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The impact of stereotype threat and grit on the experience of imposter syndrome
Get PDFIn-Progress Research Imposter syndrome (IP) is a psychological phenomenon in which one has an internal experience of intellectual phoniness. This phenomenon is particularly seen within workplaces. Past researchers have found that females tend to report higher levels of IP, with Stereotype Threat (ST) being a cited explanation. A common denominator in much of the literature is how a lack of Belongingness can activate Stereotype Threat in females, especially in male-dominated workplaces. It has been found that individuals high in IP, especially females, tend to experience poor mental health outcomes. Past research has also established a link between IP and Conscientiousness in females, a personality trait related to the facet of Grit. The current study is examining the relationships between IP, Belongingness, Psychological Distress, and Grit. Hypotheses include several predictions between the variables of IP, Belongingness, Psychological Distress, Grit, and ST. Participants (N = 150) are being recruited from Psychology and STEM-related courses (all levels) at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. The experiment is utilizing a 3x2 mixed repeated measures design. The measures being utilized in this study include the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), the Domain Identification Measure (DIM), the General Belongingness Scale (GBS), the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18), and the Duckworth 12-Item Grit Scale. The data will be analyzed by using Repeated Measures Analyses of Variance (ANOVAs) and Pearson’s Correlations. Expected results include females reporting IP at higher rates than males, individuals high in IP reporting low levels of Belongingness, high levels of Psychological Distress, and low levels of Grit, and ST having an impact on reported rates of IP, Belongingness, Psychological Distress, and Grit. The implications of my research allow us to look at how IP may be impacting individuals in the workplace, as this is where this phenomenon is most observed. Specifically, we can determine if an organizational culture of openness and belonging can positively impact someone experiencing IP. If IP is impacting the mental health of employees, then research needs to be conducted to determine how severe this phenomenon is. Furthermore, there may be a mediating relationship between the personality facet of Grit and whether someone is likely to report experiencing IP. If this is the case, personal development workshops could possibly be created to help employees foster their Grit and in turn, help with their experience of IP
A phylogenetic and taxonomic analysis of Parocnus serus, an extinct Holocene sloth from Haiti
Get PDFParocnus serus belongs to a unique radiation of extinct ground sloths endemic to the Antillean islands that was discovered in 1929, but, prior to this thesis, it had not been described in detail or had its phylogenetic and taxonomic relationships with other Antillean sloths extensively analyzed. This detailed description of skull and mandible specimens supported the distinctiveness of the genus Parocnus, and the existing size-based separation of the Antillean megalonychids. A morphological phylogenetic analysis of a sample of Antillean sloths supported the close relationship between P. serus and P. torrei but did not provide conclusive results on the relationships among the other Antillean sloths. A principal components analysis was performed using skull and mandibular measurements of Haitian sloth taxa. The PCA supported the separation of Parocnus, Acratocnus, and Neocnus into different genera, but did not support the current species distinctions among the three previously recognized species of Neocnus from Haiti
Integrating an AI Chatbot to Improve the Eugene Career Exploration Platform
Get PDFAbstract Background Many psychology students face underemployment, despite having employable skills; however, this underemployment can be reduced by teaching undergraduate students the job-ready skills they earn in their bachelor\u27s degree (Burning Glass Institute, 2024). The research team implemented a website named Eugene, a tool that shows career options for psychology majors tailored by knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) they earn in their courses. The 2025 student assessment of Eugene indicated that 63% of respondents would use Eugene when considering post-graduation plans; however, when asked about the limitations of Eugene, over 40% responded that both the structure and instructions could be improved (Eugene Assessment Report, 2025). To implement these improvements, this proposal focuses on integrating a chatbot assistant into Eugene to assist students in their future careers. Methods The project will use Microsoft Copilot to create a chatbot that gives students access to immediate feedback and clarification throughout the Eugene process. The team will feed KSAs into the AI chatbot, then test and score the response. If the score satisfies the team’s grading criteria, the process will continue to the next phase. If not, the team will go back to feeding it relevant knowledge. Then, the team will create a survey for students to rate the effectiveness and utility of the chatbot. Evaluation will also incorporate IP tracking to quantify website usage. Evaluation will be focused on students\u27 perception of usability, efficiency, helpfulness, and satisfaction of Eugene to psychology undergraduate students. Results from the 2025 Eugene assessment will be compared to the new assessment to be sent out in spring 2026. Expected Outcomes & Implications Integrating a chatbot assistant into Eugene is expected to improve usability and efficiency by helping undergraduate students better interpret Eugene’s instructions and output. We anticipate increased engagement, reflected in site analytics and survey responses, as students find the platform more responsive and tailored to their needs. Enhanced clarity given by the chatbot is likely to shift student perceptions, making Eugene a more trusted tool for career planning. If successful, the chatbot will become a permanent feature, strengthening Eugene’s role in bridging psychology undergraduates to meaningful employment. This initiative aligns with increasing student perception by assisting undergraduate students’ inquiries about KSAs and competencies, demonstrating how targeted technological enhancements can elevate student outcomes and increase job searchability
A Qualitative Analysis of Educator Well-being Through Teaching SEL: A Classroom Pilot
Get PDFEarly childhood educators are expected to teach social emotional learning (SEL) in their classrooms, while educators themselves are in need of SEL as much as their students due to stress and burnout in this occupation being at an all-time high. We ran a small pilot study of a mindfulness, audio-based SEL tool (Moshi) to see whether brief daily use leads to easier implementation of SEL in the classroom and, in turn, relates to better educator well-being. In this qualitative study, we analyzed 12 transcripts from interviews and focus groups with 16 educators from 12 elementary schools after at least six weeks of classroom use of the tool. Two independent researchers coded de-identified transcripts and reconciled themes through a structured review. Themes that emerged were: (1) high need for SEL post-pandemic; (2) improvements in student emotion regulation, engagement/focus, and creativity; (3) educator mental health is low and needs support, with educators benefiting personally from participation; (4) learning about SEL and integrating it into daily routines; (5) family/community spillover; and (6) the need for developmentally appropriate, flexible tools. Educators described better self-regulation, feeling more connected to their classrooms and colleagues after the pandemic, and teaching SEL skills students need now and going forward. Many also became more aware of their own mental-health needs and noticed calmer, more regulated rooms. In short, technology-based SEL moments can ease educators’ mental and emotional load; when educators feel calmer and less worn down, classrooms tend to run more smoothly. This was a small, ecological qualitative study, and the findings are preliminary. However, these results, in combination with the high rates of stress and burnout for educators, show a need to continue to research how the curriculum taught by educators can indirectly affect their own well-being and, therefore, can be designed with both the student and educator in mind
Improving Student Resumes: Evaluating the Effectiveness of the AI-Assisted Wisedoc Platform
Get PDFResume quality is a critical factor in students’ transition into the workforce, yet many struggle to create documents aligned with employer expectations and validated competency frameworks. At the same time, most large organizations now rely on artificial intelligence (AI)-driven applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes. Because these systems filter applications before a human reviews them, resumes that are poorly formatted, lack keywords, or fail to highlight relevant competencies are often rejected automatically. This creates a barrier for students who may have the skills employers seek but lack the resume-writing expertise to communicate them effectively. This study investigates whether using the AI-based Wisedoc platform enhances resume quality when evaluated against the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) eight career readiness competencies. To address the lack of standardized measures for resume quality in prior research, a rubric was developed from the career readiness literature to operationalize how resumes reflect the NACE competencies, allowing subject matter experts (SMEs) to evaluate them in a consistent, competency-based manner directly tied to the skills employers identify as essential for workforce success. Participants will include undergraduate students who voluntarily submit resumes through university-sponsored career services. Each resume will be scored by Wisedoc’s AI engine and reviewed by SMEs using the NACE rubric. Students will then revise their resumes using Wisedoc’s feedback on formatting, grammar, and keyword optimization. Final resumes will then be scored by both AI and SMEs, and students will complete a survey on resume confidence and perceived career readiness. It is hypothesized that resumes revised with Wisedoc will show significant improvements in both AI scores and SME ratings of NACE competencies, particularly in communication, professionalism, and career/self-development. Findings will demonstrate the impact of AI resume tools on students\u27 expression of knowledge and skill gains in their resumes, complementing human coaching in career services. The study contributes to research on AI in business communication and provides practical guidance for preparing students to navigate AI-mediated hiring systems
Assessing the fidelity of AI-generated lessons for elementary-grades STEM topics
Get PDFTeachers collaborated using MagicSchool, an AI tool, for generating lesson plans for elementary-grades mathematics, science, and technology topics. The lessons were evaluated for fidelity to content and lesson plan components. The problem to be answered was two-fold: What is the fidelity of AI-generated lessons for elementary-grades STEM topics? What are teacher perceptions of using an AI tool? Teachers evaluated the standards-based, AI-generated lesson plans. Scores for lesson plans were compared by content area (mathematics, science, technology) and elementary level (lower versus upper) to determine if fidelity is better for a particular content area or level. Teacher perceptions, regarding the use of an AI tool, were surveyed. Results showed significant differences in score for science lesson plans, with lower elementary grades lessons scored higher than upper elementary grades lessons, and for technology lesson plans, with upper elementary grades lessons scored higher than lower elementary grades lessons. There were no significant differences in score of mathematics lesson plans, with regard to grade level. There were significant differences in score for lesson plans by content area, with science lessons scored higher than technology and mathematics lessons, and technology lessons scored higher than mathematics lessons. Qualitative results for the survey showed an increase in participants’ confidence in their understanding of AI, participants learned more ways AI could assist them, and workshops were effective in dispelling common misconceptions about AI use in schools
Higher ed in half the Time: A literature review on the shortened course
Get PDFThe shortened course, which reduces the course length from the full semester (Johnson & Rose, 2015), offers a popular higher education format for nontraditional students, especially those at community colleges. The impacts of accelerated learning on both students and faculty have been studied, yet the variety of shortened course lengths makes comparison across studies more challenging. The purpose of this study is to focus on the half semester length for research published from 2010-2024 on undergraduate higher education. The methods used to locate dissertations and articles included searches on Google Scholar and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga library database using key words such as: accelerated courses, community college, and two-year college and backward citation chaining. Findings revealed an emphasis on student success, faculty and student stakeholder perceptions, strategies for andragogy, application for underprepared students, and considerations for decision-makers. The narrowed focus of this study can help continue conversations of institutional efficiency and effectiveness utilizing undergraduate shortened courses
Is My Parent Narcissistic? Retrospective Perceptions of the Adult Child on Their Parent’s Narcissistic Tendencies
Get PDFNarcissism development in children has been a widely studied subject; however, little research has examined parental narcissism. Previous researchers found that parental narcissism is related to non-ideal parent-child bonds, which often results in parents having low senses of well-being and satisfaction with their bond (Hart et al., 2017; Horton, 2021). For each of our studies, we explored how aspects of an individual’s growth and development are linked with parental narcissism as recalled by adult children. In Study 1, we investigated the link between both recalled grandiose and vulnerable parental narcissism and the mental well-being and self-esteem of our participants. In this study, we found that recalled vulnerable narcissism was linked to lower rates of self-esteem and well-being, while recalled grandiose narcissism was not correlated with either. In Study 2, we examined parenting styles, where we discovered that both subtypes were linked to maladaptive parenting styles known as rejection and overprotection. In our final study, we analyzed the attachment styles of the adult child and found that both parental narcissism subtypes were linked to avoidant and anxious attachment. Our studies identified the negative effects that both subtypes have on the development of the adult child, ultimately indicating that vulnerable narcissism is the more substandard subtype
Behavioral Observations Reduce the Probability of Injury: A replication
Get PDFBehavioral Observations Reduce the Probability of Injury: A replication AUTHORS: Lizzie Smith, Charlie Wills, Ethan Fountain, Elizabeth Arnold, Madalyn Stephens, Drew Sipe, Shawn Bergman, & Tim Ludwig Introduction Occupational safety is a highly effective area for applying behavior analysis in the workplace (Ludwig & Laske, 2022). Behavioral safety programs are designed to reduce workplace injuries by observing employee behavior and identifying potentially risky behaviors. These programs often include behavioral observations, where employees use a checklist to identify unsafe behaviors and provide quick, helpful feedback. Past research has consistently shown that these programs can lower injury rates over time (Ludwig & Laske, 2023). This study will use a statistical model to determine whether behavioral observations made during the past week influence the probability of incidents happening over the next seven days. Methods Safety data from a southern oil refinery company (2022–2024) will be analyzed to replicate findings from a chemical manufacturing plant (2017 - 2019). A rolling sum time-series logistic regression analysis will test whether the number of observations or hazards reported over the past seven days influenced the likelihood of an incident occurring in the subsequent seven-days. In the replication, the control variables included day of the week, actual week, number of responses marked safe/unsafe/NA, questions responded to, people per day, hours worked per day, and employee count. In the new analysis, these variables serve as predictors rather than controls. Analysis We will apply a rolling sum time series logistic regression model to capture 14‑day safety trends. This model should not only allow us to replicate previous findings but to test the time lag for all predictors. Our hypothesis is that increased safety observations reduce incident likelihood within seven days. Previous findings from a chemical manufacturing plant (2017–2019) showed each additional observation lowered incident odds by 23% in Manufacturing and 17% in Maintenance over three days, preventing an estimated four and 16 incidents annually. Replicating and extending these results will strengthen validity and enhance predictive power. Implications The replication of our findings will strengthen evidence that increased safety observations reduce injury probability. With greater dataset granularity, we expect higher statistical power and improved validity of our methodology as a practical tool for reducing workplace injuries. This replication will serve as a foundation for developing a predictive model capable of estimating daily injury probability and assessing the sustained impact of safety observations. As digital monitoring and AI tools advance, our study highlights the critical role human-generated safety observations continue to play in reducing workplace incidents. References Ludwig, T. D., & Laske, M. M. (2022). Behavioral safety: An efficacious application of applied behavior analysis to reduce human suffering. Journal of Organizational Behavioral Management, 43(3), 190-220. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2022.2108536 Ludwig, T. D., & Laske, M. M. (2023). The science and best practices of behavioral safety: The source for reducing injuries on the front line. Routledge
Gen Z’s Perception of Supervisor Conflict Resolution on Organizational Justice, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover
Get PDFExisting literature on Generation Z has focused on understanding how this younger generation impacts organizations, cultural dynamics, and managerial actions. More so than previous generations, Gen Z demonstrates an entrepreneurial spirit, switches jobs more frequently, holds a strong desire to be listened to by management, expects a high level of social responsibility from companies, and is willing to leave an employer when feeling unaligned with their direction or values. However, limited research exists on the preferred conflict resolution strategies of Gen Z. Five distinct types of conflict resolution strategies (integrating, obliging, domineering, avoiding, and compromising) exist and have been linked to perceptions of organizational justice. Employees who perceive their organization as having equitable outcomes, procedures, and treatment are more likely to trust leadership, feel a sense of commitment to their employer, perform job duties effectively, and feel satisfied in their job roles. Furthermore, the concept of job satisfaction may serve as a mediator between conflict resolution, organizational justice, and organizational outcomes such as turnover intentions as employees with higher levels of job satisfaction and any subcategory of organizational justice are less likely to leave their employing organization. This study intends to expand understanding around college students’ (Gen Z) perceptions of supervisor conflict resolution in relation to perceptions of organizational justice, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. It is hypothesized that perceptions of integrating and obliging conflict resolution styles will evoke higher levels of organizational justice and job satisfaction, resulting in lower levels of turnover intention. The domineering and avoiding styles of conflict resolution are hypothesized to evoke lower levels of organizational justice and job satisfaction, resulting in higher levels of turnover intention. Employed and previously employed college students will be asked to identify their most current supervisor’s conflict resolution style, report their preference of an ideal supervisor’s conflict resolution style, and respond with their perceptions of organizational justice, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions. The study’s findings are intended to provide managers and executives with guidance in approaching and effectively engaging with Gen Z employees. By further understanding this generation’s expectations of conflict resolution, organizations can adapt employee retention efforts to aid in reducing the chances of employee turnover