The Relationship Between Extroversion, Social Media, In-person Interaction, and Well-being Late in the COVID-19 Pandemic

A Research Methods Project supervised by Dr. Hilary Stebbins (Spring 2021)

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

How Cognitive Biases and Heuristics Can Impede Behavioral Research

An infographic created as part of Dr. Erchull’s Social Psychology course (Fall 2021). Students were asked to “give psychology away” through an infographic designed to educate an audience of their choice about an idea from social psychology that the group would benefit from understanding. TOPIC: cognitive biases. AUDIENCE: UMW psychology students

Methods to Increase Prosocial Behavior in a College Social Life Atmosphere and Avoid the Bystander Effect

An ignite-style talk for Dr. Erchull’s Social Psychology course (Fall 2021). Students were asked to “give psychology away” by educating an audience of their choice about an idea from social psychology that the group would benefit from understanding. References: Alegría-Flores, K., Raker, K., Pleasants, R., Weaver, M., & Weinberger, M. (2015). Preventing interpersonal violence on college campuses: The effect of one act training on bystander intervention. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1(24), 1-23. Barrett, D. W. (2017). Social psychology: Core concepts and emerging trends. Sage. Darley, J., Moskowitz, G., Garcia, S., & Weaver, K, (2002). Crowded minds: The implicit bystander effect. Journal of Personality. 844-853. Hudson, J. & Bruckman, A. (2004). The bystander effect: A lens for understanding patterns of participation. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 15(2), 165-195. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1466904 Kleinsasser, A., Jouriles, E. N., McDonald, R., & Rosenfield, D. (2015). An online bystander intervention program for the prevention of sexual violence. Psychology of Violence, 5(3), 227–235. https://doi.org/10.1037/a003739

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

10.1111/gcb.14904GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY261119-18