Journals @ KPU (Kwantlen Polytechnic University)
Not a member yet
189 research outputs found
Sort by
Effects of Brief Meditation on Memory
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to determine the effects of brief meditation on memory. For this study, 49 participants were randomly assigned to either watch a meditation or a non-meditation video and then they were given a memory test. Participants were mostly recruited from Kwantlen’s Sona System and were KPU Psychology students or family and friends. We hypothesized that participants in the meditation group will score higher on the memory test than participants in the non-meditation group. Our findings did not support our hypothesis. The results of the t-test suggested that there was no significant difference between the two groups.
 
Perceptions of Attractiveness On Social Media
Get PDFSocial media platforms such as Instagram allow users to validate each other's photos through likes and comments. We were interested in exploring if the number of likes a post had would affect perceptions of attractiveness for that photo. Previous work has failed to address this relationship, instead, focusing on the impacts that posts have on body satisfaction. We surveyed a sample of 45 University students and asked them to rank ten photos with either high likes or low likes, on a Likert scale ranging from "not at all attractive" to "extremely attractive." Contrary to our hypothesis, the findings show that there was no statistically significant effect of the number of likes on perceptions of attractiveness. This signifies that social media users may not choose to like a post just based on attractiveness. Future studies may further explore what factors do impact the decision to like or comment on a photo and if the number of likes can influence certain factors other than the perception of attractiveness. 
Using Social Influence to Reduce Paper Towel Use in University Washrooms
Get PDFA field experiment was conducted at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s (KPU) Surrey campus to reduce paper towel usage in washrooms. We conducted a pilot survey to address the barriers and benefits of individuals reducing their paper towel consumption and found that people were willing to reduce their paper towel usage but that one paper towel was inconvenient to dry one’s hands. Our campaign aimed to address this and included a sign introducing the Shake and Fold technique to help increase the effectiveness of using a single sheet of paper towel and address this barrier. Additionally, a slogan accompanying the Shake and Fold instructions that targeted social influence was also present on the sign to increase its effectiveness. Results were not significant to determine if our sign had any effect on changing paper towel use habits. According to our pilot surveys, individuals saw value in reducing paper towel consumption, thus future research should continue to explore effective ways to reduce consumption
How Cultural, Personality, and Gender Differences Affect Stigma Toward Use of Substances
Get PDFWhile a large amount of research on drug stigma exists, that research focus primarily on people who have major problems with substance use. Little research exists on the stigma that is faced by individuals who use substances recreationally. We believe that this is a critically under-investigated area, as it can act as a middle ground before people potentially develop addictions or substance use problems. Our research investigates what stigma people may hold towards those who use substances recreationally. 129 participants from KPU answered questions pertaining to their cultural orientation personality and their views on people who use substances, with a total of seven different substances, both legal and illegal, being mentioned. A regression analysis was then conducted to see if certain cultural orientations, personality traits, or gender influenced their stigmatizing views towards those who use substances. Our results indicated that cultural orientation, personality, and gender had little to no affect on perceived stigma, however the legality or severity of the drug did affect peoples perceived stigma. Our findings contribute to the knowledge of how stigmatization towards those who use substances can be affected, where those who use harder substances are more highly stigmatized
Studying to Fail: The Relationship Between Stress and Memory and the Implications for Students
Get PDFThis paper reviews current literature on the topics of stress and memory, and examines their relationship while emphasizing potential implications for students. The discussion begins with the underlying processes of the stress response and the impact that has on memory, with a focus on stress-induced retrieval impairment. Retrieval-induced forgetting is discussed with consideration of findings by Koessler et al. (2009) that stress has an inhibitory effect on the process. Variables that influence susceptibility to memory impairment, namely low extraversion (Law et al., 2012) and low arousal level of material (Buchanan et al., 2006; Goldfarb et al., 2019), are considered alongside suggestions for better study practices. Research is explored that demonstrates the effectiveness of retrieval practice as a defence against stress-induced retrieval impairment, and students are advised of the benefits that utilizing this practice may bring (Smith et al., 2018; Smith et al., 2016)
An Investigation into the Tragedy of the Peoples Temple in Jonestown
Get PDFOn November 18, 1978, over 900 people from Jonestown died by ingesting cyanide laced Kool-Aid, marking this day as the largest mass suicide to ever occur in modern history. Jim Jones, a charismatic and manipulative leader, recruited people of lower socioeconomic status and used them for personal gain. While members of the Peoples Temple described Jonestown as a utopia, evidence has portrayed how their behaviours reflect a counter-culture. The adversities experienced by members of the Peoples Temple is conclusive: Jonestown strongly resembled the characteristics of a cult. Social, psychological, and cultural ramifications following this mysterious tragedy of the Jonestown massacre are examined. 
Men and the Ability to Identify as Victims of Intimate Partner Violence
Get PDFThis study attempted to delineate differences between men who do and do-not self-identify as victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). Although the prevalence of male victims of IPV is relatively high (Bates, 2020) and these individuals experience negative otucomes from this abuse (Hines & Douglas, 2010;2016), men are often reluctant to identify as victims of IPV (Machadeo et al., 2016). As a result of this, any study sampling male victims of IPV is lacking the data of males who have experienced IPV but do not self-identify as such. This study attempted to address the limitations in previous research by sampling men who do not identify as victims of IPV, this was done by measuring the paricipant's experiences of abuse within the study itself and leaving the inclusionary criteria broad. We hypothesized that our predictors (gender role beliefs, precarious manhood beliefs, attitudes toward dating violence), when controlling for the variety of abusive behaviours experienced, would accurately predict male self-identification with abuse. We found that our model was significantly predictive of self-identification with abuse. However, only attitudes toward dating violence was significantly, uniquely predictive, with more positive attitudes towards dating violence being related to a reduced likelihood of abuse self-identification
Impact of Language on the Expectations of Individuals Working with Students on the Autism Spectrum
Get PDFAlthough autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased in prevalence over the pastsixty-years, the general treatment, understanding, and expectations associated with thisdesignation remain rudimentary at times (Fombonne, 2018). This study investigated theperception of, and expectations placed on an individual with ASD by manipulating descriptivevocabulary. A sample of 220 participants were randomly assigned to either a clinical language(CL) or person-centered language (PCL) scenario involving a student on the autism spectrumand were asked to respond to a set of items about their attitudes and expectations of thisindividual. Results were analysed using t-test, chi-square, and ANOVA; they reflected supportfor our hypotheses, participants in the CL group would report more apprehension ornervousness regarding the student and presume lower intellect. Contrary to our hypotheses,participants in the CL group did not place academic success lower on the list of priorities, didnot recommend the student maintain closer proximity to their support worker, or furtherproximity from their peers. These results have the potential to raise awareness regardingpotential stigma when working with students with ASD
Depression: A Mismatch Between the Human Environment of Evolutionary Adaptiveness and Modern Society
Get PDFThe prevalence of depression has been on the rise since the inception of the modernization of human society from the late 18th century to today. The present-day human lifestyle is a stark contrast to the way our hunter-gatherer ancestors lived. This contrast raises concerns of the relationship between the resulting factors of a modern-day lifestyle and the increasing rates of depression within industrialized populations. The environment of evolutionary adaptiveness (EEA) of early humans that resulted in human brain development is very different than the environment humans face in modern society. An examination of research looking into similar conditions and lifestyles human ancestors lived in may help to further the knowledge of the illness of depression today. Studies are indicating support for alternative human lifestyles, but the evidence and interpretations from these studies require careful examination