Meet the 2023 Quinn Memorial Endowment recipients

Heyli is a fourth year student studying Psychology with a minor in Law and Society. She will be graduating this May.

Can you tell us about your research project?

This research project investigates how children's intuitive sense of number relates to error detection in formal math problems. We will recruit 100 children aged 5-8 and assess their intuitive number sense and formal math ability. Researchers will use a novel error detection task and measure changes in pupil size to assess whether children with poor intuitive number sense are more likely to misjudge correct answers as incorrect. The study aims to explore whether individual differences in core cognition predict formal math skills and whether real-time error detection mediates this relationship. These findings may illuminate the mechanisms underlying the connection between intuitive number sense and math-specific learning disabilities.

How has receiving this award impacted your research career at UBC?

Receiving the award marks a significant milestone in my research career at UBC. As a research assistant at the Centre for Cognitive Development, this award presents an exciting opportunity to expand my involvement in ongoing research projects in the lab, deepen my understanding of psychological research, and prepare for future studies as I pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. The award provides valuable resources to develop my research skills, including working alongside experienced students and researchers, gaining exposure to new methodologies, and attending conferences.

Do you have advice for other students considering applying for the award? 

When considering applying for the award, I advise students to collaborate with their PI and discuss their role in the project. A clear understanding of the research goals, objectives, and how the project fits into their overall research interests and career aspirations is crucial. Applicants should highlight relevant research experience and academic achievements that demonstrate their dedication, passion, and potential in the field. The award is not only a means of financial support but also an opportunity to develop research skills in psychology. Therefore, applicants should have a clear plan for how the award will contribute to their academic and career goals.

Michelle is a third year honours student in the behavioural neuroscience program.

Can you tell us about your research project?

One-third of individuals with a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) develop mental health disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, within the first year and increase the risk of long-term disability. However, the diagnostic accuracy of screening tools has not been determined as there may be false positives due to mental health symptoms (e.g., sleep disturbances) overlapping with symptoms of mTBI. We will investigate the validity of screening tools given after mTBI through a secondary analysis of a previous study conducted by our lab, where 537 adults with mTBI were recruited from emergency departments in British Columbia. We will also assess differential item functioning to examine if all screening tool items function similarly in adults with and without overlapping mTBI symptoms. The results will guide the implementation of clinical practice guidelines for routine mental health screening after mTBI.

How has receiving this award impacted your research career at UBC?

Receiving the Quinn Research Assistantship Award has given me the wonderful opportunity to work with two outstanding researchers who are very knowledgeable and passionate about researching patient outcomes after a mild traumatic brain injury and what factors affect recovery. This research will allow me to be the first author on the paper we plan to publish and learn new techniques and methods I can use in my future endeavours at UBC.

Do you have advice for other students considering applying for the award? 

If you don’t have lab experience or would like to contact a professor you do not know, read some of their papers and include something that interested you about their research. Additionally, include what you might see as other research avenues or an interesting conclusion you came up with. This shows them that you are interested in their work and critically analyzing it. But try to keep the email to a reasonable length because the professor you are contacting probably has a lot of emails to get through!

Fides will be graduating in May 2023 from the B.A. honours psychology program.

Can you tell us about your research project?

The proposed study is an experimental investigation of the effect of Cognitive Control Training (CCT) on rumination and affect. Rumination, the tendency to repeatedly and passively dwell on negative feelings, is a maladaptive emotion regulation strategy that increases negative affect and decreases positive affect (Joormann & Seimer, 2014). Past theoretical and empirical work suggests that individual differences in rumination are heavily influenced by cognitive control. Specifically, greater rumination is associated with biases in cognitive control characterized by difficulty removing negative content and adding positive content to working memory. While past literature has cited cognitive control processes predictive of rumination, previous research has not experimentally tested these associations by manipulating the facets of cognitive control most directly associated with rumination. Thus, the current study will investigate the effects of a novel computer-based CCT program that trains participants to more effectively remove negative content and add positive content to working memory. Effects of training will be assessed by comparing a CCT group to a waitlist control group. Participants randomly assigned to the CCT condition will engage in daily online CCT for three weeks, while the waitlist control group will complete daily online tasks that parallel CCT in duration. Affect will be assessed daily. Additionally, we will administer baseline, post-CCT, and 1-month follow-up measures of cognitive control, rumination, and affect. This study will provide a robust experimental test of the effects of cognitive control on daily and trait levels of rumination and affect, which will have important implications for cognitive models of emotion regulation.

How has receiving this award impacted your research career at UBC?

I find myself in an exciting position receiving this award as a recent graduate of the honours psychology program. The QRA has made it possible to further investigate the research project that my senior thesis was based on for another semester. Additionally, this award has made it feasible for me to expand the scope of my responsibilities as a study coordinator for this project and gain valuable mentorship from my supervisors. I am hoping that these opportunities may culminate in a manuscript to potentially submit for publication and conference presentations in the future.

Do you have advice for other students considering applying for the award? 

Applying for the QRA is a great avenue for any eager student interested in taking their research assistantship to the next level with a paid position! I would highly recommend reaching out to the supervisor you work closest with to learn about the ways this opportunity could tangibly be applied to the current work at the lab. I believe that it would greatly benefit your application to have an idea of your research interests and career trajectory, which pieces map onto the project proposed by your supervisor, and vice versa. This could also better contextualize your position as a strong candidate as well as provide cohesion for your and your supervisor’s respective applications!

Nicki is currently in her third year.

Can you tell us about your research project?

The goal of my research is to document Indigenous children's academic stereotypes and attitudes towards schooling before and after their forced transition to off-reserve schooling. This research will be the first of its kind to reveal when Indigenous youth form evaluative associations (positive or negative) with their Indigeneity and the Canadian school system, using both implicit and explicit measures. Thanks to the support and approval of Chief and Council, this study will take place on the Oneida Nation of the Thames reserve in participation with Standing Stone Elementary. My goal is to produce quality research to help educators, researchers, and caregivers to create programs and interventions to foster positive academic identities among Indigenous youth.

How has receiving this award impacted your research career at UBC?

Receiving the QRA has impacted my research career in that it has affirmed the importance of my research and the hard work I have put in to get to this point. It has been a challenging path, as this topic has not been well-established in the Department of Psychology. With this recognition, it has impacted my general feelings of support by the department in my research endeavours. I view the QRA award, in some ways, as acknowledging this gap and validating my research path as a contribution to begin addressing these important issues.

Do you have advice for other students considering applying for the award?

I would say, be clear about your research interest and goals, connect with a faculty member who is willing to supervise your project, and establish a placement in a lab that aligns with your topic of interest. Most importantly, do your best, believe in yourself and believe in your research.

Dana is currently in her fourth year of her B.A. in psychology.

Can you tell us about your research project?

The research project I am involved in with the Culture and Self lab explores whether people reliably differ from each other in their rationalizing tendencies across a wide variety of different tasks. Thus far the literature has only explored rationalizations on single tasks. This research predicts that people who rationalize more on some tasks will also rationalize more on other tasks.

How has receiving this award impacted your research career at UBC?

The potential to become involved in research at UBC tipped the scales in my decision to complete my BA here. It aligned with my recently discovered love of research: its creativity, precision, and potential for positive impact by generating knowledge. Receiving this award allows me the unique opportunity to be fully immersed in the research process with a prestigious lab related to areas of psychology that I am highly interested in. Over the course of the summer, I will hone my skills in a myriad of areas that will increase my research competence like study design, statistical data analysis, theory development, literature reviews, etc., with invaluable mentorship and guidance. All in all, receiving the Quinn Research Assistantship Award is pretty much everything an undergrad with a penchant for research could hope for.

Do you have advice for other students considering applying for the award?

For students interested in applying for the award, I would pass on some great advice shared with me amidst my application process by UBC psychology department's Prof. Jay Hosking, "Be audacious". Go for it! Believe in yourself, demonstrate your passion, and reach for the opportunities you feel imagine for your future. And as always, feel safe in asking for guidance from your profs; in my experience, they genuinely want to see you succeed and are an abundance of wisdom.

Quinn is currently in the fourth year of the B.A. psychology honours program.

Can you tell us about your research project?
Attachment anxiety is a catalyst of a wide range of psychopathological symptoms and disorders and is often diminished through successful psychotherapeutic interventions. Group psychotherapy is a particularly effective intervention for anxiously attached clients on account of novel member-member relationships that are formed and explored throughout treatment. Given its dependence on corrective interpersonal interactions, group climate quality may be a key predictor of change in attachment anxiety across treatment. It was hypothesized that group climate quality on all three Group Climate Questionnaire – Short form subscales (GCQ-S; MacKenzie et al, 1983) would moderate change in perfectionistic clients’ attachment anxiety across treatment. Results demonstrated that GCQ-S avoidance scores, but not engagement or conflict scores, moderated the relationship between baseline and post-treatment attachment anxiety. These findings provide a preliminary model of the moderating role of group climate in pre-post treatment change in attachment anxiety, identifying key barriers to attachment anxiety reduction in group psychotherapy. Continued research aims to expand on this work, comparing the influence of group climate and group cohesion on treatment outcomes.

How has receiving this award impacted your research career at UBC?
Receiving the Quinn RAship has granted me the opportunity to take on a full time position in the Perfectionism and Psychopathology Lab. Under the continued mentorship of Dr. Paul Hewitt and his exceptional team of graduate students I will continue to expand my knowledge of clinical research, comparing treatment methods through RCTs and meta analyses. The skills I develop over the summer will contribute to the development of my autonomy as a researcher and will be invaluable as I transition into my graduate studies.

Do you have advice for other students considering applying for the award?
Work closely with your leading professor to create a cohesive plan for the summer that allows you to maximally benefit your lab while learning valuable skills you can carry forward as you progress through your academic journey. If there is a certain project you feel passionate about, don't be afraid to put your name forward and demonstrate your willingness to learn.

David is currently in his fifth year of the B.A. psychology honours program.

Can you tell us about your research project?

Emerging research suggests daily rituals contribute to our experience of meaning-in-life. To further explore this relationship, we will validate a new measure of connectedness to pleasurable daily rituals and examine the association between our newly developed scale and two existing measures of meaning-in-life. This will support future research on meaning which is related to clinically important variables such as suicide prevention.

How has receiving this award impacted your research career at UBC?

This award will make a huge difference in my life over the next year. It gives me an opportunity to spend time gaining extremely valuable research experience at a pivotal point in my career. I intend to apply for graduate programs during this upcoming cycle, so receiving this support at this specific time could have a very large impact on my future.

Do you have advice for other students considering applying for the award? 

Do apply! I  have several friends who I have encouraged to apply and who have not applied. I think they would have had a very good chance at receiving this award if they did apply. It's at least worth asking your supervisor whether it's an option.

Billy is an incoming fourth year student in the B.A. psychology honours program.

Can you tell us about your research project?

People evaluate original artifacts and duplicates based on their authenticity. Prior work has manipulated authenticity via maker identity, but the effect of maker intention on evaluations is unclear. Undergraduates (N=360) evaluated pairs of identical manufactured products or works of art. Each pair consisted of an original artifact and a duplicate whose maker's identity and intent to copy the original were manipulated. Participants stated that they liked and would pay more for the original artifact than the duplicate when the duplicate had a different maker who intended to copy the original, suggesting that adults are concerned with maker identity and intention when evaluating artifacts. This proposed research project follows up on this research by investigating the developmental origins of these originality preferences with children.

How has receiving this award impacted your research career at UBC?

Winning the Quinn Research Assistantship Award has made a lasting impact on my research career at UBC. Foremost, this summer I am able to conduct research on topics I am truly passionate about without having to worry as much about financial constraints. I can devote time to my research interests and let curiosity take control in a way that I would not have been able to otherwise. In addition to financial support, this award also takes on a very personal meaning. The recognition and validation that comes with this scholarship not only gives me a renewed sense of confidence, but also helps demonstrate to my parents - who have always been somewhat puzzled by what I do - the progress I have made in my research career. Overall, I am grateful for this award in terms of financial support, validation, and opportunities that come with it.

Do you have advice for other students considering applying for the award? 

As a UBC student, you are capable, even if you might not believe it yet! I recommend any students who are hesitant about applying for the QRA to take a chance and apply anyways. You may surprise yourself with what you can achieve. In terms of building the experience and background for an award like this, I would also recommend not overwhelming yourself with trying to find the "perfect" research question. Stay true to what makes you curious, and your passion will clearly come through in this application.

Sasha is graduating this May with a B.A. in psychology and a minor in family studies.

Can you tell us about your research project?

The present study extends findings by Campbell & Hall (2022) by examining whether the emergence of infants' conceptual understanding of object word extensions is determined by primarily maturational processes, with only a minimal amount of input speech required, or instead whether it is determined by the amount of input by comparing 6-month-old monolingual and bilingual infants. If the conceptual understanding is driven exclusively by the amount of input, bilingual infants should show comprehension of words with individual scope, but not category scope, because infants have the same moniker for important individuals (e.g., their mother) in both of their languages, but language-specific and hence different labels for object categories (e.g., 'hand' in English and 'shou' in Mandarin). Alternatively, if conceptual readiness emerges at the same time for all infants, bilingual infants - like monolingual infants - should show comprehension of terms with both individual and category scope at 6 months. The current study is the first to examine object word extensions in infants with diverse linguistic backgrounds and will contribute to our understanding of whether and how varying early language experiences impact infants' earliest lexical development.

How has receiving this award impacted your research career at UBC?

Receiving this award has given me the opportunity to go further with my research at UBC. The increased responsibility on this project will give me valuable experience and knowledge about the research process beyond what a typical volunteer RA receives. I am very happy to contribute to the important field of developmental psychology. I am absolutely thrilled to be conducting my research under the guidance of the decorated researcher Dr. Janet Werker and am excited to learn from her about research and academia. This award is a huge stepping stone for my career in psychology and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity.

Do you have advice for other students considering applying for the award? The best advice I could give is to work really hard and apply! It can be very daunting but you have to trust yourself and just try! You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take so it is so important to always try. Get to know your professors as well, especially if they are researching something you are interested in, and reach out! Professors are more than happy to talk with you and answer any questions you may have, don’t be scared of them.

Kimia is in her third year of the behavioural neuroscience program.

Can you tell us about your research project?

As an essential prerequisite for the survival of humans is the ability to detect and localize objects in our environment. One recent avenue that has broadened our ability to investigate these processes has involved the development and implementation of virtual reality (VR) paradigms. Yet, the utility of VR often remains limited to visual experience, neglecting other sensory modalities, such as audition. One obstacle in the development of auditory VR is the individualization of sound signals as they enter our ears. To localize sounds, we rely on features of the sounds that change depending on our unique own head and ear shape. This experiment aimed to develop and validate a method of generating semi-personalized virtual auditory environments that remain perceptually faithful to the intended real-world experience. We have participants localize virtual auditory cues across eighteen pre-existing virtual environments. Localization accuracy was then compared between real-world targets and virtual targets to assess the efficacy of each of the virtual worlds. We find that our task was able to identify one or more virtual environments matches real-world localization performance thus providing an immersive and realistic experience.

How has receiving this award impacted your research career at UBC?

It has further motivated me to pursue the research I am passionate about and encouraged me to focus on it during the upcoming summer. This award will consolidate my passions for neuroscientific research and prepare me for my future career!

Do you have advice for other students considering applying for the award?

I would say start the application early, read the instructions to ensure you meet the criteria, ask questions if you are unsure, and be honest in your application!

Olive is a fourth year student in the B.A. psychology program. She received the QRA as well as the Quinn Research Travel Grant (QRTG).

Can you tell us about your research project?

The goal of this project is to determine whether there are distinct ways in which an individual’s attention to and memory for social information is associated with loneliness, and if so, to elucidate the nature of these individual differences. Some studies suggest that lonely individuals, due to their sensitivity to rejection and desire to belong, demonstrate enhanced monitoring and memory for social information. However, it is also plausible that some lonely individuals, particularly those with elevated autistic traits, feel more socially disconnected from others because their social memories are less rich. To test this hypothesis, we will recruit a sample of young adults (N=360; 120 with autism) to complete a battery of social and mental health questionnaires, an autism diagnostic observation, and an experimental social memory paradigm, with eye tracking. The study aims to examine whether autistic traits moderate the association of loneliness and social memory, and assess if they do so via differences in social attention. By describing nuances in the experience of loneliness and the roles of social memory and attention, we expect this study will critically inform efforts to predict and counter loneliness in young adults, including those with elevated autistic traits – a population with enhanced risk.

How has receiving the QRA impacted your research career at UBC?

This award allows me to pursue full-time, fully funded research before I graduate undergraduate studies and apply to graduate school. This is my first time conducting research in a clinical lab setting, and the full-time nature of the award provides many precious opportunities for interactions with and connections to lab members.

Can you tell us about your research project, in relation to the QRTG?

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to higher daily negative affect (NA) while coping efficacy (i.e., one’s perception of how well they coped with a stressor) has demonstrated some stress-buffering potential on physical symptoms(Kong et al., 2021; Massey et al., 2009). It is unknown how daily coping efficacy may predict daily NA and whether ACEs may interact with coping efficacy to predict NA.In a sample of 229 community-based adults (aged 25-87), we examined the associations of daily coping efficacy and ACEs with end-of-day NA. Participants reported ACEs at baseline and completed 4 surveys per day for 14 days about coping efficacy and NA.Multilevel modeling found that daily coping efficacy predicted end-of-day NA within individuals, such that on days where participants reported higher coping efficacy than their average, they experienced lower evening NA. Between individuals, participants who reported less ACEs experienced lower average end-of-day NA. No interaction was found between coping efficacy and ACEs.Findings highlight the importance of daily perceived coping efficacy in affective well-being and suggest that this relationship does not vary with childhood ACEs exposure. Future work should assess specific coping approaches and other outcomes of coping efficacy to elucidate its links to emotional well-being.

How has receiving the QRTG impacted your research career at UBC?

This award enables me to travel to Toronto to attend my first professional research conferences, the Canadian Psychology Association 2023 Convention. This is a valuable opportunity to meet and learn from other researchers, get feedback for the research project, and the first step to pursuing a career in research.