Campbell University psychology students investigated the relationship between locus of control and conformity in a paper presented at the 33rd annual Carolinas Psychology Conference at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C. on April 4.Locus of Control is an important aspect of personality that refers to an individual’s perception about the underlying main causes of events in his or her life, or, more simply whether you believe that your destiny is controlled by yourself or external forces.Adam Hicks, Sarah Buck, Faith Crockett and Donald Lawson collected data from 66 participants in order to test whether conformity, or adhering to traditional behavior, differed systematically from an internal locus of control or an external locus of control. Using an optical illusion and a set of shape stimuli, the results of the study showed a greater percent of externally influenced individuals exhibited overall conformity.”The Carolinas Psychology Conference focuses on undergraduate psychology research,” said Dr. Jutta Street, professor of psychology at Campbell University. “The goal is to provide students with the opportunity to gain experience by giving oral presentations of their research to others in a professional setting. The conference is one of the oldest and largest of its type.”Students from as far away as California to the Midwest and across the South participated in the conference. Renowned developmental researcher, Dr. Abigail Baird, of Vassar College, was the keynote speaker. Baird’s topic was “The Teen Species: Anatomy, Physiology and a Bit of Zoology.”The Campbell students also took first place in a game of Psychology Jeopardy.All of the Campbell students who participated in the conference are psychology majors. Adam Hicks is a senior from Goldston, N.C.; Sarah Buck is a junior from Asheboro, N.C.; Faith Crockett is a junior from Raleigh, N.C.; and Donald Lawson is a senior from Meadow, N.C.Photo Copy: Campbell Students Adam Hicks and Sarah Buck show their trophy for participating in the Carolinas Psychology Conference. The students are pictured with Jim Kalat of North Carolina State University.
Campbell psych students present research at national conference