psych honors thesis umich

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PSYC 498: Psychology Honors Seminar

• Write Your Literature Review
• Online Library Access
• Develop Your Hypothesis
• Start Finding Sources
• Search Psychology Databases
• Identify/Justify Methods and Populations
• Identify/Justify/Find Tests
• Read & Analyze Your Articles
• Select Your Articles
• Use Your Articles
• Avoid Plagiarism
• Cite in APA Style
• Write Your Research Proposal
• Archive & Browse Honors Theses
• Browse Journals
• Publish Your Research
• Write Your Annotations

Nadine Anderson, Behavioral Sciences and Women's & Gender Studies Librarian

Writing Your Literature Review

Literature reviews should bring together theories and results from a number of studies to describe the "big picture" of your area of research and provide the context for your thesis research study . Your literature review should be a compelling narrative about the research trails you followed, how they build up to your study hypothesis, and why your research study is original and important.

1.  Introduction : summarizes your research topic and puts it into context

• Introduce the research topic: provide background that contextualizes what it is and why it matters
• Frame the story: narrow the research topic to the studies you will discuss
• End the introduction with an outline of the main points of the literature review and how you will address them

2.  Body (organized by theme headings):  presents the main arguments of your literature review, organized  by theme . Prioritize and organize your themes and arguments to logically build the story you want to tell. Each of your themes should include the following sections:

• Describe  the relevant parts of each study and how they relate to the theme
• Compare  the studies to discuss the implications of their findings and whether they differ or are similar between studies
• Evaluate  the importance of each study, their implications for the theme, and where research on this theme should go from here

3.  Conclusion : final evaluation, summarizes what you learned, and how the themes you discussed build to your proposed thesis research study

• Restate your research topic from the introduction in different words
• Briefly summarize your main themes and arguments
• Synthesize your main themes and arguments to provide context for your research study and make the case that it would be original and important research

4.  References list : a list of the sources you cited 

• Cite your sources in APA Style
• Format your References list in APA Style

Check out the library's APA ebook, Conducting Your Literature Review , for more in-depth guidance on writing literature reviews for original research projects. For more writing help, contact  the Writing Center   and  make an online appointment  to meet with one of their consultants.

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• Last Updated: Apr 30, 2024 10:11 AM
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Psychology (PSYC)

PSYC 101     Introduction to Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Psychology 101 introduces students to theories and research in the field of psychology. This course focuses on the scientific underpinnings of the field from both the social and natural science perspectives. (F, S, W).

PSYC 170     Intro to Psych as a Nat Sci     3 Credit Hours

A treatment of the principles of sensation, perception, maturation, learning, motivation, memory, thought, language, and physiological bases of behavior. (F,W,S).

PSYC 171     Intro to Psych as a Soc Sci     3 Credit Hours

A treatment of the principles of human development, intelligence, motivation, personality theory, social and abnormal psychology, and psychotherapy. (F,W,S).

PSYC 200     Introduction to Developmental Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Developmental Psychology represents one of the sub-fields of Psychology as a whole; other sub-fields include Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Biological Psychology. Although each sub-field shares the core goal of psychology—to scientifically study the mind and behavior—each sub-field has its own “lens.” In developmental psychology, the focus is on how we become who we are—how various genetic and environmental factors interact over time to influence how we think and how we behave. In this course, students will be introduced to the field of developmental psychology, gaining a basic understanding of what it is, how it is studied, and how it applies to “real life.” This course uses readings written for a general audience to draw out and discuss selected topics in each developmental “stage”—infancy, childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, middle adulthood, and later life). A basic exposure to research methods, statistics, APA format, peer-review, and ethics also prepares students to succeed in upper-level psychology courses. (YR).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101

PSYC 220     Introduction to Social Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Students will be introduced to the field of Social Psychology, which considers how individuals affect and are affected by other people and by their social and physical environments. Basic research methods in social psychology, as well as foundational social psychological theory and research will be covered. (F, YR).

PSYC 240     Introduction to Mental Health and Adjustment     3 Credit Hours

This course is designed to help students continue to develop a foundational knowledge about psychology through the exploration of mental health. Building on the key concepts students learned in other psychology courses (e.g., introduction to psychology), this course will examine scientific approaches to the study and treatment of mental health issues and general human adjustment. The course will cover topics related to clinically based research, defining and classifying mental health and illness, general types psychological distress, and introductory treatment considerations for individuals with mental health problems. (YR).

PSYC 260     Introduction to Brain and Behavior     3 Credit Hours

Students will be introduced to the scientific study of human behaviors and mental processes (such as attention, memory, language,emotion and motivation), and the underlying brain mechanisms. Topics on basic brain anatomy and research methods will also be introduced. (YR).

PSYC 299     Careers in Psychology     1 Credit Hour

This one-credit course for psychology majors provides students with information and skills to help pursue a career in psychology or in a related field. The course focuses on career options within each of the major sub-fields of psychology. Psychological research on resumes, interviewing and negotiation skills, and networking is incorporated into the course. Students develop a career plan, write a resume, and complete an e-portfolio. (F)(W)

PSYC 300     Life-Span Developmental Psych     3 Credit Hours

Theoretical issues of psychological development from birth through late adulthood are emphasized, along with issues regarding research methods. Topics include cognitive, intellectual, personality, and social development through the life-span. (YR).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101 or PSYC 170 or PSYC 171

PSYC 301     Psych of Infant Development     4 Credit Hours

In addition to learning the current developmental theories and research findings concerning physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of the infant, students will work directly with infants and toddlers ages 0-3 years in local daycare centers. This course is an academic service learning (ASL) course. This structured service- learning has the goal of making the material discussed in lecture and in the textbook more concrete. Students will be directly involved in the care of children ages zero to three years at Early Head Start in Detroit. (YR).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 171 or PSYC 170 or PSYC 101

PSYC 302     Psych of Child Development     3 Credit Hours

An examination of current theories and findings concerning physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development from conception to late childhood. Topics include genetic and experiential factors affecting child development. (YR).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 170 or PSYC 171 or PSYC 101

PSYC 303     Intro to Women's & Gender Stud     3 Credit Hours

This course provides an interdisciplinary overview of the key theories and topics in Women's and Gender Studies. Special attention is given to how gender intersects with class, race, nationality, religion and sexuality to structure women's and men's lives. Students are also introduced to methods of gender analysis and will begin to apply these methods to topics such as women and health, gender roles in the family, violence against women, and gendered images in the mass media.

Restriction(s): Cannot enroll if Class is Freshman

PSYC 315     Personality Development     3 Credit Hours

An investigation of the factors involved in the formation of personality and the changes in personality across the life-span. The influence of family, peers, and society will be emphasized. (YR).

PSYC 320     Social Psychology     3 Credit Hours

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the field of social psychology focusing on a review of the field's founding principles and classic studies, as well as a focus on recent research. Topics include social cognition; interpersonal behavior (e.g., attraction, aggression, and altruism); attitudes; prejudice and discrimination; social influence; group processes (e.g., intergroup relations; conflict resolution); and social issues (e.g., income inequality). (YR).

PSYC 322     Psychology of Prejudice     3 Credit Hours

A consideration of ethnic (including racial), sexual, and religious prejudice from the psychological point of view, focusing on the mind of both the oppressor and the oppressed. (YR).

PSYC 325     Psyc of Interpersonal Relation     3 Credit Hours

This course presents an overview of theory and research conducted by social psychologists that has been aimed at understanding interactions between individuals. Topics include an exploration of the research process that is used to investigate interpersonal relationships, the processes underlying social perception, friendship, liking, love, close relationships, aggression and violence in interpersonal relationships. (YR).

PSYC 335     Psychology of Bilingualism     3 Credit Hours

This course is an introduction to the study of bilingualism with a focus on biological and cognitive aspects of bilingualism. Topics covered include definitions and types of bilingualism; differences between monolinguals and bilinguals; language development in children and adults and differences between early and late learning; brain areas involved using one and multiple languages; language processing in bilinguals, including topics such as working memory, executive control, proficiency, age of acquisition, and language attrition; and the relationship between language, thought, and culture. We will also discuss social aspects of bilingualism, including heritage language, identity, and attitudes. (F,W)

PSYC 363     Cognitive Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Analysis of human perceptual and cognitive functioning from an information-processing point of view. Emphasis will be placed on attention, pattern-recognition, memory, problem solving and other cognitive processes. (YR).

PSYC 370     Physiological Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Integration of physiological concepts with behavioral phenomena. (YR).

PSYC 372     Animal Behavior     3 Credit Hours

Comparative psychology. Descriptive analysis of human and animal behavior. (YR).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 170 or PSYC 171 or BIOL 100 or PSYC 101

PSYC 375     Psychology of Language     3 Credit Hours

The nature of human language as seen from the perspective of experimental psychology. The course will also introduce the student to current developments in linguistic theory. (AY).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 170 or PSYC 171 or LING 280 or PSYC 101

PSYC 381     Prin of Stat and Exper Design     4 Credit Hours

An introduction to basic principles of experimental design and statistical analysis as employed in psychological research. Topics covered include data-gathering, descriptive statistics, hypothesis-testing and one- and two-sample experiments, correlational designs, and one- and two-way analysis of variance. (F, W, YR).

PSYC 390     Topics in Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Examination of problems and issues in selected areas of psychology. Title listed in Schedule of Classes will change according to content. Course may be repeated for credit when specific topics differ. (OC).

PSYC 391     Topics in Psychology     3 Credit Hours

PSYC 394     Psychology and Theater     3 Credit Hours

The linkages between psychology and theater are analyzed from the perspective of the actor, the audience, and the analyst (both psychotherapeutic and literary). This includes ties between plays and theories of human behavior, psychodrama, and self-insight through performance. Class involves a significant experiential component.

PSYC 3955     Diversity and the Workplace     3 Credit Hours

This course will: 1) discuss gender, race, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, and appearance as aspects of diversity; 2) examine social values and practices, and organizational policies and procedures that affect or have affected the employment opportunities of underrepresented groups; 3) examine individual (e.g., prejudice, stereotypes), group (e.g., in-groups and out-groups), and organizational (e.g., climate and culture) processes that affect work place diversity and; 4) discuss "best practices" for promoting an organizational culture that values diversity, along with a diverse work force. (YR).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 170 or PSYC 171 or WST 275 or OB 354 or HRM 405 or WGST 275 or WGST 303 or PSYC 275 or ANTH 275 or SOC 275 or HUM 275 or PSYC 303 or SOC 303 or ANTH 303 or HUM 303 or PSYC 101

PSYC 398     Independent Studies in Psych     1 to 3 Credit Hours

Readings or analytical research in psychology selected in accordance with the interests and needs of students enrolled and agreed upon by the instructor and student. Permission of instructor. (F,W,S).

PSYC 400     Cognitive Neuroscience     3 Credit Hours

Cognitive neuroscience focuses on the fundamental question of how our nervous system, especially the brain, supports our (generally-defined) cognitive function, such as sensory/perception, learning/memory, language social/emotion, and executive functions. This is a fast-growing inter-disciplinary research field that bridges psychology and neurobiology. In this course, we will discuss the recent advances in these cognitive neuroscience subfields and learn how various brain systems may play unique roles in supporting these distinct functions. We will also discuss important research methods/techniques used in cognitive neuroscience, such as the functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Electro/Magnetoencephalography (EEG/MEG), intracranial recording, and brain damage/lesion/stimulation methods, and related research paradigms and resulted theories. Students will also learn to read and criticize cognitive neuroscience research articles. Gross neuroanatomy will be introduced to provide a foundation for understanding systems and interconnectedness of the brain and related cognitive processing. How cognitive neuroscience can help us better understand normal and pathological psychological functions will be discussed. (F, W).

Prerequisite(s): ( PSYC 170 or PSYC 171 or PSYC 101 )

PSYC 404     Parent-Child Relations     3 Credit Hours

This course examines parental effects on children and children's effects on parents. Emphasis is placed on how the psychologist can collect additional information on the interactions of such people as parents and their children. (YR).

PSYC 405     Gender Roles     4 Credit Hours

This course will investigate the development of gender roles in childhood and adolescence due to either innate physiological differences or sociological patterning, the effect of gender roles upon male-female relationships within our society, and the possibility of transcending sociological gender roles in alternate modes of living. Students cannot receive credit for both SOC 443 and SOC 543 . (F, W, S).

Prerequisite(s): SOC 200 or PSYC 170 or PSYC 171 or SOC 201 or PSYC 101

Restriction(s): Cannot enroll if Class is

PSYC 407     Psychology of Adolescence     3 Credit Hours

Considers adolescence as an interaction of rapid biological and social change. Students lacking the prerequisite may elect course with permission of instructor. Examines the theoretical and empirical literature in some detail. Students cannot receive credit both both PSYC 407 and PSYC 507 . (YR).

PSYC 412     Psychology of Aging     3 Credit Hours

This course examines development of the individual from middle adulthood through old age. Special emphasis is given to the understanding of developmental theories and issues in adulthood. Topics include biological basis, socialization, family relationships, personality, and intellectual development in the aging individual. (YR).

PSYC 415     Lab in Developmental Psych     4 Credit Hours

An examination of research design and methodology as related to developmental psychology. Special emphasis will be given to training students in data collection techniques used in developmental research and in providing practical experience in designing and conducting research. (YR).

Prerequisite(s): ( PSYC 300 or PSYC 301 or PSYC 303 or PSYC 407 or PSYC 412 ) and PSYC 381

PSYC 425     Lab in Social Psychology     4 Credit Hours

A broad introduction to research methods in basic and applied social psychology. Students will receive training in construction, implementation, and interpretation of scientific procedures used in the study of social psychology. Topics include: questionnaire construction, experimental design, and various multivariate analytic techniques. (YR).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 381

PSYC 426     Applied Social Psychology     4 Credit Hours

The field of Applied Social Psychology utilizes social psychological theory and research to understand social problems with the goal of improving social conditions. This course will examine social issues from both macro (social institutions and policies) and micro (interpersonal/intergroup behaviors and beliefs) perspectives. We will investigate how social institutions such as social policy, mass media, and education impact individuals, families, communities, and the environment. (YR)

Restriction(s): Can enroll if Level is Undergraduate

PSYC 427     Media Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Media Psychology is the branch of psychology that focuses on the psychological processes associated with media, technology use and the impact that these have on individuals and society. This seminar class will provide an in-depth examination of research methods and psychological theories related to persuasion, media effects, media identification and media participation. Research across several content areas including, aggression, prosocial behavior, health and well-being, risky behaviors, relationships, news and politics, as well as media literacy, will also be considered. (YR)

Prerequisite(s): ( PSYC 101 or PSYC 170 or PSYC 171 ) and ( PSYC 320 or SOC 382 or CRJ 382 )

PSYC 428     Self & Identity     3 Credit Hours

This course provides an in-depth exploration of the vast body of research concerning psychological perspectives on the self and identity. Through reading academic journal articles pertaining to theories and research findings about the self and identity, students will learn about a) the structure and components of self and identity, b) self-knowledge and self-assessment, c) self-damage, d) self-protection and self-enhancement, and e) aspects of the psychologically healthy self. (AY).

Restriction(s): Can enroll if Class is Junior or Senior Can enroll if Level is Undergraduate Can enroll if College is Engineering and Computer Science or Education, Health, and Human Services or Business or Arts, Sciences, and Letters

PSYC 429     Community Psychology     4 Credit Hours

Community psychology examines the interaction between individuals and their environment, focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion, and social change. Community psychology examines how the social, cultural, economic, political, environmental, and international contexts influence individual, interpersonal, and systemic levels. As an applied field of psychology, community psychology research questions focus on finding science-based solutions to enhance the quality of life. (F, YR).

PSYC 4305     Psychology in the Workplace     3 Credit Hours

This course introduces students to some of the core content areas of Industrial/Organizational (I/O) psychology. These content areas include: selection, training, performance appraisal, work teams, job design, motivation, leadership, union-management relations, and stress and health in the workplace. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 4305 and PSYC 530 . (YR).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 171 or PSYC 170 or OB 354 or PSYC 101

PSYC 431     Organizational Entry     3 Credit Hours

An in-depth consideration of the psychological aspects of the organizational entry process. Topics to be covered include recruitment, selection, orientation, socialization, and training. (OC).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 170 or PSYC 171 or HRM 405 or OB 354 or PSYC 101

Restriction(s): Cannot enroll if Class is Graduate Can enroll if Level is Undergraduate

PSYC 440     Abnormal Psychology     3 Credit Hours

An introduction to the field of psychopathology, the study of mental disorders. Includes exposure to a number of historical and theoretical perspectives, each with their own theories, methodologies, and treatment approaches. Disorders covered will include: anxiety and mood disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia, sexual disorders, and psychosomatic disorders. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 440 and PSYC 540 . (YR).

PSYC 441     Intro to Clinical Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Introduction to the logic, problems, and limitations of clinical observations and inference. Issues in diagnosis and treatment are examined, with an attempt to understand parallels between clinical interpretation and problems in other disciplines. (YR).

PSYC 442     Child Psychopathology     3 Credit Hours

A review of the major psychological disorders of children from birth to adolescence. These disorders are considered from a clinical and theoretical point of view. In addition to an examination of causes, approaches to treatment and behavior modification are considered. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 442 and PSYC 542 . (YR).

PSYC 443     Development of Sex Roles     3 Credit Hours

PSYC 4445     Personality Assessment Lab     4 Credit Hours

This is a course in methods of assessing personality. The theory and methods of observation, interviewing, questionnaires, IQ tests, and projective tests are discussed and employed in brief individually-designed studies. In addition to the course prerequisite, students should have at least three upper-level psychology credits and junior or senior standing or permission of the instructor. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 4445 and PSYC 544 . (S, W).

Restriction(s): Can enroll if Class is Junior or Senior

PSYC 446     Human Sexual Behavior     3 Credit Hours

A comprehensive review of facts about human sexuality. The emphasis is on psychological aspects of sex, but there is also a consideration of genetic, physiological, and anatomical aspects of sex, and contemporary issues. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 446 and PSYC 546 . (YR).

PSYC 450     Personality Theory     3 Credit Hours

A comparative review and examination of leading theories of personality; their basic concepts, similarities and differences, applications in clinical psychology, in education, in social planning, and in research. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 450 and PSYC 550 . (YR).

PSYC 455     Health Psychology     3 Credit Hours

A discussion of the research on health promotion, psychological factors in the development of illness, cognitive representations of health and illness, stress and coping, social support, nutrition and exercise. Focus will be on the factors related to the development and maintenance of optimal health. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 455 and PSYC 555 . (YR).

PSYC 457     Positive Psychology     3 Credit Hours

This course examines the contemporary movement of positive psychology, which uses the tools of rigorous science to explore the sources and nature of human strengths and psychological well-being. It then seeks to apply this knowledge to help individuals and institutions function more effectively. Topics include the biological basis of positive emotions, resilience and post-traumatic growth, positive relationships, positive education, positive workplaces, and positive development across the lifespan. (YR)

PSYC 461     Learning and Memory     3 Credit Hours

A consideration of major theories and research results related to learning and memory in humans and animals. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 461 and PSYC 561 . (YR).

PSYC 463     Sensation and Perception     3 Credit Hours

Analysis of basic sensory and perceptual phenomena with a review of relevant behavioral and physiological literature. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 463 and PSYC 563 . (YR).

PSYC 464     Applied Cognitive Psychology     3 Credit Hours

The focus will be on the application of principles of cognitive psychology (defined broadly to include sensation and perception) to benefit the student in real-life settings. Specific areas might include human factors, retention, recall, attention, reasoning, problem-solving, decision making, reading, comprehension, learning, and language. (YR).

PSYC 465     Experimental Psychology     4 Credit Hours

Laboratory course in Experimental Psychology, including sensation, perception, learning, memory, language, and problem solving. Students will perform standard experiments, design one or two new modified experiments, collect data, analyze results, and present them in the form of laboratory reports. (YR).

Prerequisite(s): ( PSYC 170 or PSYC 171 or PSYC 101 ) and ( PSYC 381 or STAT 301 )

PSYC 470     Advanced Physiological Psych     3 Credit Hours

Further study of the subject matter of PSYC 370 . Advanced study of topics in the area of psychobiology. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 470 and PSYC 570 . (YR).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 370

PSYC 473     Clinical Neuropsychology     3 Credit Hours

This course is an in-depth examination of the field of clinical neuropsychology including a review of brain anatomy and physiology, theories of neural organization, and disorders of the nervous system. In addition, students will learn techniques utilized in neuropsychological assessment. (Prerequisite may be waived for students with Natural Science background.) (YR).

PSYC 474     Animal Learning and Cognition     3 Credit Hours

Animal Intelligence involves the study of human and non-human animal behavior and cognition in an evolutionary and comparative framework. As an introduction to human and non-human animal cognition and though processes this course will examine topics such as problem-solving, spatial cognition, categorization, memory, number concepts, tool-use and tool-production, insight, imitation, social cognition, self-recognition and language(-like) behavior. In addition to discussing basic experimental findings about cognition in animals, an emphasis is placed on the logic and evidence used to justify theoretical conclusions. The course requires reading and critiquing original journal articles in addition to textbook chapters for foundational concepts.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 372 or PSYC 363 or PSYC 461 or BIOL 419 or BIOL 456 or ANTH 336

Restriction(s): Cannot enroll if Class is Freshman or Sophomore

PSYC 479     Psychopharmacology     3 Credit Hours

This course will provide students with an introduction to the use of psychotropic medications for the treatment of various mental health conditions. The course is designed to give students history and current knowledge of pharmacodynamics, therapeutic indication, side effects, and efficacy treatment. The course will also examine the ethical and societal factors that are involved in the use of psychotropic medications. (W, OC)

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 370 or PSYC 412 or PSYC 440

PSYC 480     History of Psychology     3 Credit Hours

An overview of the development of modern psychology from the 17th century to the present, with particular emphasis on the beginning of psychology in America. The philosophical assumptions of various schools of psychology will be examined. (YR).

PSYC 481     Computers in Psychological Res     4 Credit Hours

An introduction to the use of computers in data analysis and psychological research. Students will receive training in computer programming using SPSSPC and other software packages. Topics will include: correlation, regression, analysis of variance, and several multivariate techniques. (YR).

PSYC 4845     Research Methods in Beh Med     4 Credit Hours

This course introduces psychology students to laboratory based research methods typically used in behavioral medicine. The focus is on laboratory methods of cardiovascular and pain research, specifically cardiovascular reactivity, heart rate variability, acute and chronic pain responses. The class also includes several special topics related to health psychology research (e.g., skin conductance, cortisol sampling, etc.). Students are responsible for physical implementation of research protocols, data analysis, and presentation of research findings. (W, AY).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 455 or PSYC 381

Restriction(s): Can enroll if Major is Psychology, Behavioral and Biological Sci

PSYC 485     Psychology Internship     2 to 6 Credit Hours

The psychology internship offers experience in a wide variety of placements dealing with human services. These include programs related to child abuse, crisis intervention, geriatrics, human resources/staff development, cognitive impairment, criminal probation, teenage runaways, substance abuse, and women's issues. The program is designed for juniors and seniors with a concentration in psychology or behavioral sciences and involves training in listening and helping skills.

PSYC 488     Primatology Field Course     4 Credit Hours

This Primatology Field course will take students through an exploration of the scientific approach and methodology to the study of animal behavior. Students will gain experience in creating research projects and collecting data on free-ranging animals in a naturalistic environment. Preparation in lectures and activities on the campus of The University of Michigan-Dearborn will include learning about observational methods in detail, practicing developing ethograms and operational definitions, pilot data collection to modify the ethograms at the Detroit or Toledo Zoo, and use of GPS for data collection. Lecture materials will also cover topics of primate behavior and ecology. Students will spend a week observing a primate species (for example, one possible site for this field course may be to observe free-ranging lemurs at a reserve in Florida). Student’s data collection at the field site will be for five continuous days. This field course provides a unique opportunity to study rare and endangered primates species in a safe and accessible environment. Short day trips to other facilities are possible, such as a visit to an ape sanctuary. Topics covered in this field course include advanced observational methods stemming from the field of Ethology, practical development of ethograms (checksheets) and research design, best practices in GPS data collection methods, and collating and summarizing data on animal behavior into a research paper. Lecture topics will address ethological methods and research design and also how to conduct research with free-ranging nonhuman primates. In addition there will be a strong focus on health and safety precautions in the field for human and nonhuman primates, acclimation to the field site, and practicalities of data collection. For graduate credit on this course, extra journal articles and longer written papers required than for the undergraduate requirements.

PSYC 490     Advanced Topics in Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Examination of problems and issues in selected areas of psychology. Title in Schedule of Classes will change according to content. Course may be repeated for credit when specific topics differ. (OC).

PSYC 492     Individual Research     1 to 3 Credit Hours

No more than 6 hours may be counted for concentration. Arrangements will be made for adequately prepared students to undertake individual research under the direction of a staff member. The students, in electing, should indicate the staff member with whom the work has been arranged. Students cannot receive credit for both PSYC 492 and PSYC 592 . (YR).

PSYC 493     Capstone in Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Students completing this capstone course will apply and further develop their skills with research methods, data analysis, critical thinking and writing by completing a research project within the field of psychology. Students will work closely with the faculty member to develop the topic and specific format of the research project. Upon completion of the project, students will reflect upon the skills developed in the program and how they may be useful in the workplace, in graduate or professional school, and in their personal lives. (F, W)

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 381 and ( PSYC 415 or PSYC 425 or PSYC 435 or PSYC 4445 or PSYC 465 )

PSYC 497     Seminar in Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Small seminar examination of problems and issues in selected areas of psychology. Title in Schedule of Classes will change according to content. Course may be repeated for credit when specified topics differ. Written permission of instructor required.

PSYC 497A     Seminar in Psychology     3 Credit Hours

Topic: Seminar in Cognitive Science. Cognitive Science is an interdisciplinary science of mind and intelligence encompassing fields such as cognitive psychology, philosophy, linguistics, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. The present seminar wil investigate cognitive science in terms of the human information processing paradigm of the 1950s and contemporary connectionist challenges to this view.

PSYC 498     Psychology Honors Seminar     4 Credit Hours

Preparation for Honors research project. Involves discussion of and writing on: choosing a topic, reviewing the literature, selecting a research method and design, and developing a research proposal. (YR).

PSYC 499     Psychology Honors Research     3 Credit Hours

Participation with two faculty members in work leading to the honors thesis. This work involves active participation in research and will culminate in an independent research report, the honors thesis. Open only to psychology honors candidates. (F,W).

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 498

*An asterisk denotes that a course may be taken concurrently.

Frequency of Offering

The following abbreviations are used to denote the frequency of offering: (F) fall term; (W) winter term; (S) summer term; (F, W) fall and winter terms; (YR) once a year; (AY) alternating years; (OC) offered occasionally

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Dissertations and Theses (Ph.D. and Master's)

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Dissertations and theses submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for master's or doctoral degrees at the University of Michigan. This collection also includes theses written by U-M faculty.

Ph.D. dissertations at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor are awarded by the Rackham School of Graduate Studies .

Recent Deposits

Department of Psychology

College of arts, humanities, and social sciences, honors thesis.

The departmental honors thesis is open to qualified students who wish to pursue advanced independent research in psychology. Students interested in going to graduate school in psychology are particularly encouraged to complete an honors thesis because research experience is given considerable weight by admissions committees. To be eligible to complete an honors thesis, students must have a psychology GPA of 3.5 or above.

Students interested in an Honors thesis should first gain experience in research by enrolling in PSYC 397 (Research Experience in Psychology). This course provides hands-on experience with the process of research in Psychology, under the supervision of a faculty member and their lab team. To enroll in PSYC 397, a student should contact a faculty member whose research interests them and ask how they can become involved.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Following successful completion of PSYC 397, interested students can then consult with their research faculty member about sponsoring honors research via registration in PSYC 498 and PSYC 499 in two consecutive semesters. Under exceptional circumstances, the required enrollment in PSYC 397 may be waived (e.g. for students who have developed a research project in another course).

To satisfy honors thesis requirements, students must complete the two-semester sequence of PSYC 498 and PSYC 499 (4 credits each) in which they design, conduct, analyze and report original research under the supervision of a Psychology Department faculty member. Honors thesis students must also successfully complete all the requirements for the B.S or  B.A. degree.

Interested in learning more? Consult your academic advisor or Dr. Laura Rose, Undergraduate Program Director (MP 320;  [email protected] )

Spring 2023 Honors Thesis Projects

Zainab Amjad, A Qualitative Exploration on How Religious Discrimination Affects Religious Identity among Muslim American Adolescents, Mentor: Dr. Charissa Cheah

Victoria Manzo, The Influence of Father Involvement on the Relationship between Material Postpartum Depression and Infant Self-Regulation, Mentor: Dr. Nanmathi Manian

Rony Ngamliya-Ndam, Investigating the Influence of Perceptions of God on Recovery in a Faith-Based Bereaved Sample, Mentor: Dr. Shariece Evans

Spring 2022 Honors Thesis Projects

Courtney Arrington, A Parametric Analysis of the Number of Conditional Discriminations Taught to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mentor: Dr. Mirela Cengher

Zohaa Awan, Choice, Shaping, and Synthesized Reinforcement in Feeding Interventions, Mentor: Dr. Adithyan Rajamaran

Dawn Bunch, Exploring the Relation between Historical Family and Peer Body Image Messaging on Current Body Image Dissatisfaction in Black versus White College Women, Mentor: Dr. Steven Pitts

Elyssa Kristine Marie Lou, Examining Filipino-American Mental Health Attitudes, Needs, and Barriers to Help-Seeking, Mentor: Dr. Anne Brodsky

Ann Jeanette Santos, What Makes One a Good BCBA? Mentor: Dr. Mirela Cengher

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PSYC Honors Program

• Requirements
• How to Apply
• Thesis Overview
• Honors Forms
• Honors Bios

The PSYC Honors Program allows exceptional students to collaborate directly with a faculty mentor to complete an original research project. This engagement fosters an intellectual culture in our department in which faculty members mentor the next generation of scholars to conduct research that advances knowledge in psychology and contributes to the betterment of our world. Results from honors projects have been reported in scientific journals and presented at professional conferences.

PSYC Honors includes two terms of independent study courses with the mentor (PSYC468H, PSYC469H, and PSYC499H), culminating in a written thesis report and a poster presentation. Successful program participants are awarded an honors designation at graduation (B.S. degree “with honors”).

At large, the PSYC Honors Program has the following goals :

• Educate students to think independently as scholars in their field
• Provide opportunities for close, scholarly, and scientific analysis of significant topics in psychology
• Encourage and provide opportunities for students to undertake independent research
• Introduce students to a broad range of psychological ideas and issues.

All psychology majors have the opportunity to graduate with the distinction of Honors in Psychology.

Benefits of the Program

Honors students may take graduate courses and apply the credits toward their undergraduate degree. However, in order to take a graduate course, the student must get special permission from both the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Psychology and the Assistant Dean in BSOS. Students have access to the upper level General Honors seminars and many of the General Honors functions. Honors students may establish their own internships under supervision of the Department of Psychology and receive Honors credit.

Eligibility Criteria

Psychology majors may apply at the end of their sophomore year or during their junior year, but no later than their sixth semester of undergraduate study .

Applicants must have:

• Completed three courses (9 credits) in psychology, including PSYC 200
• An overall and psychology GPA of at least 3.50
• An interest in and commitment to research in psychology

Requirements for Completion of the Honors Program

To graduate with Honors in Psychology, students accepted into the program must:

• Complete the requirements for a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in psychology
• Complete an undergraduate honors thesis (PSYC468H, PSYC469H, and PSYC499H)
• Complete two PSYC honors seminars including PSYC498H
• Complete an additional advanced PSYC course (another PSYC honors seminar, another 400-level PSYC lab, or any 600-level PSYC course)
• Maintain a 3.50 UMD GPA (both cumulative and in psychology) for Honors
• Earn a 3.80 UMD GPA (both cumulative and in psychology) for High Honors, in addition to completing an honors thesis of exceptionally high quality as determined by the thesis committee
• Be actively involved in leadership or volunteerism in our department, university and/or community (e.g., assist with Welcome to PSYC Day, volunteer with BSOS or in the community)
• Present thesis poster at the Department of Psychology Undergraduate Research Day
• Join Psi Chi International Honors Society for Psychology for at least senior year 

Honors Coursework

To apply to the Psychology Honors Program, download and submit the application from our Honors Forms page.   Meeting all requirements does not guarantee admission. Only the top applicants, as determined by the Honors Director, will be admitted into the PSYC Honors Program.   If you have any questions about the Honors in Psychology Program, please feel free to contact the Department of Psychology’s Office of Undergraduate Studies at (301) 405-5866 or PSYCadvising [at] umd.edu .

                                                                    Apply By Nov. 15th!

WHAT IS AN HONORS THESIS?

The Undergraduate Honors thesis is an original, independent undergraduate research project carried out under the guidance of a faculty member in the Department of Psychology who serves as the student’s advisor. The thesis research explores a concept or problem within psychology in depth, includes a study that uses knowledge gained in undergraduate coursework, furthers understanding of a salient topic in psychology, and culminates in a substantial research paper. The thesis requires at least three semesters of focused work. The thesis forms a significant part of the student's Honors Program experience and is conducted under close supervision from the advisor. Example theses can be found at the following link ( https://drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/25221 ).

WHO SERVES AS HONORS THESIS ADVISORS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS?

The Honors thesis advisor must be a faculty member in the Department of Psychology (tenure/tenure track or professional track). The theses of undergraduate Honors students may not be supervised by graduate students, post-doctoral researchers or non-members of the Department of Psychology faculty.

The Honors Thesis Committee consists of three faculty members in the Department of Psychology. Students may petition the chair of the Department of Psychology to request that one of the committee members be a faculty member from outside of our department. Students should submit a written petition to the chair three weeks in advance of their proposal meeting with the rationale for including a faculty member outside of the department on the committee.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes related to a research topic
• Engage in innovative and integrative thinking to develop and implement a study
• Design, conduct, analyze, and interpret psychological research
• Understand and follow ethical practices in scientific research
• Engage in statistical analyses
• Use scientific reasoning to interpret psychological phenomena
• Demonstrate effective communication and writing related to research
• Present research findings (to advisor, committee and Psychology community)

WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR COMPLETING AN HONORS THESIS?

Students work with their advisor to identify a topic of interest and together, they decide on the research design for the study. The student writes a thesis proposal that consists of the following sections: Introduction, Literature Review, Method, and References. It is expected that the advisor provides edits and the student revises the proposal based on the suggestions from the advisor. Once the advisor approves the proposal, the student must present the proposal to the Honors Thesis Committee.

The student schedules a 1-hour meeting during which time the student gives a 10 to 15 minute presentation describing the research and then answers questions from the faculty. Each committee member independently votes whether the student passes (meets expectations) or does not pass (does not meet expectations) the proposal meeting. The student passes if they receive two or more passing votes.

After the meeting, the advisor submits the Thesis Proposal Meeting Form to the Assistant Director. If the student passes the meeting, the student makes edits based on committee feedback. After completing requested edits and receiving final approval of the proposal from the advisor, the student submits a proposal to obtain approval from the University of Maryland Institutional Review Board Human Subjects Committee or Animal Care Committee. Once the proposal is approved by the IRB, the student begins the research project.

If the student does not pass the meeting (receives two or more does not pass votes), the student has four weeks to make edits and hold a second proposal meeting. If the student does not pass this meeting, their participation in the Honors Program is terminated.

The thesis consists of the following sections: Introduction, Literature Review, Method, Results, Discussion, and References. After the advisor determines that the thesis is ready for review, the final thesis must be presented to the Honors Thesis Committee. The student schedules a 1-hour defense meeting during which time the student gives a 10 to 15 minute presentation describing the research and then answers questions from the faculty. The committee should receive the written thesis two weeks prior to the defense meeting. Students must defend their thesis no later than the last day of classes in the semester in which they plan to graduate.

In evaluating the written thesis, the Thesis Committee weighs (a) how well the student places the research into the context of the relevant literature; (b) the clarity and originality of the study design; (c) the relevance of the statistical design and analysis; and (d) the student's interpretation and integration of findings within the research and theoretical literature in psychology. Similar criteria are used to judge performance in the oral examination. Each committee member independently votes whether the student passes (meets expectations) or does not pass (does not meet expectations) the proposal meeting. The student passes if they receive two or more passing votes.

After the meeting, the advisor submits the Psychology Honors Program Thesis Defense Form  to the Assistant Director. Often, edits are needed prior to submission of the final thesis. If the thesis is approved, the advisor submits the thesis and the Final Thesis Approval Form to the Assistant Director. In addition, students are asked to upload their thesis on the library repository (DRUM). When the thesis is ready to upload, the students should send an email message to drum-help [at] umd.edu and the staff will assist the student in uploading their thesis. Please note that the final thesis must be approved by the advisor and submitted to the Assistant Director prior to Spring graduation for the student to be recognized at the Department of Psychology Spring graduation ceremony.

If the thesis is not approved, the student has the opportunity to make edits and schedule a second defense of their thesis to the Honors Thesis Committee within one month of the defense meeting. If the student does not pass on the second attempt, participation in the Honors Program is terminated. No credit will be received for participation in the Honors Program if the student does not successfully defend the thesis.

PSYC Honors Application Form

Psyc honors thesis proposal form, honors thesis defense form, meet our psyc honors students.

Jonathan Booker: "Hippocampal volume, caregiver changes, and family cohesion in adolescents with prenatal drug exposure"

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tracy Riggins

Damiana Colley:  "Violence Against Native Populations in the United States: Human Trafficking, Generational Trauma, Systemic Inequities and the Contributing Factors"

Lucas Guberman 

Kyaw Thirein 

Sonya Leikin

Sarah Nelson

Deanna Sarlark 

Hannahlise Wang

PSYC Honors Alumni

Faculty Mentor:   Dr. Cristina Risco

Asian Americans have traditionally been vastly underrepresented in substance use research due to the "model minority" myth, which is the perception of Asian Americans as being more economically and educationally successful than other people of color. This stereotype is harmful as it disparages the hardships & struggles of Asian Americans and alienates them from other people of color, and is part of the reason why the literature on substance use in Asian Americans is so sparse. An understudied yet relevant factor in the study of alcohol-related problems is childhood trauma, which may extend to hazardous alcohol use behaviors through a mechanism of drinking to cope under the self-medication hypothesis. Ultimately, Naru's thesis intends to assess how childhood trauma impacts alcohol-related problems in Asian Americans, and how resilience moderates this relationship. The purpose of this study is to identify whether resilience can serve as a protective factor against alcohol-related problems in Asian Americans with childhood trauma, which may have clinical implications in treatments for alcohol use disorder in Asian American patients.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Edward Lemay

With the ever-growing presence of social media in people’s lives, it is more important than ever to examine its impact on people’s well-being. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are particularly likely to be the victims of prejudice, harassment, and discrimination online. Although bystander intervention had played an important role in reducing the frequency and harmfulness of violence and discrimination in other contexts, little is known about the predictors of bystander inter vention in online LGBTQ+ discrimination. Guided by research on bystander intervention and perceptions of discrimination, the current research will examine a variety of predictors of actual and self-reported helping behavior, such as personal identities, connections to the LGBTQ+ community, attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals, perceptions of discrimination norms, and anticipated personal costs and benefits. Overall, this research aims to identify potential predictors of bystander intervention in the context of online LGBTQ+ discrimination, which may be useful for future intervention efforts.

Faculty Mentor : Dr. Clara E. Hill  

Faculty Mentor : Dr. Robert Slevc

Alignment is a phenomenon we have all engaged in. It occurs when a speaker “adopts” a linguistic aspect used by their interlocutor (Pickering & Garrod, 2004; Foltz, 2015). This essentially means that the conversational parties align through lexical terminology, syntactic form, or at another level such as phonetically. Current theories in psycholinguistics regarding linguistic alignment center around the idea that alignment occurs as a way of facilitating communication between two parties (Chun et al., 2016). It has also been theorized that alignment is a reflection of how a speaker views their interlocutor and is therefore dependent on situational cues and social factors. Research into this question has explored various social factors that influence a speaker’s tendency to align - including the perceived intelligence of the interlocutor, the prestige associated with the interlocutor’s class ranking, as well as other social factors such as the interlocutor’s relative status within a social setting (Lev-Ari, 2015; Chun et al., 2016). The purpose of Hanna-Sophia’s study is to explore the influence of accent prestige on the frequency of lexical and syntactic alignment in conversations between a foreign-accented English speaker and a native English speaker.

Madelyn Harris: "Black Grief Matters: Disenfranchisement, Social Support, and Coping Among Black College Students Grieving the Deaths of Black Americans by Police Brutality"

Faculty Mentor:  Dr. Karen O’Brien

Black Americans are nearly three times more likely than their white American counterparts to be killed by police, accounting for over 40% of the victims of police killings nationwide (Bor et al., 2018). Ubiquitous access to social media and news platforms facilitates widespread viewing and sharing of police brutality against Black Americans, and exposure to this violence is associated with negative mental health outcomes among Black Americans including heightened stress, depression, and grief and loss reactions (Allen & Solomon, 2016; Bor et al., 2018). Factors which may contribute to these negative mental health outcomes include disenfranchisement of grief (i.e., the grief not being recognized or acknowledged; Piazza-Bonin et al., 2015), the absence of social support during grieving (Burke et al., 2010; Stroebe et al., 2005), and the ways in which college students cope with these killings and their grief (Andersen et al., 2013; Fox-Williams, 2019). Informed by the multidimensional model of racism-related stress (Harrell, 2000), the biopsychosocial model of perceived racism (Clark et al., 1999), and the cognitive theory of stress and coping (Folkman et al., 1986), Madelyn's study examined how grief disenfranchisement, social support and coping style predict stress, depressive symptoms, and prolonged grief in Black college students (n = 194) as they respond to deaths by the police brutalization of Black Americans.

Holly Liposky: "Advice-Giving in Final Sessions of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: Is it Advised?"

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Clara Hill  

Here’s a riddle: “Almost everyone needs it, asks for it, gives it, but almost nobody takes it. What is it? Answer: Advice.” (Roman, 2019, p. 99). Indeed, when people have problems, they frequently seek out advice from family, friends, and advice columnists. Similarly, when clients go to therapy, they frequently expect therapists to give them ideas about what to do differently so that they can feel better and function better in everyday life (Duan et al., 2018). Holly's study examines what effect advice can have within the therapeutic process and whether or not some kinds of advice are better than others. 

M Pease: " Title: Gender Minority Young Adult Mental Health: Anti-Transgender Prejudice, Mediators, and Implications in the COVID-19 Era"

Faculty Mentor:  Dr. Derek Iwamoto

Binary and nonbinary transgender young adults exist in a state of marginalization in American society. Both interpersonal and institutional forms of prejudice, discrimination, and oppression against trans individuals have created a myriad of mental and physical health disparities in this population. Yet, limited research has examined the mechanisms of risk for transgender young adults. Moreover, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate risk for marginalized groups. Using a minority stress framework and online cross-sectional survey design (N = 239), the current study examines gender dysphoria, emotion dysregulation, and relational authenticity as mediators of the relationship between transgender distal stress and negative mental health outcomes (i.e., psychological distress, alcohol use, and e-cigarette use) during the early stages of the novel coronavirus pandemic (late May to early July 2020). Additional data examined stressors relating to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Findings suggest gender dysphoria and emotion dysregulation mediate the distal stress-psychological distress pathway. An indirect effect of relational authenticity on alcohol use and gender dysphoria on e-cigarette use was also observed. Results are contextualized within the COVID-19 pandemic and critical implications are drawn for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

Pease, M. (2020, November). Gender minority young adult mental health: Anti-transgender prejudice, mediators, and implications in the COVID-19 era. UMD Libraries Digital Repository.  https://doi.org/10.13016/y709-jfyr

Karoline Trovato: "Educate and Empower: An Online Intervention to Improve College Women’s Knowledge and Confidence when Communicating in a Romantic Relationship"

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Karen O'Brien

Historically, and especially during the covid-19 pandemic, the vast majority of unpaid family care has been provided by women with devastating associated outcomes including lost jobs, increased poverty, and mental health concerns. Notably, equal family work distribution and healthy communication are associated with women’s relationship satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms. Young women are an especially important population to educate regarding salient predictors of relationship satisfaction because they typically have not made long-term relationship commitments. The purpose of this study was to conduct a randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of PARTNERS, an online intervention created to empower young women in their romantic relationships. Results indicated the PARTNERS intervention effectively educated college women about family work distribution, effective communication, and the PARTNERS Model, and improved confidence communicating with a romantic partner. Ultimately this intervention may increase future relationship satisfaction, reduce depression, and equalize family work distribution for women.

Toluope Adetayo

Faculty Mentor:    Dr. Edward Bernat

Tolu is pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Aniruddh Ajith : "HRV as an Index of ANS Activity During Emotion Regulation"

Faculty Mentor:  Dr. Edward Bernat

Anirudh had a post baccalaureate position at  the NIH, in the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Anu worked with Dr. Kelvin Choi on projects involving smoking. He is currently pursing a MD/PhD at the U niversity of Pittsburgh.

Shereen Ashai : " Coping with Loss: Advancing Understanding of Posttraumatic Growth and Grief in Kashmiri College Students"

Shereen is currently pursuing Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Maryland.

Alissa Cole: "The effects of prediction and speech rate on lexical processing."

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bob Slevc

Alissa is a doctoral student at Florida State University SU's clinical psychology program. Her previous research focused on psycholinguistic mechanisms of language comprehension and the role of working memory and processing speed in reading and language. Her current research interests include investigating executive function impairments in ADHD and examining its association with disorders of reading and language in children.

Tessa Botkin: " Measurement invariance among multi-informant assessment of fear of negative and positive evaluations: Implications for the psychometric properties of commonly used instruments".

Faculty Mentor:    Dr. Andy De Los Reyes

Tessa is a Research Specialist at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital.

Faculty Mentor:  Dr. Jon Mohr

Vardaan's project focused on examining online sexual racism as a predictor of body image concerns in East Asian & South Asian Queer Men. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. 

Faculty Mentor:  Dr. Tracy Riggins

Carli investigated autobiographical memory for real-world events in 4-6-year-old children and how this type of memory relates to the lab-based Temporal Order Memory Task. She is currently a  Research Technician Associate at the University of Michigan. 

Vedavalli Govindan : " The Effect of Decision-Making and Inhibition Control on the Autonomic Nervous System"

Vedavalli is a client advocate at the Pregnancy Clinic in Columbia, MD, which provides free services (e.g. counseling, pregnancy tests, and sonograms) to socioeconomically disadvantage and undocumented mothers. She also engages in research at Children's National Health System and with the Clinical and Cognitive Lab at University at Maryland.

Micah Herman :  “College Dating Violence: Barriers and Facilitators of Bystander Intervention” 

Micah's thesis aimed to  update, replicate and extend a randomized controlled trial that tested the effectiveness of the STOP Dating Violence Bystander Intervention training program. Micah is a Counseling Psychology Ph.D. student at the University of Albany.

Samantha Jay:  "Stability and Predictive Validity of the Parent-Child Sleep Interactions Scale (PSIS): A Longitudinal Study from Early to Middle Childhood."

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Dougherty

Samantha attends UMBC's Clinical Psychology doctoral program, working with Dr. Jason Schiffman. Her research focuses on suicidal ideation and behaviors in adolescents and young adults at clinical high risk for psychosis.

Lena Meredith : " Exploring Hippocampal Structural Differences as Children Phase Out of Napping"

Lena investigated if hippocampal volumes and subregion volumes are related to napping in children. 

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lea Dougherty

Alex’s research looked into depressogenic cognitive styles, specifically in preschool  students. she c urrently works for Kennedy Krieger Institute as Behavior Data Specialist in an inpatient hospital unit for children with extreme mental and behavioral disorders.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jon Mohr

Nina's study focused on predictors and consequences of sexual orientation disclosure in the female friendships of bisexual women. She is currently pursing a Counseling Psychology Ph.D.at the University of Akron. 

Alexandra Hickey :"Exploring Gender Differences in Theory of Mind"

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Redcay

Alex is currently a Research  Specialist at the University of South Carolina. 

Erin Hill : "Evaluating an Online Intervention to Enhance Knowledge, Confidence and Skills in Undergraduate Students’ Responses to Bereaved Peers"

Erin is currently a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology student at the University of Maryland. 

Natania Lipp:  " Bereaved College Students: The Roles of Social Support, Coping Style, Continuing Bonds, and Social Media Use in Grieving Outcomes"

Dr. Patel currently practices as a Psychologist at a private practice in Washington, DC.  

Madeleine’s previous research projects include investigating how adherence to masculine norms relates to drinking behaviors in men, and developing an intervention plan with the goal of reducing adherence to masculine norms associated with binge drinking and negative health behaviors. She is currently pursuing graduate studies at Villanova University. 

Taylor Rezeppa:  “ Untrained observers’ ratings of emerging adults’ social anxiety and social skills within controlled, cross-contextual social interactions with unfamiliar peer confederates” 

Luba Roytburd: " Factors contributing to career problems in Jewish college women: The influence of attachment, separation from parents, and self esteem." 

Dr. Roytburd currently practices as a Psychologist at a private practice in Bethesda, Maryland. 

Alicia Rozycki: " Attachment theory and women’s career development: Does relationship with mother influence daughter’s career choices?" 

Dr. Rozycki currently works as a Military Psychologist at Primary Care Behavioral Health.

Dr. Salahuddin currently serves as Director, Undergraduate Studies and the Assistant Chair, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Maryland Department of Psychology. 

Dr. Sauber currently works as a Staff Psychologist at the Department of Veteran Affairs at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System.

Dr. Schmidt currently serves as an Associate Professor and as the Director of the Counseling Psychology Training Program at the Towson University Department of Psychology. 

Dr. Shah currently practices as a Staff Psychologist at the University of Maryland Counseling Center.

Mary-Charlotte is currently pursuing a Master's degree in School Psychology at Towson University.

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Senior psychology major reveals how South Carolina Honors College transformed her life

After distinguishing herself as one of the rare transfer students accepted into the highly competitive South Carolina Honors College as a sophomore, Ruth Moniz still had only a vague idea where she ultimately might fit in the wide spectrum of career opportunities for psychology majors. She was hungry for meaningful professional insight, and one Honors psychology course — Research, Practice, and Policy in School Behavioral Health — changed everything.

“Before taking this class, I knew I was interested in psychology, and I knew that I liked working with children, but, other than that, I had absolutely no idea what my future academic or professional path might look like,” Moniz recalls. “I was trying to get as much exposure as possible to different things. I was toying with the idea of counseling but didn’t really feel a strong connection to it. … I also had the opportunity to volunteer with a local middle school and trained in motivational interviewing. It was absolutely amazing and so rewarding to see the impacts of positive behavioral interventions and supports in action in a local environment.”

Finally discovering that school-based psychology would be her niche was not without its challenges. Moniz was initially intimidated by the academic rigor of Honors College courses, especially reading and understanding sophisticated academic articles. However, during the first week of Honors classes, she was stunned to experience a level of enthusiastic participation and engagement that was far different from high school. Soon, Moniz found herself looking forward to the Honors assignments and in-depth discussions.

“I had spoken to other friends who were in Honors and had read many wonderful things online about the enhanced experiences available to Honors students,” she says. “I knew that it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take my college experience to the next level. … I had no idea just how impactful it would be.”

I would not be the student or person I am today without my Honors experience.

The psychology course was the catalyst that opened the door for Moniz to pursue her undergraduate research at USC, which ultimately led to her choice of senior thesis topic: “The use of effective health communication strategies to reduce inequitable and exclusionary discipline in schools.” It examines disciplinary practices in K-12 schools that remove students from the school environment as well as reviews the theory of planned behavior (TPB), which is how an individual’s belief systems influence their decisions to behave in a certain way.

Today, Moniz is a part-time research assistant on nationally renowned psychology professor Mark Weist’s School Behavioral Health Team. As a senior, she was even invited to present her research findings at the 2023 Southeastern School Behavioral Health Conference where Moniz networked with top professionals in the field. She will become a full-time research assistant after graduation in May. Beyond that, she is keeping her options open.

Having previously served as a Peer Leader for University 101 programs, Moniz hopes to stay involved in the first-year seminars while preparing to apply for graduate school. She is proud that USC ranks No. 1 nationally for first-year experience and leads the state with 20 nationally ranked health science graduate programs.

“I would not be the student or person I am today without my Honors experience,” Moniz says. “I have gained so much knowledge as an Honors student, but I think, more importantly, I have gained so much more confidence in myself as a student and my ability to chase my dreams and aspirations. Honors will always have a special place in my heart.”

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

Student links worm behavior to brain disease

Psychology student worked with biology faculty to study neurological.

As an undergraduate student in The University of Texas at Arlington's Honors College, Hannah Selvarathinam knew she wanted to conduct research. Near the end of her first year at UTA, the Keller native reached out to the lab of biology Assistant Professor Piya Ghose.

"Hannah has been a very impressive scholar from Day 1," Ghose said. "She had the foresight to reach out for research opportunities very early on."

Ghose brought Selvarathinam in to work on one of the lab's core projects related to the genetics of cell death, modeled in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. Selvarathinam's work eventually led to her honors thesis, focused on brain health and behavior. The result is a new peer-reviewed publication detailing the genes affecting worm behavior that also are relevant to neurological disease in humans.

"Through combing the literature and discussing her findings with me, she was able to make connections between the genes she was already studying as part of her cell biology project with her undergraduate psychology major and interests in human health," Ghose said. "Hannah drove this project and regularly communicated with me for guidance and to share her exciting results. She took on the brave task of adapting and optimizing a published behavioral protocol for her project, which is exceptional for such a young trainee."

For her study, Selvarathinam leveraged the fact that worms have similarities in their genes to humans and predictable behaviors that are easy to study. She proceeded to optimize an experi-mental protocol that aimed to link the mental illness schizophrenia to neurodegenerative disease using worm behavior.

"Normally, worms spend much of their time eating. But if they are interrupted by physical insult, they briefly stop in a manner similar to the startle response in humans," Selvarathinam said.

Schizophrenia has similar symptoms, and one hallmark is abnormal reactivity to a continued stimulus. Essentially, individuals with the illness take longer to become accustomed to a stimulus than those without.

"What we found in our study is that healthy worms, as expected, momentarily stopped eating when they were exposed to a stimulus, but soon continued to eat again," Selvarathinam explained. "But for worms with mutations in many of the neurodegeneration genes, such as with those related to hereditary spastic paraplegia and Alzheimer's disease, they continued to eat even after being exposed to the stimulus, which shows a heightened startle response.

"Our publication adds another building block to our understanding of brain disease in the hopes of finding a cure and also highlights C.elegans as a powerful model organism to pursue this goal."

After completing her honors thesis and graduating in winter 2022, Selvarathinam began working as a technician in Ghose's lab while preparing applications for medical school. She's now on track with another peer-reviewed publication for work she has done assisting on one of the lab's cell death projects.

"My research experience complements my goal to practice medicine by teaching me many transferable skills, such as reading scientific literature and applying my knowledge to solve problems and answer interesting questions," Selvarathinam said. "I am grateful for the opportunities I have had at UTA and for the chance to work with the Ghose Lab team. I am also thankful to the Honors College for its wonderful capstone project program. I encourage students to reach out to professors and seek out research opportunities here at UTA."

• Medical Topics
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• Psychiatric service dog

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Texas at Arlington . Original written by Katherine Egan Bennett. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Selvarathinam, H; Elkhalil, A; Schargel, WE; Ghose, P. Neurodegeneration-related genes influence C. elegans pharyngeal activity . microPublication Biology , 2024 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000897

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Eight Honors Students Named 2024 Syracuse University Scholars

Eight Honors seniors have been named 2024 Syracuse University Scholars! These students include:

• Marwa Abedrabbah, a psychology major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Alana Coffman, an international relations major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School;
• Yvonne Kuo, a psychology and forensic science major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Mitchell Mazza, a psychology and neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences;
• Yasmin Nayrouz, an English and textual studies major in the College of Arts and Sciences, a public relations major in the Newhouse School;
• Mariana Pérez Lugo, a nutrition science major in the Falk College;
• Matthew Snyder, a psychology and neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences; and
• Iona Volynets, an international relations and history major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences.

Being selected as a Syracuse University Scholar is the highest undergraduate honor that the University bestows. The Honors program congratulates these students for all their efforts, and we wish them luck in their future endeavors!

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