2023-2024

Proposed Study: An Investigation of Social Relationships and Their Role in Buffering Stress and Improving Cognition

Mentor: Dr. Ian McDonough - Binghamton University

Proposed Project Overview: My mentor and I planned to research if dog ownership and marriage buffered the negative effects of stress on cognition and if these relationships acted as a buffer for both males and females.  This study aimed to determine interactions involved in preventing cognitive decline while promoting better cognitive performance.  Similarly, this project was proposed to discover how stress, social relationships, and cognition interact differently based on males or females and to discover methods for reducing stress.