Past Events

Spring 2009 Colloquium Series

The following dates are Wednesdays, 3:30-4:30 in PSY 155

April 29

Speaker:    Brian Dow, Ph.D.

                  Therapist

                  South Bay Mental Health Center

                  Hawthorne, CA

Title:          Self-Efficacy as a Mediating Variable for the Relationship between Depression and Exercise

This study examined whether exercise self-efficacy and locus of control (LOC) mediate the relationships between depression and exercise.  Also, this study examined whether self-efficacy and LOC are predictors of the duration of exercise, and if they better predict duration of exercise in the past two weeks when combined, than each variable independently.  Results from an on-line survey showed that exercise had a significant inverse relationship to depression and a positive relationship to self-efficacy, and self-efficacy mediated the relationship between depression and exercise.  Self-efficacy was the best predictor of exercise and external LOC was not significantly related to exercise and it did not better help predict duration of exercise when added to self-efficacy in the regression equation.  However, external LOC had a positive significant relationship with depression.  Results showed that there was a significant inverse relationship between anxiety and exercise self-efficacy.  This study suggested that techniques used to increase peoples’ exercise self-efficacy might be used to decrease peoples’ level of depression.   

April 15

Speaker:   Hector Betancourt, Ph.D.

                 Department of Psychology

                 Loma Linda University

Title:         Psychological Perspectives on Health Disparities:  The Study of Culture and Behavior

This presentation highlights the need to investigate the role of psychological and cultural factors relevant to disparities in health among individuals from various ethnic and SES groups.  A theoretical model and methodological approach for the study of culture and behavior are described and research on disparities in cancer screening among Anglo and Latino women is used to illustrate the implementation of the model and methodology.  Conceptual and methodological issues concerning research on culture and behavior as well as the importance of culture-based health-care interventions are discussed.

March 25

Speaker:  Wei-Chin Hwang, Ph.D.

                Department of Psychology

                Claremont McKenna College

Title:         Top-down and Bottom-up Approaches to Culturally Adapting Psychotherapy

Recent reports by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) indicate that ethnic minorities are less likely to receive and have access to quality health and mental health services, and that overall, they evidence worse treatment outcomes.  In this talk, I will present an overview of an NIMH funded clinical trial that compares cognitive-behavioral therapy versus culturally adapted cognitive behavioral therapy. I will discuss theoretical and community-based participatory and formative methods to culturally adapt and modify psychotherapy for depressed Chinese Americans. Examples of adaptations will be provided and the underlying rationales for the modifications will be discussed.

March 11

Speaker:  Roger Levy, Ph.D.

               Department of Psychology

               UCSD

Title:       Noise and Memory in Rational Language Comprehension

Considering the adversity of the conditions under which linguistic communication takes place in everyday life-ambiguity, competition for our attention, speaker error, and our limited memory-- it is remarkable that we are as successful at it as we are.  Nevertheless there are a number of puzzles regarding limitations to our comprehension.  I present two new computational models and evidence supporting them.  More generally, these models suggest how taking environmental and cognitive constraints into account can lead to a more satisfactory picture of human cognition.

February 25th

Speaker:  Lori Katz, Ph.D.

               Women's Mental Health Center

               Long Beach Veterans Affairs Healthcare System

Title:       Comparison of Prolonged Exposure and Holographic Reprocessing to Treat Trauma

Which treatment is most appropriate for whom?  This presentation addresses similarities and distinction between Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Holographic Reprocessing (HR) to treat symptoms of trauma.  Although PE has a vast empirical base and HR is a newly emerging treatment, the comparison brings forth questions about what mechanisms are necessary and sufficient for change.  A hallmark difference is vantage point when recalling memories of trauma (e.g., as if re-experiencing the memory versus as if observing the memory from afar).  Five factors of change will be discussed and considerations for future research are presented.

February 11th

Speaker:  Andrew Lohmann, Ph.D.

                Department of Psychology

               CSULB

Title:  Neighborhoods and the Impact of a New Freeway on Sense of Community

A great deal of research has been invested in seeking to understand environmental effects on neighborhoods, as well as neighborhood effects on its residents.  The results of this research have directed billions of dollars into social programs.  However, what do we really know about neighborhoods?  Are we defining them correctly in the research?  We examine these questions in the context of studying the impact of newly built freeway on the sense of community of residents living adjacent to the thoroughfare.

Fall 2008 Colloquium Series

The following colloquia dates are Wednesdays,

3:30-4:30 p.m. in room PSY 154.

September 17

Speaker: Dr. Cynthia A. Crawford

Dept. of Psychology

CSU San Bernardino

Topic: 

Effects of Early Methylphenidate Exposure on Morphine and Cocaine Medicated Behaviors in the Adult Rat

Summary: 

Methylphenidate usage in preschool aged children (2 to 5 year olds) has become increasingly common over the last decade. The increased use of methylphenidate is troubling, as there are very few studies examining the long-term effects of stimulants in this age group. Moreover, developmental studies in rodents suggest that early exposure to methylphenidate may alter later responsiveness to drugs of abuse and cause persistent changes in neuronal functioning. These studies have so far produced conflicting results, with some studies indicating that methylphenidate exposure decreases later drug responsiveness after methylphenidate exposure. An interesting feature of these studies is that exposure to methylphenidate during the earlier preadolsecent period reduces the responsiveness to later psychostimulant administration. Data gathered in our laboratory indicates that methylphenidate exposure during the preweanling period (postnatal day (PD) 11-PD 20) enhances later responsiveness to rewarding stimuli and alters opioid receptor system functioning. These findings suggest that methylphenidate exposure during very early development may increase later drug vulnerability.

October 15

Speaker: Timothy A. Allen

Ph.D. Thesis

Department of Psychology

Yale University

Topic: 

Cortically-Mediated Acquired Fear

Summary:

Perirhinal cortex (PR) is one of the earliest and most severely affected regions in Alzheimer’s disease. PR is an understudied region of the mammalian brain at the nexus of facts, feelings and percepts. The role of PR was examined in Pavlovian fear conditioning to 22 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) produced by rats. Twenty-two kHz USVs are ethologically-relevant calls that are produced during distressing events and serve as conspecific alarm calls. Unlike pure tone stimuli, fear conditioning to 22 kHz USVs is impaired by lesions to the PR. Multiple techniques were used to test the hypothesis that the essential stimulus feature of 22 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations is the discontinuous structure of a bout of calls. PR single-unit activity was found to respond similarly to 22 kHz USVs and 22 kHz discontinuous call matched to the on/off structure of a bout of calls, but differently to continuous tones. In differential fear conditioning rats were able to discriminate between continuous tones and 22 kHz USVs, but not between discontinuous tones and 22 kHz USVs. Pretraining lesions of PR similarly impaired fear conditioning to 22 kHz USVs and discontinuous tones, but not continuous tones. Depending upon whether a tone or 22 kHz USV was used as a stimulus, different types of single-unit plasticity and latencies were observed in PR. Inactivating the amygdala with fluorescent muscimol impaired fear conditioning to 22 kHz USVs. Overall, the data support the hypothesis that an essential perirhinal-amygdala circuit underlies fear conditioning to 22 kHz USVs. Theoretically, PR supports a unitization process that forms a discontinuous bout of calls into a singular auditory object, which can subsequently be associated with fear.

October 29

Speaker: Bettina Casad, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology and Sociology

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Topic: 

Effects of Stereotype Violation

Summary:

How are people who violate stereotypes evaluated? Are there contextual features and individual difference variables that affect evaluations? How does being a stereotype violator affect a person's performance? Utilizing a variety of measurement types, including subjective, objective, and implicit, the research presented in this colloquium will examine the answers to these questions, looking at multiple contexts (hiring decisions, leadership, and math performance) and stigmatized groups (women, ethnic minorities, female senators, and girls in Algebra). The importance of context, measurement type, and attitudes as moderators of evaluations and performance will be discussed.

November 12

Speaker: Anna S. Lau, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology

University of California, Los Angeles

Topic: 

The cultural adaptation of evidence based treatments for minority families: Indications, strategies, and examples

Summary:

Some experts contend that evidence-based treatments (EBTs) require cultural adaptation to be effective and relevant for minority families. However, critics argue there is insufficient data to warrant such adaptation and that minority families must be given access to EBTs delivered with fidelity. To inform this debate, Dr. Lau argues that cultural adaptation is best pursued when there is evidence that indicates the probability of treatment generalization failure. Cultural adaptation should itself be evidence based, with data driving one of three distinct strategies for adapting EBTs. These strategies involve adaptation of (1) therapy process to promote engagement, (2) augmentation of intervention content to target problems effectively, and (3) manipulation of treatment intensity to achieve lasting change. Each approach to cultural adaptation will be illustrated with examples from Parent Management Training. Preliminary data from a pilot trial of PMT with high-risk immigrant Chinese families will be used to illustrate the rationale underlying these competing approaches.

December 3

Speaker: Jeffrey Mio, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology and Sociology

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Topic: 

Allies: Development, Experiences, and Effects

Summary:

Mulitcultural psychologists have discussed the importance of allies for decades. However, what is an ally? What is their motivation for becoming an ally? What effects do allies have? What sustains their allied behavior? This presentation will discuss these issues as part of an empirical first step in addressing these questions.

Spring 2008 Colloquium Series

The following colloquia dates are Wednesdays,

3:30-4:30 p.m. in room PSY 155.

February 13

Speaker: Dr. Ilona Federenko

UCI

Health Psychology

Topic:

The idea that stress and health are intricately linked is almost universally accepted. Much less research has been directed at understanding the link between stress and health during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Since pregnancy is accompanied by changes in the function of stress-related physiological systems, it cannot be assumed that findings in non-pregnant women are applicable to pregnant women as well. This presentation will discuss pregnancy-related changes in stress hormones and point out the implication of these changes for postpartum health and disease.

February 27 CANCELLED

Speaker: Scott Roesch, Ph.D.

San Diego State University

Topic:

Stress and Coping

Summary:

This meta-analysis assessed the efficacy of coping strategies on psychological physical adjustment in children with cancer (n=1230). Coping strategies were operational along two dimensions: 1) approach or avoidance coping; and problem-focused or emotion-focused coping were unrelated to overall adjustment. A small-to-medium but negative association was found between problem-focused coping and adjustment, indicating more use of these strategies is associated with poorer adjustment. Follow-up analyses found coping-adjustment relations were both dependent upon time since diagnosis and the particular stressor the child was dealing with during treatment.

March 12

Speaker: Aaron T. Goetz, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology

California State University, Fullerton

Topic:

Why do men sexually coerce their intimate partners? An evolutionary perspective informed by sperm competition theory

Summary:

Research on sexual coercion in intimate relationships has focused exclusively on its proximate (or immediate) causes. Only very recently have researchers begun to examine the ultimate (or evolutionary) causes of sexual coercion in intimate relationships. this talk reviews recent theoretical, comparative, correlational, and experimental evidence on the ultimate causes of sexual coercion in intimate relationships. Five studies are presented which support sperm competition theory and demonstrates the utility of appreciating that ultimate causes often exist alongside proximate causes.

March 26

Speaker: Erica L. Wohldmann, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology

CSU Northridge

Topic:

Learning by Thinking: An Examination of How Action and Imagery Differ

Summary:

We all know that learning by doing is an effective way to learn a new motor skill, but it is not the only way. Numerous studies have shown that motor imagery (i.e., the mental simulation of body movements in the absence of physical action) enhances subsequent physical performance. In three experiments, the effects of motor imagery for skill learning, retention, and transfer were examined. The task involved learning to type 4-digit sequences on the computer keypad. In Experiment 1, motor imagery was as effective as physical practice for sequence learning and retention. Experiments 2 and 3 showed that learning is less susceptible to retroactive interference effects (forgetting of old movements after new movements are rehearsed) after mental practice than after physical practice. The results provide support for the hypothesis that mental practice strengthens an abstract representation that does not involve specific effectors.

April 16

This colloquium will be held in Peterson Hall Room 223

Speaker: Seth Kalichman, Ph.D.

University of Connecticut

HIV Prevention

Topic:

Sex, Drugs and Viral Load: HIV Prevention for People Living with HIV/AIDS

Summary: 

HIV prevention programs require scaling up in communities most seriously affected by AIDS and interventions that target people living with HIV/AIDS (positive prevention) should be included in all comprehensive HIV prevention plans. Positive prevention interventions have been demonstrated effective but will be underminded by beliefs about HIV transmission risks. Efforts to implement positive prevention will be enhanced by increasing access to HIV/AIDS care services including antiretroviral therapies and sexually transmitted infections detection and treatment.

April 30

Speaker: Brian Lickel, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology

USC

Topic:

Social Groups and Shame

Summary:

Collective blame of outgroups is an important element in intergroup conflict and explains in part how cycles of retributive violence are maintained over time. Recent work, which will be discussed in this talk, addresses the cognitive and affective mechanisms that play a role i the collective blame process. In particular, outgroup directed anger plays a strong role in fueling motivation for outgroup directed aggression. However, there are instances where individuals blame their ingourp for the intergroup conflict. Under these circumstances, self-conscious emotions such as shame and guilt may occur and may sometimes provide a basis for reducing intergroup conflict.

Fall 2007 Colloquium Series

The following colloquia dates are Wednesdays,

3:30-4:30 p.m. in room PSY 154.

September 12th

Speaker: Tom Strybel, Ph.D

Department of Psychology,

Human Factors

California State University, Long Beach

Topic: 

Quantifying Situation Awareness of Airline Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers

in Current and Future Air Traffic Management Systems

Summary: 

The Federal Aviation Administration forecasts that the demand for flying will increase significantly over the next two decades and it hopes to increase airspace capacity and put more airplanes in the sky through modernizing and automating much of the air traffic management system. Under the Next Generation Airspace Transportation System (NGATS), airspace operators (pilots and air traffic controllers) will assume new roles and responsibilities in reaction to a number of essential changes in air traffic management, and the introduction of new automation technologies to support these important developments. 

Our work in the Psychology Department's Center for the Study of Aeronautic Technologies (CSAAT) is supporting the human factors' development and evaluations of these new roles and responsibilities in NGATS. We are measuring the impact of these new technologies on pilot and air traffic controller "situation awareness." Situation awareness refers to the continuous perception and understanding of information in the operator's environment, and the projection of this information to future events. Pilots call situation awareness "staying ahead of the aircraft"; air traffic controllers call it "having the picture," or "knowing what you need to know so as not to be surprised." Although the concept of situation awareness is intuitively obvious, valid and reliable metrics for situation awareness are lacking. CSAAT is currently leading a consortium of universities and private industry that works situation awareness in current and future NGATS air traffic management systems. I will present the present challenges we are facing in this project, present preliminary results form our first year activities, and, most important, solicit suggestions and feedback from faculty and students on how to quantify situation awareness.

September 26th

Speaker: Bita Ghafoori, Ph.D

Department of Educational Psychology,

Administration & Counseling

California State University, Long Beach

 Topic:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder After the 9/11 World Trade Center Attacks

Summary:

This presentation examines the relationships of past traumatci events, exposure to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, 9/11-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in a systematic sample of 1,146 patients seeking care at an urban medical center in New York City ayear after the 9/11 attacks. Results suggested that Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) was more common for patients with 9/11-related PTSD and individuals who were exposed to pre 9/11 traumas. But, results also suggested that a number of 9/11-related events and pre-9/11 trauma events were predictive of GAD independent of the effects of PTSD. Taken together, these findings suggest that trauma exposure may have a cumulative effect, with increased taruma exposure leading to more difficulites. Implications of these findings will be discussed.

October 10th

Speaker: Elizabeth (Eliza) DelPizzo, Ph.D., BCBA, NCSP

Psychologist

Board Certified Bheavior Analyst

Nationally Certified School Psychologist

CHOC/UCI Neurodevelopment Programs

Topic: 

Autism Spectrum Disorders: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Summary:

Dr. Elizabeth (Eliza) DelPizzo is a bheavioral psychologist at CHOC/UCI Neurodevelopmental Program: For OC Kids. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Dr. DelPizzo is a licensed psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania, and psychology licensure in the state of California is pending. Dr. DelPizzo holds a Professional Clear Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Psychology from the State of California.

Dr. DelPizzo will discuss the identification and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders, as well as behavioral treatments and behavior mangagment. Audeince questions about this developmental disorder will be answered.

October 24th

Speaker: Courtney E. Ahrens, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Psychology

California State University, Long Beach

Topic:

To Tell or Not to Tell: Disclosure and Silence Among Sexual Assault Survivors

Summary:

Sexual assault occurs at epidemic levels, but society is largely ignorant of the extent of the problem. Part of this lack of awareness stems from the silence that continues to surround such assaults. The current presentation will describe a series of three studies aimed at understanding disclosure and non-dislcosure among sexual assault survivors. The first study focuses on group of survivors who had never talked about the assault before participating in the study. Qualitative analysis of these survivors' narratives suggested that high levels of fear silenced these survivors. The second study focuses on what happens when survivors dislcose.

Results suggested that friends and therapists provide the most helpful support, while romantic partners, family, and the police tended to engange in more harmful behavior. The third study focused on the health impact of different disclosure patterns. Results suggested that both non-disclosure and negative social reactions are related to higher levels of depression and PTSD, suggesting that survivors who fear negative reactions from others may be in a bit of a conundrum. The implications of these findings for future research and practive will be discussed.

November 14th

Speaker: Dr. Charles A. Weaver, III

Department of Psychology

Baylor University

Topic:

Remembering Bad Things, Not Bad guys: Eyewitness Memory in Product Liability Cases

Summary:

Expert testimony in eyewitness memory cases is now common, and a number of important general prinicples are well established. Eyewitness testimony is also critical in civil litigation, particular in product liability cases involving alleged exposure to toxic substances like asbestos. Witnesses in these cases must recall specific brands of products that may have been used decades earlier, and often do so following suggestive "memory refreshing" techniques. Our research looks at factors that influence that reliability of memory in product liability litigation.

November 19th

Speaker: Alison P. Lenton, Ph.D

Department of Psychology

University of Edinburgh

Topic:

So Many Men, So Little Time: How People Choose Mates in the Modern World

Summary:

In Shanghai, China in 2005, a speed-dating event attracted 5000 participants. Is having so many mate options a good idea? Three studies offer a complex answer to this question. In brief, their results indicated that -unlike in Iyengar & Lepper's (2000) study of consumer choice- choice-related affect is unaffected by the number of mate options available. Choosers in the mate choice domain are protected from the affective downsides of too much choice because they use non-compensatory choice strategies when faced with many (vs. few) mate options (perhaps as a result of having 'articulated preferences' in this domain; Chernev, 2003). Many speed- and web-daters are likely to 'winnow out winners' (Edwards & Fasolo, 2001), thus making poorer overall choices.

The John Garcia Recognition of Excellence Lecture Series

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Talk begins at 3:30, reception to follow

Room: Beach Theatre

University Student Union

Functional Family Therapy: a Multi-Culturally Sensitive and Evidence- Based Therapy with High Risk Youth

Presenter:

James F. Alexander, PhD

Distinguished CSULB Psychology Alumnus

Psychology, University of Utah

Summary:

Despite numerous reviews and reports (U. S. Surgeon General's, Centers for Disease Control, Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention), most high risk youth still receive cost-ineffective interventions with poor outcomes. This presentation will discuss the movement towards providing more effective intervention, and identify the major elements of one of the few nationally and internationally recognized evidence based approaches to treating these youth. The major phases, principles, and treatment issues with this approach (Functional Family Therapy: FFT) will be presented with short video segments.