The 6th Hawaii Pacific University Psychology Conference & Awards Dinner Banquet

BYUH psychology students and faculty recently attended the 6^th Hawaii Pacific University Psychology Conference & Awards Dinner Banquet, a regional research conference hosted every semester by Hawaii Pacific University’s Psychology Department, Psychology Club, and Psi Chi chapter. Students from HPU, Chaminade University, and BYUH presented research on topics ranging from university smoking cessation programs to jealousy and compersion in relationships. The dinner and conference brought students and faculty from these three universities together in a good-humored and encouraging atmosphere. Two BYUH psychology students presented research; Kayla Suhrie shared her PSYC 490 Senior Seminar project, while Lisa Thompson spoke about a project that the Neuroscience research group has conducted. Also in attendance were Drs. Ed Kinghorn and Boyd Timothy and psychology students Bonnie Allred and Meg Costantino.

Lisa Thompson presented “Using Likelihood Ratios to Detect Malingering in Practical Validity Measures”

Measures of malingering, or purposefully faking physical symptoms in order to gain external rewards, was examined in this study. The results supported having multiple assessments to detect malingering. Results showed that by using likelihood ratios, a mathematical formula that compares the probability that someone is malingering, results on three assessments can detect malingering with 90-99% accuracy. This is in contrast to the vote-counting enterprise method, which assumes malingering only if the majority of assessments revealed malingering.

Kayla Suhrie presented “Scents of Attraction: Differences Between Synthetic and Naturally Occurring Female Fertility Pheromones”

In this study, men smelled the shirts that had been unworn, dabbed with a synthesized putative female pheromone, and worn by an ovulating woman for 24 hours to compare how attractive they found these scents. Overall, both the pheromone and ovulation shirts were found to be more attractive than the control shirt. In factors of attractiveness, the pheromone and ovulation shirts were rated as smelling more pleasant and intense than the control while the ovulation shirt was rated as smelling sexier than the control and that the woman who wore the shirt would be more attractive than the woman who wore the control. The only significant difference found between the pheromone and ovulation scents was that the pheromone was rated as smelling more intense than the ovulation scent.

The following projects were presented at the conference:

Malia Preza (HPU), "Hawaii's Place and Race: How Space and Place Can Affect One's Cultural Values." [Faculty advisor: Katherine Aumer]

Acachia Schriml (HPU), "The Impact of Culture and Cultural Awareness on the Work Environment." [Faculty advisor: Katherine Aumer]

Brendan Ito (HPU), “Identity As Social Currency.” [Faculty advisor: Katherine Aumer]

Lisa Thompson (BYUH), "Improving the Detection of Malingering in Practical Validity Measures Using Likelihood Ratios." [Faculty advisor: BYUH]

Jeffrey Dennison and Alexander Purring (HPU), "Predictive Ability of Romantic Partners in Assessing Self-Esteem." [Faculty advisor: Patricia Ellerson]

Justin Garcia (HPU), "How Right and Might Can Lead to Fight: The Effect of Moral Absolutism and Honor on Criminal Behavior." [Faculty advisor: Katherine Aumer]

Stephen Steward and Patrick Dunne (Chaminade), “Ethnicity and Stages of Change for Campus Based Smoking Cessation." [Faculty advisor: Tracy Trevorrow]

Angelyn Uson and Amber Wong (HPU), "The Impact of Weight Disparity on Perceived Relationship Satisfaction." [Faculty advisor: Katherine Aumer]

Billy Bellew (HPU), "Jealousy and Compersion and Their Effects on Relationship Satisfaction." [Faculty advisor: Katherine Aumer]

Kayla Suhrie (BYUH), "Scents of Attraction: Differences Between Synthetic and Naturally Occurring Fertility Pheromones." [Faculty advisor: BYUH]

The conference attendees voted on the best presentations of the night and honors were awarded to:

3^rd Place- Lisa Thompson for her presentation on "Improving the Detection of Malingering in Practical Validity Measures Using Likelihood Ratios”

2^nd Place- Brendan Ito for his presentation on “Identity As Social Currency”

1^st Place- Billy Bellew for his presentation on "Jealousy and Compersion and Their Effects on Relationship Satisfaction”