SSEA CONFERENCE 2019!

The students who attended SSEA at dinner

On October 1012, Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand and Dr. Powell took three students to the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood (SSEA) Conference in Toronto, Canada to present research through poster sessions and presentations. These students included Casey Jo Gough ‘20, Sophie Bacon ‘20, and Abbey Packard ‘21. 

Students presented research through two different poster presentations. Casey Jo Gough and Sophie Bacon both worked alongside Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand and presented their poster titled “Emerging Adults’ Social Goals for Peer Status: Associations with Aggressive Reactions to Provocation”. Abbey Packard worked alongside Dr. Powell and presented her poster titled “Teaching self-efficacy of emerging adults across a first-level education course with community-based learning”. 

The students have since given some insight onto what it was like presenting at the conference as well as their reactions to Toronto: 

Sophie Bacon and Casey Jo Gough with the poster they presented

Casey Jo Gough

The opportunity to not only partake in undergraduate research but to then fly out of the country to present at a professional conference was an unforgettable learning experience. This was my first experience leaving the country, and it was fun to explore the streets of Toronto and take in all the sights. Presenting at the conference gave me confidence in my research abilities as I prepare for grad school. I was able to speak to other researchers and received great advice about my career path as a future school psychologist. I think the best part of the conference experience was the opportunity to attend lectures and poster sessions of unpublished research. I was able to speak to other researchers about their studies and look at exciting unpublished data in my areas of interest. I can’t wait to see where my research will take me next! 

Sophie Bacon 

Attending SSEA in Toronto was an incredible experience. Presenting our poster and findings was a really fulfilling experience and everyone who we talked to was so friendly and excited about our interest in research. Also, because I am still unsure of the direction that I want to go in when pursing graduated school, it was so helpful to talk to others who were recently in my shoes! I found walking and looking at all of the other posters to be really informative and eye-opening regarding the knowledge that we can learn about this newly defined stage of life. I felt very lucky that we were able to travel to such a cool place like Toronto, the city felt so walkable and had an abundance of hip-restaurants and soaring skyscrapers!

Abbey Packard

Abbey Packard with the poster she presented

Canada was an amazing experience overall and as an undergraduate research student I gained lots of insight into graduate level research and felt confident being able to present my work to graduate and PhD students. The other presentations were extremely impressive and networking opportunities were all around which is always a bonus! Being able to go to Toronto was a wonderful experience thanks to the help of Dr. Powell! The city was beautiful and was an experience I’ll never forget. 

Dr, Powell

Dr. Powell standing beside the poster students have been working on alongside her

Dr. Powell also presented one poster titled “Emerging Adults’ Bid Responses: A Pilot Study on Romantic Communication” as well as two papers, “How to break up: Individual differences in emerging adults’ normative beliefs about ghosting” and “Emerging adults’ perceptions of what it means to be “Talking””. 

 

One of the paper presentations Dr. Powell gave
The second paper presentation Dr. Powell gave

Congratulations to all those who attended the conference and for having successful presentations! 

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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PHI BETA KAPPA INDUCTEES!

The Psychology Department would like to congratulate Rachel Harmon, Riker Lawrence, Emily Townley, and Brittney Rowe on their induction into Phi Beta Kappa. Continue reading to hear from the students themselves! 

Rachel Harmon 

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I am a Senior Psychology Major with a concentration in Human Development. When I received the news that I had been elected into membership of Phi Beta Kappa I was ecstatic and was reassured that all the hard work I have completed while at Roanoke College has paid off. Outside of classes I am the Head Psychology Student Assistant and I am also a Subject Tutor in the Center for Learning and Teaching on campus. I am also a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, Psi Chi, and am the Vice President of Omicron Delta Kappa. I also participate in research in the Psychology department and am a research assistant in Dr. Powell’s Developmental Self-knowledge Laboratory. My biggest accomplishment while at Roanoke College has been my independent study for my Honors Distinction Project titled, “Cross-Cultural Comparison of Caregiver Concerns and Resources for Children with Disabilities”. My original proposal was awarded the Perry and Jessica Downing Distinction Project Award by the director of the Honors Program, and this summer I was a recipient of a 2018-2019 Summer Mamie Phipps Clark Diversity Undergraduate Research Grant from Psi Chi. After graduation I plan to spend a year abroad before pursuing a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies or Clinical Psychology. 

Riker Lawrence 

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My name is Riker Lawrence and I am majoring in psychology as well as getting a concentration in human resource management. Hearing that I was accepted in Phi Beta Kappa was a big moment for me because I have been working towards that since my freshman year of college. It is an honor to be accepted and I couldn’t have done it without Dr. Powell and the rest of my lab mates in her lab. For the majority of my 3+ years at Roanoke College, I have been doing research in the psychology department. I experienced many accomplishments since starting in Dr. Powell’s lab. Although, I think my most proud one is being accepted into Phi Beta Kappa. I have shifted my focus on conducting my own study to present as my honors-in-the-major project that specifically focuses on prenatal leisure time and parent expectations. Conducting this study effectively will be my next goal to accomplish. After I graduate in spring 2020, I will be working with a recruiting team for a newer company back home in Northern Virginia. 

Emily Townley

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I am a psychology major with a concentration in human development and an art history minor. I was really excited when I heard the news and immediately called my mom (who unfortunately did not pick up initially) so we could celebrate together! As for how I’ve spent my time at Roanoke, I am in the Honors Program and have been working on my Distinction Project this past summer and this semester. I’m also a manager and on-call tutor at Subject Tutoring, a campus photographer, and am the historian/in charge of public relations for Psi Chi! Being invited to Phi Beta Kappa is definitely one of my biggest accomplishments, up there with getting the Bittle Scholarship and studying abroad for a semester in Italy. I will be applying to graduate schools in the coming months and I’m hoping to be accepted into a Clinical Psychology PhD program. 

Brittney Rowe

Brittney Rowe is another psychology department student assistant who has also been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and is currently studying abroad!  

Congratulations again to everyone! We look forward to seeing what you accomplish in the future! 

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Get Connected!

Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology
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Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
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CONGRATS DR. OSTERMAN AND THERESA HECMANCZUK ON RECENT PUBLICATION!

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Congratulations to Dr. Osterman (Roanoke College) and recent graduate Theresa Hecmanczuk ‘19 on their recent publishing in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationshipstitled “Parasocial forgiveness: The roles of parasocial closeness and offense perceptions.” 

In this article Dr. Osterman and Theresa Hecmanczuk expand on research that investigates how predictors of interpersonal forgiveness, such as relationship closeness and offense severity, also predict forgiveness of a parasocial target. Using an interpersonal forgiveness measure to examine forgiveness of parasocial targets as a function of parasocial closeness and offense perceptions, they used two studies and found that pre-offense closeness was associated with greater forgiveness and current closeness, and that forgiveness significantly mediated the relationship between pre-offense and current closeness. They also found that perceptions of apology sincerity were associated with greater forgiveness and current parasocial closeness, and that a brief measure of parasocial closeness was comparable to the Parasocial Interaction Scale in its associations with forgiveness and related outcomes.    

For more information on the article, follow this link and once again congratulations to Dr. Osterman and Theresa Hecmanczuk for their publishing! 

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Get Connected!

Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
Instagram: rcpsychology

OVERCOMING MIDTERM WEEK STRESS!

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With Fall Break being just 5 short days away, that means we are entering midterm week. While this week can be extremely stressful, there are many ways in which the college and organizations around campus are providing opportunities to reduce stress, as well as some ways you can reduce stress on your own. Continue reading to learn more about some of the opportunities and advice! 

College-wide events: 

Outdoor Adventures is hosting a Wellness Week with the following events free to all students! 

WhenMonday October 7 

Time6:30 to 8:30 PM 

Where: Sutton Terrace 

What:  Happy Little Trees Twilight Painting – A relaxing and fun paint night that will help reduce stress regardless of your artistic abilities! 


WhenWednesday October 9 

Time12:00 to 1:00 PM 

WhereFront Quad 

What:  Yoga on the Quad – Yoga is a great way to reduce stress, aid in muscle relaxation and improve mood! 


WhenThursday October 10 

Time: 12:00 to 1:00 PM 

WhereOutdoor Adventure Center 

What:  Mindfulness Session – Laura Leonard will teach about mindfulness-based practices such as breath awareness, body scans, gentle movements, and guided reflections! 


Reslife is also hosting events for wellness week: 

Beyond these 5 opportunities, other organizations and the college will be putting on events this week in the Colket center and around campus, so keep your eyes peeled for other ways to reduce stress this week! 

Self-stress reducing tips: 

There are also many things that you can do for yourself this week to reduce the amount of stress you are feeling: 

  • Get enough sleep – While it seems obvious and while you may feel too stressed to think you have time, sleep is crucial in healthy mind and body awareness and attention. Sleeping 6 to 8 hours a night is something that will make the world of difference in your mood this week and in the efficiency of how you get through this week. 
  • Exercise – Exercising for just 30 minutes a day can help to reduce stress levels, heighten mood, and lead to increased endorphins. Exercising can be done in many forms such as running, walking, biking and even yoga! 

    Photo taken by Kaillee Philleo – Observing the creation of the sand mandala
  • Meditate – Meditation is a wonderful and simple way to reduce stress. Two weeks ago the Tibetan Monks walked students through some meditation practices and one of the easiest ways to meditate is through a breathing exercise. Set your alarm for 1 minute, 5 minutes, 20 minutes, or however long you want,  and simply sit in a position that feels most comfortable to you (if before bed you can even lay down), then focus on your breathing and nothing else. While easier said than done, just a minute of making yourself present and not worried about what is to come will help reduce stress drastically!
  • Take time to do something you enjoy – whether it be reading a book, playing a game, or listening to music, don’t forget to take some time for yourself this week! 

Midterms may be stressful, but the reward of a weeklong break at the end makes them so worth it. While this list is far from exhaustive, these are a few ways to help reduce stress and heighten mood during this week. Share in the comments below your favorite way to reduce stress during midterm weeks and know that the psychology department is cheering you on till the end! 

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Get Connected!

Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology
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Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK ON CAMPUS VISIT THIS FRIDAY!

This Friday, October 4, 2019 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, the University of South Carolina College of Social Work will have a representative tabling in the Atrium of the Colket Center. They will be here promoting programs for Master of Social Work and PhD in Social Work.

Image via http://phialpha.synthasite.com/

Here is a little bit more on these programs:

A Master of Social Work  

According to the Universities website, “A Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina will provide you with the skills to work with individuals, families, groups and communities. Whether you are interested in direct client service, advocacy or policy, our program will give you the knowledge and skills necessary to be a leader in the social work profession.” To learn more about the master program check out this link!

PhD in Social Work

According to the Universities website, “Earning a Ph.D. in social work at the University of South Carolina will prepare you to provide leadership for social change by conducting transdisciplinary, community-engaged research into key issues and by educating the next generation of social workers.” To learn more about the PhD program check out this link!

If you are interested in pursuing a master’s degree or a PhD with a focus on Social Work, then stop on by and ask some questions and to learn more about the University and programs check out this link! We hope that you stop by on Friday! 

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Get Connected!

Bloghttps://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
Twitter: @RC_Psychology
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
Website: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology
Instagram: rcpsychology