Psychology Undergraduate Research
Our mission is to promote research in psychology among undergraduate students through faculty mentoring, which prepares psychology students to become scholars, scientists, and leaders of tomorrow. Through undergraduate research, students acquire knowledge and understanding of the scientific method, including issues and methodologies specific to psychology.
Definition of Research: An attempt by careful enquiry, experimentation, study, observation, analysis and recording to:
- discover new facts, knowledge and information,
- develop new interpretations of facts, knowledge or information, or
- discover new means of applying existing knowledge.
Definition of Scholarship: For its definition of scholarship, the Department of Psychology uses Boyer’s (1990) model that describes scholarship as discovery, integration, service, application, and teaching. Scholarship involves a lifelong commitment to thinking, questioning, and pursuing answers.
Scholarship of Discovery: The scholarship of discovery takes the form of primary empirical research, historical research, theory development and testing, methodological studies, and philosophical inquiry and analysis.
Scholarship of Practice (Application): The scholarship of practice answers a question to improve the application of psychological principles in order to benefit individuals and groups. It encompasses all aspects of psychology where evidence of direct impact is presented including questioning of certain methods and looking for possible improvements.
Scholarship of Integration: The scholarship of integration associates research with reality and clarifies the meaning of results. The scholarship of integration emphasizes the interconnection of ideas, and brings new insight to bear on original concepts and research. Critical analysis and interpretation are two common methodologies, but interdisciplinary work may take place through any medium for scholarship such as those described as discovery, teaching, or practice (Boyer, 1990).
Boyer, E. (1990). Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities for the professoriate. Princeton, NJ: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
As a general rule, all psychology faculty are open to ideas beyond those listed below. These are provided as a guide only.
- Steve Barney, Ph.D.
Expertise: Clinical, Assessment
Research Interests: clinical assessment, pedagogical assessment, program assessment, PTSD, performance enhancement and wellness - Grant Corser, Ph.D.
Expertise: Emotion, Mood, Personality
Research Interests: cognitive consequences of mood and emotion, personality factors affecting the experience of emotion - Michelle Grimes, Ph.D.
Expertise: Clinical child psychology
Research Interests: disruptive behavior, sibling conflict, pediatric sleep disorders - Danny Hatch, Ph.D.
Expertise: Counseling, Clinical and Positive Psychology
Research Interests: Positive Psychology, Marital Satisfaction, Sexual Addiction - Bryan Koenig, Ph.D.
Expertise: Social and Evolutionary Psychology
Research Interests: moral psychology, romantic and sexual interests, emotions, evolutionary psychology, statistics, research practices - Kevan LaFrance, Ph.D.
Expertise: Counseling Psychology
Research Interests: Mindfulness; Therapy outcomes; Career development- Social and cognitive factors - Britton Mace, Ph.D.
Expertise: Environmental and Social psychology
Research Interests: Applied Environmental in Parks and Natural Areas – Soundscapes; Visibility; Transportation issues / design; Applied Social – Social Power; Bullying - David W. Shwalb, Ph.D.
Expertise: Developmental & Cross-Cultural Psychology
Research Interests: Family and school influences on child and adolescent development; grandparenting; parenting, fathering; development of respect, disrespect, cooperation, and competition across cultures - Garrett Strosser, Ph.D.
Expertise: Social and Cultural Psychology
Research Interests: Attitudes towards stigmatized groups, morality, political ideology, biculturalism, social norms, pedagogy, and cognition - Lynn White, Ph.D.
Expertise: Health psychology, Physiological psychology - human & animal
Research Interests: food cue sensitivity, pain, and stress-related issues
SUU's undergraduate research and scholarship program (UGRASP) provides grants to students, instructors, and mentors to support undergraduate research and scholarship activities. UGRASP also provides information, services, and links to on and off-campus resources which are applicable to all disciplines.
Professional Associations:
- American Psychological Association
- Association for Psychological Science
- Rocky Mountain Psychological Association
Funding Opportunities for Psychology Undergraduates:
Publication Opportunities for Psychology Undergraduates
Other Links
The psychology undergraduate research liaison encourages and supports undergraduate research and scholarship within the department.
Please contact Dr. Lynn White for questions or suggestions about undergraduate research and scholarship in the department of psychology.
Email: white_l@suu.edu
Office: GC 308G
Phone: 586-7913