Neuroscience

Session I

Sabrina Ehmann-Jones, "Sensory Gating and the P50 Event-Related Brain Potential"

This experiment aimed to test two different theories surrounding a phenomenon known as P50 suppression. The P50 event related brain potential is an early response in the brain, and is often used to study sensory gating. When the brain receives two back to back repeated signals, in the case of this experiment, a click, it will dampen the second one. This process is known as sensory gating, and it helps your brain not get too overwhelmed by its surroundings. However, there are two theories behind how exactly the brain suppresses that second signal. The first, recurrent inhibition, theorizes that the brain is wired to automatically suppress repeated signals. The second argues that the brian uses predictive coding to determine which signals to suppress. This experiment used electroencephalogram (EEG) data to target the P50 event-related brain potential; the collected results supported the recurrent inhibition hypothesis.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Psychology 

Advisor: Dr. Paul Kieffaber

Jada Hardy, Jo'Lissa Smith, Marie Smithbey, "EEG Perspective-Taking"

This research project objective is to explore whether a short exercise in which White Americans simulate creating a friendship with an outgroup member (Black Americans) reduces their racial bias. Using brain activity measurements, the project examines Whites' attentional processing when presented with pain and neutral faces by both ingroup and outgroup members. Additionally, this research project investigates whether different psychological factors following simulated intergroup contact explain changes in Whites' change in bias and neural activity. The significance of this project is that it can test whether an intervention that is brisk and is easily implementable can reduce racial biases. Furthermore, this research permits more understanding on how racial bias is neurologically processed.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Jada: Neuroscience, Jo'Lissa: Kinesiology, Marie: Neuroscience Major, Applied Science: Bioengineering Minor

Advisor: Dr. Cheryl Dickter