McKendree Psychology Students Present at ILLOWA Conference
(LEBANON, Ill., April 23, 2018) — McKendree psychology students made four presentations at the 45th Annual Illinois-Iowa (ILLOWA) Undergraduate Psychology Empirical Research Conference
on April 21 at Eureka College in Eureka, Ill. ILLOWA is a regional undergraduate psychology
research conference where students present research papers to students and faculty
in a professional, scholarly setting.
Cory Berberich, a graduating senior majoring in psychology, presented the results
of his senior thesis, “A Comparison of Aggression Levels Among Athletes in Contact
and Non-contact Sports.” His study examined self-reported “aggression levels among
both male and female contact and non-contact sport athletes” to determine if aggression
differs by sport and gender.
Raina Isaacs, a junior psychology major, and Rebecca Chicosky, a sophomore biopsychology
major, presented their collaborative work entitled “Music and Task Switching: Does
Playing an Instrument Enhance Attentional Task Switch?” The purpose of their study
was to “examine whether instrumental music experience enhances attentional control
and task switching abilities compared to non-musicians.”
Jordan Morton, a junior majoring in psychology, presented results of a collaborative
research project entitled “Mental Illnesses as Relationship Dealbreakers.” Her study
examined whether or not people view mental illness as a characteristic that must be
avoided when selecting romantic partners.
Noelle Zickefoose, a graduating senior majoring in psychology and sociology, presented
the results of her senior honors thesis, “On the Streets and Between the Sheets: A
Correlational Analysis of Gender Attitudes.” Her work examined “the correlation between
gender attitudes, interpersonal values, and sexual consent behavior.”
McKendree psychology faculty members Guy Boysen, J.L. Simmons and Gerald McDonnell
sponsored and mentored the students’ research, and Drs. Boysen and McDonnell attended
the conference with the students. Travel to the conference was funded by the McKendree
Student Government Association and Psi Chi, the psychology honor society.
The students will present their research at McKendree University during the Academic Excellence Celebration on April 26.
Dr. Gerald McDonnell, Noelle Zickefoose, Cory Berberich, Jordan Morton, Raina Isaacs, Rebecca Chicosky and Dr. Guy Boysen at the ILLOWA Undergraduate Psychology Empirical Research Conference on April 21 at Eureka College.
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