Interested in Becoming a Student Researcher?

Research is a fundamental part of any psychology degree. Whether you plan to start your career when you finish your undergraduate education, or want to apply to graduate school, involvement in a research study will give you invaluable experience to add to your resume.

Experience in research will familiarize you with research design, the nuts and bolts of conducting a study, the various ways in which data results can be analyzed, and effective techniques for presenting a study in a public forum.

Your first step to becoming a student researcher is speaking to a faculty member - either your advisor or a professor, whose interests match your own. Talk to them about what you want to study. They may be able to help you start your own research or know of a current study that would fit your interests. You may also want to view the past and current studies by our faculty and student researchers.

Dr. Tina Jameson
Assistant Professor of Psychology
tjameson@bridgew.edu
Hart 335, 508-531-1298

Dr. Jameson's research interests are in the area of working memory, decision making, and metacognition. 
   

Dr. Teresa King
Associate Professor of Psychology
teresa.king@bridgew.edu
Hart 338, 508-531-2742

Teresa K. King's research examines psychological factors that have an effect on health with a particular focus on body image.  She has an active body image research lab that serves primarily to provide undergraduate students with research experience.

   
Dr. Michelle Mamberg
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Michelle.Mamberg@bridgew.edu
Hart 334, 508-531-2515
Web page: http://webhost.bridgew.edu/mmamberg/

Projects in Dr. Mamberg's "Self in Talk" lab examine how the "self" is constituted through language, using data gathered in in-depth interviews.  Using qualitative methods which entail data transcription and detailed analysis, Dr. Mamberg's current work examines interviews with participants after they have taken a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course.  The goal will be to learn how these participants understand the process of meditation and how MBSR practice has impacted their lives.

   

Dr. Brendan Morse
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Brendan.Morse@bridgew.edu
Hart 340, 508-531-1452
Web page: http://webhost.bridgew.edu/bmorse

Dr. Morse's research focuses on psychometrics (the development and validation of tests and surveys) as well as the interaction between mathematics and psychology. Specifically, Dr. Morse is exploring issues surrounding the ambiguity of measurement in psychological research. The ambiguity of measurement highlights the problem that there is always a disconnect between what we are trying to measure (e.g., intelligence) and what we can actually quantify (e.g., test or scale scores). This raises a host of questions about how accurately any measurement system actually represents something that cannot be directly measured. More importantly perhaps, it also raises questions about our ability to manipulate those numbers (with mathematical operations) and still maintain our ability to interpret the results of our findings.

   

Dr. Laura Ramsey
Assistant Professor of Psychology
lramsey@bridgew.edu
Hart 337, 508-531-2883

Dr. Ramsey's research focuses on three primary areas: 1) stereotyping (explicitly and implicitly) & prejudice; 2)  objectification; and 3) the underrepresentation of women in math & science fields. 

   

Dr. Amanda Shyne
Assistant Professor of Psychology
ashyne@bridgew.edu
Hart 321, 508-531-2548

Dr. Shyne's research focuses both on conspecific communication between dogs and  interspecies communication between dogs and humans.  She has an active group of undergraduate students who participate in all aspects of her research. 

   

Dr. Elizabeth Spievak
Associate Professor of Psychology
espievak@bridgew.edu
Hart 336, 508-531-2154
Web page: http://webhost.bridgew.edu/espievak/

Dr. Spievak has a research lab in which students participate in all aspects of research, from design to presentation, over several semesters and years.  The students are engaged in ongoing research in various stages, most centering around attentional processes, particularly as they apply to legal decision making and coping. 

For Credit:

PSYC 497/Research (1-3 credits) Prerequisite: PSYC 100 and consent of the department; formal application required

This course includes an individual or group research project. The course is for students interested in conducting research under the supervision of faculty member or working on a faculty member's research project.  May be taken for a maximum of six credits.

PSYC 499/Directed Study in Psychology (1-3 credits)  Prerequisite:  PSYC 470; consent of the department; formal application required

Directed study is open to juniors and seniors who have demonstrated critical and analytical abilities in their studies and who wish to pursue a project independently. May be taken twice for a maximum of six credits.

PSYC 399/Pre-Honors Psychology Colloquiim (1 credit)  Prerequisite:  Enrollment in the Honors Program; and a grade of "B" or  higher in PSYC 201 and PSYC 320, or consent of instructor

Students will attend a one-hour weekly meeting designed to prepare them for completing an honors thesis. Outcomes for the course include choosing a research topic, choosing a mentor and developing a research proposal.

Last Modified: April 29, 2013