October 2012 - Wilkes University

PSYCHLES
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2
Executive Editor: Leann Baer
Editors: Andrew Miele and Ashley Bringmann
Advisor: Dr. Deborah Tindell
Annual Kirby Park Picnic
OCTOBER 2012
Both Psychology students and professors gathered together at Kirby
Park for this year’s Annual Psychology Department Picnic on Sunday,
September 9th at noon. Those that attended enjoyed wonderful weather,
games, lunch, and great company.
Psychology majors and minors, ranging from first year students to
Seniors, began the day by playing bingo in order to get to know each other,
as well as the professors. Unlike regular bingo, players had to write down
the name of a person who matched the description in each square. It was a
great ice breaker to start the day and to learn interesting facts about one
another. Aside from bingo, those who attended the picnic enjoyed many
other games including making toilet paper mummies and a three-legged race.
Overall, this year’s Psychology Department Picnic was a great
success, and all who attended seemed to enjoy themselves. For those who
were unable to attend, it is strongly encouraged to attend next year. The
picnic is a great way to get to know both the professors and other psychology
students!
— Leann Baer, Executive Editor
INSIDE
PSYCHLES:
Kirby Park Picnic Winners 2
Pictures from Kirby Park 3
Crossword Puzzle 4
Intern of the Month:
Leanna Brisson
Student of the Month:
Ashley Bringmann
Psych Dept. News
Calendar
New Career Course
Psych Club/Psi Chi News
Movie Character Dx 7
5
6
INSERT
INSERT
Wordfind
Quotes
Goodbye Dr. Selden
8
Psych in the Media 9
Grad School Options 10
Puzzle Solutions 11
GRE Practice 12
— Photo courtesy of Dr. Tindell

PAGE 2
PSYCHLES
Kirby Park Picnic Game Winners
Below: Brittany Budman, Kyle Henry,
and Jen Kelly– toilet paper mummy
Left: Kihana
Schicatano- hula
hoop passing
contest
Below: Adam
Bailey, Chelsey
Schoch, and Jen
Kelly - bingo
Above: Donald Searfoss, Abby Boltz,
Jessica Baker, Myzar Mendoza, and Tyler
Lauchaire - clothing relay
Below: Leann Baer, limbo
Below: Jessica Baker, Corey Purta,
Tyler Lauchaire, Myzar Mendoza,
and Abby Boltz - ball passing relay
— Photos courtesy of Dr. Tindell
Not Pictured: James DaRe– Whipped crème bubble-gum contest
Tyler Lauchaire and Myzar Mendoza– three-legged race

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2
PAGE 3
More Kirby Park Picnic Pictures
Photos courtesy of Dr. Tindell

PAGE 4
PSYCHLES
Mental Diagnosis Crossword Puzzle
DIRECTIONS: Use the patient’s description of how they feel to determine what disorder they most likely have!
1 2 3 4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Across
1. “Tomorrow I have a test, then I have to go to
work, then I have homework…”
3. “After 15 minutes, I stop listening in class and
just doodle.”
6. “Hi, Mike.” “Mike? My name is Charles.”
8. “I feel like an army veteran.”
9. “Rules? What rules?”
10. “Do you know there're reptilian aliens
underground?”
11. “I need to feel wanted.”
Down
2. “I feel like I’m the pretty one in this
relationship.”
4. “I don’t drink, don’t do drugs, but I can’t stop
trying to meet women.”
5. “No, I have to walk around the block three
times before I go inside.”
6. “I feel like Eeyore.”
7. “For the past two weeks, I’ve just been UP!”
— Andrew Miele, Editor

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2
PAGE 5
Intern of the Month: Leanna Brisson
Leanna Brisson is a Junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in both Neuroscience and Women’s Studies. She
is currently interning at The NeuroSensory Center of Eastern Pennsylvania, which is co-owned by our very own
Dr. Bohlander. I recently had the chance to ask her a little more about her experiences at the center:
How did you find out about this internship opportunity?
I found out about this internship through an email from Dr. Bohlander that went
out to all PSY majors around the end of July.
As an intern, what duties and responsibilities are expected of you?
My duties at the NeuroSensory Center are conducting neurosensory testing on
patients as directed by the staff and writing and charting patient tests or treatment
notes. In addition, I am responsible for developing my own protocol for
Progressive Relaxation Therapy(PMR), conducting PMR sessions with patients,
and performing any other office duties the center requests.
What is your favorite part of your internship?
It's so difficult to pick my favorite part of the internship because I just love it all!
All the treatments and testing done at the NeuroSensory Center are incredibly
innovative and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to be part of the team at the
Center. The staff I work with is incredible. They're so kind, knowledgeable, and
eager to help me learn. I get to meet new patients every day whose courage to
carry on after a traumatic brain injury or a life changing diagnosis never stops
Photo Courtesy of Leanna Brisson
amazing me. I love being able to see and apply what I learn in my classes. There
have been numerous times where I have thought to myself, "So that's what Dr. Schicatano was talking about in
Neuropsychology!". So far, the whole experience has been amazing and I can't wait to see what's in store for the
rest of the semester.
How do you think that you will apply what you learned at your internship to the psychology field?
I believe that neuroscience is one of the key fields in the future of psychology. Learning all I can at the
Neurosensory Center is not only going to give me an advantage when in undergraduate and graduate school, but
also in my future career. This internship has given me great insight into what I want to do with my future. I had the
pre-existing notion going into the field of psychology, that earning a bachelor’s degree meant being a counselor or
doing research. I, naively, didn't realize that careers in vision therapy, neurological diagnostic testing, and
occupational therapy were options too! And now that I've been able to really witness what these occupations entail,
I have a better understanding of what I want to do in the future!
What do you see yourself doing after you graduate?
After graduating, I plan to attend graduate school. I’m still not sure for what, but due to my internship, a master’s
degree in occupational therapy is starting to sound very appealing. I’m hoping that by this summer I’ll have a better
idea of what I really want to do with the rest of my life.
What other activities or organizations are you involved with on campus?
For the past two years, I participated in the Pre-Professional Society and, this year, I have joined the psychology
club.
What advice do you have for psychology majors thinking about taking on internships?
I’d advise anyone who is debating about doing an internship to go for it! You get very few opportunities in life to
try out a profession! No matter where you end up doing it, I guarantee you will take something away from itwhether
it’s learning how it feels to work in a professional environment, or figuring out what you might or might
not want to do in your future. But, it should also be said, that you’ll get out of your internship what you put into it.
If you’re interested in what you’re doing, excited to be there, and take every opportunity you can to learn, it’s
going to be a success for you and the place you’re interning at. Go in full-heartedly, and you’ll take away more
then you could have anticipated.
—Leann Baer, Executive Editor

PAGE 6
PSYCHLES
Student of The Month: Ashley Bringmann
The Psychles staff is very excited to welcome back a previous member, Ashley Bringmann. Ashley, a Senior from Mountain Top, PA,
is an English and Psychology double major. She is also minoring in Creative Writing, Women’s Studies, and Art. I was able to ask
her a few questions:
You were previously a member of the Psychles staff. How does it feel to
be involved with the newsletter again?
It feels great. I missed being on staff and I'm glad I have the time to be a part of it
again.
What is your favorite thing about the Wilkes Psychology Department?
I feel like I learn a lot and can always go to anyone in the department with questions. I
love that I can get all the answers from such a tight knit department.
What do you plan on doing after graduation?
I'd like to go into linguistics or art therapy. As well as do some creative writing on the
side.
How do you enjoy spending your spare time?
I spend my free time reading a good book or hiking. I love being outdoors.
Are you involved in any other activities or organizations at Wilkes?
I'm executive editor of the Manuscript, our creative arts magazine.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Tindell
If you had to give one piece of advice to incoming Psychology students, what would it be?
Get involved on campus, especially in the department. Making friends and connections will make everything easier
along the way.
— Leann Baer, Executive Editor
Psych Department News!
http://www.clipartheaven.com/show/clipart/
technology_&_communication/print_media/
newspaper_boy_1-gif.html
• It is with great sadness that I announce the upcoming departure of Dr. Meridith
Selden, who will be leaving to take a job in California at the end of the fall
term. Dr. Selden, we will truly miss you and wish you the very best.
For more information, please see the article on Page 8.
• Pre-registration begins on Oct. 22nd. Here are a few things to keep in mind as
you register.
• PSY 200 will not be offered in the Spring
• There is a new course for careers in the Behavioral and Social Sciences.
See the article in the insert to this issue of Psychles.

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2
PAGE 7
Movie Character Dx: Look Who’s Talking
Case #4
The couple, James and Molly, arrived early. Today was
their first session. When I had spoken with Molly over the
phone earlier in the week, she had insisted on bringing her infant
son to the appointment, though she said she couldn’t specify the
reason. This odd request was evidently in the back of my mind;
as I led them into my office, I politely inquired about the little
boy, who to all appearances, looked perfectly healthy. However,
the young couple exchanged a nervous glance. James, a cab
driver, with an unnaturally large head and a perpetually Italianhangdog
look said, “Yeah, he’s good, Doc” in a heavy Brooklyn
accent. I nodded politely and offered them each a seat. A few
minutes into our session, I found out James wasn’t the boy’s
father, only Molly’s boyfriend. Molly claimed Mikey, her son,
was conceived via artificial insemination. To this, James
protested and countered that Mikey’s biological father was a
client of Molly’s. Judging from his tone, James didn’t think
highly of the man. This seemed to be a major point of
contention. I saw the possibility of domestic conflict arising
from this.
look-whos-talking.bmp
bloodsprayer.com
In voices no louder than a whisper, they hissed at one another and at me their opposing views
on the matter of Mikey’s genesis. When I informed them of doctor-patient confidentiality, and that they
were not being recorded, Molly and James once again glanced at each other significantly. “We don’t
want him to hear” James said. An awkward pause followed. Suddenly, Molly hissed “No, Mikey”
though to my eyes, the child hadn’t moved. “Oh ma God” James exclaimed, his voice rising comically.
“Is there something wrong?” I asked.
The issue at hand was presented. Molly informed me that her son, Mikey, was speaking to her.
“He’s ahead of the developmental curve, then” I replied. “No” she said, “He’s talking.” I nodded. “He
is Doc!” James too, it seemed, ‘heard’ Mikey’s speech. Remaining neutral, I asked them to describe the
manner in which Mikey spoke. After several moments starting-then-retracting, it was James who said
“He sounds like Bruce Willis.” Molly agreed. I then asked what Mikey spoke to them about. “He
actually doesn’t tell us to do much,” Molly said, “it’s more like…running commentary…like, he’ll
crack jokes…wait” she abruptly stopped and leaned in towards the baby (who was drooling happily in
her arms) “uh huh…Mikey!...that’s not nice! I’m sorry Doctor” she straightened herself, “he can be
very critical sometimes.” “Funny kid though” James added.
Had Molly alone come to me, I would have been tempted to diagnose her with post-partum
depression, with psychotic features. However, the fact that her boyfriend also suffers from the same
delusions is quite atypical, and may suggest folie a deux (or shared psychosis). The directionality of
their delusion is not evident; whether James is influencing Molly, or vice versa. Or perhaps, and I feel
embarrassed even to write this, maybe causation stems from the child, Mikey. Indubitably, more
sessions will be required. I’ve requested they bring their second child next
— Andrew Miele, Editor

PAGE 8
PSYCHLES
Wordfind
M H E N T V J B H X P E R N L
J F M U L L E B E R E C F E F
K U M U R B E R E C A L M O Q
N D E F C I V U V Q F K S P V
A E R A S E K C I N R E W J P
R A L S V I Z I W K M F J A H
S U M A L A H T B N X H C N M
S U M A L A H T O P Y H J X E
S U P M A C O P P I H S H K D
AMYGDALA
BROCAS AREA
CEREBELLUM
CEREBRUM
CORPUS CALLOSUM
HIPPOCAMPUS
HYPOTHALAMUS
MEDULLA
THALAMUS
WERNICKES AREA
V K L Z N V Q C C E O H T M U
L L Q S B R O C A S A R E A L
K M V F O V C A O R H K W E L
I A B S F V L X P I X P W X A
S C O R P U S C A L L O S U M
K E G N A M Y G D A L A Z W O
— Leann Baer, Executive Editor
Farewell and Best Wishes to Dr. Selden
After five years at Wilkes, the Psychology department is sad to
see Dr. Meridith Selden say good-bye. Dr. Selden will be heading to
the west coast, to the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been offered a
faculty position at the Sacramento campus of the University of San
Francisco, where she will continue to teach. The decision to leave
Wilkes was primarily based off what was best for her family. Dr. Selden
said the one thing she will miss the most about Wilkes is the people. She
went on to mention a particular moment during her first year at Wilkes,
where a few students baked a cake for her birthday. While we are sad to
hear of her leaving, we wish her well with her new opportunities.
— Ashley Bringmann, Editor

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2 PAGE 9
Psych in the Media: The DSM-V
2013 promises to be a year to have nerdy pining either validated or
quashed. The Hobbit will open in theaters, the world either will or won’t end,
and the DSM-V is slated for release. The lattermost of these epochs has had all
the drama and buildup of any film adaptation or doomsday prophecy among
its faithful; numerous deadlines have been pushed back and controversy over
content and honesty has waged. The psychological world has been left
standing on opening night dressed as Freud or Skinner for so long that it’s
difficult to imagine it happening again. Hopefully.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was
first published in 1952. In existence for sixty-years, the DSM has undergone
several revisions since its inception, with each new edition forthcoming out of
Source: http://www.miwatch.org social or ideological or empirical change. Disorders have been added,
disorders have been removed, and others have been shuffled into an appendix
(see Section III, Taxonomic Purgatory). The DSMs’ respective releases are typically placed under the
diagnostic eye of public perception, as in the previous long-standing inclusion of homosexuality as a
mental disorder. Considering that the DSM is the summation of the lay of the mental health land, it is
inevitable such things might happen; given time and a limited amount of source information, devotees
are bound to form their own mythologies. Look what’s happened to the original Star Trek or Lord of
the Rings; three seasons and three books gave rise to entire subcultures.
As in preparation for previous editions, the R & D arm of the DSM committee has been
analyzing the most recent data, conducting field trials and meeting in secret just outside Mordor.
Among the topics under scrutiny for conclusion are hypersexuality as a mental disorder, the subsuming
of Asperger’s Syndrome into a subtype of Autism, and the possible inclusion of Non-Suicidal Injury
Disorder. There are many others, in fact popular opinion holds that there will be across-the-board
changes. A major shift in how mental disorders as a whole are gauged is expected. Whereas in the past,
a strictly qualitative, sick or not sick paradigm has prevailed, some experts voice a contrary opinion. In
this debate, Autism Spectrum Disorder stands as the touchstone. However, the official DSM-V website
cautions nothing is yet finalized. Extensive field trials and research by the DSM task force still remain
before all the information has been tabulated and collated. A period of rigorous peer-review and
scientific assessment will occur between now and the December 31 st deadline for final submission. All
things being equal, the DSM-V is slated for release at the Comicon of the field, the 2013 American
Psychiatric Association conference in May.
If we can learn anything from the Star Wars faithful, it is that new editions’ level of acceptance
are negatively correlated with the fervency of our expectations for them. The trilogy of prequels to the
original Star Wars films brought a hailing critique from the purists, and it isn’t so far-fetched to assume
that the new DSM, should it actually be released next May, will — Andrew Miele, Editor
incite the same. The best one can do is to accept the fatalism of
change with the hope that more change will inevitably come.
Source: http://www.science20.com/science_20/redefining_autism_dsmv-86289

PAGE 10
PSYCHLES
Graduate School: Academic Options
The applicability of a background in psychology is vast, from social work to law to private practice to
working the morning shift at Denny’s. It is this broad applicability that results in much of the difficulties at the
individual level. At this level are such obtuse existential dilemmas as, what do I want to do? And how do I
want to get there?
In the post-undergraduate education, the process becomes immediately (and from there, increasingly)
specialized. The majority of those with undergraduate degrees in psychology looking to go further in the field
should first decide on how far they want to go. This means choosing between a Master’s or Doctoral degree.
The former usually takes about two to three years to complete, while the latter requires a minimum of four
years. It should be noted that obtaining a Master’s degree in psychology does not preclude you from going on
to get a PhD or PsyD (more on the distinction below). However, in most doctoral programs students acquire
their master’s on the way to completion of the overall program; therefore those with a doctorate as their goal
should consider enrolling in a doctoral program after graduation. Expectedly, the requirements for admission
to a doctoral program are generally much more stringent than those of a master’s program. Those with
doctoral degrees are on average paid more and tend to gravitate towards those upper echelons of the field.
However, this is not ubiquitous, and such programs require a much larger investment of time and sometimes
money. It should be noted, however, that many doctoral
programs offer tuition waivers and/or graduate
assistantships that make the option financially much
more attractive. For many, earning a master’s degree
may be the better option. Also, a master’s program can
be an excellent stepping-stone towards obtaining a
doctorate. Two years well-spent can be used to evince a
student’s academic rigor and practical experience.
Say that hypothetically you’re the rare
individual for whom both options – master’s or
doctorate- are equally viable. How would you choose?
Within the world of masters’ degrees, there are options
for training in social work, education and counseling, to Picture Source: http://youngadults.about.com
name just a few. Once the master’s program is
completed, students must pass a state-licensing
assessment in order to be licensed. In the realm of the doctor, the most distinct schism is between a Doctor of
Philosophy (PhD) and a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). A PhD program generally focuses more on a researchoriented
approach, whereas a PsyD program is much more of a clinical degree. Generally, of the two, a PhD
offers the wider range of job opportunities; research, teaching and private practice. A PsyD tends to focus on
preparation for practical application of counseling psychotherapy. If you are interested in a career that
involves assisting in the health and knowledge of the human mind, all of these degrees, from a master’s to a
PhD to a PsyD, can be a means to get there.
Obviously, no set path exists for any one person. Every nervous undergraduate has to arrive at their
destination under their own power. However, extensive literature exists on this choice. Marky Lloyd’s
Careers in Psych website (http://www.psywww.com/) is one of the better examples, and there are also
academic advisors, teachers, family and friends, all of whom are typically bursting at the seams with advice
and opinions for the overwhelmed college graduate. But, in the end, only a decision made independently ever
really feels right.
Source: http://www.psywww.com/index.html
— Andrew Miele, Co-Editor

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2
PAGE 11
Puzzle Solutions!
1 A 2 N
X I E T Y
3 A
D
4 H
D
A
Y
R
5 O
P
C C E
I
6 D
I D R
S E
7 B
S
S
8 P
T S D I E
I R P X
9 A
S E O U
N T I S O C I A L A
10 S
I S A L
C H I Z O P H R E N I C
11 D
O
E P E N D A N T Y
T
M H E N T V J B H X P E R N L
J F M U L L E B E R E C F E F
K U M U R B E R E C A L M O Q
N D E F C I V U V Q F K S P V
A E R A S E K C I N R E W J P
R A L S V I Z I W K M F J A H
S U M A L A H T B N X H C N M
S U M A L A H T O P Y H J X E
S U P M A C O P P I H S H K D
V K L Z N V Q C C E O H T M U
L L Q S B R O C A S A R E A L
K M V F O V C A O R H K W E L
I A B S F V L X P I X P W X A
S C O R P U S C A L L O S U M
K E G N A M Y G D A L A Z W O

PAGE 12
THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY AT
WILKES UNIVERSITY
PSYCHLES
Deborah Tindell, Ph.D., Departmental Coordinator
Department of Psychology at Wilkes University
570-408-4565
deborah.tindell@wilkes.edu
PSYCHLES
leann.baer@wilkes.edu
andrew.miele@wilkes.edu
ashley.bringmann@wilkes.edu
Visit Psychles Online!
http://wilkes.edu/pages/3342.asp
Also follow PsychWilkes on Twitter!
VOCABULARY
Upbraid (v): to scold, to reproach
Stipple (v): to engrave, draw, or paint by small
dots or small motions
Foppish (adj): excessively vain about appearance
Animadversion (n): censure, severe criticism
Ingratiate (v): to become popular with somebody
Arrogate (v): attribute unjustly, take without right
Source:
http://www.mygretutor.com/vocabularyGREDifficult.aspx
GRE Practice
MATH
Choose the correct answer to the following question:
A certain jar contains 60 jelly beans — 22 white, 18
green, 11 yellow, 5 red and 4 purple. If a jelly bean is
to be chosen at random, what is the probability that
the jelly bean will be neither red nor purple?
Source:
(A) 0.09 (B) 0.15
(C) 0.54 (D) 0.85
(E) 0.91
http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/
quantitative_reasoning/multiple_choice_one/sample_questions
— Leann Baer, Executive Editor
Answer: D
Department of Psychology
84 W. South St.
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766