psychology | Office of Undergraduate Research

Lead Investigator: Deborah Schneider (deborah.schneider@uconn.edu)
Project: Stop, Feel, Go: Emotions at the Intersection of Cognitive Control
Credits: 1-2 credit hours (3-6 hours/week commitment)

Opportunity Description

Project Overview: Join our research examining how emotional content affects cognitive control and response inhibition. This validation study establishes the reliability and validity of Go/No-Go tasks using emotional stimuli before implementing them in neuroimaging research. This is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience with experimental psychology methodology while contributing to research that advances our understanding of emotion-cognition interactions.

What You’ll Learn
• Research methodology: Experimental design and psychometric validation processes
• Data collection and analysis: Working with behavioral measures and standardized assessments
• Critical analysis: Evaluating test reliability, validity, and sensitivity to emotional interference
• Scientific writing: Contributing to manuscript preparation
• Collaboration: Working as part of a research team

Responsibilities
• Assist with participant recruitment and data collection sessions
• Help administer Go/No-Go tasks and standardized measures
• Participate in weekly online team meetings
• Maintain detailed records using structured data collection protocols
• Assist with data analysis and quality assessment procedures

Recognition Opportunities Research assistants who demonstrate sustained commitment and make meaningful contributions will be eligible for:
• Acknowledgment in the published manuscript
• Potential co-authorship based on level of contribution
• Recommendation letters for graduate school or future research opportunities

Time Commitment
• 2-5 hours per week of research work
• 1 hour per week online team meeting
• Flexible scheduling around your academic commitments

Student Qualifications
What We’re Looking For
• Highly motivated students committed to seeing the project through completion
• Interest in emotion research, cognitive control, or experimental psychology
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently while contributing to team goals
• Reliable attendance at weekly meetings

How to Apply
To Apply: Contact Dr. Deborah Schneider (deborah.schneider@uconn.edu) with:
• Brief statement of interest
• Current CV or resume
• Availability for weekly meetings

Mentor: Deborah Schneider, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Department: Psychological Sciences
Email: deborah.schneider@uconn.edu
Timing: Ongoing
Campus: Storrs

Alexandra Raleigh '12 CLAS (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo) Curious about what research is like for non-science majors? Here’s an example! Alexandra received a 2011 SURF award from the Office of Undergraduate Research.

To prepare for her dream job of U.S. Secretary of State, Alexandra Raleigh (CLAS 2012) will begin a Ph.D. program in political science at the University of California-Irvine this fall, specializing in political psychology.

“I am deeply patriotic,” says Raleigh, who is graduating with a double major in psychology and political science. “I care about my country’s values, and I want to work really hard to protect those values.” Raleigh says that worldwide, five schools offer graduate degrees in the emerging field of political psychology – which she says can help America avoid military actions by solving problems through diplomacy.

In 2011, two days before she was due to board a flight to Belgium to serve an internship with the U.S. Embassy, she had a car accident. Her injuries included a broken hip. “It was a blessing in disguise that I didn’t go to Brussels,” Raleigh says. “I had the whole summer to prepare for grad school and to work on my research, which turned into my senior Honors thesis.”

Guided by Stephen Dyson, assistant professor of political science, with financing through UConn’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fund, the Mathew Jasinski Research Award, Raleigh created a psychological profile of Saddam Hussein. She researched more than 70 of his speeches and interviews, and by using a computer analysis, generated statistical data demonstrating that his words revealed his specific traits and world view.

Raleigh said she wants to help close the “big gap between academic and government profilers, to create practical applications for profiles. I would like to see more people interested in figuring out how the personalities of Middle Eastern dictators affect what they do. Then maybe we can change how we negotiate, or deter them, increasing diplomatic instead of military measures.”

Raleigh honed her political chops in high school in her hometown of Norwalk, when she served as a delegate at a Model United Nations event at Yale. “And also President Obama being elected,” she says. “I’m half black and half white, and following that election got me interested.” While at UConn, Raleigh gave back to the Model UN program, serving for two years on the executive board and managing the event’s logistics and annual budget of more than $10,000.

A multiple award-winning student, Raleigh, who has an anxiety disorder, says UConn’s Center for Students with Disabilities was “incredibly helpful” in supporting her. “Being in the Honors program and having a double major can be stressful,” she says. “I can’t tell you how many times I thought about leaving UConn, but each time I’ve been able to continue. If I’ve learned anything at UConn, it’s how to deal with whatever cards you’re dealt. It hasn’t been easy, but it makes graduating that much sweeter.”

Adapted from a UConn Today story by Lauren Lalancette.