Courtesy of Dr. Powell. The NCFR was held in Florida.
Recently, Dr. Darcey Powell and Ms. Riker Lawrence were able to present their studies at their first visit to the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR).
Dr. Powell presented on a study by herself and Sophia Bolton of Duke University, titled “Parental Knowledge and Adjustment of Mothers in a Treatment Facility.”
She posted on Facebook, saying about the experience:
The lab’s first #NCFR17 won’t be our last NCFR! Our projects were well received, catching up with colleagues and networking with new ones was productive, and (last, but certainly not least) the sunny Florida weather was much enjoyed!
Ms. Riker Lawrence also presented on her research, which was in conjunction with Dr. Powell and Dr. Katherine Karraker of West Virginia University, and titled “Caring for Toddlers: Parents’ Experiences, Desires, and Satisfaction.”
Overall, we’re incredibly proud of our department’s Dr. Powell and Ms. Lawrence for their successful presentations at NCFR and for representing the department and Roanoke College well.
The second of three articles written by students in PSYC 376: Evolutionary Psychology to be featured on the blog, this article was written by North Angle, Cristoni Couvrette, and Anne Mette Rasmussen and is titled “Jealousy: Successful Tactic or Harmful Emotion?”
In the post, the authors discuss why we get jealous and the differences of jealousy exhibited between male and females, all from an evolutionary standpoint.
Please click here to read the article, or click on the screenshot above.
As part of Dr. Osterman’s PSYC 376: Evolutionary Psychology class, students submit a term blog instead of a tradition term paper. Focusing on a specific topic, students form groups and explain the topic from an evolutionary perspective with accompanying memes and other relevant videos in true Roanoke College Psychology Department fashion.
Over the next few weeks, there will be three blog posts featuring her students work, beginning with the current post.
This week’s topic is focused on why humans like drinking alcohol according to evolutionary psychology and was written by Luke Harbison, Maddie McCall, Nicole Moughrabi, and Adora Nguyen.
In the article, the authors address the history of alcohol usage and continue on to describe the many reasons why we consume alcohol, including attempting to explain why our taste for alcohol is so widespread.
Sound interesting? Please follow the link to learn more.
Taylor Kracht ’18 and Molly Zydel ’19 present at SSEA in Washington, D.C. (November 2-4, 2017).
Three current psychology students and one former student at Roanoke College were recently able to present their findings at the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood (SSEA) conference in Washington D.C., alongside the department’s Dr. Powell.
The theme for the SSEA’s 8th biennial conference was focusing on “Emerging Adults as Change-Makers Around the World.”
Left to right: Taylor Kracht ’18, Molly Zydel ’19, and Dr. Powell. Kracht and Zydel were presenting secondary analyses conducted on Stephanie Gaines’s independent study. Gaines graduated last May and was unable to attend the conference.
For these students, the opportunity to present their posters was an incredible experience.
Molly Zydel ’19 commented that…
“SSEA was great! It went very well for all of us with our presentations. At SSEA, we got a chance to talk to other professors, graduate students, and scholars about our research and theirs. It was interesting to get a perspective from others! We also got a chance to pick out different paper sessions to go to, where we got to listen to people present about their whole paper!”
One of the sessions students were able to go to and enjoyed seeing was the scholar Jeffrey Arnett, who created the theory of emerging adulthood as a life-stage.
Kirchoff, a former student at RC who is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Educational Psychology at the University of Virginia, presents her and Victoria Preston’s findings at SSEA.
“Kiah presented secondary analyses conducted on Kelsie Kreuzburg’s independent study project. Kelsie graduated this past May and was unable to attend the conference. Victoria Preston was the fourth author on this poster, but was unable to attend the conference,” according to Dr. Powell
Dr. Powell further commented on how impressed she was by her students, saying
The students did a great job presenting their posters and interacting with the other scholars. The conference is predominately attended by those who have earned their doctorate degree or who are working on an advanced degree, so the students were definitely in the minority. However, they represented my Developmental Self-Knowledge Lab, the Psychology Department, and Roanoke College incredibly well.
She continued on to discuss how the students found the information presented by other scholars interesting because of the relevance to them, as “the research samples emerging adults (i.e., those between the ages of 18 and 25; and is life-span stage that they are in)” and were on topics such as “… mental health, identity development, romantic relationships, peer relationships.”
We’re proud of our students (both current and former) and look forward to seeing what they will accomplish the future!
As the title says, New Majors’ Orientation has been changed to the Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th of November (the week following Thanksgiving Break).
If you signed up through SONA, then the date has automatically been changed and you do not have to sign up again. HOWEVER, if the day no longer works for you, you will need to sign up for the other day.
The orientation will be at the same time, from 6-7 pm, and in the same place, Life Science 502.
Look forward to seeing you there (the author heard Dr. Powell makes it fun, so don’t stress too much)!
“Do you like watching movies? Do you like winning free money? Would you like a chance to do both at the same time?”
Sound like a dream come true?
Then please plan on attending Psi Chi’s annual movie night on Tuesday, November 28th. Prior to this, submissions for any movie recommendation relating to psychology (like last year’s winner, Inside Out) are open until the end of Tuesday, November 14th. Voting will then continue until November 21st. The winner will receive a $5 gift card to Mill Mountain to contribute towards their coffee fund and preparation for finals.
Think you have a winning movie? Want free coffee or a hot chocolate (or whatever your heart desires from Mill Mountain)? Then please send your suggestion to mtmccall@mail.roanoke.eduby Tuesday, November 14th.
SJU is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Picture credit: https://plexuss.com/college/saint-josephs-university/overview
For students interested in pursuing a masters degree in experimental psychology, consider attending Saint Joseph’s University’s virtual (online) open house on Monday, November 13th at 11:30 am.
Saint Joseph’s University offers an intense, full-time program where students acquire a strong foundation for the scientific study of psychology through equal emphasis on coursework and empirical research.
For more information on how to attend the open house, click here. For those interested in the overall program, follow this link to go to the official site.
A brochure for SJU’s M.S. in Psychology can be found here.
Students pose after learning the Muay Thai boxing style.
In Part I, we talked about the more academic side of the trip and some differences noticed between cultures. In Part II of the Thailand May Term, we will discuss the more inherently fun and less academic parts of the trip, because, even though this was a class, it was still an experience of a lifetime.
For Dr. Darcey Powell, in addition to the conversations the group had with locals, her two favorite experiences were the Muay Thai boxing class and their day as mahouts:
[…] In the Muay Thai boxing class, we learned about that style of boxing and practiced the techniques. As mahouts, we learned how to take care of elephants with respect to feeding and bathing, as well as how to ride elephants, and then put what we learned into practice with our own elephant for the day.
Dr. Darcey Powell
Students’ experiences as mahouts at the Patara Elephant Farm in Chiang Mai was definitely one of the most favorite and memorable experiences of the trip, as Peyton Holahan ’19 recounts:
We spent the entire day playing with and learning about elephants. It really does not get much better than that in my opinion. We were greeted in the morning by the director of Patara who explained their mission as an elephant sanctuary focused on educating individuals about the health and well-being of these beautiful animals. Each person got assigned an elephant (or two) to spend the day with and it was pure magic. I was one of the lucky ones to get assigned both a mom elephant and her two-year-old baby. They told us that they assigned the elephants based on our personalities but I am certainly not planning on having kids anytime soon. I learned how to groom, feed, and bathe my elephants. Bathing them was by far the most fun because this involved getting on their backs and scrubbing them with a brush in the river. This was also really refreshing because Thailand’s climate is HOT.
A group picture interrupted by cuteness at Patara Elephant Sanctuary, picture courtesy of Dr. Powell
Along with our elephants we were partnered with mahouts who are the elephants’ caretakers and trainers. Our mahouts assisted us throughout the day in helping us ride the elephants and showing us how to take care of them. Patara is such a unique elephant sanctuary in Thailand in that they do not cage the elephants but rather let them roam freely because their mission is focused on recovery, reproduction, and reintroduction of elephants into the wild. Patara is one of the most humane elephant farms in Thailand for that reason and I am so glad that Dr. Powell chose this once in lifetime opportunity for us all to experience.
Holahan ’19
Sarah Hughes agrees with Holahan, giving her own description of her experience at the elephant farm.
I had been looking forward to going to the elephant farm since I had signed up for the trip, so I was tremendously thrilled when I found out that we each would have our own elephant for the day. We had the opportunity to feed our elephant sugar cane and bananas, inspect them for good health, bathe them, and ride them for their daily walk. I quickly learned that elephants like to eat a lot and eat quickly. This was because every time I would feed my elephant she would get mad at me and start to yell because I was not feeding her enough at a time and not quick[ly] enough. We then had the chance to speak to them in Thai and make sure they had slept properly the night before and were happy and healthy.
The next part was my favorite part of the trip. […] We had the opportunity to scrub them and play in the water with each of our elephants. It was interesting to see that some of the elephants really liked the water and others did not. Afterwards we rode our elephants to lunch. This ride was not what I was expecting, as we rode for thirty minutes straight up a mountain and only had a rope to hold on to.
Dr. Powell and a baby elephant, courtesy of Dr. Powell
Molly Zydel ’19 seconded the opinions of her fellow students, adding that:
The trip as a whole was absolutely amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better first experience out of the country. As for favorite parts of the trip, I absolutely adored our time in Chaing Mai. The city was gorgeous, and not near[ly] as overwhelming as Bangkok was. It reminded me a lot of home, which is why I think I loved it so much. While we were in that city, we also had an excursion where we got to be elephant care takers for a day. We each had our own elephant and we got to feed them, bathe them, and ride them. That day was phenomenal. It feels so surreal, even though I have pictures to prove it happened.
Zydel ’19
Hughes also mentioned a number of other fun activities that students were able to experience.
Some other things we did during the trip were visiting many temples all over Thailand, including the Grand Palace. We went to an adventure park at our hotel in Phetchabun, which is in the mountains, visited a factory, and went to Koh Samui, which is a gorgeous island in Thailand. We also were able to take a Muay Thai Boxing class, go to a rooftop restaurant, explore local night markets, and speak with monks.
According to Dr. Powell. “On day 14, we met the Imam on Koh Samui and discussed the experiences of emerging adulthood with local young men and women whose families were from the original fishing village.”
“Day 11 was spent in Chiang Mai with the students working in small groups to explore and experience the northern city, before going to one of the night markets,” said Dr. Powell on Facebook.
Students continue their discussion with the Inam in Koh Samui.
Students had fun while exploring Chiang Mai in small groups.
On the 14th day, students were able to take a break at Ang Thong Marine Park by boating, snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming.
I’m sorry.
Molly Zydel described her experience in Thailand as
[…] phenomenal. […] I could say so many things, but they all lead back to the statement of if you get the chance to travel abroad like this, do it. You won’t regret it. Even if it scares you half to death, do it. You find out somewhere in the middle of all of it that the experience is more exhilarating and eye-opening than it is scary. You change so much as a result of spending 3 weeks in another country that has such a different culture. Thailand was amazing. I just want to go back.
Ultimately, as Kiah Coflin ’19 concludes,
There are only so many aspects of a culture you can learn through a classroom […] [as seeing things] first hand teaches lessons better than any textbook ever can.
To see more pictures, go here to the official Facebook for the Thailand May Term. If you haven’t read the first part of the Thailand blog post, click here.
Thank you to everyone who helped with this post and were willing to write and submit pictures.
Twelve students from multiple disciplines, including psychology, went to Thailand this past summer with psychology professor, Dr. Darcey Powell to study emerging adulthood as part of a May Term program at Roanoke College.
Over the course of three weeks, students were able to compare the empirical articles they had read before departure with their own experiences as they traveled across Thailand to cities including Bangkok, Phetchabun, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui. While there, they discussed cultural similarities and differences with local emerging adults in Thailand. By traveling from city to city, students were able to see how socioeconomic settings and geography affect the lives of different emerging Thai adults.
As Peyton Holahan ’19 recalls,
The readings for our May Term were really interesting and relevant to the cultures and places we encountered. The topics in our readings varied from the collectivist[…] ideals in Thai society, to the importance of education, to the role of the transgender community in Thailand. Almost every day, we would have group discussions about our assigned readings and consider how the readings related to what we experienced or could possibly experience in our daily ventures.
Holahan ’19
When asked to talk about one of the most interesting parts of their trip, multiple students talked about their visit to Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok where they were able to interact with Thai students. Through talking one-on-one with each other and asking questions about their social and academic lives, they came to realize that perhaps they were not so different after all.
Holahan describes how her group quickly learned that social media plays a huge role in Thai student’s everyday lives, just as media does in the United States. In fact, because of the interactions with the Chulalongkorn students, Ms. Holahan came to realize that:
[…]the Thai students in Bangkok had very similar lives to our own in that most of them were working towards getting a degree and were still financially dependent on their parents. Spending the day at Chula and getting to know Thai students on a personal level completely contradicted my initial belief that our cultures were so far apart.
Sarah Hughes ’19 also mentioned her experiences talking with the psychology graduate students at Chulalongkorn University.
[…] It was funny[;] the first question they asked was about our current president and our political systems. They did not understand that our political system creates conflicts because in Thailand everyone worships the Royal Family. […] One conversation that stood out to me was when a student asked if our traffic jams in the U.S. only lasted approximately thirty minutes. I thought this was a strange question, but I shortly learned that it is easier to walk somewhere than drive because traffic jams can last for three hours.
Sarah Hughes ’19
Molly Zydel ’19 noted that for all the similarities, Thai and USA cultures are fundamentally different.
Thai culture is very different from US culture, in so many ways. First off, it is a collectivist[…] culture, meaning they emphasize the collective whole rather than the individual. This was observed in many ways, but especially in the way they treated each other. I never once saw a Thai person yelling. Thai people are also much more conservative. They don’t really like talking about themselves.
Molly Zydel ’19
This was most noticeable during the talk with graduate students from Chulalongkorn University, as Zydel continued on to say.
[…] As Americans, we were much more open to answering questions about ourselves, but when we asked them questions, the Thai students often struggled in speaking up to answer them, especially when we asked questions that were uncomfortable in the first place (e.g. we asked about sex outside of marriage and if it happened, and that question clearly made them uncomfortable).
Through their traveling, students were further exposed to various ways of thinking about life and their own culture. For Sarah Hughes ’19, the first few moments in Thailand were a startling contrast with her home in Maryland.
As soon as we landed in Bangkok I noticed many differences. For starters[,] the airport was half-inside and half-outside. We had been traveling for 23 hours in nice cold air conditioning and the second you stepped into the airport it felt like 100 degrees or more because of the humidity. Before our trip, everyone had told us to prepare for the heat but none of us expected it to be as hot and as humid as it was. I am from Maryland near Washington D.C. and I thought I knew what humidity was, but oh[,] I was wrong. The humidity in Thailand was something I have never experienced before.
Sarah Hughes ’19
Later, Ms. Hughes began to notice something else about the differences between the United States of America and Thailand.
In the United States we tend to separate poor areas from the rich areas, but in Thailand you will have a gorgeous temple that the Rama (king) built next to shacks that people live in. It stood out to me because you would have thousands of tourist[s] admiring these stunning buildings and next door are [the homeless] or people that live in a small shack without running water.
These observations fall in line with the readings, as Peyton Holahan noted…
I remember leading a group discussion on two readings about the importance of social class in society. These readings directly related to our experiences because it was clear that social class in Thai society affected the paths of Thai emerging adults as to whether they got an education or started working at a young age to support themselves. Social class was a key factor in many of the places we visited because we witnessed higher social classes in urban areas like Bangkok.
In cities like Bangkok, education was emphasized for emerging adults because they were in an urban setting with plenty of accessible resources that stressed academic goals for better jobs and opportunities. On the other hand, we also witnessed the extent of lower social classes in more rural areas like Phetchabun. In such areas, emerging adults usually resorted to working at young ages to support their families instead of pursuing higher education because it was rarely an option within their socioeconomic sphere.
In addition to these observations and experiences, students were also able to have some fun as well. Continue to part II to learn about some of the student’s and professor’s favorite parts of the trip, including getting to spend the day with elephants.
To see more pictures of the trip, click here to go to the official RC May Term Facebook Page.
If you recently declared a major in psychology either this semester or last semester, you are required to attend the New Majors’ Orientation either on Wednesday, November 8th or Thursday, November 9th in Life Science 502 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.
Please sign up through SONA and select which day you will be attending.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Dr. Powell at DPowell@Roanoke.edu.
If you are considering becoming a professional counselor, then look into attending the Virginia Tech Counselor Education Open House on Friday, November 3rd. The event will last from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and you can drop-in anytime to chat with students and faculty and to tour the facilities.
Interested? Please RSVP by emailing: vtcounsed@gmail.com
The psychology department would like to offer their sympathy and support to Ryan Hedgpeth and her family.
Ryan, a senior psychology major and volleyball player at Roanoke College, was driving back to school after visiting her friends at the University of Pittsburgh over fall break last Thursday when she was involved in a single-car accident and was seriously injured.
She’s currently in the intensive care unit at Charleston General Hospital in West Virginia. Her coach, Blair Trail, told The Roanoke Times reporter, Mark Berman, that Ryan is conscious but sedated and that she is responsive to commands and can communicate, using a card to spell out words.
Ryan will have a long recovery process ahead of her and has already undergone one surgery but is scheduled for more.
Her dog, Blue, was also injured in the accident but stayed with her until help arrived. He has undergone surgery and will need physical therapy as well.
If you want to help Ryan and are looking for ways to support her and her family but aren’t sure how, there is a gofundme page for Ryan here.
Interested in internships? Then join us on Thursday, November 2nd, from 11:45 to 1:00 in Life Science 502 for an information session to learn about the different opportunities available, as well as their requirements and deadlines, and much, much more!
Pizza will be provided, but please bring your own drink.
RSVP by Wednesday, November 1, noon, to 540-375-2462, or to dyer@roanoke.edu
We are incredibly proud and excited to announce that four psychology students were recently accepted as new members to Phi Beta Kappa, the United State’s most prestigious honor society for the liberal arts and sciences.
When asked how they felt about their acceptance, students replied:
“I’m so honored to be accepted into Phi Beta Kappa and be recognized for my accomplishments at Roanoke!” – Megan Miller ’18
“When I found out I got Phi Beta Kappa I was very excited and proud of myself. I have worked very hard over these past years and it’s an honor to be recognized for it.” – Taylor Kracht ’18
“I am honored to learn my Roanoke Professors nominated me for Phi Beta Kappa. Acceptance into this honor society is especially meaningful because it recognizes the broad array of pursuits that I have had the good fortune to enjoy at RC.” – Laura Sullivan ’18.
Congratulations to Megan Miller ’18, Laura Sullivan ’18, Taylor Kracht ’18, and Sabrina McAllister ’18! We are incredibly proud of you and look forward to seeing what you will accomplish in the future!
Don’t be like this cat, even though it is tempting. Instead, read this article to get a better understanding of how to get the most out of class so you can afford to nap while others stress. Image found: http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3rs5sq
As this is the beginning of the first official week of Hell (in other words, midterms; the second official week of Hell being finals), we thought sharing some tips on how to survive would be helpful.
In Part I there were tips about starting the semester off to a good start and what to do in preparation for classes. In Part II, we will cover what cognitive research and educators* recommend for learning in class during and after, and, most importantly, how to study for those exams you’re dreading.
Before we begin, here’s a picture of a bunny:
http://www.fantasticviewpoint.com/cute-animals/
During Lecture
Do Not Skip (Unless You Absolutely Have To)
Simply put, you won’t learn if you don’t go.
Even if the lecture is essentially a review of the material you already read, just showing up and hearing the material again will allow the information to more easily become part of your long-term memory.
Furthermore, teachers will often explain the material in different ways, so if the way the book describes a concept does not make sense, the teacher’s description may help clarify what you did not understand. Teachers also tend to add additional information that they believe is relevant to the class that is not included in the book but most likely will be on the test.
Take Notes By Hand
There are exceptions to this as students become more accustomed to taking notes with a laptop than with a pen and paper. Even so, the use of a laptop could distract both you and your neighbors as the temptation to look on social media and the internet is tempting, so be careful in how you use your laptop and where you sit. The authors of the study suggest turning off your WiFi so the internet and social media will be less tempting.
The reasons behind the insistence on using the traditional method of taking notes is related to the lower levels of information processing generated when using a laptop. Students take notes with their computer mindlessly, while those who use a pen/pencil and paper must process the information and convert it into something that is not word-for-word, but will make sense to them in the future.
In other words, those who write on a piece of paper know that they cannot copy everything down and therefore have to pick and choose what is the most important information to write down in a concise manner. This method of note-taking therefore leads to greater comprehension of the material.
Your wish is my command, Chem. Cat! http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/35y19r
Obtain Slides Before Class
That way, you will not have to write everything down that your professor talks about, but can add to the information already shown. You can pay more attention to what the professor is saying instead of madly trying to copy everything down before they go to the next slide.
After Class
https://giphy.com/search/fleeing
Most students leave immediately and focus on whatever they have to do next, but the authors of the article recommend going back over notes from your lectures later on in the day. By doing so, you can fill in whatever information you remember but did not get a chance to write down, as well as to find where you need more information on a topic.
In addition, write down whatever questions arise from your studying and try to answer them yourself before turning to your book. The authors say just spending fifteen minutes looking over your notes can help you better understand and remember what you learned that day.
By studying this way, you don’t have to re-learn everything the night before the test but can instead simply review the easier concepts and focus more on what you really struggled with.
Preparing for Tests
Advice for this section is essentially what has already been discussed. Research shows that students tend to study at the last minute by looking over notes and rereading material paying close attention to highlights, but that these methods do not work as well as one might hope. Instead, the authors recommend studying over a length of time and using active studying techniques (Putnam et al., p. 656).
Space-Out Studying
The author of this article has no clue what is going on in this gif, but she finds it mildly amewsing. Found on: http://catswithfoodinspace.tumblr.com/
Don’t cram everything at the last minute, instead, space out your studying over the course of several days. You’re still spending around the same amount of time, but you are learning much more from these study sessions than from one gigantic cramming session the night before (or day of).
Cramming may seem to work in the short-term, but for long-term memory retention, spacing out your studying sessions will drastically help your performances on tests.
The authors also make note of how rereading should be for when you are confused about a topic after quizzing yourself, not when you want to remember something. If you want to remember something, quizzing will help much more than simply reading over what you’ve already read before.
Reasons of Quizzing
This emphasis on quizzing yourself is based on a learning tool called “retrieval practice.” By quizzing yourself, the authors point out, you are literally doing what you are going to have to do for the test: retrieving information from memory.
The authors provide a few more ways to improve results from study sessions. Besides the read-recite-review method and other methods discussed in part I, the authors also recommend the use of flashcards. Use memory retrieval and do not look at the answer side when trying to answer the question; in addition, make sure you keep using the card until you have gotten the answer right at least three-to-four times. Finally, don’t just define the term, but try explaining the term to a friend; this method also helps retention.
Some Other Tips
The authors provide a helpful link towards balancing studying and retrieval practicing through suggesting looking up something called successive relearning (Putnam et al., p. 656).
Continuing on, if there are a lot of terms you need to memorize, using mnemonic techniques can be useful. Mnemonics are probably familiar to you; teachers use them often, such as when you are learning the order of operations in math. Teachers will probably use “PEMDAS” to help you remember, with each letter corresponding to something else: Please (parenthesis), Excuse (exponent), My (multiplication), Dear (division), Aunt (addition), Sally (subtraction). You can use mnemonics to help you in college as well, either through this particular way or through loci, which are mental associations formed with objects or buildings familiar to us in order to help us remember harder things.
The Final Exam
By following the suggestions above and in part I, the Final Exam will not seem quite as daunting as before and you might even be able to get a good nights rest. Be sure to start studying well ahead of time and test yourself on what you recall, reviewing what you cannot and making sure that everything you do remember is correct.
Final Tips
Put studying at the top of your priority list (you and/or your parents are paying a fortune for you to learn), but also remember to have fun with your friends and reward yourself for what you have accomplished so far. Exercising can be a great method of stress relief, as well as getting a regular amount of sleep.
In the end, it’s easy to get caught up in the multitude of activities and assignments we involve ourselves in, but be sure to just take a few minutes for yourself to just… breath.
Everything will be okay.
*The information discussed in Part I and Part II is taken from a study conducted by Dr. Adam L. Putnam of the Department of Psychology in Carleton College and Victor W. Sungkhasettee and
Henry L. Roediger, III of the Psychological & Brain Sciences Department of the Washington University in St. Louis. Their study, published in 2016, is titled “Optimizing Learning in College:
Tips From Cognitive Psychology” and can be found here.
Dr. Osterman with psychology students (from left-to-right): Maddie McCall ’18, Kaitlin Busse ’18, Sarah Raines ’19, and Brittney Rowe ’20
Opening Ceremony of the Out of the Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention
Participants walking through Salem
Walking past the local Farmer’s Market
On Saturday, October 7th, 2017, Roanoke College hosted an Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk. Students, professors, locals, and students from other universities all participated in the walk.
Is this you? Then you should read this post. Found through the all-knowing Google search: http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3rs2li
It happens a lot, that dreaded “study-a-day-before-the-test” deal that causes lots of stress and results in multiple brews of coffee.
There might be highlighting.
There will definitely be crying.
Office hours might be a thing and there will probably be some frantic texts and emails sent to both professors and friends, swearing that this will “never happen again” and “when did we even learn this?”
Even so, you study on and you pray that everything will be okay. You stay up all night studying, maybe getting a few hours of sleep if you’re lucky. You promise yourself that next time, you’ll do better.
If this is something you have experienced, then the information provided in a recent study* published through the Association for Psychological Science will help immensely.
In the study, the authors attempt to provide tips both from research in cognitive psychology, as well as through their own experience as educators. They provide advice for studying before classes, during, and after, as well as a lot of tips for preparing for tests.
In this part, we will discuss methods of studying and preparing before classes. In part II, we will discuss methods of better learning during and after class and in preparation for exams. Finally, parts I and II will both include memes simply for pure entertainment.
Besides the usual “don’t study at the last minute” that a lot of people know about and yet still happens because, well, life happens, there are also a number of other things that contribute to learning effectively.
http://askstudents.edublogs.org/tag/exams/
Rereading textbooks and notes, generally only focusing on the highlighted words, does not work as well as we think it does. For short-term, those tricks might work, but in the long-term, studies have suggested that these methods consume a lot of time without much real output (e.g., Dunlosky, Rawson, Marsh, Nathan, & Willingham, 2013).
Basically? You might be okay on the midterm, but for long-term memory retention, specifically regarding that cumulative final you’re dreading, this method of studying probably won’t work as well as you might hope.
So what should you do according to Putnam, Sungkhasettee, and Roediger III?
Starting the Semester
Most of this is common sense, but try to minimize the late-nights spent studying by getting organized early in the semester so that you can minimize later stress when weeks like midterms come and assignments never seem to end. Starting good habits when stress levels are low can also help immensely during these dark times of never-ending homework.
Organize
Organization is incredibly important to maintaining both sanity and grades, while still somehow managing to get sleep and having a social life. Therefore, going to the first day of classes and carefully reading over the syllabus is key to juggling this impossible balancing act. By reading the syllabus, you will know what is happening in the class and when assignments are due, so you won’t be blind-sided by multiple projects hitting all at once. Putting your assignments all into a calendar, an excel spreadsheet, or on your phone and making a habit of checking a month ahead every week can help to maintain a good overview of your classes. This can also help you to know when you need to start studying, like when multiple projects are due on the same day.
The authors also recommend setting calendar reminders a week prior to exams, projects, or recurring assignments and quizzes so nothing gets forgotten (Putnam et al., 2016).
Buy the Books
In order to succeed in the class, you need to have the books. Buying textbooks can be incredibly expensive, but be careful of used textbooks, especially if they have highlighting because the previous owner(s) may not have recognized the crucial parts of the text.
Do Not Attempt Multitasking
Multitasking is bad.
It does not work.
Repeatedly switching attention from one task to another can make learning less effective (e.g., Anderson & Fuller, 2010; Craik, Govoni, Naveh-Benjamin, & Anderson, 1996). Any kind of multitasking, in fact, from having a Facebook tab open to listening to music can impair your ability to learn even if you don’t think it bothers you (as qt. Willingham 2010a). Try to make a habit of turning off your media while studying at a quiet place (meaning, unfortunately, Mill Mountain does not count).
Preparing for Class
Sometimes it’s hard to get all of the assigned reading done before class, but by doing so in an effective manner, you will get more out of the class. Don’t try to read as quickly as possible, even if you feel like you’re getting piled down with homework. As the authors point out, comprehension takes time and while reading quickly may get you through the text, you likely won’t be retaining the information you read (Rayner, Schotter, Masson, Potter, & Treiman, 2016). Try to make sure you understand the material before moving on to the next thing; reading is pointless if you don’t remember what you read.
In addition, while highlighting and underlining are popular, studies show that they do not really contribute towards recall later on (Dunlosky et al., 2013). Instead, try these tips:
Answer the Comprehension Questions Prior to Reading
While seemingly counter-intuitive, attempting to answer the questions before reading the chapter can help activate what prior knowledge you do have on the topic and make it easier to connect with the new material. Research also shows that by doing so, you will better be able to remember the material as well (e.g., Pressley, Tanenbaum, McDaniel, & Wood, 1990; Richard et al., 2009).
Ask Yourself Questions While Reading
By actively asking questions about the material you are reading, you will have better comprehension regarding what you read as well as for the future when you make study guides. Potential questions could include defining the topics you are learning about as well as asking yourself “Why is this true?” or “What parts of this page are new to me?” (Putnam et. al., 2016; R. Wong, Lawson, & Keeves, 2002).
Instead of highlighting or simply reading, read the assigned chapter and then try to recall the major points of the chapter. After that, go back through the chapter and focus on what you missed. This way of studying may take more time, but in the long run, it’s more effective in remembering the material than simply reading or highlighting.
So, what sort of things should you do while in class and what are the best methods of studying for tests (like, say, impending midterms)? Continue on to part II to see what cognitive psychologists and educators recommend doing in order to survive college!
*The study, titled “Optimizing Learning in College: Tips From Cognitive Psychology” was put together by Adam L. Putnam, from the Department of Psychology, Carleton College and, Victor W. Sungkhasettee and Henry L. Roediger III from the Psychological & Brain Sciences Department, Washington University in St. Louis. The link can be found here.
On Saturday, October 7th beginning with registration at 10 am in the Cregger Center, Roanoke College will be hosting the Out of the Darkness Community Walk to help fight suicide. Following registration, the walk will start at the back quad beginning at 11 am.
If you would like to participate in the walk, then please register today through the link in the flyer. RCPA and Psi Chi Students will also be there to help support the event and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
This event is part of Mental Health Awareness Week sponsored by Roanoke College’s Student Health and Counseling Services.
Other activities hosted this week include a Suicide in the Media Discussion Panel on Tuesday, Oct. 3 from 6:30- 8 pm in Massengill Auditorium which is open to all, followed by a Mental Health Education Fair and Free Depression Screening Event on Thursday, Oct. 5th from 5-7 pm in the WELL (Alumni 216).
For this latter event, students can call Student Health and Counseling Services (540-375-2286) to schedule a screening or they can drop-in. Screenings are confidential.
If you’re interested in any of these activities and want to learn more, there will be a table set up on Monday (10/2) and Wednesday (10/4) outside of Commons where information will be provided and ribbons for Mental Health Awareness will be given out.
Sabrina McAlister ’18, pictured above, showcases her findings at the 2017 Research Showcase in Fintel Library on 9/22/2017
Sabrina McAlister, a senior at Roanoke College who was previously featured on our site and recently interviewed by our college’s research blog, presents her findings on time perception at the Research Showcase in Fintel Library on September 22, 2017. (The link to the interview by Marcus Stewart can be found at the bottom of the page.)
Megan Miller ’18, another senior psychology student, presented her findings on moral decision making through focusing on self-driving cars. Her project included the results from her survey on SONA, in which students were asked various questions regarding their views on self-driving cars and whether or not they believed these cars were an ethical means to reduce car-related fatalities.
The showcase, featuring research projects from all academic disciplines, kicks off the beginning of the Family Weekend for Roanoke College students and their families.
We’re proud of our psychology students for presenting their intriguing and well-researched projects and we look forward to what more findings will be discovered!
For more information regarding McAlister’s project on time perception, please follow the link below:
In a recent interview with Marcus Stewart for undergraduate research at Roanoke College, Sabrina McAllister ’18 talked about her research project titled “Time Perspective as a State-Based Measure” and gave advice for other prospective Summer Scholars.
For her research as part of the Summer Scholars program, McAllister worked over the summer with her faculty advisor, Dr. David Nichols, a professor of Psychology at Roanoke College whose primary research includes topics in neuroscience, vision perception, and time perception. Together, they examined the structure of the Zimbardo’s Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI), a questionnaire that determines amounts of focus on past, present, and future, for ways to improve the inventory for more accurate results.
To learn more about what they discovered, as well as the the link for Dr. Nichols’ research lab, follow the links at the bottom of the page.
The Summer Scholar Program awards thirteen applicants from all majors with funding every year for independent study under the supervision of a professor. If all conditions are met, the scholar will receive one unit of credit for independent study, which can be counted towards the Honors project if part of the Honors Program. The program typically coincides with Summer Sessions I and II (June & July), but more time can be given if the student’s project requires it.
The deadline for applying to the Summer Scholar Program is March 15 and decisions are made by April 1st.
Come out to Massengill Auditorium on September 21st to enjoy a Q&A session with graduate students from Virginia Tech. Please RSVP by emailing Dr. Osterman at osterman@roanoke.edu. All are welcome!
Throughout the semester Dr. Gornick and her Psychology of Genocide class pondered, discussed and evaluated some of the most horrific human rights violations the world has seen. Sifting through tough psychological concepts (conflicting moral values, tyrants, discrimination -dehumanization and scapegoating, individual helping and international aid, guilt-survivors paradox and reconciliation) a larger picture emerged linking personal experiences to national and international concerns.
Midway through the semester, students were anonymously told about a member of our campus community who’s family survived the Armenian Genocide. From this discussion, students wrote amazing, professional, compelling and companionate interview questions. Thanks to Dr. Jennifer Berenson the following video was made to answer those questions.
Congratulations to Stephanie Gaines, alongside her mentor, Dr. Powell, on her successful Honors in the Major Defense!
Here project was entitled, “The Influence of Service Learning and Self-Reflecting on the Teaching Self-Efficacy of Students in First-Level Education Classes.”
For the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring Dr. Osterman’s social psychology class assignment where they were tasked with researching and writing a Buzzfeed-style article on a number of topics.
The eighth article focuses on what 10 Things You Never Knew About Manipulation in Cults. Click this link to read more!
Congratulations to Megan Miller and Sabrina McAllister for being selected as Summer Scholars!
Roanoke’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.
Megan will be working with Dr. Buchholz on her project entitled, “Self-driving cars as a test of the potentially harmful effects of empathy on moral decision making.”
Sabrina will be working with Dr. Nichols on her project entitled, “Time Perspective as a State-Based Measure.”
Nicole Lancry and Brian Matera of the Rhetoric and Social Perception (RASP) Lab recently passed the Integrative Complexity coding test! Training to be an IC coder is a 4 week intensive process requiring a high degree of analytical skill and attention to detail. Certification requires coders to have a reliability scores of α=.85 or better with an expert complexity coder. Both Lancry and Matera passed with flying colors! Please join us in congratulating them on this accomplishment!
Congratulations to Sophie Bolton for successfully defending her Honors Thesis under the supervision of Dr. Powell! Her project was entitled, “Examining the Usefulness of Educational Programming on Children’s Capabilities for Women at a Residential Treatment Facility”.
For the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring Dr. Osterman’s social psychology class assignment where they were tasked with researching and writing a Buzzfeed-style article on a number of topics.
The seventh article focuses on what the Breakfast Club got right about social psychology. Click this link to learn more!
Congratulations to Alex DiFelice for successfully defending her Honors in the Major Project. Her project was entitled “Self- and Collective-Efficacy of Female Youth Athletes in a Positive Youth Development Program.”
On Tuesday, March 28th, Sabrina Butler-Porter visited Roanoke College to talk to students about being an exonerated death row inmate as an advocate of the Witness to Innocence Project.
Witness to Innocence (WTI) is the only national organization in the United States composed of and led by exonerated death row survivors and their family members. The mission of WTI is to abolish the death penalty by empowering exonerated death row survivors and their loved ones to become effective leaders in the abolition movement. WTI actively challenges political leaders and the public to grapple with the reality of a fatally flawed criminal justice system that sends innocent people to death row. WTI also seeks ways to support death row survivors and their loved ones as they confront the challenges of life after exoneration.
RC students filled up Massengill auditorium to hear her story and we were extremely thankful for the time and commitment Sabrina, WTI, and all of the sponsoring RC groups on campus that helped to make this event possible!
Here is the link to Sabrina’s book if you are interested!
For the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring Dr. Osterman’s social psychology class assignment where they were tasked with researching and writing a Buzzfeed-style article on a number of topics.
The sixth article focuses on ways to know if your relationship will last. Click this link to learn more!
Summer Research Mentoring Program in Developmental Science
This summer, Dr. Elizabeth Simpson and her team will be leading a Summer Research Mentoring Program, funded by the National Science Foundation. Students will be compensated $1,800 to work 20 hours per week over the course of this of this 9-week program.
The Social Cognition Lab studies the development of social behavior in infants, including neonatal imitation and face perception. We use eye tracking to measure infant visual attention and we collect saliva to detect salivary hormones. You can read more about our research here: https://goo.gl/2lP2s8
Eligibility, Dates, and Location
High school seniors and undergraduate students are eligible. No prior research experience is required.
The program is from June 1st through August 4th, 2017.
The University of Miami is located in a culturally diverse and vibrant community. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University that values diversity and have progressive work-life policies. Women, persons with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. We are especially interested in research-focused students from groups historically underrepresented in science, including racial/ethnic minorities, women, and students who are the first in their family to attend college.
Students are responsible for their own accommodations and transportation.
Components
Students will lead projects, under Dr. Simpson’s guidance. This student mentoring program aims to (a) introduce students to the general scientific method and specific methods of investigating infant social cognitive development; (b) identify student training and career goals; (c) facilitate student support networks, including peer mentoring; and (d) lead students in community science education through outreach and the dissemination of research findings to both the scientific community and the broader public. The research experience includes:
20 hours per week in the laboratory learning to measure social cognitive development in infants.
Weekly 1-hour face-to-face research meetings focused on the training and professional development.
Participating in a research conference to learn more broadly about developmental science and to network with other leading scientists. The South Florida Child Psychology Collaborative Research Conference is a student-focused conference held in Miami every summer.
Designing a summer collaborative outreach project. Students will be encouraged to be creative and develop a project to educate children or families in the community on a topic related to our research.
Pairing up with a graduate student to produce a tangible product summarizing research findings. At the end of the program, students will share their results through a paper or presentation.
Application
Materials must be received by April 24th, 2017 (midnight EST).
As the year winds down, the Psychology department would like to welcome and congratulate 29 of its newest members of our Psychology Honor Society, Psi Chi. Psi Chi is the International Honor Society in Psychology, which was founded in 1929 for the purposes of “encouraging, stimulating, and maintaining excellence in scholarship, and advancing the science of psychology.”
Members have access to wide number of resources, including scholarships, grants, and discounted services!
For the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring Dr. Osterman’s social psychology class assignment where they were tasked with researching and writing a Buzzfeed-style article on a number of topics.
The fifth article focuses on ways to make a good first impression. Click this link to learn more!
For the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring Dr. Osterman’s social psychology class assignment where they were tasked with researching and writing a Buzzfeed-style article on a number of topics.
The fourth article focuses on ways to make friends as a Freshman. Click this link to learn more!
For the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring Dr. Osterman’s social psychology class assignment where they were tasked with researching and writing a Buzzfeed-style article on a number of topics.
The third article focuses on reducing aggressive tendencies. Click this link to learn more!
After graduation I have plans to enroll in Chestnut Hill College’s Psy D. program. The program is a 5 year APA accredited program in Philadelphia which accepts cohort sizes between 16 and 22 annually. This program prepares students for a career in clinical psychology by incorporating elements of formal lecture as well as clinical internships and practicums. By the end of the program the students obtain a master’s degree as well a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and have completed the necessary requirements to be eligible to obtain licensure.
The Psychology Department would like to congratulate Psychology majors, Kristen Wicander and Stephanie Shields, on their acceptances into the prestigious Fulbright Program!
Prof. Rosti, Roanoke College’s Director of Scholarships and Fellowships, noted that “Fulbright places much emphasis on its awardees’ ability to be good ambassadors for the US. Kristen and Stephanie in all ways will excel at this goal. I’m excited for the world to get to know the amazing students Roanoke College helps produce.”
For the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring Dr. Osterman’s social psychology class assignment where they were tasked with researching and writing a Buzzfeed-style article on a number of topics.
The first article focuses on differences among Eastern and Western cultures. Click this link to learn more!
Dr. Travis Carter, a new faculty member in the Department of Psychology, is recruiting student research assistants to start in the fall.
The research conducted in the lab will focus on:
Bias in social judgments
The role of introspection in biased self-assessments
Motivated reasoning and self-deception
Happiness and consumer behavior
Political belief formation
Looking for research assistants who:
Are conscientious and hard-working
Are able to juggle a variety of tasks at once
Are intellectually curious (ideally with knowledge of social psychology)
Are familiar with MS Office/Google Docs
Have some familiarity with research methods and statistics (preferred, not required)
Have some programming skills, or an interest in learning (preferred, not required)
Research assistants will be involved with many aspects of the research process, including developing experimental materials, data collection (in and outside of the lab), data entry, and literature reviews. Highly motivated students will have opportunities for more involvement in study design, statistical analysis, and other more advanced aspects of the research process.
Interested students from all class years are encouraged to contact Dr. Carter for an application (travis.carter@gmail.com).
Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand, a new faculty member in the Department of Psychology, is looking for research assistants to begin in the Fall semester.
Research topics in the lab will include:
peer relationships from early adolescence through young adulthood
development of social behaviors (aggression, prosociality, withdrawal), social motivation, and status among peers
the self and personality in relation to social behaviors and social-emotional adjustment
the role of social experiences in academic persistence and motivation (especially in STEM: science, technology, engineering, and math fields)
Looking for students who…
are hard working
are motivated
share some level of interest in the above topics
of any class level (Freshman-Senior)
have some experience with statistics and methods and familiarity with SPSS and Microsoft Office (preferred, not necessary)
Students in the lab can expect to work on a variety of tasks related to the research process, with potential for increased involvement. For instance, research assistants may work on any combination of data entry/coding, data analysis, literature reviews, study design, and data collection (in-lab and community-based studies most likely in local schools).
Interested??
For questions or an application, email Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand at dfindley@mail.usf.edu.
On Thursday, March 2nd from 4:00-5:00pm in Monterrey, there will be a fairly informal, discussion of neuroscience things of interest to people and planning for an external neuroscience guest speaker in April.
Congratulations Abbe Guarino, Kaitlin Busse, and Katherine Jensen (from left to right)!
The faculty and staff members of the Nu Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa are pleased to inform you that you have been elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest, largest, and most prestigious academic honor society. The Phi Beta Kappa Society’s mission is fostering and recognizing excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, and your academic record at Roanoke College reflects both the intellectual and cultural interests and the scholarly achievements that the Society values.
Membership in Phi Beta Kappa is a distinct honor. Fewer than 300 of the nation’s several thousand colleges and universities have chapters, and Phi Beta Kappa graduates include some of the country’s most distinguished citizens. They include seven of the nine current Supreme Court justices, three recent presidents, numerous Nobel Prize recipients, and such notable people as John Updike, Francis Ford Coppola, Stephen Sondheim, Jonas Salk, and Peyton Manning. The College is so committed to the ideals of the Society that it established an endowment fund to support the Chapter’s activities and to subsidize some of the costs for new members.
The Community Counseling at Family Service of Roanoke Valley has at least two openings for a Community-Based Mental Health Counselor (working primarily with youth) in the Roanoke area.
Community Counseling Programs – Family Service of Roanoke Valley is seeking part-time professional to work with youth and families in Medicaid Licensed Programs as well as grant funded programs. The services will be provided in a variety of community settings included homes, after school settings and school based groups. A Bachelor’s degree in an applicable social science is required as is experience working with youth (must be Qualified Mental Health Professional-Children, QMHP-C). Each applicant must hold a valid Virginia Driver’s License and have an insured vehicle to transport youth. Bi-lingual applicants are encouraged to apply.
Applicants can email or call Emily DeCarlo, the Program Manager, if they have any questions.
edecarlo@fsrv.org, Phone: (540)563-5316 ext. 3007.
Please see www.fsrv.org for more information on Community Counseling at Family Service of Roanoke Valley.
Haley Goodes ’15 is currently attending Radford University’s Industrial-Organizational Psychology Master’s Program! We reached out to her answer some questions about graduate school. Feel free to reach out to Haley if you have any questions (see end of article for contact info).
THE DEADLINE TO APPLY IS FEBRUARY 15TH, 2017.
What’s your program like?
The Industrial-Organizational Psychology Master’s Program at Radford University is a two-year program that is project-oriented. In comparison to other programs, we work directly with clients in the majority of our classes to assess their needs and present them with materials to help resolve these organizational needs. It is also required of every student to have an internship, which is extremely helpful in getting experience in the field outside the classroom setting. In our program, our culture involves teamwork and communication. The professors are very helpful and strive to teach us to be the best evidence-based practitioners that we can be. In general, this degree supports those who are looking to go into consulting (internal, external) or human resources fields.
What type of classes and assignments intrigue you the most in your program?
Every class is designed to teach us best practices for different topics; however, the materials and best practices somewhat overlap in an organized way to provide us with a better overall understanding of I/O Psychology. Classes such as Organizational Psychology, Employee Selection, Psychometric Theory, and Performance Appraisal have been the most interesting to me since these classes provide a framework for how to perform most of our practices in the most effective ways.
Any advice for current students?
If students are looking to further their education in Psychology, Industrial-Organizational Psychology differs since it focuses on specific issues in business settings. The analysis and comprehension of data is a strong component in I/O Psychology so that we can provide the most useful information to organizations with the support of evidence. Be passionate about what you think you would like to do in a career path and be very prepared with research, etc. before applying to any program. Asking advice from your professors about how to apply to graduate school and how to present yourself to each school is important. Also, the online information source to explore professions, O*NET, is a very helpful tool to see various aspects of different jobs.
What do you think prepared you the most for grad school?
At Roanoke College, my Human Resource Management concentration and psychology courses, such as Research Methods, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, etc. prepared me for the content of the courses and how to study and present myself to clients. I believe my involvement in many different groups around campus helped me understand how to better communicate and lead others. I also had an internship in a human resources department before graduating from Roanoke College, which helped me get experience and interact with professionals in a human resources setting.
Would you be willing to list your contact info on the post so students can reach out to you?
Congratulations to Alex DiFelice ’17 for being award a Psi Chi Research Grant with Dr. Powell. Please see below for a description of the research the two are working on!
“The activities that adolescents participate in can be integral to their development (Lerner, 2005). One activity that a large proportion of adolescents participate in is athletics (Kelley & Carchia, 2013, p.1). Prior researchers have established a link between Bandura’s concept of efficacy, both individual efficacy (IE) and collective efficacy (CE), and their sport performance (Morritz et al., 2000; Fransen et al., 2012). We examined the extent to which the contributors to efficacy: past performance, verbal persuasion, vicarious experiences, and emotional state (as posited by Bandura, 1977), predict adolescents’ sport IE and CE. Female youth athletes (N=170, Mage=15.04, 72.4% Caucasian) who attended World Camp USA field hockey sessions provided information about their current IE and CE for playing field hockey before the upcoming intensive training camp. Participants completed modified versions of IE and CE measures (Weigand, 2000; Short et al., 2005) and the sources of efficacy questionnaire (Chase et al., 2003). For the sources questionnaire, the adolescents responded yes/no to three questions for each of the four sources. The purpose of this study is to understand the impacts of Positive Youth Development Programs on the self- and collective- efficacy on an adolescent, and a team of adolescents. Like it is mentioned above, better understanding of how sports participation can impact an adolescent’s development can lead to improved programs to foster this development.”
VAS will be holding its spring meeting at Virginia Commonwealth University this year from May 17 – May 19. Oral presentations and poster presentations will be held on Thursday, May 18th. This opportunity to present is perfect for advanced undergraduates with novel research findings to share.
You can find the information above and submission deadline information by clicking this link.
Congratulations to Rachel Perkins for successfully completing her Honors in the Major project. Her project was entitled Women’s Preference for Masculinity: The Interaction of Environment and Life History Strategy. Her project was completed under the guidance of Dr. Osterman.
Three members of the Rhetoric and Social Perception (RASP) Lab, Sean Gilley, Nataly Claros, and Dr. Gornick journeyed to Asheville, NC to present research on politics and integrative complexity. Originally proposed as a poster, their presentation Secretaries of State: A Brief Rhetorical Analysis was offered one of ten data blitz spots. Sean Gilley did an amazing job presenting in this difficult format! Overall the conference was a great success and we hope to repeat the trip next November!
Jacob Johnson and Kevin Watermen of the Rhetoric and Social Perception (RASP) Lab recently passed the Integrative Complexity coding test!
Integrative Complexity (IC) is used to assess the underlying complexity of thought. Research with IC has evaluated political leaders, terrorist groups, voting preferences, and perceptions of war. IC is a scoring system on a scale from 1(very simple) to 7(very complex). This scale represents the degree to which rhetoric (a) uses differentiated dimensions and (b) subsequently integrates those dimensions into a larger structure.
Training to be an IC coder is a 4 week intensive process requiring a high degree of analytical skill and attention to detail. Certification requires coders to have a reliability scores of α=.85 or better with an expert complexity coder. Both Johnson and Waterman passed with flying colors!
Please join us in congratulating them on this accomplishment!
Florida International University Center for Children and Families 2017 Summer Treatment Program — Counselor Positions
by Eduardo Merille
The Center for Children and Families at Florida International University announces Summer Treatment Program Counselor positions for 2017. The Summer Treatment Program (STP) provides services to children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder, Oppositional-Defiant Disorder, learning problems, and related behavior problems. The program provides treatment tailored to children’s individual behavioral and learning difficulties. Counselors will work in the STP-PreK, for children in preschool or entering Kindergarten, or the STP-E, for children ages 6-12 in elementary school. The Center for Children and Families is directed by William E. Pelham, Jr., Ph.D., who is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at Florida International University. Paulo Graziano, Ph.D., and Katie Hart, Ph.D., are the Program Directors for the STP-PreK, and Erika Coles, Ph.D., is the Program Director for the STP-E.
The dates of employment for the Counselor position are Monday, June 5, 2017 through Saturday, August 12, 2017. Counselor hours of employment are 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday, and on Saturday, August 12. In addition, Counselors continue to work with the children until 8:30 PM one evening each week while parents participate in weekly parent training groups.
Counselors are paid a salary of $4,000 for the summer. In addition, current students may be able to arrange for academic course credit through their university departments.
Go ahead and please click this link to read Dr. Osterman’s PSYC 376: Evolutionary Psychology class’s fourth and final post on a psychological adaptation. This one is on evolved taste preferences and aversions.
Senior psychology major, Stephanie Shields, spent the summer abroad in Hamburg, Germany through an internship program, German Academic Exchange Service Research Internship in Science and Engineering. She worked alongside Ph.D. student Signe Luisa Schneider to complete her project on electroencephalography (EEG), learning, and memory. Read more about Stephanie’s work here!
Check out Dr. Osterman’s PSYC 376: Evolutionary Psychology’s blog! The students spent all semester working on their posts; this week’s topic is the biological fear of small animals.
Shannon Yard ’18, a junior Psychology major, is a health and basic needs intern during her time at the Lutheran College Washington Semester Program.
“I am the Health and Basic Needs Intern at Horton’s Kids. HK is an organization devoted to serving the Wellington Park community in DC’s Ward 8. Most recently at work I called over fifty mental health providers to find one that would be a good partner for us to provide counseling and therapy to the children enrolled in our program. My supervisor has set up meetings with a few potential matches, but during the process I learned more about the many differences in counseling and therapy practices and had to evaluate which ones would be the best for our kids. On a day-to-day basis, I distribute diapers to parents in need, help families access the emergency food pantry, and (my personal favorite) work directly with the kids during homework help or tutoring.
RCPA is hosting an event! Dr. Whitson will be giving a talk on “The Psychology of Stress,”followed by a stress-ball-making activity. It will be at 7pm on November 16th (Wednesday) in Life Science 502. Snacks will be provided!
Congratulations to Stephanie Shields, Caitlin Morse, Drew Applebaugh, Tyler Muntz, and Dr. Nichols for their most recent publication in Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education.
The article is based on a project they completed during NEUR/PSYC430-Research Seminar in Neuroscience in the Spring 2016 semester that will help guide the use of different EEG equipment in the Principles of Neuroscience Lab and more widely in our Neuroscience Concentration.
To read the full article, please follow this link:
Saint Joseph’s University master’s program in experimental psychology is a full-time program designed to provide students with a solid grounding in the scientific study of psychology. All students in the program are assigned to a mentor and conduct an empirically based research thesis under his/her direction.
SJU is reaching out to Roanoke College students to let them know that they are having a virtual (online) open house on Monday, November 7th at 12:30. Information on how to attend the open house can be found at:
Sourcing Specialist for ScribeAmerica, a company that hires and trains “Medical Scribes” for Board Certified Physicians, is looking for candidates to fill positions! This is a truly unique employment opportunity for students interested in careers in medicine. Our company is currently looking to recruit students to work as Medical Scribes in your local area of Salem, VA.
The scribe will work one on one with board certified physicians assisting with documentation for each patient evaluated by the doctor. It is an exceptional opportunity for anyone interested in medicine to gain first-hand experience following a physician in an emergency department setting.
We offer paid classroom & clinical training. Each employee will have multiple training sessions both in the classroom and the department during which we teach extensive medical terminology and appropriate medical/legal charting documentation.
There is a flyer attached to this post providing more information about the positions and how to apply.
For more information you may also visit our website www.scribeamerica.com. Please contact Alexis Salters if you have any questions about our program at Alexis,Salters@scribeamerica.com.
The Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood (SSEA) has released their call of proposals to present at their biennial conference for November 2-4, 2017 in Washington, D.C. Data based on college student samples (or others between the ages of 18 & 25) would be appropriate for this conference.
If any research lab or seminar students are juniors or are graduating but think they’ll have access to Washington, D.C. in November, they may want to consider submitting an abstract under the guidance of their faculty advisor. Here is additional information about the call for proposals & conference:
http://www.ssea.org/conference/2017/SSEA2017CallforProposals1.pdf OR www.ssea. org/conference/2017
The world’s first international conference on the application of precision medicine to brain research, brain health and disease will be held in Roanoke, Virginia on Wednesday, October 5 through Friday, October 7, 2016.
The Virginia-Nordic Precision Neuroscience Conference will bring together leading brain researchers, clinicians and physician-scientists from across the U.S., including from major Virginia universities and health systems and from leading Nordic universities and health systems with thought leaders from the pharmaceutical industry and the National Institutes of Health.
Speakers include a Nobel laureate, a winner of the Lundbeck Foundation International Brain Prize, the Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the Scientific Director of the Division of Intramural Research Programs at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) who will discuss the latest breakthroughs in basic, translational and clinical neuroscience with an individualized perspective. Speakers and panelists will consider the technical advances, the promise, opportunity and the challenges related to the actualization of precision medicine in neuroscience.
The conference is being hosted by the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute (VTCRI – http://research.vtc.vt.edu/) in beautiful Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A. Information on registration, poster submissions, accommodations, CME credit along with details of the entire program can be found at www.vnpn.org
Faculty, undergraduate, graduate and medical students, fellows, postdocs, residents and science/health leaders at all career stages are welcome. Attendance and meals at the meeting are free but you must pre-register for the meeting.
REGISTRATION FOR POSTER SUBMISSIONS AND ATTENDANCE ENDS TODAY, 9/26!
Students, Faculty and Staff are invited to attend a Graduate School Fair being held at Radford University, Monday, September 26, 1-4pm, in the Muse Banquet Room.
PSYCHOLOGY GRAD SCHOOL FAIR – Meet Admissions Teams & Faculty on October 5th REGISTER NOW * LEARN MORE * Live online event – Attend the Fair from Anywhere
Come out tomorrow, September 15th from 4:30-6:00pm to enjoy some ice cream with RCPA and Psi Chi! The social will take place on the Science Quad and is an awesome opportunity to learn more about each organization and the Psychology Department in general!
Congratulations to Dr. Nichols for his recent publication in the academic journal, Brain and Behavior! Dr. Nichols’ project is based on his post-doc work, which looks for evidence for position sensitivity in object-selective visual areas.
Dr. Nichols’ article is titled “Position selectivity in face-sensitive visual cortex to facial and nonfacial stimuli: an fMRI study” and can be found directly at:
LETS GIVE A BIG WELCOME TO THE PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT’S NEWEST MEMBERS!
Dr. Athena Buckthought
Dr. Buckthought received her B.Sc. in Physics, M.Sc. in Psychology (Neuroscience) and a Ph.D. in Psychology (’04) from Carleton University, in Ottawa, Canada. Her current research interests are visual perception, cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience, specifically looking at stereopsis and motion parallax, as well as using psychophysics and functional brain imaging.
She is currently teaching Cognitive Psychology and Psychology in the Media. Dr. Buckthought is looking to recruit students for her research lab. More information on her lab and the type of students she is looking for can be found at: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology/research_and_internships/undergraduate_research/dr_buckthoughts_research_lab
Dr. Laura Mills-Smith
Dr. Mills-Smith received B.A.s in Anthropology (’09), English (’09), and Psychology (’10) from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. in Psychology (’13) from Virginia Tech, and a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in developmental science (’16) from Virginia Tech. Dr. Mills-Smith’s research focuses on infant language learning and the social context in which it happens, specifically focusing on basic interests in audiovisual perception, face processing, joint attention, and the role and importance of contingency for language acquisition and social development.
She is currently teaching Intro to Psychology and Developmental Psychology. More information on Dr. Mills-Smith’s research lab can be found at: http://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology/research_and_internships/undergraduate_research/dr_mills-smiths_research_lab.
The Psychology Department will be hosting their annual Wii dance party this Wednesday, May 4 in Life Science 502 from 2-4pm. All students are invited who have taken a Psychology course or are friends with someone who has taken a Psychology course or think they know someone who may have taken a course with a Psychology professor.
Go see our Facebook page for some videos from recent years!
“Want to ace that test tomorrow? Here’s a tip: Put down the coffee and hit the sack.”
Don’t believe me? Tons of recent research has shown that pulling all-nighters, and the sleep deprivation that results, will actually harm you rather than help you.
“Sleepless night can make us cranky and moody. But a lesser known side effect of sleep deprivation is short-term euphoria, which can potentially lead to poor judgment and addictive behavior, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley.”
Lack of sleep can result in decreased immune system function and reduced ability to consolidate recently formed memories, says Boston College. Therefore you are more susceptible to catching whatever icky bug is floating around campus and all that information you’re trying to stuff into your head as the wee hours of the morning tick by probably won’t stick as well as you hope.
I could go on. But before you leave, please promise me that you’ll get some sleep every single night this week. Taking a three hour study break to catch some Z’s is actually more helpful than taping your eyelids open and attempting to memorize the neurotransmitters and their functions with a double espresso in your hand. Your grades, and your sanity, will thank you.
On Saturday, April 9th, Alumni of the Psychology department came together to share stories and partake in fun activities. This year, more alumni showed up than ever! Alumni entered into contests and trivia games as well. Peter Hill ’65 was the alumni who graduated the longest time ago, Kelly Paton ’12 traveled over 1000 miles, and Lauren Kennedy ’14 won our trivia games!
Congratulations to Alex Grant, alumni Rachael Benons, Ashley Johns, Melissa Hobson, and Dr. Nichols for their recent publication in Impulse! Impulse is a premier undergraduate journal dedicated to neuroscience.
Please see the link to read their article on Foreign Accent Perception and Processing with EEG: http://impulse.appstate.edu/articles/2015/foreign-accent-perception-and-processing-eeg
Kelly McEnerney will be presenting her research on Thursday, March 24 at 4:30 in Life Science 515. Her title is “Moral Self Development and Implicit Associations.”
This summer, as a part of the Pathways Summer Internship Program, Consumer Products Safety Commission is offering an internship to any current full-time or part-time student who resides within the D.C. Metro area.
Students should have at least a 3.0 GPA and are required to submit a resume and a college transcript, as well as answering interview questions. The deadline for this internship is MARCH 28.
Please see link for more information and application: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/433063900/
** If you do apply, make sure to select Social Sciences GS-0199.
If you have any questions about the internship, please contact Dr. Powell (dpowell@roanoke.edu), as she has previously participated in this internship opportunity.
“DePaul Community Resources, a non-profit agency in Roanoke, is interested in working with Roanoke College students as interns. They have different options, depending on the interests of students, and also location preferences. Besides their Roanoke office, which focuses on foster care programs, they have an office in Christiansburg that focuses on adoption care, and an office in Lynchburg as well. The Roanoke office is located on Hollins Rd, just off Plantation Rd, so it’s about 12-15 minutes from campus via I-81.
DePaul can have interns for academic credit or who just want the experience. They do have evening and weekend meetings and events, as well as those during the regular work day. Interns would participate with the full-time case workers with in-office visits, home visits, and training sessions. She did say that the students need to have a real interest in this field, as they will be exposed to severe situations that they’re hearing about from children, and it’s not for everyone. But it’s a good learning situation for one who thinks they want to work with children and youth in this way. All students must have a background check, which their agency has completed and pays for.
If you have serious interest in this placement for either summer and/or fall semester, please reply with your most updated resume (if you haven’t submitted it this semester already). If you’re interested in academic credit, you also need to check with either Dr. Camac (mcamac@roanoke.edu) for Psychology or Professor Brogan (dbrogan@roanoke.edu) for Sociology. I hope you will consider this opportunity. We are here and available to help you next week on documents, even if you’re not in town, via email and phone.”
Laura Getz will be presenting her research in Life Science 515 March 22 at 4:30pm. The name of her project is “Who’s Got the Groove? The Specificity of Rhythmic Exercise.”
On February 9, the Psychology Department, Psi Chi, RCPA, and Dr. Pranzarone hosted a Valentine’s Day event in which the psychology of love, love maps, lust, and limerence were discussed! The lecture was a blast and all had a great time crafting Valentine’s Day cards for the local nursing home residents.
Dr. Christine Johnston Jensen majored in Psychology and graduated from Roanoke College in 1992. She fondly remembers Dr. Jan Lynch’s Developmental classes (Dr. Lynch retired last year), saying “I found my real calling with her adult development and aging course.”
Inspired by Dr. Lynch and others, Dr. Jensen went on to complete a Ph.D. in Human Development/Adult Development and Aging at the University of Delaware. She now serves as the Director of Health Services Research at the Riverside Center for Excellence in Aging and Lifelong Health in Williamsburg, VA. In this role she oversees a number of federal and state funded grant projects that focus on working with older adults and their caregivers. Dr. Jensen also teaches courses in the Gerontology Masters program at VCU and is a Master Trainer with the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving.
Now Accepting Applications:
CFI Internship Opportunities
for Summer 2016
Each year, CFI provides opportunities for students to get more involved with the freethought movement by offering student internships and volunteer opportunities at CFI locations across North America. The following are the internship positions for summer 2016.
CFI Outreach Internships
Two positions available at CFI–Transnational in Amherst, NY
Last summer, Peter Wood of the Secular Student Alliance at Florida State University and Zach Ashton of the Secular Student Alliance at George Mason University joined the Outreach Department at CFI–Transnational, gaining valuable organizing and event management experience.
Now it’s your turn. We’re looking for two students to intern at CFI–Transnational in Amherst, NY this summer.
• Stipend: $200/week
• Dates: May 23—July 29 (flexible)
• Must be a U.S. citizen or legally authorized to work in the United States
Applicants should be:The interns will be trained in campus outreach, grassroots organizing, event planning and management, and other skills useful in nonprofit advocacy. Specific projects depend on the interns’ interests and experience but may include: developing new online campus organizing resources, producing audio and video materials, and designing new CFI On Campus promotional materials.
• Enthusiastic about freethought, humanism, and skepticism
• Able to work both individually and collaboratively
• Willing to follow instructions and accept constructive criticism
• Eager to contribute to CFI Outreach and advance its mission
To apply for an internship, please send a resume tooncampus@centerforinquiry.net and provide the following additional information:
• Statement of your academic and other interests.
• What are your activities with the skeptic/freethought movements?
• Why is interning at the Center for Inquiry something you want to do?
• What is your level of proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel or comparable software?
• What is your level of proficiency with Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign?
• Do you have experience with basic html and design?
• What skills and interests do you wish to develop during the internship?
Application Deadline: Thursday, March 31
Please contact CFI Outreach by email or at (716) 636-4869 ext. 402 if you have any questions about these internship positions. This is an exciting opportunity to learn more about outreach and advocacy, develop new skills, and gain grassroots organizing experience while contributing to the overall growth of the freethought community and strengthening your relationship with CFI! We hope you consider joining us this summer.
CFI–Michigan Internships
These are all on-site internships. Applicants must live within driving distance of our office in Grand Rapids, MI.
Custom Internships: CFI–Michigan is willing to structure a customized internship for interested students to meet their program requirements, even if no internship openings are posted. To inquire about a custom internship please send a letter of interest and resume to the email address below. We will contact you once we assess if we can facilitate an internship that meets your internship goals/requirements and our current program needs.
How to Apply for an Internship at CFI–Michigan
To be considered for an internship please submit:
• Your resume
• A letter of interest outlining your internship goals, program requirements, and why you’d like to do an internship at CFI–Michigan
• At least two samples of your writing skills. (PDFs or web links are preferred. We will also accept files from Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite programs.)
• Applicants may also submit samples of graphic design, web development, photography or videography work (if applicable)
• Any additional materials requested for specific internships—see descriptions above for details
Submit application by email to michigan@centerforinquiry.net. Questions? Contact Jennifer Beahan, Assistant Director, by email or call (616) 706-2029.
