MEDIA RELEASE: 6 September 2017 – R00154
Identifying the personality traits of a psychopath’s potential victim is among more than a dozen Brock University research projects included in the latest round of awards from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
In the federal government agency’s 2017 competition, Brock received a total of $2.2 million from SSHRC’s Insight Grants, Insight Development Grants, Partnership Development Grants and student research awards.
Examples of research projects being funded include:
- Creating and evaluating scenario training to improve interactions between police and individuals in mental crisis
- Strengthening measures, programs and policies that deal with bullying
- Analyzing immigrant student achievement and education policy across Canada
With her SSHRC grant, Associate Professor of Psychology Angela Book, together with Lakehead University Assistant Professor of Psychology Beth Visser, will be running a series of experiments that will assess where participants fall on the HEXACO scale, a model co-developed by Brock and the University of Calgary that measures six major dimensions of personality.
“Our new project is going to look at the personality associated with being gullible and vulnerable to such manipulation or victimization,” says Book. “It’s amazing that the SSHRC gives this opportunity to do this kind of research. There’s no way I could afford to do this without the funding.”
Brock continues to “do very well in receiving funding from SSHRC,” says Brock’s Interim Vice-President Research Joffre Mercier. “The applications go through a very competitive process, and Brock’s success is a clear demonstration of the excellence of our researchers in humanities and social sciences research.”
The $2.2 million includes graduate scholarships and fellowships.
Examples of students’ research include:
- Determining ways to make recess a more positive, healthy experience for elementary-aged children
- Identifying ways to digitize museum collections, making them more accessible to the public
- Examining the social and cultural stigma associated with pandemics and epidemics such as HIV, SARS and Ebola
Taylor Heffer, recipient of the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral, is researching how youth’s ability to be flexible and adjust their coping strategies relates to well-being throughout adolescence.
“I hope that my research will help educate youth on how to use more effective coping strategies and that this knowledge will be used to implement programs focused on promoting resiliency,” she says.
“Brock graduate students are working at the cutting-edge of thought, progress and development across their disciplines,” says Dean of Graduate Studies, Jens Coorssen. “This investment from SSHRC will enable them to continue their studies and their critical contributions to resolving issues locally, nationally and internationally.”
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
* Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970
Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.
– 30 –
