Research 2007-08
Our research methods course sequence and mentoring of undergraduate student researchers produced 13 presentations at the Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Meeting, which was held at the beginning of May in Chicago. Eighteen students were involved in conducting this research and preparing these presentations, under the supervision of Drs. Bailey, Helm and Proctor. These projects were:
Terry-Ann Adjmul
How Young adults perceive the mentally ill based on their.
Kattia Amadias
The effects of perceived social pressure to abstain from alcohol and sex in relationship to aggression levels as measured by video games.
Bradley Boivin
Temperament and sexual orientation
Andreanne Cadet & Myriam Leclerc
Influence of college career orientation on prejudice toward mental illness.
Eileen Corredera
Religious orientation and sexual attitudes and behavior.
Verronica Flores
Color-coding a diagram will enhance the student’s ability to memorize conceptual information for a test.
Jeffery Habenicht
The relationship between spiritual disciplines and religiosity.
Gary Howell-Walton
A factor in the use of birth control
Younghwa Kim
The effects of acculturation of Korean Americans on visual attention.
Nikolas Paniagua
Handwashing behavior in public restrooms when prompted by a visual sign.
Lorraine Siebold, Yecika Santos & Kelly Williams
The vicious cycle: Relatipnship satisfaction’s influence on male visual attention.
Erica Saez, Ilean Ulloa, and Nadia Santana
Self-predictions on future positive life events and future negative life events with gender and ethnic differences.
Melissa Wier
The relationship between substance abuse and hooking up in male and female University students.
Dr. Oystein LaBianca, working with Dr. Karl Bailey, teach our Research Methods II course each Fall. He works with and mentors a group of 10-12 anthropology students in the Horn Archaeological Museum on campus. He traveled with a small group of these students to the Central States Anthropological Society in Indianapolis, IN. These students read their research papers at the conference this year.
Kim YoungHwa ‘s research was entitled “Khirbet Refeisah Cave Inscriptions and Drawings”
Joshua Smith’s research was entitled “Pottery from Beyond Castles: A Study of Crusader Pottery Found at Tell Hesban”.
Jasmine Saunders and Elizabeth Brown research paper was entitled “Continuity and Change in Ummayad and Abbasid Hisban”.
Andrew Gerard read his research paper “The People who Sold Were Not from Hisban: Cultural Memory and the Honor of the AJarma Tribe of Hisban, Jordan”
Each year a group of his students participate in one of the “Digs” in the Middle East. This summer it is the Madaba Plains Project —an archaeological expedition in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. This Dig is sponsored by
LaSierra University in consortium with the School of Architecture at Andrews University June 25—July 30.
Other Research Projects in 2007-08
1. As part of a faculty research grant-funded project, Dr. Karl Bailey, Jasmine Zork, Lorraine Siebold and Carolyn Groves (students) presented a poster on the effects of memory load on the tendency to make eye movements to images references by a speaker. This work is part of a larger project working towards building a model of human cognition in information richer environments (e.g. classrooms).
Bailey, K.G.D., Siebold, L.C., Zork, J., & Groves, C. (2008, March).
Concurrent memory load attenuates the link between eye
movements and language comprehension in the visual world
paradigm. Poster presented at the 21st Annual Meeting of the CUNY
Conference on Human Sentence Processing, Chapel, Hill, NC.
2. Cassaundra Boothby completted an Honors project entitled "Culture and Visual Cognition extending some work done previously on difference between individuals from different cultures in how they view simple photographs.
3. Eileen Corredera, Dr. McBride and Dr. Helm have submitted an article entitled "Religious Orientation and Sexual Attitudes and Behavior" to the Journal of Psychology and Christianity.
Undergraduate research is one of the most important components of our curriculum for majors in the Behavioral Sciences. While many of our students plan to go to graduate school and pursue both research-based and practice-based degrees across the behavioral sciences, we also have a number of students for whom the undergraduate liberal arts experience will be an end point in the educational journey. Nevertheless, we believe that the experience of conducting, presenting, publishing, and critiquing research is invaluable for each of our students.
An Intentional Curriculum
In order to ensure that each student in our program will be exposed to and involved in research as an undergraduate, we have made intentional changes to our curriculum over the last decade:
- A Research Methodology Base
- Advanced Research Methodology
- Research Integrated in Other Core Classes
- Attending/Participating in Scientific Profession Conferences
A Research Culture has Emerged
Students take ownership of their research experience and actively mentor other undergraduate research students without faculty prompting. This means that a culture of undergraduate research has developed within the department: the expectation among students is now that any student, not just the "cream of the crop" should be conducting and presenting research.
Student Testimonials
Kathleen Schwarz - Behavioral Sciences: Anthropology, Photography
I had the opportunity to present at the Central States Anthropological Society's 84th Annual Conference last year as an undergraduate research assistant. Being able to present and to relate to other anthropologists as my peers was a noteworthy opportunity, especially for me as an undergraduate. I think the fact that Andrews University provides students with opportunities to realize their academic potential gives us a competitive edge and teaches us skills to be used beyond our college experience.
Darrell Rohl - Behavioral Sciences: Anthropological Archeology
I have been involved in the Undergraduate Research Scholarship program for four years and can clearly say that it has been the most valuable part of my Andrews experience. It has taught me how to conduct research, critically assess data and present my research findings. This has, so far, led to seven conference presentations, which are proving invaluable for my current scholarship and graduate school applications. One of the most enjoyable aspects was the 2007 CSAS conference in Minneapolis, where an entire group of AU anthropology students presented in our own session. This trip allowed us all to get really close and we had a terribly terrific time that I'm sure we'll always remember. The opportunity to have such experiences is one of the unique strengths of an Andrews education.
Andrew Gerard - Behavioral Sciences: Anthropology
This opportunity [to research and present] is the biggest single reason that I chose to come to Andrews University, and is one of the most meaningful parts of the Andrews experience. Researchers from the Institute of Archeology who have come before me have been accepted to graduate programs at Columbia University, Stanford University, Brandeis University, and University of Connecticut Law School. This research experience is the difference between a good education and a world-class education. Serious research prepares students for graduate school and - if they are looking at a future in higher education - allows them to gain the skills necessary to excel in the life of the mind. Beyond this, however, the type of research in which students are encouraged to go deep into a subject, to question assumptions, to work methodically, and think critically is what differentiates good schools from great schools. Andrews University is unique in that it encourages students to engage in serious research on the undergraduate level."