2006-2007 Winners

Brett A. Gilcrist Creighton University (NE) Faculty Spn: Matthew T. Huss, PhD biography | abstract	Krista M. Hill Northeastern University (MA) Faculty Spn: C. Randall Colvin, PhD  biography | abstract	Lindsey Ann Rosman Purdue University (IN) Faculty Spn: Laura J. Miller, MD  biography | abstract
Juliana R. Schroeder University of Virginia Faculty Spns: Reena George, MD Karen M. Schmidt, PhD biography | abstract	Lilunia Steinman Marywood University (PA) Faculty Spn: Russell E. Johnson, PhD biography | abstract	Lauren Leila Tichy University of Arizona Faculty Spn: Judith V. Becker, PhD biography | abstract
Elizabeth Briana Jane Zimmerman Georgetown University (DC) Faculty Spn: Janet Mann, PhD biography | abstract

Biographies and Abstracts

Brett A. Gilcrist
Creighton University (NE)
Faculty Spn: Matthew T. Huss, PhD

While attending high school, Brett Gilcrist learned that “Greatness lies, not in being strong, but in the right using of strength; and strength is not used rightly when it serves only to carry a man above his fellows for his own solitary glory. He is the greatest whose strength carries up the most hearts by the attraction of his own” (Henry Ward Beecher). With this in mind, he has volunteered to help organizations such as Campfire Inc., Habitat for Humanity, South Omaha Boys and Girls Club, Munroe-Meyer Center, and the Child Saving Institute. Through these activities, he realized his calling to help others, especially children, and will pursue mentoring and teaching children and adolescents in local schools. After completing his undergraduate degree in psychology in the spring, he intends to obtain a doctoral degree in either school or clinical psychology. In addition, he plans to obtain a law degree and pursue his interests in juvenile justice and child advocacy.

Expert Testimony in Sexually Violent Predator Hearings: The Education or Miseducation of Mock Jurors

The variables of victim type (female child, male child, or adult woman), education (educated or uneducated), and risk communication (probability or categorical) were examined in terms of how they influence jurors’ decision-making. Participants in this study read a set of SVP (sexually violent predator) jury instructions based on Washington state statutes, a vignette describing the circumstances surrounding the original sexual offense the defendant was convicted of, his behavioral record in prison, and the expert testimony of the prosecution and defense psychologists; all of which were manipulated to assess the impact of our three independent variables. Results indicated that participants were equally as likely to commit the defendant as a SVP if the victim were a boy or girl, but were unlikely to commit the defendant if the victim were a woman. Risk communication and education did not significantly affect jurors’ verdicts.

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Krista M. Hill
Northeastern University (MA)
Faculty Spn: C. Randall Colvin, PhD

Krista Hill, a senior psychology major at Northeastern University, is expecting to graduate in May 2008. She grew up in Carmel, NY, where her mother owned a daycare. Her curiosity about personality began when she started questioning why some children’s personalities were different than others. After taking a few classes at Northeastern, Ms. Hill knew that she wanted to be a researcher. She started working in the personality lab as a sophomore and later joined the causal cognition lab. Ms. Hill also started her own research project at Tufts University (MA) where she investigated the impact of children contextualizing mathematical problems. Ms. Hill’s interests fall in a variety of psychological fields, but she hopes to receive her PhD in industrial/organizational psychology where she can research personality in the workplace and employee happiness. She loves to travel and cook and is currently studying abroad in Florence.

Positive Illusions in Romantic Relationships

It has been claimed that positive illusions about romantic partners facilitate successful relationships. To make this claim, researchers typically assess whether and how much one partner idealizes the other partner. The goal of the current research was to use a multimethod approach to assess positive illusions in romantic relationships.

To assess positive illusions, dating couples were asked to rate the personality of (a) their partner, (b) their ideal partner, and (c) themselves, using a 46-item adjective Q-sort. Profile correlations between real and ideal partner were calculated and represented partner “idealization.”

Preliminary results suggest that individuals who exhibit positive illusions (i.e., partner idealization) score high in dependency and agreeableness, and low in narcissism and self-esteem. In conclusion, we have developed a new method to measure positive illusions about romantic partners and have obtained results to support its validity.

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Lindsey Ann Rosman
Purdue University (IN)
Faculty Spn: Laura J. Miller, MD

Lindsey A. Rosman, a senior at Purdue University, plans to graduate in December 2007 with a degree in behavioral neuroscience. As a sophomore, she was accepted into the Research-Focused Honors Program where she spent two years under the supervision of Dr. Robert Meisel. After the completion of the study, Ms. Rosman presented her findings at the annual Purdue Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference. Outside the world of academia, Ms. Rosman holds membership in numerous campus organizations including Delta Zeta, Caduceus Club, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Gimlet (Greek honorary leadership fraternity). After finishing up her undergraduate education at Purdue University, Ms. Rosman plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and ultimately complete post-doctorate research in the psycho-pharmacological treatment of women with mood disorders.

Perinatal Anti-Depressant Dosing Guide: Effects of a Third Trimester Partial Dose Taper

Pharmacotherapy is often used to treat negative depressive symptoms during the perinatal period yet evidence suggests that fetal exposure to antidepressants in utero can increase the risk of congenital abnormalities in the newborn. The purpose of this investigation was to gather pilot data and evaluate the relative effects of a partial dose taper during the third trimester of pregnancy. The methodology of this proposal was an open-label, nonrandomized, observational design. Participants were women over age 18 who had been pregnant for 20 weeks or less and were currently receiving antidepressant treatment for depression. Maternal mental health was measured by the PHQ-9 depression scale every 4 weeks until the patient reached 34 weeks of gestation and after that every 2 weeks until the end of the pregnancy. Documentation of any birth complications or congenital anomalies was also recorded. Data collection is ongoing and will hopefully provide evidence for a prospective controlled clinical investigation of perinatal antidepressant dosing strategies.

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Juliana R. Schroeder
University of Virginia
Faculty Sponsors: Reena George, MD Karen M. Schmidt, PhD

Juliana Schroeder is an Echols Scholar majoring in psychology and economics and minoring in Italian studies. She serves as chair of the Undergraduate Research Network, the vice-chair for External Affairs of the University Programs Council, the vice-president of her Psi Chi chapter, and a representative for the Arts and Sciences Council. For the past three years, Ms.Schroeder has worked in the Jefferson Psychometric Laboratory researching diverse topics ranging from modeling personality traits to measuring pain affect among chronic pain patients. She was a Harrison Award recipient, Independent Research grant recipient, and Psi Chi Award recipient for various research projects. She presented at five conferences and symposia last spring. Currently, she is conducting a Distinguished Majors Project jointly with the quantitative and social psychology departments. For her future career, she plans to apply to I/O and social psychology graduate programs. In her free time, Juliana volunteers at a crisis hotline and enjoys traveling.

The Impact of Culture on Locus of Control in Chronic Pain Patients

Statistically, chronic pain patients from India and the U.S. respond significantly differently on items from the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC). Locus of control (LOC) has been shown to affect how patients respond to chronic pain. Research shows that an internal LOC, in which the patient believes that he or she has control over his or her own pain, is idealized more in the Western world. In the current study, data from the MHLC was gathered from chronic pain patients in America and southern India and responses were compared using the Item Response Theory (IRT) Rasch partial credit model. Contrary to the hypothesis, Indians did not have stronger external LOC. Differences in opinions about the role of doctors and fate in Indian and American patients' pain may be a factor in different pain experiences and measurement disparities in selfrated pain intensity.

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Lilunia Steinman
Marywood University (PA)
Faculty Spn: Russell E. Johnson, PhD

Lilunia Steinman is currently a senior I/O psychology major at Marywood University. Her research interests include implicit effects in the workplace, personality and employee selection and performance, and workplace justice. Her experience includes APS Campus Representative, tutor for the Academic Excellence Center, reviewer for APS’s Student Research Award and Student Grant Competition, teaching assistant for an introductory psychology class, consultant for the university’s Health and Wellness committee, and coordinator for Net Impact Campus Greening Initiative. She is a member of the Society for I/O Psychology, APS, Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Psi Chi, Net Impact, and Professionals Organized and Working to Enrich the Region. She plans to enroll in a PhD program in I/O psychology and pursue a research career. Beyond these pursuits, Ms. Steinman enjoys the field of economics, attending Yankee games, and visiting museums.

Was It an Office With a View or a View of the Office? Equity Theory Versus Priming as an Explanation for Increased and Decreased Productivity in Relocated Workers

My research project looked at the effects of priming individuals with cues from varying levels of office environments and equipment. My hypothesis is that priming individuals with either low-level job positions (e.g., clerical, sales) or high-level positions (e.g., CEO, president), by having subjects exposed to pictures of associated environments (cubicles versus office, minimal desk space versus optimal desk space) has an effect on their productivity of a job task. The output of individuals primed with cues of stereotypically less productive positions will be less than the output of those in the high-level prime condition.

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Lauren Leila Tichy
University of Arizona
Faculty Spn: Judith V. Becker, PhD

Lauren Tichy is a senior majoring in psychology with minors in sociology and family studies. She graduated with honors in December 2007. She has been awarded the Alumni Legacy Research Grant and the Psi Chi Summer Research Grant. Ms. Tichy is also an executive board member of Mortar Board National Senior Honorary, a member of Psi Chi, and on the dean’s list with distinction. She plans on continuing research with the data she collected for this project with other University of Arizona staff members as well as continued independent projects. Immediately after graduation, she plans on continuing her work with Tucson Centers for Women and Children, a local shelter for displaced women. Ms. Tichy is actively applying for clinical psychology programs for the fall of 2008. For the future, she hopes to work with disenfranchised families who have experienced abuse, divorce, or loss with emphasis on how children handle these events. She hopes to continue this work internationally.

Socioeconomic Structure of Domestic Violence in Tamil Nadu, India

Women have long been subjected to relationship violence. The present study of women in Tamil Nadu, India examined certain demographic material as well as the results from the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) and the Post Traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PSDS). Participants included 64 native women who completed questionnaires. Those better able to identify abuse were more likely to report personal brutality and seek help (r = 0.62). Women of higher socioeconomic status (SES) were less likely to identify abuse (r = -0.65) and were also less likely to report domestic violence as a problem (r = -0.52). When results from the PSDS were compared to the CTS scores, it was found that the more relationship abuse experienced, the more posttraumatic stress symptoms were experienced.

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Elizabeth Briana Jane Zimmerman
Georgetown University (DC)
Faculty Spn: Janet Mann, PhD

Elizabeth Zimmerman is from Boone, NC, and is pursuing an honors psychology degree with a minor in theology. She is also premed and will be graduating in May 2008. She is the president of her Psi Chi chapter. In addition to the Psi Chi Summer Research Grant, she was also awarded the Georgetown University Research Opportunities Program Summer Fellow Grant to support her fieldwork this past summer in Monkey Mia, Western Australia. She has been on the dean’s list and received second honors. She was a teaching assistant for the biology department and volunteered at the Georgetown University Hospital. Currently, she is enrolled in the Psychology Honors Program and working to complete her honors thesis.

The Dolphin Mother-Infant Behavioral Ecology Project

Dolphins live by a fission fusion society in which sub-groupings undergo constant change. Dolphin social structure is further characterized by bisexual philopatry, such that offspring have the option to spend time with or away from their mother and siblings after weaning. Previous research done in Shark Bay, Australia revealed that there is a tendency for dolphin calves to spend more time with siblings than with other non-kin dolphins, especially sisters. I examined and reviewed focal data on calf-sibling interactions, specifically focusing on the data available on 105 calves born to nearly 70 different mothers. From my observations on the calves' interactions, I believe wild bottlenose dolphins participate in behaviors with their siblings in order to reinforce kinship bonds that will increase their fitness.

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Previous Winners

2005-2006 (10)
2004-2005 (10)
2003-2004 (5)
2002-2003 (10)
2001-2002 (6)