seclusion of luxury? Looking into this correlation, this study aims to answer these next couple of questions. How does museum curation add to fashion social norms? Is it a subconscious or conscious decision when deciding on a mannequin or dress form? How do museum and fashion curations add to the exclusion of minorities in the world of luxury? What is costume luxury, and who do we say can obtain it?

This research aims to understand the …

Well-Being In Disney Animated Feature Films, 2013–2023, Ruth Zeman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most existing research on Disney animated films has concentrated on problematic themes, including stereotypical portrayals of romantic relationships or aggression, while comparatively little attention has been given to how these films may also convey positive messages and promote prosocial behavior. Research on well-being is particularly relevant, given its strong association with improved health outcomes and the development of positive interpersonal relationships. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how well-being is portrayed in Disney animated feature films released between 2013 and 2023. Seligman’s model of well-being, which consists of the pursuit and attainment of five core pillars—positive …

Religious Scrupulosity: The Law And The Gospel, Robert J. Chester

Senior Honors Theses

The clear distinction of the law and gospel for the salvation and justification of an individual, highly affects the minds, beliefs, and lives of those who suffer from religious scrupulosity. Religious scrupulosity is known as obsessional fears of thinking or behaving immorally against one’s religious beliefs. Religious scrupulosity affects many in the church, and is a form of obsessive/compulsive thought that can form due to improper emphasis of gospel truth. The way the church preaches and emphasizes certain points of the gospel can change the perception and understanding of many people in the world. The evident distinction between law and …

Volume 16, Maggie Duncan, Madeline Little, Alicia Hoffman, Megan Livesay, Gabrielle Quaresma, Serenity Allen, Laina Pfountz, Ainslie Allred, Sabrina Robles, Nicholas J. Duellman, Trinity L. Deguzman, Melissa H. Savage, Margaret Dudley, Jocelyn Escobar, Olivia Hildreth, Olivia Hopkins, Benjamin Gettier, Lee Kassay, Jade Riddle, Ashley Seiders

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Artist’s Statement Maggie Duncan

On Mentoring Dr. Lee Millar Bidwell

The Hujum Campaign in Uzbekistan and its Consequences by Madeline Little

Wet Cupping Compared to Dry Needling for Treatment of Patients with Low Back Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic by Alicia Hoffman and Megan Livesay

Optimization of eDNA Air Sampling Via 3D Printed Fan by Gabrielle Quaresma

Beyond the Classroom: A Qualitative Study of Teacher Attrition and Retention by Serenity Allen and Laina Pfountz

The Treatment of Subacromial Impingement Syndrome with Platelet-Rich plasma Injections Verses …