J. Dee Higley
Summary
This is the final report for the MEG Grant titled: Genetic Effects on Sociality and Social
Dominance Rank. The formal phase of the project ran from June 1 through August 23,
2014, with the students learning how to safely work with their research subjects and
collecting their data. Following the formal phase, the students returned to BYU where
they used the data they and other students collected to write scientific manuscripts and
posters to present their data. Nine students took part: Riley Barrington, Patrick
O’Connell, Jenna Jackson, Claudia Gonzales, Jayde Shackett, Mason Bennett, Catherine
Stewart, Jason Bernard, and Andrew Aston. They were selected from a number of
applicants based on letters of recommendation, interests, and prior training.
Overview
The design of the internship was to provide students with hands on experiences to
investigate the role of genetic and environmental effects on sociality and social rank
using a rhesus monkey model. The internship is designed to provide the students with
mentored experiments at all levels of a research program from the initial hypothesis,
experimental design, data collection, statistical procedures and write-up and presentation.
The internship is calculated specifically to allow students to use the skills that they
learned in their classroom settings to perform research experiments in closely mentored
settings and to teach student the differing levels of a research program from the initial
hypothesis, planning and experimental design, through the steps of data collection and
storage. In May, the student interns were provided the background readings and
submitted critical summaries of the papers. In June, the interns were taught the methods
and procedures to conduct the experimental research. Because the students had taken the
required Statistics and Primate Behavior courses, they were able to use their knowledge
to perform statistical tests of the data, and finally for those who did not graduate, the
write-up and presentation phase became the culmination of the internship by presenting
their findings at the Mary Lou Fulton.
What follows is taken from the summer syllabus that was developed over the past
decade. It is given to the students as they begin the internship.
Internship Objectives
1) To apply the knowledge that was learned in the Winter Primate Behavior course using handson
experiences. Background material that is specific to the research will be assigned as
reading concerning development, anxiety, alcohol abuse, and primate models.
Phone 801-851-0845
2) To learn how hypotheses are developed and used in scientific practice, the importance of
experimental control and the importance of daily preparation in research practice.
3) To learn fundamentals of laboratory procedures and research team practices.
4) To learn fundamentals of data collection and storage.
5) To experience hands on research team membership, with its complexities of personality and
differing methods.
6) To formulate hypotheses concerning the data that you will collect.
7) To formulate statistical tests of the hypotheses/
8) To integrate personal values and belief systems with the material learned in the Internship.
9) To learn how to integrate principles of psychology into our church service and interpretation
of the gospel.
Hands-on Aims of the Internship (three phases):
1. First learning the theoretical background and experimental methods of the research.
2. Second learning the procedures to safely collect data and then becoming an active member of
your research team, preparing the materials and actively applying what you have learned as
you collect and organize your data each day. In addition to collecting data each day, data
entry and organization are fundamental to this phase.
3. Formulation of hypotheses and tests of your hypotheses are a major aspect of your final
grade. Following your summer experience, you are expected to continue to develop your
hypotheses into posters for the Mary Lou Fulton Undergraduate Symposium or to present
your data at a national meeting.
Summary of the overall activities of the formal phase of the internship
Most of the students had already taken my Primate Behavior course, which was great
preparation for the research and gave the students a broad background to understand the
monkey’s behavior. We arrived in Oregon late on Monday, and stayed in a motel the first night.
We moved into our apartments the next morning. Most of Tuesday was spent shopping for food
and supplies to move into the apartments. Late afternoon no Tuesday, they visited the Primate
Center for the first time. This was a very exciting moment for the students who were seeing the
monkeys that they were going to be working with for the first time. They were also able to meet
Drs. John Capitanio and Karen Bales, my collaborators, the Principal Investigators who had the
grant that paid the monkey daily per diems.
June is designed to teach the fundamentals of working with monkeys and involves some
classroom experiences, as well as hands-on training with the monkeys. The theoretical basis of
the research is presented in readings and lectures. Students are expected to formulate hypotheses
that will prepare them for a final project. In July, the students join a research team and each day
collect behavior and physiological data from the monkeys. As the students become familiar with
the unique individual differences in how the monkeys respond, and use what they learned in
June, at the end of the month they submit a testable idea, a hypothesis that they can test with the
data that they are collecting. They continue in August to work daily with the monkeys collecting
data. All are expected to develop a set of testable hypotheses that they can use the data they
collect to test. As they refine their hypotheses, they test them with data that they collect to
formulate an abstract that will be the basis of a poster that they will present at the Mary Lou
Fulton Undergraduate symposium. Many go on to give presentations at major scientific societies
such as the American Society of Primatology.
The students are taught that they will get out of the experience proportionate to what they
invest. They are told that the goal is to understand what we cover and to integrate it into your
personal experience.
Mastering the Internship Objectives
Mastery of the Internship material will be measured by
1. June – Demonstrate and understanding and perform a critical assessment of the readings,
assigned by asking questions and performing self-ratings of your preparation. Participating in
the training sessions and demonstrating proficiency in both the safety and experimental
procedures.
2. July through August – Demonstrating
⇒ Daily preparation of materials and supplies to collect data
⇒ Organization and planning of tasks.
⇒ Accuracy in data collection and entry.
⇒ Formulation of hypotheses and tests of the data that you will collect.
⇒ Maintenance of a daily laboratory record book, complete with subject and experimental
problems.
Schedule of Topics for Classroom Discussion and Hands-on Research
Date Task/Assignment
April Provide necessary contact and background information for Karen
Christensen.
May Obtain TB test; Take Van Test
Read background materials
Provide apartment deposit and background information.
June 1, Sunday Pack van for early departure
June 2, Monday Leave for California, 6:30 AM. Arrive motel in Davis, 10 PM
June 3, Tuesday Check into apartments, view outside of the Primate Center;
purchase apartment supplies and groceries
June 4, Wednesday Tour Facilities, begin training, get badges, turn in TB tests and
other medical forms
June 5, Thursday Classroom: Genetics of Sociality – Observe Monkeys
June 6, Friday Classroom: Genetics of Sociality – Observe Monkeys
June 8, Sunday Attend church, unmarried students go to Singles Ward
June 9, Monday Classroom: Temperament & Biology-Capitanio (Capitanio
readings)
June 10, Tuesday Classroom: Temperament and Health—Capitanio Readings
June 11, Wednesday Classroom: Oxytocin and Social Bonding-Bales Reading
June 12, Thursday Classroom: Working safely with monkeys
June 13, Friday Hands-On: Working safely with monkeys
June 15, Sunday Attend church
June 16, Monday Lab Meeting, Classroom: how to enter and check data;
Choose research project to work on
June 16, Monday Family Home Evening (Institute FHE)
June 17, Tuesday Working safely with monkeys
June 18, Wednesday Hands on Safety procedures
June 19, Thursday Hands on – Walk through research procedures
June 20, Friday Hands on – Walk through research procedures
June 22, Sunday Attend church
June 23, Monday Lab Meeting, Decide which project to work on
June 23, Monday Family Home Evening
June 24, Tuesday Continue processing –
June 25, Wednesday Inventory and enter data, begin training of behavioral coding
June 26, Thursday Learn Set-up for research, continue training of behavioral coding
June 27, Friday Set-up, continue training of behavioral coding
June 29, Sunday Attend church
June 30, Monday Lab Meeting, Check reliability
June 30, Monday Family Home Evening
July 1-9 Begin assigned research team tasks; Choose research subjects
July 3, Sunday Attend Church, Collect data ½ day
July 4, Monday Celebrate the 4th
July 10-13 Four Days off—researchers attend international research meeting
July 17, Sunday Attend church
July 14, Monday Lab Meeting, Continue data collection
July 14, Monday Family Home Evening
July 17, Sunday Attend Church
July 15-23 Continue Working on Projects
July 24-27 Continue Working on Projects
July 27 Outline of hypotheses due
July 27, Sunday Attend church
July 28, Monday Lab Meeting, Collect behavioral data; begin collection of blood
samples for DNA testing
July 28, Monday Family Home Evening
August 3, Sunday Attend Church, Collect data ½ day
July 29-August 6 Continue Processing
August 7-10 Four Days off
August 11, Sunday Attend church
August 11, Monday Lab Meeting, Assess end reliability, double check and summarize
data
August 11, Monday Family Home Evening
August 12-20 Finish data checking and complete data collection
August 21 Clean and check out of apartments
August 22 Return to Utah
There are several secondary objectives and learning experiences to which the student are
also exposed. First, the students learn that in the working environment and research settings there
are many varied personalities. They learn that research teams and personnel function on good
will. They are taught that over the summer there will be personality differences and at times
disagreement and conflict. Learning how to get along with others and to operate in an
atmosphere of diverse temperaments is a fundamental aspect of the experience.
Second, they are exposed to Dr. Higley in both the working research setting and also the
ecclesiastical setting. This is an important goal of the project. Students are able to see how a
researcher can live in a secular day-to-day research world and have a spiritual, testimonycentered
life. This is accomplished explicitly right from the beginning by Dr. Higley holding
Family Home Evening with them and attending church together. Later, most of the single
students choose to attend the singles’ ward that is available for them, but the summer is started
with this emphasis in mind.
Outcomes and Mentoring
Subject Reports-Student Views: Without exception, the students gave glowing reports of the
summer experience. In those reports, the number one experience that they mention as the best
aspect of the summer were those times where they were able to work with Dr. Higley and/or the
other Senior researchers and/or their gradual students. When they had them alone or in a small
group setting where they could ask questions about the their experiences and advice about
graduate school or other concerns. This was not necessarily what I expected the first year I did
this, but it continues to frequent occurrence that I now design those moments into the summer.
As a mentor, I not only met with the student each week during our formal lab meetings, but
worked with them each day watching them grow and develop. Frequently we had conversations
about what they were learning and the exciting insights that they were having. They reported to
me that the research they were performing made the classwork “real”. Moreover, they reported
that they loved doing this and could see themselves doing this in graduate school.
On other occasions they were learning in the “school of hard knocks”. These experiences
were often just as valuable as those formally designed experience because they became teaching
moments, where the students were motivated to learn. I think a valuable mentoring experience
for them was when we shared how we had solved these “crises” in our own lives. Most often the
challenges the student’s faced were people-oriented difficulties. Teaching the young mentees
about how collaborations function and working with people that you disagree with was central to
the mentoring.
Academic Outcomes: Student Outcomes – Five of the students had another year at BYU after the
internship. All five gave poster presentations at the Mary Lou Fulton symposium from the data
they had collected. Jenna Jackson won first place in psychology. Four of the students, Jenna
Jackson, Claudia Gonzales, Patrick O’Connell, and Andrew Aston took the internship a step
further by submitting abstracts to the American Society of Primatology in Decatur, GA, the
principal Scientific Society for the study of nonhuman primates. Their abstracts were accepted
and they gave poster presentations at the meeting. Their presentation was well received and with
their rich background of experience in primatology, their presentations were equal to and in
many cases superior to those of the graduate students who were also attending. In fact, Andrew
Aston was a finalist in the student competition.
Scholarly Outcomes: Not only was I an author on the student’s papers that were presented at the
American Society of Primatology, but thus far I have given two symposium presentations that
were based on the data that they and the other students collected. Moreover, we have a
manuscript that we are about to submit the relationship of genotype using the data that the
students collected. Given the lag time between data collection and manuscript preparation, I
expect a good deal of completed manuscripts this to come from this project.
Description of the results/findings of the project: There was a nice correlation between early
anxious temperament and anxiety in the adolescents and young adults: r= 0.52. Data also showed
that subjects with the deleterious serotonin transporter genotype showed high anxiety, more time
alone and there was a trend to act more aggressively when provoked.. We also found that
aggression is stable across time.
J. Dee Higley, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
1042 SWKT
Brigham Young University,
Provo, Utah 84602
(301) 467-8906 (cell)