RESEARCH RESULTS: 2008

This year, four students presented research at WPUPC hosted by Pennsylvania State University, Behrend. Two additional students conducted research that was not presented (see below).

For those interested in seeing RMU students "in action" at a conference, please take a peek at the PHOTO GALLERY!

The links below are to the pdf versions of the poster handouts. You will need a pdf viewer (e.g., Adobe Acrobat) in order to view these files.

• Head vs. Heart: Dissection of Paranormal Beliefs

  Todd Hart: Research suggests that paranormal belief may be greater in the United States than other countries. Attitudes, or beliefs, are said to be made up of affect, behavior, and cognition. Of these, affect has been strongly linked to paranormal belief. People believe because such beliefs can provide comfort and consolation. The present study examines whether typical surveys of paranormal belief may be particularly sensitive to the affect component of attitudes. Four surveys were created. One was a standard belief survey, a second asked participants to respond two times: once focusing on affect, and again on cognition. The third focused on affect, while the fourth focused on cognition. Findings across surveys were compared to determine the extent to which affect and cognition can be separated.

• Psychics Versus UFOs: The New Gender War?

  Rachel Hauser: Nine out of ten American adults admit to having at least some belief in paranormal phenomena. While there is no significant sex difference in amount of belief, females tend to believe in phenomena such as psychic ability, more than males. Males are more willing to believe in UFOs than are females. One explanation for this sex difference is that men are agentic-instrumental; taking an active approach to thinking and learning, while women are communal-expressive, putting emphasis on emotions. Phase I of this study assessed undergraduates to determine whether the population of students exhibited the sex difference in belief. The goal of Phase II was to attempt to increase belief in psychics among males by providing concrete anchors for them to associate with a ("pseudo") psychic reading.

• The Super Bowl Sampler and the Other-Race Effect

  Kellie Radovich: Our capability to distinguish among faces is superior when the race of the stimulus face matches our own. However, the more a person is exposed to a racial group the better they will be able to distinguish among faces of that group. Television has the potential to provide a wide exposure to all racial groups equally. To the extent that television represents races unequally, it seems reasonable that the other race effect might be affected. The present study analyzed commercials presented during the Super Bowl to determine the relative representation of race and gender. In addition, college students were asked to generate as many names of famous people (differing in gender and race) as possible within two minutes for each race-gender combination. The results of these analyses were compared.

• Possible Factors Influencing Hiring Decisions for Physically Disabled Applicants

  Ashlea Wiegand: The present study examined whether awareness of an individual's disability would influence respondents' ratings of job applicants with disabilities (compared with equally qualified applicants without disabilities). It was predicted that respondents would rate individuals with a disability higher when specific information is provided regarding the individual's disability than when little or no additional information is provided. Participants were instructed to read the job applications provided and then rank order them according to their perceived fit for the job description. Implications for real world hiring decisions are discussed along with recommendations that may reduce the potential for prejudice in hiring.