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Psychology News

April 19, 2011 - David Lee McCluskey, Jr. was awarded the 2011 Psychology Faculty Award.

April 29, 2010 - Madeline Glass, Holly King, Madison Roberts, Jillian Rogers, and DeAron Washington were inducted into Psi Chi (The International Honor Society in Psychology). Dr. Temika Simmons and Dr. Scott Druy hosted the 2010 Induction Ceremony as the new Faculty Co-Advisors. Dr. Scott Hutchens was also honored for serving as Faculty Advisor from 1999 to 2010.

 

April 28, 2010 - Haley Mitchell of Scobey, MS was awarded the 2010 Psychology Chair Award.

 

 

April 20, 2010 - Amanda Guidry of Cut Off, LA (pictured with Dr. Hutchens) was awarded the 2010 Psychology Faculty Award at the DSU College of Education Recognition of Achievement Program.

 

 

 

November 2009 - Three new members were inducted into Psi Chi (The International Honor Society in Psychology).

 

 

April 1, 2009 - Dr. Hutchens's students place First Place for Best Undergraduate Research Paper and Presentation for the thrid straight year. Gerasimos, J., Guidry, A., Hardy, Z., Yates, M., Perry, A., & Hutchens, S. A. (April 1, 2009). Do professor dress and gender affect student impression formation? Paper Presented at the 5^th Annual Delta Research and Scholarship Symposium, Cleveland, MS.

 

October 6, 2008 - Psychology Faculty host symposium "Engaging Students Using Creative and Innovative Teaching Methods" at 4th Annual Reaching Out to Mississippi Education in Action (ROMEA): Teaching in Higher Education Faculty Development Conference in Cleveland, MS.

May 2008 - Johnny Hunsucker  and Amanda Beuning were both awarded the 2008 Psychology Faculty Award for Outstanding Student.

Spring 2008 - DSU psychology student (Johnny Hunsucker) wins Outstanding Undergraduate Presentation and Paper Award at the 4th annual Delta Research and Scholarship Symposium at Delta State University. Johnny presented a social cognition research paper under the direction of Dr. Scott Hutchens.

Spring 2008 - DSU psychology students win research competition for second straight year! Johnny Hunsucker, Megan Jackson, and Jerry Scott shared the Undergraduate Research Award at the annual meeting of the Mississppi Academy of Sciences. Their research, under the direction of Dr. Reid Jones, involved the construction and validation of surveys related to personality traits. Each of these students was a co-author on the other students’ papers. Students and faculty from eight colleges and universities presented papers including Delta State, Jackson State, Mississippi College, Tougaloo, University of California, Riverside, University of Mississippi and UM Medical School, and the University of Southern Mississippi.

Spring 2008 - DSU psychology students (Amanda Beuning and Johnny Hunsucker) present cognitive research papers at the 54th annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association in Charlotte, NC.  Both students were under the direction of Dr. Scott Hutchens.

 

May 2007 - Dr. Scott Hutchens (pictured with his wife, Beth) was presented the 2007 S. E. Kossman Outstanding Faculty Award during the 80^th Spring Commencement at Delta State University, Saturday, May 12, 2007, inside Walter Sillers Coliseum on the campus. Delta State recognizes exceptional performances by professors through the annual selection of one outstanding faculty member. The S. E. Kossman Outstanding Teacher Award honors the memory of a prominent Cleveland business and civic leader who supported Delta State University. Dr. Hutchens is the 25^th winner in the award’s history. He received a cash award, a commemorative medallion and a personal plaque. The names of all Kossman Award recipients are displayed in Kethley Hall. As the Kossman award winner, Dr. Hutchens will give the address at Delta State's 81st Commencement on December 8, 2007.

May 2007 - Robert Johnson was awarded the 2007 Psychology Faculty Award for Outstanding Student.

   

April 2007 - Dr. Scott Hutchens was awarded the 2007 Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Technology at the International Conference on College Teaching and Learning in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. He received a commemorative personal plaque. 

Spring 2007 - Psychology faculty attend and present at the Southeastern Conference on the Teaching of Psychology in Atlanta, GA (not pictured: Dr. Culver).

Psychology Students Place 2nd Place in Research Competition

2007 - Psychology students (From left: Johnny Hunsucker, Kassie Buck, Brenda Dorsey, Eric Swindle, Heather Peacock, Robert Johnson, Jaime Aldy, Dr. Scott Hutchens)
 

Several Delta State undergraduate psychology students presented five research papers at the Mid-South Psychology Conference in Memphis on February 17. This was Delta State’s forth time to attend the conference in which DSU has won first place twice and has placed third and forth place in the past. Other university’s presenting papers at the conference were: The University of Memphis, The University of Alabama, East Tennessee State University, Christian Brothers University, Arkansas State University, and Lambuth University. DSU’s psychology students presented PowerPoint presentations of their research findings at the Fed-Ex Institute for Technology on the campus of The University of Memphis and performed very well. Out of 20 judged research paper presentations, Delta State students won second place. Four of the research projects were conducted to satisfy a course requirement in Dr. Scott Hutchens’ Social Cognition (PSY 315) course. One research project was as an independent research project (PSY 493) under the supervision of Dr. Hutchens. A total of 400 Delta State University students volunteered to serve as participants in the research projects.

The presentations and authors were:

(1) An Investigation of Impression Management and Influence. (2^nd Place) Johnny Hunsucker (presenter), Latrisha Payne, Eric Swindle, Randy Winters, & Scott Hutchens 

(2) Permissive Behavior: An Investigation of Gender Differences. Kassie Buck (presenter), Meagan Haselton, Kim Oldham, & Scott Hutchens

(3) An Investigation of Discrimination as a Function of Facial Piercing. Eric Swindle (presenter), Drew Parrish, Fletcher Lang, Jennifer Lutz, Philip Pearson, & Scott Hutchens

(4) An Investigation of Misattribution of Emotion Due to Media. Heather Peacock (presenter), Robert Johnson (co-presenter), Brenda Dorsey, Candin McKeown, & Scott Hutchens

(5) Would you hire Ale bin Ahmed Al-Fulani? An Investigation of Name Discrimination after 9/11. Jaime Aldy (presenter) & Scott Hutchens


 

Delta State Students Win Research Award

2007 - Four Delta State undergraduates shared the 2007 Best Research Presentation Award for the Psychology and Social Science Division of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences. The award was announced at the annual meeting of the Academy, February 21 through 23 on the Mississippi State University campus. Each of the students presented a paper on how personality traits influence important areas of college life. Each student also co-authored the other student papers with Dr. Reid Jones of Delta State.

The students and their primary papers are listed alphabetically. Kristen Allen of Clinton presented "Social skills and personality traits in undergraduates." Cassie Bradshaw of Carrollton presented "Personality traits associated with poor impulse control in undergraduates."  Renita McMath of Sunflower presented "Academic success and personality traits in undergraduates." Patricia Webster of Cleveland presented "Demographics and local undergraduate norms for the ‘Big Five’ personality traits and IPIP Scales." Abstracts for each paper were published in the Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences, 52(1); January, 2007, pp. 141-142.  The abstracts are also available on line at the academy web site:  http://www.msacad.org/ under the heading Current Abstract Issue.

Judges for the research competition were psychology faculty from Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi. They said that the four Delta State papers were so close together in quality that it would not be fair to pick only one for the research award.  

 

Psychology Students Present Research Papers

2007 - Psychology students presented three research papers at the 53rd Southeastern Psychological Association annual meeting in New Orleans, LA. The presentations were:

Hutchens, S. A., Jones, R., Johnson, R., & Peacock, H. (Spring 2007). An investigation of cell phone use in college students.

Hutchens, S. A., & Aldy, J. (Spring 2007). An investigation of name discrimination five years after 9/11.

Hutchens, S. A., & Newsome, J. (Spring 2007). Impression formation as a function of tattoos and gender.

 

September 27, 2006 - Psychology Faculty host symposium "The Use of Innovative Teaching Methods to Engage College Students" at 2nd Annual Reaching Out to Mississippi Education in Action (ROMEA): Teaching in in Higher Eduation Faculty Development Conference in Cleveland, MS.

2006 - Dr. Reid Jones and Dr. Scott Hutchens were the 2006 recipients of the Delta State University Foundation Prizes for Excellence in Service and Research, respectively. After a lengthy and rigorous application process, winners were selected by a committee, with award recipients receiving a plaque and $5,000 check honoring their accomplishments.

2006 - Psychology students (back left, Jesse Newsom, Sara Beth Prewitt, Jacoby Tow; front left, Mallory Swinney, Nikki Chancellor, Dr. Hutchens) in Dr. Hutchens' Social Cognition course presented four research papers at the Mid-South Psychology Conference in Jackson, TN.

 

2005 - Dr. Scott Hutchens and Dr. Reid Jones were the 2005 recipients of the College of Education Awards of Excellence in Research and Overall Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Service, respectively.  

   

Spring 2008 - DSU psychology students (Alfreda Collins, Amanda Beuning, Zach Hardy, and Heidi Smith) present four social cognitive research papers at the Mid-South Psychology Conference in Memphis, TN. The students were under the direction of Dr. Scott Hutchens.

Spring 2008 - DSU psychology graduate (Robert Johnson) presented a cognitive research paper at the Psi Chi Rocky Mountain Psychological Association annual meeting in Boise, Idaho. Robert was under the direction of Dr. Scott Hutchens.

Spring 2008 - Psychology faculty attend and present at the Southeastern Conference on the Teaching of Psychology in Atlanta, GA.

Dec 8, 2007 - Dr. Scott Hutchens (pictured with his wife, Beth) delivered the keynote address at the 81^th Fall Commencement at Delta State University inside Walter Sillers Coliseum on the campus. As has been the long-standing practice, the winner of the S.E. Kossman Outstanding Faculty Award delivers the fall commencement keynote address. The 25^th overall recipient of the honor, Dr. Hutchens, offered wisdom and advice to the graduating class with his address, “Off the Wall Comments.” The keynote analyzed the 1979 rock classic, "Another Brick in the Wall," by Pink floyd. Hutchens addressed the irony of the song’s meaning, instead highlighting the importance of earning a higher education and controlling one’s thoughts. His genuine and entertaining address also focused on five ways to avoid becoming just another brick in the wall: being an independent thinker, being kind to others; avoiding fear of criticism; resisting materialism; and seizing the day to live an extraordinary life. Hutchens urged the Class of 2007 to “make a career of something you enjoy doing, but do not let your career define you.” Dr. Hutchens' wife, Beth, was one of the 380 graduates earning degrees that day.

Fall 2007 - Psychology Faculty host symposium "How to Energize students without using a Taser: Innovative Teaching Methods to Engage Students" at 3rd Annual Reaching Out to Mississippi Education in Action (ROMEA): Teaching in in Higher Eduation Faculty Development Conference in Cleveland, MS.