Sprsum14eyeweb.Pdf

spr/sum 22014 | voll 18 | no 3 www.psichi.org eyeThee Inteternatattiioionnaal Honor Societietty in Psyccholh oogy on PSI CHI

Understanding the Sensation of Awe (Without Spoiling It!)

Honest Liars: Using Psychological Theory to Understand Self-Deception

Distinguished Lecturer Series Keltner, Gernsbacher, Beck, and Hyde

Lessons Learned From a Law School Graduate With a Psychology Degree Contents | SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Departments features 3 From the Editor Honest Liars: In This Issue 1 2 Using Psychological Theory 4 President’s Message Psi Chi: The Key to to Understand Self-Deception Community Building Among Cortney S. Warren, PhD Nontraditional Students University of Nevada, Las Vegas 12 5 Executive Director’s Message Internationalizing Psi Chi 26 Lessons Learned From a Through Personal Connections Law School Graduate 28 Chapter Activities With a Psychology Degree 38 Psi Chi Merchandise Natalie T. Lorenz, JD Mathis, Marifian, & Richter, Ltd. 19 COLUMNS

8 Wisdom From the Workplace Distinguished Lecturers So What Can You Do With Your Liberal Arts Degree in Psychology? 16 Understanding the Sensation 10 Three Heads ARE of Awe (Without Spoiling It!) Better Than One With Dacher Keltner, PhD Questions (and Answers) About Graduate School 19 On Autism and Language Comprehension With Morton Ann Gernsbacher, PhD 22 Little Albert’s Impact on Us All 22 With Hall “Skip” Beck, PhD 24 Gender Similarities With Janet Hyde, PhD Men Are From Earth Interviews by Bradley Cannon Abbreviations

APA American Psychological Association APS Association for Psychological Science Women Are EPA Eastern Psychological Association MPA Midwestern Psychological Association From Earth NEPA New England Psychological Association RMPA Rocky Mountain Psychological Association special SEPA Southeastern Psychological Association 24 SWPA Southwestern Psychological Association Announcement WPA Western Psychological Association 6 2014 Psi Chi EPA Convention eye ON PSI CHI

www.psichi.org SPRING/SUMMER 2014 | VOLUME 18 | NUMBER 3 Editor/Art Director eyeSusan Iles ON PSI CHI [email protected] Associate Editor Martha S. Zlokovich, PhD [email protected] editorial assistant Bradley Cannon [email protected]

Published by Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. In This Issue Founded September 4, 1929, at the Ninth International Congress of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Member of the Association of College Honor Societies. Eye on Psi Chi (ISSN What is on your summer reading list? Before submerging yourself into a popular summer 1092-0803) is published quarterly by Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. All contents ©2014 by Psi Chi. The publication novel, take some time to read the latest offering of interesting topics in this issue of the Eye. schedule follows the academic year: fall, winter, spring, and summer. All opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reﬂect those of the editors and/or Psi Chi. Self-Deception Editorial office: Discover why author Dr. Cortney Warren says “confronting your self-deception is critical Psi Chi Central Ofﬁce | PO Box 709, Chattanooga, TN 37401-0709 to long-term fulfillment and happiness.” Watch her TEDxUNLV talk and read her five Street Address: 825 Vine Street | Chattanooga, TN 37403 Telephone: +1-423-756-2044 | Fax: +1-423-265-1529 suggestions to start the process of becoming more honest (page 12). Email: [email protected] | Website: www.psichi.org

Permission must be obtained from the author(s) to reprint or adapt a Experiencing Awe table or fgure; to reprint quotations exceeding the limits of fair use from one source, and/or to reprint any portion of poetry, prose, or song Dr. Dacher Keltner explains how understanding awe can make us happier and healthier lyrics. All persons wishing to utilize any of the above materials must (page 16). write to the original author(s) and publisher to request nonexclusive world rights in all languages to use copyrighted material in the present article and in future print and nonprint editions. All persons Dispelling the Myths of Autism wishing to utilize any of the above materials are responsible for obtaining proper permission from copyright owners and are liable From stereotypes to person-first language, Dr. Morton Ann Gernsbacher sheds some new for any and all licensing fees required. All persons wishing to utilize light on the perception of autism (page 19). any of the above materials must include copies of all permissions and credit lines with the article submission. Psi Chi does not accept paid advertising for its publications Eye on Psi Chi or Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research. The society does not wish to appear to Little Albert’s Neverending Story endorse any particular products or services. Uncover Little Albert’s most precious gift to psychology with Dr. Hall “Skip” Beck (page 22). PSI CHI Board of Directors Gender Similarities Society PRESIDENT Dr. Janet Hyde exposes the substantial costs to society for overemphasizing gender differences Maria J. Lavooy, PhD (page 24). [email protected] PAST-PRESIDENT Jason R. Young, PhD Nontraditional Students [email protected] PRESIDENT-ELECT President Dr. Maria Lavooy identifies the needs of nontraditional students and how Psi Chi Betsy Morgan, PhD fosters community building that enriches the student experience (page 4). [email protected] EASTERN REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT Deborah Harris-O’Brien, PhD International Connections [email protected] Learn how international connections can expand into rewarding personal relationships as MIDWESTERN REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT Regan A. R. Gurung, PhD explained by our Executive Director Dr. Martha Zlokovich (page 5). [email protected] ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT Proactive Career Preparation Susan Becker, PhD [email protected] Dr. Paul Hettich shares three resources that can instill confidence if faced with the question, SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT “So What Can You Do With Your Liberal Arts Degree?” (page 8) Merry J. Sleigh, PhD [email protected] SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT Graduate Students Evan Zucker, PhD Our three experts answer your questions on attending less prestigious schools, going straight [email protected] for a PhD, moving away from home, and the pitfalls of being overqualified for a position WESTERN REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT Jon Grahe, PhD (page 10). [email protected] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Martha S. Zlokovich, PhD Versatility of a Psychology Degree [email protected] Find out how author Natalie Lorenz used her psychology degree to handle the speed bumps EXECUTIVE OFFICER/COO encountered in law school (page 26). Michele Rumpf [email protected]

lthough there is no certainty when the educational especially for online students, is the offering of orienta- system adopted the term nontraditional student, tion and community building. McGivney (2004) found A more than a third of undergraduate students are that nontraditional students often express apprehension more than 25 years of age, and part-time enrollment about college attendance. This is especially true for those and two-year college attendance is up (NCES, 2002). who never attended college or who did so many years Initially, when one referred to a nontraditional student, ago. However, whether one is a traditional or nontradi- it was in reference to a small number of older adults who tional student, community building is important at all registered for night classes. However, although age is the levels, but especially so for the online and the nontradi- variable that seems to define what most of us think of as tional student. a nontraditional student, there are other criteria we could Inclusive Policies: Perhaps one of the most important use to identify them. For example, the National Center things an institution of higher learning can do, as sug- for Education Statistics (NCES) suggests using three sets gested by McGivney (2004), is to include nontraditional of criteria to identify these students: enrollment patterns, students in the institution’s mission. In a nutshell, I financial and family status, and high school graduation would suggest that meeting the needs of nontraditional status. students all comes down to inclusive policies and sus- Additionally, according to the Center for tained support. Postsecondary and Economic Success (2011), many Psi Chi: Bridging the Gap Between unencumbered 18-year-olds are no longer typical college Traditional and Nontraditional Students students. Today, research indicates that most under- Beyond the university, nontraditional students should graduates have at least one characteristic that would be welcomed into academic societies, which foster place them in the category of nontraditional student. community and commitment to enriching the student These could include not enrolling in college straight Maria Lavooy, PhD experience. Psi Chi offers these opportunities to students out of high school, working full-time, being financially Psi Chi Society President at all levels and at all ages. Numbered among the many independent, being a single parent, having dependents, Florida Institute of Technology Psi Chi membership benefits are seven very important or even not holding a high school diploma (NCES, 2002). ones (listed in the sidebar!) for all students but, again, Today, more than ever, there doesn’t seem to be a typical Seven Nontraditional especially for those students who may not attend a undergraduate. Psi Chi Student Benefits bricks-and-mortar campus or for those who don’t fit the Another important factor that contributes to the traditional student definition. Psi Chi can offer financial 1. A sense of community image of the nontraditional student is the continued opportunities lacking for many students especially those 2. Forum accessibility at popularity of online courses. According to Sheehy of nontraditional status. local, regional, national, and (2013), more than 6.7 million students took at least Certainly, organizations such as Psi Chi play an international levels one online university course during the fall of 2011. important part in students’ lives, whether they are of tra- This equals 32% of higher education enrollment! And, 3. Opportunities to meet leading ditional or nontraditional status. Along with institutions according to the same study, online course registration psychologists and students of higher learning, Psi Chi can transform the learning continues to increase. The availability of these courses from other chapters experience of nontraditional students through financial is especially important for what is considered to be a opportunities. But most of all, Psi Chi can bridge the gap 4. Three publications to keep nontraditional student. The fact that 39% of the adult between traditional and nontraditional students by creat- all members informed about student population work full-time and 53% support Psi Chi news ing a place where students of all backgrounds can come more than one dependent certainly contributes to the together to share ideas, participate in chapter activities, 5. Our website allows all members need and the continued demand for this type of informa- and build lifelong relationships. In addition, life experi- to log in and stay up-to-date with tion delivery (NCES, 2002). These studies demonstrate ences are invaluable assets that nontraditional students their specifc chapter that nontraditional students make up the majority of all can share with traditional students who have not entered 6. Social media platforms via postsecondary institutions, with all indicators suggesting that stage of their lives. The cohesion of perspectives LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter that their numbers will continue to increase. benefits everyone in the end, because we are all seeking a make it easy to participate Identifying the Needs of Nontraditional Students sense of community. outside the classroom with other NCES also states that nontraditional students have psychologists all over the world References needs that differ from the needs of traditional students. AACRAO Consulting (2008). Changing demographics: Why nontraditional students 7. $350,000 in yearly awards How can institutions of higher education meet these should matter to enrollment managers and what they can do to attract them. and grants, plus an upcoming changing needs? A study conducted by a consulting firm Retrieved from http://consulting.aacrao.org/publications-events/publications/ changing-demographics-why-nontraditional-students-should-matter-to- scholarship program, can offer (AACRAO Consulting, 2008) suggests that there are a fnancial opportunities to many enrollment-managers-and-what-they-can-do-to-attract-them/ number of things that can be done to benefit nontradi- Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success (2011). Yesterday’s nontraditional students, especially those of tional students and the institutions they attend. student is today’s traditional student. Retrieved from http://www.clasp.org/resources- nontraditional status Cost of Education: This can begin with discussing and-publications/publication-1/Nontraditional-Students-Facts-2011.pdf McGivney, V. (2004). Understanding persistence in adult learning. Open cost payment plans at the beginning of their college Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance, and e-Learning, 19, 33–45. enrollments because nontraditional students vary in their doi:10.1080/0268051042000177836 abilities to pay increasing tuition costs. National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences (2002). Defnitions and data. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs/web/97578e.asp Credit Transfer: Because many nontraditional stu- Sheehy, K. (2013, January 8). Online course enrollment climbs for 10th straight dents previously have attended other institutions, ease in year. U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/ the transfer credit process would be helpful. education/online-education/articles/2013/01/08/online-course-enrollment- Community Building: A very important suggestion, climbs-for-10th-straight-year

fter 80 years as the national honor society in Students in the United States and Guatemala have psychology, Psi Chi chapters voted to become an met one another using social media platforms such as A international organization in 2009. Since then, Skype and Google Hangouts to share ideas for chapter 14 chapters (http://www.psichi.org/?page=chapter_ meetings and officer activities. Members all over the search) in 10 countries outside of the United world communicate daily via Facebook, LinkedIn, States have joined the Society (and a 15th has been and Twitter. We hope that chapters also consider approved). However, we must not stop here; our inter- joint international research projects, and share national connections are priceless. For example, when I similarities and differences in psychology education. was in high school, I spent a semester in Braunschweig, If your chapter is interested in connecting with an Germany. The family I lived with had two daughters, international chapter via social media, contact me at Kathrein and Antje. Their father had been an exchange [email protected]. student to the United States and was thrilled to have an In order to encourage new international American exchange student in their home. That semes- connections, Psi Chi is seeking members who are ter was one of the most important experiences of my willing and able to volunteer as Psi Chi Ambassadors life. Not only did I learn German, take my first interna- by visiting a psychology department during their tional trip, and become immersed in German culture, international travels. Ambassadors are typically I also made lifelong friends. The oldest daughter of my graduate students or faculty Psi Chi members, but German family, Kathrein, later lived for a year in my undergraduates may be considered if they have special parents’ home and graduated from my high school. We international connections, travel plans, or study-abroad now consider one another family—I can affirm that opportunities. Ambassadors have been involved with international connections can be life-changing. their chapter as active members, officers, alumni, or How can you help Psi Chi continue to make faculty advisors. They should be familiar with the Martha S. Zlokovich, PhD international connections and participate in bringing requirements for membership and willing to learn Psi Chi Executive Director chapters to other countries? Making the most of about the requirements to apply for a chapter. With Associate Editor your personal contacts by noticing the international first-hand experience as a member of a chapter, they connections in your own department may be key. No can explain well what Psi Chi is, why a department matter how small or remote your university or chapter, should apply for a chapter, what members do on think about what international connections your campus, and what benefits a chapter could bring to the chapter does have. Does your chapter have members students and faculty in the department. Ambassadors who are students or faculty from other countries, who visit psychology faculty and students at a campus in have lived or worked in other countries, or who speak or near a city (or cities) they planned to visit anyway languages other than English? Exchange students to let them know about Psi Chi and how to apply for studying psychology at an institution with a chapter a chapter. For information on starting a chapter, go to may join Psi Chi as long as they meet all eligibility http://www.psichi.org/default.asp?page=start_chapter requirements. This means many chapters do have Members who plan to move to another country members from other countries. In addition, your for graduate study or work can also help bring Psi full-time faculty with doctorates in psychology may Chi to more universities outside the United States. As join Psi Chi regardless of their nationality. Members long as they are willing to visit at least one psychology with international experiences can expand individual department there, members moving to another perspectives while they are on your campus, and later country promote Psi Chi internationally as well. In they could take Psi Chi back to their home countries. addition, if English is not the country’s language, they With these facts in mind, your chapter probably has could be of great help assisting with the department’s rich resources for creating far-reaching connections application. that go well beyond your campus. If chapters Every member can share Psi Chi experiences encourage members to get to know one another well, with psychology students and faculty from other doors could open to opportunities around the world. institutions. Do not miss this wonderful chance to Whether that takes the form of international members create long-lasting relationships that you will one day sharing their unique expertise at chapter meetings or look back on just as affectionately as I do my time with social events, alumni communicating from afar with my German family. Spreading the word about Psi Chi current members, or members meeting old friends is a perfect opportunity for you to meet new people, again during their future travels or career moves, such so be sure to do so wherever you go. If you should ever personal connections could be very enriching and speak with someone at a college or university who is enlightening. interested in starting a chapter on their campus, please Several chapters have already made online direct them to the website above. And whether you connections with one another across national borders. take a trip near or far, safe travels!

COPYRIGHT © 2014 PSI CHI SPR/SUM 2014 | EYE ON PSI CHI 5 2014 Psi Chi EPA Convention he 85th EPA meeting in Boston (MA), attended by over 2,000 professionals, kicked off Thursday evening with the Psi Chi T distinguished lecture by Dr. Anthony Greenwald (University of Washington). Then Friday began early with a Skype session with the newly installed chapter at the People’s Friendship University of A Russia (Moscow). “EPA 101: How to Get the Most out of Attendance at EPA” was led by Psi Chi Past-President Dr. Jason Young (Hunter College). The Psi Chi invited symposium by Dr. Brian Nosek (University of Virginia and the Center for Open Science; COS) reviewed the projects available through the COS, and Psi Chi Eastern Regional Vice-President Dr. Deborah Harris O’Brien (Trinity Washington University) discussed the benefits of the crowd-sourced method for small colleges and geographically isolated institutions. Psi Chi also cosponsored a career planning presentation with Psi Beta led by Dr. Ron Shapiro. The Psi Chi events of the day ended with a leadership workshop by Dr. Natasha Segool (University of Harford chapter advisor) and her officers. Saturday included the ever-popular workshops “Preparing for Graduate School in Psychology” and “Applying to Graduate School B in Psychology” by Dr. John Norcross (University of Scranton) and the team of Drs. Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Carlos Escoto, and Thomas Hogan. The Psi Chi diversity symposium featured Dr. Carrie Kobek-Pezzarossi (Gallaudet University and diversity advisory committee chair), Dr. Sonia Dhaliwal (University of Missouri and diversity advisory committee member), and Zubaydah Madyun (Trinity Washington University). Dr. Mercedes McCormick and her officers from Pace University (NY) presented last to show how they had connected with other chapters in New York City. Psi Chi also sponsored workshops, speakers, and symposia, and over 200 posters were presented by Psi Chi students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The event concluded with an awards ceremony and reception C A Dr. Deborah Harris-O’Brien (Eastern Regional Vice-President, Trinity Washington University) with colleague Dr. Debbie Van Camp. B From the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (Moscow), Sofa Kamalova, (chapter D president), Valerie Tarkhova, and Elena Chebotareva (chapter advisor). C Psi Chi members/poster presenters from Wheeling Jesuit University: (left to right) Ryan Nauman, Justin Amos, Killeen Schlegel, and Kristen Custer. D The University of Hartford panel at the Psi Chi Leadership Session: top row (left to right) Natasha Segool (faculty advisor), Ashley (Reed) Haight, and Katie Dydyn; bottom row (left to right) Cassandra Ekelmann, Janelle Coore, Melissa Kenney, and Jesse Seckel-Cerrotti. E Psi Chi Distinguished Lecturer and keynote speaker, Dr. Tony Greenwald (University of Washington). F Dr. Brian Nosek (University of Virginia and Center for Open Science) speaking at the symposium on “Crowdsourcing Science.” G Dr. Deborah Harris-O’Brien introducing the Psi Chi keynote speaker. H The diversity panel presenters at EPA: (left to right) Dr. Sonia Dhaliwal (University of Missouri and Psi Chi Diversity Advisory Committee member), Zubaydah Madyun, (Trinity Washington University Psi Chi member), and Dr. Carrie Kobek-Pezzarossi (Gallaudet University and Diversity Advisory Committee chair). I Over 800 people attended the Psi Chi keynote address at EPA. J Dr. Deborah Harris-O’Brien (Eastern Regional Vice-President, Trinity Washington University) with student winners of the Psi Chi EPA Regional Research Awards. K Psi Chi staff members Lisa Norman and Debbie Garvich hosting the Psi Chi booth at EPA. L Anthony Cyril Hasaballa (Southern Connecticut State University) and another Psi Chi member attend the Faculty Advisor Breakfast. M Poster session at EPA 2014.

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So What Can You Do With Your Liberal Arts Degree in Psychology?

ome will say “Not much!” Others will add “unless you obtain a A&S, graduates in the organizations’ workforce (1–25%, 26–55%, graduate degree.” I strongly disagree. However, to those of you and 56–100%). Swho want to attend graduate school but will not (for whatever Of the 27 categories of jobs to which A&S graduates were reasons), what is your backup plan? After all, only “20–24% of assigned (Table 2 in the report), the most frequently mentioned psychology baccalaureate recipients continue into graduate study were (in descending order from 41% to 20%): administrative in psychology” (APA Center for Workforce Studies, 2014, p. 3), services, customer services, business services, marketing, media although other individuals will enter other graduate or professional and communication, information management, human resources, programs immediately after graduation or later. Furthermore, and computer services. The top two assignments were identical in although the percentage of liberal arts and sciences seniors who the high, medium, and low composition organizations (Table 3). applied for a job and received at least one offer increased from Although the most frequently mentioned assignments might not 46% in 2013 to 48% in 2014, psychology was not one of the five inspire you, employers maintain that such positions often require disciplines showing the greatest improvement (NACE, 2014). persons who can grasp the organization as a whole, integrate diverse In this column, I summarize major points from three resources information to make it meaningful, solve problems quickly, and that should instill confidence (if you act) that your liberal arts interact with diverse colleagues. “For many A&S graduates, these education with a psychology major is a valuable preparation for positions are stepping stones and accelerators into an organization your life and career. When you enter the workforce, however, do not and a career” (p. 4). expect to encounter the immediate and well-paying opportunities Table 4 identifies the most important work attitudes and offered to your engineering, accounting, or nursing classmates; behaviors that employers seek: strong work ethic, responsibility/ you may have to experience a few low paying, uninspiring jobs accountability, punctuality, cooperation with coworkers, before you achieve your focus. With that in mind, take the time to adaptability, and working with limited direction. To what extent thoughtfully examine the resources below to learn about what you do you possess each of these attributes? In what settings could can expect from the workplace, what the workplace expects from you strengthen them? Chan and Gardner also discuss strengths you, and how you should prepare for it. and weaknesses in A&S students and non-A&S students (Table 5), 1. An Online Resource to Enable Undergraduate employer expectations of applicants during the recruiting process (Table 6), and differences in student preparedness required for Psychology Majors to Identify and Investigate positions within the five organizational types (Table 7). Tables 6 and 172 Psychology and Psychology-Related Careers 7 are must reads! by Drew C. Appleby, Brandon S. Millspaugh, and Employers were also asked how colleges and universities can Melissa J. Hammersley (2011). better prepare A&S students to be successfully recruited and This extraordinary website identifies numerous potential successful on the job. Respondents’ recommendations were grouped careers and links them to related resources such as the Dictionary into 11 categories from most to least mentioned. Below are brief of Occupational Titles (DOT), the Occupational Information summary comments or quotations for each. When you read the Network (O*NET), and the Occupational Outlook Handbook full report, note the many incisive (and often biting) comments (OOH). Careers that require an advanced degree are marked with regarding these issues. an asterisk. If one or more of these careers interest you, why not • Preprofessional Experiences: Internships are the most preferred conduct informational interviews (described in Hettich, 2012) to experiences. gain further information? • Curriculum: Acquire a basic knowledge of business and 2. An Arts & Science Degree: Defining Its Value in the technology. Workplace. CERI Research Brief 5-2013 • Skills and Competencies: Master the soft skills (e.g., by Andy Chan and Phil Gardner. interpersonal, group, and leadership) and be able to express and In this report, 815 employer responses to a survey about liberal apply all of your skills to the workplace. arts graduates in the workplace were categorized by type of organi- • Mindset: Too many students lack career direction and possess a zation (for-profit company, nonprofit, government, educational, and hazy view of the world of work. health service provider), organization size, economic sector (e.g., professional/scientific services, manufacturing, financial/insurance • Communication: Although communication skills are a major services, educational services, not-for-profit, government, informa- asset of A&S students, employers strongly believe these skills tion services), and the composition (percent) of arts and science, must be improved.

Paul Hettich, PhD, Professor Emeritus at DePaul University (IL), was an Army personnel psychologist, program evaluator in an education R&D lab, and a corporate applied scientist—positions that created a “real world” foundation for his career in college teaching and administration. He was inspired to write about college-to-workplace readiness issues by graduates and employers who revealed a major disconnect between university and workplace expectations, cultures, and practices. You can contact Paul at [email protected]

• Professionalism (Expectations): “The gulf between campus and 5. “Employers think that more college graduates have the skills the workplace is enormous. Students have a poor understanding and preparation needed for entry-level positions than for of what is expected of them on the other side” (p. 17; See Hettich, advancement.” 2013 for additional remarks about expectations). 6. “Employers express interest in e-portfolios and partnerships with • Job Search: Although career centers play a major role in colleges to ensure college graduates’ successful transition to the preparing students for the job search, the big gains in a workplace.” successful search depend upon students’ ability to resolve the The 11 findings that follow the overview generally expand mindset and curriculum issues above. the six points and provide important information, insights, and • Critical Thinking: Employers acknowledge that A&S students recommendations for strengthening workplace preparedness. may be critical thinkers, but students have difficulty transferring this skill beyond academic settings. Concluding Comments • Analytical and Technology: Students need more practice in I focused on these three resources to enhance your understanding data analytics. (Students: Appreciate your statistics, research of the positive, but complex, relationship between your liberal arts methods, and research coursework!) education and workplace issues. However, this article is just a summary. If you truly want to use the resources optimally, then immerse • Specific Skills: “Students need to be proficient in Word, Excel, yourself in them. Thoughtfully examine the psychology-related PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook” (p. 18). SPSS and Qualtrics occupations in light of your interests, experiences, and abilities, and are not used in many organizations at the entry level. conduct informational interviews. Search for connections among • Entitlement (Attitude): “Probably no single aspect of today’s these resources, and apply this valuable information to your career youth riles employers more than their sense of entitlement” planning, course-work, internships, part-time job, and job search. (p. 19; See Hettich, 2013). Become proactive by discussing this material with your academic advisor, teachers, family, friends in your psychology club and Psi Finally, be sure to review the other informative workplace-related Chi meetings, and in your capstone and internship courses. Don’t surveys posted on the CERI website. begin to critically examine the relationship between your liberal arts 3. It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for education and the workplace after you have stumbled into a post- College Learning and Student Success. An Online college job where you find yourself constantly asking, “Did I have to Survey Among Employers Conducted on Behalf of the go to college to do this?” Do it now! Association of American Colleges and Universities References by Hart Research Associates. American Psychological Association Center for Workforce Studies. (2014). Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/workforce/about/faq.aspx#.113. This Hart report by the Association of American Colleges and Appleby, D. C., Millspaugh, B. S., & Hammersley M. J. (2011) An online resource to enable undergraduate Universities is based on a survey of 318 employers whose organiza- psychology majors to identify and investigate 172 psychology and psychology-related careers. tions operate with at least 25 employees and at least 25% of their Retrieved from http://teachpsych.org/resources/documents/otrp/resources/appleby11.pdf Association of American Colleges and Universities, Hart Research Associates. (2013). It takes more than a new hires possessing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. The report major: Employer priorities for college learning and student success. Retrieved from http://www.aacu. contains a 6-point overview and 11 key findings. Each of the six org/leap/documents/2013_EmployerSurvey.pdf Chan, A., & Gardner, P. (2013) An arts & science degree: Defining its value in the workplace (CERI Research points quoted below is thoughtfully elaborated on in the report on Brief 5-2013) Retrieved www.ceri.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Arts-Science-Degree- pages 1 to 3. Employers.pdf Hettich, P. (2012, Spring). A three-step guide to exploring occupations with your baccalaureate degree. Eye 1. “Innovation is a priority for employers today.” on Psi Chi, 16(3), 12–13. Retrieved from http://www.psichi.org/?163EyeSpr12fHettich Hettich, P. (2013, Spring/Summer). Deal with it: When your great expectations collide with reality. Eye on Psi 2. “Employers recognize capacities that cut across majors as critical Chi, 17(3), 6–9. Retrieved from http://www.psichi.org/?173EyeSprSum13aHett to a candidate’s potential for career success, and they view these National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). (2014, May 28). Liberal arts majors help bolster offer rates for class of 2014 graduates. Retrieved from http://www.naceweb.org/s05282014/liberal- skills as more important than a student’s choice of undergraduate arts-offer-rates.aspx m aj or.” 3. “Employers recognize the importance of liberal education and the liberal arts.” 4. “Employers endorse a blended model of liberal and applied learning.”

Questions (and Answers) About Graduate School The following questions were adapted from various posts in the Psi Chi LinkedIn group.

How common is it to go directly from an undergraduate about 30 faculty in the last eight years as department chair and degree to a PhD program? divisional dean. And that is, if you are considering an academic career, the very first thing search committees usually look for is VanderStoep: At my institution, it is becoming less common. The a strong record of teaching and a promising area of scholarship average age of a first-year student at a top-10 medical school last (preferably with some refereed publications during graduate year was 24.4. So-called “gap years” are being chosen by students school). You can do that at any program if you have a productive and, in my view, being valued by graduate institutions more now advisor. However, search committees also look at prestige of the than in the past. Spending time in high-quality postbaccalaureate institution and, thus, you may be at a disadvantage against those experiences could make you more attractive to future programs. from more venerable programs. But it is not at the top of most But be advised, if your application materials have a noticeable search committees’ list. Now, if your goal is a career in a clinical or weakness (e.g., poor GRE, poor psych GPA), experience can only industrial setting, my sense is that the difference between programs do so much to mitigate these shortcomings. In other words, I don’t means even less than it does in academia. Other thoughts, oh believe “I have bad GRE scores so I’m going to volunteer in a psych learned colleagues? inpatient unit” is a good strategy unless a lot of time has passed since your GRE. If this is your reason for a gap year, I would instead Handelsman: First, would you like to know what graduate program recommend doing something to erase or diminish those weaknesses I’m from (over 30 years ago) before you believe my answer? It may such as applying to a master’s program at a less competitive not be as prestigious as you might guess. Second, think of your most institution or studying for and retaking the GRE. Perhaps my inspirational teachers. Where did they get their degrees, and does colleagues believe otherwise? it matter? Third, are you at a top-ranked undergraduate program? I think you can take the “LeBron” approach and only play for a team Handelsman: The questions that go beyond how common it is that has a chance to win it all, or you can take the approach (I don’t include “What should I do for a year or two?” which Scott addressed have a name for it yet) of going to the best team that will have you. in a way I cannot disagree with. The next broader question might be, “What do I want to do with my life, and when can I do what?” Landrum: This is a situation where a psychology major should Taking some time before graduate school to pursue other dreams be able to apply his or her psychological skills to this question. As (Yes, people have dreams that don’t include psychology!) might be a you know, psychologists spend a lot of time carefully considering wonderful idea. It’s also a good idea to take some time if you’re not how dependent variables are measured. When an organization like sure or passionate about your graduate training. U.S. News and World Report issues rankings, those numbers can be considered dependent variables. So ask all the questions that you Landrum: I think there is a direct question here and an indirect would if you were reviewing psychological research: what do the question as mentioned by my colleagues. To answer your question numbers mean, how were the scores calculated, are the data valid directly, I’m not sure we have national data about the most common and reliable, and so on? At best, these data represent aggregate path to PhD programs, whether that be from the bachelor’s degree overall summaries of quality. Say there are 100 schools on the list, straight in or via a terminal master’s degree. I do wish there was ranked 1 to 100. We could find a person at School 1 who had a stronger advocacy for undergraduate psychology majors such that lousy experience and a person at School 100 who had a world- an organization somewhere was interested in answering those types class experience. So the rankings data are one piece of data, but of questions. I think the indirect question is this: “How will I know they should not be the only data considered in a graduate school what I want to do?” And I think the answer is through serious self- decision. The key question here is “what is the best graduate school reflection; it doesn’t have to be a gap year, but it could be. Students for me?” Answering that question will take a lot of due diligence and are in such a hurry to “get courses out of the way” and “get through the active application of your psychological research chops! their psychology major” that I think they often fail to stop and think about why they are doing what they are doing, and what will be the What are the advantages and disadvantages of attending next steps. Having a thoughtful plan with accompanying action a graduate school that is very far away from steps and a strong mentor will go a long way to a successful path, where I presently live with all my family and friends? whatever that path may look like. VanderStoep: I would not frame the question as advantages or Is it worth going to a school that doesn’t have a disadvantages. If you’re paying attention to distance, it is likely that top-ranked graduate program? you may have family or relationship situations that require you to consider distance. This is reasonable. We all must do what is best VanderStoep: I can give my perspective as someone who has hired for the folks with whom we are closest, and those obligations may

conflict with our own professional goals. If your concern is that you VanderStoep: I believe this is occasionally true. One reason that would like to stay near family because of comfort, familiarity, or this could happen is because an employer is fearful that you may anxiety about the unknown, I would encourage you to move beyond not feel satisfied and therefore you will not stay for long. I recently those concerns. The challenge of being away from family will pale in assisted a department in a search for an office manager. It was a $15/ comparison to the challenge of doctoral-level graduate training. hour job and required a bachelor’s degree. We received an applicant from someone with a PhD from a premier (I’m not exaggerating) Handelsman: I love this question (I also love Scott’s answer.) institution. We didn’t hire him. We didn’t even interview. This was because it speaks directly to the fact that graduate training is part destined to be an unhappy vocational match. It is not because the of the bigger picture of your life. Sometimes your training is bigger person could not do the job, but this is not what we felt the person than the other parts, sometimes not. On a more practical level, here’s was prepared and built to do. He would not have been happy. This a hint for your long-range planning: If you’re looking at clinical is an extreme example, but it illustrates the dilemma from the training, where you do your internship is often more predictive employer’s perspective. On the other hand, if you want or need a job, of where you wind up living than where you do your graduate apply for it. It will be your task to convince them that this is the job program. On a personal level, my decision to go halfway across the that you want and will keep. country to graduate school (after staying very close to home for undergrad) was a great professional decision, which I knew at the Handelsman: Appropriate responses include the truth about why time. What I didn’t know at the time was that my decision threw me you’re applying to a job that looks like it requires fewer qualifications into amazing growth-producing situations that I wouldn’t trade for or experience than you have. In general, remember that having more anything. education will open up more and more attractive possibilities. But let’s go back to Question 1: If there are jobs you might want to have Landrum: Being in graduate school may be one of the most (at least for a few years) that require less education than you would stressful times in your life, so having a social support network close have, think about the possibility of taking one or two of those jobs by makes a lot of sense. On the other hand, having a strong family to see what it’s like. The world is changing very quickly, but graduate network nearby can be distracting at times. I remember studying programs will be around for another few years! Taking a bit longer for prelims in graduate school, and my parents wanted to visit the to get your graduate degree can add richness to your experience and weekend before. It was about an 8-hour drive for them, and I still your professional life. had a hard time convincing them of the importance of this “test.” It was wonderful that they wanted to see me, but I was torn between Landrum: It’s fun to write this column with two colleagues that studying for the test that would determine if I was admitted to I respect and admire because they often take the high road. So candidacy (or not) and spending time with my parents (or not). If I’ll take the other path. Being told that you are “overqualified” you stay close, be sure to have a conversation about boundaries, and could also mean that the employer is being cheap and wants to cut let loved ones know that your availability during graduate school corners by hiring at the lowest salary possible. You asked “what’s may not be the same as it was during your undergraduate years. And the appropriate response to this”; I’d say walk away. You certainly if you go far away, try to save for airfare and/or gas money because don’t want to get into a discussion as to why you are not as qualified that family lifeline is important. as you are. After attending graduate school, you should have some skills and expertise that the right employer will value. Making After I get my graduate degree, could I sometimes be told connections during graduate school such as during an internship or that I am overqualified when applying for jobs? What is the field placement might make the transition from graduate school to a appropriate response to this? career a little less bumpy.

Scott VanderStoep, PhD, previously served as Psi Chi Mitch Handelsman, PhD, is currently professor of A frequent contributor to Eye on Psi Chi, R. Eric Landrum, Midwest Regional Vice-President from 2002–06 and psychology and a CU President’s Teaching Scholar at the PhD, is a former Psi Chi Rocky Mountain Regional President from 2008-09. His educational journey began in University of Colorado Denver, where he has been on the Vice-President (2009–11). A professor at Boise State the same place where he currently works—Hope College faculty since 1982. In 2003–04, he was president of the University (ID) and the chapter’s faculty advisor, Dr. (MI)—and where he is associate professor and Rocky Mountain Psychological Association. He is a licensed Landrum often gives talks about issues such as graduate Dean of Social Sciences. In his 18 years of college psychologist and a fellow of APA. His blog, “The Ethical school admissions. He has given over 225 professional teaching, he has taught introductory, developmental, Professor,” can be found at psychologytoday.com. presentations at conferences and published over 20 books social, cognitive, industrial/organizational, research lab, or book chapters, and has published over 65 professional psychology of religion, and advanced data analysis. articles in scholarly, peer-reviewed journals.

COPYRIGHT © 2014 PSI CHI SPRING/SUMMER 2014 | EYE ON PSI CHI 11 Honest Liars: Using Psychological Theory to Understand Self-Deception Cortney S. Warren, PhD | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | Choose Honesty, LLC

“Humans are excellent liars. We don’t like to think of ourselves as capable of lying; it hurts us too much to admit. So we lie to ourselves about that, too” (Warren, 2014c, pp. 4).

One of my favorite courses to teach is basic principles of However, in addition to being the basis of psychotherapeutic psychotherapy. On the first day of class, students usually practice, one reason that psychology is so important as a field look at me quizzically when I state that my primary goal is is precisely because it can help us understand ourselves and to help them use psychological theories of human nature to promote life fulfillment. Based on the content of my latest book, understand themselves. The idea that a course is designed Lies We Tell Ourselves: The Psychology of Self-Deception (Warren, to promote self-understanding while providing foundational 2014c), I wrote this article to help readers use theories of human content is unfamiliar to many students. Although most are nature to understand their own self-deception and choose to be psychology majors, applying theories of human nature to more honest. When we use the best of psychology to understand their own personal lives in meaningful ways is a skill that ourselves, we have the opportunity to change and become more requires practice. honest liars (Warren, 2014b).

s a clinical psychologist, I am us understand how we lie to ourselves. a break, or you were too tired to look over consistently faced with the harsh Specifically, psychodynamic, cognitive your notes in an attempt to make yourself A reality that humans lie to themselves behavioral, existential, and sociocultural feel less guilty. on a daily basis. We deceive ourselves about perspectives offer us insights into how we A third commonly used defense is everything from tiny, seemingly insignificant deceive ourselves. projection, which involves taking an aspects of our lives to our most influential Psychodynamic perspective. Sigmund undesirable aspect of yourself and ascribing life choices (Warren, 2014c). For example, Freud and other psychodynamic scholars it to someone else. In other words, instead we struggle to admit how much money we first described self-deception through ego- of admitting something that you don’t really spend on coffee each week and the real defense mechanisms (Corey, 2009; Freud, like about yourself, you see the same flaw reason that we didn’t pay our credit card bill 1960, 1995; McWilliams, 2011). These in someone else. Often projection makes on time. We also lie to ourselves about why psychological strategies are designed to us look highly hypocritical. For example, we select certain dating partners or pursue protect our ego—our core rational sense of you may accuse someone of being a gossip a given career path. Unfortunately for all of self—from information that would hurt us. instead of admitting that you are the one us who want to live in an eternally positive In true Freudian language, they are designed gossiping. You may say that you would never fantasy realm of romance and reality, we to help us maintain a big ego. drunk dial someone late at night, have a are attracted to people and occupations for One of the most common ego-defense one-night-stand, or think something racist many reasons that have absolutely nothing mechanisms is denial, which occurs any or sexist. However, you quickly point out to do with love! time you refuse to believe something that these behaviors in another person to cover Although self-deception is a complicated is true. Often, the more strongly you want up the fact that you are uncomfortable with construct, we lie to ourselves at the most to deny something, the more likely it is to you own behavior. basic level by not admitting something be true. For example, you may emphatically Cognitive behavioral perspective. From that is true or by believing something that state that you don’t have a problem with a cognitive behavioral perspective, we can is false (Deweese-Boyd, 2012; Paulhus, intimacy even though you emotionally keep understand self-deception through the 1984). At our cores, we deceive ourselves others at arm’s length. You may claim to live many illogical or irrational ways we think because we lack the psychological strength a healthy lifestyle even though you smoke (Beck, 1975; Burns, 1980; Ellis & Harper, to admit the truth and change once the cigarettes and rarely exercise. Or, you may 1975). Prominent theorists like Aaron Beck refuse to acknowledge how your childhood and Alfred Ellis argued that humans like to truth is acknowledged (Warren, 2014c). environment influenced your ability to think that their thoughts accurately reflect As such, self-deception helps us avoid express emotion effectively. reality. In fact, most of us believe that we are confronting painful life realities. In this way, Another commonly used defense is right about everything because we think our self-deception is a good coping mechanism rationalization, defined as creating a reason thoughts are true. However, the truth is that because it helps us twist, manipulate, and to excuse aspects of yourself that you find our thoughts are not an accurate reflection tweak the truth to be more consistent unacceptable. In essence, rationalization of reality—they are often incredibly biased, with what we can psychologically tolerate allows you to feel better about yourself skewed, and inaccurate in characteristic (Warren, 2014c). That said, self-deception by intellectually justifying your thoughts, ways that harm our ability to be honest. can also cause us profound regret because feelings, and behavior. For example, you may Referred to as crooked thinking or cognitive lying to ourselves will thwart our ability to justify cheating on your mate by stating that distortions (Beck, 1975; Burns, 1980; Ellis & live the life that would be most fulfilling for you were drinking, angry, or hurt because Harper, 1975), self-deception often emerges each of us. he or she hasn’t spent enough time with through distorted thinking patterns that you. You may continue dating someone who reflect painful realities that we don’t want to Theories of Human Nature is not healthy for you by telling yourself admit (Warren, 2014c). and Self-Deception that you are in love, thereby justifying your One common cognitive distortion is Although few psychological theories decision to stay. In school, you may tell emotional reasoning, defined as thinking of human nature overtly describe self- yourself that you didn’t study for your exam that your feelings accurately reflect current deception, most can be used to help because a friend was in town, you needed reality. For example, when you feel sad,

you may think, “I am so depressed. Clearly trust people because I was abandoned as a Over time, we consciously and something in my current life is causing my child.” You may deny your mortality and unconsciously internalize cultural norms, sadness,” instead of considering that perhaps the mortality of those you love by refusing evaluating ourselves and others in your emotion is related to an unresolved to write a will, skipping your medical comparison to them (Warren, 2014c). In issue from your past that is being triggered checkups, or avoiding discussions about the this way, many of us lie to ourselves about by a current life situation. When feeling poor health of family and friends. You may what we really believe because we internalize angry with someone, you may think, “You have an incredibly busy social calendar to cultural messages that compromise our made me feel angry,” instead of admitting avoid being alone or for fear that you will happiness without actually considering that it is your interpretation of a current miss out on something fantastic if you don’t whether we agree. For example, you may life event that fundamentally causes your show up to every party. You may believe believe you need to look a certain way, be emotional response. that you would never be mugged, raped, or a certain weight, earn a certain income, get Another common distortion is seeing a attacked because you are somehow uniquely married, have children, and go to church single negative life circumstance as a never- protected from harm and special, making because you learned that this is the way ending downward spiral, referred to as you immune from negative life events you should be to be valued in your cultural overgeneralization. For example, after going (Warren, 2014c). context. through a bad breakup, you may think, “I Sociocultural perspective. Multicultural am never going to meet anyone. It isn’t even and feminist psychologists describe how Choosing Honesty and worth trying to date.” After getting in a fight cultural norms around race, sex, sexual Becoming More Honest Liars orientation, and a host of other socially with your best friend, you may think, “I am There is an inherent dilemma in choosing to relevant topics affect our psychological never going to get close to people ever again confront your self-deception; you can’t ask health and well-being (American because I always get hurt in the end.” yourself how you lie to yourself because that Psychological Association, 2003; Sue & Sue, A third common distortion is fortune would require you to tell the truth. Given 2013). Sociocultural theorists argue that telling, or believing that a prediction about the unconscious nature of self-deception, we grow up trying to emulate whatever our the future is an already-established fact. becoming honest is incredibly challenging. culture deems to be most valuable because When interviewing for a new job, you However, confronting your self-deception we all want to be desired, loved, and wanted. think, “This company is never going to hire is critical to long-term life fulfillment and This generally occurs without our conscious me.” When entering into a new romantic happiness. Below are five specific suggestions awareness. Consequently, in terms of self- relationship, you may think, “I am sure my to start the process of choosing to become new partner is cheating on me because my deception, we often believe that what we were culturally conditioned to believe is true more honest with yourself. ex cheated.” 1. Self-awareness. Become an observer Existential perspective. From an instead of determining if what we actually believe is true (Warren, 2014c). of your own life. Without evaluation or existential perspective, self-deception can be The way we feel about our physical judgment, pause. Begin to notice and understood as a desire to avoid the Givens appearance is one obvious way that cultural observe yourself (Warren, 2014c). As you of Life. Based in philosophy, the Givens are messages affect us. In mainstream Western are observing, use the theories of human four basic realities of being human that we cultures, even a cursory glance in a children’s nature described above to ask yourself must face over the course of our lifetimes toy store clearly communicates that girls questions that target self-deception. When (Frankl, 1963; Yalom, 2000). should be princesses dressed in pink tiaras do you most often lie to yourself? What 1. Death: we and everyone we love will die. and boys should be car-loving men of action psychological strategies do you use most dressed in military fatigues. Over time, we often to lie to yourself? Do you use denial, 2. Ultimate aloneness: we are all born and strive to emulate these ideals. Specifically, rationalization, projection, or emotional will die as a single person housed in a girls learn that attaining the ideal appearance reasoning? What existential Givens of Life solitary physical body. is fundamental to her gender role and do you try to avoid confronting to feel 3. Meaninglessness: our lives are inherently value: the ideal woman looks youthful with comfortable? What cognitive distortions do meaningless unless we give them perfect skin and big eyes surrounded by you use most often to manipulate the truth meaning because none of us are that long eyelashes, white teeth, and a very thin, and feel better? important, special, or unique in the grand yet feminine, figure (Thompson, Heinberg, As you ask yourself these challenging scope of human history. Altabe, & Tantleff-Dunn, 1999; Warren, questions, remember that becoming more 2014a). For men, not only do you need to be self-aware and honest is a choice. It takes 4. Freedom: we are responsible for every muscular and fit, but you also need to make deliberate effort because admitting the aspect of ourselves because we have the a lot of money, be educated, and be smart. truth will be uncomfortable in the short- freedom of choice (Yalom, 2000). Although you have slightly more flexibility term because your self-deception serves a To avoid admitting these realities, we than women around how to be culturally function—it protects you from painful life frequently lie to ourselves (Warren, 2014c). valuable—you can be valued for your money realities. That said, in the long-term, it is For example, you may defer responsibility or brains instead of just your physical critical to honestly admit who you are so for your choices by blaming your past. You appearance—you are still evaluated and that you can change things that you do not may say things like, “I am this way because scrutinized on the basis of these culturally like about yourself. my father was an alcoholic” or “I don’t imposed characteristics. 2. Notice your emotion. Generally, when

we are emotionally reactive to something or influence what you deem to be desirable and (8th ed.). Pacifc Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. Deweese-Boyd, I. (2012). Self-Deception. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The someone it is because we are being reminded undesirable. As you become more aware of Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato. of something painful, raw, or unresolved in your surroundings and the cultural messages stanford.edu/archives/spr2012/entries/self-deception/ our lives (Warren, 2014c). In these areas, you learned, you must determine whether Ellis, A., & Harper, R. A. (1975). A guide to rational living (3rd ed.). Chatsworth, CA: Wilshire Book Company. we struggle to admit the truth. For example, you aspire to be a certain way because Frankl, V. E. (1963). Man’s search for meaning. Boston, MA: Beacon if you have trust issues in your romantic you believe it is right or because you were Press. Freud, S. S. (1960). The ego and the id. (J. Riviere, Trans.). New York, relationships, you may feel anxious, angry, culturally conditioned to believe it is right NY: W. W. Norton & Company Inc. or scared when falling in love with a new (Warren, 2014b). Ask yourself challenging Freud, S. S. (1995). The basic writings of Sigmund Freud (A. A. Brill, mate. As this occurs, you may find yourself questions about what messages you learned Trans.). New York, NY: Random House, Inc. McWilliams, N. (2011). Psychoanalytic diagnosis: Understanding reactive to your mate in ways that are not about your value from a cultural perspective. personality structure in the clinical process (2nd ed.). New York, NY: warranted based on who this person is. In For example, how do you compromise The Guilford Press. fact, your reaction may be fundamentally Paulhus, D. L. (1984). Two-component models of socially desirable yourself to meet cultural norms? Do you responding. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, based on who you are and unresolved think you need to look a certain way? Be a 598–609. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.46.3.598 issues from your past that you are bringing certain weight? Earn a certain income? Be Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2013). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (6th ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. into your new relationship. Given this in a relationship? Be religious? Why do you Thompson, J. K., Heinberg, L. J., Altabe, M. N., & Tantleff-Dunn, S. reality, when you have a strong emotional believe this to be true? Is it because culture (1999). Exacting beauty: Theory, assessment, and treatment of reaction to something or someone, pause. taught you that you should be a certain way body image disturbance. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. Ask yourself: What is my emotion a or because you believe it is right for you to Warren, C. S. (2014a). Body area dissatisfaction in White, Black, reaction to? Is my emotion really related be that way? and Latina female college students in the United States: An to the present situation, or is the present examination of racially salient appearance areas and ethnic identity. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 37, 537–556. doi:10.1080/014 situation triggering something in me that is Concluding Remarks 19870.2012.716520 unresolved baggage from my past? Becoming more honest is a lifelong journey Warren, C. S. (2014b, May 2). Honest liars: The psychology of self- deception: Cortney Warren at TEDxUNLV. Retrieved from http:// 3. Notice your behavior. We desperately (Warren, 2014c). It takes daily practice tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Cortney-Warren-Honest-Liars-The- want our behavior to be separate from our and effort because most of the time we are ;search%3Awarren identity (Warren, 2014c). We don’t want to Warren, C. S. (2014c). Lies we tell ourselves: The psychology of self- completely unaware of the rampant lying deception. Sevierville, TN: Insight Publishing. believe that the way we act reflects who we going on in our own minds. However, we Yalom, I. D. (2000). Love’s executioner and other tales of are. For example, you don’t want to admit cannot be honest with others until we are psychotherapy. New York, NY: Perennial Classics. that you are jealous even though you check first honest with ourselves. Although we can’t Cortney S. Warren, PhD, is a your partners’ phone messages; you don’t directly ask ourselves how we lie, we can licensed clinical psychologist want to have intimacy issues even though learn about who we really are by consciously with a passion for understanding you sabotage your relationships by breaking observing ourselves, paying particular mental illness from a cross- up with people when they get too close. cultural perspective. Raised attention to our emotions, thoughts, traveling the world, Dr. Warren However, the truth is that our behavior is a behaviors, and culturally internalized beliefs. gained a unique perspective reflection of who we are in some way. When In addition to generally helping us live about how culture infuences your behavior isn’t consistent with who more fulfilling lives, knowing ourselves is eating norms, food rituals, and you claim to be or want to be, pause. Ask one of the foundational principles of being ideals of beauty. She earned yourself: Why am I acting this way? What her PhD in clinical psychology an excellent therapist. In fact, many scholars in 2006 from Texas A&M University after completing her is motivating my behavior? What do I not argue that the most important instrument in internship at McLean Hospital, an affliate of Harvard want to admit to myself about my behavior? any therapeutic relationship is the therapist Medical School. Why? (Corey, 2009). Really understanding who Most of Dr. Warren’s research explores eating pathology, 4. Notice your thoughts. We all want addictions, and the practice of psychotherapy. Her work we are requires brutal honesty. As such, appears in some the feld’s top journals including the to believe that our thoughts are accurate for anyone interested in working with International Journal of Eating Disorders, Appetite, and reflections of reality. However, as outlined clients or patients in a therapeutic setting, Obesity. She has won some of the most prestigious awards by our cognitive behavioral experts, our my strong recommendation is that you in her feld including the 2011 Theodore H. Blau Early thoughts are often highly biased and start working on your self-deception now. Career Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions inaccurate. The falsehoods in your thinking to Clinical Psychology (awarded jointly by the American Find an excellent therapist and choose to Psychological Foundation and the American Psychological tell you something about what is painful for confront your self-deception each day of Association) and the 2010 Samuel M. Turner Early Career you to admit, which will lead you directly to your life (Warren, 2014c). As we learn about Award for Distinguished Contributions to Diversity in Clinical the cause of your self-deceptive tendencies. ourselves at a deeper level, we give ourselves Psychology (from the American Psychological Association). Given this reality, when you notice your Although she received tenure in 2012 from the University the freedom to heal, change, and evolve. of Nevada, Las Vegas, she formally retired from academia thinking is extreme or irrational, pause. in 2014 to pursue a career that would allow her more time Ask yourself: What words am I using to References with her family and more interaction with the general public. describe my life? Are my thoughts accurate? American Psychological Association (2003). Guidelines on multicultural In a recent TEDx talk called, Honest Liars: The Psychology of education, training, research, practice, and organizational change Self-Deception (http://youtu.be/YpEeSa6zBTE), she described Am I using my past to justify my current for psychologists. American Psychologist, 58, 377–402. her decision to retire from academia and her view that self- thinking? How are my thoughts biased? Beck, A. T. (1975). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. deception is our biggest obstacle to life fulfllment. 5. Challenge culturally conditioned Madison, CT: International Universities Press, Inc. Burns, D. D. (1980). Feeling good: The new mood therapy. New York, For more information and resources, visit messages. As noted by our sociocultural NY: A Signet Book New American Library. www.choosehonesty.com. experts, your cultural context will strongly Corey, G. (2009). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy

Do your psychology courses often feature unethical events like the Milgram and Monster Experiments? If so, you might have become convinced that people are inherently evil—and that’s why Dr. Dacher Keltner (University of California, Berkeley) is here to remind you about the positive characteristics within us all.

r. Keltner is the creator of the Jen Dr. Keltner studies multiple Jen emo- However, he and others are beginning to ratio, a means to calculate the good tions such as embarrassment, smiling, find that awe is actually crucial in shaping Dand bad things in a person’s life. This laughter, touch, love, and compassion. In human lives. In fact, he believes that mea- ratio involves putting as many positive particular, he focuses on awe, which has suring awe could become one of the most things as you can think of in the numerator long been valued by philosophers and even important health markers that we have. of a fraction and then all the negative things environmentalist perspectives. However, “We’re learning that the experience of awe in the denominator as a measurement of surprisingly few researchers have applied in the lab and out in the world makes people goodness. He chose this concept not only scientific efforts to understand how awe modest. It makes them humble and makes to honor the ancient Confucian principle, works and where it really comes from. them want to share resources with others. but also because it summarizes a lot of what Awe makes them feel less entitled and less researchers have learned: the more good that The Importance of Awe egocentric. Data are starting to show that people bring out in themselves and others, Tornado and thunderstorm warnings awe is associated with an increase in oxyto- the more inspired, purposeful, and healthier threaten the nation, yet it is warm and sunny cin, which makes people kinder to others. they feel. in California when Dr. Keltner sits down Awe is also beginning to be associated with As he says in his book, Born to Be Good: to speak with us at Psi Chi. As he explains, reduced levels of cytokines, which are part of The Science of a Meaningful Life, “One can “The field of emotions mainly focused on the body’s inflammation response to toxins apply the Jen ratio to any realm: our interior negative emotions until Barb Fredrickson, and injury, and when produced at chronic life, more satisfying and more trying periods Mike McCullough, and Bob Emmons got us levels, are bad for health.” for a marriage, the tenor of a family reunion, to think about the positive ones. This delay Dr. Keltner has conducted many studies the goodwill of a neighborhood, the rhetoric may have occurred because, in some ways, to simulate the sensation of awe—even once of presidents, the spirit of historical eras.” emotions are difficult to study. I might also with a tyrannosaurus rex skeleton in the Taking a moment to make your own Jen speculate that people tend to shy away from Berkley Life Sciences Building (Hochman, ratios helps you “take stock of your attempt studying things that seem mystical or magi- 2010). “In studies with tall beautiful euca- at living a meaningful life” (Keltner, 2009, cal because they do not often think those lyptus trees, it literally took only a minute p. 5). things can be put through the lens of study.” or two for people to feel more purposeful

and humble.” In some sense, generated experiences via television and videogames we’re will never duplicate the pure awe that people start- feel, for example, “while backpacking in the ing to Eastern Sierra. Anyone who loves the out- study how doors knows how important awe is within some people our appreciation of nature.” get goosebumps “It will never be the same—not even with all the time, although IMAX!” Dr. Keltner jokes, although he fully others rarely experience acknowledges that incredible technology them.” This research is begin- platforms are always improving. “These plat- ning to show that awe originates forms allow us more of an opportunity to from the emotional response of a make people feel awe, but we’re also starting subordinate to a powerful and poten- a partnership with the Sierra Club to study tially harmful leader or thing. As stated how awe in nature helps people reorient in a recent article, “In our primordial past, their approach to the world.” in order to ensure stability in important social hierarchies, awe might have been the Spoiling Awe? Or Solving It? mechanism prompting adaptive submissive Dr. Keltner has often been asked, ‘don’t you responses to those more powerful” (Smith, think you’re going to ruin awe if you study 2013, para 9). it?’ but luckily that hasn’t happened yet. In This is why most instances of awe involve his opinion: “One of the interesting things something larger than the beholder. “I think we’re uncovering in our work is how awe the answer we can provide right now of varies from person to person. In particular, why encounters with big things cause us to

feel awe is because (a) they’re threatening can share that. From the psychological sci- gest instinct. It was that massive example of and (b) they require that we really orient ence perspective, millions of viewers have caring, touch, and all the things I had stud- and explore carefully. The world is always crafted—through evolutionary processes— ied that persuaded me in my personal life providing things that are more vast than our tone of voice, facial expression, and all these that we need to be compassionate. There’s a understanding, though awe does not always things that we study, so the challenge is to lot of data that says the key to happiness is come from large things.” move this into the site. The pile of dirt, the in helping others, so making other facets of For example, when asked to list a few deadpan face, or the little sympathy expres- life into opportunities for compassion has things that cause Dr. Keltner to feel awe, he sion—these are all evocative. They all give become a thread throughout my experiences readily and reverently describes us a really precise emotion that is a little bit working for Pixar and everywhere else.” • redwood trees; softer than saying, ‘hey I’m angry with you.’ In that regard, Dr. Keltner concludes So in some ways, showing an emoticon of with some straightforward advice to help • patterns of light and shadow on the frustration can be easier than expressing it students interested in pursuing a career in ground; with words.” Jen science. “First, the Greater Good Science • when he hears the wind; Center has a free moot course on ‘The • when he watches little babies move The Greater Good Science Center Science of Happiness’ that launches in the around their environment; Dr. Keltner is presently faculty director of the fall.” He encourages students to take that • inspiring political figures; and Greater Good Science Center, which started along with a class on music appreciation, at UC Berkley in 2001. “The Center’s mission painting, environmentalism, and then a class • music like Iggy Pop. is to take new emotions science and translate on human emotion. “Awe has always been really important to it in a way that gets it right out to the people me,” Dr. Keltner says. “I feel it every day. It who make a difference and change the world References Darwin, C. (1872). The expression of the emotions in man and animals. happens through people, nature, aesthetics, like teachers, judges, nurses, and doctors. London, England: John Murray and politics. That is what is really challeng- What we do,” Dr. Keltner explains, “is we Hochman, D. (2010, December). The key to fulfllment. O, The Oprah ing about the emotion—it comes through so have a dynamic prize-winning website where Magazine, 11(12). Retrieved from http://www.oprah.com/health/ The-Science-of-Awe-and-Fulfllment many things.” hundreds of thousands of people come, Keltner, D. (2009). Born to be good: The science of a meaningful life. This is nothing new for Dr. Keltner. He for example, to learn how to teach fourth New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company Smith, R. (2013, October 12). Goosebumps and Dr. King’s dream grew up with an appreciation for art because graders about compassion. We are actively speech [Web log post]. Psychology Today. Retrieved from his mother was a literature reviewer and getting into schools through a Greater Good http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/joy-and-pain/201310/ his father was an artist. In his own words, Summer Institute for Educators, and we also goosebumps-and-dr-kings-dream-speech he was something of an unhappy kid. “But host The Greater Good Gratitude Summit Dacher Keltner, PhD, received then, the thing that really excited me—the through the John Templeton Foundation his BA from UC Santa Barbara thing that got me interested in Jen science to profile, house, and amplify researchers’ in 1984 and his PhD from even—occurred when I started reading works.” Stanford University in 1989. After about the Paul Ekman ‘atlas of emotions’ and a postdoc at UCSF with Paul the Darwinian look at the body, face, and Much to Do Ekman, in 1992 he took his frst academic job at the University voice. I was truly blown away by the fact that Dr. Keltner has many—he says too many!— of Wisconsin–Madison. In it is possible to scientifically study emotions, plans for the future. “I’m helping people 1996, he returned to Berkeley’s and that has really run through my work figure out how to study the benefits of Psychology Department where in every imaginable way from studying outdoor immersion in activities run by the he is now a full professor and director of the Berkeley Social Interaction Lab. Dr. Keltner’s embarrassment to power to goosebumps to Sierra Club. I think we’ve got 5 or 10 more research focuses on the biological and evolutionary origins emoticons.” years to work on awe, and maybe we’ll be of compassion, awe, love, beauty, power, social class, able to answer where awe comes from in and inequality. He is the coauthor of two textbooks and Emoticons? our evolution in a few years too. We’re going author of the best-selling Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life and The Compassionate Instinct. His “Yes!” Dr. Keltner insists, indeed meaning to remote parts of the world to study emo- publications include over 160 scientifc articles, and he has the smiley faces most often seen on social tions in other cultures. I’m excited about written for the New York Times Magazine, The London Times, media. “Emoticons are important for many strengthening the Greater Good Science and Utne Reader. His research has been covered in TIME, reasons. They are artistic. They are funny. Center to build educational curriculum or Newsweek, the New York Times, the BBC, CNN, NPR, The They are ways that we can communicate health curriculum to help with healthcare. Wallstreet Journal, and has been a focus in two panels with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Dr. Keltner has collaborated subtle things ironically or in a satirical way.” I will write more books and do more teach- with directors at Pixar, a design team at Facebook, on In fact, Facebook has hired Dr. Keltner ing. I’ve also been helping Facebook for the projects at Google, and was recently featured in Tom and a Pixar illustrator to apply concepts in past few years to make some of the problems Shadyac’s movie I Am. He has received the outstanding Charles Darwin’s book, The Expression of on their site more resolvable, friendly, and teacher and research mentor awards from UC Berkeley and seen 20 of his PhD students and postdoctoral fellows the Emotions in Man and Animals (Darwin, compassionate.” become professors. WIRED magazine recently rated Dr. 1872), to design new animated emoticons Along with this, Dr. Keltner has a busy Keltner’s podcasts from his course “Emotion” as one of the that use universally understood expres- home life too. “Having kids and raising fve best educational downloads, and Utne Reader selected sions. “We created an emoticon for feeling young children really taught me that Darwin him as one of its ffty 2008 visionaries. Dr. Keltner also dumbfounded, and people love that they was right about sympathy being our stron- serves as the faculty director of the Berkeley Greater Good Science Center.

On Autism and Language Comprehension With Morton Ann Gernsbacher, PhD

How can we most effectively comprehend, communicate, and ultimately accommodate the needs of others? Dr. Morton Ann Gernsbacher (University of Wisconsin–Madison) has conducted research revolving around these questions for the past 35 years. She has extensively researched language comprehension on everything from conceptual anaphors to the role of suppression in sentence comprehension. She then shifted her interests to autism research, largely to identify and disprove common myths created by nonautistic people, who would rather cure autism than learn how to accept and appreciate autistic people for who they are.

The following quotes by Dr. Morton Ann Person-First Language, Roger Collier writes more likely to describe autism in terms of Gernsbacher are partially adapted from a recent that “tucking the names of diseases and children. Therefore, it’s not too surprising online discussion at Psi Chi’s LinkedIn Group. disabilities in the shadows may have the that the vast majority of autistic characters Which term is correct? Persons with opposite effect of what is intended. It could in fictional books, movies, and TV programs autism or autistic people? stigmatize words that were never considered are children rather than adults. The news derogatory or pejorative in the first place” industry even has a strong bias toward Throughout this discussion, I will be using (Collier, 2012, p. 1977). featuring autistic children rather than the term autistic adult(s), autistic child(ren), Collier’s point is easily illustrated in the autistic adults. and autistic person(s) rather than adult with pages of our scholarly journals and textbooks. All of these biases coalesce to make autism, child(ren) with autism, or person(s) Although they all insist that autistic children autistic adults invisible or to juvenilize those with autism. My word choice is purposeful be referred to as children with autism, adults we do hear about. We could learn and derives from my deep respect for the they never insist that typically developing so much by studying autistic adults who autistic community who tend to prefer children be referred to as children with typical have succeeded in living satisfying lives— Identity-First Language (e.g., autistic people) development. As Sinclair (1999) wrote in his and they have done so not by becoming over Person-First Language (e.g., people with manifesto: “It is only when someone has no longer autistic but instead by living autism). decided that the characteristic being referred successful lives as autistic persons. In fact, 99% of the first 100 Google hits to is negative that suddenly people want to with the term autistics or autistic people lead separate it from the person” (para. 4). Why aren’t more autism researchers to organizations, blogs, and websites run by autistic people themselves? autistic people. In contrast, all of the first Which would you say is the most I can’t imagine the utter frustration and 100 Google hits with the terms children with popular autism stereotype and why? indignity that autistic persons face daily autism or people with autism lead to sites I think the most prevalent—and when the plethora of myths about them run by nonautistic professionals, parents, deleterious—myth in both the public and are not only touted in research articles, researchers, or the like. If you’re interested in research arena is that autistic people lack textbooks, and the popular press but this topic, please read the classic manifesto, empathy. That pronouncement is one that also thrown back into their faces as a “Why I dislike ‘Person-First’ Language,” by autistic people fight against every day way to discount their contributions and Sinclair (1999). because it has real-world repercussions. perspectives. It’s that frustration that keeps When we assume that another person lacks me motivated to do research (and other Are autistic persons the only group who empathy, we open the door to all sorts of writing) to dispel these myths. encourage Identity-First Language? dangerous assertions; we trick ourselves into I am a firm believer that research should It’s not just autistic persons; members of thinking that this person doesn’t care; we not be done on autistic persons but with other disability groups frequently prefer envision that this person will only respond autistic persons. These days, we would Identity-First Language too. For instance, to us with callous disregard; we erroneously never think it is okay for a group of Whites the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) claim that this person is likely to commit to do research on Blacks, or a group of adamantly rejects Person-First Language mass murder. non-Latinos to do research on Latinos (Jernigan, 2009; Vaughan, 1997). According However, the tide is turning a bit. For without being guided by Latinos, etc. But for to the NFB, blind people do not want to be example, last fall Mediaite [a news and some reason nonautistic researchers think called people with blindness. They want to be opinion blog] called out a popular TV talk it’s okay to do research on autism without called blind people. show for making the unfounded assumption being guided by autistic persons. I disagree, Similarly, I think most of us rolled our that autistic persons lack empathy and I’m always looking for new autistic eyes when we read a few years ago that (Christopher, 2012). Unfortunately, we still collaborators—and autistic-driven ideas. world-class sprinter, Tyson Homosexual, have a long way to go before the general had qualified for the Beijing Olympics. The public—and researchers—don’t make this For you, what is the correlation sprinter’s name is Tyson Gay, but at least unfounded assumption. between autism, language one newspaper refused to use the term communication, and now your gay, instead insisting upon using the term Why don’t more studies involve most recent endeavor into online homosexual despite gays preferring to be autistic adults as opposed to children? communication research? called gays (Akers, 2008). You are absolutely right that there are far The communality are the cognitive This newspaper might have been well- too few studies about autistic adults rather components of communication. In my intentioned, but the question remains: than children. A couple years ago we even language comprehension research, I have Who gets to decide what people are called? evaluated the hypothesis that when the sought to understand the general cognitive Is it the people themselves, in this case general public thinks about autism, they processes and mechanisms that underlie gay people or in the case we’re discussing think about children rather than adults psycholinguistic phenomena such as how disabled people or autistic people? Or is it (Stevenson, 2011). we understand pronouns, ambiguous nongay, nondisabled, and nonautistic people We found that state and local autism words, who’s doing what to whom, and who get to decide what gay, disabled, or societies were more likely to showcase narrative passages and stories. In my autism autistic people are called? photos of children on their websites’ research, I have worked with my autistic In one of a series of articles about homepages, and autism charities were colleagues to understand the cognitive

profile that underlies atypical (and typical) Collier R. (2012). Person-First Language: Noble intent but to what Zoe (2012, August 5). Disability frst: autism is not an accessory [Web effect?. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 184, 1977–1978. log post]. Retrieved from http://illusionofcompetence.blogspot. communication, as well as typical and doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-4319 com/2012/08/disability-frst-autism-is-not-accessory.html atypical focus of attention. And in my online Jernigan, K. (2009, March). The pitfalls of political correctness: Euphemisms excoriated. Braille Monitor, 52(3). Retrieved from communication work, I have sought to Morton Ann Gernsbacher, PhD, https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm09/bm0903/ understand what cognitive features underlie bm090308.htm is a Vilas Research Professor our current preference for asynchronous Sinclair, J. (1999). Why I dislike ‘Person-First’ Language. Retrieved from and the Sir Frederic C. Bartlett http://tinyurl.com/ycccb5b Professor of Psychology. She text-based communication (e.g., e-mail over Stevenson, J. L., Harp, B., Gernsbacher, M. A. (2011). Infantilizing is a fellow of the American voice mail; text over phone call; Internet autism. Disability Studies Quarterly, 31. Retrieved from http://dsq- Association for the Advancement discussion board over in-person forum). sds.org/issue/view/84 of Science, the Society for Vaughan, C. E. (1997). People-First Language: An unholy crusade. Experimental Psychologists, National Federation of the Blind. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from the American Psychological How did you become interested in http://www.blind.net/a-philosophy-of-blindness/individual-articles/ Association (Divisions 1, 3, and language comprehension research? people-frst-language.html 6), the American Psychological Anyone in my presence for more than Suggested Additional Reading Material Society, and the American Educational Research Association. two minutes would not be surprised that I Dr. Gernsbacher has received numerous awards including for Identity-First Language study language, given how frequently and the Research Career Development Award and a Senior L Brown (2011, August 4). The signifcance of semantics: Person-First Research Fellowship from the National Institutes of Language: Why it matters [Web log post]. Retrieved from http:// copiously I produce it. However, prior to Health. She has served as president of the Association for starting my doctoral training, I planned to www.autistichoya.com/2011/08/signifcance-of-semantics- person-frst.html Psychological Science, the Society for Text and Discourse, study visual memory. Unfortunately, just Musings of an Aspie (2013, November 1). Autistic as a reclaimed word the Division of Experimental Psychology of APA, and the a few weeks before I arrived as a first-year [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://musingsofanaspie.com/tag/ Foundation for the Advancement for Behavioral and Brain student, the professor with whom I had identify-frst/ Sciences. She currently serves on the Advisory Committee of The Shake (2013, May 1). Autism: Why Identity-First Language is the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate of planned to work left. To my great fortune, important [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://theshake.com.au/ the National Science Foundation. another professor, Donald J. Foss, was soapbox/autism-why-identity-frst-language-is-important/ willing to take me under his wing. Professor Foss was one of the world’s leading experts on language comprehension, having authored the definitive textbook and building conducted seminal research in the field. What strategies and courses should relationships that students take to improve their chances of becoming involved in advance communication research? psychology I firmly believe that a strong background in experimental methodology (research design, statistics, and the like) is key to doing good psychological research including research on human communication. Understanding the necessity of control conditions, random assignment, hypothesis testing—to say the least of appreciating the grandeur of counterbalancing—are the keys to the research kingdom. What can we expect to see from you in the future? I think the next 5 to 10 years will bring fascinating changes both to higher education and to scholarly publication. I’m not at all Psi Chi is… certain where we are going, but I greatly look • the largest psychological organization in the • for undergraduates, first-time membership forward to being along for the ride. world with more than 600,000 members for graduate students, and full-time inducted since its founding psychology faculty who have earned a References in 1929. doctorate. Akers, M. A. (2008, July 1). Christian site’s ban on ‘G’ word sends homosexual to Olympics. The Washington Post. Retrieved from • comprised of a network of chapters • an advocate for research by awarding http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/07/christian_sites_ that extends to over 1,100 colleges over $300,000 in awards and grants to its ban_on_g_word.html and universities. members and offering opportunities to Christopher, T. (2012). Piers Morgan quack says people with autism in the Psi Chi Journal. • an international organization broadening publish lack empathy: ‘Something’s missing in the brain.’ Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://www.mediaite.com/tv/piers-morgan-quack- its mission to embrace faculty and students • a lifetime membership with a onetime says-people-with-autism-lack-empathy-somethings-missing-in- regardless of geography. joining fee. the-brain/

With a sense of wonder, Dr. Beck says, “Every time I think we’ve learned what Albert has to teach us, he opens a new door, and we find out that we are closer to the start than the end of our journey.”

n 2009, Dr. Beck, his colleagues, and when first learning about Pavlov and con- his students reported the discovery ditioning is that they fail to recognize how Iof Douglas Merritte, an infant who important this type of learning is in their had much in common with Little Albert. lives. Much of who they are as individuals is Douglass Merritte died in 1925, a few years determined by Pavlovian conditioning.” He after the attempt to condition Albert (Beck, elaborates by giving a few applied examples. Levinson, & Irons, 2009). Nevertheless, “Many of our likes, dislikes, and emotions the journey and its surprises did not end are acquired via Pavlovian procedures. Even there. Soon afterward, social and clinical our responses to drugs are impacted by psychologist Dr. Alan Fridlund (University Pavlovian conditioning. If you’re a coffee of California, Santa Barbara) noticed drinker, just the smell can increase your something strange when he watched the physiological arousal. Pavlovian condition- black-and-white videos of Little Albert being ing is also a powerful tool used in other areas conditioned to fear white rats. He quickly of psychology such as neurophysiology. e-mailed Dr. Beck to ask how sure he was Many behavioral therapy techniques such as that the child was healthy, and Dr. Beck systematic desensitization and flooding have acknowledged that he had his suspicions too. a significant Pavlovian component. Unfortunately, Dr. Beck had no way “It is interesting to me that a poorly to prove Little Albert’s condition, so conducted inquiry of doubtful ethics would he encouraged Dr. Fridlund as well as be a landmark in behavioral psychology, a neurologist Dr. William Goldie to pursue movement that would eventually benefit the the idea. Dr. Beck rightly declares, “I think lives of millions of people. However, history Several students approached involving others with unique skillsets is one is not so much about the past as it is about Dr. Hall “Skip” Beck (Appalachian of the things you’ve got to do.” Indeed, the the future. You must look to yesterday to State University, NC) in 2001 to see inclusion of these additional minds led to help you understand tomorrow.” the discovery that the child in a film long Thus, Dr. Beck asks you to consider the if he would direct a search for the presumed to be Albert was developmentally following lesson from the Albert study: long-lost infant, Little Albert, who was delayed (Fridlund, Beck, Goldie, & Irons, “Do you think John Watson would have John B. Watson’s classical conditioning 2012). induced fear in a banker’s son?” Then, to participant from 1920. Little Albert had Additionally, Dr. Beck says, “Even apart put this question into context, he explains never been identified despite all prior from taking the health of the child into that Little Albert’s mother was a wet nurse. investigations, so Dr. Beck expected the account, there are many methodological “She survived by providing breast milk to short-comings in Watson and Rayner’s other people’s children, so she was not in a quest to be a lost cause. If his students (1920) research that cast doubt on whether position to refuse any request for tests that had not been so emotionally invested they conditioned Albert to fear at all. were performed upon her son. If her eco- in the idea, he might well have never However, Watson was absolutely correct that nomic position is one of the reasons that her started the search at all. However, he emotional conditioning does occur. His con- son was chosen by Watson, then we must chuckles at that idea now because new cepts were solid even though his procedure ask ourselves today if similarly economically was clearly inadequate.” disadvantaged children receive a fair oppor- leads were soon uncovered that took Over time, hundreds of other investiga- tunity from our society. him (and many others) closer to Little tions have examined similar conditioning. “We must also consider that ethical values Albert’s identity than ever before. In particular, most will recognize the study involve a subjective assessment and change conducted by Ivan Pavlov, though some over time. For example, most people today students may not fully grasp the importance would consider inducing fear in a baby of this work. unethical, yet this seems to have provoked “A problem that students often encounter little criticism in the 1920s. Today there are

a number of prominent ethical issues such finding is the research that my students of the great upheavals since I came into as the use of animals in experimentation and have been doing regarding the reliability of psychology is sometimes called the cognitive whether psychological techniques should the data reported by Watson and Rayner revolution. I think it would be very interest- be employed in what have been called (1920). That’s quite different than questions ing to note the social and conditions that enhanced interrogations. If you can use a regarding the interpretation of data or the brought that about. Behavioral psychology procedure to build a person up, you can depiction of the studies in secondary studies. was dominant when I started, but there is far probably use it to tear that person down.” Instead, my students have been looking at more cognitive research than there used to Even 95 years later, John Watson’s the actual data to determine the accuracy be. Scholars have written a great deal on the research on Little Albert is especially of events reported by Watson and Rayner factors stimulating the upsurge in cognitive important because of its ability to make us (1920). psychology, but I still would enjoy research- think about our ethics. According to Dr. “What I’ve learned to do,” he concludes, ing that area. I do not know if I could make Beck, “Little Albert’s most precious gift “is to look at Watson’s many descriptions of any new worthwhile contribution, but I am to us is that he helps us better understand the Albert study as a whole in order to better sure that I would have fun reading the work John Watson, one of the most creative and understand the role of Little Albert in psy- of others.” Undoubtedly, it will be interest- influential psychologists of all time. More chology. Watson and Rayner’s (1920) article ing to see what insight future generations specifically, Little Albert speaks for the need is one of a number of descriptions Watson provide about this transition as well. for an ethical code.” provides of the attempt to condition Albert. Throughout the course of Dr. Beck’s If we look at them all, we can get a better career, he feels that psychology has become Success Depends on Who You Ask picture of what happened.” increasingly exciting as a discipline. “Each Sometimes a person’s most important proj- generation has an obligation to take this ect is the one that made the most difference Listen Up, Psychology Students beautiful thing we call psychology, polish in society’s eyes. “However,” Dr. Beck warns, “If you think of the great problems besetting it, and pass it along in better condition than “if you let people’s reactions to your work be our planet such as questions regarding the they received it,” he says, speaking slowly to the final arbiter, then you’re giving others far environment, overpopulation, war, violence, choose the words to his conclusion carefully. too much power over yourself.” and ignorance—they all have a significant “I think the challenges facing this generation Despite his success with human-com- behavioral component,” Dr. Beck insists, are greater than those that were facing mine, puter interaction research, college retention, having been captivated by the study and but I am optimistic that in 2050 they will be and the search for Little Albert, the work future of psychology for over 30 years. “As able to pass along psychology in better shape that he is the most proud of occurred when I am sure both Watson and later Skinner than they received it.” he directed a behavior therapy program for would agree, exclusive reliance on physics, References severe and mentally challenged children. chemistry, and biology will never adequately Beck., H. P., Levinson, S., & Irons G. (2009). Finding Little Albert: “I never went home from work feeling that address these problems. The behavioral A journey to John B. Watson’s infant laboratory. American it was just another day on the job. And component inherent in each of them must be Psychologist, 64, 605–614. doi:0.1037/a0017234 Fridlund, A. J., Beck, H. P., Goldie, W. D., & Irons, G. (2012). Little in terms of research, the work that Linda taken into account. As scientists of behavior, Albert: A neurologically impaired child. History of Psychology, 15, Pierce, Mary Dzindolet, and I conducted in we must move forward and take an increas- 302–327. doi:10.1037/a0026720 Royer, L. (2008). Conducting archival research on the history of efforts to reduce death by friendly fire was ingly prominent role in the emerging new psychology. In L. R. Miller, R. F. Rycek, E. Balcetis, S. T. Barney, B. perhaps the most fulfilling. If someone is society. That is the obligation of the next Beins, S. R. Burns, … M. E. Ware (Eds.) Developing, promoting, and alive today because of our research, then the generation of psychologists. sustaining the undergraduate research experience in psychology (pp. 203–207). Retrieved April 7, 2014, from the Society for the breaths that she or he takes more than justi- “For students interested in historical Teaching of Psychology website: http://teachpsych.org/ebooks/ fies those investigations.” studies, the first step is to take a history ur2008/ur2008.php Dr. Beck and his students are currently of psychology course and have a gen- Watson, J. B., & Rayner R. (1920). Conditioned emotional reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 3, 1–14. conducting research in three areas. “We’re eral grounding in history. You need to doi:10.1037/h0069608 working to improve the graduation rates of understand how a particular individual students, we’re conducting further studies or a set of ideas fits within a time period. Hall “Skip” Beck received his on human-computer interaction, and we’re Unfortunately, we do not typically teach PhD from the University of North Carolina–Greensboro in 1983, conducting a historical inquiry about the students in historical research techniques as specializing in social psychology. recording of human female sexual response we do with experimental methods. However, He accepted a position in the prior to 1936.” I instruct the students in my lab in the Psychology Department at On top of this, Dr. Beck and his students application and use of multiple information Appalachian State University in cannot help revisiting the mysteries sur- sources.” He recommends reading a short 1984 and is still happily at that university. For the past decade rounding Little Albert, which continue to article by Lizette Royer (2008) to get started most of Dr. Beck’s research has inspire and surprise researchers no matter learning about archival research. focused upon improving student how many times they believe they have “To research something historically, retention; he is a codeveloper of the College Persistence found the truth. “In 2013, two Canadian we usually have to look at it from a bit of Questionnaire. His other main area of inquiry is human- computer interaction, especially the use of automated psychologists and a genealogist discovered a distance.” In the past, people would not devices to reduce fratricide in the military. The search for a boy named Albert Barger, who was also have reacted to Little Albert’s discovery (or Little Albert began as a lark, but soon became a passion involved in the infant studies,” he reports. any other discovery) in the same way as the taking Dr. Beck and his students on a historical journey to “I would like to believe the next important members of more recent generations. “One John B. Watson’s infant laboratory.

Women Are From Earth Gender With Janet Hyde, PhD Similarities By Bradley Cannon We have all heard of Men Are From lectures, interviews, and have her research ous kinds of workplace inequalities such Mars, Women Are From Venus presented in undergraduate textbooks in as unequal pay.” order to spread the word about the ramifica- (Gray, 1992). However, the title of 3. “A third example has to do with issues in tions to society if we go on believing that psychotherapy and particularly couple’s Dr. Janet Shibley Hyde’s (University men and women are different in nearly every therapy. For example, if a heterosexual of Wisconsin–Madison) 2014 MPA way. couple and their therapist assume that Distinguished Lecture is “Men Are Troubles Caused by relationship problems are due to gender From Earth, Women Are From Earth” Believing Gender Differences miscommunication, then relationships because she has found that women become harder to fix due to this un- “The danger,” Dr. Hyde cautions, “is not only bridgeable gulf. However, if we say ‘men and men are not as different as we from believing that men and women are dif- and women are pretty similar, and we have been told. ferent just because it is a false belief; thinking simply need to work on improving our men and women are different when evidence communication,’ then that’s something shows otherwise causes a number of other aking great strides against the we can do.” problems.” differences model, which states that As these examples show, “the assump- men and women are psychologi- 1. “For example, in education, we have ste- M tions of huge gender differences are just not cally very different, Dr. Hyde introduced reotyped girls to be the ones who have functional.” If people intend to understand, the gender similarities hypothesis in 2005. low self-esteem so that we tend to ignore equally value, and help each other, then they boys with low self-esteem. That’s not This hypothesis, first supported by a review must also understand that strong communi- good for the boys or the broader society of 46 meta-analyses, reveals that men and cation is possible. women are similar on most, but not all, psy- that they are in where school shootings chological variables. In fact, of the 46 studies are something we need to be more con- Progress and Prevention cerned about. Thus, our need to protect analyzed, 78% of the gender differences “Over the last 20 or 30 years, women really both genders is one example.” found were small or close to zero. The study have broken into a lot of fields. For example, went on to indicate that “overinflated claims 2. “A second cost of believing gender dif- when I got my PhD, only about 20% of of gender differences carry substantial costs ferences is that women in the workplace the people with PhDs in psychology were in areas such as the workplace and relation- want equal pay for equal work. That women, and now that number is well over ships” (Hyde, 2005, p. 581). benefits our society as a whole, but if you 50%. The same is true for biology, medical Almost overnight, Dr. Hyde’s theory claim that women are very different from schools, and veterinary schools,” Dr. Hyde gained recognition from the media. On the men—if you claim that women think says, pausing to chuckle before she contin- day when she is kind enough to speak with differently, have different abilities, and ues. “People used to say that women can’t do us at Psi Chi, she still has materials before also have different ways of communicat- science, but it’s clear now that they can!” her from another interview that she com- ing, then it’s very difficult to argue that However, not all fields have been as pleted only minutes earlier. For almost 10 women deserve equal pay. Thus, this welcome to change as others. “Two that years, she has tirelessly worked to conduct idea of gender differences plays into vari- haven’t been so accepting are engineering

and physics, and there are many speculations stereotype students and to encourage them Women’s Movement, Dr. Hyde created her about this.” to do whatever they want.” course on the psychology of women in “Some people cling to the idea that Unfortunately, this appears to be an 1973 because she found it stimulating and women aren’t as good at math even though unending journey because so much popular relevant. At the time, it was one of the first my research and the research of many oth- media already exists about gender differ- courses of its kind, “and students flocked to ers has clearly shown that this is not true.” ences. Nearly every sitcom shows mothers it. I was interested, and they were interested. Another reason engineering and physics cooking dinner and messy men sitting on It was a whole new area that had never disciplines have fewer women than men couches. Researchers still exaggerate the been studied before and had really been is because of how the disciplines portray slight differences between men and women ignored” (Sharp, 2009, p. 26). She has kept themselves. “For example, people typically in a variety of studies if only because they teaching this course—first at Bowling Green think engineering is about building cool are looking to include a new variable so that State University (OH), then at Denison robots and bridges. However, women on their research is more publishable. Many University (OH), and now at the University average—and I’m not saying there’s a huge still believe sports are not for girls and pink of Wisconsin–Madison. Throughout these difference here—but women on average are is not for boys . . . Because of all this, Dr. years and places, she continues to surprise more interested in doing things that help Hyde still finds that the material on gender students and receive e-mails after media people. On the other hand, if you think similarities comes as a revelation to many exposure about how meaningful her work about it, building bridges does help people students despite all the acclaim for her work. has been to the lives of others. She also and so does a lot of bioengineering for indi- “It’s not that they don’t believe it when I lay currently studies gender differences in viduals with disabilities. If there was more the data out, but it’s simply not what they depression for adolescents and the effective- advertising to make people think about these expected. In that way, the gender similarities ness of single-sex versus coed schooling disciplines in that light, then the percentage hypothesis gives many a new way to see the structures, but she is always excited to of women might go up. And, of course, a w or l d .” explain her gender similarities hypothesis to third explanation is that, when a discipline everyone who will listen. has a low representation of women, female Advice for Students undergraduate students are left thinking that If students are interested in joining Dr. References they don’t belong.” Hyde to study women’s or human sexuality Gray, J. (1992). Men are from Mars, women are from Venus. New York, NY: Harper Collins Many abilities in women and men are courses, she recommends following the big Hyde, J. S. (2005). The gender similarities hypothesis. American Psy- disregarded due to gender stereotypes. In fundamentals laid out before them. “They chologist, 60, 581–592. doi:0.1037/0003-066X.60.6.581 particular, Dr. Hyde notes that we do not have to find a faculty member who focuses National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engi- neering Statistics (2013). Women, minorities, and persons with focus enough on men’s verbal abilities or on one of these areas. They have to figure out disabilities in science and engineering: 2013 (Special Report NSF especially women’s mathematical abilities. how to meet the requirements of the depart- 13-304). Retrieved from http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/ ment. They need research experience. And digest/theme2_1.cfm Sharp, K. (2009, Summer). Psi Chi distinguished lecturer series: So Are Women Good at Math? they need to do well on the GRE.” Q&A with the 2011 regional convention speakers. Eye on Young women need look no further than Psi Chi, 16(4), 26–31. Retrieved from http://www.psichi. Dr. Hyde’s success to find the answer to The Future of Human Sexuality Studies org/?154EyeSum11cSharp101 this question. “Because my undergraduate and Women’s Studies Janet Shibley Hyde, PhD, is major was math, mathematics absolutely Dr. Hyde has been teaching her human sexu- the Helen Thompson Woolley helped me. It was invaluable, and I wouldn’t ality course since 1975, but she still believes Professor of Psychology and be where I am today without it. Psychology that women’s studies is a little further ahead Gender and Women’s Studies requires a lot of statistical analyses, and because it hasn’t been as difficult to study at the University of Wisconsin– learning that came very easy to me because in the American climate. In general, she Madison. She earned her PhD in psychology from the University of my math background. I wouldn’t have would like to see more about cultural impact of California, Berkeley. She is gotten into meta-analyses if I hadn’t been so including how it affects human sexuality and perhaps best known for her comfortable and knowledgeable about math. how we express our sexuality. “Human sexu- meta-analyses of research on I teach a graduate statistics class to this day. ality studies are going to keep going because gender differences including gender differences in mathematics performance (Science, “Mathematics certainly helped me in my students are fascinated by them. We don’t 2008; Psychological Bulletin, 2010), sexuality (2010), specific research, and I think the gender have good coverage in the K through 12 self-esteem (1999), and temperament (2006). Based on similarities hypothesis has been my most schools today. And even if we did, students these and other meta-analyses, she proposed the gender beneficial project in terms of its impact on would still need to learn about the material similarities hypothesis in 2005. Since 1990 she has been science. That paper seems to get people at a university level. codirector of the Wisconsin Study of Families and Work. Dr. Hyde is the author of two undergraduate textbooks, excited a lot,” she says, explaining that she “As for women’s studies—this is not going Half the Human Experience: The Psychology of Women continues to update her work. to go away either because we have continu- (8th ed., Cengage) and Understanding Human Sexuality “I try to do a good dissemination of this ing issues in gender bias. There has also been (12th ed., McGraw-Hill). A fellow of the American research so that a wide swath of people know a shift to considering other gender possibili- Psychological Association and the American Association about it, and I hope this causes students to ties, which opens the way for the study of for the Advancement of Science, she has won numerous awards, including the Heritage Award from the Society for consider careers that they wouldn’t have transgender. Thus, there is much work to be the Psychology of Women for her career contributions to considered before. I also hope the research done still in women’s and gender studies.” research on the psychology of women and gender. encourages parents and teachers not to Inspired by the second wave of the

ike many psychology undergraduates, argument, professors will say, “The judge I knew I would probably have to Deciding whether and how does not care what you think is fair. The L continue my education to use my judge cares about what the law says she degree but did not know what type of to continue your education should do. You have to convince the judge education to pursue. A professor advised is difficult. that the law favors your position.” The easiest that studying psychology is excellent If you are considering way to do this is to remember to use the preparation for law school, and after taking becoming an attorney, word because, followed by your reasoning. a legal internship, I knew it was right for me. This is one of the first lessons law students As predicted, my degree was very helpful, know that your psychology learn, and you will have an advantage having but there were still speed bumps along the degree will not go to waste. experienced this lesson as a psychology way. For that reason, I am handing down undergrad. lessons I learned so psychology undergrads who are interested in law school can be based on how my experiment was similar Why Law School prepared for what lies ahead. or different. My first law school writing Was Still Difficult assignment was surprisingly similar. The Arguing Both Sides Why Studying Psychology professor provided fictional facts, and I was Prepared Me for Law School to predict how a judge would rule based on In writing undergraduate papers, I always argued my position without contemplating Research and Writing similar facts from real past cases. I had done this before, only the experiments I researched that another stance was plausible. For Many people think lawyers’ work is about were now cases, and the results were now example, for my research project, I argued pounding fists on podiums and arguing in rulings. My undergraduate experience was that students who took pretests before a quiz court. I did too. I was surprised when I got invaluable in understanding the purpose would do better than students who merely to law school, and no fist-pounding was and design of that first law school writing read study materials beforehand. Although required. Television dramas show exactly assignment. I backed up my hypothesis with conclusions that—drama. In reality, arguments made drawn from similar experiments, I certainly in courtrooms are planned well in advance, Backing up Arguments did not argue that students who took pretests based on solid research, and accompanied In designing my undergraduate project, would do worse than control group students, by (hopefully) well-written briefs. Further, it was important to predict results based or that the two groups would do equally well. some lawyers rarely go to court and focus on conclusions drawn from other studies. As such, when I began law school, the on transactional practice (e.g., drafting In other words, predictions had to be idea of arguing both for my propositions and contracts). Those lawyers research supported. The same was true in law school. against them did not come naturally. For extensively to draft documents so their In making arguments for a certain result, I that reason, I did not do so well on one of clients can avoid litigation. had to give reasons why those arguments my first exercises. I did not anticipate both Fortunately, I had research and writing were sound such as similarities between my sides’ arguments and then determine a victor experience before law school because my case and past cases or support in a statute’s based on the strength of those arguments. I psychology degree required me to conduct language. Arguing that a result was not fair was confused and had no idea why I should an original experiment. I looked at past was never enough. write down why I might be wrong—wouldn’t studies and predicted my own results If a law student makes a that’s not fair that undercut my argument?

What I did not understand was that my For example, the first opinion I read in A friend of mine completed such an professor did not care who I thought should law school described a complaint as well- internship and decided that she did not win. My professor wanted me to apprise pleaded. I thought the judge was indicating want to pursue law. She decided that she her of the relevant law and the strength that the plaintiff wrote well in the document was better suited for a social work position of each side’s case. This was not a paper a that initiated the lawsuit. Not so. A well- because she wanted to counsel clients. judge would see; it was part of the research pleaded complaint is one that “sufficiently Attorneys do this, but it is only a piece of to be done before anyone set foot in court. sets forth a claim for relief” (Garner, 2009, the whole job, and she was not interested in It was exactly the type of assignment my p. 324). When a professor asked what a other aspects such as research. Thankfully, future employer would give. Thus, although well-pleaded complaint was in class, I she did not go through three years of law the argument I made may have been good, was embarrassed in front of everyone for school only to find that she did not enjoy the I did not provide my professor with the not having looked up the word in a legal work for which she had prepared. information she needed to draw her own dictionary beforehand. Therefore, you will Interning is also an excellent way to conclusions about the case (e.g., whether need to look up words you do not know network and make contacts. Be sure you to pursue litigation or settle with the as well as words you think might have a intern somewhere that you would consider opponent). She needed information about different meaning to lawyers than laypeople. working in the future so that your contacts what the opponent might argue to make can put in a good word when the time those decisions. A judge would be hearing What You Can Do Now to Prepare comes for job-hunting. both positions, and she needed to know Deciding whether and how to continue Improve Your Writing Skills what we would be up against. your education is difficult. If you are Both in law school and afterward, writing considering becoming an attorney, know Conciseness will be a large chunk of your work. Your that your psychology degree will not go Theconcise writing concept was another professors will expect you to know the to waste. Your experience in research, difficult aspect of law school. Unlike in basics, and they do not want to teach writing, and reasoning will prove very college, where the goal was to hit minimum grammar or conciseness. Taking an helpful. However, law school may still page limits, staying within maximum undergrad research and writing class will present difficulties such as arguing both page limits was difficult in law school. I help in this area. After conducting an sides, conciseness, and the use of jargon. thought my first big assignment would be independent experiment, you will be able You can better prepare yourself for those easy because it was restricted to only seven to draw parallels between the research speed bumps by taking a research and pages, but the page limit was not the blessing and writing you do for the study and the writing class, practicing critical thinking, it seemed. I wondered how I could write assignments you do in law school. and completing an internship. Doing these everything the professor wanted with only things will prepare you for the challenges Learn to Think Critically seven pages. that law school brings and help you to excel The answer was simply to be concise, As an undergrad, I would sometimes get in your studies. but learning to do so did not come easy. In inklings that something in a story did not particular, I practiced writing in an active, make sense, but I never asked questions, Reference simply accepting what was said as true. In Garner, B. A. (Ed.). (2009). Black’s law dictionary (9th ed.). St. Paul, MN: rather than passive, voice. For example, West Publishing. instead of writing, “The defendant was law school, I learned to question conclusions stopped by police,” I learned to write, and the reasoning used to reach them by Natalie T. Lorenz graduated in “Police stopped the defendant,” turning forcing myself to argue both sides of an issue. May 2012 from Southern Illinois six words into four. It surprised me to see What seemed like strained arguments at first University–Carbondale School how much I could pack into seven pages could be quite valuable, either because they of Law. She was valedictorian of her class and received after proofreading for wordiness. However, were worthwhile arguments themselves or numerous accolades including learning to be concise takes time, and I still because they aided in brainstorming new membership on the Southern struggle with it. Had I worked on this in ones. Illinois University’s Dean’s List college, I might have better writing to hand Finally, to think critically, you have to and the Law Journal Board of know what your opponent is saying. As Editors, eight CALI Excellence for in to my boss or a judge now. the Future Awards for highest such, if you do not understand a term, look class grades, and the Lowell H. Jacobson Scholarship for Jargon it up. You will need to know words not in academic performance and public service. Before attending Another law school speed bump was the your vocabulary at this time to make your law school, she graduated summa cum laude December use of jargon. Lawyers and judges have a point in a legal setting. 2008 from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO, where she majored in psychology. After knack for making things sound complex. Complete an Internship receiving her juris doctorate, she joined Mathis, Marifan, & This difficulty is especially pronounced at the Richter, Ltd. in Belleville, IL, as a new associate. Ms. Lorenz beginning of law school, when legal concepts Although you may like the idea of becoming is licensed to practice in Illinois and Missouri, and focuses are so new. Even worse, you may have heard a lawyer and admire attorneys you know, her practice in the litigation department at her frm. She some terms before, but they could mean you may not actually enjoy the work an currently resides in Columbia, IL. Correspondence concerning this article should be something different when used in a legal attorney does. Therefore, you should become addressed to Natalie T. Lorenz, Mathis, Marifan & Richter, setting. These words and phrases are called an intern to determine if being a lawyer is Ltd., 23 Public Square, Suite 300, Belleville, Illinois 62220. terms of art. right for you. E-mail: [email protected].

ith over 1,000 Additionally, they held an event focused support CoCommunity service officers chapters, Psi Chi East on the topic of bullying, volunteered Maria Popoteur and Danielle Prince at the regional Special Olympics who walked with the Lehman College members can make W Adelphi University (NY) competition, and held a Christmas team at the Making Strides Against a significant impact on their The chapter continued the semester with party/Finals Week Destresser party for Breast Cancer Walk. Maria Popoteur communities. Let us know monthly meetings to discuss a variety members. This spring, they had their also presented a research poster at what your chapter has been of different fund-raising activities and annual induction ceremony and dinner, NEPA. Chapter President Madelyn Gil doing and share your fund- charity events for the upcoming spring as well as an ice cream social. They also was elected chair of the Lehman College semester. On October 30, the chapter baked cookies that were distributed to Student Legislative Assembly. raiser ideas with others. See welcomed Dr. John Foxe, a translational homeless individuals in Philadelphia. It submission information researcher from the Albert Einstein has been a successful and wonderful year! Temple University (PA) listed below. College of Medicine, who presented his Each year, a chapter in the Philadelphia research on the basic neurophysiology Franklin Pierce University (NH) area hosts Psi Chi Research Day, a of schizophrenia and autism. During Chapter members participated in NEPA conference designed to offer students Submission deadlines* the last meeting of the semester, in October 2013, which was held at an opportunity to develop presentation Fall: June 15 Michael Buls, a fourth year PhD student the Housatonic Community College in skills and network with aspiring Winter: October 15 at Adelphi University, spoke with Stamford (CT). They also conducted researchers in the field. This year, the Spring: December 15 chapter members about his experience a bake sale on January 14, 2014, and a chapter had the privilege to host the Summer: February 15 throughout the graduate school process. coffee house in May. ninth iteration of the event. Over 30 * Reports received (postmarked) after the deadline will Mr. Buls gave invaluable advice and students presented research, and a dozen appear in the next issue of Eye on Psi Chi. answered any questions from members Iona College (NY) students acted as judges on presentation who were interested and/or were in the This fall, the chapter inducted 18 skills, poster design, and methodology. Submission specifications process of applying to graduate school. members. Along with collaborations Held the afternoon of March 26, • Only activities that have already occurred with Psychology Club, students Research Day began with opening and are submitted in paragraph form will be Charleston Southern University (SC) participated in numerous community remarks by Brooks Rudy (president) and published. The chapter focused on careers and service and scholarly activities. In the Keynote Address by Dr. Kathryn • Do not send future plans, calendars, or graduate schools offered for psychology October, students raised money from a Hirsh-Pasek. Dr. Hirsh-Pasek spoke summarized lists. majors. The director of admissions bake sale and donated all proceeds to the of her findings on early learning and • Limit reports to 250 words. If you wish to from Wesleyan College came to speak Iona Counseling Center. In November, how current apps, games, and screens report more extensively on a special activity, series of programs, etc., contact the Central about their master’s program in social they sponsored a GRE event for students were not designed in a way that is Offce at [email protected]. work and counseling. A military social around campus and worked together to conducive to children learning. The • Write your report in the third person rather worker shared what working for the donate food items to families in need poster session followed. At the end of than the frst person (e.g., “the chapter military as a civilian was like. The CEO during the Thanksgiving Holiday. The the conference, the officers of the host sponsored” vs. “we sponsored”). of Carolina Youth Development gave chapter is currently in the process of chapter announced winners and awarded • Include full names, degrees, and titles of helpful tips about succeeding in a career. recruiting students for participation in trophies for best presenters of the day speakers/leaders, their institutions, and A sport psychologist also spoke and held upcoming research activities including based on the scores from the judges. their topics. • Report chapter events such as discussions, a new faculty panel. Faculty members a student-led presentation of academic Danielle Zambrano took third place, lectures, meetings, socials, fund-raising spoke about obtaining admissions to work. Finally, in December, students Skye Beckley received second place, and events, conventions, feld trips, and honors graduate school and succeeding on hosted a week-long activity calendar Richmond Carlton won first place. The received by students, faculty members, and/ the GRE. Undergraduate psychology centered around education of stress event was a success, and the chapter felt or the chapter. majors gave presentations on their and anxiety as the college wraps up the blessed to be the host. The following • Report attempted solutions to chapter internships. Service projects that the term. The new chapter officers included chapters in Pennsylvania had students problems—those that were effective and chapter participated in included many Heather Tabachnick (president), Lurissa in attendance: Chestnut Hill College, those not so effective. • Color photos are welcomed; the number projects with Eagle Harbor Boys’ Ranch. Drapkin (vice-president), Jessica Cabrera Ursinus College, Eastern University, of photos per chapter is limited to two per Members also helped with the Carolina (secretary), Emily Salmany (treasurer), Arcadia University, St. Joseph’s issue. Include accurate, typed captions. Green Fair, Habitat for Humanity, and and Meghan O’Keefe (ambassador/social University, Drexel University, University Photos may be mailed (include a self- Palmetto House Food Drive. The chapter media voice). The chapter looks forward of the Sciences, and Temple University. addressed, stamped envelope for returned participated in Operation Christmas to another great year ahead and the photos) or e-mailed to psichieye@psichi. Child and donated 84 boxes and supplies induction of new members in the spring! org. For digital photos, e-mail only high- that could help other organizations fill quality resolution images (100 KB) using a Midwest Lehman College (NY) 5-or-higher megapixel camera. Do not send boxes too. Members participated in Walk digital printouts from a photo quality printer. for Life, a flapjack fund-raiser for the Ark The chapter held its first ever Meet Augustana College (IL) • Photographs and chapter reports submitted (a home for Alzheimer’s patients) and the Psychology Faculty on November Throughout the school year, chapter to Eye on Psi Chi may be featured on our collected baby bottles filled with spare 21 immediately before the chapter’s officers led Psychology Club website (www.psichi.org). change for the Low Country Pregnancy induction ceremony. Chapter members, approximately twice per month. This Center. Members also traveled and students with psychology as their major gave students, both in the psychology Abbreviations: participated in Academic Day, which or minor, and students just thinking department and in other majors, the ACHS Association of College Honor Societies APA American Psychological Association was held at the University of Southern about psychology were invited to this opportunity to explore topics related to APS Association for Psychological Science Carolina, and they received fourth opportunity to informally interact with psychology that are not covered in their EPA Eastern Psychological Association place in the competition. The chapter members of the psychology department. courses. The chapter also participated in MPA Midwestern Psychological Association NEPA New England Psychological Association inducted nine new members this fall The chapter and the department hope two community activities: the Out of the RMPA Rocky Mountain Psychological Association semester and looks forward to growing to make this a regular event. After the Darkness Walk to raise suicide awareness SEPA Southeastern Psychological Association and participating in service projects in social, the chapter inducted 12 members. and prevention, and the NAMI Walk SWPA Southwestern Psychological Association the spring. Jose Magdaleno (vice-president for to raise awareness of mental illness. WPA Western Psychological Association student affairs), and Robert Whittaker Prior to the walks, officers attempted to Eastern University (PA) (associate provost) spoke at the raise money for both causes and then The chapter held a number of events. ceremony to welcome new members and gathered students to walk and show They cosponsored a successful GRE to congratulate the chapter on receiving their support. The chapter also hosted workshop in September in coordination its second Eastern Region Chapter a special Psychology Club presentation with the campus career center. Award. The chapter raised $209 to on forgiveness given by Dr. Jessica

Schultz, one of Augustana’s professors. discussion with Kathleen Graffam, the organization. The chapter continued opportunities for the chapter, the biggest She focused primarily on the meaning vice-president at JPMorgan Chase, promoting mental health by hosting accomplishment was cosponsoring Brain of forgiveness, the motivations behind Honorable Joe Billy McDade, United three mental health screenings and a Games: Neuronal Fun for All Ages on forgiveness, and the benefits of forgiving. States District Judge, and a few other “Healthy Relationship” seminar. Monday, March 10. The chapter teamed psychology alumni. Psi Chi’s main fund- up with the Neuroscience Club to create Bradley University (IL) raiser for the semester was Subway Night Loras College (IA) an interactive opportunity for members The chapter launched the semester with where they received a percentage of the The chapter sponsored “The Amazing of the community to play games while new officers and a group of Psychology sales. Hi-Lows: A Bipolar Musical” which learning about the amazing capabilities Club team leaders. The first event of was written and directed by a faculty of the brain. Over 150 people attended, the semester was Pizzapalooza where Concordia University Chicago (IL) member in the psychology department. including 50 elementary school students students met peers and faculty. The The chapter continued to support Not only was the chapter able to raise and 10 home school association families first movie night was held during the excellence in psychology by inducting awareness of a disorder not commonly to participate in about 16 activities second week of October when the 13 new members during the 2013–14 talked about, but they also collected a ranging from optical illusions to holding chapter played Silver Linings Playbook. academic year. Chapter members free-will offering for NAMI. Throughout a cadaver brain and running an obstacle To boost academics, the chapter hosted and officers held weekly meetings to the year, the chapter brought many course with inverted goggles on to a peer advising night where they helped discuss current research in the field, speakers onto campus including utilizing problem solving skills and undergraduates plan their schedules. The how to prepare oneself for graduate experts in mental health, a licensed stretching their memories. chapter brought Dr. Tommy Whittler, school, and career opportunities. The school psychologist, and a woman with associate professor from DePaul chapter hosted over 190 presenters at prosopagnosia. Additionally, the chapter Morningside College (IA) University (IL), who spoke about the the 10th annual Doorway to the Mind fund-raised and was able to help 14 The chapter celebrated its 75th impact of a model’s race on advertising. research conference. Members of the students attend and present at MPA in anniversary this year! Chapter-sponsored During homecoming weekend, the chapter participated in a local NAMI May. Although all of these events have events included student presentations at chapter hosted a psychology alumni walk, raising more than $300 for the been fantastic service and leadership two undergraduate research conferences,

A B A A Loras College (IA) student going through the Inverted Goggles Obstacle Course at Brain Games: Neuronal Fun for All Ages. B Loras College (IA) offcers with Dr. Bagley (faculty advisor).

C C New Drury University (MO) members (left to right) Jessica Brennan, Paulina Doran, Ashley Ellingsworth, Hugo Sanchez, Randy Snodgrass, Rachel Swadley, Casey Vaclavik, and Charles Woods.

D D Drury University (MO) offcers (listed left to right) Ashley Marmouget (president), Shelby Hatz (vice-president), Rachel Swadley (secretary), and Casey Vaclavik (treasurer).

organizing and hosting a panel about impacted the surrounding community. University of Central Missouri induction of the academic year where life after college, serving in the local First, members held a graduate school For the fall semester, the chapter held they gave out their New Member Award, community, and organizing a food drive seminar hosted by Maggie Golembiewski a clean-up for the Adopt-a-Highway which was designed to help offset the for the local food pantry. The chapter (academic adviser). This seminar program, established a student cost of membership. The chapter was also finished the year with a party to celebrate provided all attending students with mentorship program, held an induction involved with the local Veteran’s Home, their history as the 34th Psi Chi chapter useful information regarding where ceremony which included a New sponsoring their fund-raising walk to in the United States. to start when searching for a graduate Member Award, collected items for a help improve their quality of life, and school, the application process, personal local animal shelter, participated in a members helped decorate their facility The Ohio State University Newark statements, and interviewing. The community project, and sponsored a for the holidays along with sponsoring Teaming up with Psychology Club, chapter also took part in a service project curriculum vitae workshop. The Adopt- the Angel Tree, an event where a chapter members helped raise over $400 at a local homeless shelter for men, My a-Highway program was a chance for person or organization purchases gifts by selling chocolate-covered pretzels. Brother’s Keeper. Members provided this the chapter to help clean local highways for children whose parents are unable The money was donated to a local animal shelter assistance by taking inventory and get members involved in the to provide one for them this season. shelter. In addition, a penny-drive fund- on donations, organizing, and cleaning. community. The chapter was assigned Members also collected toys for a local raiser collected over $150 for the local Lastly, chapter members organized a a specific mile of a Missouri Highway animal shelter to provide a means of food bank just in time for the holidays. project to provide the foster children and collected seven bags of trash on the entertainment and distraction to animals Members led a campus toy drive to of Whaley Children’s Center Christmas first outing. The chapter also established that receive less interaction than normal. benefit the Toys for Tots program. Lastly, drawstring bags filled with donated a student mentorship program within They participated in the university’s nine members submitted their research items such as hygiene necessities, school the department. This gave upper level homecoming community project, which to be presented at MPA 2014. supplies, winter accessories, and toys. students a chance to help out and teach is an outreach event where organizations’ The chapter provided the center with newer students about the department members volunteer their time. Finally, University of Michigan-Flint these bags in time for the children to and help them with research ideas. the chapter sponsored a curriculum vitae The chapter held projects that positively have a special Christmas gift. Members also held their first workshop where students worked with

A Whitworth University A (WA) guest speakers, offcers, and members. B Pacific University (OR) members Kariann Penttila, Tess McShane, and Kelly Bjordhal participate in the Pacesetters Scholarship Competition. C Morningside College (IA) Chapter’s 75th Anniversary Celebration.

career services staff and faculty to help GRE Jeopardy for a chance to be named ceremonies that will take place later in Unfortunately, this event did not go as create and fine-tune their vitaes. the GRE Champion. Participants had February. planned because of some communication to answer questions about vocabulary breakdown between officers and The University of Findlay (OH) and math. The winner of this year’s GRE prospective high school teachers that During October, the chapter assisted Jeopardy was Eman Khwaja. Rocky Mountain reduced the number of talks. Psy-Key Club in carrying out Mental The week prior to Thanksgiving The chapter continued to collaborate Health Awareness Night on campus. break, the chapter conducted a two-day Metropolitan State University of Denver (CO) with University of Colorado, Denver’s Members participated in a candlelight bake sale in the Alumni Memorial Union The chapter began the fall semester (UCD) chapter and promoted each vigil to remember those who are where students and faculty members with a few structured officer meetings respective chapter’s events. For example, gone and those who are still battling could purchase homemade baked good to help elucidate chapter goals, delegate the members attended and promoted mental health problems. Following items. The bake sale was successful, and responsibility for efficient performance UCD’s talk on graduate school prepara- the vigil, three speakers talked about the money raised was distributed for throughout the semester, and develop tion by Dr. Kevin Masters. their own personal experiences from members to purchase chapter apparel. and engender a cohesive officer group Before the end of the semester, the perspective of a clinician, a family In January, members volunteered because the chapter had over 50% new members participated in a multistudent member, and someone who is currently at the annual Mobile Food Drive at the officers. The initial meetings proved club coat drive for a local nonprofit battling a mental illness. University of Findlay. Many people in the to be very beneficial in creating a organization that serves adults with The chapter also created a GRE Findlay community were served with the motivated and cohesive officer team. major mental illness. Additionally, the Jeopardy series, which was available help of chapter members as well as other One challenge the chapter faced was chapter proudly inducted 58 members for all students to participate in as a students and organizations. Much of the to expand the continuing high school with over 50 relatives and faculty in fun alternative to studying with the officers’ and chapter members’ efforts outreach program by visiting multiple attendance. Finally, chapter members opportunity to win prizes. There were thus far have been devoted to further schools within one semester. The chapter designed and proposed a Psi Chi chapter three sessions and the winner of each planning for the upcoming semester succeeded in visiting six psychology activities exchange workshop for RMPA session advanced to a final round of including fund-raising and induction classes at a total of two high schools. 2014.

D D Pacific University (OR) Tacky Sweater Holiday Party.

E F E Eastern Washington University members Mauricio Zumba (president) and Nicole Sestrap (vice-president) dropping off clothing. F University of Findlay (OH) members having a great time! G University of Louisville (KY) offcers Bailey Higgs (vice-president), Kelsey Vaal (treasurer), Jennifer Baker (secretary), Albert Bragg (president-elect), and James Simms (president). G

campus ministries every Thursday night Wanted to Know About the Psychology literature on anxiety disorders and mood in cleaning up the cafeteria. The chapter Major, But Were Too Afraid to Ask disorders, and asked passersby to place Southeast has been collecting pop tabs for the information session, which was attended stickers under any specific disorder that Ronald McDonald House, promoted and by over 40 prospective psychology they or someone they knew suffered Charleston Southern University (SC) sponsored the annual Valentine’s Day majors. The chapter also inducted 11 from as a means to visually compare The chapter dedicated many of its drive for My Sister’s House, and made members. the prevalence rates of these disorders meetings to getting members thinking Valentine’s Day cards for the members In the spring, 13 new members were among students and people they know. about careers and graduate school of the Life Care Center nursing home. inducted into the chapter. Members Several chapter members partnered programs. Guest speakers this semester Members teamed up with Rotaract and also helped serve in the annual Mental with Beta Beta Beta, the biology honor included Jim Ward from the USC Rotary to reach out to different areas in Health Awareness Week hosted by the society, to promote Brain Awareness MSW Program, Sara Brady from the community. The chapter helped the health clinic on campus in February. Week by volunteering at the Science the psychology department, Tamara counseling center host Body Image week, This quarter ended with 11 more new Saturday event, Brain Facts: Learn With Alexander from the Early Autism Project have a lasagna night, and have the annual members and a service project at the Neuroscientists held at the Gillespie and Warden McFadden from Lieber Easter Drive for the boys at Eagle Harbor local elementary school to teach groups Museum on campus. Throughout Corrections in Charleston. The chapter Boys Ranch. Applications have been of classes about ways to manage stress the year, members also volunteered also had an alumni panel that ended turned in and the chapter looks forward and anxiety. their services as tutors for students up being a huge success! Members look to the annual induction on April 11. in psychology classes. Of note, five forward to ending the semester with Stetson University (FL) members took a road trip in March to student internship presentations. The Davidson College (NC) The chapter held a variety of events to present their senior research projects at chapter participated in numerous service The chapter conducted its annual promote awareness of mental health SEPA, and nine members presented their projects. This semester, they hosted mentorship program, which has involved disorders during the 2013–14 academic research at the local Stetson Showcase a baby shower for the Low Country over 25 mentor-mentee pairs. This was year. During Mental Health Awareness conference. Pregnancy Center. The chapter helped followed by Everything You Always week in October, members distributed In April, members baked treats to

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A West Virginia University receives 60th anniversary honors from B Lehman College (NY) Chapter at Meet the Psychology Faculty. Psi Chi International, which are happily accepted by Christianne C Lehman College (NY) Chapter induction ceremony. Connelly (treasurer), Katherine Donahoe (president), Dr. Dan McNeil (faculty advisor), and Rachel Baldrige (Psychology Club president).

raise money for Jay’s Hope Fund, a fund- to travel to any psychology conferences Vanderbilt University (TN) run through the Stewart-Marchman in the near future. The chapter began On April 2, 2014, the chapter hosted a Southwest Act Foundation to assist those with preparations for the 28th annual Psi Chi graduate school panel for all psychology mental illnesses. A highlight of this Symposium in the spring, and members majors. The panel consisted of Drs. Austin College (TX) 3-day awareness event was the showing have graciously volunteered to serve Bethany Rittle-Johnson, David Zald, and This was a rebuilding year for the of a documentary on living with on one of the many committees that René Marois, as well as current graduate chapter, with a new faculty advisor and schizophrenia followed by a conversation make the event a success. The chapter’s students in the psychology department. new officers taking over in an attempt to with a psychology professor who spoke PowerCard fund-raiser started at the About 20 students attended the panel to reinvigorate the program on a campus about her experiences growing up with beginning of the semester and has been ask questions about applying to graduate where many organizations compete a family member with schizophrenia a huge success so far. Members have school, writing a personal statement, for the attention of excellent students. as well as discussing the biological already sold over 100 cards! Most of and how to best prepare themselves Although there were some false starts, underpinnings of the disorder. the money from this fund-raiser will for future graduate study in school by the end of the year the chapter had The main social/educational events go to the travel scholarship fund. At psychology. Also this spring, the chapter made considerable progress in building of the year were the two movie (+ treats) the beginning of February, the officers was excited to have one of its members momentum for the future. Members held nights at which Girl, Interrupted (fall) tapped 11 new students who were participate in SEPA in Nashville (TN). an official induction ceremony, hosted and Mary and Max (spring) were shown. eligible for membership this semester. Undergraduate member Jennifer Ragan faculty panels on a variety of topics As always, the highlight of the year was They were recognized during one of their presented research she has been working (e.g., getting involved in undergraduate the induction ceremony held in Febru- psychology classes and presented with a on as a part of her psychology honors research opportunities on campus, ary, at which a record number of 40 small gift. thesis, and she was able to share her getting into graduate school, careers in students were inducted. The Greek cui- The Psi Chi officers also worked experience with the chapter to help other psychology), and hosted an internship sine was certainly a big hit! New chapter together to submit two award members prepare for future convention fair where local nonprofits came to T-shirts, designed by a member, ended applications for the Ruth Hubbard presentations. campus to recruit student volunteers and the year with style! Cousins Award and the Florence L. interns for summer positions. In terms Denmark Faculty Advisor Award. West Virginia University of research, two members presented University of Louisville (KY) Finally, the chapter was excited to order The chapter has been busy with a posters at SWPA in San Antonio, and The chapter conducted a semiannual official Psi Chi tumblers, which will plethora of events for its members as four members presented research at community and campus-wide GRE make excellent gifts for speakers at future well as the Psychology Club. Meetings the Austin College Student Scholarship workshop and practice exam, and raised events. this year have included speakers such Conference. over 1,211 pounds of nonperishable food The spring semester began with an as Colleen Harshbarger, director of for the area Dare to Care food bank. all-member meeting to rehearse for the Office of Wellness and Health Loyola University New Orleans (LA) Members hosted a Suicide Prevention the upcoming induction ceremony. On Promotion, who opened students’ eyes This past fall, the chapter once again Workshop for faculty, staff, and students March 20, current members inducted to the many health-related resources. partnered with Discovery Toys to raise from the psychological and brain 11 new psychology majors. Dr. Laura Another meeting featured a presentation funds for toys, books, and games for sciences department. The workshop was Wilson began the induction with a by Rachel Stoiko, a PhD student, who the children at a local facility. This year, conducted by a graduate student and remarkable speech entitled “Cognitive gave an enlightening presentation on the recipients were the children of the included the best resources and strategies Restructuring” about reframing thoughts careers in psychology. In addition to University’s on-campus Whelan Child for handling a suicide situation, general pertaining to the various career paths informative meetings, Psi Chi and Care Center. At the end of the semester, methods of reaching out, and lightened available in psychology. A reception Psychology Club members took part four new members were inducted. the stigma associated with suicide. This followed the ceremony with cake and in colorful social events. As part of the Senior Jasmine Brewer has made waves event was seen as a step of growth for punch for all. The next event of the Holding Every Life Precious Suicide on the basketball court, as well as in the chapter in their mission to further semester was the Career Forum where a Prevention and Mental Health Awareness the classroom, being one of ten student educate future professionals in the field panel of guests in psychology-related Program, chapter members spent an athletes nationwide in the 2014 Allstate of psychology. careers answered questions from evening destressing by painting wine Women’s Basketball Coaches Association The chapter celebrated its 65th psychology students. This year, the glasses and watching movies. Members “Good Works Team.” anniversary! For this momentous chapter had representatives from also had a bowling night in the student occasion, members hosted a celebration research assistant positions, human union. Between events, the chapter Sam Houston State University (TX) with cake in the department of resources, disability resources, and found time to give back. Five officers The chapter participated in three psychological and brain sciences. the nonprofit sector. Additionally, the and Dr. Dan McNeil (faculty advisor) community service events in the fall and Department faculty, staff, undergraduate, chapter hosted its sixth annual potluck presented about chapter activities to the held a drive for a local women/children’s and graduate students were sent dinner for members and faculty to University’s Eberly College of Arts and shelter. First, the chapter helped Dan invitations to participate. While enjoying enjoy a meal together. It was a great Sciences Visiting Committee including Phillips construct a foundation for a cake and punch, undergraduate students opportunity to socialize in a casual alumni and other professionals and house with Phoenix Commotion. This were encouraged to interact with and ask atmosphere with plenty of great food. community leaders who provide advice organization provides low-income questions to faculty and graduate student The final event of the semester was and support to the college. Additionally, housing made out of renewable attendees regarding graduate school the 29th annual Psi Chi research sym- members cooked dinner monthly for materials. preparation and application processes. posium, a two-day event where students the West Virginia Family Grief Center, a Then, the chapter assisted Bill What better way to celebrate 65 years presented their research through posters local organization for bereaved children Kleiber in helping released parolees of Psi Chi at the University of Louisville or formal presentations. There was a and families. The chapter is currently and discharges from the state prison than to include student development great turnout of both psychology and preparing to host the upcoming Tri-State fill out paperwork for free cell phones with cake and punch! nonpsychology students for both days to Undergraduate Psychology Research with Restorative Justice Ministries. This hear about the interesting research that Conference, which is sponsored in part organization helps those who have been University of Mary Washington (VA) students conducted this year. Everyone by a grant from Psi Chi. released from prison attain resources to There was a great turnout for the enjoyed the keynote address from Dr. improve their lives. chapter’s first all-member meeting of James Morris on “Characterizing Indi- Winthrop University (SC) The chapter spent time at Bayes the semester despite postponements vidual Variability in Neural Circuitry The chapter, led by Keisha Carden Achievement Center, doing arts and due to inclement weather. Members and Underlying Social Perception.” At the (vice-president), partnered with other crafts with the students and engaging officers discussed potential speakers awards ceremony, the officers were excit- organizations on campus to host a them in a spirited game of kickball. for the upcoming career forum, as well ed to present faculty advisor, Dr. Mindy suicide awareness and prevention Bayes Achievement Center is a school for as plans for the induction ceremony in Erchull, with the Florence L. Denmark program. Josh Rivedal performed part students with emotional, behavioral, and February. Members were encouraged to faculty advisor award. It was a great way of his one-man show, “The Gospel learning difficulties. Finally, the chapter apply for travel scholarships if planning to wrap up a fantastic semester! According to Josh,” followed by a Q&A. held a drive for Saafe House, collecting

linens and art supplies. Saafe House was helpful to hold business meetings Universidad del Valle de Guatemala survivors’ testimonies created a very offers temporary shelter for women and immediately after guest speaker For the past five years, the department personal and supporting environment children in abusive situations and has a presentations. This kept members of psychology has held the International among the attendees. After the program, mentor program for children in which engaged in the guest speaker and the Survivors of Suicide (ISOS) Day, Ana María Cáceres led a therapeutic the mentor does art projects with the business meeting, and allowed members coordinated by the American group activity where the attendees child. These events opened members’ to attend either one portion of the Foundation for Suicide Prevention opened up and worked through every eyes to various social issues around the meetings or both if extracurricular (AFSP). On November 23, 2013, the emotion that resulted from watching community of Huntsville and introduced activities interfered. chapter and psychology department the program. Afterward, the attendees them to potential populations for study Members participated in many organized the ISOS Day on the had the opportunity of asking the and/or therapy in their future academic traditional fund-raisers and service university campus. Three mental health panelists questions regarding suicide and career endeavors. projects throughout the semester. professionals, Dr. María del Pilar and coping. The main goal of the event Every October, the chapter participates Grazioso (faculty advisor), Mónica was to foster a supportive community Southeastern Louisiana University in Trick or Treat for UNICEF where de Dios (counselor) and Ana María for suicide survivors and to inform the The chapter proudly welcomed many active members collect spare change Cáceres (clinical psychologist), donated community about this important subject. new members at its fall induction on throughout the month to raise money their time and participated as panelists In Guatemala, talking about suicide November 14, 2013. At each monthly for the UNICEF organization. Another for the event. Among the 25 attendees is still considered taboo. Therefore, meeting, many insightful guest speakers popular project members participated in were family members of people who the chapter is fully committed to were invited to speak to the chapter was collecting and donating food cans have tried to commit suicide, suicide breaking boundaries and providing the about a variety of different issues and to the local parish food bank called The survivors, mental health professionals, community with the most important and topics in psychology including tips Tangi Food Pantry. Chapter officers met and students. The event started with current resources regarding this topic. for getting into graduate school, stress at the end of the fall semester to prepare the ASFP program where several On February 4, the first chapter in responses, and Alzheimer’s disease. duties and activities for the upcoming people who have lost a loved one to Latin America organized an academic Chapter officers discovered that it spring semester. suicide shared their stories. The suicide conference titled Animal-Assisted

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A Psi Chi Research Day at Temple University (PA) winners (listed left to right) Danielle Zambrano, third place; Richmond Carlton, frst place; and Skye Beckley, second place. B Rogers State University’s (OK) SGA Representatives Kendra Fiedler and Katie Hathaway. C Stetson University (FL) members help attendees create their own egg helmets as part of EggHead, a fun activity designed to demonstrate the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet. D A record number of new Stetson University (FL) members are inducted in 2014. E Temple University (PA) keynote speaker Dr. Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek and Brooks Rudy (president). F The Greek cuisine at the Stetson University (FL) induction ceremony this year is a new and welcome treat! G University of Victoria (Canada) offcers.

Interventions. It was given by Lucía skills. After attending the conference Research Awards (Racheal Meagher, addressed these goals by (a) purchasing Montes, a clinical psychologist and and hearing the attendees’ comments, it Jared Hogan, & Tiffany Wierzbicki), monitors to be mounted on the walls member of Bocalán Guatemala, became clear that animals are an interest three Student Undergraduate Research in the entryways of the department, an association that implements aid topic for many people and a valuable Fellowships (SURF) hosted by the which allowed them to advertise events programs for people with disabilities by resource for psychological disciplines. Arkansas Department of Higher and information important to students, using dogs as part of their therapeutic This activity expanded everyone’s view Education (Paula Simons, Taylor and (b) recruiting faculty to become process. Bocalán seeks to achieve on how animals can help therapeutic Black, & Cory Cobb), and the chapter’s active research mentors and, if needed, the autonomy, independence, and processes become more effective. faculty sponsor received the Florence members of Psi Chi. inclusion of people with different As stated by Bocalán’s team, “a dog’s L. Denmark Faculty Advisor award capacities, providing services that presence decontextualizes the therapy in August, 2013. These outcomes Rogers State University (OK) include animal-assisted therapy (AAT), . . . it disappears when the play starts” were directly related to increased The chapter was proud to start the animal-assisted activities, animal- (Montes, 2014). emphasis on engagement in research. year with the announcement of assisted education, assistance dogs, For the last three years, the chapter Tonya Christian as the 2013 Newman and professional instruction. About 60 University of Central Arkansas has hosted the Arkansas Symposium Fellowship Award recipient. The people including students, teachers, In addition to receiving the Ruth for Psychology Students, which is a Newman Civic Fellows program was and professionals from several fields Hubbard Cousins Award in 2013, conference dedicated solely to the established by the Oklahoma Campus attended the conference. AAT is not a chapter members received a Psi Chi presentation of student research and Compact for student civic learning and technique, nor an alternative therapy, regional research competition award (Jon is planned entirely by students. More engagement. The award was designed but a useful intervention tool for Nolan) at SWPA, a Psi Chi SuperLab than a dozen universities and over 200 to recognize college students who treating multiple problems such as grant (Kevin Phelps), a Psi Chi Thelma students participated April 20, 2013. have demonstrated an investment in autism, physical disabilities, and Down Hunt research grant (Danielle Umland), There have also been other goals which finding solutions for challenges facing syndrome. AAT helps patients develop a Psi Chi Undergraduate Research have occupied both resources and time communities throughout the country social, emotional, cognitive, and motor Grant (Mary Catherine Rogers), SWPA over the last academic year. Members through service, research, and advocacy.

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To earn this award, Tonya served as their involvement in the inaugural to introduce new officers, discuss and recent graduate Christopher a volunteer for Rogers County Youth Involvement Fair, which highlights goals, and go over scheduled events Mikulic (class of 2013), to discuss Services for two years while actively student organizations that demonstrate for the upcoming year. To sustain and employment possibilities in social service engaged in research on teen problems an active role in campus and community decentralize efforts, five committees organizations for students graduating and challenges including self-care, life involvement. This included a recruitment and leaders were created (i.e., campus/ with a BA/BS in psychology. Dawn skills, unemployment, and problem fair where members spoke about recent community service, membership/ Salgado (faculty advisor) and Samantha resolution. She developed an extensive accomplishments on campus, at research induction, scholarship/speaker, Cruz (2014 alumni member), were teen life-skills curriculum for the shelter’s conferences, and future plans for the newsletter/publicity, and entertainment/ awarded one of two Mamie Phipps Clark rehabilitation group sessions, and she current semester. social). The chapter was involved in the Research Grant Awards for their project provided life-skills program training for school’s annual Club Fair in September, entitled, “Making College Campuses agency staff. hosted a week-long event for mental into Diverse Learning Communities: The chapter was involved in a West health awareness in October, represented Associations Between Diversity number of events including the October the psychology department during Programming, Student Involvement, and Oklahoma Blood Institute drive, Eastern Washington University Sophomore MajorFest, and wrapped Campus Climate.” National Depression Screening Day, The chapter collected winter clothing up the semester selling voodoo donuts The semester concluded with and the school’s Mental Wealth Day. and blankets from December through and psychology department T-shirts in DeStress Day activities including In November, members participated in February. These items were donated to order to help fund travel for Psi Chi and mindfulness activities, DIY stress balls, the fall Destination RSU event where Union Mission Gospel for homeless Psychology Club students to regional and the annual Psi Chi-sponsored high school seniors, juniors, and their youth and adults around the Spokane, and national conventions to be held in Tacky Sweater Holiday Party, featuring families came to find out what college life Washington area. and around Portland in the spring (e.g., psychology Pictionary, food, and prizes. at RSU is all about including meetings SPSSI, WPA, Division 45). It was good way to relieve stress before with faculty and student organizations. Pacific University (OR) The chapter hosted two speakers, finals and spend time together before Finally, members kicked off 2014 with The semester started with a retreat Aubrey Elseroad from Youth Villages classes ended. The party concluded with

A University of Mary Washington (VA) A members at the spring induction ceremony. B University of Mary Washington (VA) offcers present the Florence L. Denmark Award to Dr. Mindy Erchull. C University of Mary Washington (VA) panelists at the career forum. D University of Michigan-Flint members Kaycee Halabicky and Amber Mach with the Christmas donations for the children at Whaley’s Children’s Center

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dessert and a vote for the 2014 Tackiest University of Nevada, Las Vegas followed by a Q&A where members within a college community and the best Sweater, which was awarded to Kariann The chapter hosted a meeting to give the were able to address questions and combatant to stigmatization. In addition Penttila (president) for the second year members a chance to experience two concerns about what it is really like to be to building awareness about mental in a row. different fields of psychology. In the Best a psychologist. health, the event raised money for The chapter was involved in the of Both Worlds presentation, the chapter Excelsior Youth Center, a local mental spring Club Fair in January, which it invited guest speakers Drs. Colleen Parks Whitworth University (WA) health organization. This was done by used as an opportunity to inform and and Michelle Paul to give a presentation From March 10 to 14, the university put raffle tickets and T-shirts that were sold recruit new psychology majors and on the various aspects of their careers. on its first ever Mental Health Awareness throughout the week. Donations were minors to apply for membership in time Dr. Parks is an experimental psychologist Week. This was an initiative led by provided by several local businesses, for the upcoming induction ceremony in focusing on the cognitive processes undergraduate Chris Engelmann and and over $500 was raised to be given late February. Officers were also present that underlie the encoding, storage, and staffed by a group of about 10 students. to Excelsior. The hope was to build off to answer student questions at the retrieval of information—basically the This event was sponsored by the chapter this success while learning from the Pacesetters event when graduating high processes that underlie memory. Dr. partnered with Restoring Hope. The goal challenges encountered this year and school seniors with exceptional academic Paul is a clinical psychologist, associate of this week was to raise awareness about to continue Mental Health Awareness records came to campus to compete in director of clinical training, and also mental health within the community Week in future years. The idea was well an annual scholarship competition. The directs The PRACTICE, a community and erase the stigma surrounding mental received by the campus, suggesting that chapter also invited Peter Vik, director mental health training clinic. The topics health. In order to achieve this, the people care about mental health and of the clinical psychology PhD program, that Dr. Park and Dr. Paul covered week featured informational pamphlets proving hope for the future. and Shawn Davis, director of the new included their undergraduate careers, and a slide show, a panel of speakers, masters in applied psychological science how they applied to graduate school, roaming dorm discussions, a showing program, to discuss applying to graduate their graduate school careers, what they of Temple Grandin, and a concert. The school and deciding whether to pursue a did after graduate school, and what their belief was that education about mental masters, PsyD, or PhD. current endeavors are. The lecture was health is the best way to gain awareness

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H E Universidad del Valle de Guatemala’s Survivors of Suicide Day speakers include Ana María Cáceres, Mónica de Dios, and Dr. María del Pilar Grazioso. F At the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala Chapter, a group of attendees learned about animal-assisted activity with Eco, the dog. G Universidad del Valle de Guatemala members participate in a therapeutic group activity. H Lucía Montes, clinical psychologist, speaking at the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala.

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