SOURCE 2019

Watch the session live or the recording after.

Patrizia Chirco - Immigrant or Expatriate? How skin color and country of origin affect social categorization
Research in the fields of sociology and psychology provides definitions of the terms expatriates and immigrants and addresses the distinctions between the two in normative terms. Little research has been conducted on how migrants are categorized by participants in the public discourse in their host country. This pilot study examined how people categorize as expatriates or immigrants individuals in the USA based on their country of origin and skin color. 165 participants, recruited through the Sona system, were randomly assigned to see photos of either light-skinned or dark-skinned individuals in the conditions Mexico, Germany, or no country and asked to rate the likelihood of that individual being either an expatriate or an immigrant. Preliminary data of two factorial ANOVAs suggest that while country of origin did not influence the likelihood of an individual being categorized as either immigrant or expatriate, skin color did. The present findings may suggest that people with darker skin tones are more often categorized as immigrants than are people with light skin tones. When people with darker skin tones are wrongly categorized as immigrants, the consequences on the individual may be more or less serious. Tougher immigration enforcement and racial profiling are disrupting the daily routines of U.S. citizens and legal residents. American citizens of darker skin tone are regularly mistaken for potentially unauthorized immigrants; as a consequence, they are developing higher degrees of anxiety, stress, and depression due to fear of being arrested for illegal immigration.

Jadvir Gill - How does abusive supervision hurt employees?  The mediating role of positive psychological capital
Researchers in psychology have accumulated new insights and perspectives on both positive organizational behavior and the dark side of leadership yet seldom have the two perspectives been integrated. Drawing from Job Demands-Resources theory we developed and tested a model explaining how abusive supervisors negatively influence subordinates. More specifically, the job demands-resources suggests individuals operate with a constrained level of resources they can apply in a given job context. Equilibrium is achieved when there is a relative balance between the psychological demands on the individual and the psychological resources the individual can apply. In other words, the effects of job demands from, for example, an abusive supervisor, may be overbearing for individuals lower in psychological resources and lead to job strain, stress, and lower psychological well-being. From the perspective of positive psychology, Psychological Capital (self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience) may be a resource for employees to draw on during the potential adversity created by abusive supervisors. Specifically, we position abusive supervision as a job demand that reduces the psychological resources of employee positive psychological capital thereby reducing employee well-being, satisfaction, and health. Results from temporally separated data from a heterogeneous sample of 293 working adults in the United States suggest employee positive psychological capital is an explanatory mechanism as a mediator in the relationship between abusive supervision and outcomes. This represents one of the first studies to not only explain but also test how abusive supervisors are detrimental to organizations.

Grace Pearsons, Madeline Wilson and Allison Ford - Shopping While Non-White in Ellensburg, WA
Using self-report, researchers have investigated minority experiences while shopping or eating out at various establishments in the US and elsewhere around the world. These studies have shown that in general, minorities, especially Blacks, report that they are not treated with the same respect or care as whites, are followed more frequently than whites, and frequently are not comfortable in non-minority owned establishments. There is little actual field research investigating minority experiences while shopping or eating out, but the few we have found show similar results. For example, the body language of white waitstaff often is less warm with minority customers (e.g., less smiling, less eye contact, etc.) than with white customers. In addition, reports from Central Washington University minority students corroborate these results. In the present study, African American, Hispanic, or Caucasian confederates were asked to shop or eat at various stores and restaurants around Ellensburg, WA while independent observers noted the behavior of the staff using a behavior checklist and stopwatches. The purpose of this experiment is to determine if there is a racial bias shown toward minority customers, as reported in casual conversation. The observational results will be presented and discussed.

Anistasha Lightning (Graduate Student) - Examining Locus of Control as it Relates to Recidivism
Recidivism is a persistent problem and consideration in the American criminal justice system. Investigating the antecedents and influences to this criminal re-offense and repeat incarceration problem is not only necessary for improving public safety, but also for improving the lives and futures of incarcerated persons. To investigate possible antecedents, we worked with four Washington State county jails to administer exploratory surveys to currently incarcerated inmates. The surveys examined whether there was any connection between the number of times a person has been involved with the law (arrests, incarceration, other sentencing, etc.) and the externalization of locus of control. This latter factor is defined as an individual’s belief they have little or no control over the events in their life. We investigated external locus of control with specific respect to involvement with the law, the prospect of future incarceration, and feelings concerning the overall cause of original and/or sustained legal involvement. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive relationship between involvement with the law and external locus of control. An analysis of inmate surveys using parametric and non-parametric statistical methods tested this hypothesis, revealing important information concerning legal involvement frequency and external locus of control. The implications of this information for offender cognition, rehabilitation prospects, and future criminal justice system directions will be discussed.

Azalea Koestler - Supplemental Meditation
An in-depth exploration of the current literature on support for alternative methods of pain, anxiety and depression management. Methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy, trans-cranial magnetic stimulation, positive psychology, mindfulness, and most specifically, meditation have been researched. Recent merit has been acquired by certain alternative methods previously considered controversial in efficacy with regards to health management. Many of those procedures are expensive for the patient to gain access to. This expense makes the aforementioned alternative treatments rarely accessible to lower socioeconomic populations. This project analyzes quantitative data to find if there is a benefit to these meditation practices, and whether implementing meditation actively in our school systems could be an asset to individual well-being. Learning healthy adaptive coping mechanisms at a younger age could provide individuals of all socioeconomic levels the education required to learn to successfully manage pain, stress, and anxiety as they encounter it throughout their lives. This education could also potentially decrease pain, depression, and anxiety levels in patients struggling with those symptoms.