Events

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Psychology Honours Student Thesis Defenses 2026

Date: Monday, April 27, 2026
Time: 8:45 AM to 4:00 PM
Location: Surrey Campus, at Arbutus 1780

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A man doing a presentation to a group of people.


Join us for the KPU Psychology Honours Thesis Defenses 2026, a showcase of exceptional undergraduate research from our Psychology Honours students. This annual event highlights months of rigorous inquiry, data analysis, and academic exploration as students present and defend their original research projects before faculty, peers, and the community.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Hear presentations on diverse and timely psychology topics
  • Engage with student researchers during Q&A sessions
  • Support emerging scholars as they take this milestone step in their academic journey

Whether you’re a student curious about the Honours program, a faculty member, a friend or family supporter, or simply someone interested in contemporary psychology research, this event offers valuable insights and inspiration.

Schedule

TimeHonours Student and Thesis TitleSupervisor
8:45 AM – 9:00 AMMorning Refreshments 
9:00 AM – 9:10 AMIntroductory Remarks: Dean of Arts, Shelley Boyd 
9:10 AM – 9:40 AMConner Bavaro
Individual Cultural Values as Moderators of the Relationship Between the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Model and Work–Life Balance
Lucy Jdanova
9:40 AM – 10:10 AMJaclyn Perry
Perceived Harm and Punishment: Public Responses to Real, AI-Generated, AI-Manipulated, and Fictional Depictions of Child Sexualization
Amanda Champion & Cory Pedersen
10:10 AM – 10:40 AMAmrit Gill
Why Do Resilient People Thrive? Cognitive Reframing as a Mediating Factor in the Relationship Between Resilience and Eudaimonic Well-Being
Lucy Jdanova
10:40 AM – 10:50 AMStretch Break 
10:50 AM – 11:20 AMBenedict Walters
Confirmation Bias for Transcription of Forensic Audio Evidence
Daniel Bernstein
11:20 AM – 11:50 AMRosalyn Hsia
Breast of Both Worlds: Perceptions of Female Breasts in Natural and Augmented Images
Cory Pedersen
11:50 AM – 12:50 PMLunch 
12:50 PM – 1:20 PMArshnoor
Just Friends or Something More? Gendered Expectations in Cross-Gender Friendships
Cory Pedersen
1:20 PM – 1:50 PMJasbir Dhanjal
Beyond the Lab: Real-World Nicotine Use Patterns and Latent Inhibition
Ivan Trujillo-Pisanty & Farhad Dastur
1:50 PM – 2:20 PMRavneet Samra
Belonging Through Beats: Pop Culture Fandoms’ Role in Self-Esteem, Self-Concept, and Subjective Well-Being
Shayna Minosky
2:20 PM – 2:35 PMCoffee Break 
2:35 PM – 3:05 PMAnna Hrusheva
Perceived Credibility of Children’s Sexual Abuse Disclosures: Language Fluency and Contextual Information
Patricia Coburn
3:05 PM – 3:35 PMRachel Los
Functions of Anorectic Behaviour
Susan Thompson
3:35 PM – 3:55 PMQ&A Session 
3:55 PM – 4:00 PMClosing Remarks: Associate Dean of Arts, Alena Buis