Social psychology students present capstone projects

Students in SOCPSY 4ZZ3 presented their research projects at the capstone showcase. (Photo by Daniel Johnston)


How has moving away from home affected fourth-year students’ personalities?

How do women in STEM programs perceive themselves?

Sixty-six final-year students from SOCPSY 4ZZ6, a course on research in social psychology, set out to answer these and other questions. They displayed their findings at the program’s annual capstone showcase this month.

The showcase represents a year’s work and a chance to demonstrate both theoretical and practical research skills in a group-based research project.

Students were grouped into 13 research teams based on shared interests. Each group chose a complex topic of interest and conducted research using either quantitative (a survey) or qualitative (interviews) methods.

The students examined research topics through a social psychology lens, combining a focus on individual behaviour and an observation of interaction and group life.

“I am continually amazed at the socially relevant and innovative social psychological research projects that the students design and research collaboratively as a group year after year” says Sarah Clancy, who has taught the class for five years, and who supervised all 13 research projects.

“The students are able to apply the theories, methods and skills they’ve learned in previous years to these collaborative group projects.” It is an honour and a privilege to teach this course and work with such intelligent, engaged, and passionate students.”

Here’s a look at a few of the 13 projects:

Group of students presenting poster on their social psychology research

Topic: How has moving away from home affected the way fourth year McMaster undergraduates develop their identity?
Research methods:  In-depth face-to-face interviews with McMaster University undergraduate students over the age of 18
Group members:  Acacia Blake, Tianna Downey, Shemar Hackett, Teesha Henny, Jodie Lo and Faye Stavropoulos

A group of social psychology students presents their research capstone project poster
One SocPsy 4ZZ3 group project examined how undergraduates experienced and managed stress.

Topic: Examining experiences of stress and stress management techniques by Faculty of study among level 1 and level 4 undergraduate students
Research methods:  Anonymous online survey of McMaster University undergraduate students over the age of 18 (n=59)
Group members:  Alexis Davidson, Rosanna Galluzzo, Thomas Kruszynski, Daniela Nosowski and Mikaela Predote

A group of social psychology students presents their capstone research project.
This group of social psychology students looked at the self-perceptions of women in STEM programs at McMaster.

Topic: Examining the self-perceptions of women in STEM programs at McMaster
Research methods:  In-depth face-to-face interviews with McMaster University undergraduate students over the age of 18  (n=9)
Group members:  Zyah Brereton, Lauren Dykstra, Christy Liu, Christina Movila, Amanjot Sra and Pia Vollmers

 

 

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