Meredith Craig Conducts Psychology Research for Auburn University
Meredith Craig is the Lab Manager for Dr. Mattson’s Marital Studies Lab. She is involved in conducting a research lab at Auburn University. She is currently in a marital lab that researches different aspects of romantic relationships. In the lab Meredith runs participants, and then inputs all the data into the computer so her Professor can analyze all the data collected.
The lab runs two different experimental studies, but most of their effort is currently being focused on a study that looks at writing therapy and hot it helps people work through problems that they are having in their relationship. The writing therapy study incorporates three forms of data. Meredith uses a Bio Pac to record the participant’s physiology characteristics, they have a coding system for hand written samples, and data is directly input from the participant’s questionnaires.
The goal of this study is see if writing about a problem a person has with their relationship actually helps them work through the problem. “We test this by coding the positive and negative words in their writing, their responses on the questionnaire, and the change in their physiology responses,� says Meredith.
Marital conflict is at an all time high in the United States. This lab is just one of many steps to explore new ways to helping couples become more functional. The lab will be beneficial in determining if writing therapy could be implemented into marital or couples therapy.
“From this lab, I have learned the basic structure of an experimental study so I am better prepared to start my own research. I have also learned how to run the Bio Pac which records the physiology responses and I have learned how to organize and lead a group of research assistants.�
Through this lab Meredith has learned the complexities of marital problems and the different dynamics that must be looked at in assessing how to help a couple. This will aid her in being to conduct studies of her own and getting a good feel for research before attending graduate school.
Meredith is a senior in Psychology. Upon graduating she wants to attend grad school. She was inspired to get involved with research on campus because she love getting a better understanding of human behavior and understanding human behavior from various angles. “Research is an amazing thing because when we have questions, we can better understand how to answer them through research, says Meredith.
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