Research

Director - Lee Gillis, Ph.D.

My "lab" is more virtual than an actual space as it focuses on Adventure Therapy practice. Currently I am co-principal investigator on a grant to study the impact of adventure therapy on 18-24 year old males with substance use issues. The lab has been successful in presentations at regional psychology conferences (SEPA) as well as 3 publications in peer review journals. 

Director - Tsu-Ming Chiang, Ph.D.

This laboratory is designed to examine factors contributing to the development of young children's social and emotional competence. It combines basic and applied research methodology. Students learn the research process from designing the procedure, collecting data to analyzing and presenting data in local, regional and national conferences. Students applied their knowledge of experimental designs, questionnaires construction and observation techniques in a field base research project. Current research projects include:

1. Empathy training - document the effectiveness of emotional coaching in young children who display behavioral and/or emotional issues.
2. Parental influence on children's development of gender stereotype.
3. The relationship between parental disciplinary strategies and children's social emotional competence.
4. Understand the development of young children's gender stereotype through toy selection.
5. Foster literacy interests in young low-income children.

Director - Walter Isaac, Ph.D.

Dr. Walter Isaac supervises student research in the general area of comparative behavioral neuroscience. Current research focuses on a comparative psychology perspective studying a range of topics using House crickets (Acheta domesticus). Topics broadly range from perception to learning paradigms with pharmacological and environmental manipulations. Additionally, Dr. Isaac does behavioral research studying tardigrades (Hypsibius dujardini).

Director - Noland White, Ph.D.

The Georgia College Psychophysiology Lab is currently engaged in the investigation of psychophysiological correlates of cognitive task performance, primarily in adults with and without Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Some of the current methods of investigation include quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG), event related potentials (ERPs), and electrodermal activity (EDA). These methods are used while participants complete a variety of neuropsychological tasks.

Director - Kristina Dandy, Ph.D.

In our laboratory we primarily investigate choice behavior and decision making utilizing an animal model. Specifically, our laboratory focuses on the study of impulsive behavior, which is a subset of learning psychology that investigates the rules by which organisms adjust to reward and punishment. Specifically, we have been investigating the various factors that influence impulsive choice utilizing delay-discounting procedures.

Director - Diana Young, Ph.D.

Over the last several years, members of the Cognitive Research Lab have conducted research that taps into a variety of aspects of human cognition, including attention, working memory, long-term memory, reasoning, and decision making. Other specific research interests have included eye-tracking examinations of visual attention during long-term memory tasks, the effects of state and trait mindfulness on attentional control and decision making, strategic reasoning in two-player competitive games, overconfidence in risk taking during games of risk, and the relations between decision behavior, personality, and other individual difference variables. In this student-driven research lab, undergraduate researchers gain experience developing testable research questions, designing computerized tasks using experiment presentation software, collecting data, managing/analyzing large amounts of participant data, and presenting research at regional/national conferences.

Director - Whitney L. Heppner, PhD

In the Social Psychology and Wellness (SPaW) Lab, we explore how basic social psychological theories of human behavior and emotions inform outcomes related to health and wellness.  Specifically, a primary topic of interest includes mindfulness and meditation, and how fostering attention and awareness of our current experience may promote physical and mental health.  We examine how mindfulness and other aspects of psychological well-being may improve various aspects of self-regulation, including the regulation of attention, emotions, and health behaviors.

Director - Ashley Taylor, Ph.D.

In the Social Context and Youth Development Labs (SCYD), we explore how experiences within families, schools and neighborhoods are related to social, psychological, and education-related outcomes among adolescents and emerging adults.  In our work, we consider how race, gender and social class impact development, and we seek to identify factors that can serve as assets to positive development and protect youth against risks and challenges.

Students collaborating with Dr. Taylor will have the opportunity to explore late adolescence and early adulthood through projects that examine how race, gender and social context relate to optimal developmental outcomes during these stages.

Students will have opportunities to collaborate on many facets of research, including project planning, data collection, and presentation of research findings at regional conferences.  Current projects include an investigation of psychological factors related to high academic achievement among college students and a study of how race and gender stereotype beliefs are related to adults’ perceptions and treatment of ethnic minority youth.

Director - Eric Rindal, Ph.D.

In the memory lab, we investigate human memory as it relates to complex real-world problems such as eyewitness suggestibility. This includes exploring the effect of misinformation on the development of false memories and the mechanisms that underlie these false memories. Current projects include investigating whether a person that lies may develop false memories for their own lies as well as the role of detecting discrepancies in preventing false memories.

Director - Stephanie Jett, Ph.D.

In our laboratory, we have two main areas of focus: 1) animal enrichment, welfare, behavior, and cognition and 2) factors that impact the successful reintegration into civilian life of veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Our lab also investigates other areas of interest including sustainability and anthropogenic forces that impact the ecosystem. In our animal behavior and cognition work, we take a comparative approach, investigating the evolutionary foundations of human behavior and cognition. Our lab presents our work at local, state, regional, and international conferences and actively works to get student-led projects published in peer-reviewed journals.

Director - Taylor Elsey, PhD

In the Sleep-E lab we explore all things couple sleep. Have you ever wondered how being in a romantic relationship might impact your sleep? Or how your sleep could have an impact on your romantic relationship? These are the questions we tackle in the Sleep-E lab. Currently, we are preparing to start a new study investigating the ways college couples who don’t often sleep together provide feelings of safety, security, support, and intimacy to their partner at bedtime and how those behaviors/bedtime routines impact sleep. In the future, we hope to explore potential interventions for couples that will improve their sleep hygiene, increase feelings of security at bedtime, and ultimately improve partnered sleep.

Students will be involved in all aspects of the research process, including brainstorming, project planning, working with participants, data collection, entry & analysis, and writing about & presenting research findings at regional conferences and locally. If you’re interested in joining, please email Dr. Elsey (taylor.elsey@gcsu.edu) for more info.