2013 Student Research Presentations: Poster Session

The Fall 2013 poster session of the Psychology student research presentations was held on November 27, 2013 in the Aloha Center. Senior students had the opportunity to showcase their academic achievements of their own personal research. The following are the nine individual student’s presentations in the poster session of the conference with the abstract of each project.

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The Effects of Race on Helping Behavior

Talaileva Fa’apoi

Based on a sample size of 296 subjects, this study examines the relationship between ethnicity, gender, and helping behavior. Subjects included students primarily from the Brigham Young University of Hawaii campus, along with students and non-students from the mainland USA, Australia, and New Zealand. I hypothesized that Pacific Islanders would elicit helping behavior more often than other ethnicities based upon their collectivistic culture and values based upon traditional social relationships (Doherty et al., 1994). I also hypothesized that females would be more helpful than males. The helping behavior selected was asking subjects if they would participate in a survey. The independent variables were ethnicity and gender, and the dependent variable was helping behavior. Using a Pearson Chi-Square test of independence, results indicated that there were significant statistical differences with ethnicity on helping behavior, but there were no significant differences with gender on helping behavior. Pacific Islanders and Asians helped more than expected but Caucasians did not. Additional findings included comparisons between invite method, online versus in-person, and results indicated significant differences.

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The Effect of Music Preference and Music Loudness on Reading Comprehension

David K. Kane

This study investigated the effects of music preference and music loudness on reading comprehension. 24 undergraduate students, 14 women and 10 men, from Brigham Young University—Hawaii participated in the study. Participants were asked to rate five 15-minute exerts of popular music, and then were given 10 minutes to take a reading comprehension test, while listening to the same pieces of music, but at full-length. There was no correlation found between the participants’ ratings of the songs, and their performance on the reading comprehension test. However, the study found that the mean test scores of the participants who were exposed to loud music (71-90 dB(A)) performed significantly better on the reading comprehension test, than did the participants who were exposed to soft music (51-70 dB(A)). The results of this study neither supported nor refuted this study’s hypotheses, because of errors in methodology, small sampling, and failure to control for English literacy.

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Exercise Adherence, GPA, & Religiosity:

Effects of Exercise Adherence and Religiosity on Grade Point Average in Polynesians

Scott L. Kemsley

This study examined the effects of exercise adherence and religiosity on GPA, specifically in Polynesians. Face-to-face sampling was utilized at a multi-cultural, western university. Each participant was asked for their cumulative GPA and how often they exercised, based off of a likert scale, along with being asked to complete the Duke University Religion Index. Results indicated that there was a statistically significant, positive correlation between GPA and exercise adherence and a statistically significant, negative correlation between religiosity and GPA, suggesting that Polynesians that exercise often are more likely to have higher GPAs. It is suggested that further research be conducted involving the negative relationship found between religiosity and GPA in Polynesians, as it tends to defy current research. Future research should also take into account the level in which the cumulative GPA was obtained (high school, undergraduate, graduate).

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Personality changes Among Young Adults:

Is the Personality Change Affected by Socialization with Different Ethnic Groups?

Amy Junghyun Lee

Most researchers still debate that personality traits among young adults can be changed by external factors like peer interaction. Although the relationship between personality change and peer interaction has been studied, it is difficult to find out about peer interaction with different ethnic groups. Thus, this study was conducted through a cross-sectional study to examine that personality traits would be changed between freshmen (n = 65) and seniors (n = 69), and socialization with different ethnic groups can influence their personality changes, using NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and The Ethnic Peer Interaction. Our results were analyzed by a repeated measure Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and it indicated that there was non- significant relationship for both personality changes (p = 0.21, eta squared = 0.01), and the relationship between personality change and ethnic peer interaction (p = 0.59, eta squared = 0.005). However, Extroversion of NEO Five-Factor Inventory showed a clear trend between freshmen and seniors Therefore, it is suggested that each personality trait from the Five-Factor are changed over the years during the young adulthood, through a variety of factors although the overall personality change does not occur.

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Media Influences on Romantic Obsession and Unhealthy Dating Expectations

Melece V. Meservy

In this study, I investigated how predictive social media role models of obsessive romantic behavior are for the implementation of the same behavior and subsequent emotional instability (high anxiety and depression) in university-aged students, as well as the differences for female and male participants. 141 Participants were recruited at Brigham Young University-Hawaii to complete two surveys: the Passionate Love Scale (PLS) developed by Hatfield and Sprecher (1986) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) developed by Lovibond and Lovibond (1996). Three individual simple regressions and a 2 (Gender: Male and Female) x 2 (Hours: Low and High) x 3 (Romantic Obsession: Anxiety, Depression, and Passionate Love) repeated measures ANOVA was used. No statistical significance was found in support for either hypotheses. However, results showed a weak positive relationship in hours exposed to romantic media, anxiety, depression, and passionate love, suggesting that had a larger sample been recruited, there may have been greater significance.

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Humor’s Perceived Benefits in Correlation to One’s Health and Mental State

Keryna S. Monson

Based on a sample size of 53 Polynesian and Asian students, this study examines how the amount of humor in a person’s life affects their overall physical and mental health. Online surveys were used to collect data from Asian and Polynesian students from a multicultural campus that were born in their respective countries outside of the United States. Findings indicate that there was not a statistically significant relationship between the amount of humor a person has in their life and one’s perceived overall mental and physical health within the Polynesian culture. However, there was found to be a statistical significance between humor and perceived overall mental and physical health among those of Asian descent. This study hypothesized that Polynesians who ranked higher on the humor scale would also rank higher in their overall general and emotional health. However, although the Polynesians ranked higher in each category, their relationships between the variables were not significant. It was also hypothesized that Asians who ranked higher on the humor scale would also rank higher in their overall general and emotional health. The findings supported this hypothesis.

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Can Color Paper Affect You Test Scores?

Effect of Paper Color on Task Recall and Memory Among Undergraduate Students

Marissa V. Munton

Three paper colors were presented in the survey as: white- the baseline control color that is standard for educational testing; blue- a cool and tranquil color; and red- a warm and lively color. It was tested to see if colors, specifically the vivid color of red, would provide a higher effect on memory recall than plain white paper. A test survey consisting of three different reading passages were printed in sets, on three different colors of paper to see if reading the passages on different color backgrounds would provide a significant effect on memory recall. This survey was provided to college undergraduates in a classroom setting, of which 150 international students participated. The individual was not notified of background of paper prior to being tested. After the completion of the survey, they were then debriefed.The results of a one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test indicated F (2, 148) = 1.0723, p = .344, eta squared = .014 among the three colors of white, blue, and red. Although, there was no statistical significance between the three colors, the color of white paper alludes to exceeding slightly higher performance than the colors of either red or blue. Overall, memory retention seemed to be unaffected by the color of paper.

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Religion and Ethnicity as Predictors of Sleep Problems

Aimi F. Campbell

Previous studies show the general associations between sleep disturbances, depression, and physical health problems. In this study I examined differences in sleep, depressive symptoms, and health between religious and non-religious groups and among different ethnicities. The subjects were 160 college students from the United States, Asia, and Polynesia. A 3×2 ANOVA was conducted, with religious belief and ethnicity as grouping variables. No significant differences in disturbed sleep, depressive symptoms and health problems were found between religious and non-religious participants, or among individuals of different ethnicities. These results suggest that religion and ethnicity are not the major factors in differences in sleep, depression and physical problems. Sleep disturbances appear to be common regardless of religious affiliation and cultural differences. 

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Influence of Working Hours on GPA:

Which Students Will Be Influenced the Most?

Cho Yuk Chan

In this study, I examined differences in GPA according to the amount of student working hours and year in school. In addition, I also tested whether or not there were differential effects of work and school year for international and American students. A total of 89 students (29 male, 60 female, or 54 international students, 35 American students) taking 12 to 16 credits were selected to participate in this study. GPA, year in school, and demographic variables were assessed with an online survey. There were no statistically significant differences in GPA by college year, working hours, and home country. Sample size was discussed as one of the major limitations of this study.