Please join us on Friday, Feb. 28th from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for The Marini Memorial Speaker Series with MA candidates Sydney Running, Kirsten MacAulay, Chae Lynn Bush and Jill Ludwig.
The hybrid event will take place in CRN 336 and on Lifesize.
All are welcome!
“Who Dates Who? Using Latent Profiles to Characterize Adolescents’ Mate Value Profiles”
Presented by Sydney Running
High school isn’t just a social hierarchy —it’s a dating game. Who gets the most dates, and why? Using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) and adolescent peer nomination data, my thesis explores how traits like attractiveness, popularity, and even controversial behaviors shape adolescent mate value. In this presentation, I’ll share early findings on the distinct profiles that emerge, from the ‘cool kids’ to the ‘wild cards,’ and discuss how these insights help shape our understanding of adolescent social behaviour. I will also welcome feedback on how to improve this project.
“The Heterogeneity of Adolescent Friendships: Individual, Interpersonal, and Contextual Examples”
Presented by Kirsten MacAulay
How do teens navigate an illness that is consistently misunderstood, invalidated, or completely unknown? Furthermore, how does it shape their identity and relationships to others? Using qualitative methodologies, my thesis explores the experiences of 9 Canadian youth who have been recently diagnosed with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), specifically focusing on how this has impacted their sense of self and relationships. Using the data from 9 semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis, I will be discussing the 7 overarching themes that were identified.
“Inhibitory Control in the Anxious-Impulsive Subtype”
Presented by Chae Lynn Bush
Anxiety is often linked to shyness and avoidance, but not all anxious individuals fit this mold. Past research has shown that trait impulsivity may play a role in anxiety’s heterogeneity as its presence is associated with risky behaviour and poor academic performance. Despite these concerns, little is known about the cognitive profile of the anxious-impulsive subtype. My research uses eye tracking and self-report measures to explore the role of inhibitory control in the relationship between anxiety and impulsivity.
“Exploring Pet Death In Emerging Adulthood: Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis”
Presented by Jill Ludwig
The death of a pet is an impactful event in the lives of many pet owners. Many young people, categorized in the time period of emerging adulthood, may find themselves losing beloved pets in the midst of various transitions that come with their time of life. My study explores this experience of pet death for people in emerging adulthood through semi-structured interviews where participants are asked to highlight the important elements of this event in terms of their grief and well-being. The study uses interpretive phenomenological analysis to emphasize participants lived experiences while also leaving space for the researcher’s interpretation of the participant’s “meaning-making”.
