UNDERGRADUATE THESIS PROJECTS

2019

WAN LIU
SELECTIVE NUMERACY:
EFFECTS OF NUMERACY, POPULAR-SCIENCE REPORTS AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ON DATA-BASED DECISION MAKING.

Abstract

In the current research, the effects of numeracy, exposure to popular-science reports and

personal experience on people’s data-based decision making were examined. Past literature found that numeracy was associated with people’s data-based decision making, whereas people’s exposure to popular-science reports did not seem to impact their decisions. Furthermore, people’s personal experience might bias their decision making towards their own perspectives. We collected data from English-speaking adult participants (N = 187) residing in the United States and Canada who were recruited through MTurk and completed the online study. Results showed that participants with higher numeracy were more likely to make the correct data-based decision. However, participants used their numeracy selectively. They seemed to use their numeracy skills only to confirm their own desire rather than scientific findings. No significant association was found between personal experience and data-based decision making. Future research may examine different general life domain decision-making topics to examine the replicability of the results.

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*Thesis award winner

2018

NICOLE COLLINS
EXPLORING COGNITIVE PREDICTORS THROUGH THE PATHWAYS TO MATHEMATICS MODEL

Collins, Nicole, "Exploring Cognitive Predictors Through the Pathways to Mathematics Model" (2018). Undergraduate Honors Theses. 78. 

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*Thesis award winner

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​https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/psychK_uht/78

2017

BRITTANY HAYNES
PLEASE IGNORE THOSE GESTURES: DOES WARNING REDUCE THE GESUTRAL MISINFORMATION EFFECT?

 Haynes, Brittany, "Please Ignore Those Gestures: Does Warning Reduce the Gestural Misinformation Effect?" (2017). Undergraduate Honors Theses. 59. 

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*Thesis award winner

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https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/psychK_uht/59

2017