Local student presents poster at psych conference

Newton — Jason Fuchs, son of Robert and Barbara Fuchs of Newton, was one of five Saint Michael’s College students to attend the Eastern Psychological Association conference held recently in New York City. The students presented posters and provided explanations during official sessions of the meetings, giving details of the results of research on such topics as the impact of nicotine and amphetamine on impulse control, and how environmental cues associated with each drug can induce impulsive behavior in the absence of the drugs. Fuchs, a senior psychology major, graduated from Kittatinny Regional High School before going to Saint Michael’s, a liberal arts college in Burlington, Vt. The topic of Fuchs’ poster, created along with fellow student, Aidan Warhall, was nicotine administration and progressive-ratio schedule performance. The students were guided in their research, and accompanied to the meetings by their professor, Dr. Ari Kirshenbaum, who said the students’ poster presentations were well received and well attended. At the conference, the students also heard talks on the basic science of psychology, ranging from Pavlovian conditioning to neuroscience, including one on neuro-genesis and “how learning can prevent cell death.” Because the topic was aligned with much of their research, the students were particularly interested in “How an understanding of the basic laws of behavior/conditioning can lead to the creation of novel clinical-therapy techniques for addictions and anxiety disorders,” Kirshenbam said.