Ongoing Research Opportunities

Below are descriptions of current research opportunities available in the Psychology Department. Students interested in attending graduate school are encouraged to get involved in research early in their undergraduate career. Participating in research as an undergraduate provides excellent preparation for the demands of a graduate program and indicates a serious interest in psychological scholarship, both of which are desirable characteristics of applicants to graduate school. Participating in research also provides students with an opportunity to get to know Psychology faculty and other Psychology majors better, as well as the chance to become more involved in the Psychology Department.

While participating in research as an undergraduate, students may receive ERP credits. Once you find a faculty member to work with for your ERP, you should discuss the details of your project with him or her. Then, you should fill out the online  ERP form. The form must be approved by both your ERP faculty moderator and the department chair.

If you are interested in participating in any of the projects below, please follow the instructions listed for that project. Please note that some of the research opportunities listed may not have any current openings. In addition, participation in some of the projects listed may require an application or an interview. Please contact the faculty mentor of each project for more information.

Although these opportunities are up to date, please check out our faculty page for additional opportunities. By clicking into each bio you will learn more about each professor’s research interests and can contact them if you are interested in learning more about how you can help.

Research in Cognitive Psychology

• Dates: Every Semester.
• Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bob Kachelski, Main 368 (CSB), ex. 5573
• Summary of Research: Dr. Kachelski will be conducting research in various areas of cognitive psychology, such as memory, attention, decision-making, etc. Interested students will help to design the studies and serve as experimenters, collecting data at times that are convenient for them.
• Number of ERP credits available: 1 or 2 credits, depending on time commitment per week
• Number of Spots: 5-6 available.
• Time commitment: Weekly meeting plus 2-3 hours per week per credit hour.
• Requirements: Must have completed Research Methods. Completion of Cognitive Processes is preferred, but not required.

Affect, Beliefs, and Cognition in Development  Lab (the ABCD Lab Group)

• Dates: Every Semester.
• Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Livingston, Main 354 (CSB), ex. 5384
• Summary of Lab Activities: The Affect, Beliefs, and Cognition in Development (ABCD) Lab Group focuses on a wide-range of research topics related to affect (emotions and feelings), attitudes and beliefs, and cognition in developmental processes. Students will be assigned primary responsibility for one research project and will be required to help out other members of the group with their projects under the guidance of Dr. Livingston. In the past three semesters, the lab group has completed or is currently working on two studies of the effects of disclosure on adolescent loneliness and depression, the correlation of Facebook use with depression and loneliness, language development in early childhood, the construal of dating relationships in American and Bahamian college students, the development of androgyny in high school and college students, and ego-depletion and emotional self-regulation. The lab group meets once a cycle and, on average, students complete 3-4 hours of work per week outside of the lab group meetings.
• Number of ERP Credits for Participation: 1 or 2 credits, depending on time commitment per week.
• Number of Spots: 4-5 available.
• Time Commitment: One 70 minute meeting per cycle plus 2 to 3 hours per week per credit.
• Requirements: Must have completed Research Methods. Interview required. Please contact Dr. Livingston for further information.

Research in Political and Forensic Psychology (Lab: Unit for the Study of Personality in Politics)

• Dates: Every semester.
• Faculty mentor:  Aubrey Immelman, Main 359 (CSB), ext. 5481
• Summary of research:  Immelman conducts research on the personality traits and leadership style of U.S. presidential candidates and foreign leaders. Interested students will assist with data collection, analysis, and personality profiling at times that are convenient for them. Criminal profiling opportunities may be available for students who have completed Forensic & Legal Psychology.
• Number of ERP credits available: 1 or 2 credits, depending on time commitment per week.
• Number of spots: 5–6 available.
• Time commitment: Weekly 60-minute research supervision meeting plus 2–3 hours of independent research per week per credit hour.
• Requirements: Must have completed Personality Psychology (PSYC 380).

College of Saint Benedict
Saint John’s University

Dr. Robert Kachelski
Chair, Psychology Department
CSB Main 368
320-363-5573

Facebook