Conference Program and Schedule

214CD Memorial Union

Coffee and pastries will be served. 

214CD Memorial Union 

8:30-8:45 a.m. - False Memory Susceptibility in Association with Attachment Theory: Effects on Memory Conformity

Rachel Miller, John-Paul Legerski, Andre Kehn, and Tiffany Russell (University of North Dakota)

False memory research has been an evident topic in various fields of psychological study. Primarily, implications in contexts of forensic (e.g., eyewitness testimony) and clinical (e.g., endorsing events that never occurred) can serve as harmful consequences in ensuring reliability in individual’s memory endorsement as individuals may be susceptible to endorsing details related to false memories. In efforts to explain individual differences in levels of susceptibility in endorsing details related to the rare medical procedure of the voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG), the current study examined predictor variables of attachment theory (e.g., attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance), depressive symptomology, level of compliance (e.g., use of confederates), and guided imagery (i.e., false memory technique). The sample comprised 109 University of North Dakota students drawn from a research pool, where participants were randomly assigned into either an experimental condition (guided imagery and the presence of three confederates) or the control condition (guided imagery and no confederates). Primarily analysis revealed that when participants were placed with confederates, 80% of participants endorsed details related to the suggested memory event. In the control condition, 71% of participants also endorsed details related to the suggested memory event. Further analysis will be presented with correlations and logistic regressions with each of the predictor variables. Conclusions of this study suggest that individuals are highly susceptible to endorsing false memories, where implications for preventing false memory endorsement must be of critical importance in various contexts of psychological research and treatment.

8:45-9 a.m. - Stigma is Committing: Public Perceptions of Race, Substance Use, and Civil Commitment

Meliyah Anderson-Tryon, Cassandra Flick, Tiffany Russell (University of North Dakota)

This study will investigate public perceptions of civil commitment, a process in the United States where individuals with severe mental illnesses may be involuntarily hospitalized if deemed a danger to self or others. However, this standard may disproportionately impact minority populations due to public stigma and racial biases. Using a vignette-based experimental design, this study will manipulate a hypothetical individual’s race (Black vs. White) and history of substance use (present vs. absent) to assess how these variables influence beliefs regarding the justification of civil commitment, perceptions of dangerousness, and internal causal attributions of the individual’s situation. It is predicted that vignettes with a Black individual or vignettes with a history of substance use will lead to stronger beliefs in justification of commitment, higher perceptions of dangerousness, and greater endorsements of internal causal attributions. This study will also examine trait-level attitudes towards mental illness, substance use, legal legitimacy, and racial attitudes.

9- 9:15 a.m. - Is Reasonable Doubt Subjective? Evaluation of Mock-Juror’s Likelihood to Shift Conviction Threshold Based on Charge Severity, Sentence Severity, and Evidence Strength

Sophie K. Johnson and Kimberly Schweitzer (University of North Dakota)

In criminal cases where charge severity or the perceived sentence is higher, jurors may shift their conviction thresholds to require more confidence in the defendant’s guilt to convict. Charge severity, sentence severity, and evidence strength have not been simultaneously examined. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 18 conditions in a 3 (charge severity: first-degree murder, second-degree murder, or voluntary manslaughter) x 3 (sentence severity: 7-9 years, 20-25 years, or life without the possibility of parole) x 2 (evidence strength: strong or weak) factorial design. Charge, sentence, and evidence strength were hypothesized but not found to increase a juror’s conviction threshold through increasing type I error concern. The interaction between charge and sentence severity on type I error concern was significant only with first-degree murder charges, compared to second-degree, but was recommended a sentence of 7-9 years in prison. Findings suggest jurors’ conviction thresholds may be stable. Implications are discussed.

9:15-9:30 a.m. - Improving Juror Comprehension: The Impact of Simplified Instructions and Defendant Conduct Severity on Damage Awards Pilot Study

Alivia Adams and Cassandra Flick (University of North Dakota)

Jurors in civil trials must judge liability and damages using jury instructions that are often difficult to understand. Prior research shows that standard instructions are frequently misinterpreted, allowing external factors to bias awards. Guided by Cognitive Load Theory and dual-process models, it is predicted that simplified instructions lower extraneous load and promote more systematic processing. A 2 (Instruction Complexity: standard vs. simplified) × 2 (Defendant Conduct: low vs. high reprehensibility) between-subjects experiment will assess effects on liability judgments, compensatory damages, punitive damages, and comprehension. A pilot study (N=141) validated the conduct manipulation, showing that the high-reprehensibility scenario produced greater blameworthiness than lower-reprehensibility scenario (all ps < .001). By testing the interactive effects of instruction complexity and conduct, the present study aims to inform legal practice through guiding the design of clearer instructions that improve juror decision-making.

9:30-9:45 a.m. - The Impact of Gestational Timing and Method on Enacted Abortion Stigma

Jenna Laurin, Kylie Nay, Magenta Thai (Minnesota State University Moorhead)

After the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision, some politicians have argued for legal gestational and method restrictions on abortion services. The purpose of the current study was to understand the general opinions of students regarding abortion timing and method.  In study 1, students were presented with one of two vignettes about a woman who decided to seek an abortion at either 5 or 16 weeks’ gestation. An independent-samples t-test found that ratings of warmth were not significantly lower in the 16-week gestation condition compared to 5-weeks. In study 2, participants were presented with one of three vignettes describing a woman who recently became pregnant and received either a medication abortion, surgical abortion, or abortion denial. Ratings of warmth and compassion were not significantly different based on abortion method. Participants did not differentiate between abortion conditions, leading the researchers to question why politicians attempt to regulate services based on these factors.

9:45-10 a.m. - Great Expectations: How Gender Assigned at Birth Shapes Viewpoint Based Perceptual Disparities in Gender-Diverse People

Adelyn Emter, Amariana Weigel and Alison Kelly (University of North Dakota)

This study examined disparities between personal beliefs and perceived societal ideologies about earning gendered traits and maintaining masculinity and femininity, focusing on gender-diverse perspectives and the role of gender identity in responses to social research. A sample of 334 gender-diverse participants compared Viewpoint and Gendered Trait responses based on Gender Assigned at Birth, using twelve statements on earning and maintaining masculinity and femininity. The Traditional Egalitarian Sex Role (TESR) Inventory and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) Scale were included as covariates, both significantly contributing to the model. Results showed societal belief scores were higher than personal belief scores, and masculinity scores exceeded femininity scores. Participants assigned female at birth (AFAB) reported greater discrepancies in viewpoint-based agreement, whereas those assigned male at birth (AMAB) showed greater discrepancies in trait-based agreement. These findings suggest possible limitations in the construct validity of social research surveys for gender-diverse populations and highlight the impact of gendered expectations.

10-10:15 a.m. - Urban and Rural Perceptions of Mental Health Help-Seeking: A Mixed Methods Study

Gracynn Young, Brogan Lommen-Solig, Joelle Ruthig, Ethan Dahl, & Mariah Sorby (University of North Dakota)

Most research on mental health help seeking (MHHS) has focused on seeking professional help and the stigma surrounding help seeking, however there is a paucity of research on perceived need as a prerequisite of MHHS. The current study looked at this phenomenon among 364 Urban and Rural adults via a mixed-methods survey. Specifically, the study examined how adults perceive a set of mental health symptoms of varying severity for themselves and a community member. Participants described whether they would seek help and what type of help they would seek. Quantitative results and qualitative themes will be reviewed. Implications for MHHS among these populations will be discussed.

10:15-10:30 a.m. - Workplace Disclosure Outcomes of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Brogan Lommen-Solig, Ethan Dahl, & Mariah Sorby (University of North Dakota)

The invisible nature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), along with the impact of ASD on social interpretation and communication, makes the decision to disclose one’s disability identity a complex one. This can especially be the case when it comes to employment. Employment is an important aspect of life that can be difficult for many autistic individuals as they are typically underemployed, unemployed, or overqualified in their positions. Disclosure of ASD can help mitigate employment concerns in several ways such as by receiving accommodations in the workplace. The goal of this study was to measure the outcomes of autism disclosure in the workplace to provide insight on the unique benefits and consequences of disclosure. A quasi-experimental mixed methods approach was utilized to measure the differences between groups (disclosure vs. nondisclosure) on workplace satisfaction, burnout, social exclusion, and masking of autistic traits.  

Memorial Union

214CD Memorial Union 

Discussion Panelists - Moderated by Dr. Alison Kelly

• Alan King, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
  • Dr. King holds a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University. He has been a clinical psychology professor at UND since 1987. His scholarly work has focused on relationships between childhood maltreatment, personality disturbance, and aggressive tendencies. 
• Brittany Love, M.A., Community Violence Intervention Center, Grand Forks, ND
  • Brittany@cviconline.org
  • Ms. Love holds a Master’s degree in sociology from UND and serves as Director of Prevention and Education for our CVIC program which reaches to more than 15,000 youth and professionals annually. She coordinates evidence-based violence prevention and healthy relationship training in county schools, the university, and the Green Dot bystander intervention program. In addition, her team provides training to professionals on domestic/sexual violence prevention and trauma-informed intervention practices. 
• Donald Hager, J.D., Presiding Judge. Northeast Central Judicial District. North Dakota     
  • DHager@ndcourts.gov
  • Judge Hager served in the U.S. Navy from 1974-1980. After his honorable discharge, he attended Mayville State University and received his Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Administration in 1983.  He received his Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1986, and was admitted to the N.D. Bar on September 25, 1986. He worked in private practice in Grand Forks, Larimore, and Cooperstown until his judgeship in 2014. 
• Chris Hutton, Retired Corporal, North Dakota Civil Board
  • Chris Hutton graduated from Thompson High School in 1993 and pursued his education at Mayville State University, UND, UND Lake Region, and Park College at Grand Forks Air Force Base. He began his law enforcement career in 1997 with the Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office. Over the years, he has served in multiple capacities and earned the rank of Corporal in 2012. That same year, he was honored as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) State of North Dakota Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Alongside his law enforcement career, Chris served in the Army National Guard beginning in December 1993. His military service included numerous state activations and two deployments in support of the Iraq War in 2003 and 2004. He medically retired in October 2018 due to a motor vehicle accident in 2006 in which he lost his right leg. In 2021, Chris transitioned from road duties to the civil division, where he currently oversees the service of civil processes. That year, he was also appointed to the North Dakota Civil Board. In this role, he provides instruction to newly elected sheriffs and appointed deputies on the civil responsibilities within law enforcement. Chris’s career reflects a deep commitment to public service, leadership, and mentorship across both military and civilian roles.

Memorial Union Restaurants

214AB Memorial Union

1. The Effect of Acculturation on Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Satisfaction with Indigenous Populations

Reagan Alsbaugh and Justin Douglas McDonald (University of North Dakota)

2. The Hired Gun Effect: Can We Correct Trans Misinformation in Jurors?

Kaden Bollinger, Meliyah Anderson-Tryon, Cassandra Flick and Tiffany Russell (University of North Dakota)

3. Headsets and Headspace:The Role of Virtual Reality Learning Stress Coping Techniques Among Student-Athletes

Alexander Engel, Sara Van Wickler, & Ethan P. Valentine (Minot State University)

4. The Role of Psychological Fortitude and Degree Aspiration on Sports Satisfaction

Kathryn Ellingson, Andrew Lenway, Cassidy Brown, Aaron Cooper, Amber Peterson, Jimmy Morin, Radomir Ray Mitic, Akorede Teriba. (University of North Dakota)

5. Fostering Belonging Through Identity Safety Cues: Evidence from a National Sample of LGBTQ+ Students

Adelyn K. Emter, Amariana J. Weigel, Haley Duncan, and Alison E. Kelly (University of North Dakota)

6. Effects of COVID-19 on the Mental Health Experiences of Inmates

Jordan Etters and Julie Boydston (University of North Dakota)

7. Individual differences in learnt multitasking skills: Immediate and delayed behavioral outcomes and their neural correlates

Gavin Fitzgerald, Utkarsh Gupta, Stella Sande, Jessica Van Bree, Travis Nelson, Dmitri Poltavski and Thomas Petros (University of North Dakota)

8. Hypomanic Personality Traits and First Impression Interaction Procedure Attributions

Calista Froemming, Gavin Fitzgerald, & Alan King (University of North Dakota)

9. Speaking Up Against Sexism: Student Perceptions and the Role of Gender

Mary Hamilton, Tori Torgerson, Isabelle Clarke and Alison Kelly (University of North Dakota)

10. From Lens to Law: How Camera Perspectives Shape Police Intentionality Judgments

Emma Kilian, Cassandra Flick, and Kimberly Schweitzer (University of North Dakota)

11. Personality Functioning and Identity: The Relationship between Acceptance, Community, and BPD Traits

Hadley McCartin, Hannah Benemann, Kaden Bollinger, Jordan Jaeger, Jared Ruchensky, Daniella Cash, Alan King, and Tiffany Russell (University of North Dakota)

12. The Military Life Cycle Through the Lens of Self-Determination Theory: Motivation Across Four Phases

Maria A. Mollenhauer (Adler University)

13. Perceived vs. Actual Physical Activity Levels of Undergraduate Students

Paige Moritz, Ryan Giuliano and Madissen Sitka (University of Manitoba)

14. The Influence of Mental Illness Status on Perceptions of Warmth and Competence in a Bullying Scenario

Kaitlyn Mossett and Heather Terrell (University of North Dakota)

15. Improving Recognition of Marginalized Psychologists with Scientist Spotlight Assignments

Olivia P. Naatjes, Mattie E. Scholten, Magenta Thai, Kylie S. Nay, Jenna N. Laurin, Alison E. Kelly and Adelyn Emter (Minnesota State University, Moorhead)

16. Understanding Mental Health Experiences and Needs of NICU Parents

Sofia Paunovic, Aleah Fontaine, Kristin Reynolds, Shayna Pierce, Light Uchechukwu, Tia Alsaidi, and Cecilia de Cabo (University of Manitoba)

17. The Relationship between Symptoms of Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, and Sluggish Cognitive Tempo with Deficits in Executive Functioning in College Students

Alexis C. Rehovsky, Cynthia Narvaez, Taylor Baumler, Sheila K. Hanson, Thomas V. Petros (University of North Dakota)

18. Comparing Neuropsychological Performance Across In-Person and Videoconference Administration Among Older Adults

Alexis Rehovsky and Michelle Voss (University of North Dakota)

19. Psychological Fortitude and Career Longevity: Therapists' Experience with Job Satisfaction and Overwhelm

Alison Rollag, Amber Peterson, Andrew Lenway, Zhihao Tang, Ryan Flinn, Akorede Teriba (University of North Dakota)

20. Cultural Identification & Preferences in Treatment for American Indian Adults with Substance Use Disorder

Megan Saboo and Doug McDonald (University of North Dakota)

21. Perceptions of Warmth Based on Greek Status

Stella Sande and Heather Terrell (University of North Dakota)

22. More on ‘Between You and Me’: Gendered Effects of Pronouns and Tactic Order on Sexual Victimization Prevalence Rates

Jasmine Skorheim, RaeAnn Anderson, and Virginia Clinton-Lisell (University of North Dakota)

23. Spirituality and Well-being Among Native College Students  

Emma Smith (University of North Dakota)

24. An Analysis of Sexual Grooming Behaviors Among LGBTQ+ Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Imani Thomas and Elizabeth Jeglic (John Jay College of Criminal Justice)

25. The Best of Both Worlds: Advantages of a Dualistic Self

Pranika Vohra, Muhammad R. Asad, Hamidreza Fereidouni, Nikki Buchta and Michael Robinson (North Dakota State University)

26. Test for Instagram Addiction (TIA): A Validation Study

Heili J. Wiley and Elyzia E. Powers. (Minot State University)
 

214CD Memorial Union

2- 2:15 p.m. - Positive & Negative Predictive Power of the MCMI-IV Validity Scales: Discriminating Malingered from Genuine Psychological Disorders.

Joseph Miller, Thomas Petros, and Michael Jowkar (University of North Dakota)

Despite its popularity, empirical research on the current Millon Multiaxial Clinical Inventory for adults (MCMI-IV). We endeavored to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the MCMI-IV in two clinically relevant contexts: (a) honest nonpsychiatric responders versus responders coached to “fake good”, and (b) asymptomatic malingerers (“Fake-Bad”) versus Bonafide patients. Asymptomatic honest test-takers were college students who completed the MCMI-IV with instructions to respond honestly. “Fake-Good” responders were college students instructed to simulate psychological disorder. Actual clinical responders were age and gender-matched cases from the MCMI-IV norming sample, provided by the test publisher (Pearson). Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed adequate to good discrimination of Fake-Good from Honest asymptomatic test-takers by MCMI-IV Scale Y (AUC=.92), and discrimination of Fake-Bad test-takers from actual patients was likewise good for Scales X (AUC = .94) and Z (AUC=.85). Sensitivity and Specificity of these scales were generally adequate at both publisher-recommended threshold scores (75BR and 85BR). We present the negative and positive predictive power for each of these scales, estimated from the observed sensitivity and specificity, at different base rates of malingering; these data indicate that use of the higher threshold

2:15-2:30 p.m. - Touch and Go: Haptic Feedback to Elevate Pilot Situational Awareness

Jessica Van Bree, Dmitri Poltavski and Thomas Petros (University of North Dakota)

Situational awareness (SA) has been deemed to be a critical component of flight efficacy, efficiency, and overall mission success. The first level of SA comes from a pilot's perception of the elements within their environment, including aircraft data, the state of their aircraft, and other route-specific variables. However, previous literature has shown that pilots and air traffic controllers routinely fail to accurately perceive the elements within their environment, contributing significantly to accidents and incidents. Given the latter, it should be no surprise that recent efforts have aimed to increase SA and cue recognition among flight crews. The current study employed haptic cueing to improve pilot situational awareness in flight, indexed by several process indices (eye-tracking and electroencephalography) and various performance measures. Data collection for this project is currently ongoing, however preliminary findings and potential implications will be discussed.

2:30-2:45 p.m. - The Effects of Chronic Sleep Deprivation on Visuomotor Performance Using Electroencephalographic Measurement

Jaxon Erie and Dmitri Poltavski (University of North Dakota)

This study investigated the impact of acute and chronic sleep deprivation on visuomotor performance using EEG and behavioral measures in a college-aged sample. Chronic sleep status was determined with the Chronic Sleep Reduction Questionnaire, forming low and high sleep conditions, while acute sleepiness was assessed with the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). High-sleep individuals showed better visual clarity overall. Further, EEG analysis revealed increased theta in low sleep individuals during the go/no-go task. However, distraction probabilities increased more with rising KSS scores in the high sleep condition across tasks (i.e., depth perception, near-far quickness, target capture, perception span, multiple-object tracking, reaction time, eye-hand coordination, go/no-go). Results suggest chronic sleep deprivation may foster compensatory adaptations that mitigate acute deficits, whereas those typically well-rested may be more vulnerable to short-term sleep loss.

2:45-3 p.m. - Blood and Bigotry: Physical and Moral Disgust Responses

Madison Adrian and Andre Kehn (University of North Dakota)

One may encounter disgusting things in daily life, such as moldy food or cruel acts toward others. However, jurors serving on a criminal trial may be uniquely exposed to disgusting stimuli related to the crime being tried. It is theorized that different types of disgust exist, namely physical disgust, an aversion to disgusting stimuli, and moral disgust, a response to violations of moral standards. Moral disgust is thought to be a unique combination of anger and disgust. In the present study, a pool of photographs was compiled to target these two disgust responses. Participants were asked to provide descriptions and emotional reactivity ratings for each photograph within the pool. The findings indicate support for a dual-classification model of disgust, where both types of photographs generated disgust responses, yet only the morally disgusting photographs were associated with increased anger responses. Implications for the legal system and future directions are discussed.

214CD Memorial Union

Student Awardees

• Tessa Sementa - Outstanding Undergraduate Service Award:
• Addison Quern - Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award
• Kayla Hanson - Outstanding Psychology Student Award

PSI CHI International Honor Society in Psychology Inductees

• Ava Bailey 
• Morgan Bergeron 
• Emma Bjorneby 
• Emma Bock 
• Gracen Breitbach 
• Josh Chromy 
• Alexis Crane 
• Emma Dodd-Carnine 
• Nichole Dumlao  
• Kayla Hanson
• Megan Koetz 
• Abigail Larson 
• Phoenix Martin 
• Addison Quern 
• Stella Sande 
• Kylie Schaff 
• Olivia Schlosser 
• Tori Torgerson 
• Taryn Vettel 
• Amariana Weigel 
• Sophia Wolla
• ElliAnah Schmitz
• Sierra Werth
• Gavin Fitzgerald
• Hailey David
• Ramiro Tellez
• Kirstyn Bauer
• Brooklyn Morris
• Kaitlyn Mossett
• Sydney Rygg
• Zoey Swanson
• Andy Swenson
• Justine Vonasek

214CD Memorial Union

Dr. Alexa Tullett,  Professor of Psychology, University of Alabama

Keynote Address: Promoting Scientific Skepticism in a Time of Science Denial

Skepticism is a cornerstone of scientific inquiry. Nevertheless, doubts about the legitimacy of science can be weaponized by corporations and politicians for personal gain. For this reason, it seems important to understand how to cultivate scientific skepticism without fueling science denial. This talk will tackle this problem within social psychology, first documenting legitimate reasons for skepticism, then turning to growing reasons for trust, and ending on possible pathways forward.