32nd Annual Student Research Conference
Do Undergraduates with Psychological Misconceptions have Lower Wellbeing?
Samantha E. Carroll* and Claire E. Miller
Dr. Jeffrey Vittengl, Faculty Mentor
Psychological misconceptions, defined as commonsense beliefs about the mind, brain, and behavior that contradict scientific knowledge, have correlated with poorer academic performance and critical thinking. The purpose of this study was to test whether psychological misconceptions also predict poorer psychological, social, and academic wellbeing and achievement. Undergraduates (N = 414) completed established questionnaires of psychological misconceptions and psychological, social, and academic wellbeing. Participants holding more misconceptions had significantly lower social and academic wellbeing, lower college GPAs, had completed fewer years in college and fewer psychology courses. Future experimental research is needed to clarify whether psychological misconceptions produce lower wellbeing or whether misconceptions and wellbeing are linked via other variables (e.g., personality, intelligence).
Keywords: Misconceptions, Wellbeing, Psychology, Sociology, Undergraduates
Topic(s):Psychology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 7-5
Location: SUB GEO
Time: 3:00