Ava Konton, a senior honors student and psychology major from Canonsburg, Pa., spent her summer exploring the intersection of social and clinical aspects of psychology as one of 10 students selected for Westminster College’s 10th annual Summer Research Fellowship. Konton conducted her research, “The Core of Substance: The Role of Negative Core Beliefs on the Relationship Between Insecure Attachment and Nicotine Consumption,” under the guidance of Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Jessica Rhodes.  
 
Konton’s inspiration for her project came from her interest in the overlap between the social and clinical sides of psychology. Her research focuses on how thoughts and behaviors interact and how negative self-thoughts may influence an individual’s style of connection and nicotine product use.  

“Since nicotine products, namely cigarettes, present health risks to those who use them, research on the thoughts and behaviors that may be contributing to use is imperative,” said Konton. “During my summer fellowship, I gathered data on and psychometrically evaluated the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale – Form B. My prior research on the measure revealed that it could be effectively shortened and retain its reliability. I collected participant answers on a crowdsourcing platform and used SPSS, a statistical data software, to conduct a version of factor analysis, eventually shortening the measure from 40 to 18 questions.”

Preparing the survey through a crowdsourcing platform presented an unexpected challenge for Konton. A single typo could have disrupted the flow of the questionnaire and resulted in costly errors during data collection. Her meticulous attention to detail and careful editing ultimately led to accurate and rewarding results.  

Students participating in the Summer Research Fellowship are supported by the Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research and work with a faculty member who serves as a guide and mentor.    

“Dr. Rhodes provided incredible support and guidance throughout the research process. Whenever I became stuck or developed questions, she would work through each problem with me, explaining processes while working collaboratively. I feel that I have greatly increased my knowledge beyond what I learned in class while working one-on-one with her,” said Konton.

Konton is part of the Westminster College Wind Ensemble, Gaming Guild, Psychology Club, Honors Program and Psi Chi.  

Upon graduation, Konton plans to pursue a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.

“This experience has confirmed my passion for psychology as a field and career path. Being allowed to explore my research interests while receiving guidance from Dr. Rhodes outside of a traditional classroom setting was instrumental in building my confidence as an independent researcher,” said Konton.  

Sponsored by the Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research, Summer Research Fellowships at Westminster College allow students to conduct hands-on research and creative projects under the guidance of our experienced faculty mentors.

To learn more about Westminster’s psychology major, please visit www.westminster.edu/psychology. 

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