REU Site: Summer Research Program in Developmental Psychology

Western Kentucky University Research Foundation, Bowling Green KY

Investigators

Abstract

This project is a research experiences for undergraduates (REU) site in developmental psychology at Western Kentucky University. The site offers 12 undergraduate students eight weeks of research and several concurrent professional development workshops. Intellectual Merits- Each student develops a research project in collaboration with one of six faculty mentors who has an active research program in the area of lifespan developmental psychology. The faculty mentors have research programs that span developmental periods from infancy to old age, and include developmental issues in perception, attention, memory, judgment and decision-making, emotional and moral development, social cognition, exercise and eating disorders, and parenting. In addition to working on their research projects, REU students attend workshops and special topics seminars designed to help them gain the technical knowledge and skills they need to successfully complete their projects. The workshop topics include writing research reports, experimental design and statistical analysis, giving oral and poster presentations, ethical issues in the conduct of psychological research, planning for graduate study in psychology, and balancing the demands of family and career. Broader Impacts- The broader impacts of this project include the provision of an experiential research learning opportunity for undergraduate students, who might otherwise not have such an opportunity, increased participation of ethnic and racial minorities in scientific research, and enhanced prospects for the participants to pursue an academic and/or research career in psychology or a related discipline. The targeted participants are students at non-PhD. granting institutions.