Irrational decision making, specifically preference reversals, have received a significant amount of attention from decision researchers. Though considered a universal phenomenon, not everyone displays the same proportion of the main three types of preference reversals. This may be because the attribute values are not created sensitive to individuals’ preferences, or due to individual differences in […]
A39: Dysregulated Fear in Preschoolers and a Correlation to Anxiety
9.4% of children ages 3-17 have been diagnosed with an Anxiety disorder. An illness so prevalent in our society’s youth should have an effective method for identifying it. Some behaviors have been identified to suggest potential early flags among children developing anxious behavioral patterns. Inhibited temperament is a behavior that in literature has been found […]
A44: The Effects of Psilocybin on Decision Making and Motivation
There has been a resurgence in research regarding the therapeutic potential of hallucinogenic psilocybin. Although this research is promising, much is unknown about how psilocybin impacts behavior from a pharmacological perspective. It is established that psilocybin is a serotonergic agonist with affinities for several different serotonin receptors; binding affinity data indicate that psilocybin has a […]
A45: Evaluation of the Safety of Various E. Coli Derived Tryptamine Compounds
Clinical trials on the use of psilocybin (PSL) to treat depression are promising, but still in preliminary stages. Additionally, they are confounded by the presence of hallucinations, which may not be necessary for its clinical effectiveness but create challenges when designing experiments. Results from our lab have also indicated potential antidepressant efficacy for a number […]
B02: “There’s No Place Like Home”: Substandard housing, economic instability, and mental health in Central Appalachia
I traveled to Central Appalachia with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) to participate in immersive health experiences related to my global health minor. ASP is a large nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers, and its mission is to provide home repairs and renovations for people living in substandard housing conditions. I volunteered with the organization […]
B13: Global Health Issue: Neoliberal Ideologies and the Cultural Blame Associated with the Use of Food Assistance Programs in the U.S.
Food insecurity is a global health issue that leads to detrimental effects to physical and mental health. This study looks closely at the barriers people experience in obtaining reliable and nutritious food, as well as the prevalence of chronic illnesses among families that experience food insecurity. This study was conducted at a local food pantry […]
B16:Measuring Attention and Response Dynamics Across Choice Types
Students in the Computational Cognition Laboratory conducted a group project focused on creating a framework to conceptualize and model cognitive processes during typical decision making tasks. Our study explores how decision-making differs depending on whether there is an objective, correct response or whether one is expressing a personal preference. Importantly, this project combined standard choice […]
B21: The Effects of Psilocybin on Maternal Behavior
Certain psychiatric medications, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can be harmful during pregnancy and the postnatal period, having been shown to lead to birth defects and reduce maternal behaviors. These factors may require birthing parents to temporarily stop taking such medications, but ceasing them may pose a risk to the parent. This presents an […]
B28: Capacity Issues in Sexual Assault Prevention Programs Within Higher Education
This article is an examination of the capacity barriers of Title IX Coordinators within the higher education setting. Title IX is a civil right that prohibits sex discrimination in education and it applies to all school that receive federal financial assistance from the government. The 2011 Office of Civil Rights Dear Colleagues Letter states that […]
B29: Examining Sex Chromosome and Gonadal Hormone Influences on Fear Learning in Mice
There are known disparities in susceptibility to psychiatric and stress-related disorders between sexes. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one such case. We used stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL), a validated animal model for PTSD. However, it is unknown if sex differences stem from gonadal (Sry + vs. Sry -) or chromosomal (XX vs. XY) differences. The […]