Ransho Ueno is a sophomore (’23) from Tokyo, Japan. She is double majoring in Science in Society Program and Government with a minor in Applied Data Analysis. She is passionate about decreasing health disparities across the world through the lenses of public policies, and her research interests include social determinants of health along with how technology would improve one’s access to healthcare. In the SPA lab, she looks forward to examining how intersectional identities affect sleeping patterns and how it relates to physical and psychosocial health. After Wes, she plans to pursue the graduate program in health policy. In her free time, she loves to cook (of course to eat too), watch Netflix, and talk to people!
Rachel Cetron
Rachel Cetron is a junior (’22) Psychology and Science and Society double major from Atlanta, Georgia. She is passionate about working with children and has research interests in developmental psychology, serving underrepresented communities/public health, and clinical deaf psychology. After Wes Rachel plans to go on to pursue a graduate degree and career in clinical psychology working with children who are hearing impaired. Outside of the lab, Rachel loves to cook, sign in ASL, and she is also a member of the Wesleyan Swimming and Diving Team!
Leah Seldin
Leah Seldin is a senior (’21) Psychology and Education Studies double major from Watchung, NJ. Next year, she will be completing Wesleyan’s BA/MA program in Psychology (’22) under Professor Dubar. Leah’s research interests are focused on student attributions of the college admissions process and psychosocial adjustment of university students. Outside of the lab, Leah is the treasurer for Wesleyan’s chapter of Psi Chi (International Honor Society in Psychology) and has held numerous executive positions in Wesleyan’s only sorority Rho Epsilon Pi. She enjoys good food and bad reality television. In the future, Leah plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
Genesis Garcia
Genesis Garcia is a junior Psychology and English double major. They are motivated to improving access to mental health counseling in low income communities as well as destigmatizing therapy in communities of color. After Wesleyan, Genesis plans to pursue a graduate degree in clinical or counseling psychology. Outside of the lab, Genesis leads the campus Dominican Student Association and Caliente as well as the Cognitive Development lab.
Amy Limtrajiti
Satida (Amy) Limtrajiti is a sophomore from Lexington, Massachusetts and Bangkok, Thailand. She is majoring in Studio Art with a concentration in Painting and minoring in Data Analysis and Integrated Design, Engineering, and Applied Science with a Computer concentration. She is interested in combining art with quantitative fields and utilizing data analysis to further research, specifically in areas related to Psychology and the social sciences. In the SPA Lab, she looks forward to examining minority groups and their relationship with sleep and psychosocial wellbeing. In her free time, she loves making art, tinkering around, listening to music, and (occasionally) playing the piano.
The goal of the present study was to determine whether the nature of the association between social support and general well-being was unidirectional or bidirectional. Participants were N = 619 college students (65.4% female, 59.5% Non-Hispanic White), who participated in an online longitudinal survey study. Measures assessed two forms of perceived social support: friends and family. General well-being was based on 4 indices: general health, self-control, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms. Results of an autoregressive cross-lagged model (controlling for socio-demographic factors) provided support for unidirectional associations, such that perceived social support at baseline predicted better subsequent well-being, but not vice versa. These findings have implications for practitioners and researchers for future interventions that may facilitate social support as a means to improve general health and well-being during a pandemic.
Jocelyn is a junior (’22) from Los Altos, California. They are a psychology major interested in understanding well-being in underrepresented groups and plan to apply to Wesleyan’s B.A./M.A. program for psychology. Outside of the lab, Jocelyn is a director for Fusion Dance Crew, one of Wesleyan’s three hip hop dance teams.
Shannon McLoughlin is a sophomore (‘23) from Brooklyn, New York. At the end of this semester, she plans to declare a major in Psychology and Economics with a minor in Data Analysis. She is interested in how cultural factors affect sleep patterns, especially for adolescents. Outside of the lab, Shannon is a member of the Wesleyan Women’s Rugby team, and she likes to do origami. Shannon wants to complete Wesleyan’s B.A./M.A. program in Psychology in the future.
Ruby is a junior (’22) from London, England. She is pursuing a psychology and film double major. Ruby has specific interests in social and cultural psychology. She also works as a course assistant for Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood. In her free time, she enjoys music, theatre, and filmmaking.
Lauren Greenberg is a junior (‘22) from Long Island, New York. She is a Science in Society major and a Global Engagement minor. She is interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. She is involved in a project on predictors of missed appointments pre and post pandemic as a Research Assistant with the Community Health Center. She enjoys kayaking, tutoring children, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Abstract: Several studies have assessed race and gender differences as independent factors in COVID-19 adjustment and compliance to public health regulations during the pandemic. However, few studies have accounted for the role of intersectionality. To address this gap, the present study examined differences in COVID-19 experiences, COVID-19 stress (contamination), and compliance with public health regulations as a function of gender-race subgroups. Participants were 609 university students (20.5% White male, 39.1% White female, 14.1% Non-white male, 26.3% Non-white female), who participated in an online survey study about their experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic. Generally, White females reported significantly more negative COVID-19 experiences than all other groups. Nonwhite females reported significantly more COVID-19 stress and more COVID-19 compliance than white males. Future research should explore differences in coping strategies and available resources for diverse groups of emerging adults.
Danielle Greene is a sophomore (‘23) from West Nyack, New York. At the end of this semester, she plans to declare a major in Psychology with a minor in Data Analysis. She is interested in psychological disorders in adolescents and how they affect sleep patterns. Outside of the lab, Danielle is a member of the Wesleyan Animal Defense league, and she likes to draw, go for long walks, and watch TV and movies. Danielle hopes to complete Wesleyan’s B.A./M.A. program in Psychology.
Yalissa Rodriguez is a sophomore and prospective Neuroscience & Behavior and Science in Society double major from New London, Connecticut. She is most interested in the correlation between underrepresented groups and their quality of health. Specifically, the impacts environmental, socioeconomic, and physical stress have on the brain with and without treatment. This year she was honored as a McNair Scholar because of her drive to pursue an MD/Ph.D. in Neuroscience Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys the beach, trying new restaurants, and playing volleyball.
Zoe Genden
Zoe Genden is a sophomore Psychology and American Government double major from Old Saybrook, Connecticut. She is interested in social and personality psychology. Outside of the lab, Zoe serves as a board member to the Arcadia Political Review and as a teaching assistant. In the future, Zoe plans to pursue a PhD in psychology.
Abstract: In this study, we asked whether specific negative COVID-19 experiences across 4 domains of impact (i.e., ‘physical health’, ‘quarantine’, ‘infection’, and ’emotional’); positive COVID-19 experiences (e.g., spending quality time with family); and financial stress, were concurrent predictors of insomnia symptoms and sleep duration among college students. The sample comprised N = 619 participants (Mean age = 21.79, SD = 2.15; 65.4% Female). Generally, results of regression analyses indicated that negative COVID-19 experiences and higher financial stress were associated with worse sleep (higher insomnia symptoms and shorter sleep duration), whereas positive COVID-19 experiences were associated with better sleep. Future research should confirm the long-term effects of the pandemic on sleep behaviors among emerging adults.
