McKendree Students Present Their Research at Psychology Conference

Posters Examine Mental Illness and Relationships

(LEBANON, Ill., April 17, 2018) — McKendree University psychology students presented two research posters at the Midwestern Psychological Association’s Annual Conference in Chicago on April 14. Juniors Jordan Morton and Tatiana Nieves presented the results of a project designed to determine if evolutionary theory predicts people’s perceptions of people with mental illness as sexual and romantic partners. Their poster – Mental Illness as a Relationship Dealbreaker – outlined three studies suggesting that some people automatically discount individuals with mental illness for relationships in much the same way they do for devalued traits such as having an STD or bad hygiene.

Ciara Jones, a fall 2017 graduate in biopsychology, presented the results of a project examining how people evaluate their real-life dating partners who have had mental illnesses. Her poster – Romantic Partners’ Evaluations of People with Mental Illness as Mates – outlined two studies showing that people who have dated individuals with mental illness rate their former partners as having lower attractiveness as mates than people rating former partners who did not have mental illness. People who self-reported having mental illness were more likely to have had partners with mental illness but having dated someone with mental illness did not affect people’s self-evaluations of their own attractiveness as mates.

The students completed the research as part of a directed study course called Research Practicum, instructed by Dr. Guy A. Boysen, associate professor of psychology. The research was funded by a Faculty Development Grant, and the students’ travel was funded by a Student Travel Grant.

 

Ciara Jones

 

Tatiana Nieves and Jordan Morton

 

-McK-