The Thalamus Dec. 2006 Vol. 11(2)

7/27/2019 The Thalamus Dec. 2006 Vol. 11(2)

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Over the courseof one semester, students

enrolled in PC271, Re-

search Methods, come upwith an original hypothe-

sis, design a study to test

their hypothesis, run par-ticipants, analyze the

data, write up the study in

the style of the AmericanPsychological Associa-

tion, and present their

study in the form of a

poster presentation. Stu-dents work alone or with

partners on the project.

Over the next few pages,

the Fall 2006 projects aredescribed by the authors.

The Effect of a Male versus Female Model on a Females Eating Behavior

Lynn Andersh and Kristin ApostolThe purpose of this study was to examine whether the gender of a model

and the amount consumed by the model play a role in female eating behavior.

Fifty female participants were assigned to one of five conditions: a control condi-tion with no model, female model who ate very little, female model who ate a lot,

male model who ate very little, or male model who ate a lot. The participants

were told that they were taking a taste test sampling four types of pretzels, and

were not aware that the male or female to their side was actually a confederate.The amount of pretzels consumed by the participants was of interest.

Fall 2006 projects continue on pages 2 to 6.

Psychology StudentsActive ResearchersDid you know?

24 research projects

were conducted by

Psychology faculty and

students this semester.

48 researchers col-lected data.

Over 500 participants

were run in the studies.

The Thalamus takes a

sabbaticalsee page 11

Inside this

issue:

More Research Projects 2-6

APA Style Tips 7

Practicum Sites 8

Internship Sites 10

Alternative Masters Programs 12

Licensure/Masters Degree 13

Class Travels to Boston 14

Study Abroad/Oxford 16

Words/Tirrell Column 18

Volume 11, Issue 2December, 2006

THE THALAMUSThe Newsletter of the Psychology Department of Stonehill College

Kristen Apostol (left) and Lynn Andersh weigh pretzels before andafter each session. Do others influence how much you eat?


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Locus of Control and Maladaptive Academic Habits

among College StudentsDanielle Korta and Marie LaFlamme

The purpose of this study was to examine howlocus of control affects ones propensity to engage in

unconstructive academic behaviors such as procrastina-tion and dishonesty. Thirty-two undergraduate Psychol-ogy majors completed three questionnaires to determine

their rank in the factors above. We predicted that thosestudents with an internal locus of control would be lesslikely to put off academic tasks and less likely to en-gage in dishonest behavior as measured by the selected

scales.

The Effects of Anxiety on Memory Recall

Emily Merola and Kevin Linehan

The purpose of this study was to examine howanxiety affects performance on a memory recall task.

After completing the Test Anxiety Inventory, partici-pants were given a story to read and a series of questionsto answer in order to measure memory recall accuracy.Members of the experimental group were given addi-tional information to raise their anxiety levels (they were

given a time limit and consequences for not doing well)and the control group was given no additional informa-tion. After completing the memory recall task, partici-

pants in both groups were asked to complete the Test

Anxiety Inventory again.

Page 2 Volume 11, Issue 2

Research Methods Projects Continued

The Effects of Test Anxiety and Time Constraint

on Academic Performance

Melissa Morin and Sabrina Taylor

The purpose of our study was to determinehow test-anxiety and time constraint affect a students

academic performance. Twenty participants took partin one of four groups: the high-anxious, time con-straint group; the high-anxious, no time constraintgroup; the low-anxious, time constraint group; or thelow-anxious, no time constraint group. Participants

completed the Test Anxiety Inventory and a 25-question standardized exam of our creation. We hy-

pothesized that the low and high-anxious students inthe timed condition would score higher overall than

the low and high-anxious students in the untimed con-dition. We also hypothesized that high-anxious stu-dents in both the timed and untimed conditions wouldscore lower than low-anxious students in both condi-

tions.

The Effects of Parental Attachment on Emotional

and Academic Transition to College

Melissa Allen and Erica Tasha

The purpose of this study was to examine theeffects of parental attachment on emotional and aca-

demic transition to college. Thirty participants com-pleted a series of seven questionnaires; two involvingparental attachment, four involving emotional transition,and one concerning current academic achievement.Emotional transition was measured by scales related to

self-esteem, social anxiety, and social involvement. Itwas predicted that a strong parental attachment would

correlate with superior academic performance and suc-

cessful emotional transition in college.

Stopping the Math Gender Stereotype Threat in Women:

Using Positive Peer Influence

Courtney Maxwell

The purpose of this study was to see if the influenceof seeing a mathematically capable peer could deter the math

stereotype threat in women. Two groups of females were in-troduced to the stereotype threat by thinking about perform-

ing well in math and being female. In one group I presented afemale capable in math, and in the other group no mention ofthis was made. The females then completed algebra and arith-

metic tests. My hypothesis was that the group with the mathe-matical peer influence will perform significantly better on the

math tests than the group not introduced to the peer influence .


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The Thalamus Page 3

The Effect of College Major on Performing a

Major Related or Major Unrelated Stroop Color

Naming TaskAmy Simmons, Renee Rogers, David McClure

The purpose of this study was to examine

how a student's major (either business or science)would affect their performance on different lists of a

Stroop Color Naming Task. Twenty participantsparticipated in the study and read three Stroop ColorNaming lists. It was expected that a participantwould have a longer reaction time to the words spe-cific to their major due to the fact that they would be

more distracted by words with which they are more

familiar.


The Effect of Setting on Ones Self-Concept

Jennifer Collins and Lisa Wiznitzer

The purpose of this study was to determinewhether the physical setting influences athletic, aca-demic, or social self-concepts. Thirty participants took

part in the study, either in the Sally Blair Ames SportsComplex, MacPhaidin Library, or the Roche DiningCommons. Participants completed a questionnaire inwhich they were asked to rate how well particular adjec-

tives (social, academic, athletic) pertained to them.

The Effects of Divorce on the Adult Childs Percep-

tion of Success in Future Intimate Relationships

Amanda Breaden and Cait Francis

The purpose of this study was to investigate thelong-term effects of divorce on the children of divorced

parents. We were specifically interested in how divorceaffects perceptions of intimate relationships. Adult chil-

dren from a divorced family and adult children of intactfamilies were asked to fill out two questionnaires. Thefirst questionnaire was a scale that rated their individualrelationship beliefs. The second provided a series of sce-narios for which they were asked to rate the success for

each relationship.The Stroop Test is named after its creator Ridley Stroop!

The Effect of Sexual versus Emotional Infidelity and Gender on Jealousy

Amanda Neas

The purpose of this study was to examine how sexual vs. emotional infidelity would affect ones jealousy

level. Twenty participants were asked to read a scenario in which their partner was either sexually or emotionallyunfaithful to them. They then filled out a rating scale of emotions, one of which was jealousy. I hypothesized that

males would have higher jealousy rates due to sexual infidelity, while females would have higher jealousy rates due

to emotional infidelity.

The Effects of Gender and Self-Esteem on a Participants Views on Attractiveness

Jarrod Pasciucco and Robbie Prime

The purpose of this study was to examine how self-esteem affects views on attractiveness. The10 male and10 female participants were divided into high and low self esteem groups based on their score on the RosenbergSelf Esteem Scale. Participants were then asked to rate the attractiveness of several pre-selected photographs. We

hypothesized that greater disparity exists between the high and low self-esteem females than between the twogroups of males. We also hypothesized that those with high self-esteem will give lower scores to the pictures than

those with low self-esteem.


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The Effects of Film Mediated Violence on Aggres-

sive Trait Personalities

Lisa Harris and Sara McHugh

The purpose of this study was to examine howviewing violent films can affect the level of aggression

in low-trait aggressive individuals versus high-trait ag-gressive individuals. After completing the Buss & PerryAggression Questionnaire, the 20 participants were di-vided into groups based on the level of trait aggression.A film clip, either violent or non-violent, was shown.

The participants overt aggression was measured as

they performed an impossible task.



The Effects of Violent Lyrics on Aggressive Thoughts and FeelingsKellie McBratney and Andrea McNeice

The purpose of our study was to examine if violent song lyrics increase aggres-

sive thoughts and feelings. Twenty female participants were divided into two groups andasked to complete a simple puzzle while listening to a song. Violent lyrics were played in

the song that the first group heard and the second group was exposed to non-violent lyr-ics. After they completed the task and the song ended, all participants were asked to com-

plete the State Hostility Scale to measure their aggression levels. We predicted that the

group that listened to the song with the violent lyrics will have more aggression.

Competitiveness of Ath-

letes Compared to Non-

AthletesMegan Hart and Jamie

Ludwig

The purpose ofthis study was to compare

the levels of competitive-ness of both male andfemale athletes and non-athletes by measuring winorientation, goal orienta-

tion, and competitive ori-entation. Twenty partici-

pants were split into fourgroups. The two groupsof athletes participated

against each other, whilethe two groups of non-

athletes participatedagainst each other. Eachgroup was asked to com-

plete a series of threetasks while their cheering,

body language and inten-sity level was measured.

After the participants fin-ished the set of tasks, theywere asked to completethe Sport Orientation

Questionnaire (Gill,

1988).

The Influence of Aggressive Music on an Aggression Word Completion Task

Allison Rallo, Kayla McAlister, and Kristen Ryan

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of non-lyrical music on ag-

gression. Thirty-six general psychology students either listened to aggressive music,happy music or no music. After nine minutes, participants filled out a word completion

test. We hypothesized that participants who listened to the more aggressive music wouldcomplete the test using more aggressive words than those who listened to happy music or

no music at all.

The Effects of Emotionally Charged Words on Prospective Memory

Ellen Fogarty and Anna Polucha

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of emotionally

charged words on prospective memory. Prospective memory is the ability to

remember to do something in the future, such as remember to bring your text-book to the next class. The 40 participants were asked to perform a prospectivememory task. Half was given cue words that had an emotional valence to re-member, while the other half was given neutral words. We hypothesized that

emotionally charged words would act as better triggers for prospective memory

than neutral words.


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The Thalamus Page 5


The Effects of Gender and Living Environment on

Freshmen College Adjustment

Courtney Rene and Katlyn Whiting

The purpose of this study was to determinewhether there was a difference in adjustment level forstudents who lived in three different types of living en-vironments (dorms). The dorms were compared regard-ing single sex or both sex dorms, as well as all freshman

vs. freshman-sophomore dorms. One hundred andtwenty five participants were surveyed: 50 from the

freshman/sophomore co-ed dorms, 50 from the all fresh-man co-ed dorm, and 25 from the freshman/sophomore

just female dorm. We predicted that participants in the

just freshman co-ed dorms would show more adjustment

than those in the other dorms.

The Effects of Physical Appearance on Job Hiring in

Masculine, Feminine and Neutral Rated Job Types

Allison Cloran and Bethany Larsen

We measured prejudice in job-hiring practicesbased on the attractiveness of a photograph attached to ajob applicants cover letter. The 17 participants wereasked to predict the job applicants rate of success for a

variety of gender-specific professions, two femalestereotyped, two masculine stereotyped and two gender-neutral. Participants were randomly assigned to three

different groups: attractive picture, unattractive picture,or no picture provided. We hypothesized that those

cover letters with an attractive picture attached wouldscore higher on predicted success rate for feminine

stereotyped jobs and those with unattractive pictureswould score higher for neutral and masculine stereo-typed jobs, while the participants in the evaluations of

the no picture group would not differ significantly inhow they predicted the candidates success for the three

different gender-specific professions.

In April, UMass-Dartmouth will host its annual Undergraduate Research Conference.Please consider submitting your project to be presented at this conference.

Submission information will be available next semester.

The Effects of Thin-Ideal on Self-Esteem in Young Women

Meghan Makela, Kristen Mancini, and Jamie Veligor

The purpose of this study was to determine if the medias portrayal of the thin -ideal affects self-esteem incollege aged women and to see if their level of self-esteem changed based on their self-discrepancy, that is the dif-ference between what someone thinks they look like as compared to what they want to look like. We measured self-

discrepancy of the 32 participants through a brief survey. Self-esteem was measured before and after they viewed a

group of ten advertisements.

Lavender Fragrance Effects on Test ScoresSamantha Erlandson and Kate Manberg

The purpose of this study was to examine the placebo effect or whether authoritative testimony about a prod-uct would produce the expected results. Thirty-three participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups; lav-ender fragrance as a math test enhancer, lavender as a math test inhibitor, or lavender as having no effect on math abil-

ity. Each group was prepped with a claim that the fragrance in the room had the power to affect their math ability. Wepredicted that the inhibitor and enhancer groups would be significantly different in mean test scores because of the pla-

cebo effect rather than the actual ability of the fragrance to produce the stated outcome.


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The Effects of Musical Experience on Learning a Second Language

Gillian Fruh and Maria White

The purpose of this study was to examine the affect of musical background on second language learning. Twenty stu-

dents who had been involved in instrument lessons, musical theatre or vocal groups for at least four consecutive yearswere randomly assigned to learn either German or American Sign Language. Participants were presented with the unfa-

miliar language in an instructional video. The hypothesis was that the participants in the German group would performbetter on vocabulary tests than the participants in the American Sign Language group based on the theory that musicaltraining allows one to pick up subtle sound differences when learning a new language. These sound cues would not be

present when learning American Sign Language.

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Directed Study Students In The Lab

Volume 11, Issue 2

Heather Zeller (left)

and Sarah Gunnery are

assisting Prof. Craton

on a research project.


Psychology and Neuroscience Numbers IncreaseMajor or Minor Number of students as of

Sept. 11, 2006Number of Students as ofDec. 4, 2006

Psychology Major 281 308Psychology Minor 50 54

Neuroscience Major 14 19


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The Thalamus

The last week of classes is here and final paper deadlines are approaching. Here are some tipsfor writing those APA style papers.

Do not say anyone proved a theory/hypothesis/concept; use the term supported. A hypothesis or theory is

supported, not proven to be true.

Margins should be uniforma minimum of 1 inch.

If you read about someones ideas or research in a secondary source, you should cite the secondary source.

Smith (1994, cited in Cole & Cole, 1996) described four types of play: locomotor, object, social,

and fantasy play.

The reader of your paper will then know you are getting the information about Smiths work from the Cole

and Cole source. You should include Cole and Cole in your reference list, but not Smith, 1994.Use the & symbol when citing a source with multiple authors if in parentheses, but if the authors are listed

as part of the narrative, use and.

No gender differences were found on the conformity task (Smith, Donovan, & Burns, 1996).

vs.

Smith, Donovan, and Burns (1996) found no gender differences on the conformity task.

Reference List information:

The articles you retrieve online using PsychArticles through the Stonehill Library are Internet articlesbased on a print source. When you include the citation in the reference list you should include [Electronic ver-

sion] in the reference:

Berthier, N. E., DeBlois, S., Poirier, C. R., Novak, M. A., Clifton, R. K. (2000). Wheres the ball? Two-and

three-year-olds reason about unseen events [Electronic version].Developmental Psychology, 36, 394-401.

However, if you go directly to the hard copy as printed in the journal, you do not include [Electronic version] inyour reference list. The reason this is done is that there is concern that in the process of placing material online

some of the content may be lost or in the future, additional information may be available in the online version.

For the latest on how to document electronic resources go to: http://www.apastyle.org/elecsource.html

Referencing the valuable information you find in this newsletter:Newsletter article:

Tirrell, M. (2006, December). Words: Use them wisely. The Thalamus, 11, 18-19.

Page 7

APA Style Tips compiled by Isabelle DeBarros
http://www.apastyle.org/elecsource.htmlhttp://www.apastyle.org/elecsource.htmlhttp://www.apastyle.org/elecsource.html


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Counseling Practicum Students Describe Their Off-CampusPlacements

Prof. Rose Perkins teaches the Counseling Practicum each semester. Her students were asked to briefly describe

their off campus experience and these descriptions are presented below. In addition to the work at their off campus site,each week students meet in class to role play/practice/observe counseling skills they can then apply at their site. The

Counseling Practicum is normally taken during the students senior year and is meant for those students who are specifi-cally interested in pursuing a job in counseling upon graduation or attending graduate school in clinical or counseling

psychology.

Amanda Breaden

Southeast Alternative High School

I have been interning at theSoutheast Alternative High School inMiddleboro, MA as part of the Coun-seling Practicum. I work in the class-room with the students on their as-

signments. I also work with the schoolclinician to teach an Anger Controlclass. The students have a variety of

behavioral and mental disorders. Theschools programs are based on be-

havioral theory.

Christine Chase

Brockton VA Medical Center

I am interning in the nursinghome at the Brockton VA Medical Cen-ter for my on-site practicum experience.I meet with three clients who are resi-dents in the nursing home and speak

with each of them one on one. AlthoughI am not in the position to actuallycounsel the veteran residents, I am ableto practice and strengthen counselingskills, which have been examined in the

counseling practicum course. It hasbeen a great learning experience thus far

and I continue to grow more comfort-

able meeting with clients.Lauren Cincotta

Raymond Elementary School

I interned at RaymondElementary School in Brocktonworking with one of the School

Adjustment Counselors two timesa week. I helped counsel studentson an individual level and insmall groups. I dealt with a widerange of psychological issues cen-

tered on attachment, adjustment,etc. I would highly recommendthis site for anyone interested inschool counseling at the elemen-

tary school level.

Meagan Cooper

Hansen Elementary School

I interned at the Hansen Ele-mentary School in Stoughton. I wasable to work closely with the guidance

counselor and held both group and in-dividual sessions with students. I also

participated in activities like new stu-dent lunches and the second step pro-

gram. I would recommend this site toanyone interested in counseling chil-

dren.

Patricia Elisnord

Brockton Early Childhood Interven-

tion Center

I intern at the Early ChildhoodIntervention Center in Brockton, MA.

The center is designed to meet the needsof toddlers dealing with issues regarding

attachment, behavioral problems, poornutrition, and motor skills. I work side

by side with a psychologist and a devel-

opmental specialist in a group setting

which enables me to work one on onewith toddlers.


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The Thalamus Page 9

Counseling Practicum Students Describe Their Off-CampusPlacements

Danielle Korta

Butler Hospital, Childrens Intensive Treat-

ment Unit

I did my on-site work in the ChildrensIntensive Treatment Unit (CITU) at Butler Hospi-tal in Providence, RI. The CITU is an inpatientunit for children with acute behavioral, cognitive,

and developmental delays. I worked either one onone or in groups with the patients to establish safeand adaptive behavioral patterns as well as assist-

ing in providing prolonged mental health treat-ment plans.

John Lee

Southeast Alternative High

School

My practicum site was theSoutheast Alternative High School

(SAHS) in Middleboro, MA.SAHS is a branch of the Southeast

Alternative Schools Program thatprovides educational opportunitiesto children and teenagers with

mental and emotional difficulties. Iprimarily worked with the sopho-

more students as a classroom assis-tant and was later given an oppor-

tunity to assist with counseling andprocessing sessions with students.This is a hands-on and active men-

tal healthcare internship site inwhich youre given a significant

amount of freedom and flexibilityto make the internship what you

want it to be.

Amanda Murphy

Pierce Middle School

I am interning at Pierce Middle School in Milton. I work with the Ad-justment Counselor as well as with the School Psychologist and GuidanceCounselors. I counsel 6th, 7 th, and 8th graders under the supervision of the Ad-

justment Counselor. I run a few lunch groups for students who need help in so-cial situations. I have also been able to observe intelligence testing administered

by the psychologist.

Cheri Sharland

Belmont Street Elementary School

I interned at the Belmont Street Ele-mentary School in Brockton with a School Ad-

justment Counselor. I worked with two groups

of students. The first was a 3rd grade girlsgroup and the second a 4th grade boys group.We worked on issues such as bullying and thedevelopment of social skills. In the groups, weoften played games or used stories to facilitate

counseling. I would highly recommend this siteto anyone who is interested in working with

elementary school children.

Charles Soldevilla

Angelo Elementary School

I did my practicumat the Angelo School inBrockton working with chil-

dren in 2nd - 5th grades. Iheld one-on-one sessionswith children in need of im-

provement in academic andsocial skills. Once a week, I

helped the School Adjust-ment Counselor in group

sessions.

Jacquelyn Tenaglia

ODonnell Middle School

My internship is with anAdjustment Counselor at theODonnell Middle School in

Stoughton. I work with a blindeighth grader on social skillstraining and I occasionally coun-sel a sixth grade boy with As-

persers Syndrome. I highly rec-

ommend this site, as this hasbeen a fantastic experience thus

far.


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Psychology Students Describe Their Local InternshipsThese are some of the students enrolled in PC475/PC476 this semester, supervised by Prof. Frank Walsh. Stu-

dents spend at least eight hours per week working off campus at their internship site. In addition to their on-site work,

students keep a journal and read research related to the psychological issues present in their work.

Christine Chase

New England Center for Children

I interned at The New England Centerfor Children, a school for autistic chil-dren. At the core of each of the pro-grams implemented for each student

is Applied Behavioral Analysis. Typi-cally I work one on one with the stu-dents and it has been quite a learningexperience. I would recommend this

internship to psychology or educationmajors interested in working in the

special needs field.

Meaghan Cooper

Cardinal Cushing Center

I interned in the residential department atthe Cardinal Cushing Center in Hanover.Cardinal Cushing is an educational/vocational program for mentally disabled

children, aging from eight to twenty-twoyears of age. I worked in the residential

portion of the program where I assistedthe students with daily living skills after

they returned from school. I would gowith them to participate in after school

activities such as sports or arts and crafts,as well as help them complete chores

such as cleaning and cooking.Kimberly Decelle

Angelo Elementary School

I interned as an Adjustment Counselor

at the Angelo Elementary School inBrockton. I was assigned several stu-

dents with whom I worked each weekto enhance their academic, social, or

speech performance. I would highlyrecommend this site to anyone who isseeking an opportunity to work withautistic children, since many of myinteractions were with autistic students.

I truly enjoyed my experience working

with the faculty and students.

Patricia Elisnord

Boston All Stars

I am an intern at Boston AllStars, a youth development pro-gram that promotes self aware-

ness through stage play. BASbelieves that engaging in playful

activity helps develop socialskills and promote psychologicalhealth. I work under the supervi-

sion of Dr. Raquell Holmes, cre-ating a positive atmosphere

where inner-city youth can comeshow off their talents in a show-

case event.

Meghan Frisbie

Self Help HeadstartI'm doing an internship at Headstart inBrockton, working with three to five year

olds. I assist the teachers in the classroomand run enrichment groups to teach thechildren basic social skills that include

listening, cooperation, etc. It is highly re-warding to work closely with these chil-dren and get to know them and also assist

them with various behavioral problems.

Career Services will help you locate an internship site.

Visit their office in the Kruse Center or check online at:

http://www.stonehill.edu/career_services


11/20

The Thalamus Page 11

MORE Local Internships!Emily Geis

Department of Veteran's Affairs: Nursing Home Unit

My internship is at the VA nursing home in Brockton. I spend eight hoursa week talking to six different veterans for an hour each. I also have onehour a week to talk to a supervisor about questions and observations. I

would highly recommend an internship in the VA system.

Marisa Vasconcelos

West Elementary School

I interned at the West ElementarySchool in Stoughton, MA. I worked un-der the supervision of the school guid-

ance counselor. I worked with numer-ous groups of children in kindergarten

to fifth grade on various issues. Some ofthe issues I addressed were social skills,

behavioral issues, self-esteem, emo-

tional needs, and separation and di-vorce. I also completed several whole

class lessons on bullying and emotions.This is a wonderful internship if you

enjoy working with children.

Liz Heim

Brockton Hospital

My internship this semester was at Brockton Hospital with a child life spe-

cialist. I worked with children of all ages before and after surgeries. Ihelped them understand what was about to happen by relating it through

play techniques. I also worked with the child patients in both the inpatientand out patient areas of the hospital. It was a great experience to work with

kids in this setting.

The Thalamus(and Prof.Klentz will be on sabbati-

cal during the Spring se-mester. The March andMay editions will not bepublished this academicyear. Decisions about the

future of The Thalamuswill be made at the verybeginning of the Fall 2007

semester????Have a great break!


12/20

Masters in Social Work Pro-

grams

Involves helping individuals

and families struggling with family

issues, poverty, unemployment,disability, substance abuse, vio-

lence, illness, etc.

A psychology major provides goodpreparation for this field, especiallyif complemented by additionalcourses in areas such as socialwork, sociology, political science,

and urban studies

Masters in Occupational Ther-

apy Programs

Assist clients in regaining or

mastering the activities of daily liv-

ing and other perceptual-motortasks to develop as much independ-

ence at home, school, or work as

possible

Clients may include those withphysical or behavioral problems

due to injury, illness, or mental

health issues

Occupational therapists work in

a wide variety of settings, ranging

from hospitals to schools to social

service agencies.

Masters Programs in Student

Affairs

Student affairs professionals are

found all over college campuses

in admissions, financial aid, studentresources, academic advising, ca-

reer and placement centers, student

unions or activity offices, etc.

This may be a good field foryou if you have enjoyed your time

in an academic environment andwould like to assist other students

in having a successful and positive

college experience


Alternative Masters Degree Programs for Psychology MajorsBy Lauren Hussar

An undergraduate degree in psychology can lead to a career in a number of fields that one may not typically

associate with psychology. Contrary to popular thought, counseling programs are not the only areas in which a psy-chology degree can be utilized. One advantage of heading in an alternative direction is that, in most cases, the mas-

ters degree is the most advanced degree required. Listed below are a few alternatives if you are interested in a ca-

reer that involves helping others.

Masters in Physical Therapy Pro-

grams

Work primarily in healthcare set-

tings to maximize muscle strength andcomfortable movement in those

whose motor functioning is unsatis-

factory

Use a wide variety of therapeutic

exercises as well as physical treatment

approaches such as ultrasound, hydro-

therapies, and electrical stimulation

This information wastaken from Walsh, L. L.

(2006). Alternative masters

degree programs for psychol-

ogy majors.Eye on Psi Chi, 11

(1), 21-23.

Puzzle: Seating arrangement

Three girls, Jill, Gina and Melinda, were sitting in a room when

Jill said to Gina, 'I can sit somewhere you can't sit.' Gina and

Melinda wouldn't believe her. So Jill got up to show them that

she was right. Where did she sit? Find the answer on page 17.


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The Thalamus

As many Psychology stu-

dents are told, attaining a Mastersin Social Work can lead to licensureand to a career in the counseling

profession. However, gaining aMasters degree in Counseling Psy-

chology can also lead to licensure.Depending on the concentrationyou decide to pursue, you may re-ceive a license in Mental HealthCounseling, Marriage Family Ther-

apy, or Rehabilitation Counseling.According to the Board of

Registration of Allied MentalHealth Professions, which is theMassachusetts Licensing Board,

there is a list of requirementsneeded to obtain a license. For

Mental Health Counseling, a li-

censed candidate must meet the

degree requirements, the field ex-perience requirements, and receivea passing score on the National

Clinical Mental Health CounselingExam. The education requirements

are extensive. You must have aminimum of 60 semester credithours of graduate level academiccourses in counseling or a relatedfield. This Masters degree must

also be received from an accreditedinstitution. Additionally, a candi-date must participate in a practicumfor 100 hours and an internship for600 hours. These requirements for

the practicum and internship outlinethe necessary supervision and skillsthat should be practiced by the stu-dent while on site. There are also

required courses in Counseling

Theory, Human Development, Psy-chopathology, Multicultural Issues,Counseling Techniques, Group

Work, Special Treatment Issues,Psychology Assessment, Research,

and Ethics. These requirements areusually met through a Masters in acounseling program. Course work isdesigned by many institutions to

prepare the students for licensure.

For more information on the re-quirements for becoming a MentalHealth Counselor or the other li-censes that are listed above, go to

www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/mh/

cmr. Remember that the require-ments for licensure vary from state

to state.

Page 13

What is the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Examination (NCMHCE)?

Becoming Licensed with a Masters in CounselingBy Amanda Breaden

The examination consists of ten clinical mental health counseling cases. Each case is divided into approximately

five to eight sections classified as either information gathering or decision-making. The problems assess clinical prob-

lem-solving ability, including identifying, analyzing, diagnosing, and treating clinical issues. Issues included:

Evaluation & Assessment (including, but not limited to):

Identify precipitating problems or symptoms

Conduct mental status exam

Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment histories

Identify individual and relationship functioning

Diagnosis and Treatment Planning:

Integrate client assessment and observational data with clinical judgments to formulate a differential diagnosis

Develop a treatment plan in collaboration with the client

Coordinate treatment plan with other service providers

Monitor client progress toward goal attainment

Clinical Practice:

Determine if services meet client needs

Discuss ethical and legal issues

Understand scope of practice parameters

This information was taken from the web site

of the National Board for Certified Counselors:

http://www.nbcc.org/ncmhce
http://www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/mh/cmrhttp://www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/mh/cmrhttp://www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/mh/cmrhttp://www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/mh/cmrhttp://www.mass.gov/dpl/boards/mh/cmr


14/20

Most students would agreethat the best way to apply class-room learning is going on a fieldtrip! Professor Klentzs Group Dy-

namics class (PC 303) did just thaton the night of Tuesday, November

7th. Boarding a bus, we headed tothe Colonial Theatre in Boston tosee the opening night of the play

Twelve Angry Men. Boston is theplays fifth stop in a nine-month

tour around the country. There are

some famous faces acting in thisproduction of Twelve Angry

Men. The Foreman character wasplayed by George Wendt, best

known for his role as Norm on thepopular television show Cheers.Juror #8, the lone dissenter, was

played by Richard Thomas. Thomashas acted in numerous plays and

television shows, perhaps most fa-mously as John-Boy in The

Waltons.

The play Twelve AngryMen was adapted from a teleplay

by Reginald Rose that aired in1954. The play examines a jurysdeliberation for the trial of a boyaccused of killing his father in a fit

of rage. Initially, 11 of the 12 jurorsare convinced that the boy is guilty.They are shocked and frustratedwhen one juror does not agree withtheir seemingly obvious conclusion.

The lone dissenter explains that he

believes reasonable doubt exists inthe case. He convinces the other

jury members to discuss the facts ofthe case before jumping to a hasty

conclusion and sentencing the boyto death. The play follows theheated, often emotional argumentsthroughout the deliberation in realtime as flaws in the prosecutions

case arise.Even though the setting of

the play and the dress and speech of

the men reflected the 1950s, thethemes of the play are still veryrelevant to todays world. The right

to a fair trial and justice were someof the fundamental ideas of ourcriminal justice system portrayedthroughout the play. We value theseideals in present-day society as

much as we did in the 1950s. The

role prejudice plays in society alsoresounded throughout the delibera-tion. The jurors discussion re-flected the negative effects that

rampant prejudice has on people.These effects unfortunately stillring true for many in todays soci-

ety.

Attending the play TwelveAngry Men was extremely rele-vant to our coursework in GroupDynamics. Prior to seeing the play,the class read the original Twelve

Angry Men script and analyzed thegroup processes between the jury

members. It was interesting to actu-ally see the many concepts dis-

cussed in class portrayed on stage.

The class did have someminor criticisms of the play. Theentire play unfolds with no inter-

mission. All of the jurors on oneside of the table had their backsfacing the audience. There was oneadvantage to this setup. The set wasso realistic that it made the audi-

ence feel as if they were looking in

on a jury room during deliberation.After reading the script, many dif-ferences between the play and theoriginal script and movie were ap-

parent. The amount of each charac-ters participation varied greatlyand many seemingly unnecessaryadditions to the original script were

noticeable. Despite these minor is-sues, seeing the Twelve AngryMen production in Boston was a

different and fun way to apply what

the class learned in Group Dynam-ics all semester.


Group Dynamics Class Sees Play Twelve Angry MenBy Ashley Rogers

Group Dynamics students and Prof. Klentz at the Colonial Theatre


15/20

The Thalamus

Forget so-called energy

drinks. A new analysis by Univer-sity of Georgia (UGA) researchersfinds overwhelming evidence that

regular exercise plays a significantrole in increasing energy levels and

reducing fatigue.

A lot of times when peo-

ple are fatigued the last thing theywant to do is exercise. said profes-sor Patrick OConnor, co-director

of the UGA exercise psychologylaboratory. But if youre physi-

cally inactive and fatigued, being

just a bit more active will help.

OConnor, kinesiology pro-fessor Rod Dishman, and lead au-thor Tim Puetz, analyzed 70 ran-

domized, controlled trials that en-rolled a total of 6,807 subjects.

They found strong support for the

role of exercise in reducing fatigue.

Puetz notes that their analy-sis found that nearly every group

studiedfrom healthy adults tocancer patients to those withchronic conditions such as diabetesand heart diseasebenefited from

exercise. He acknowledges that it

may seem counterintuitive that ex-pending energy through exercisewould increase feelings of energy

and reduce fatigue, but he pointsout that previous studies haveshown marked increases in the lev-els of energy-promoting and mood-enhancing neurotransmitters such as

dopamine, norephinephrine andserotonin in the brains of animals

that are placed in regular exerciseconditions.

We live in a society wherepeople are always looking for thenext sports drink, energy bar or cupof coffee that will give them theextra edge to get through the day,

Puetz said. But it may be that lac-ing up your tennis shoes and getting

out and doing some physical activ-ity every morning can provide thespark of energy that people are

looking for.This information was taken

from the University of Georgia Press

Release at: http://www.uga.edu/news/

a r t m a n / p u b l i s h /

printer_061031_samtheman.shtml

Page 15

Exercise and Feel LESS Tired!Best ofluck on

yourFinal

Exams


16/20

I have always been a quiet

student who received good gradeson essays and exams but only rarelyworked up the courage to partici-

pate in class. I approached my studyabroad experience as a new oppor-

tunity to challenge myself and fur-ther build my confidence. I rea-soned that if I could study at Ox-ford, I could study anywhere. Whoknows, maybe I could even get into

graduate school!Navigating the educational

system here was challenging. Ox-ford and Cambridge are the onlytwo universities in the world that

operate on the tutorial system. In-stead of taking five separate

courses, I take two tutorials perterm. Oxford has three eight-week-

long terms, instead of two semes-ters. Primary tutorials meet eighttimes during the term and are worth

eight U.S. credits, while secondarytutorials meet four times and are

worth four U.S. credits.

My primary tutorial is titled

Child Psychopathology. Eachtutorial focuses on a different typeof childhood mental illness such aseating disorders or ADHD. My sec-ondary tutorial is entit led

Sociology and concentrates ongender. My secondary tutor and Idesigned it to complement my pri-

mary tutorial, so I have studied top-ics including gender socialization

and the effects of fashion and mediaon body image. The tutorial systemoffers a unique opportunity to studywith a huge degree of independ-ence; I am free to guide the topics

of my tutorials and delve more

deeply into those that intrigue me.

Tutorial sessions (or tutes

as students call them) last for onlyone hour, so during the term I onlyhave twelve hours of class time.

Heres the catch; during that onehour, I meet with my tutor alone to

present a 7-10 page paper that Ihave prepared on the weeks topic.My tutors are wonderful and ap-

proachable teachers, but they arerecognized experts in their fields; if

you are unprepared for a tutorial, itcan be the longest hour of your life!My tutors emphasize discussion,and as a result I tend to do the ma-

jority of talking in my tutorials and

receive constant feedback from mytutors. This has greatly improvedmy confidence in my speakingabilities. My hope is that when Ireturn to Stonehill in the spring, I

will not be as hesitant to participatein class and that when I attend

graduate school I will be skilled atindependent study and presenting

my work.

The amount of work in-

volved does require that I actuallystudy abroad. Luckily, the librarieshere are beautiful, and I am a nerd,

so I dont mind too much. Preparingfor tutorials is like a full-time job.

My daily routine goes somethinglike this; wake up at eight-thirtya.m., eat breakfast, work, eat lunch,work until about five or six p.m., goto the gym, eat dinner, and relax in

the evening. Weekends and eve-nings provide a welcome respitefrom work; Oxford students defi-nitely follow the work hard, playhard mentality. The city is wonder-

ful and the large student populationensures that there is excellent night-life and other activities. I have alsovisited Stratford, Bath, Canterbury,and Hever Castle and have taken

weekend trips to Ireland and Lon-don. After the term ends, Ill be

traveling to Paris, Athens, andRome with friends I met here.


Semester at Oxford By Emily LeDonne

Oxford University is one of the world's leading univer-sities and actually consists of 39 separate universitycolleges, located in and around Oxford city center.


17/20

The Thalamus

Attention Seniors!If you havent already done so, please complete

the survey at: www.stonehill.edu/senior_advisingThe information collected will be used to determine how

Stonehill might assist you in a job search, graduate school ap-plications, making plans for life after Stonehill, etc.

Page 17

Semester at Oxford (cont.)

Puzzle: Seating Arrangement Answer = Jill sat on Gina's lap, where Gina can not sit. This puzzle was taken from: http://www.beebo.com.my/puzzle4.html

A few final words of advice to psychology students considering applying to

study abroad at Oxford:

Use only the most recent articles and textbooks for your essays.

Strongly consider Oxford if you want to apply to graduate school.

Study abroad programs here are highly selective and you wouldnt be sent here if they didnt think you

were well-qualified, so dont feel intimidated by the Oxford name.

Sign up for a checking account with Bank of America and youll get free withdrawal from Barclays

Banks U.K. ATMs. Also, watch your balance, as the exchange rate is very tough right now.

Finally, always look right when crossing the street!


18/20

Earlier this semester, thecampus was excited to host PaulRusesagabina, the hotel managerwho is credited with saving over

1000 lives during the tribal geno-cide that occurred in Rwanda about

a decade ago. If you were one of themany who attended his presenta-tion, you might have noted that he

said that the most important weapon

in his arsenal was his words. Byusing them wisely, he was able to

prevent the killing of his family andfriends. Rusesagabina skillfully ma-

neuvered through life-threateningwaters by carefully choosing what

he said and how he said it!

At one point in his talk, he

mentioned that not only can ourwords be our greatest weapon, but

also they can be our worst enemy.The idea behind that statement led

me to do some serious thinking.While growing up, what messagesdid I receive about my "words"?

Were those messages justified, froma psychological point of view? Inother words, can research back upthose messages? Let me share acouple examples of the "real

world's" messages about "words"and see if I can confirm or refute

the messages.

Did you ever hear the say-ing, "Sticks and stones can break

my bones, but names and facesnever hurt me." I can remember

smugly saying that to a classmatewho was taunting me. Is the sayingtrue? Absolutely not! I dare say that

the psychological abuse that resultsfrom bullying and taunting can have

devastating effects, effects that takelonger to heal than a broken bone.Research (Dao et al., 2006; Keery,Boutelle, van den Berg & Thomp-

son, 2005) has shown that teasingand bullying can impact the re-

ceiver severely enough to createpsychological distress, includinglowered self-esteem, depression,

and, in young women, bulimic be-

havior.

Another example of the"real world's" message about words

is found in the refrain to an old BeeGees song from their pre-disco era:"It's only words and words are all I

have to take your heart away."Grammar aside, is that message on

target? My objection to this state-ment is with the word "only". Only

words? How many of you havebeen persuaded by words, have

made decisions to buy somethingbecause of the words of the sales-person or your friend, have started

or broken off relationships becauseof words that were spoken. Slama-Cazacu (1997) described just howeffective words can be when itcomes to manipulating behavior.

The Bee Gees seem to have under-estimated the power that is found in

words.

While the old adage and theBee Gees refrain fail to adequately

describe the potential effects of ourwords alone, two proverbs that you

might not be familiar with unlessyou have searched through Solo-mon's words of wisdom seem to

better capture the truth about words.

Reckless words pierce likea sword, but the tongue of the wise

brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18)

Or how about this one?

A word aptly spoken is like

apples of gold in settings of silver.(Proverbs 25:11)

These proverbs seem to depict whatpower our words have. Research

confirms this. Jones and Wirtz(2006) found that our emotionalstate can be changed for the better

when we receive comforting mes-sages. Wall, Klecker, Amendt &

Bryant's (1989) study of the use ofcompliments in therapy indicated

that the judicious use of compli-ments can empower clients and pro-mote change. These researchers

also found that poorly designedcompliments can be nonproductive

and even counter-therapeutic.

(Words / Page 19)


Words: Use Them WiselyBy Michael Tirrell, Psychology Department Chairperson


19/20

The Thalamus

It has been reported that

Jennifer Aniston will be producing,and perhaps starring in, a movie

based on the research of Harvard

psychologist Ellen Langer. (USAToday, Oct. 19, 2006). The script,currently titled Counter Clock-wise, tells the story of Langersresearch on reversing the aging

process. In her 1979 study, men 75years of age or older were invited to

a resort. At the resort, Instead ofmagazines from 1979, the readingtables held issues ofLife, and the

Saturday Evening Journal from1959. . . . music played was twentyyears old, and, . . . the men were

asked to behave entirely as if the

year were 1959 (Chopra, 1993, p.92). For the entire week of thestudy, the men were to act as if they

were living in the year 1959, in-cluding talking about their jobs,families and world events as if it

were 1959.

Compared to a controlgroup that went on the retreat butcontinued to live in the world of

1979, the make-believe group im-proved in memory and manual dex-

terity (Chopra, 1993, p. 93). Posi-tive changes occurred for the1959 group in hearing, vision,intelligence, posture, and flexibility.

No information was provided about

the long term effects of this inter-vention, but at least for the shortterm, living in the past, resulted in

health benefits.

Langer has worked exten-sively with the elderly examiningthe extent taking on responsibility

for personal decisions can posi-tively influence health among nurs-ing home residents. Even the sim-

ple tasks of caring for a plant orchoosing menus resulted in positive

health effects. Watch for this movie

in 2008!!!!!Reference: Chopra, D. (1993). Ageless body,

timeless mind: The quantum alternative to grow-

ing old. New York: Crown Publishing, Inc.

Page 19

Psychologists Research May Become Movie PlotBy Bethany Larsen and Allison Rallo

Page 18 / Words

Thus, it seems that words can be our worst enemy when used inappropriately; they can be our best friend when used

aptly.

Not long ago, a Stonehill grad came back to visit me. I remembered him well and one thing that I remembered

about him was that he tended to curse and use inappropriate language often (e.g. the "f" word was never far from hislips). When I asked him how he was doing, he complained (in his typical way!) that he had been passed over for a pro-

motion. I couldn't help but think that maybe his language in the office might have had something to do with the decision!

Were his words his worst enemy?

At the other end of the spectrum, we return to Paul Rusesagabina who found out that words were his best friend.For him and for those he was trying to save, his aptly spoken words were more precious than precious metal. He lived

what Solomon wrote - the tongue has the power of life and death. (Proverbs 18:21)

My ruminations have led me to a deeper appreciation for the value of my words! I think each of us would be

wise to guard our tongue, speaking only after thinking first. Who knows what doors our words will open or close.

Have a great semester break. I look forward to seeing you after the holidays.

References

Dao, T., Kerbs, J., Rollin, S., Potts, I., Gutierrez, R., Choi, K., et al. (2006). The association between bullying dynamics and psycho-logical distress.Journal of Adolescent Health, 39, 277-282.

Jones, S. & Wirtz, J. (2006). How does the comforting process work? An empirical test of an appraisal-based model of comforting.

Human Communication Research, 32, 217-243.

Keery, H., Boutelle, K., van den Berg, P., & Thompson, J. K. (2005). The impact of appearance-related teasing by family members.

Journal of Adolescent Health, 37, 120-127.

Slama-Cazacu, T. (1997). Manipulating by words.International Journal of Psycholinguistics, 13, 285-296.

Wall, M., Klecker, T., Amendt, J., & Bryant, R. D. (1989). Therapeutic compliments: Setting the stage for successful therapy. Jour-

nal of Marital and Family Therapy, 15, 159-167.


20/20

The Newsletter of the Psychology

Department of Stonehill College

Were on the web: http://

www.stonehill.edu/psych/

thalamus/Thalamus_home.htm

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS

EDITION OFTHE THALAMUSWERE:

Reporters: Amanda Breaden, Isabelle DeBarros, Lau-ren Hussar, Bethany Larsen, Emily Le-

Donne, Allison Rallo, Ashley Rogers

Featured Columnist: Prof. Mike Tirrell, Chair

Editing: Kathi Hannon, Bethany Larsen, Kate

Manberg, Keri Young

Typing: Caitlin WhiteLayout: Prof. Bonnie Klentz

Online Update: Jennifer LeFebvre

Distribution: Amanda Breaden, IsabelleDeBarros, Kim McPherran, CaitlinMcQueeney,

Faculty Advisor: Prof. Bonnie Klentz

A special thanks to the students enrolled in

Research Methods, Internship, and Counsel-

The Newsletter of the Psychology

Department of Stonehill College

Email: [email protected]

The Thalamus Dec. 2006 Vol. 11(2)

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