Past Research Projects
Our low faculty-to-student ratio allows us to provide all psychology majors with hands-on learning experiences. These include directed research, where the student works closely with a faculty member on an experiment of mutual interest (see faculty research interests).
The research experience provides the student with the opportunity to apply information learned in the classroom, as well as acquire a number of skills sought after by employers, namely, critical thinking, problem solving, working in teams, and communication skills.
Clarkson student psychology research projects are often presented at undergraduate research meetings, scientific meetings, and occasionally are published as research articles.
Student Publications (last 5 years)
Legault, L., Bird, S., Powers, S.E., Sherman, A., Schay, A., Hou, D., & Janoyan, K. (2020). Impact of a motivational intervention and interactive feedback on electricity and water consumption: A smart housing field experiment. Environment and Behavior, 52(6), 666-692. DOI: 10.1177/0013916518811433.
Wilke, A., Bedell, V., Lydick, J., Treat, J., Dawley, T., Pedersen, S., & Langen, T. (2018). Spatial dependency in local resource distributions. Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, 12, 163–172.
Student Conference Presentations (last 5 years)
Page, R., Huang, W., Mallery-Winegard, C., & Legault, L. (2023, May). Comparing Internally and Externally Motivating Diversity Messages: What Works Best for Whom? To be presented at the 8th International Self-Determination Theory Conference, Orlando, FL.
Palmer, P., Reynolds, M., & Legault, L. (2023, May). Understanding the Relationship between Autonomous Functioning and Racial Attitudes: The Roles of Empathy, Humility, and Perspective-Taking. To be presented at the 8th International Self-Determination Theory Conference, Orlando, FL.
Legault, L., & Sago, A (2022, April). When Body Positivity Falls Flat: Divergent Effects of Body Acceptance Messages that Support vs. Undermine Basic Psychological Needs. Talk presented at the Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley Gender, Sex & Sexualities Conference, Potsdam, NY.
Legault, L., Weinstein, N., Legate, N., & Al-Khouja, M. (2022, February). On Becoming Pro-Outgroup: Moving Away from the Control of Prejudice and Toward the Enhancement of Diverse Others. Symposium talk in N. Isenberg and M. Brauer, ‘Promoting Diversity: Potential Pitfalls and How to Do It Right’ at the 23rd Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Reynolds, M., Page, R., Mallery-Winegard, C., & Legault, L. (2022, February). Empathizing with the Outgroup vs. Condemning Prejudice of the Ingroup: Complementary Roles of Empathy and Humility in Outgroup Affect and Antiprejudiced Intentions. Presented at the 23rd Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Humiston, S., Mielke, A., Legault, L. (2021, February). Mindfulness and Prejudice: Does Being More Aware of Bias Predict Less Bias? Paper to be presented at the 22nd Society for Personality and Social Psychology Virtual Convention.
Jawo, M., Hamilton, B., Adams, J., Bohl, D., Faber, B., & Knack, J.M. (accepted). Understanding and assessing mental health in EMS/EMT providers during COVID 19. Poster accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, virtual conference.
Bowen, H., O'Brien, K., & Petley, L. (April, 2020). Exploring sources of cognitive conflict in an auditory flanker task. Poster presented at the 4th Annual Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Chmielowiec, H., Short, S., Adams, J.R., Blackburn, A., Liu, Y., Long, K., Jawo, M., Wettengel, K., Lucid, T., Keleher, J., & Knack, J.M. (April, 2020). Beyond the highlight reel: Examining the relationship between self-disclosure and depression on Finsta versus Instagram. Poster presented at the annual Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Jawo, M., Wettengel, K., Adams, J.R., Long, K., Lucid, T., Fete, Z., Barden, M., & Knack, J.M (April 2020). Developing and testing social media posts that vary in degree of depression conveyed. Poster presented at the annual Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Jawo, M., Wettengel, K., Fete, Z., Adams, J., Long, K., Lucid, T., Barden, M., & Knack, J.M. (April, 2020; accepted but conference cancelled due to COVID-19). Developing and testing Tweets that vary in degree of depression conveyed. Poster accepted to the annual CSTEP conference at Sagamore, Lake George, NY.
Lucid V., T., Keleher, J., Blackburn, A., Jawo, M., Liu, Y., Long, K., Wettengel, K., Chmielowiec, H., Short, S., Adams, J.R., & Knack, J.M. (April 2020). To sleep or to post: Examining how time of posts on social media influence perceived depression. Poster presented at the annual Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Jawo, M., Wettengel, K., Fete, Z., Adams, J.R., Long, K., Lucid, T., Barden, M.A., & Knack, J.M. (February, 2020). Developing and testing social media posts that vary in degree of depression conveyed. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.
Rook. S.M., Knack, J.M., & Iyer-Eimerbrink, P.A. (February, 2020). “Feel the burn or make America great again:” Differences in moral development based on candidate support. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.
Chicoine, N., Porga, M., Hall, B., Moran, S., Mays, K., Meyer, S., Lee, A., & Wilke, A. (November, 2019). Using virtual reality to study human foraging behavior. Poster presented at the 60th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society Meeting, Montreal, Canada.
Akula, S., Barker, M., Colbert, K., Morgan, A., Barden, M. & Knack, J.M. (February, 2019). Detecting depression from mock social media posts: Effect of post creator’s age on expressing concern and offering help. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Portland, OR.
Barker, M., Colbert, K., Akula, S., Barden, M., Iyer-Eimerbrink, P.A., & Knack, J.M. (February, 2019). Forming impressions from mock social media profiles: Influence of profile content, mental health, and empathy. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Portland, OR.
Clovis, E.V., Jawa, M., & Knack, J.M. (August, 2019). How do people respond on Twitter to celebrity suicides? Poster presented at the annual Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Jawa, M., Clovis, E.V., & Knack, J.M. (July, 2019). How do people respond on Twitter to celebrity suicides? Poster presented at the annual University at Buffalo Undergraduate Research Conference, Niagara Falls, NY.
Akula, S., Barker, M., Colbert, K., Morgan, A., Barden, M. & Knack, J.M. (April, 2019). Detecting depression from mock social media posts: Effect of post creator’s age on expressing concern and offering help. Poster presented at the annual Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Colbert, K., Barker, J., Levy, R., & Knack, J.M. (April, 2019). Social media chatter following celebrity suicides: Impressions college students form from subsequent posts. Poster presented at the annual Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Vaccaro, R., Barker, M., Colbert, K., Wettengel, K., & Knack, J.M. (April, 2019). Cues that may affect depression detection on social media. Poster presented at the annual Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Barker, M. & Knack, J. M. (July, 2018). Forming impressions from mock social media profiles: Influence of profile content and individual difference variables. Poster presented at the 2nd Annual Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Barker, M. & Knack, J. M. (July, 2018). Creating and pilot testing mock social media profiles: College student detect varying levels of depression. Poster presented at Clarkson Craze, Potsdam, NY.
Chicoine, N., & Wilke, A. (July, 2018). Exploring humans’ perception of randomness with two spatial distribution statistics. Poster presented at the 30th annual meeting of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society (HBES), Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Colbert, K., Barker, M., & Knack, J. M. (July, 2018). Celebrity suicide: Media coverage, reactions, and impact on students’ willingness to help and learn about mental illness. Poster presented at the 2nd Annual Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Conner, E., Porga, M., Vidot, J., & Dowman R. (July, 2018). Attentional control mediated by lateral prefrontal cortex is not affected by threats to the body (somatic threats). Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE), 21st Annual Summer Meeting, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Hall, B., Dawley, T., & Wilke, A. (July, 2018). Spatial adaptations for cognitive search: A literature study. Poster presented at the 30th annual meeting of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society (HBES), Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Wilke, A., Dawley, T., Pedersen, S., & Langen, T. A. (July, 2018). Spatial dependency in local resource distributions. Paper presented at the 30th annual meeting of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society (HBES), Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Barker, M., Avery, S., Johnson, B., Colbert, D., Kon, J., Spaziani, G., Iyer-Eimerbrink, P. A., & Knack, J. M. (April, 2018). To help or not to help? Detecting depression on mock profiles and forming impressions of electronic interaction partners. Poster presented at the CSTEP Statewide Student Conference, Bolton Landing, NY.
Dawley, T., & Wilke, A. (April, 2018). Spatial dependency in developed and natural resource domains. Paper presented at the 2nd Research and Project Showcase (RAPS), Potsdam, USA.
Wolf, K., & Dowman, R. (April, 2018). Possible role of the locus coeruleus phasic response in threat detection and reorienting. Poster presented at the 2nd Annual Research and Project Showcase, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Avery, S., Kon, J., Spaziani, G., Colbert, D., Johnson, B., Barker, M., Iyer-Eimerbrink, P. A., & Knack, J. M. (March, 2018). Creating and pilot testing mock social media profiles: College student detect varying levels of depression. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Atlanta, GA.
Barker, M., Avery, S., Johnson, B., Colbert, D., Kon, J., Spaziani, G., Iyer-Eimerbrink, P. A., & Knack, J. M. (March, 2018). To help or not to help? Detecting depression on mock profiles and forming impressions of electronic interaction partners. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Atlanta, GA.