Article archive / April 1, 2016
Originally published: . Volume 7, No. 4. Source pages: 1, 13, 14.
Researchers from Lakes Charles, McNeese, Monroe Gather at SWPA
Psychological scientists will take on Pathogen Prevalence Theory, Victorian values, cell phone addiction, beliefs about global warming, and critique the policies for internship approval, among the myriad of topics as the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA) kicks off next week, to be held in Dallas, April 8–10. The theme, “Evolutionary Psychology: The Adapted Mind,” is coupled with keynote speaker, Dr. David Buss from University of Texas at Austin, who will give the Forensics Psychology Lecture on “The Evolution of Sexual Morality.” Louisiana psychologists, professors, and student researchers from the Lake Charles Research Group, Louisiana State University – Shreveport, McNeese State University, Northwestern State University, and University of Louisiana – Monroe, will present their work.
The Lakes Charles Research Group, a free- standing group of independent, diverse researchers, will offer an impressive list of studies. One of Group’s organizers, Dr. Larry Dilks, of Counseling Services in Lake Charles, said previously, “It’s made up of different people every year. It’s a number of local psychologists, interns, post-doctoral fellows, practicum students, and then pretty much anybody else who’s just interested in publishing journal articles and doing presentations at conferences.” Dr. Dilks will be leading a presentation on “Unintended Consequences in 2020: APA Seeks to Restrict Nationwide Licensure.” He and colleagues will examine the possible long-term consequences of the new rules being developed by American Psychological Association (APA). He will discuss that 16 percent of doctoral students do not find approved internships. University of Monroe researchers will present work on Pathogen Prevalence theory, and relationship to beliefs, gun violence, and police fatalities. Presenters include Dr. Kilian Garvey, Mary Medin, Sebastien O’Neill, and Kelly Buxton.
McNeese authors, Jimmy Trahan, Chase Walling, Linda Brannon, PhD. Bianca Augustine, and Dena Matzenbacher, PhD, will present research on gender issues from the evolutionary standpoint, including work on partner preference, attractiveness, and how money fits in to mate decisions. Presentations from Louisiana researchers include:
Lake Charles Research Group
The Research Group includes Lawrence S Dilks, PhD, Counseling Services (Lake Charles); Kimberly S. Hutchinson, from Lake Charles Memorial Hospital; Burton Ashworth, PhD, from Counseling Services; Sandra Isabel Viggiani, from Fuller School of Psychology, Fuller Seminary; Chelsi King, from California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, Fresno; Marnie Richard, from Hawaii School of Professional Psychology; Katherine Hippman from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; and Billie Clare Myers, from Fielding Graduate University. “Unintended Consequences in 2020: APA Seeks to Restrict Nationwide Licensure,” by Lawrence S Dilks, PhD, Counseling Services (Lake Charles); Kimberly S. Hutchinson from Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, and others from Lake Charles Research Group. “Workshop – A students guide to understanding ICD 10,” by Lawrence S Dilks, PhD, from Counseling Services; Sandra Isabel Viggiani, from Fuller School of Psychology, Fuller Seminary; and others from the Lake Charles Research Group. “How to get an internship: the crisis in clinical psychology,” by Larry Dilks, PhD, Kimberly S. Hutchinsonand the others from Group. “A Correlational Study of Shyness and Conflict Negotiation within Romantic Relationships,” by Billie Clare Myers, of Fielding Graduate University; Chelsi King of the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University; and others. “Comorbid Disorders Relationship with Disruptive Behavior Disorder,” by Burton Ashworth, PhD, from Counseling Services; Kimberly S. Hutchinson, Lake Charles Memorial Hospital and others. “Caregiver Cannabis Use Relationship to Childhood Mood Disorders,” by Burton Ashworth, PhD, from Counseling Services; Marnie Richard, Hawaii School of Professional Psychology and others. Results suggest cannabis has a larger impact on mood development than caregiver alcohol or heroin use. “Caregiver Physical Assault and Psychological Aggressive Impact on Disruptive Behavior Disorder,” by Burton Ashworth, PhD, and Larry Dilks, PhD, from Counseling Services, and others. A total of 835 children were evaluated as part of a prescribed assessment program through the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect consortium. “A Case Study of Central Pontine Myelinolysis Co-Morbid with Alcohol Abuse,” by Chelsi King, from California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, Fresno, and Sandra Isabel Viggiani, Fuller School of Psychology, Fuller Seminary, and others. ‘Case Study of an Individual with Gillain-Barré Syndrome and Diabetes Mellitus,’ by Billie Clare Myers of Fielding Graduate University, Kimberly S. Hutchinson of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital and others. ‘Neuropsychological Functioning of an Individual with a History of Agent Orange Exposure,’ by Billie Clare Myers of Fielding Graduate University, Dr. Larry Dilks, and others. The current study revealed perceptual-motor deficits in an individual with a history of Agent Orange exposure and PTSD. ‘Cognitive and Emotional Impairments as a Result of Encephalomalacia: A Case Study,’ by Sandra Isabel Viggiani of Fuller School of Psychology, Fuller Seminary, Kimberly S. Hutchinson of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital and others. “An exploratory study examining the correlation between Bender-Gestalt performance and IQ,” by Marnie Richard of Hawaii School of Professional Psychology, Dr. Larry Dilks, and others.
“Relationship between Cognitive Impairment and Depression in Adults: A Pilot Study,” by Chelsi King, from California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, Fresno, Kimberly S. Hutchinson of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, and others. “Association between Cognitive Impairment and Anxiety in Middle Age and Older Adults,” by Chelsi King, from California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, Fresno, Katherine Hippman of LSU, Baton Rouge, and others. “The Relationship Between Expulsion Rate and IQ Scores in Juvenile Delinquents,” by Katherine Hippman of Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, Chelsi King, from California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, Fresno, and others.
Louisiana State University – Shreveport
“Importance of Values in Life: A National Survey of U.S. Population,” by Yong Dai (LSU–S), and Qing Zeng (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley). Compared to their Caucasian and Hispanic counterparts, African- American respondents were more likely to view politics and religion as important in their lives. “The Role of Need for Cognition and Study Habits in Student Success,” by Melissa J. Hawthorne (LSU–S), and Benton Pierce (Texas A & M University – Commerce).
McNeese State University
“Current Gender Differences in Residual Victorian Era Gender Role Beliefs in SWLA (SWPA),” by Jimmy Trahan and Chase Walling. Results indicate that men may possess more stereotyped views than women. Victorian Era stereotypes have diminished, but still present.
“Partner Preference: Looks Trump Money—If You’ve Already Got Money,” by Linda Brannon, PhD, Bianca Augustine, PhD, and Dena Matzenbacher, PhD. Participants rated potential male partners’ physical attractiveness as significantly more important to high-income women than low-income women.
Northwestern State University
“Integrative Model of Motivation and Commitment: Comparing Academic and Relationship Motivation,” by Cynthia Lindsey, PhD, and Melanie Midkiff. The Integrative Model of Commitment and Motivation is among the first to combine the concepts of commitment and motivation into one theory, which focuses on work. For both foci, commitment was the primary predictor of motivation.
“Personality and Cell Phone Overuse Predict Anxiety when Cellular Access is Restricted,” by Jalyn Ayo, Dr. Cynthia Lindsey, and Melanie Midkiff. Researchers found indications of addiction-type problems associated with cell phones. University of Louisiana – Monroe
“Personal or Impersonal God? Males and Females Differ on the Nature of the Divine,” by Kelly Rene Buxton and Kilian Garvey, PhD. “The evolutionary pressures on women to collaborate, cooperate, and generate more empathy than males may have produced an impression of God as reflecting those values. Males, on the other hand, may have their characteristic conception of god as impersonal due to different evolutionary pressures.”
“Pathogen Prevalence and Gun Ownership: A Dangerous Interaction,” by Kilian Garvey, PhD. Greater access to guns may seem like an obvious risk factor but, the variable of pathogen prevalence was a better predictor for not only murders, but for life expectancy, religiosity, political orientation and other factors.
“Fear and Belief: A Pathogen Prevalence Exploration of Religiosity Across 33 Nations,” by Mary Medlin and Dr. Garvey. Authors examined differences in religiosity across countries as predicted by pathogen prevalence, economic factors, patterns of individualism and collectivism, and demonstrate how the environment can influence belief systems.
“The Best and the Brightest: Where are Nobel Prize Winners Born?” by Mary Medlin and Dr. Garvey. The state of residence of the winners was primarily predicted by higher levels of per capita income.
“Life in the Fast Lane: Fast Life Strategies for Shorter Life Expectancy,” by Mary Medlin and Dr. Garvey. Teen pregnancy was primarily predicted by higher levels of pathogen prevalence, and to a lesser extent by lower levels of life expectancy and lower state GINI.
“Football, baseball, and basketball: Regional characteristics associated with professional athletes in the big three sports,” by Sebastien O'Neill and Dr. Garvey. Characteristics of the fast life theory were present in the football and basketball states, but not in the baseball states.
“Police Fatalities in the United States: Religion, Politics, and Life History,” by Sebastien O'Neill and Dr. Garvey. Open source data bases were used to compile the average number of police officers killed in the line of duty. Politically conservative and highly religious regions are characterized by more police fatalities. However, the strongest predictor is shorter life expectancy of the population in question.
“Tolerance of ambiguity or intelligence: Explanation for Global Warming Denial,” by Frank Cook, and Dr. Garvey. Three straightforward questions on belief in global warming were asked as well as measures of intelligence and tolerance of ambiguity. The results suggest that denial is being driven by the personality style of (in)tolerance of ambiguity.
“Gender, Intuition, and the Cognitive Reflection Test,” by Kelly Rene Buxton and Dr. Garvey.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.