Previous Semester Events

Regularly Scheduled Research Talks

Positive Psychology Research Group
Mondays 5:30-6:30
810 W Franklin St., rm 106 (dissertation room)

Speakers are counseling psychology or social psychology graduate students, psychology faculty, or outside speakers. Contact Dr. Ev Worthington for the latest information about speakers.

• Jan. 24 (Dr. Jeni Burnette, University of Richmond)
• Feb. 7 (Aubrey Gartner)
• Feb. 14 (Dr. Ev Worthington)
• Feb. 21 (Jeff Jennings)
• Feb. 28 (Dr. Ev Worthington)
• Mar. 7 (Yin Lin)
• Mar. 21 (Chelsea Greer)
• Mar. 28 (Dr. Don Forsyth, University of Richmond)
• Apr. 4 (Daryl Van Tongeren)
• Apr. 11 (Dr. Todd Thrash, William and Mary)
• Apr. 18 (Dr. Bryce McLeod)
• Apr. 25 (Dr. Inez Tuck, School of Nursing)

Social Psychology Under Discussion (SPUD), research talks
Fridays 12:00-1:00
820 W Franklin St., rm 203

Speakers are social psychology graduate students or outside speakers. Contact Rob Goodman for the latest information about speakers and locations.

• Feb. 18 (Russ Clay)
• Mar. 4 (John Terrizi)
• Apr. 1 (Daryl Van Tongeren)
• Apr. 15 (Kris Hood)
• Apr. 29 (Dr. Brian Nosek, University of Virginia)

Outside Speakers and Other Department Events

Psychology Department Diploma Ceremony
Saturday, May 21, 7:30
VCU Siegel Center
1200 West Broad Street

The Department of Psychology's diploma ceremony for undergraduate and graduate degree recipients is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the VCU Siegel Center, located at 1200 West Broad Street.

Please be at the Siegel Center (gymnasium) in your cap and gown between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. so that you can participate in the procession.  Graduates, look for signs that direct you to the gymnasium in which you will be lining up.   Families and guests should go directly into the main auditorium.   There is no limit on the number of family members and guests you may bring.  The ceremony will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.   Free parking is available at the West Broad Street Parking Deck, located at 1111 West Broad Street and at the Bowe Street Deck, located at 609 Bowe Street.

A professional photographer will photograph each student as the diploma is presented.  Ordering information will be mailed or e-mailed to you.  You are under no obligation to purchase pictures.  

To request accommodations for special needs for the diploma ceremony or any other questions, please contact Dorothy Fillmore at (804) 828-8803 or defillmo@vcu.edu.  

In addition to the Department of Psychology diploma ceremony, we encourage you to attend VCU Commencement on May 21, 2011 at 10 a.m. at the Richmond Coliseum, 601 E. Leigh Street, and the College of Humanities and Sciences reception (light refreshments) from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the Student Commons, Monroe Park campus, 907 Floyd Avenue on Saturday, May 21, 2011. View the VCU Commencement web site for further information.

Social Psychology Program Brown Bag Research Presentation
Friday, April 29, 12:00-1:00
Student Commons Forum Room

Dr. Brian Nosek, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, will be giving a talk titled, "Scientific Utopia: A Radical View."

Existing practices of scientific communication are more inefficient than necessary. Technological innovations, primarily the Internet, provide an infrastructure to improve the efficiency and quality of scientific communication. I will outline the present model of scientific communication in psychological science, point out inefficiencies, provide examples of alternative models that already exist in other academic disciplines, and suggest changes - from relatively mundane to borderline nutball - to improve scientific communication.

Psyc 101: A Discussion about Psychology
Sponsored by the Black Psychology Student Association
Tuesday, April 26, 7:00-9:00
Student Commons Theater

Join BPSA for an informative discussion about psychology. Featured faculty from the undergraduate psychology department and the career center will be speaking about important topics from the psychology field. Some of those topics include: Undergraduate degree requirements; Building your resume/ CV; Different fields within psychology; Career options; GRE/MAT information; Tips from Seniors.

Following the discussions about these topics, we will open the floor for a Q&A Session! Take home snacks will be handed out at the end. GRE Prep Book Raffle!! 

Positive Psychology Research Group Presentation
Monday, April 25, 5:30-6:30
810 W Franklin St, Dissertation room (first floor)

Dr. Inez Tuck, Professor of Nursing, will be giving a talk titled, "Seeking a deeper and fuller understanding of spirituality."

Psi Chi "All about Psychology Fair"
Tuesday, April 19, 5:30-7:30
Student Commons Building, Richmond Salons IV

Held each semester, this fair is open to all psychology majors and minors. Attendees are able to meet with representatives from in and outside of VCU. For example, VCU psychology doctoral students are available to answer questions about graduate school, and VCU faculty members are available to discuss their respective programs (e.g., Psychology, Nursing, Education, and Social Work). Representatives from outside organizations (e.g., ChildSavers, Richmond Behavioral Health Authority) provide information about possible internships/volunteer work, as well as educational materials. Attendees can also obtain guidance on CV/resume building, applying to graduate school, 492/494 courses, and more.

Positive Psychology Research Group Presentation
Monday, April 11, 5:30-6:30
810 W Franklin St, Dissertation room (first floor)

Dr. Todd Thrash, Associate Professor of Psychology at the College of William and Mary will be giving a research talk titled, "Is creativity 1% inspiration?"

The idea that creativity is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration implies that effort is important to creativity and that inspiration is not. We are aware of no evidence supporting the latter claim; in fact, only rarely have inspiration and creativity been assessed in the same study. We examined the roles of inspiration and effort in three studies of the writing process. In Study 1, which concerned scientific writing, inspiration and effort were found to be positively related at both between-person and within-person levels of analysis. Inspiration and effort predicted different aspects of writing quality—inspiration predicted creativity but not technical merit, whereas effort predicted technical merit but not creativity. In Study 2, which concerned the writing of poetry, inspiration predicted creativity but not use of rhyme, whereas effort predicted use of rhyme but not creativity. In Study 3, which concerned fiction writing, inspiration predicted creativity and effort did not. Inspiration predicted the number of words generated, whereas effort predicted the number of words deleted. Inspiration predicted greater efficiency and productivity. Effort predicted less dawdling and more pausing. These findings are difficult to reconcile with the idea that creativity is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration, at least in the writing context. Instead, it appears that inspiration and perspiration play different and complementary roles in the writing process.

Wednesday, April 6, 10:00
1000 W Franklin St., basement

Robert Serpell, Professor of Psychology, University of Zambia, will be giving a talk titled: "African Intelligence: The value of culturally-adaptive assessment." Space is limited (20 max), so we hope that you will arrive early.

His publications include four books, Culture's influence on behaviour (Methuen, 1976), Mobilizing local resources in Africa for persons with learning difficulties or mental handicap (NFPU, 1984), The significance of schooling (Cambridge, 1993), and Becoming literate in the city (Cambridge, 2005), and several peer-reviewed articles in a wide range of scholarly journals. Professor Serpell's primary research interests are in cultural aspects of human development, intelligence, multilingualism, literacy, assessment and intervention services for children with disabilities and their families, and educational curriculum development, with special attention to cultural context, and to the region of sub-Saharan Africa. He is an NICHD-funded scientist and has been recognized internationally for his work on the emergence of literacy in diverse sociocultural contexts. Formerly Director, University of Zambia's Institute for African Studies (1977-83); Director, Graduate Studies program in Applied Developmental Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA (1989-2001); and Vice-Chancellor, University of Zambia (2003-2006).

Positive Psychology Research Group Presentation
Monday, March 28, 5:30-6:30
810 W Franklin St, Dissertation room (first floor)

Dr. Don Forsyth, Professor and Colonel Leo K. and Gaylee Thorsness Chair in Ethical Leadership at the University of Richmond, and former faculty member in the VCU social psychology program, will be giving a talk titled: "Is There Anything Positive about Group Psychology?"

Groups exert a ubiquitous, unrelenting influence over their members, shaping both their psychological adjustment and their dysfunction. All but an occasional recluse or exile belong to groups, and those who insist on living their lives apart from others, refusing to join any groups, are considered curiosities, eccentrics, or even mentally unsettled. But where is the group in psychology, and in positive psychology in particular? The declining interest in group-level approaches to adjustment and treatment will be reviewed, as well as more recent examples of the deleterious consequences of a restricted, individual-level, psychogenic focus. The value of a multilevel conceptualization of human growth and adjustment will be discussed.

Black Psychology Student Association
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 7:00 PM
VCU Student Commons, Richmond Salons I

The Black Psychology Student Association presents a discussion on love, "You Should Let Me Love You: A Discussion About Love," from a psychological point of view, including attachment styles and theories of love, on Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. in the University Student Commons, Richmond Salons I. Food will be served. For more information, contact brewerar@vcu.edu.

Positive Psychology Research Group Presentation
Monday, January 24, 5:30-6:30
810 W Franklin St, Dissertation room (first floor)

Dr. Jeni Burnette, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Richmond, and alum of the VCU social psychology program, will be giving a talk titled: "Mindsets Matter: A Social Cognitive Approach to Dieting Motivation."

Maintaining a healthy body weight is difficult, as illustrated by the 34% of Americans who are obese (BMI>30) and the additional 34% who are overweight (BMI>25) (Flegal, Carroll, Ogden, & Curtin, 2010). Although millions of people diet most of them ultimately gain weight. Our "obesogenic environment" yields a multitude of temptations and inevitable setbacks (e.g., Brownell & Rodin, 1994; Lowe, 2003) which can cause people to stop exerting themselves to achieve their dieting goals (Cochran & Tesser, 1996; Polivy & Herman, 1985). In the current work, I present multiple studies that illustrate how "implicit theories" about whether body weight is fixed versus malleable influence responses to eating temptations and dieting setbacks (Burnette, 2010; Dweck, 2000). Across studies using a range of methods (e.g., self-report, experimental manipulations, and an implicit theory intervention) and populations (e.g., college students, individuals who are categorized as overweight or obese), I demonstrate how incremental beliefs—that attributes are malleable and, consequently, that one is not "stuck" in a low-achieving state—promote mastery-oriented self-regulatory strategies that buffer against the adverse effects of setbacks on dieting goal achievement.

Society for the Advancement of Psychology (SAP) Colloquium Presentation
Monday, December 13, 12:00-1:00
810 W Franklin St, Dissertation room (first floor)

Dr. Sarah Lageman, Assistant Professor in the Neurology Department at Virginia Commonwealth University and neuropsychologist at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Parkinson’s Disease Center, will be giving a talk titled, “Neuropsychology practice and its development at VCU’s Parkinson’s Disease Center.”

At VCU’s Parkinson’s Disease Center, Dr. Lageman conducts neuropsychological assessments and will also be developing and evaluating interventions in Parkinson’s Disease and other movement-related disorders. Dr. Lageman’s research interests are focused on neuropsychological function and neurorehabilitation of individuals with neurological disorders and illness. She is specifically interested in improving neuropsychological assessments and evaluating medical interventions in patients with frontal-subcortical dysfunction. At VCU, she is beginning a program of research examining the neurocognitive features of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), including identification of variables that impact shunt placement outcomes and predictors of post-operative cognitive decline, and is also continuing research endeavors focused on improving neurocognitive evaluations and evaluating interventions in neuro-oncology populations and in clinical trials. 

At her talk, Dr. Lageman will present a brief introduction to the field of neuropsychology, present cases illustrating the role of neuropsychological assessment in patient care, and review new clinical and research-related activities at VCU’s Parkinson’s Disease Center.

Psychology Department Diploma Ceremony
Saturday, December 11, 1:30
VCU Student Commons, Commonwealth Ballrooms
907 Floyd Avenue, 2nd Floor

VCU's December Commencement Ceremony will take place on Saturday, December 11, at 10:00, in the Siegel Center. View the VCU Commencement web site for further information.

The Department of Psychology's diploma ceremony for August and December Psychology undergraduate and graduate degree recipients is scheduled for Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. at the University Student Commons, Commonwealth Ballroom, located at 907 Floyd Avenue.

August graduates and anticipated December graduates who plan to participate should be at the University Student Commons’ Commonwealth Ballroom (line-up will be in the hallway in front of the University Counseling Center next to the Ballroom) in your cap and gown by 1:00 p.m. in order to participate in the procession.  

RSVP's for the department ceremony should be given to psyugrad@vcu.edu as soon as possible.

Society for the Advancement of Psychology (SAP) Colloquium Presentation
Monday, November 29, 12:00-1:00
Student Commons Forum Room

Dr. Joseph Galano, Professor Emeritus in the Psychology Department at the College of William and Mary and core faculty member in the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology, will be giving a talk titled: "The Problem: Adverse Childhood Experiences and their Impact on Health Across the Lifespan; Part of the Solution: Healthy Families Virginia's Early Home Visitation Statewide Initiative."

The talk will present findings from the Adverse Childhood Experience study (ACEs) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente. The ACE study is the largest contemporary epidemiological study to examine the health and social effects of adverse childhood experiences across the lifespan. The presentation will establish the dramatic link between child maltreatment and negative outcomes that occur decades later, including alcohol and substance abuse, smoking, COPD, depression, inter-partner violence, criminality, serious physical illness, STDs, unintended pregnancy, and suicide attempts. ACEs create an even greater toll on adults health status, quality of life, health care utilization, and mortality than previously recognized. The research provides insights into why some of our contemporary public health interventions may be ineffective. Although attempts to treat ACEs after the fact have not been successful, new research on the long-term benefit of early home visitation programs such as Healthy Families Virginia shows promise in reducing the incidence of ACEs and promoting positive child development. The presentation concludes with findings from the 2005-2009 statewide evaluation of Healthy Families Virginia based on over 15,000 participants.

Social Psychology Program Brown Bag Research Presentation
Friday, November 12, 12:00-1:00
Student Commons Forum Room

Dr. James Shepperd, R. David Thomas Endowed Legislative Professor of Psychology and Director of Social Psychology at the University of Florida, will be giving a talk titled, "When Ignorance is Bliss: Exploring the Who, What, When and Why of Information Avoidance."

Although acquiring information can provide numerous benefits, people often opt to remain ignorant. Information avoidance is any behavior designed to prevent or delay the acquisition of available but potentially unwanted information. In this talk I a) define information avoidance and distinguish it from other related phenomena, b) address various motivations that prompt information avoidance, c) describe situational factors that influence when people avoid information, and d) discuss individual differences in information avoidance. I will also present several studies illustrating when and why people display information avoidance.

Society for the Advancement of Psychology (SAP) Colloquium Presentation
Monday, October 11, 12:00
810 W Franklin St, Dissertation room (first floor)

Dr. Ed Millner, Chair of VCU's Economics Department, will be giving a talk titled "Experimental Economics: An Investigation of Altruistic Behavior."

Dr. Millner will present the results of an experiment designed to identify more clearly the motivation underlying dictators’ behavior.  In the typical dictator game, recipients are given no endowment. We give an endowment to the recipient as well as the dictator.  This new dimension allows us to test directly the model of inequality aversion. Our results confirm that the inequality between dictator’s and recipient’s endowment is a key determinant of the dictator’s giving.  As we increase the recipient’s endowment from 0 to an amount equal to the dictator’s endowment, the mean amount passed drops from 30% to less than 12% of the dictator’s endowment, and the proportion of dictators who pass positive amounts falls from 75% to 26%. Thus the majority of dictators exhibit behavior consistent with inequality averse preferences.  On the other hand, only 24% of dictators split payoffs equally suggesting that maximin preferences are less important drivers of dictators’ giving.