Sona Information
- Request an account for the Psychology Participant Recruitment System
- Information for students using the Participant Recruitment System [PDF]
- Instructions for Students for Completing the ELC Readings Option (Spring 2025) [PDF]
Research Labs
The Department offers numerous opportunities for students to engage in research under the direction of a faculty member. Each semester, approximately 40 undergraduates participate in supervised research opportunities. Students are encouraged to look for opportunities that match their area of interest. Undergraduate students may do so either for credit (up to six hours) or on a volunteer basis. Involvement in research is highly recommended for students planning to pursue graduate study. Below is a list of facutly research lab and their research foci. Additional information about faculty research can be found on the Faculty & Staff page.
The Anxiety, Exercise, and Mindfulness Research Laboratory | |
| Lab Director(s) | Joshua J. Broman-Fulks, Ph.D. (bromanfulksj@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | The Anxiety, Exercise, & Mindfulness Research Laboratory conducts research on the relationships between lifestyle behaviors, anxiety, and well-being. Grounded in a contextual-behavioral science framework, the lab examines the effects of physical exercise, mindfulness practices, and mindfulness-based interventions on anxiety-related challenges and overall well-being. Recent studies have explored the efficacy of the Koru Mindfulness program and mindful walking interventions for college students, as well as factors influencing mindfulness-related outcomes, such as the placebo effect and experiential avoidance. |
| Lab Website | https://psych.appstate.edu/research-labs/anxiety-research-lab |
Appalachian Adult ADHD (AAA) Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Will Canu, Ph.D. (canuwh@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | The Appalachian Adult ADHD Lab (AAA Lab) is devoted primarily to investigating the assessment, features, course, consequences, comorbidities, and treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, with a special focus on adult populations. An emerging secondary theme in the lab is a focus on rural clinical issues, including differential outcomes related to rural conditions, access to services, and treatment delivery. |
| Lab Website | https://adhd.appstate.edu/ |
Applicant Decision-Making (ADM) Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Yalcin Acikgoz, Ph.D. (acikgozy@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | Applicant Decision-Making Lab investigates the process through which an employment relationship begins from the applicants' perspective. Specifically, we examine issues surrounding applicants in job search, employment testing, and offer evaluation process including, but not limited to, their reactions to organizational practices and how they evaluate job offers. Also, currently working on a study aimed at defining and measuring professionalism in the workplace. |
| Lab Website | https://iohrm.appstate.edu/admlab |
ASC School Mental Health Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Kurt Michael, Ph.D. (michaelkd@appstate.edu), |
| Research Focus | Child and adolescent psychopathology, School mental health, Suicide prevention, Rural service delivery, Depression and anxiety, Substance abuse disorders, Meta-analysis, Psychotherapy outcome |
| Lab Website | https://psych.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/kurt-d-michael |
The Collab (Community-Oriented Learning Lab) | |
| Lab Director(s) | Brooke Burrows, Ph.D. (burrowsbe@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | The Collab conducts community-based and participatory research focused in three main domains – social change processes, intergroup conflict and conflict resolution, and transformative politics – with each domain drawing on diverse contexts (from Appalachia to NYC) as well as research methodology (qualitative, quantitative, mix-methods). What motivates collective action for social change? What psychological processes initiate (or exasperate) cycles of conflict? How can cycles of conflict be disrupted and/or resolved? How can we understand and define “transformative” politics/policies and related interventions? |
| Lab Website | https://brookeburrows.com/ (*in-progress, will be updated with more specific lab information shortly!) |
HR Science Team | |
| Lab Director(s) | Shawn Bergman, Ph.D. (bergmans@appstate.edu), Tim Huelsman (huelsmantj@appstate.edu), Tim Ludwig (ludwigtd@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | Now more than ever, organizations recognize the competitive advantages that HR can bring their companies. As I-O psychologists, we are in a unique position to help organizations realize the value of their people. The HR Science team has three areas of focus: Evidence-Based Practice, Safety, and Organizational Culture Insights. |
| Lab Website | https://iohrm.appstate.edu/hr-science-research-team |
Personality and Romantic Relationships Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Chris Holden, Ph.D. (holdencj@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | Our lab investigates how personality influences the ways in which people approach and maintain their romantic relationships. In doing so, we often focus on self-esteem, contingent self-esteem, and mate retention behaviors. |
| Lab Website | http://www.christopherjholden.com/ |
Rural Evidence-based Addictions and Community Treatment (REACT) Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Jackie Hersh, Ph.D. (hershjr@appstate.edu) and Lisa Curtin, Ph.D. (curtinla@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | The REACT Lab conducts clinical psychology research focused on how to improve mental health treatments and the lives of underserved populations (such as those in rural areas). This includes examining treatment adaptations (e.g., the use of mobile technology) and bringing services to innovative settings (e.g., integrating mental health care in medical settings, schools, etc). We're also interested in treatment for substance misuse. Dr. Hersh additionally has an interest in child and adolescent psychopathology and Dr. Curtin additionally has an interest in health psychology. |
| Lab Website | https://sites.google.com/appstate.edu/react-lab/home |
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SLAP (Students of Law and Psychology) Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Twila Wingrove, JD, Ph.D. (wingroveta@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | We study the intersection of psychology and the legal system. Currently, we are focusing on understanding how juries make decisions in sexual assault cases. |
| Lab Website | https://psych.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/twila-wingrove |
Social Cognition and Intergroup Processes Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Dr. Katie Wolsiefer (wolsieferkj@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | The Social Cognition and Intergroup Processes Lab examines whether and how propositional and associative processes lead to stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. We are especially interested in developing bias-reduction interventions and examining the mechanisms by which these interventions reduce bias. In other words, what can we do to reduce prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination? When we find effective strategies, how do they work? |
| Lab Website | https://sites.google.com/appstate.edu/sciplab/home |
Social Cognition and Motivated Reasoning (SCaMR) Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Andrew Smith, Ph.D. (smithar3@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | My team conducts research focusing on how social and motivational factors influence how people perceive themselves and others, and how these factors influence their behavior. |
| Lab Website | https://psych.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/andrew-smith |
Social-Emotional Treatment and Assessment Research (STAR) Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Crystal N. Taylor, Ph.D. (taylorcn3@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | The Social-Emotional Treatment and Assessment Research (STAR) Lab investigates universal screening for social-emotional behavioral risk. We also focus on social-emotional learning interventions, such as The Second Step Program and Strong Start. The lab also examines teacher behavior (e.g., classroom management) and teacher wellness (e.g., teacher stress, burnout, and self-efficacy). |
| Lab Website | |
Videogame, Media & Bullying Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Mary Ballard, Ph.D. (ballardme@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | We examine the impact of videogame play on a variety of physiological and behavioral outcomes, including bullying. We sometimes incorporate other media, such as the news, in our studies. Some of our studies also focus on the risks for LGBT people, including bullying, risk behavior, and sleep disruption. |
| Lab Website | https://agelabs.appstate.edu/labs/video-game-lab |
Women's Health Lab | |
| Lab Director(s) | Denise Martz, Ph.D. (martzdm@appstate.edu) |
| Research Focus | Body image, eating disorders, fat talk, body snarking and how interpersonal violence and bullying affect psychological disorders. |
| Lab Website | https://psych.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/denise-m-martz |