Cerritos College

Connections 2006 >> March 2006 >> March 27 Connections >> The Campus Connection Online -- March 27 2006

 

Several Cerritos College students presented their psychology research findings at the 2006 Western Regional Honors Council (WRHC) Conference held by the University of Northern Colorado at the Brown Palace Hotel, March 4-5, while four other psychology students presented their data at the Honors Transfers Council (HTC) of California Conference at University of California Irvine on March 4.

Patricia Singim and Fabiola Castro presented a paper on women's reactions to sexist humor at the WRHC. Their findings measured women's reactions to jokes depending on whether the joke was delivered by a male or female. At the WRHC conference, Rosanna Delao, Holly Gomez, Thira Lach and Kadi Baker presented a summary of their research on stereotypes of community college students. Maritza Aguilar-Cruz presented research on music censorship.

 

"I like challenges," said Aguilar-Cruz, who learned English as her second language and is a first-time college student at age 46.

 

"My life had been full of challenges, and this one was a good one. I enrolled in the class just because I needed to fill out my requirements."

 

"Learning English was a challenge I took on long ago, when my children started going to school. I told myself: 'I will understand the language of this country and I will try to dominate this, the same as my native language,'"Aguilar-Cruz explained. "I am still in that process, and therefore, to present at a conference in English was an amazing experience."

Accepted into Cal State Fullerton for fall 2006, Aguilar-Cruz plans to go on receive her bachelor's degree and master's degree in clinical psychology. Two of her three children, Bruno and Luisa, also attend Cerritos College.

Adam Luna, Carlos Salas, Diana Ojeda and Angela Villapudua's presentation on gender stereotyping and memory conformity involved secondary research and analysis that eventually led them to conduct an experiment testing various hypotheses. They collected data and submitted their laboratory reports to be considered for the WRHC and the HTC conference. Each group was accepted to present at the WRHC Conference for a fifty minute presentation.

 

"This was a terrific opportunity for students to experience a professional conference and to have the ability to communicate their work to others," said Dr. Kimberley Duff, assistant professor of psychology and psychology department chair at Cerritos College.

The Cerritos College students will also be presenting their work at the Western Psychological Association 2006 Convention in April in Palm Springs. For more information about psychology courses at Cerritos College, please visit www.cerritos.edu/psych.

 

Cerritos College celebrates the 2005-06 school year as its 50th anniversary in serving as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college�s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Bell Gardens, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, La Mirada, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs and Southgate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently surpasses 20,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu, and view a celebratory site honoring the college�s 50 years of tradition, honor and values at www.cerritos.edu/50.

 

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