APS 2012

Dr. Miller, Dr. Timothy, and psychology students celebrate the end of a successful APS Convention by watching fireworks                         over Lake Michigan from Chicago's Navy Pier

The BYUH Psychology Department recently attended the Association for Psychological Science's 24th Annual convention in Chicago. Dr. Miller and Dr. Timothy attended the convention along with 12 psychology students and recent graduates. The students presented 11 different research projects from the department’s Neuroscience, Personal Research, and Clinical research groups, as well as several students’ PSYC 490 research projects. In addition to presenting projects, the group attended a variety of presentations and symposia explaining current research, made connections with researchers at other universities, talked with Alan Kazdin (editor of the new Clinical Psychological Science journal), and ate authentic deep-dish pizza. Attending the APS convention is valuable experience for BYUH’s psychology students and professors as it allows them to present research projects and get feedback from the psychology community, form research collaborations, keep up to date on the direction of psychology research in various fields, and form connections that can be valuable for students’ graduate school and job opportunities.

For more information on the APS convention, please see the official convention website.

Empower Your Dreams Conference 2012

On Thursday, March 22, BYUH held its 7^th annual Undergraduate Research Conference in conjunction with the Empower your Dreams Conference. Psychology students enrolled in PSYC 490, Senior Seminar, presented research that they had been conducting throughout the semester. Faculty and students came to the Aloha Center to see and hear about the students’ research. 

Connie Grimnes- Effect of Clothing and Body Type on Perception of Personality

Amy Hotu- Differences in Interracial Relationship Acceptance Between Asian College Students of Different Year Levels

Kelly Hyunkyoung Lee- The Differences in Physical Stress Symptoms Between Asian and American Students

Champ Vinitnantharat- Effects of Culture on Recycling Attitudes and Behaviours 

Kirei Tubbs- Social Interaction as a Predictor of Students' Academic Achievement 

Leslie Shepherd- Effects of Aromatherapy: A Study of Aromatherapy and Culture 

Timothy Striegel- The Effect of Competition on Male Cooperation

Hallie Schiefelbein- Correct Interpretation of Meaning as a Function of Emoticon Use in Texting

Monique Mullenaux- Investigating Ethnic Identity and Self-Esteem Amid Biracial and Monoracial Young Adults

Adam Scalese- Attitude Differences Towards Receiving Psychological Help Among Asian, Polynesian, and American Students 

Zachary Tippetts-  Social Networking Sites as a Predictor of Marital Conflict 

Andrew Alvarado- The Effects of Cost and Image on Product Preference Among College Students

April 2012 Graduates

Congratulations and Ho'omaika'i 'ana to our April 2012 Psychology Graduates!


Cameron Hee, Kapono Drew Barton, Monique Mullenaux, Sunny Griffin*, Vickie Tuahivaatetonohiti*, Amy Hotu, Justin Chen*, Kirei Tubbs, Izak Rock, Hallie Schiefelbein, Nathan Haws, Gaseole Fanene*, Hannah McKinney, Thomas Curtis, Zachary Tippetts*, Kelly Hyunkyoung Lee*, Jared Young*, Connie Grimnes, Alycia Curtis, Teleise Tino, Timothy Striegel*
*Not Pictured 

Flashback to APS 2011

As we approach the 2012 APS conference, we thought we take a moment to reminisce about the 2011 APS conference, in Washington DC. The Association for Psychological Science is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of scientific psychology and its representation at the national and international level. They hold an annual national conference, which the BYUH psychology department has been a part the last several years. In 2011, we presented seven poster projects, with topics ranging from counseling, evolutionary theory, mathematical education, behavioral, etc. The group had lots of fun and met professors and students from prestigious universities from around the world.

This year, at the 2012 conference, the BYUH psychology department has submitted six  projects, and an additional five projects have been submitted by individual students - Jason Murphy, Taylor Smart, Izak Rock, Alexa Tuita, and Nathan Haws. The conference will be held in Chicago, IL from May 24th through the 27th. 

The 4th Hawaii Pacific University Conference Dinner

The conference is hosted by the Hawaii Pacific University is a great opportunity for students and faculty from all of the universities across Oahu to come and share their current research. The atmosphere is one of mutual respect and interest and many of the projects were enhanced by the input and insights of other students and professors. BYUH psychology students are invited to participate and share any of their current research. This past Fall Semester, Alex Kubena and Nathan Haws shared their PSYC 490 projects from Winter 2011, as well as other research they are conducting.



Alexa
"Social Influence as a Function of Genetic Relatedness and Ethnicity."

Hamilton (1964) stated that an altruistic act is favored if the receiver has a high enough genetic relatedness to offset the cost of the act committed. This study examines the role of a genetic relatedness and ethnicity on the level of social influence. It is hypothesized that individuals will be influenced more by those more genetically related rather than by distant relatives or acquaintances. Participants (N=241) responded to items designed to measure degree of social influence. Items were grouped according to Hamilton’s genetic relatedness values, such as .5 for parents, .25 for grandparent, .125 for cousins, and 0 for non relatives. Results show that there was a significant difference among levels for genetic relatedness, F (3, 241) = 47.92, p <.0001, η² = .17. There was no main effect for ethnicity. In conclusion, genetic relatedness has a greater effect on one’s decisions rather than that of cultural and environmental influences.

 
Nathan 

"Differences in Rumination among Pacific Islanders, Asians, and European Americans."

Since only minimal previous research has suggested ethnic differences in rumination between groups, this study compared Pacific Islanders with both European Americans and Asians to investigate significant differences in rumination tendencies. Rumination was measured using the Ruminative Response Scale. After comparing means scores for each ethnicity, it was found that Asians scored significantly higher than European Americans, as found in the literature. Although Pacific Islanders were not found to be statistically different from either European Americans or Asians, their mean scores were found to be greater than European Americans and less than Asians, an interesting finding given that these two groups were so different. When marital status was controlled for, it was specifically single Asians and single Pacific Islanders that differed from married European Americans. Further studies should investigate the role of marital status as a factor of rumination between ethnic groups, using a larger sample size.