Type: Graduate
Author(s): Tiffany Bui Psychology
Advisor(s): Cathy Cox Psychology

Redefining Success: What Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Value in Life

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Renee castillo Psychology Kevin Knight Psychology Thomas Sease Psychology
Advisor(s): Thomas Sease Psychology
Location: SecondFloor, Table 7, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

Existential Isolation and Politics

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Teagan Cronn Psychology Matthew Espinosa Psychology
Advisor(s): Cathy Cox Psychology
Location: Basement, Table 13, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

Recent research has begun to explore the basic misperceptions that underly political divides. For instance, people tend to believe that their political opponents accept objective moral wrongs (e.g., homicide, watching child pornography). These misperceptions then motivate avoidance and dehumanization of political opponents. However, the socio-cognitive processes preceding the formation of these misperceptions are less understood. Across two studies, we examined existential isolation towards political opponents, or the belief that people with a different political orientation than you do not understand your perspective and worldview, as one such social determinant. Study 1 surveyed 194 undergraduate students, and Study 2 surveyed 250 adults via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Results provide consistent support to suggest that individuals feel more existentially isolated from political opponents (e.g., politically liberal individuals report feeling more existentially isolated from politically conservative others). The more existential isolation people felt towards liberal or conservative others, the more they believed that these individuals endorsed objective moral wrongs, the less willingness they were to engage in political discussions with these individuals, and the more they dehumanized them. These findings emphasize the important role of existential isolation in the formation and persistence of political divides, and highlight the need for interventions that target feelings of existential isolation towards one’s political opponents.

The Ineffective Anxiety-Buffering Mechanisms on Well-Being and Psychological Disorders in Traumatized Individuals

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Jeanne Dahmen Psychology
Advisor(s): Cathy Cox Geological Sciences
Location: FirstFloor, Table 5, Position 1, 1:45-3:45

Psychological well-being is shaped by an individual’s ability to buffer existential anxiety through self-esteem, cultural worldviews, and close relationships. However, prior research suggests that trauma weakens these mechanisms, increasing vulnerability to distress. Studies indicate that individuals with high trauma exposure struggle to reinforce cultural values in response to mortality salience, leaving them susceptible to psychological disorders. This study examines whether disrupted anxiety-buffering mechanisms contribute to increased fear of death and lower well-being. Participants, which are college students, (N=100) will complete measures assessing childhood trauma (ACE), fear of death (CL-FODS), and well-being (SWLS, PANAS). It is hypothesized that high-trauma individuals will report greater death anxiety and lower well-being compared to their low-trauma counterparts. This research aims to refine models of trauma’s psychological impact and inform interventions designed to restore effective anxiety-buffering mechanisms in survivors.

Public Perception of Law Enforcement's Ability to Effectively Intervene in an Opioid Overdose: A Study of Tarrant County

Type: Undergraduate
Author(s): Shane Davidson Psychology Ollie Ansley Psychology Kait Beermann Psychology Renee Catillo Psychology Taylor Harrison Psychology Erica Kaminga Psychology Kevin Knight Psychology
Advisor(s): Amanda Sease Psychology
Location: Third Floor, Table 9, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

There is substantial literature exploring public perceptions of police, with many studies focusing on demographic factors such as race, age, prior police encounters, and neighborhood characteristics as key influences. While these factors are important, there remains a gap in research examining the public’s perceptions of law enforcement's abilities in handling public health emergencies, particularly opioid overdoses. This gap is concerning as law enforcement often serves as the first responders to such crises. The current study aimed to address this gap by interviewing residents of Tarrant County regarding their perceptions of law enforcement’s ability to effectively intervene in opioid overdose situations. Participants were recruited from various public locations across Tarrant County (N = 72). As part of the interview process, participants completed a nine-question survey using a seven-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree) to assess their confidence in police responses to opioid overdoses. Results revealed that while there were marginal variations in survey scores, no significant differences were observed based on sex or education level. Overall, the findings suggested a moderate level of confidence among Tarrant County residents in law enforcement’s ability to effectively respond to opioid overdoses. Future research should further explore the factors influencing these confidence levels and develop interventions aimed at strengthening trust-based relationships between Tarrant County residents and law enforcement.