Major: Psychology, Biology Minor; Biopsychology concentration (December '18)
Title of Research Project: Impact of Internet Pornography and Gay Dating Apps on the Mental Health of Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM)
Describe your project: This research is less of a research project conducted in a lab and more of an extensive literature review that's looking to examine how exactly use of pornography and dating apps impact rates of mental health in gay and bisexual college students. Various articles focusing on LGBT student health, on the connection between sexual activity in LGBT populations and mental health, how factors of race and drug use play a role in mental health rates, and overall perceptions by the general public of LGBT populations will be reviewed as I go through my research.
Who is your mentor(s) for your project? Dr. Shuyan Sun, UMBC Department of Psychology. I found my mentor through an advertisement posted outside of her office door in the psychology department of obtaining quantitative research experience while I was looking for research experience for my major. I initially was intrigued by Dr. Sun's focus on utilizing SPSS in data collection and analysis, and the exposure to more quantitative based analysis that her lab would provide, as I was a stats minor at the time when I joined her lab in Fall 2017. She also advertised that she required all of her students to present at URCAD, and you had to be at the very least interested in presenting at URCAD in order to join her lab.
How did you become interested in this project? After speaking more with Dr. Sun about what was required to be in her lab, I found that I could choose any research topic that I was interested in and conduct research on it, as long as it involved secondary data analysis, which basically means that I would be looking at research articles with data in them and interpreting their results and presenting them. I was inspired to conduct research on this particular topic for I wanted to investigate issues pertaining to this population, understand from a more objective viewpoint some of the negative perceptions that I held and better understand issues that I faced while exploring my sexual identity.
What has been the hardest part about your research/what was the most unexpected thing about being a researcher? The hardest part has been the time that this has taken for me to get through this, as well as actually committing to finishing the research. My data is essentially (and will be) almost 100 pages worth of text that I have to go through, sort into variables, pull quantitative data from based on trends presented in the data, and see how they match with my hypothesis. I didn't realize how extensive this would be, as well as how much I really didn't know about conducting independent research. I didn't realize how much I would learn about myself and about the topic that I was researching while going through this.
What has been the most rewarding part? A better understanding of myself as a researcher, as well as my identity. Despite all the gloom about LGBT mental health that I found in my research that seemed to reinforce the already negative perceptions about my own sexual identity, I found that there was a lot of research going into this population to better understand these issues and create integrative solutions to solve problems with LGBT mental health, addressing increased rates of HIV, and creating a more supportive online atmosphere for LGBT individuals.
How will you disseminate your research? A poster presentation at URCAD- this Wednesday, 10-11:30am in the UC Ballroom.
What is your advice to other students involved in research? This may sound cliche, but for the love that all that is holy, don't procrastinate on getting your research done, especially if you are presenting at URCAD. You will find yourself rushing to get your research done, and may not have the most integrative experience in your research. Conducting research is a commitment that can be an amazing experience, though it can become a huge burden if you allow it to to slip out from underneath of you. Find a topic that you find incredibly interesting, and develop a strong working relationship with your research adviser. Not only will it make your research that much more engaging, but it will also make the process of getting your research completed and presented that much more seamless.
What are your career goals? After graduation, I'll be heading into the workforce, though I'm most likely going into the Navy and becoming an officer. My eventual career goals would be to go to grad school to obtain a Ph.D. in psychology and either go into clinical work or conduct research.
