Contact: Maridith Geuder
Two Mississippi State University students hold top honors for presentations entered in the 2002 meeting of the Mississippi Psychological Association.
"Resiliency in a Changing and Demanding World" was the theme of this year's recent gathering in Biloxi of state practitioners, academicians and students.
Kristine M. Jacquin, assistant professor of psychology, said the entries of eight MSU students were among only 26 accepted for presentation by the assembly. The visuals--a synopsis of research presented on posters--provided a description of the student's research efforts. They answered questions about their projects during two hours allocated for the presentations.
Of the MSU group, Isaac Shields of Starkville, an August graduate, earned first place in a category that included recently graduated seniors, graduate students and professionals. Senior Robert Turner, also of Starkville, was first among undergraduate presenters.
Shields' research dealt with the Stroop effect, a cognitive phenomenon related to humans' ability to read words faster than they can recognize colors in which the words are printed. His presentation focused on the relationship between cognitive and social problem solving.
Turner's study examined the ways social and economic status of defendants affect jury decision-making. He also had a second presentation accepted on film violence.
"To have a poster display accepted, students must demonstrate their familiarity with research methodology and the ability to describe their research project thoroughly," Jacquin said. "The work of all our students exhibited a high level of motivation and professionalism."
The six other MSU students whose work was accepted for presentation include [by hometown]:
COLLINSVILLE--Graduate student Erica Hodges, whose research focused on high school popularity as a predictor of college attitudes and behaviors.
COLUMBIA--Melissa Harrison, a graduate student in clinical psychology, whose research with another student focused on the defense of personal honor as a predictor of violence. Harrison also had a second presentation on the accuracy of perceptions about peer violence.
CRYSTAL SPRINGS--August graduate Michael Helgason, whose research with another student focused on the influence of film violence on profits in the United States and other industrialized countries.
NATCHEZ--Senior Hope Eliser, whose research with Jacquin focused on attitudes toward physical violence as a predictor of physical violence.
STARKVILLE--December graduate Chris Carden and current senior Amber Hall, whose research focused on the influence of media violence on aggressive behavior in young adults. Hall also had a second presentation on the effect of defendants' social and economic status on jury decision-making.
Also from Starkville were graduate student Edith Gabor, whose research with another student focused on the relationship between cognitive and social problem solving, and Sarah Runyon, a graduate student in clinical psychology, whose research with another student focused on defending personal honor as a predictor of violence. Runyon also had a second presentation on the accuracy of perceptions about peer violence.