Spring 2016
Analyze This
PROVIDENCE COLLEGE
Analyze This
Psychology Department Newsletter
Volume 17, issue 1
Internship Inspiration: My Clinical Experience at Butler Hospital
Michelle Fernando
Inside this issue:
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Dr. Warmuth, 2

Mirror Neurons, 2
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Careers, 3
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Internships, 4
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Panel, 5

Room, 5
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Active Minds, 6
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Research, 9

Seniors, 10

Faculty, 11
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Alumni, 13

Editor’s Farewell, 14
Points of Interest
 Hannibal: Fact or Fiction?
 What can I do with a
psychology degree?
 What’s going on oncampus?
 What are our seniors
doing next year?
When I was a sophomore, I was very certain that I wanted to enter the
health professions as a psychiatrist. I thought that psychiatry would be the perfect way to combine my interests for psychology and mental healthcare. With
this goal in mind, I planned on attending medical school and one day working in
a psychiatric hospital.
That spring, my RDSA professor, Dr. Johnson, encouraged me to get
some actual field experience in mental healthcare to determine if I actually liked
the setting. She was right: my views of psychiatry were based only on what I
could glean from TV shows and books. The only way to get a realistic view of
the field was to place myself directly in that setting. Only then could I be certain
that I was making the right decision about my future. Following this advice, I
applied to a mental health worker position at Butler Psychiatric Hospital.
During the summer of 2014, I began working at Butler as a full-time
summer employee. Although I did not know it would be then, my work there
has been the most memorable, life changing, and fulfilling experience of my
college career. Each day I would work directly with patients to maintain unit
safety. I would meet with patients to discuss their progress, current feelings or
thoughts, and help them identify life stressors and coping skills. I would make
sure patients’ daily goals and needs were being met either by helping them directly or communicating with their doctor or social worker. Finally, I would participate in and occasionally run therapeutic groups that covered topics like maladaptive behaviors, coping skills, meditation and relaxation, and activity planning.
The most fulfilling part of this experience, for me, has been meeting
with patients on a personal level. It is a both a tremendous responsibility and an
honor to serve these patients throughout psychological crisis and into recovery.
Through this experience, I have gained a greater appreciation for therapy modalities like cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. In addition, my views of
the psychiatric profession have expanded and changed greatly. By observing
interactions with doctors and patients, I noticed that the typical interaction is
short and medication-centered. Although this is a beneficial and necessary interaction for patients, I realized that I would personally prefer to work with patients in structured psychotherapeutic sessions.
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Analyze This
Volume 17, Issue 1
Faculty Feature: Dr. Warmuth
Courtney Bumsch
Dr. Kelly Warmuth is Providence College’s newest addition to the Psychology department. She
specializes in the areas of marital conflict, parent–child attachment, developmental psychopathology, and child externalizing problems. Below are her responses to some questions about
her education in Psychology and how she became a professor at PC.
Where did you attend school and what did you study there?
B.A. from the University of Michigan - General Psychology
M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame - Developmental Psychology
What made you want to get involved in psychology?
Because everything was so interesting! I enjoyed every psychology course that I took as an undergraduate and became a sponge for information. The more I learned, the more I wanted to
learn. When I started my research job after received my B.A., I was working in a developmental
research lab and I was fascinated by the differences in children and families I saw. This solidified for me that I wanted to continue my education and become a professor of psychology, as I
wanted to continue to research these questions that interested me, but I also wanted to share my
excitement for psychology with my students as an instructor.
Continued on page 7…
Where’s the Science? Mirror Neurons and NBC’s Hannibal
Abigail Sawyer Henry
Will Graham of Thomas Harris’s novel Red Dragon and NBC’s television adaptation Hannibal is a
man of many talents and pathologies. Graham is a special investigator for the FBI with the ability to empathize with anyone, a skill he uses to get into the heads of serial killers and extrapolate their motivations.
The book never addresses Will’s condition outright, but the television series does:
“The problem Will has is too many mirror neurons. Our heads are filled with them when we are
children... supposed to help us socialize and then melt away. But Will held on to his, which
makes knowing who he is a challenge” (Hannibal, season 1 episode 10 “Buffet Froid”)
So the question is, is this real, or just cinematic psychology? Let’s start with what mirror neurons
are:
In the late 1980s, Dr. Giacomo Rizzolatti, a neurophysiologist at the University of Parma in Italy discovered a new type of visuomotor neuron in macaque monkeys. These neurons became active when the
monkeys performed a task such as reaching for an object, and when observing the same task. They are
found in the area of the brain known as F5 in macaques, or roughly the equivalent of Broca’s area in humans (Traxler, 2013). Evidence of mirror neurons in humans comes from functional MRI studies like those
described above, and from studies using transcranial magnetic stimulation (Traxler, 2013). It was theorized
that mirror neurons not only help us understand physical actions through observation (literally monkey see
monkey do), but that they are specific to motivated action. One early researcher of mirror neuron systems,
Kholer (2002) claimed “[mirror] neurons are part of the vocabulary of action…not only schemas on how an
action should be executed…but also the action ideas…” (Traxler 2013). That is to say, mirror neurons are
involved in helping us understand motivated action. Continued on page 8...
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Spring 2016
Analyze This
Got My Degree—Now What?
Caroline Morgan
From my personal experience parents, friends, co-workers or even an uncle at Thanksgiving will ask
you this question at some point: What are you planning on doing with a degree in psychology? Are you going
to be a psychologist? That uncle at Thanksgiving will be surprised to learn that the options with a bachelor’s
degree in psychology are endless. Studies show that 75% of students who receive a bachelor’s degree in psychology do not pursue a career in the field of psychology.
To start off, there is one simple question you have to ask yourself before graduating: do you want to
work or do you want to continue your education? For either option, the opportunities are endless. First, let’s
explore potential employment. You could work as a lab assistant. As psychology majors, we study behavior
throughout our college career and lab assistants can work in human or animal behavioral research.
Second, you could be a school or career counselor. As a psychology major, we learn about personalities and why people behave the way they do. As a school or career counselor you could assess students’
strengths, skills, and talents and help students find future jobs that will fit their skill sets.
Third, you could go into business as a sales representative, or dive into the field of advertising, human
resources or management. Psychology students learn about behavior and interpersonal skills, thus we learn
how to interact with people as well as what motivates certain behaviors. Psychology majors would be great
working as sales and advertising representatives because they are able to understand customers and work
towards initiating purchase behavior. The field of human resources and management works toward getting
employees to work cooperatively together. As a student with a background in human behavior, you are well
prepared to enter these two fields. Most businesses like to interview psychology majors because your resume will stand out compared to other students who are business majors. Lastly, you can become a teacher.
With a bachelor’s degree in psychology you have the opportunity to substitute teach, but you would need to
obtain a teaching certificate to instruct grades K-12. This small list is only the beginning of career paths you
could choose with your psychology degree.
The other option after receiving your bachelor’s degree is continuing your education. Continuing your
education is exciting because you can focus on what you find interesting. When continuing your education
you could work towards a master’s degree, PhD or MBA. You could apply to a master’s program in Counseling, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Speech Pathology, Social Work, or Business Administration, just
to name a few. Most master’s programs require you to complete a graduate school standardized test for the
application. For PhD programs, which are harder to get into because of increased competition, you could
work towards future academia. Another option is applying to medical school- if you take the necessary biology courses needed for the particular school’s application. To conclude this list of career opportunities, the
training provided by the PC psychology department in critical thinking, intensive writing, interpersonal skills,
personality, and human behavior creates a student that has a very versatile skill set for both employers in the
job market and potential graduate schools.
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Volume 17, Issue 1
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Ultimately, my experience working as a mental health worker shaped by interests in psychology
and reoriented my future plans. I am no longer pursuing medical school; instead, I will be pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology with the goal of researching and practicing cognitive behavioral therapy. Had it not been for this experience, I would have pursued the wrong path and been unhappy with my
career choice. Butler Hospital has been instrumental in shaping my views of psychiatric treatment and
mental health in general. I encourage anyone who is contemplating a future in mental health or any psychological field to pursue practical experience during their college career. It will help open your mind and
give you an authentic experience in your field of interest. You may find it will increase your passion or
dissuade you from the field; either way, you will be one step closer to choosing a career that you find fulfilling. College is an exploratory time—never forego the opportunity to get a hands-on experience in what
you are passionate about and let your mind be molded by the experience.
Internship Opportunities for Psychology Majors
Zoe Pavoncello-Kelley
For someone who is a psychology major, it can be difficult to find internship opportunities, however, there are resources both on and off campus to get you started in your search. The Providence College
Career Office is a good place to begin. By either visiting the office on campus in person, or finding the link
on the PC website, students can seek out internship opportunities.
There are also websites not affiliated with Providence College that offer a list of internship opportunities. For example, www. internships.com/rhode-island allows students to search for internships inside
the Ocean State by major or chosen career. Other sites to check out are: Linkedin.com or indeed.com.
PC, like most colleges, also offers career fairs at least twice a year. Prospective employers will accept resumes and talk with students about their majors and career paths. Even if you don’t find an internship at a career fair, you could make contacts that will serve you in your job search after graduation.
Finally, psychology majors can inquire about internship opportunities at hospitals both in Rhode Island and beyond the state’s borders. Many health organizations, non-profits, and hospitals offer volunteer
positions or internships based on specific disciplines such as: research, child development, patient services,
pediatrics, and orthopedics- just to name a few.
When applying for an internship, the one thing you must do is distinguish yourself from other students who may be applying for the same job. A detailed resume that includes prior work experience, letters
of reference, and a short but strong cover letter will get you noticed.
Having an internship during your undergraduate years allows you to get firsthand experience at
what you will be doing when you graduate. Internships, whether paid, or voluntary allow you to “try on”
your chosen career to see if it is a good a fit for you. The value of an internship is not in the money earned
during working hours, but the experience and skills you will gain during this time.
Positions fill up fast, so mid-April to early May is the best time to seek out an internship.
Interested in working on Analyze This next semester? Email
Christie Smith at [email protected]!
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Spring 2016
Analyze This
Psychology Alumni Career Panel
Christie Smith
Deciding on post-graduation plans is undoubtedly a stressful endeavor. With this in mind, the psychology department invited a panel of recently graduated PC psychology majors to discuss their current
employment status. Specifically, this discussion focused on the options students who wish to forgo graduate
school have in the way of careers. The panel consisted of alumni, all of whom, for various reason, chose not
to attend graduate school immediately following their graduation.
Tessa’s experience showcased the invaluable truth that is perfectly acceptable, and oftentimes helpful to alter your long-term goals as you advance throughout your undergraduate years. A psychology/Spanish double major, Tessa was originally set on attending graduate school, yet her experience as a research assistant allowed for the realization that her passions resided elsewhere. Following her graduation,
Tessa joined a research team that was investigating the effects of smoking on pregnancy. Utilizing her
Spanish major, Tessa was also able to conduct bilingual interviews. Tessa’s main tasks included grant writing
and data analysis. Interestingly, due to her experience handling infants and interacting with mothers, Tessa
has decided to pursue a degree in nursing.
Holding fast to his decision not to undertake graduate school, Victor began his post-graduation
journey by working for a small company, Inflexxion, in Newton, Mass. Inflexxion conducts their own research, aimed at developing computer programs for healthcare professionals. Victor’s understanding of
SPSS and Excel enabled him to handle data relating to natural trends and epidemiological studies. Over
time, the work at Inflexxion became repetitive and Victor sought new opportunities in the field of clinical
research. Currently, Victor is working under his principal investigator, researching smoking sensation, HIV
medication adherence, and alcohol abuse. The analytic work and usage of SPSS as a psych undergraduate
at PC has been immensely helpful throughout his career as a research assistant.
Continued on page 6...
Psychology in Popular Culture: Room
By Leigh Heinemann
Psychology and examples of its conceptual theories can be found in unexpected places. A psychological
phenomenon that continues to be researched is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD typically develops
following a traumatic event and is characterized by symptoms including detachment, outbursts of anger, and
difficulty sleeping (Iribarren, Prolo, Neagos, & Chiapelli, 2005). Those who suffer from the disorder have difficulty returning to every day life due to the severe stress and anxiety triggered by the trauma. PTSD, if not addressed or treated, can affect every aspect of the sufferer’s life.
The award winning film Room, released in October 2015, depicts the struggles of a young girl and her
five-year old son after escaping her abductor and abuser. Brie Larson received an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Joy, a 24-year old woman who was abducted at 17. In the film, Joy is faced with
the challenge of adjusting to life after living in the shed of her abductor for nearly seven years. Joy’s son Jack
was fathered by her abductor and is her motivation to begin a better life outside of the shed known as Room.
Upon returning to her childhood home, Joy comes to find that moving on is harder than she had anticipated.
The film depicts Joy’s experience of PTSD through her lack of motivation. Joy sleeps throughout the
day and is disengaged with family, friends, and (especially) news reporters. She typically responds to her
mother with “attitude” and resentment. Earlier the film, Joy treats Jack with respect and connects with him patiently; but after escaping Room, Joy becomes easily annoyed and angry with him. Jack motivates Joy to recover and adjust to their new life because she knows that is what is best for them both.
Room illustrates clearly that severe trauma can lead to serious psychological disruption. Joy is just one
example of many victims of trauma who eventually suffer from PTSD. Although psychologists at present have a
concrete definition of the disorder and can successfully detect symptoms in those who suffer from it, research
continues to be done on effective management and establishing remission.
Sources:
Iribarren, J., Prolo, P., Neagos, N., & Chiappelli, F. (2005). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Evidence-Based Research for the Third Millennium. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2(4), 503-512. doi:10.1093/ecam/neh127
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Volume 17, Issue 1
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Sarah came to understand firsthand that gaining admission to an APA accredited graduate program is no small task. Although she did not declare a major in psychology until the beginning of her junior
year, Sarah quickly decided that pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology would align with her interests. Unfortunately, due to the inevitably competitive nature of graduate program admissions, as well as the difficulty
in submitting applications while simultaneously managing coursework, Sarah did not get into her choice
PhD program. Switching gears, Sarah began looking for positions as a research assistant, keeping in mind
her main objective: having a direct impact on the people she worked with. Jumping directly into a clinical
setting, Sarah began to work as a case manager, handling as many as 35 patients at one time. The goal of
her team’s research was to enable mental illness patients to become healthy parts of their community as
opposed to being chronically admitted to a hospital. This journey has allowed Sarah to better define her
long-terms goals; she is now planning to pursue a masters in social psychology next fall.
Although each of these students had various post-graduation experiences, their “take-home” messages seemed to be rather unified. Giving yourself time to explore your options and truly come to find what
you are passionate about will never be a regret. Over time, you just might stumble upon a field of study
you never previously considered. There are choices outside of graduate school for psychology majors, and
instead of intimidating and unknown, this path can prove to be eye-opening and wholly rewarding.
Active Minds Brings Crisis Education to Providence College
Michelle Fernando
Active Minds is a national organization that raises awareness about mental illness stigma. A chapter of this organization was brought here to Providence College in Spring 2015. Since then, this chapter
has sparked conversation about mental illness right here on our own campus. This March, Active Minds
organized an event called “Diversity and Mental Health,” where speaker Nadia Richardson addressed
how social tensions and activism can be a form of self advocacy but also a threat to mental wellness.
Currently, Active Minds is hosting an online education program, titled At Risk For College and
University Students, to educate the student body about how to respond to individuals in distress. This
short and interactive program is free and open to all Providence College students and faculty. During this
program, participants engage in role playing exercises that feature a virtual character struggling with
anxiety, depression, or thoughts of suicide. Students will then practice using effective language and motivation to empower the individual to seek mental health services. Upon completion of the 30-minute
course, participants feel more confident in their ability to engage in these challenging conversations and
help distressed individuals. Through this program, Active Minds hopes to create a student body that can
effectively identify distress and confidently address these issues. Such education will help combat the fear
and stigma associated with mental illness and will increase the likelihood that distressed individuals will
seek professional help.
As a national organization, Active Minds believes this program will be the first step to saving
lives. In a college or university setting, distressed students are most likely to share mental health problems with fellow students or friends. In these cases, the students’ response is crucial to the distressed individual’s mental wellness and help seeking. The At Risk for College and University Students program provides students with the tools they need to respond effectively and confidently. This is the first and most
important step to preventing suicide on college and university campuses.
Continued on page 10...
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What classes do you teach at PC?
To date, I have taught RDSA (PSY 201/202), Child and Adolescent Development (PSY 306), Psychological Disorders of Children and Adolescents (PSY 485), and Research in Psychology (PSY
395).
What made you connect with PC and begin working here?
Honestly, it was a perfect fit. When I first saw the advertisement for the psychology faculty position at PC, it was as if they wrote the ad with me in mind. The more I read about PC, the more
it just felt like where I was supposed to be. When I interviewed, I had the opportunity to talk
with students and faculty and I knew this was where I wanted to work. Lucky for me, PC wanted me here too and now here I am!
Did you always know you wanted to study psychology?
Actually, no. I started out pre-med at Michigan, but quickly realized that I did not want to be a
medical doctor. When I started to think deeply about what would make me happy, I noted that
I loved my psychology courses, and so I decided in the meantime I would focus on learning the
things I enjoyed. It did not take long for me to realize that I wanted to pursue graduate school
in psychology, but I loved so many sub disciplines, I couldn't decide what I wanted to specialize in. That contributed to me taking two years between undergrad and grad school to work as
a psychology researcher; I needed the time to find my burning question. As soon as I had my
"ah-ha" moment, I applied to graduate school and haven't regretted it since.
What is your favorite part about teaching at PC?
The students! Coming to class each day and working in the lab wouldn't be nearly as rewarding without all my amazing students. Moreover, the fact that I get to share my love of psychology with you all is unbelievably rewarding. I can't believe how lucky I am to do what I do.
Have you taught at other schools?
I taught 7 courses while a graduate student at Notre Dame and taught workshops about empirically-supported teaching techniques at Notre Dame's Kaneb Center for Teaching and Learning.
How are you involved on campus?
I am the principal investigator of the Family & Development Lab. I am also involved in a lot of
service activities around campus (too many to name).
What is a piece of advice you would give to students studying psychology at PC?
Go to office hours! Sometimes it takes a little extra help to learn some topics and we're here to
help you. Your instructors have office hours for just that purpose, so don't be afraid to come
see us. If you're confused by something we said in class, ask us in office hours and we'll make
sure that you walk out the door understanding it. This isn't just for your benefit, but ours too,
because we can see which topics we need to explain more clearly next time. Moreover, if
you're ever going to need a letter of recommendation, it's also far easier for us to write those if
you're the kind of student who comes to office hours, because we get to know you. The strongest letters of recommendation often go to students who build relationships with us during office
hours.
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Volume 17, Issue 1
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To take it a step farther, “the MNS is proposed as part of the neural basis of ToM [the Theory of
Mind]” which has been “conceptualized as central to empathy” (Dale et al 2008). Studies done on the auditory mirror system illustrated that increased activity in this area is “correlated with improved perspectivetaking abilities.”
The literature had little to say as to the show’s claim that mirror neurons are present in children
and “melt away”, though new studies in mirror neurons and empathy provide enough evidence to back up
the claim that mirror neurons might help us socialize (Pridmore et al. 2008; Paulus, 2014; Traxler, 2013).
It would seem that there is some actual psychology behind the psychological claims the show
makes: in having more mirror neurons, Graham could hypothetically be more empathetic. But what is this
about “knowing who he is” being a challenge? While the literature on mirror neurons came up empty on
this question, there is a disorder similar to the one described in the show. Mirror Touch Synesthesia is a
condition where one feels what those around them feel, both physically and, some research suggests,
emotionally (Bannis and Ward, 2007). A case study found that mirror-touch sensations are correlated with
hyperactivity in the mirror neuron system (Bannis and Ward, 2007). One woman, “Amanda”, who lives
with Mirror Touch Synesthesia, described for the NPR show Invisibilia a phenomenon very similar to Graham’s difficulty knowing who he is: “I spent my life losing myself in other people, on whims, just gone”. After years of what she describes as disappearing into the personalities of people around her, Amanda had
her own identity struggle: “Is this who I am? Or is this who I am because of the people around me? Am I
taking them on, you know? Are they affecting me so badly - so overwhelming me - their personalities, their
movements, their this and that? Am I myself?”
Given the interaction between mirror neuron system, mirror touch synesthesia, and this lost-self
phenomenon, it is safe to say that the writers of NBC’s Hannibal have done their research. Sometimes
science fiction actually does reflect science fact.
References
Baniss, M. J., & Ward, J. (2007). Mirror-touch synesthesia is linked with empathy. Nature Neuroscience, 10(7), 815-816. doi:10.1038/nn1926
Bello, J. P., Modro˜no, C., & González–Mora, J. L. (2014). The role of mirror neurons in neurosurgical patients: A few general considerations and
rehabilitation perspectives. Neurorehabilitation, 35(4), 665-671.
Giroux, Jack & Fuller, Bryan. 4/12/2013. Interview: Bryan Fuller Finds the Humor of Eating Innards for ‘Hannibal’. Retrieved from website Film
School Rejects: http://filmschoolrejects.com/features/interview-bryan-fuller-hannibal.php#ixzz462IWuFKR
Paulus, M. (2014). How and why do infants imitate? An ideomotor approach to social and imitative learning in infancy (and beyond). Psychonomic
Bulletin & Review, 21(5), 1139-1156. doi:10.3758/s13423-014-0598-1
Pridmore, S., Brüne, M., Ahmadi, J., & Dale, J. (2008). Echopraxia in schizophrenia: Possible mechanisms. Australian And New Zealand Journal
Of Psychiatry, 42(7), 565-571.
Traxler, M. J. (2013). The role of the putative mirror neuron system in language comprehension. Language And Linguistics Compass, 7(8), 409422. doi:10.1111/lnc3.12040
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Analyze This
Spotlight on Research: Social Psychology at Providence College
Christina Perri
Scientific research is alive and well in the Providence College Psychology Department
in the laboratories of Dr. Eliane Boucher and Dr. Saaid Mendoza, our social psychologists. Dr.
Boucher’s research focuses on interpersonal relationships, communication, and the influence
of personality characteristics underlying them these processes. She received her Master’s and
Ph.D. in Social/Personality psychology from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Before
coming to Providence College, she worked for three years in the Psychology Department at
the University of Texas of the Permian Basin in Odessa, Texas. Since then, Dr. Boucher has
been a member of Providence College’s Psychology Department for four years.
Computer-mediated communication initially attracted Dr. Boucher to psychology research, as she wondered whether people could actually perceive each other accurately in these
mediated interactions. As she continued her graduate studies, Dr. Boucher became interested
in personality’s influence on relationships and social interactions beyond technology-mediated
situations, particularly characteristics like uncertainty and anxiety. She aims now to understand whether certain personality characteristics increase the likelihood of interpersonal difficulties and why these difficulties occur. At Providence College, she has researched interactions
between strangers, friends, roommates, and people in long-term committed relationships, using students and community members. As she builds on her research, she reexamines the data
she and her students have already collected to understand how personality influences communication processes and relational outcomes. In addition to using self-reported perceptions of
conversations and conversationalists, she codes interactions to explore actual behavior responses in an objective way. She hopes in the future to explore romantic relationships, uncertainty, and methods of information-seeking within romantic couples.
Dr. Mendoza’s research focuses on intergroup biases in the social world, particularly
understanding how race- and gender-based stereotypes interact with goals and norms to influence perceptions and behavior explicitly and implicitly. He received his Ph.D. in Social/
Organizational Psychology at NYU in 2010 and was a visiting professor at Amherst College
for four years. He joined the Providence College faculty in 2014 and established the Social Perception and Attitudes (SPA) lab. To explore biases, Dr. Mendoza has explored psychological
and physical factors that influence quick shoot/don’t shoot decisions in a videogame-based police fieldwork paradigm, in addition to bias in other legal and organizational settings. He has
also worked with Dr. Boucher to examine first year students’ sense of belonging, psychological
wellbeing, and academic achievement. He also maintains his connections to the Amherst psychology department and is conducting a collaborative project with Dr. McQuade to study implicit self-perception of social competence among children with and without ADHD. Recently,
Dr. Mendoza has begun studying self-regulatory strategies used to overcome anxiety in academics, and he and his students are initiating a study on the role of humor in intergroup relationships.
Continued on page 13...
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Volume 17, Issue 1
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If you aren’t sold on this free, interactive program already, there
is one
more benefit left to mention! Currently, the Active Minds national organization is holding a fundraising campaign to get as many students as possible to take this course. If a
select number of Providence College students enroll in this one time, 30-minute course, then PC’s local
chapter will receive $250 credit toward their $500 fundraising goal. Taking this course would not only benefit the quality of the student body, but also help Active Minds continue its mission as a club! For this reason, Active Minds would really appreciate student support!
We hope you will choose to take this fun an interactive course. If you do, please make sure to indicate that you are from Providence College when signing up for this course. If you are interesting in learning more about Active Minds, please contact Michelle Fernando ([email protected]) or Cassandra Caggiano ([email protected]). Meetings are held Thursdays biweekly at 6:30 in Ruane 105. All new members are welcome!
The course can be found at http://www.activeminds.org/gatekeeper-training-to-prevent-campussuicide
Senior Plans, 2016
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Kaitlyn Bovino will be pursuing a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at Hunter College.
Dana Chretien will be attending Hofstra University’s Physician Assistant program.
Ryan Christe will be applying to the Peace Corps to do two years of service.
Danielle Colabatistto will be pursuing an EdM in School Psychology at the Teacher’s College of Columbia
University.
Kelly Davis will be pursuing a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine at
Boston University.
Anthony DeFilippo will be pursuing a degree in dentistry at the University of Connecticut School of Dental
Medicine.
Emma Duffy will be working for AmeriCorps at City Year Boston.
Michaela Fahey will be pursuing a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from Massachusetts
General Hospital Institute of Health Professions.
Michelle Fernando will be pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology at Eastern Michigan University.
Loren Fusco will be pursuing a graduate degree in School Psychology at Queens College.
Meghan Gallo will be pursuing a PhD at Brown University.
Abigail Henry will be entering the field of special effects makeup.
James Hoffmann will be pursuing an MS in Institutional-Organizational Psychology at Salem State University and will be conducting research on various leadership styles in the workplace.
Courtney Hunter will be working for AmeriCorps at City Year Sacramento.
Cayla Kalinowski will be working as a medical scribe and taking EMT classes and plans to apply to physician assistant school next year.
Laura Kehoe will be working in a mental health and rehabilitation hospital and plans to attend graduate
school next year.
Kristen Keilty will be completing a Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Medical Program at Brandeis University.
Lauren Koslowsky will be attending law school at Northeastern University.
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Ana Leon will be pursuing an MS in Neuroscience and Education at the Teacher’s College of Columbia
University.
Christina Lin will be working as a CNA and applying to either medical school or physician assistant
school
Victoria Long will be working as a research assistant at Brown University’s Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies and at Memorial Hospital.
Kristin McCarthy will be pursuing an MSW at Simmons College
Patricia McCarthy will be working as a research analyst at Third Bridge Investments.
Kristal Morfa will be working as an elementary school teacher for KIPP New York and will be pursuing a
master’s degree in teaching at the Relay Graduate School of Education.
Caroline Morgan will be working in Sales and Marketing at TTI.
Brittany O’Shea will be working as a Session Assistant at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Christina Perri will be pursuing an MD at Stony Brook University School of Medicine.
Aidan Preston will be pursuing a PhD in Biological Chemistry at the University of Utah.
Melissa Sheil will be pursuing a master’s degree in Higher Education Student Affairs at Boston College.
Faculty Announcements, 2015–2016
Dr. Boucher presented her research, co-authored with former student Bridget Thompson, at
the annual meeting for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology in San Diego, CA. She
will also be presenting at the meeting for the International Association for Relationship Researchers in Toronto, Ontario in July. She also wrote a capital funds request that enabled the Department to secure funding to purchase cameras and software for behavioral coding, which will allow faculty and students to use cutting-edge techniques for observational research.
Fr. Guido, O.P. has been on a sabbatical from teaching this year and has been working on several projects. These include the development of new standing courses, such as Psychology of Religion, and revising existing courses, such as Psychology in Human Services. He also has given
several talks on campus and a paper at a national conference, and continues work on two manuscripts, one on religious means of coping with trauma and the other on narcissism and spirituality. He looks forward to being in the classroom again in September.
Dr. Guilmette is on sabbatical this spring and conducting a study on potential factors associated
with the Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity verdict. He also reports has had two studies published
and made a presentation this past year.
Hagan, L. D., & Guilmette, T. J. (2015). DSM-5: Challenging diagnostic testimony. International
Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 42-43, 128–134.
Hagan, L. D., Drogin, E. Y., & Guilmette, T. J. (2016). Assessing adaptive functioning in death
penalty cases after Hall and DSM-5. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law,
44, 96–105.
Guilmette, T. J. (2015, August). Psychological theories and principles. With E. Drogin (Chair),
Forensic Psychological Evaluations for Personal Injury: Research, Theory, Practice, and
Standards. Symposium presented at the second Association for Scientific Advancement in
Psychological Injury and Law Practice and Research Conference, Toronto, Canada.
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Volume 17, Issue 1
Dr. Mendoza reports: "Over the past year, I have been invited to give two talks on campus about
the impact of implicit stereotypes and will also be presenting a poster at a national psychology
conference with my SPA Lab students. In addition, I have co-authored a manuscript that received a revised and resubmit and will be writing up a pair of studies that examine racial bias in
police decisions this summer. Most importantly, though, I have gotten to see my daughter
Vivienne move through the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development and begin talking her
way into the preoperational stage. For someone so small, she’s a real chatterbox and loves to
sing Frozen … let it goooooo!”
Dr. O’Keeffe, besides working hard as chair of the Department, sponsored her Experimental
Health Psychology students’ Lauren Cramer (presenting) ’17, Alexandra Cummings ’16, and Patricia McCarthy ’16 presentation of a poster (Effects of Providing Calorie Counts on Menu Item Selections of Male and Female College Students) at the March 2016 meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association in New York City.
Dr. Spiegler had a book published and presented a continuing education workshop:
Spiegler, M. D. (2016). Contemporary behavior therapy (6th ed.). Boston: Cengage.
Spiegler, M. D. (2016, March). Textbook writing: Merging scholarship and teaching. Continuing education workshop presented at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, New Orleans.
He also assisted in the Chinese translation of a book written with David Guevremont (PC ’86):
Spiegler, M. D., & Guevremont, D. C. (2010). Contemporary behavior therapy (5th ed.). Belmont,
CA: Cengage Learning.
He was honored with the Ron Pynn Award (“For national distinction in educational publishing”),
the highest award granted by the Textbook and Academic Authors Association.
Dr. Templer has, in addition to teaching Experimental Biopsychology, Independent Research,
and Introduction to Psychology, been busy involving students in research throughout the year.
She is taking four students to the Comparative Conference on Cognition in April where they will
present their own research to experts in the field. She plans to collect even more data on social
behavior and memory in rats throughout the summer. Four students, some of whom will be funded under the NAC’s lab INBRE research grant, will continue working with her over the summer.
And, last but certainly not least, Dr. Templer also had a baby, Zahava, in September.
Dr. Van Reet had two poster presentations last year and a productive sabbatical. She is also
quite proud of her continuing work on the College's Undergraduate Research Committee and
Project LEAP Team.
DeRienzo, R., & Van Reet, J. (2015, October). Do Preschoolers Transfer a Novel Prosocial Action
from Stories? Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Cognitive Development Society, Columbus, OH.
Van Reet, J. (2015, October). Toddlers’ Representation and Comprehension of Pretend Actions. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Cognitive Development Society,
Columbus, OH.
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Spring 2016
Analyze This
Dr. Vargas reports: “This year, I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to teach Introduction to Psychology at my alma mater—PC! I enjoyed being back on campus and introducing
new classes of students to the field I fell in love with many years ago.
I have also had a very momentous year at my full time job, where I was promoted to a faculty position (Research Scientist) at The Miriam Hospital and have a promotion pending to Assistant
Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University. This summer, I will probably be writing lots of papers and grant applications and spending time with my
husband and daughters.”
Dr. Warmuth’s student, Kelsie LaFerriere, received a Summer Undergraduate Research Grant
and will be working with her in the Family & Development lab for 10 weeks over the summer. She will be doing intelligence testing with the children who come into Dr. Warmuth’s lab as
part of a larger longitudinal project. Additionally, Dr. Warmuth’s IRB application for her lab's
first big project (Child Development and Responses to Marital Conflict) has been submitted, and
she is looking forward to being able to work with families over the summer. She and her students have been working hard to get her lab off the ground and it is finally coming together.
...Continued from page 9
Dr. Boucher and Dr. Mendoza both welcome students looking to gain research experience.
Dr. Boucher also supports Independent Study projects and has helped students conduct publishable
research. Dr. Mendoza prefers students who have completed at least one semester of RDSA, but is
willing to consider students without that prerequisite.
Recent Alumni Accomplishments
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Taylor Collins (‘15) will be pursuing an MS in Applied Behavior Analysis at Western New England
Sara Cote (‘14) will be pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Work
Lauren Domingue (‘15) will be starting an Occupational Therapy program at Tufts University
Caroline Doyle (‘14) will be pursuing her PhD in Psychoneuroimmunology at the University of
Arizona
Sharon Longo (‘13) will be pursuing her DO at Philadelphia School of Osteopathic Medicine
Lauren O’Loughlin (‘13) will be pursuing her MD at UMASS School of Medicine
Kelsey Schumann (‘15) will be pursuing school psychology at Northeastern University
Emily Zalis (‘15) will be pursuing an MSW at Fordham University
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Providence College
Psychology Main Office:
Albertus Magnus 116
Phone: 401-865-2435
Fax: 401-865-1227
Editors:
Christina Perri ‘16
Christie Smith ‘17
Volume 17, Issue 1
Senior Editor Farewell
Try though I may, it’s getting harder to deny that my
time at PC is about to end. I have had a home in the Providence College Psychology Department since spring of my
freshman year, and I have made some of my best friends
here. Despite moving on to the field of medicine at Stony
Brook University, I will never forget my roots in psychology
and at Providence College. Thank you to my friends, professors, and Mrs. Mullen for all that you do to make PC
Psychology Department the wonderful family that it is.
Thank you to Dr. Guilmette for your contagious passion for neuropsychology, your incredible knowledge, and
an awesome post-PCPC dinner at the Abbey.
Thank you to Dr. O’Keeffe for your kind heart, incredible patience, and for teaching me how to conduct interesting, ethical, and feasible scientific research.
Thank you to Dr. Spiegler for pushing me to be a
better writer, thinker, and person than I ever thought I
could be, for the hours spent in your office talking about
life and grammar, and especially for the final paper in
Theories of Psychotherapy.
~Christina Perri
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