Research Methods Alumni

Abstract: As America’s population of overweight and obese people continues to increase, it becomes vital to address the personality judgements that others attach to a person’s weight. Overweight and obese people are commonly seen as unattractive and are therefore also assumed to be less capable, shier, and overall, as higher in negative personality traits than their thin or normal weight counterparts. These judgements lead to widespread discrimination of overweight and obese people in higher education, employment, and medical situations. This study examined the effect of a woman’s weight on how other people viewed her attractiveness and personality traits. A questionnaire designed to assess the model’s personality traits and attractiveness, along with three versions of a manipulated photograph of the same model, representing average, overweight, and obese body size, was distributed at random to 87 participants in a psychology class at the University of New Orleans. Analysis of the data showed that participants rated the manipulated photos representing an overweight or obese body size as less attractive and extraverted—defined as less bold, energetic, and talkative, but more withdrawn—than the other two photos. These results are consistent with self-reported perceptions of personality traits using the Five-Factor Model. Further study is needed to assess others’ perceptions of personality based on weight using high-quality photographic manipulations due to the inadequacy of photographic measures that are currently available.

Abstract: I studied how internal (self) and external (societal) stigma predict the likelihood of seeking mental health services. Both stigmas involve perceptions of oneself, although internal stigma focuses on one’s thoughts about the self while external stigma focuses on other’s thoughts about oneself that become internalized. The purpose of the study was to determine which form of stigma serves as a more significant deterrent to seeking mental health services in order to connect to the larger issue of why individuals underutilize the services and how to reverse this effect. The study had a correlational design with two predictor and one outcome variable. The two types of variables were assessed using various survey measures (SSOSH, PSOSH, ISMI, AMIQ). The results concluded that both forms of stigma were positively correlated with seeking mental health services; however, this association was significantly stronger for internal versus external stigma. Despite the original prediction that the two types of stigma would be negatively correlated with the likelihood of seeking mental health services, I found the opposite: internal stigma in particular was positively associated with one’s willingness to seek mental health help. It can be concluded that because external stigma has a weaker correlation, it is more deterrent to seeking mental health services than internal stigma.

Abstract: Despite a societal shift toward more visibility of the industry and glamorization of exotic dancing, dancers continue to be stigmatized, thus impacting their interpersonal relationships, opportunity, and life quality. This study examined stigma related aspects in this contemporary context to determine if dancers differ significantly in background characteristics from non-dancers. Though research has explored stigma and exotic dancers, no study was found that compared findings with non-dancers which is critical in considering the validity of continuous stigmatization. A questionnaire measuring specific, researched variables including quality of parent relationships, age of in-home and out-of-home independence, and “ugly duckling syndrome” were distributed to 26 exotic dancers in the New Orleans area (as well as online) and 26 University of New Orleans psychology students. All respondents were female. Results showed no significant difference between the groups across all variables, suggesting stigma concerning exotic dancers should be reconsidered. However, future research will need better developed measures and a larger sample size to determine the accuracy of these findings relating to the background and developmental aspects of exotic dancers.

Abstract: With the fairly recent advances made in the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals, it is important to explore the various ways in which sexual identity can impede a person’s daily life. For many LGBTQ+ college students, having a non-heteronormative sexual identity has been linked to higher rates of harassment, victimization, depression, and discrimination. In this study, we chose to look into the experiences of LGBTQ+ students at the University of New Orleans and hypothesized that these students experience more threats to personal safety than their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts. A 20-item questionnaire was administered electronically to 100 UNO students that examined their perceptions of harm risk, the amount of harm they have witnessed or endured as students, and their opinions of UNO’s resources, policies, and responses to harm committed on campus. The data obtained suggested that LGBTQ+ students at UNO believe they are at significantly higher risk for harm, have encountered more harm committed, and are much less satisfied with the institution’s protections against harm on campus. The findings of this study were concurrent with the findings of previous research performed in examining the college experiences of LGBTQ+ students.

Abstract: Despite there being a wealth of research examining the relationship of spirituality and multiple variables of interest in a college environment, most of the data from these studies is not generalizable in a modern setting. This may be, in part, due to the samples being from overwhelmingly Western, Christian and white male populations. The purpose of this study was to yield an updated analysis of spirituality amongst students at the University of New Orleans, Tulane, and Loyola University; particularly, the correlation of higher levels of spirituality with higher levels of academic performance and friendship quality. A 15-item questionnaire was developed and administered online to randomly selected groups of students from local colleges. The data supported the research hypothesis, with linear regressions showing a positive correlation of statistical significance between participants reporting higher levels of spirituality and participants scoring higher levels of academic performance and friendship quality. Future replications of this study should utilize a larger sample, as well as use of in-person questionnaires. Additionally, the variable of spirituality could be further operationalized to include separate levels of spiritual awareness or identity to personal connectivity, whereas spirituality in this study was operationalized as affiliation with major world religions or a self-report of spiritual identity.