Research Projects

Our low faculty-to-student ratio allows us to provide all psychology majors with hands-on learning experiences. These include the directed research, where the student works closely with a faculty member on an experiment of mutual interest (see faculty research interests).

The research experience provides the student with the opportunity to apply information learned in the classroom, as well as acquire a number of skills sought after by employers, namely, critical thinking, problem solving, working in teams, and communication skills.

Clarkson student psychology research projects are often presented at undergraduate research meetings, scientific meetings, and occasionally are published as research articles. Examples include:

Recent (last 3 years) Student Presentations at the Clarkson University Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) and at scientific meetings (Clarkson students in bold):

2012
Artus, S. & Knack, J. (2012) Stressed and Sick? Examining Whether Social Stressors Predict Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome. 15th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Casas, S. & Langen. T. (2012) Hunger Games: Ant Edition. Clarkson University 15th Summer Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Cholhan, L. & Knack, J. (2012). Effects of Social Stress on Cognitive Performance. Clarkson University 15th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Christopherson, B. & Dowman, R. (2012) The Role of Elementary Stimulus Features in the Attentional Bias towards Somatic Threats. Clarkson University 15th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

DeFruscio, A. & Dowman, R. (2012). The Effects of Threat on Spatial Attentional Capture of Visual Stimuli. Clarkson University 15th Summer Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

DeFruscio, A. & Dowman, R. (2012). Previous Trial Effects on the Attentional Capture of Somatosensory Stimuli. Clarkson University 15th Summer Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

McCanny, P. & Wilke, A., (2012). Sequential Decision Making and Illusionary Pattern Detection in Gamblers. Clarkson University 15th Summer Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

McCanney, P. Kruger, D. J., Fitzgerald, C., & Wilke, A. (2012). An evolutionary valid domain-specific risk-taking scale. Poster presented at the 24nd annual meeting of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society (HBES), Albuquerque, USA.

Minich, S. & Wilke, A. (2012) Can Hoarding Studies from Animal Behavior Inform us how Humans Hide and Search for Resources? An Experimental Test. Clarkson University 15th Summer Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Minich, S., Panis, M., McCanney, P., Wood, A., Langen, T., Todd, P. M., & Wilke, A. (2012). Can animal hoarding studies inform us about how humans hide and search for resources? Poster presented at the 24nd annual meeting of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society (HBES), Albuquerque, USA.

Morales, M. & Knack, J.M. (July, 2012). Effects of recalling social and physical pain experiences on self-regulation, mood, and psychological needs. Presented at McNair Research Conference, Buffalo, NY.

Morales, M. & Knack, J. (2012). Effects of Recalling Social and Physical Pain Experiences on Self-Regulation, Pain, and Psychological Needs. Clarkson University 15th Summer Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Munz, H. & Wilke, A. (2012). Age Differences in Adaptive Information Foraging. Clarkson University 15th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Panis, M. & Wilke, A. (2012) Can Hoarding Studies from Animal Behavior Inform us How Humans Hide and Search for Resources? 15th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Panis, M. & Wilke, A. (2012). Expectations of Clumpy Resources Influence Choice of Environment to Search In. Clarkson University 15th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Racette, L., Wilke, A. & Hou, Daqing. (2012) Visualization of Data in More Than Three Dimensions. Clarkson University 15th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Sherman, A., Minich, S., Langen, T., Skufca, J., & Wilke, A. (2012). The influence of past and present living environments on human risk-taking propensity. Poster presented at the 1st Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology, Ottawa, Canada.

Starowicz, J. & Dowman, R. Unexpected Pain Shifts Attention to the Exploration Mode. Clarkson University 15th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Toia, A. & Dowman, R. (2012) Cognitive Processes Underlying the Attentional Bias towards Positive Emotional Stimuli. Clarkson University 15th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Wood, A. & Wilke, A. (2012). Sequential Decision Making and Illusionary Pattern Detection in Gamblers. Clarkson University 15th Summer Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Wood, A., Mata, R., & Wilke, A. (2012). Age differences in adaptive information foraging. Poster presented at the 18th annual McNair Research Conference, Buffalo, USA.

Wood, A., Mata, R., & Wilke, A. (2012). Age differences in adaptive information foraging. Poster presented at the 24nd annual meeting of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society (HBES), Albuquerque, USA.

2011
Apau, G., Sherman, A., Minich, S., Langen, T., Skufca, J., & Wilke, A. (August 2011). Early environment and life-history variables. Poster presented at the 14th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Carey, N., Dorchies, G., & Dowman, R. Evidence for sensitization of somatic threat detectors in the human brain. Annual Symposium of Undergraduate Research Experiences, Clarkson University, April 2011

Colello, L., Platek, M., Curdt, B., Mata, R., & Wilke, A. (April 2011). Information foraging in a patchy memory environment. Poster presented at the 5th annual meeting of the NorthEastern Evolutionary Psychology Society (NEEPS), Binghamton, USA.

Curdt, B., Kruger, D. J., & Wilke, A. (April 2011). An evolutionary valid domain-specific risk-taking scale. Paper presented at the 5th annual meeting of the NorthEastern Evolutionary Psychology Society (NEEPS), Binghamton, New York, USA.

Foti, S., Mondal, S., & Norton, T. A Look at the Daily Grind: Caffeine use in Clarkson Students. 14th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Minich, S., Sherman, A., Apau, G., Langen, T., Skufca, J., & Wilke, A. (August 2011). Early environment and life-history variables: Effects on risk taking propensity. Paper presented at the 14th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Minich, S., Sherman, A., Langen, T., Skufca, J., & Wilke, A. (2011). Life-history traits and human risk-taking behavior. Paper presented at the 3rd Undergraduate Research Conference at the Interface of Biology and Mathematics (NIMBioS), University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.

Ross, C., Chen, X., & Wilke, A. (April 2011). Expectations of clumpy resources influence predictions of sequential events. Poster presented at the 5th annual meeting of the NorthEastern Evolutionary Psychology Society (NEEPS), Binghamton, USA.

Sherman, A., Minich, S., Apau, G., Langen, T., Skufca, J., & Wilke, A. (August 2011). Early environment and life-history variables: Effects on risk perception and behavior. Paper presented at the 14th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Sherman, A., Minich, S., Langen, T., Skufca, J., & Wilke, A. (2011) The influence of past and present living environments on human risk-taking propensity. Paper presented at the 3rd Undergraduate Research Conference at the Interface of Biology and Mathematics (NIMBioS), University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.

Sherman, A., Ross, C., Colello, L., & Wilke, A. (April 2011). Early environment and life-history variables: Effects of subsequent risk-perception and behavior when going out for the night. Poster presented at the 5th annual meeting of the NorthEastern Evolutionary Psychology Society (NEEPS), Binghamton, USA.

Toia, A. & Dowman, R. Cognitive processes underlying underlying the attentional bias towards biological threats. Annual Symposium of Undergraduate Research Experiences, Clarkson University, July 2011

2010
Bain, D., & Wilke, A. (April 2010). Sex differences in risk attitudes and victimization rates. Poster presented at the 11th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Curdt, B., Morgan, A., Bain, D., Barrett, H. C., & Wilke, A. (April 2010). Cognitive adaptations for resource search. Poster presented at the 11th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Christopherson B., Rogers M. 2010 (13th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: Mathematically modeling stress induced decision making in blue jays and college students.

Christopherson B., Rogers M. 2010 (13th) Mathematical Association of America Mathfest 2010: Mathematically modeling stress induced decision making in blue jays and college students.

Dowman, R., Quinn, J., & Sieg, E. Mechanisms Underlying the Capture of Attention by Somatic Threats. American Psychological Society 22nd Annual Meeting, Boston MA May 27-30, 2010.

Drouin, K., Dowman R. Modeling how the brain detects threats. Annual Symposium of Undergraduate Research Experiences, Clarkson University, July 2010

Felch J. 2010 (13th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: perceptual and economic factors affecting choice

Morgan, A., Curdt, B., Bain, D., Barrett, H. C., & Wilke, A. (March 2010). Cognitive adaptations for resource search. Poster presented at the 4th annual meeting of the Northeastern Evolutionary Psychology Society (NEEPS), New York, USA.

More F., Murray B 2010 (12th) Annual Spring SURE Conference: Diet choice under risk by black-capped chickadees.

Preston, R., Carey, N., Mata, R., & Wilke, A. (April 2010). Information foraging in a patchy memory environment. Poster presented at the 11th Symposium on Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE), Potsdam, USA.

Preston, R., Carey, N., Mata, R., & Wilke, A. (March 2010). Information foraging in a patchy memory environment. Poster presented at the 4th annual meeting of the Northeastern Evolutionary Psychology Society (NEEPS), New York, USA.

Rolleston M., 2010 (13th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: perceptual and economic factors affecting choice

Samuels, K., Van Arsdale, S., Dowman, R. Mechanisms of detecting and orienting attention towards threats to the body. Annual Symposium of Undergraduate Research Experiences, Clarkson University, April 2010

Sieg, E., Dowman, R. Cognitive processes underlying the attentional bias towards threats to the body. Annual Symposium of Undergraduate Research Experiences, Clarkson University, April 2010

Walrath T., Murray B 2010 (12th) Annual Spring SURE Conference: Selection of seeds by black-capped chickadees passed on spatial location and mass.

Clarkson offers 50 programs of study within three schools: the Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering, the School of Business, and the School of Arts & Sciences. Our historic strengths in business, engineering, liberal arts, and science remain at the core of the curriculum. But these programs have also been combined into cross-disciplinary majors, such as engineering and management, environmental science and policy, and digital arts and sciences.