The psychology department proudly hosted its 55th semi-annual research conference, co-coordinated by Dr. Natalie Ciarocco and Dr. Janice Stapley, on Saturday, December 10, 2011, in Bey Hall. Attendees, which included both field experience and senior thesis students, their parents, family, and friends, as well as the psychology department faculty, were treated to a full day of poster and paper presentations. The presentations were the culmination of students’ senior thesis projects as well as students’ field experiences in the fall 2011 semester. Field experiences included students working with individual faculty members, as well as the students in Dr. Doris Hiatt’s PY 410 Field Experience course.
The day began with opening remarks from the department chair, Dr. Janice Stapley. Dr. Stanton Green, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, also offered remarks that both congratulated and encouraged the day’s presenters. The attendees were also greeted by Miranda Bobrowski, the president of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology.
Throughout the day, nine paper presentations and 31 poster presentations displayed the results of each student’s original senior thesis project. Projects, under the guidance of faculty supervisors, were seen through from idea conception to data collection and the display of the results at the conference. Drs. Demarest, Dinella, Holmes, Lewandowski, and Stapley all served as thesis supervisors this semester.
This year’s recipient of the best paper presentation was Jacqueline Abate, for her paper entitled, “Evaluating Relationship Partners: The Mere Ownership Effect in Romantic Relationships.” The best poster presentation award was shared by Kristen Kohm for her poster, “The Influence of Strength of Attachment on Preschoolers’ Self-Regulation” and Chelsea Thomson for her poster, “Who Studies Abroad?: A Look at Birth Order, Personality, and Willingness to Leave Home.” The best applied psychology poster award went to Juliana Pierce, who worked with Dr. Hatchard’s organization, Making Daughters Safe Again.
Congratulations to the award winners and all the senior thesis students on the completion of their projects.
