Dynamic Mental Representations
Dynamic Mental Representations

Freyd Dynamics Lab
Undergraduate Research

 Betrayal Trauma
Betrayal Trauma

Becoming a Dynamics Lab RA

Working in the Dynamics Lab, either as a volunteer or for research course credit, can be an extremely rewarding experience. If you are interested in doing so, there are several steps to take:

  1. Identify a sponsor. Each RA works under the supervision of one of the permanent members of the lab, typically with one of the graduate student lab members.
  2. If you are looking for a sponsor contact Melissa Barnes, the current Research Assistant Coordinator, Dynamics Lab, and let her know of your interest.
  3. Fill out an "Undergrad Research Assistant Job Application" and give it to your proposed sponsor or to Melissa Barnes, the current Research Assistant Coordinator, Dynamics Lab.
  4. If you want to obtain course credit for your research experience, you will need to have the approval of your sponsor for the proposal, and must read and sign the "Requirements for Dynamics Lab Research Credit." Register for Trauma Research (Psychology 401) with Professor Freyd.

If you are not able to get a research assistant position in the Dynamics Lab, or you decide it is not the lab for you, there are many other opportunities to do research in psychology. Find out more at the Psychology Peer Advising Office..

Scholarships and Special Projects

Angela Binder
McNair Program, 2003-2005, project completed spring 2005
"What's the Harm in Asking? Participant Reaction to Trauma History Questions Compared to other Personal Questions"
L.D. Cromer and J. Freyd, Mentors
Robyn Grimes (now Gobin)
Summer Research Training in Clinical Psychology, summer 2004
Robyn is now a professor at the University of Illinois
Hannah Oh
Summer Research Training in Clinical Psychology, summer 2003
Hannah graduated in 2004 from Pepperdine University.
Meggy Wang
Summer Research Training in Clinical Psychology, summer 2005
Meggy attended Stanford University.
McLean Cristen Lillie McLean
Institute for Development of Educational Acheivement
Undergraduate Research Fellowship, 2006-07
Medrano Leslie Medrano
McNair Program, 2010-11
"Oregon State Hospital: A Case Study of Institutional Betrayal?"
C.G. Martin and J. Freyd, Mentors
zachary cunningham Zachary Cunningham
McNair Program, 2015-16
"Maternal Betrayal Trauma and Response to Adolescent Negative Emotion: Does Maternal
Emotion Regulation Matter?"
C.G. Martin and J. Freyd, Mentors

Dynamics Lab Honors Theses

Katie Spaventa receiving award
Photo is of Katie Spaventa and her poster, receiving award, 2007

Students who plan to pursue a career in psychology may consider applying to the departmental honors program at the end of their sophomore year. The psychology honors program centers on an independent research project, which the student develops and carries out under the supervision of a departmental committee.

Some of our psychology honors project students are also in the UO's Clark Honor's College (CHC). The psychology honors project can also double as the CHC senior thesis, so long as both sets of criteria are met.

If you are interested in being an honors student in the dynamics lab you must identify an advisor /sponsor in the lab (advanced graduate student or Professor Freyd). We take very few honors students and usually require identificiation by the spring of the junior year. Preference is given to students who are already working as research assistants in the lab. If you have not previously been an RA in the lab, you must complete the RA application form. When you have identified a potential honors advisor, you must complete the honors student application and contract and a written proposal. Only those applicants with proposals approved by Professor Freyd may conduct an honors project in the lab.

For more information including a list of all recent UO Psychology Department honors projects, see the Psychology Honors Program and a collection of completed Psychology Honors Projects.

Recently Completed Psychology Honors Theses (Dynamics Lab) [Abstracts] (*also CHC senior thesis)

See also