Congratulations to Sydney Caulder ’21 for the successful defense of her Honors in the Major Project entitled “Exploring Sensation Seeking and Psychopathy Factors: Associations with Risk-Taking Behaviors and Aggression”. Her supervisor, Dr. Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand was joined by committee members, Dr. Lindsey Osterman and Dr. Dane Hilton to oversee her defense.
Project Abstract:
Previous research has established a link between sensation seeking behaviors, aggression, risk-taking, and psychopathic personality. The links between both sensation seeking, psychopathy, and risk-taking are well-established, but literature on factors that might mitigate these associations (when healthier coping mechanisms are implemented) is limited. The current study examined associations between sensation seeking, psychopathy, risk-taking and aggression and aimed to extend this research by exploring whether activities that would fulfill sensation seeking tendencies in a safer way may buffer against risk-taking and aggression. Several moderation analyses were conducted to explore the effect of recreational risk-taking on outcomes of aggression and maladaptive risk-taking with predictors of sensation seeking and psychopathy. Correlations replicated previously established associations between these constructs, but the results of many of the moderation analyses were insignificant. However, recreational risk-taking moderated the association between sensation seeking and maladaptive risk-taking, but not as expected. Findings may serve as a good starting point to attempting to understand less maladaptive risk-taking mechanisms.
Congratulations again to Sydney Caulder on a successful defense and we look forward to seeing all you accomplish in the future!
Carolyn defending her project on zoom before her committee.
Congratulations to Carolynn Bructo ’21 for the successful defense of her Honors in the Major Project! Her project was titled “STEM Students’ Perceptions of Changes in Motivation and Identity During a Global Pandemic: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective”. Her supervisor, Dr. Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand was joined by committee members, Dr. Darcey Powell and Dr. Matthew Fleenor to oversee her defense.
Project Abstract:
Student persistence in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) particularly deserves close attention given the alarming attrition rates from such programs. Education and academic achievement are vital pathways to personal and professional success, and the importance of promoting STEM students’ success to enter this field is arguably more evident yet challenging amid a global pandemic. In this study, we aimed to use self-determination theory (SDT), an established theoretical framework in educational psychology that states that individuals’ internal motivation strongly corresponds with the satisfaction of three specific psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), to understand better the perceptions of emerging adults’ satisfaction of these needs during an ongoing global pandemic, and how these needs along with science identity relate to intrinsic motivation, achievement, and intention to persist in STEM. We examined STEM students’ satisfaction levels of both general and domain-specific needs using an online survey (N = 60). As hypothesized, students perceived their domain-specific needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness satisfaction to decrease from pre-pandemic to currently. There was mixed support for other hypotheses. Perceived satisfaction in autonomy, across all measures, was significantly positively related to intrinsic motivation. Students’ perceived satisfaction of competence, autonomy, and relatedness in basic and domain-specific measures were significantly associated with amotivation. Science identity was the most significant predictor of intention to leave STEM. Finally, academic achievement was negatively related to perceived autonomy satisfaction. We hope the results from this study can help us better understand how to promote the success of these students.
Bructo’21 with her Honors in the Major t-shirt.
Congratulations again to Carolynn Bructo on a successful defense and we look forward to seeing all you accomplish in the future!
If you are a freshman or sophomore wrapping up this semester thinking, “What am I going to do after I graduate in a few years?” or are wondering, “What should I be doing these next few years to reach my career goals?” then make a note to add PSYC 110 to your Spring 2022 schedule!
PSYC 110 is a P/F course taught each spring that helps students consider their post-graduation pursuits, as well as clarifies for students the resources available to them within the department and across the college. In a typical (i.e., face-to-face) semester, students also shadow a professional in a career of interest to them. In this semester’s remote format, students complete two informational interviews with professionals in careers of interest to them. After completing the interviews, the students created posters summarizing what they learned.
Continue reading for some examples of the posters from this semester’s students.
Finals are quickly approaching being less than two weeks away. Now is the perfect time to start studying and putting the finishing touches on final projects and assignments that will be due. Of course, this time of the year is not without stress especially now during the pandemic.
Keep reading for more helpful advice about stress management and how to succeed during the finals.
Below are some tips on completing projects and how to study to avoid stress and turn in quality work.
How to Prepare
The best way to make sure that you have adequate time to start and complete all of the assignments is to come up with a plan.
Write down all due dates for finals assignments/projects and dates and times of final exams.
Schedule times to study or complete parts of the project and make sure to follow the schedule. Getting in the habit makes sure that you’re not waiting until the last minute.
During scheduled times make a plan on what you want to accomplish. Breaking large assignments or studying for finals in smaller sections, not only reduces stress but makes it easier to remember.
For studying, always review what you studied the day before. If on day one, you studied chapters 1 and 2, on day two, you would quickly review chapters 1 and 2 but focus on the next chapters.
Make sure that you start early enough so you have ample time.
Take Breaks
The best rule to follow for work/life balance is 80/20 where 80% is focused on academics and 20% is focused on having fun. Studying for long periods of time can be draining and isn’t efficient in the long run. Breaks can be as simple as meditating or going for a walk. Just remember to come back to studying when you’re mentally prepared.
Ask for Help
Sometimes it can be really helpful to talk with other classmates for clarification. This can also apply to professors. It’s better to ask before to make sure you’re prepared for the test. In addition, being able to explain the material to someone else and having them understand it is a good strategy for understanding and remembering the material.
Where to Study
Now that 9 AM to 9 PM access to other residence halls has been restored to all residential students, you can use the study lounges across campus to your advantage. Make sure the spot you pick to study is quiet and free from distractions. The library also has some great resources such as the individual study rooms on the top floor and group study rooms in the basement.
These are just some tips and not all of these work for everyone. This is also by no means a comprehensive list. Starting early will help you figure out which strategies work best for you. Remember the psychology department is cheering you on!
Abbie Joseph wearing her new Honors in the Major t-shirt!
Congratulations to Abbie Joseph ’21 for the successful defense of her Honors in the Major Project! Her project was titled “Cyberstalking Behaviors After the Use of Ghosting”. Her supervisor, Dr. Darcey N. Powell was joined by committee members, Dr. Osterman and Dr. Berntson, to oversee her defense.
Abbie Joseph defending her project on zoom!
Project Abstract:
The purpose of the current study was to examine the differences in cyberstalking behaviors after the dissolution of a romantic interaction based on the dissolution strategy used (i.e., ghosting or explicit reasoning). Participants included emerging adults between the ages of 18 and 29 (N = 240) who had a romantic interaction end. A survey was used to collect information regarding participants’ most recent relationship dissolution, their experiences with ghosting and cyberstalking, their engagement in cyberstalking behaviors towards an ex-partner and the ex-partner’s new partner, their social media app usage, and their relationships with their ex-partner. Analyses revealed that participants whose most recent romantic interaction ended via ghosting did not engage in significantly more cyberstalking behaviors than participants whose most recent romantic interaction ended via explicit reasoning. There were no significant differences in the length of engagement in cyberstalking behaviors after the breakup between participants whose relationship ended through ghosting and participants whose relationship ended explicitly. There were no significant differences in engagement of cyberstalking behaviors between participants who initiated the ghosting and participants who were ghosted. Participants who were ghosted engaged in cyberstalking behaviors to seek out information about their ex-partner and the ex-partner’s new partner. The findings of the current study provide information on how the dissolution strategy is associated with post-dissolutional cyberstalking behaviors.
Congratulations again to Abbie Joseph on a successful defense and we look forward to seeing all you accomplish in the future!
Want to get ahead or catch up? Just want to take an interesting course? You might be interested in taking summer courses.
This summer the psychology department is offering five summer classes in 2021, three in the first term and two in the second term. All courses still have seats available. See below for which classes are being taught in which term, who they are being taught by, and their times. This information can also be found on self-service which is also where you can sign up for these courses.
See our class registration 101 blog post found here to refresh on how to do so.
Congratulations to Naomi Painter and Ben Campbell for being selected as Summer Scholars!
Roanoke College’s Summer Scholar Program is designed for serious students who want to use their summers wisely and work one-on-one with faculty. Every year, students compete for selection to receive one of the summer scholarships. Faculty from across the college review student research proposals and decide these prestigious awards.
Naomi will be working with Buchholz on her project in light of the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic and issues involving prejudice and discrimination where she intends to examine the effects of disgust on the presence of prejudicial responses and the individual differences that contribute to said relationship.
Ben will be working with Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand on his project, inspired by his interest in traditional or toxic masculinity, where he intends to research the effects of jealousy on threatened masculinity and relational aggression (i.e., aggression used to harm peer relationships) use.
From April 15-17, Roanoke College will be holding their annual Alumni Weekend virtually to bring Maroons together from all over the world to celebrate. On Friday, April 16th, the psychology department will be hosting a psychology reception from 3:30 to 5:30 pm hosted via Gatherly. You can sign up for Alumni Weekend by clicking this link. Come join us to see your favorite Psychology faculty members!
It’s almost that time of year again: registration time! Advisors might be reaching out to you either this week or the next to set up meetings since registration will begin on Monday, April 19th. Students should be notified about their registration time in the next few weeks through email and it should be visible on self-service as well. Thus, this post will provide a simple step-by-step guide on how to register for classes as well as some helpful reminders!
How to Register
Self Service helps to organize and visualize your class schedule. The following link should bring you to the self-service login page. Your username and password is the same for self-service as it is for inquire.
After you log in, you should see the student home page seen below. Click on Student Planning near the bottom left, above Grades.
This should bring you to the student planning page where you can either check your academic progress or register for classes. Click on Plan for your Degree & Register for Classes on the right side of the screen (seen below).
Finally, you’ve reached the page where you can schedule your courses. Here is where register for You can use the arrows near the top left to change between terms. To add courses to your schedule, you can search for courses at the top right search bar.
Let’s say you wanted to add psychology 251 to your schedule. You would type it into the search bar and you should be brought the course catalog seen below. Clicking on “Add Course to Plan” and selecting a term won’t put the available class sections on your schedule, it will only show the class on the left sidebar in the planned classes. You’ll have to manually add a section by clicking view other sections.
If you click on “View Available Sections for PSYC-251” you’ll see all sections available for both the current and next term as shown below. Make sure you scroll down and click on “Add Section to Schedule” on a section under Fall Term, 2021.
You can also follow this post for instructions on how to register on the Ellucian Go app.
On the day of your registration time, a button should appear that says “Register Now” on the right that if pushed should register you for all classes currently on your course schedule. A confirmation email should be sent that notifies you of what classes you have registered for.
If you would like to see these steps in action, Roanoke College provides two videos on using Self-Service to plan schedules.
Meet with your advisor. Some advisors should be reaching out to you this week if they haven’t already for a pre-registration advising meeting. If not, it might be a good idea to reach out to them first. It’s always a great idea to meet with your advisor just to check in with them to make sure you’re taking the right classes and that you’re on the right track to graduate on time.
Your advisor can help you indicate what classes are available next semester but you can (and should) look at what is being offered through self-service by typing in the class name or number in the search bar in self-service. You can also look for general types of classes. For example, if you wanted to see all psychology classes, you would type in psychology in the search bar. You can also search courses through the course catalog on self-service or the directory.
Before you meet with your advisor, pick classes that are required and/or that you want to take and make a draft of your schedule using self-service. Class registration goes in order with those who have the most credits prior to the current term picking their classes first so it is possible that you may not get your first choices. That’s okay! Having a plan B and sometimes even a plan C helps reduce disappointment and worry about not taking classes that are interesting to you but also meet requirements. Here you can check the requirements for majors and concentrations in the psychology department.
Remember being early is being on time. Opening self-service a few minutes before your designated time and making sure you’re ready to push that register button may be the difference in you getting your first choice or second choice or not.
Miami University is now accepting applications for their third annual Diversifying Psychology Weekend being held virtually, May 1st, 2021. This weekend is designed to help students from underrepresented and diverse backgrounds learn more about research and graduate school in psychology, prepare to apply for a doctorate in psychology, network with graduate students and faculty, and learn more about what their department has to offer. The event is supported by Miami University’s Psychology Department, College of Arts and Sciences, and Graduate School, and Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion. Students who are early in their college careers and/or who are less familiar with doctoral degrees in psychology are encouraged to apply.
To receive full consideration, successful applicants should:
Demonstrate a strong interest in learning more about a doctoral degree in the following areas of psychology: clinical, cognitive, community, developmental, social, or neuroscience.
Identify as a racial or ethnic minority traditionally underrepresented in psychological science AND/OR identify as an individual who will enhance the diversity and inclusivity of psychological science. Examples include (but are not limited to): first-generation college students, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, individuals from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds, etc.
To apply, follow this link. Applications are due April 7th, 2021.
More information about their psychology department can be found here.
Each student at Roanoke College is required to take the Intensive Learning (IL) or May Term which provides the opportunity to learn in an immersive environment. For 2021, several psychology professors are offering classes to meet this requirement. Currently, there are four seats for Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand’s and Dr. Carter’s INQ 177 course Psychology of Teams. This course will last for 3 weeks (June 1st to June 18th) and will be in-person on the Main Campus.
The goal of this course is to examine what makes teams effective, drawing upon classic and modern research in psychology. What changes when individuals must function as part of a team? How do effective teams solve problems and make decisions? What group dynamics lead to challenges in effectively solving problems? What kinds of team environments foster cooperation and allow for successful communication? What makes for a good team leader? What kinds of personality traits make for the most (and least) effective team members? We will attempt to answer these questions through a combination of readings and daily activities, including a number of cooperative and competitive team-based games and local field trips.
Other ways to satisfy the IL requirement are through an IL Independent Study or an IL Internship. Students must apply for these 400-level projects to satisfy the IL requirement. These projects are usually within the student’s major and must meet the requirements of the department in addition to those specific to IL. The project must be undertaken when the student is not enrolled in other classes meaning that many projects may start in May but will continue through part of or all of the summer. Students will work closely with a faculty mentor who supervises the project to provide one or more final products (ex. paper, portfolio, oral presentation, artistic works, etc.).
The deadline for the application for using an independent study, research project, or internship to fulfill the IL requirement is May 6th for May Term/Summer projects in 2021. Completed applications (cover sheet, description of internship/project, and signatures of a faculty mentor and department chair) must be submitted to Dr. Dave Taylor, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs by the deadline.
Follow this link to find more information about the IL requirements and for the applications to use either an independent study or an internship to satisfy the IL requirement.
Dr. Dickens’ social psychology research lab at Spelman College is looking to hire an undergraduate research assistant to help with research focused on the experiences of Black women in STEM education.
During a 6-week summer program (June 7th – July 16th, 2021), students will have the opportunity for one-on-one mentorship and research experience with a faculty member. This opportunity will be virtual but working full time for the full 6-week commitment is required for the program. A stipend will be provided.
Responsibilities of the research assistant include:
Recruiting study participants
Data collection and analyses
Attend weekly lab meetings
It is preferred that interested students have the following qualifications:
Strong academic performance in psychology with a GPA requirement of 3.25 (overall and major)
Dependability and initiative
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Rising juniors and seniors preferred
Selection into the program is rolling and will last until March 19th, 2021.
If you are interested in applying, please complete the online application using this link and email your curriculum vitae/resume, and your most recent unofficial academic transcript to the lab director Dr. Danielle Dickens, at ddickens@spelman.edu.
Image from https://www.illustrationhistory.org/illustrations/summer-psychology-session
Are you still debating what to do over the summer but are interested in research? Roanoke College offers several opportunities to get involved with research this upcoming summer.
Roanoke College Summer Scholars
As the March 15th deadline quickly approaches, we will highlight Roanoke College’s Summer Scholars program. Summer scholars work one-on-one with faculty on a project that will be presented during Family Weekend (late September/early October). On-campus housing is provided and summer scholars will be paid $3000 and earn a summer course credit.
To apply students must have a 3.0 or higher GPA, have completed 8 units by the start of the grant period, and plan to return the following fall. The application consists of a cover sheet, a student application for summer scholars, and a faculty nomination to mentor a summer scholar. These forms and more information about the process can be found on the summer scholars page, here.
Below are some past psychology majors and their summer scholars projects:
2018
Aislinn Foutz. Parental and Peer Factors in Children’s Theory of Mind Development. Major: Psychology. (Faculty Mentor: Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand, Psychology)
Yipeng Wang. Gender Difference of Domestic Abuse and How Honor Culture Would Affect those Differences. Major: Psychology. (Faculty Mentor: Lindsey L. Osterman, Psychology)
2017
Sabrina McAllister. Time Perspective as a State-Based Measure. Major: Psychology. (Faculty mentor: David Nichols, Psychology)
Megan Miller. Self-driving cars as a test of the potentially harmful effects of empathy on moral decision making. Major: Psychology. (Faculty mentor: Chris Buchholz, Psychology).
Summer Research Incentive Program
As part of the Summer Experience Incentive Program, students are provided reduced summer tuition for one unit of internship, research, or independent study credit. To qualify for reduced summer tuition, approval for their project must be received no later than May 15th.
Students have the responsibility of finding a faculty member who is willing to supervise the project. It is recommended that students start working on proposals by Spring Break to give faculty members time to review the plan and give the students time to make revisions and acquire needed signatures.
Projects, required reflections, final paper, and final reflection (3-page minimum) must all be completed and submitted to their faculty supervisor by September 30th. Students in the program are also required to participate in a showcasing event.
A more in-depth description of the program, as well as the applications for the program, can be found on the Summer Research Incentive Program page, here.
Salem VA Medical Center and Roanoke College Undergraduate Research Experience
Please note that the program is currently on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic but those interested should email the director of undergrad research at research@roanoke.edu to get on the mailing list for when applications become open.
This collaboration with the Salem VA Medical center allows Roanoke College undergraduates to work in research with a Principal Investigator (PI) on current medical research and present it. Research has included topics such as “Predictors of Treatment Response Among Veterans with PTSD”, “Mental Health in Rural Veterans with and without Traumatic Brain Injury”, and “Effect of Exercise Training on Inflammation and Function in HIV Infected Veterans”.
It is recommended interested students meet with the Director of Undergraduate in the fall semester or early in the spring semester to discuss the program. To apply, students must submit a cover letter (with research interests), a curriculum vitae, an unofficial transcript, and two letters of recommendation to the Director of Undergraduate Research by the deadline.
More information about expectations and other important information can be found here.
For those students still looking for graduate programs, Shippensburg University, located in south-central Pennsylvania, is providing a complete asynchronous (online) program that can be completed in one year as a full-time student or two years as a part-time student. To earn the degree, a total of ten courses (thirty credits) of graduate work is required.
The program according to Shippensburg University “emphasizes the application of psychological principles and methodologies to real-world problems.” Many of their graduates assume research-related roles (e.g., program evaluation, survey research, data analyst, etc.) across various areas in business/industry, government, and non-profit settings.
Students in the program are able to pursue one of two specialties. Those interested in quality control careers can pursue a Six Sigma greenbelt certification. Those who are interested in working with individuals with learning or social impairments such as those with autism can earn a Behavior Specialist Certificate which provides advanced coursework in applied behavioral analysis.
Remote assistantships are available on a competitive basis but are subject to change based on university funding.
Shippensburg University has rolling admissions which allow students to begin and complete the program in any term.
More information on the program can be found on their official webpage found here. For answers to any other questions or more information about the program, feel free to contact the graduate program coordinator, Dr. Thomas Hatvany at Tchatvany@ship.edu.
It is that time of the year again: Finals! Albeit much earlier in the year, next week marks the finish line for the fall semester. This is both a very exciting and stressful time because you are so close, but you may have so much more left to do.
A few days ago, we reached out to students on Instagram to ask how they prepared for finals. We received some great advice such as “Prioritizing sleep and eating over late-night study cramming” and “Organizing printed notes and making physical notecards”.
Keep reading for more helpful advice about stress management and how to succeed during finals next week!College-wide events:
Yoga for Stress Relief
There will be an online via zoom and in person yoga session.
When: Monday November 16th, 2020
Time: 3:00 PM to 4:00
Where: Bast 138 and on zoom
To learn more contact Colleen Quigley, cquigley@roanoke.edu.
In the Moment: Creative Practices for Medication and Wellness
Amy Herzel, a visual artist whose work is focused on meditative practice is hosting a workshop about using creative practices as a method of meditation.
When: Saturday November 21st, 2020
Time: 2:00 to 3:00 PM
Where: Online via Zoom (will be recorded)
Contact: Lacey Leonard, leonard@roanoke.edu (540-354-6282) to register, for questions, or if there is difficulty joining. Each registered user will receive a kit.
Roanoke College Wellness
There are still some spots for chair massages for students provided by Health Services. You can find open slots and sign up here .
College Resources
As always our student health and counseling services are still available to all students through telemedicine services.
Students can drop into counseling for a short duration through Let’s Talk on Tuesdays from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Thursdays 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, and Fridays 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
If you’re interested in talking in a group about stress or anxiety, Love Your Selfie is on Mondays via Zoom from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Other Organizations and the college may also have events that pop up this week or the next so watch out for those!
Below are some tips on completing projects and how to study to avoid stress and turn in quality work.
Study Schedules
The best way to make sure you have adequate time to start and complete all of the assignments coming up is to plan.
Marking down all due dates for finals assignments/projects and dates and times of final exams.
Schedule times to study or complete parts of the project and make sure to to the schedule. Getting in the habit makes sure that you’re not waiting until the last minute.
During scheduled times make a plan on what you want to accomplish. Breaking large assignments or studying for finals in smaller sections, not only reduces stress but for studying, it makes it easier to remember.
For studying, always review what you studied the day before. If on day one, you studied chapters 1 and 2, on day two, you would quickly review chapters 1 and 2 but focus on the next chapters.
Make sure that you start early enough so you have ample time.
Take Breaks
The best rule to follow for work/life balance is 80/20 where 80% is focused on academics and 20% is focused on having fun. Studying for long periods of time can be draining and isn’t efficient in the long run. Breaks can be as simple as meditating or going for a walk. Just remember to come back to studying when you’re mentally prepared.
Group Sessions
This doesn’t work for everyone but sometimes it can be really helpful to talk with other classmates for clarification. This can also apply to professors. It’s better to ask before to make sure you’re prepared for the test. In addition, being able to explain material to someone else and having them understand it is a good strategy for understanding and remembering the material.
Study Strategies
Using a variety of different studying strategies such as retrieval, elaboration, organizational, and rehearsal strategies makes it easier to remember and understand the material.
Retrieval- Testing yourself is a great way of making sure you understand and remember material. This can be answering questions from textbooks, using flashcards, practicing using formulas and solving problems, or recreating charts/timelines/and diagrams from memory.
Elaboration- Linking new information with information you already know or creating learning mnemonics like acronyms and analogies.
Organizational- Making your own charts and graphs to visualize information.
Rehearsal-Repeating information out loud or repeatedly writing information. It works better if paired to strategies listed above rather than if used by itself.
These are just some tips and not all of these work for everyone. This is also by no means a comprehensive list. Starting early will help you figure out which strategies work best for you. Remember the psychology department is cheering you on!
Good luck with finals and be sure to revel in the two-month break that follows!
Even as this semester draws to a close, it’s a great time to start thinking about next semester (and future semester) pursuits. There are a variety of ways students can apply concepts learned in the classroom with real-life examples, as well as hone their skills outside of the classroom and learn new skills. Here are some of the ways you can make the most of your time in the Roanoke College Psychology department.
Research Labs
Putting time into research can give you a great experience applying the information you learn in the classroom and experiencing the research process firsthand. Students even have published their research and presented at psychology conferences around the country. Research opportunities are strongly encouraged for students planning to continue their education in either graduate or doctoral programs in psychology.
Research experience and research practicum are great for students to get a foot in the door and learn more about research in psychology. Work-study also allows eligible students to assist with faculty research for an hourly wage. Students can talk to a faculty member with who they share research interests with. Looking at the faculty’s past presentations and research papers is another great way to get an idea of who you would most like to work with. You can find information on faculty research interests here and here are recent student conference presentations and publications with faculty.
For less directed student work, Independent Study (Empirical Study) and Honors in the Major allow students to conduct their own empirical study under a faculty member. It is common for students to take research practicum prior to enrolling in an Independent Study as they have already completed a research proposal but it is not required to do it in this way. For Honors in the Major, the results are required to be presented to a committee during a defense. Independent studies can be used to fulfill the Intensive Learning (May Term) requirement.
Students can also conduct research during the summer through the Summer Scholar Program where they can be paid $3000, receive housing, and a summer course credit to conduct research with a faculty member. Projects are presented during Family Weekend. More information can be found here.
For more details about all avenues to become involved in research click here.
Some comments from students currently involved in research
“Getting involved in research within the psychology department has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my college career – not only do I get to actually use what I have learned throughout my courses, but I get to explore my research interests while working one-on-one with a knowledgeable professor. This experience of conducting and presenting my own independent study will give me a bit of an extra boost as I enter the next stage of grad school.”
“I got into research for the chance to be able to dive into a topic that I was really interested in. I learn skills every day that I am able to take and use in my other classes to improve my academic performance. On top of this, I have gained peers who I can share things with and get helpful feedback from people who I trust.”
“After several assignments in classes where I was required to write a research proposal, I found myself writing a similar proposal every time about a topic I really enjoyed reading about and I wanted to see if I could actually translate my ideas from paper into the real world. With research in the psychology department, I found I could and not only do I feel fulfilled, but research has also provided me with great time management skills.”
Sign up for research studies
Some classes have a research participation requirement in which 5 participation amount credits need to be earned for a percentage of students’ final grade. However, signing up for research studies through SONA is a great way to get firsthand experience of how studies operate and possibly get some ideas for research studies you would like to run in the future. A lot of these studies are student studies that are needed for courses such as independent studies, so it also benefits your fellow classmates. More information about how and where to sign up for these studies can be found here.
Internships
Internships take place in a variety of places from community agencies to businesses and students have the chance to see how their knowledge of psychology is applied in work settings. Internships can be used for credit (.5 for 60 hours or 1 unit for 120 hours) and can be used to satisfy the Intensive Learning (May Term) requirement. Reflections will be completed throughout the internship leading up to a reflection paper and poster presentation on the experience. The experience and skills gained from it can be added to resumes or crriculum vitaes (CV). Click here to learn more about internships and how to be contacted about opportunities.
Psychology Student Organizations
Both the psychology club Roanoke College Psychology Association (RCPA) and the psychology honor society Psi Chi host several social, academic, and philanthropic events throughout the semester. Some examples of these include a Veteran Affairs Medical Center Talk, Pie-a-Prof, and Toy-like-Me. However, while RCPA is open to all students, those eligible to join Psi Chi need at least four units of psychology and at least a 3.0 GPA and be in the upper 35% of their class. Both usually set up tables at the activities fair. To learn more information about each click here.
Student Assistant Job
If you’re interested in helping the department behind the scenes, students with a 2.5 GPA overall and a 2.5 GPA in psychology are selected to be departmental assistants where they work for an average of 5 hours a week. Common jobs include grading multiple-choice tests and running errands. Student assistants are also in charge of posting to the psychology department blog and Instagram page. You can learn more by clicking on this link.
Some comments from recent student assistants
“I became a psychology department student assistant to become more involved in psychology and to build relationships with the faculty in the department. Through this position, I have had the chance to interact with all the professors, learn new skills, keep the community updated on all that is happening in our department, and have had fun decorating the fifth floor as well as being involved with pranks on the professors.”
“Becoming a psychology department student assistant has allowed me to interact with more psychology faculty than I might have interacted with just taking classes. I had never paid much attention to social media but being in charge of the blog and Instagram for the psychology department has provided me with new skills. Being able to help faculty in the department is also satisfying.”
Participating in even just one of these activities can make your time in the RC psychology more meaningful and it may make a difference in you falling in love with the subject even more.
It’s almost that time of year again: registration time! Pre-registration advising will begin next week on Monday, October 26 and registration will begin on Monday, November 9. Students should be notified about their registration time in the next few weeks through email and it should be visible on self-service as well. Thus, this post will provide a simple step-by-step guide on how to register for classes as well as some helpful reminders!
How to Register
Self Service helps to organize and visualize your class schedule. Typing in this link https://selfservice.roanoke.edu/Student/ should bring you to the self-service login page. Your username and password is the same for self-service as it is for inquire.
After you log in, you should see the student home page seen below. Click on Student Planning near the bottom left, above Grades.
This should bring you to the student planning page where you can either check your academic progress or register for classes. Click on Plan for your Degree & Register for Classes on the right side of the screen.
Finally, you’ve reached the page where you can schedule your courses. You can use the arrows near the top left to change between terms. To add courses to your schedule, you can search for courses at the top right search bar.
Let’s say you wanted to add psychology 251 to your schedule. You would type it into the search bar and you should be brought the course catalog seen below. Clicking on “Add Course to Plan” and selecting a term won’t put an available class section on your schedule, it will only show the class on the left side bar in the planned classes. You’ll have to manual add a section by clicking view other sections.
If you click on “View Available Sections for PSYC-251” you’ll see all sections available for both the current and next term as shown below. Make sure you scroll down and click on “Add Section to Schedule” on a section under Spring Term, 2021.
You can also follow this post for instructions on how to register on Ellucian Go app.
On the day of your registration time, a button should appear that says “Register Now” near the top right that if pushed should register you for all classes currently on your course schedule. A confirmation email should be sent that notifies you what classes you have registered for.
If you would like to see these steps in action, Roanoke College provides two videos found here and here on using Self-Service to plan schedules.
Other Tips
Advising Meetings
Meet with your advisor. Some advisors should be reaching out to you this week if they haven’t already for a pre-registration advising meeting. If not, it might be a good idea to reach out to them first. It’s always a great idea to meet with your advisor just to check in with them to make sure you’re taking the right classes and that you’re on the right track to graduate on time.
Your advisor can help you indicate what classes are available next semester but you can (and should) look what is being offered through self-service by typing in the class name or number in the search bar in self-service. You can also search courses through the course catalog on self-service or in the directory.
Plan Ahead
Before you meet with your advisor, pick classes that are required and/or that you want to take and make a draft of your schedule using self-service. Class registration goes in order with those who have the most credits prior to the current term picking their classes first so it is possible that you may not get your first choices. That’s okay! Having a plan B and sometimes even a plan C helps reduce disappointment and worry about not taking classes that are interesting to you but also meet requirements. Here you can check the requirements for majors and concentrations in the psychology department.
Be Early
Remember being early is being on time. Opening self-service a few minutes before your designated time and making sure you’re ready to push that register button may be the difference in you getting your first choice or second choices or not.
Registration can be stressful but your advisors are a great resource and are willing to help. In addition, it gets easier the more times you do it and in no time you’ll be a pro. Good luck Maroons!
Dr. Anthony Cate, Psychology Professor at Roanoke College
The Psychology Department would like to welcome Dr. Anthony Cate to our faculty as our newest professor. The following is an interview with Dr. Cate where he answers some questions about himself, his interests in psychology, and what he’s looking forward to in terms of teaching at Roanoke College.
Where are you from?
I was born in New Jersey, and I moved a lot when I was young. I have lived in every state between Washington, D.C. and Boston, except for Delaware. After I got my Ph.D. I also lived in Canada (Ontario) and northern California.
Where did you receive your undergraduate degree from and what did you study in undergraduate? What was that experience like?
I got my undergraduate degree from Yale University. I began as a religious studies major, but I thought that those classes involved too much memorization of names and dates, so I switched to psychology. Actually, I switched to being a triple major, at least on paper: psychology, linguistics, and East Asian studies. I shed majors when I figured out that psychology interested me the most.
I was lucky that I was able to help out in three research labs that had different missions and lab cultures. I learned that I was bad at doing brain surgery in a rat lab. I lost some patients. Everyone there seemed anxious all the time too, which was poignant because anxiety was part of what they studied. I conducted my first research project in a lab that studied human fear conditioning. My advisor was a very kind scientist who helped me feel like an important part of the lab, but I disliked having to give participants electric shocks. I also frequented the lab of my favorite professor, who had taught my perception course. That lab was very welcoming. People could just walk in to say hi and check out the experiments, there was a dog, and the students were very productive. All of those experiences taught me to consider the social environment when I was choosing a graduate program.
Have you received any other additional degrees? Where did you receive them from?
I went to Carnegie Mellon University to get my Ph.D. in psychology, which was part of a joint neuroscience program with the University of Pittsburgh.
Have you taught anywhere else besides Roanoke College?
I first taught when I was a postdoctoral researcher at Western University in Canada. My advisor talked me and two other postdocs into teaching one third of a course each, which seemed like a lot at the time. Later I taught at Virginia Tech, where I worked for nine years before moving here to Roanoke.
What are you most excited about teaching at Roanoke College?
I am very excited to teach at Roanoke for many reasons! It has been hard for me not to talk a mile a minute while teaching during these first few weeks. It is exciting when students ask me questions, including when I don’t know the answer, because then I get to track the answers down later. I was very eager to start teaching smaller class sizes. I think personal interactions form the most effective ways to learn, and instructors get to learn from their students this way, too. It is also a privilege to join an excellent psychology department where the faculty and staff are so engaged in their mission.
Dr. Cate in front of MRI machine at Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System in Martinez, CA (2007)
What are your research interests? Why are you interested in this/these field(s)?
My research investigates how visual perception works, and how it influences other cognitive skills like memory and reasoning about numbers. I am particularly interested in understanding how different parts of the brain work together. I have studied techniques for visualizing computer models of brains in order to make maps of which cognitive skills are associated with different brain regions.
Can you tell us about any research you have already completed in these areas?
I have published some research about how we perceive the 3D structure of objects, and about how brain damage can alter these perceptions. I enjoyed learning how to make 3D images using computer graphics, and I especially liked getting to learn what people living with brain damage had to teach me about perception.
What course or courses are you currently teaching?
I am teaching Introduction to Psychology and Cognitive Psychology this semester, which is a great combination. I have been teaching Cognitive Psychology for over nine years, and it is so familiar to me that I get excited when my favorite topics are about to come up in class. I have never taught Intro Psych before. It feels like a big responsibility to introduce the entire field.
Are you interested in taking on students as research assistants?
Yes! Students make research better. I realized a few years ago that when undergraduates helped me with a project, we considered the problems less narrowly. The projects were much more enjoyable because of all the conversations we got to have.
What qualities are you looking for in any students who are interested in joining your lab?
Mainly curiosity, and an appreciation of research for its own sake. My research questions are usually less about “how can we apply this science?” and more about “how does this work?” I have had wonderful contributions from students with backgrounds in art and design, but that’s because we had similar interests, and not because students need any particular artistic abilities. The same has been true for students who are interested in neuroanatomy and computer science. A passion for those topics makes for a good fit, but students definitely don’t need to have expertise already.
Welcome to Roanoke College Dr. Cate! Thank you again for taking the time to answer our questions. We are excited to have you here and look forward to learning more about you in the semesters to come!
With mid-terms fast approaching (sadly with no relief of a fall break), it can be easy for stress to quickly overcome the life of a college student. Here are some simple reminders and helpful tips on how to reduce stress in your life.
College resources
As always, our student health and counseling services are still available to all students through telemedicine services.
Students can drop into counseling for a short duration through Let’s Talk on Tuesdays from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Thursdays 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, and Fridays 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
If you’re interested in talking in a group about stress or anxiety, Love Your Selfie is on Mondays via Zoom from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Click here for the full counseling services schedule where you can also find meeting information.
Using your school email address, you also have access to Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) Self-Help which is a private online library of behavioral health resources. Modules and practice tools can assist in learning how to manage stress and mindfulness skills.
Organizations and the college may also have events that pop up this week or the next so watch out for those!
Manage your time – Placing all required assignments and due dates on a calendar is only half the battle. Setting up a schedule and setting time aside to study and complete assignments reduces stress because it makes procrastination way less likely. Breaking large assignments into smaller, more manageable parts also helps.
Learn to say no – This doesn’t just mean to fun things. In fact, having fun during stressful times can be beneficial if you are accounting for work you do have to complete. Sometimes smaller assignments that aren’t worth as much can be put aside.
Make Time for Yourself- Make sure when you’re building a schedule, you block in breaks throughout the day. Spending thirty minutes studying and taking a one to two-minute break is great for focusing. Outside of studying, make sure you’re doing things you enjoy as well. Even when socially distancing, you can still have fun on campus. Kaelyn Spickler ’21 has written a great resource about some ideas on the Roanoke College’s website.
Get more (and better sleep)- Sleep is a great stress reducer but also helps the brain and body run at full power. It is recommended that we get 7 or more hours of sleep per night. Putting down electronics thirty minutes before bed and allowing the mind to rest from stimulation can help you get a better night’s sleep. If you do use electronics at night, try using a blue light filter as blue light can affect your sleep.
Exercise- Exercise is another great stress reducer as it releases endorphins. Don’t think you have to exercise for too long, thirty minutes is enough to reap these benefits. Regular exercise also has cognitive benefits especially related to memory and learning.
Mindfulness/Deep Breathing- Even taking two minutes to sit with yourself free of distractions and allowing your mind to drift to more calming things will reduce stress. Mindfulness can also be used in tandem with deep breathing where you only focus on your breath.
Remember midterms are just a reminder that you are halfway through the semester and you have come so far! This list of some potential stress reducers is simply a reminder but there are way more. Feel free to share any other ideas of stress relief during midterms week in the comments below!
Why not check out RCPA at the student activities fair this Friday, September 11 that will be taking place from 5 pm to 8 pm on the back quad?
In the past RCPA has hosted exciting events ranging in activities from tie-dying and pieing professors as well as Toy-like-me modification day and psychology-related talks.
Live streaming and individual club clips will also be available on Maroon Tube for those who cannot attend in person.
Extra information about the fair can be found on Roanoke College’s website under events.
Dr. Dickens’ social psychology research lab at Spelman College is looking to hire an undergraduate research assistant to help with research focused on the experiences of Black women in STEM education.
College-wide events:
