Student examines links between social media use and narcissism

Recent psychological research has shown links between Facebook usage and narcissism—a personality trait characterized by an inflated sense of importance, a constant quest of admiration from others, and a lack of empathy. What does that mean about the millions of people who check Facebook daily?

Penny Trieu ’15 wants to find out. She is using her summer research project to study the links between activity on the social network and narcissism. Particularly, she wants to find out whether engaging in different activities on Facebook in different affects a user’s personality.

Trieu said that scientists have tracked an increase in narcissism over the past 40 years. The increase began after a period of “positive psychology” that focused on self-esteem. “The theory was that if you have a high self-esteem, everything will work out well for you,” she said. “Parents and schools started to work on ways of raising kids that builds self-esteem, regardless of the accomplishments of the children.”

Those attempts, however, can lead to negative repercussions related to narcissism. For example, people who are accustomed to receiving a reward regardless of their performance might not know how to handle a minor failure. “It’s healthy to accept that, rather than inflate self-esteem by saying everybody wins,” Trieu said.

Social media may have magnified the effects for self-esteem among some users. Trieu started wondering about that as she saw many people posting multiple self-portraits and talking openly about their accomplishments and other good things about their lives. She then read scientific studies about links between Facebook and self-esteem and started formulating ideas for her own project.

This summer, Trieu has read many research studies about links between Facebook and narcissism. She has worked with project advisor, Beth Schwartz, the Catherine E. & William E. Thoresen Chair in Social Sciences and assistant dean of the College, about those studies to glean ideas for an original research project.

Trieu plans to have participants use Facebook in different ways. Some would share photos and information about themselves. Others would use the network to post photos and talk about other people. She will have each group participate in an activity to help gauge narcissism.

Trieu and Schwartz believe that focusing Facebook use on interacting with others might decrease traits of narcissism. “Research in the past has shown that connection to others leads to lower levels of aggression and narcissism,” Schwartz said. “It could be that it’s not going on Facebook, but it’s what you’re doing on Facebook that leads to narcissism.”

Trieu plans to begin her own research on the topic sometime this fall and continue in the spring.

Psychology students present research at annual VPA meeting

Several Randolph College psychology seniors presented their research papers at the annual meeting of the Virginia Psychological Association in Norfolk, Va.

The seniors and their presentation titles are listed below.

Jacob Hood ’14 and Robert Villanueva ’14 (presented by Jacob Hood): Effects of Race and Socioeconomic Status on the Perceived Credibility of Eyewitnesses

Alexis Arnett ’14, Nushaa Kaz ’14, and Elizabeth van Noppen ’14: The Effect of Exercise Choice on Adherence, Motivation, and Self-Efficacy

Emily Rist ’14 and Sara Kasey ’14: Stress Levels and Contact with Nature

Elizabeth Delery ’14 and Brian Mule ’14: The Effects of Meditation on the Cortisol Stress Response

Sara Khalid ’14: A Comparison of Help-Seeking Behaviors Across Cultures and Genders

Faculty and students present research at national physics teacher conference

Three Randolph College students and one faculty member recently presented research at the American Association of Physics Teachers national meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Tim Slesinger '14, Chris Holingsworth '15, physics professor Peter Sheldon, and Jim Kwon '14

Chris Hollingsworth ’15 presented research he conducted with Zahra Adahman ’14, Alex Kwakye ’15, and physics professor Katrin Schenk. Their work delved into understanding communication deficits in mice as a way of understanding human communication disorders.

Jim Kwon ’14 presented research done with professor Evan Goulding at Northwestern University, in conjunction with a project involving other Randolph students and Schenk. His presentation, "Behavioral Analysis Techniques for Mobile Phone Collected Data," explores ways of using cell phone accelerometer data to determine the physical activity level of the person carrying the phone.

Kwon also presented research done by students Sydney Henson ’14 and Katherine Lesnak ’15, along with physics professor Peter Sheldon, education professor Peggy Schimmoeller, and biology instructor Amanda Rumore, "Science and Math Links: Research-Based Teaching Institute," is an annual project that looks at the impact of hands-on science teaching on learning.

Tim Slesinger ’14 presented "Investigating Traditional Methods of Inertial Navigation versus Using a Smartphone," research he conducted with Alex Tran '15, Kacey Meaker '08, and Sheldon.

Sheldon gave a presentation about Step Up to Physical Science and Engineering at Randolph (SUPER), a Randolph program that is helping to increase enrollment of students committed to careers in science, mathematics, and engineering. Funded with a $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, SUPER provides some scholarships and additional educational activities for Randolph science students.

Local high school student conducts superconductor research with Randolph physics professor

With the help of a Randolph College physics professor, a Local high school student is researching ways superconductors could help planes take off from aircraft carriers more quickly.

Sam Lee, a student at the Central Virginia Governor’s School for Science and Technology, became interested in the idea after seeing an online video that demonstrated how some materials, when dropped to extremely low temperatures, have no electrical resistance and repel magnetism. This can cause a superconductor to actually float over a source of magnetism.

Peter Sheldon, a Randolph physics professor who has worked with superconductors before, volunteered to help Lee design a research project related to those interests.

At first, Lee was interested in perpetual motion. Then he thought about using superconductors to actually propel an aircraft. He said Sheldon helped him zero in on a more plausible idea: levitating aircraft.

“If the airplane is levitating, there will not be any friction,” Lee said. “It would have a shorter take off distance, and will take off in shorter time.”

To know whether that idea could work, Sheldon and Lee are testing to see how the resistance caused by magnetic forces compares to the resistance caused by friction. Lee is using a puck made of YBCO (Yittrium Barium Copper Oxide). He uses liquid nitrogen to drop the puck to 77 Kelvin, or -196 degrees Celsius, at which point the puck demonstrates superconductor properties. Lee then allows the puck to levitate and travel across a magnetic track at various inclines and records the velocity at the end of the track.

Lee plans to finish taking data this week, after which he and Sheldon will compare the actual velocity to what velocity would be expected in an environment without any resistance.

After cooled in liquid nitrogen, this puck made of the superconductor YBCO will float over a magnetic track

“There is damping force, but it’s almost equal to zero,” Lee said, based on preliminary observations.

Lee said he has enjoyed working with Sheldon on his first real research project. Sheldon, who also directs Randolph’s Center for Student Research, is pleased to see a high school student getting hands-on experience with scientific research.

“The best way to learn science is to do science,” Sheldon said. “Getting involved with research early and often is really important in getting students engaged in science.

“By having the opportunity to do research at the college level while he’s in high school, Sam can see what kinds of resources we can have in a college and get a glimpse of the kind of things that he can do when he gets to college.”

Fifth annual Symposium of Artists & Scholars showcases student and faculty work

Randolph College’s own Jim Peterson will kick off the fifth annual Symposium of Artists & Scholars April 18-19. Peterson, an accomplished poet, playwright, novelist, and Randolph English professor, will present “The Dynamic Stall” April 18 at 7 p.m. in Nichols Theatre.

Peterson has published four full-length collections of poetry, the Man Who Grew Silent, An Afternoon with K, The Owning Stone, and The Bob and Weave. He has also authored three chapbooks and a novel, The Paper Crown. Peterson’s poetry has appeared in several prestigious journals, and he has won awards including Benjamin Saltman Award from the Red Hen Press and a Fellowship in Poetry from the Virginia Arts Commission. His plays have also been produced in college and regional theatres. During his 15-year tenure at the College, Peterson has served as the coordinator of the creative writing program, the visiting writers series, and as the College’s writer-in-residence.

Randolph’s Symposium of Artists & Scholars spotlights student and faculty research and projects from a variety of academic disciplines and provides students with the opportunity to present the results of their research, scholarship, and creative work to the public.

The scheduled presentations cover everything from “The Antioxidant Power of Pomegranate Juice and Juice Mixes” to “A Local Food Economy as a Solution to Lynchburg’s Food Desert: What Role Can Randolph College Play” to “Developing a Synchronous Puppet Control System for Avenue Q Puppets: Puppet Fabrication and Control System Design.” Many of the projects were supported by the Randolph College Summer Research Program and the Randolph Innovative Student Experience (RISE) Program.

Student presentations begin after the keynote address April 18 and continue Friday. For a complete schedule, please see http://www.randolphcollege.edu/x14435.xml.

Students begin Summer Research projects

Two dozen Randolph College students are going to spend this summer investigating such puzzles as how to make better puppets for the show Avenue Q, how to map all the motions of a roller coaster, and how to better measure the amount of oxygen in water.

The 2012 Summer Research Program kicked off Monday with a luncheon where students and faculty members introduced their projects. Peter Sheldon, a physics professor and director of the new Center for Student Research, said this is the program’s largest year, with 24 student researchers, 14 faculty members, and one high school student who will attend Randolph this fall.

Although students will spend most of the next eight weeks working closely with faculty members, there will be numerous meetings like Monday’s opener where they can meet together to learn about the progress of their research or to hear from speakers who will teach about the research process.

“The Summer Research Program is not just about your projects,” Sheldon said. “It’s about a community of scholars coming together regularly.”

Here is a list of the projects students and faculty members are undertaking this summer:

• Ashley Peisher ’15, Emily Sirney ’14, and Sonja Cirilo ’15 will work with theatre professor Mace Archer to produce Tracy Lett’s Bug in a motel room (the play’s setting) or a similar space. “We are going to see if the audience needs aesthetic distance to enjoy a show, or if you can be right up there in the action,” said Sirney.
• Bill Bare, a chemistry professor, and Mimansha Joshi ’14 will research ways to use luminescent substances to measure oxygen levels in water with greater reliability.
• Tatiana Gilstrap, a physics and environmental science professor and an earthquake expert, will study the the aftershocks of the earthquake that struck Virginia in August 2011. Chiamaka Asinugo ’14 and Nam Hoang ’15 will work with her to map the aftershocks using available seismic data.
• Education professors Peggy Schimmoeller and Robbi Parker will work with Dominique Rose ’14 on a project that aims to measure the effectiveness of the College’s teacher education programs.
• Bunny Goodjohn, an English professor, and Lauren Dowdle ’13 will attempt to make better tests for English skills assessments.
• Brooke McKelvey '14 and Babatunde Ajao '15 are working with Ken Parks, a theatre professor, will build puppets for the College's production of Avenue Q, which will take the stage in February 2013. They will experiment with ways to make puppets more intuitive for actors to use on stage.
• Biology professor Adam Houlihan, Laura Word ’13, and Michael Taylor ’13 will focus their research on chickens in the Randolph College Organic Garden. They will attempt to determine whether ground vegetation influences a chicken’s health and egg quality.
• Marc Ordower, a mathematics professor, and Zhe Zhang ’15 will explore the solutions to several complicated mathematical questions.
• Five students will work with Katrin Schenk, a physics professor, on two different projects. Zahra Adahman ’14, Chris Hollingsworth ’15, and Alex Kwakye ’15 will run experiments with Schenk to learn about the ultrasonic calls that mouse pups make to their mothers. Jim Kwon ’14 and Thawda Aung ’13 will continue developing ways to use cell phones to monitor Alzheimer’s patients.
• Beth Schwartz, a psychology professor, and Megan Hageman ’13 will continue the Summer Research project they began last year, investigating academic integrity and also developing a proposal for a book about student success in college.
• Tim Slesinger ’14 will help with Sheldon’s ongoing research regarding the physics of roller coasters.
• Laura-Gray Street, an English professor, plans to complete a novel with the assistance of Marisa Mendez ’13. They will study the collaborative writing and editing process as well as compile information on the process of getting published to create a guide for future Randolph students.
• What prompts people to buy unhealthy food? Psychology professor Holly Tatum and Zara Sibtain ’13 will study the factors that influence food purchase choices in a Lynchburg food desert.
• Schimmoeller, Sheldon, and Gilstrap will also add to their ongoing research about how science education is affected by the use of hands-on lessons. They will hold a program to teach educators about hands-on teaching methods and continue a week-long summer science camp for local children.

Watch the Randolph College blog for updates on these projects later this summer.

RISE Program Provides Funds for Students' Scholarly Pursuits

Randolph College is pleased to announce the Randolph Innovative Student Experience (RISE) Awards.

Beginning in the Fall 2009, every first-year Randolph College student will be eligible to receive a RISE Award during his or her junior or senior year. The grant provides funds for use in research, scholarly or creative pursuits of the student's choosing.

It could be used for travel, art supplies, computers, lab equipment, conference attendance... just about anything.

The program is designed to show support for students and the advanced scholarly work that is the hallmark of the College.

Learn more about the RISE Program > > >

Randolph Students Make Strong Showing at Research Conference

Seven Randolph College students joined faculty members to present research at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Undergraduate Students (MARCUS) Oct. 10.

The conference, held at Sweet Briar College, focuses on the scholarship and research activities of undergraduate students. Randolph’s students and faculty members reported the results of research and experiments conducted through the college’s Summer Research program and independent research projects.

“These kinds of opportunities are so important for our students, as it gives them great experiences that help prepare them for jobs or graduate school,” said Peter Sheldon, director of the Summer Research program and physics professor. “These types of experiential learning activities are what typify the Randolph College experience.”

Participants included:


Yanpaing Soe Oo: Cryptographic Primitives Research Project

Helena Brown and Randall Speer: Randolph College’s Musical Heritage: Exploring and Preserving Four Decades of Musical Performances at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College

Kathryne Allen and Kurt Seidman: An Investigation of the Relationship Between Thermal Bloom Diameter and Physical Properties of Molecules

Poojan Pyakurel and Rosha Poudyal and Kurt Sediman: A Theoretical Investigation of Factors That Influence the Carcinogenicity of Polycyclic Hydrocarbons that Suffer One-Electron Oxidation

Rosha Poudyal and Poojan Pyakurel and Kurt Seidman: A Theoretical Investigation of Carcinogenicity of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) and the Effect of Methylation: One-Electron Oxidation Mechanism

Shi Hua and Jillian Barlowe and Dennis Goff: Finger Digit Ratio as a Predicator of Mental Rotation Ability and Toy Preference Among Adults

Marja Copeland and Tatiana Gilstrap, Peggy Schimmoeller, and Peter Sheldon: Hands-on Inquiry Science for Improving Teacher Quality and Student Achievement

Lesley Tylczak and Ola Fincke: An Examination of the Dreissena Polymorpha’s Impact on the Feeding Behavior of Maromia Illinoiensis

Katelin Shugart-Schmidt: The Billion Dollar Beach: Assessing the Effectiveness of the Marine Life Conservation District at Waikiki

Danielle Robinson and Eve Gasarch and Timothy Seastedt: Covet thy Alpine Neighbor: How Rare Alpine Species Relate to the Abundance of Their Nearest Neighbors

Rachel Crowder: Artistic Value: Integrating the Aesthetic and the Ethical

Video: Psychology Student Discusses Her Research

Psychology major Lexi Mandarakas talks about her Summer Research project on best practices in teaching and learning with professor Beth Schwartz.

The project will result in published work, which puts Mandarakas at an advantage as she applies to graduate school and seeks future employment.



Watch more Randolph College videos > > >