On Saturday, December 10, 2011, the Psychology Department hosted its 55th semi-annual research conference in Bey Hall at Monmouth University. The event was co-coordinated by Dr. Natalie Ciarocco and Dr. Janice Stapley.
This semester’s recipient of best paper presentation was Jacqueline Abate, for her paper titled “Evaluating Relationship Partners: The Mere Ownership Effect in Romantic Relationships.”
The best poster presentation award was shared by Kristen Kohm for her poster “The Influence of Strength of Attachment on Preschoolers’ Self-Regulation,” and Chelsea Thomson for her poster “Who Studies Abroad?: A Look at Birth Order, Personality, and Willingness to Leave Home.”
The best applied psychology poster award went to Juliana Pierce, who worked with Dr. Hatchard’s organization, Making Daughters Safe Again.
Attendees included field experience, senior thesis students, parents, family, friends, and the psychology department faculty. The presentations were the culmination of students’ senior thesis projects, as well as students’ field experiences in the fall 2011 semester. Field experiences included students working with individual faculty members and students in Dr. Doris Hiatt’s Field Experience course.
The day began with opening remarks from the department chair, Dr. Janice Stapley. Dr. Stanton Green, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, also offered remarks and congratulated the presenters. The attendees were greeted by Miranda Bobrowski, the president of Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology.
Throughout the day, nine paper presentations were given, and thirty-one poster presentations displayed the results of each student’s original senior thesis project. Drs. Demarest, Dinella, Holmes, Lewandowski, and Stapley all served as thesis supervisors this semester.