Students have the opportunity to apply what they have learned in class by getting involved in psychological research. Students benefit from one-on-one mentoring with faculty and have opportunities to present research on campus at the Undergraduate Research Symposium or at regional or national psychology conferences. Students also can become co-authors in professional publications.

Laboratory for the Evaluation of Psychopathology and Psychosocial Interventions
The Laboratory for the Evaluation of Psychopathology and Psychosocial Interventions does research to focus on practice-based research by collaborating with mental health professionals in the community. The data for this research is usually generated through the course of routine clinical services or activities and addresses questions that are important to practicing clinicians.
Affiliated Faculty: Dr. Leonard Doerfler, Dr. Adam Volungis

The Child and Family Studies Labs (CAFS)
The Child and Family Studies Labs (CAFS) contains a real-life living room with a one-way mirror and state-of-the-art observation cameras, coding software, a computerized doll simulating the responses of a real baby, and equipment to record body movements. This allows for unobtrusive data collection when interviewing families, observing children performing motor tasks, or engaging in free play or social interactions. Our developmental research also involves observations outside of the lab, such as in schools, preschools, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and during home visits with families. Affiliated Faculty: Dr. Amy Cirillo, Dr. Maria Kalpidou, Dr. Regina Kuersten-Hogan

The Emotion and Social Cognition Lab
The Emotion and Social Cognition Lab investigates emotions and facial expressions by exploring how cultural, social, and physiological factors, such as gender, stereotypes, and hormonal changes, influence the recognition of facial expressions and how various emotions can impact information processing. We use morphing software to manipulate facial expressions and behavioral experiment software to present images and record individuals’ responses.
Affiliated Faculty: Dr. Maria Parmley, Dr. Fang Zhang

Learning and Memory Lab
Research conducted in the Learning and Memory Lab employs a variety of experimental methods to better understand how we acquire and use information in different contexts, and how we can apply knowledge of these processes in the real world. For example, one area of research explores how the distribution of attentional resources during learning impacts memory accuracy and memory errors. This has important implications for best practices in the classroom and when considering eyewitness memory scenarios.
Affiliated Faculty: Dr. Leamarie Gordon, Dr. Meltem Karaca, Dr. Hannah Smith

Applied Behavior Analysis Lab
The Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Lab conducts research on how behavior is maintained, strengthened, or weakened by environmental variables. Research in this lab employs various experimental methods, including group and single-subject research.

Some current ongoing projects include exploring methods to train behavior technicians to implement interventions for children with autism and improving student outcomes in post-secondary education.

Affiliated Faculty: Karen Lionello-DeNolf, PhD, BCBA-D; Nicole Pantano, PhD, BCBA-D