The change suggests a wider cultural acceptance of the “sinister” hand preference, and offers representation for lefty fans of the beloved animated films.

The findings, “Princess hands: Handedness of protagonists versus antagonists in Disney’s ‘Princess’ animated movies,” were recently published in the academic journal .

Main findings

• Before about 1992, princesses were more right-handed than villains. Over time, princesses got more left-handed, while villains’ handedness stayed the same.
• In general, the characters were less strongly handed than in real life — most would be considered ambidextrous by the researchers’ definitions.
• Tiana (“The Princess and the Frog”) and Belle (“Beauty and the Beast”), both princesses, are the most left-handed; Villains Jafar (“Aladdin”), Dr. Facilier (“The Princess and the Frog”) and Namaari (“Raya and the Last Dragon”) were also left-handed.
• Mor’Du (“Brave”) and Maleficent (“Sleeping Beauty”) — both villains — were identified strongly right-handed.

More about the study

The research team, which included two undergraduate students at Montclair, examined hand use of princesses and villains in 13 official Disney Princess movies. They counted how many times each princess or villain performed various activities with one hand or the other, using three different handedness questionnaires including the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI).

“Our goal was to see if villains were more left-handed than princesses because culturally, evil is associated with the left-handed, and whether any left-evil associations had changed over time, given changes in culture,” says Ruth Propper, lead researcher and professor of Psychology.

Each Disney princess and villain was assigned a handedness score (-100 being perfectly lefty and +100 perfectly righty) and the results show that over time, princesses have become less right-handed, especially after about 1992, while villains have remained stable in their handedness.

Overall, the characters were much less right-handed than the human population.

What the researchers say

Prior to 1992, Propper explains, princesses were more right-handed than villains, while after 1992 princesses became more left-handed than villains.

So, what changed?

“We suspect that there are many factors at play here.” Propper says. “One possibility is that around the early 1990s the ‘Nine Old Men,’ the animators responsible for most Disney movies from the 1930s to the 1990s, retired.

“It’s possible that the new animators who were hired had less bias against left-handedness, as cultural views about lefties had changed. Certainly there are likely pragmatic reasons as well, and we don’t know the actual handedness of the animators, which could also have been a factor.”

Why it matters

The research and methodology were inspired by existing research Propper encountered analyzing early 1900s documentary footage to estimate rates of left-handedness at that time. Propper and her research team took the innovative approach a step further, utilizing Disney princess films that offer clear distinctions between protagonists and antagonists and allow for meaningful comparisons across character types.

Additionally, “because the characters are animated, handedness is a deliberate choice made by animators, which may reflect cultural assumptions or biases, rather than simply the natural handedness of an actor,” Propper says. Since the Disney princess films span roughly 80 years, this also gave researchers an opportunity to examine potential cultural shifts over time.

Propper says this study demonstrates that research does not always need to be complex or highly technical. And, it speaks to representation.

“Left-handed individuals have often been described as lacking a clear cultural identity and may feel overlooked or negatively stereotyped,” says Propper. “Seeing left-handed traits reflected in familiar and beloved figures, such as Disney princesses, can contribute to a sense of inclusion and reduce feelings of isolation.”

The findings also suggest a societal shift over the last 80 years: left-handedness appears to be more accepted today than in the past, and is no longer associated with the same negative or stigmatized beliefs as it once was.

“These films are culturally iconic, widely recognized, and meaningful to many audiences, which makes them a relevant context for this type of analysis,” Propper says.

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In the article, Lauren and her co-authors–including her doctoral mentor, , several of his research assistants, and a collaborator from the University of Alabama–reported the results of their systematic review of studies examining the use of technology to facilitate assessment and treatment services for justice-involved youth. Lauren and her co-authors also adapted the article into a book chapter for a forthcoming edited book, Challenging Bias in Forensic Psychological Assessment and Testing, which will be published by Taylor & Francis.

As part of the work she did, Schierenbeck conducted a literature review examining a technique that changes how the brain functions; unilateral hand clenching.  In general, the two halves of the brain- the left and right hemispheres- process the world differently. The left hemisphere is very language oriented, for example, while the right hemisphere is more spatially aware.  Strongly clenching the left hand causes the right half of the brain to become more active, while strongly clenching the right hand causes the left half of the brain to become more active.  The hand-clench related activation spreads to areas of the brain other than just motor areas; this spread of activation causes the more active hemisphere to be the one ‘in charge’, resulting in a hemisphere’s ‘world view’ becoming dominant.  Shannon did a review of the unilateral hand clenching literature to see if these movements do change emotion and cognition.  Shannon and Ruth Propper report that yes, unilateral hand clenching does change mood and cognition and the results depend on which hand is clenched. For example, left hand clenching causes greater creativity and right-hand clenching causes increased happy mood. The publication discusses how these findings might be helpful for clinical purposes, too. Schierenbeck is first author on the paper, and she is also presenting it virtually.

The study, titled is the largest study of its kind , and surveyed more than 4,700 students from both public and private institutions in New York and New Jersey.

The findings show that the pandemic affected the mental health of the entire sample, and self-reports showed students of color in particular were disproportionately affected by financial stressors.

“Black, Latinx and Asian students reported higher rates of worry about continuing their education relative to white students due to financial difficulties,” says Reyes-Portillo, one of the lead authors of the study and assistant professor of Psychology at Montclair. “Compared to white students, they reported a lower likelihood of expecting to complete the spring 2020 semester.”

What was consistent across all groups was the tremendous impact on mental health, says Masia Warner, also a lead author of the study and professor of Psychology at Montclair. “Most reported being more depressed or down, three-quarters of the sample reported feeling more anxious, with uncontrollable worry. Sixty-eight percent reported sleep problems, and – this is most concerning – 60% reported feeling hopeless.”

Reyes-Portillo added that feelings of depression, anxiety and hopelessness, sleep problems and increased social isolation are factors that can heighten students’ risk of experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

The team led a multi-institutional study of 4,714 college students attending schools in New York or New Jersey during the spring 2020 semester. Reyes-Portillo says the large sample size, studied when the area was the epicenter of the pandemic, makes the findings more generalizable, in terms of impact.

“Given how extraordinary these events are, it’s important to document how it’s affected college students, who are particularly vulnerable,” says Reyes-Portillo. “But young adulthood is a high-risk period for the onset of mental health problems, even without a major stressor like the pandemic. It’s a period of immense growth and personal change. Add in COVID, and it’s a one-in-100-year event that we felt was important to highlight.”

“This is our future generation,” says Masia Warner. “Clearly we have documented that universities have to pay attention and make sure they’re reaching these students to get them over this difficult time. The impact has not passed even if the pandemic has. We may see the reverberations of this for years.”

For information on mental health resources offered at Montclair, visit the department of Counseling and Psychological Services.

The study abstract is included below.

Initial research has indicated that college students have experienced numerous stressors as a result of the pandemic. The current investigation enrolled the largest and most diverse sample of college students to date (N = 4714) from universities in New York (NY) and New Jersey (NJ), the epicenter of the North American pandemic in Spring 2020. We described the impact on the psychological, academic, and financial health of college students who were initially most affected and examined racial/ethnic group differences. Results indicated that students’ mental health was severely affected and that students of color were disproportionately affected by academic, financial, and COVID-related stressors. Worry about COVID-19 infection, stressful living conditions, lower grades, and loneliness emerged as correlates of deteriorating mental health. COVID-19’s mental health impact on college students is alarming and highlights the need for public health interventions at the university level.

BUILDING BRIDGES & ADDRESSING GAPS

This study will longitudinally investigate (1) Theory of Mind (i.e., understanding another person’s mental states), (2) ability to recognize (i.e., perceive and categorize) the essential characteristics of servant leadership, and (3) specific first-hand experience in serving and/or leading. Utilizing methods in both cognitive and organizational psychology, their research proposes clear hypotheses that build on findings in leadership theory, organizational science, and cognition, thus building a bridge between areas of psychology that have traditionally been studied separately.

While the outcomes of servant leadership are well-documented, only 11 studies have investigated predictors of servant leadership and none have investigated how leaders develop to think and behave in ways that create a cycle of servant leadership. Motivated by state-of-the-art leadership and cognitive psychology theories, this project will systematically address this gap in the literature.

REPRESENTATION & FUTURE COLLABORATIONS

Dr. Lakusta and Dr. Bragger will explore how experiences serving others and engaging in service-oriented leadership influence the development of a servant leadership style in part by collaborating with the as well as a variety of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.

In line with STEM initiatives, this project strongly promotes the involvement of a diverse set of students from underrepresented groups. Students will be mentored through all aspects of the research by two psychology faculty (each with a different area of expertise – I/O and Cognitive Psychology), as well as a Faculty Associate, Dr. Jennifer Urban, (who has expertise in Human Development – character analysis, positive youth development, longitudinal design, and pathway modeling). This offers students a unique exposure to interdisciplinary scientific research, with the goal of instilling in them an appreciation for scientific discovery.

A TRADITION OF COLLABORATION

Dr. Lakusta and Dr. Bragger’s research has evolved from 1) Dr. Lakusta’s grant-funded research in developmental psychology 2) Dr. Bragger’s history of engaging in service learning through collaborations with MSU’s Center for Community Engagement and Bonner Leader program 3) a multi-year collaboration between Drs. Lakusta and Braggers team teaching undergraduate and graduate seminars on the development of service-based leadership and 4) Dr. Bragger’s experiences teaching and directing the interdisciplinary minor in Leadership Development and Civic Engagement.

In addition to their collaboration, Dr. Lakusta is also the Director of the and in 2019, she received the University’s Distinguished Scholar Award. Dr. Bragger is also the Co-Director of the Lead Lab with , where they are conducting a longitudinal assessment of leadership development in college students and a shared leadership group study.

The team’s findings in the study, titled, “Resentencing of Juvenile Lifers: The Philadelphia Experience,” are consistent with a growing body of scientific research that shows people age out of criminal behaviors, that lengthy sentences fail to deter crime, and that lengthy prison terms both divert funds from public health and safety initiatives, and are counterproductive to strengthening families and communities.

“Our work brings into question the commonly held belief that those incarcerated for violent offenses will reoffend. Here we have a group of individuals, all convicted of murder, with an approximately 1% reconviction rate,” says Daftary-Kapur, the lead study author and an associate professor of Justice Studies at Montclair State.

“We hope these findings will help inform discussions around early release of individuals serving long sentences, especially in the current climate,” says Zottoli.

The team analyzed data and outcomes associated with 269 juvenile lifers from Philadelphia, including 174 who were released. The 174 juvenile lifters who were released through the time of the study will yield $9.5 million in correctional cost savings over the first decade, based on marginal costs of incarceration alone. It costs roughly $50,000 per year to incarcerate people in prisons and jails, but those savings will only be realized by shrinking the footprint of incarceration, including closing additional jails and prisons.

The study also has ramifications beyond Pennsylvania and other highly incarcerated states that have large aging inmate populations that are especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 160,000 people are serving life sentences across the United States, and another 45,000 are serving sentences longer than 50 years, or virtual life sentences. A 50-year sentence for a 16-year-old could cost the state of Pennsylvania, for example, approximately $2.5 million. This study suggests that all states must consider early release opportunities for those serving de facto death sentences.

“Overall, the key takeaway from our work is that releasing individuals, specifically those individuals who have served long sentences and are most often older than 40-50 years old, does not seem to have a negative impact on public safety,” says Daftary-Kapur.

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Difficulty remembering new information is a common problem experienced by individuals living with MS. Sandry’s four-year research project will fulfill an urgent need and provide a strong foundation for developing future treatments to restore lost memory function.

Sandry’s research will establish the best method for measuring and tracking brain activity underlying memory problems in people with MS. Using advanced neuroimaging techniques, Sandry will investigate links between working memory ability and neural changes within the hippocampus. Tracking people with MS who have memory problems compared to those who do not have memory problems, will enable Sandry to evaluate how cognitive processes change and relate to memory problems as a function of MS.

Students gain real-world experience in cutting-edge labs

Students in Laura Lakusta’s infant research lab are exploring new frontiers to understand how children develop language. “There is so much we don’t know,” said Laura Lakusta, professor in the Department of Psychology, so there is endless opportunity for inquiry in her lab.

In past decades, in order to understand language development, researchers relied on what children said themselves and parent’s accounts of understanding, but now, thanks to sophisticated eye-tracking equipment investigators can now use implicit measures which are more reliable and can help detect language comprehension even earlier. For example, Lakusta’s latest study involves infants as young as six months.

Keeping close tabs on the literature to learn about cognitive discoveries across the globe, Lakusta and her team of research assistants then chart out new areas to investigate: designing experiments, recruiting study participants, and carefully collecting data in the

Lakusta and collaborator Barbara Landau at Johns Hopkins University recently received a three-year, for research on: “Interactions Between Language and Cognition in the Early Acquisition of Spatial Language.”

For students, this grant means a busy summer ahead. In July and August, six students will be working as paid research assistants in Lakusta’s lab. Their tasks will include analyzing and coding videos of how infants look at different stimuli, greeting participants, and calibrating equipment. Lab manager Melanie Lawrie, a graduate student in Psychology, is responsible for organizing the flow.

For two others, Maria Brucato ’17 and Carla Iroldi, they got funding to develop experiments while working at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. They are working with Landau, the grant’s co-investigator who is the Dick and Lydia Todd Professor of Cognitive Science and the director of the In the fall, Brucato will begin a PhD program at Temple University, while Iroldi will return to Montclair State to complete her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in psychology as part of the .

Student inquiry in psychology, digital humanities, linguistics, and more

Students across the College of Humanities and Social Sciences collaborate with faculty year-round in our psychology as well as areas of digital humanities, linguistics, and more. Through study at research institutions, students can gain new understanding about their fields as well as experience to set themselves apart when applying to competitive graduate programs. These collaborations also teach day-to-day skills that are essential for job seekers in any field including: data analysis, organization, interpersonal communication, and technology.

Faculty-student research is just one of many hands-on opportunities for CHSS students. Others include student clubs and honor societies, on-campus employment, internships and cooperative education opportunities, and more. Visit our career management pages for more on how students in the humanities and social sciences can prepare for success after their Montclair State experience.

The study examined vegetable consumption and “liking” during school lunch for 3rd and 4th grade students at two urban schools in Philadelphia. It looked specifically at two vegetables: cauliflower and baked sweet potato “fries.” One school served the vegetables in traditional fashion, while the other served chef-prepared, family-style meals as part of the .

The chef-prepared lunch program resulted in greater consumption of the target vegetables over the course of the school year, the study found. The students also gave cauliflower a significantly higher “hedonic rating” at the end of the year, meaning they liked it more in what the study calls the “exposure effect” at work.

Past and future research
Zellner and Cobuzzi recently published another study on school lunch that focused on the increase in vegetable consumption when it was served in courses, rather than all at once alongside tastier foods like fruit.

Zellner will continue research looking at factors that can increase students’ consumption of vegetables through a grant to the from the .

Increasing vegetable consumption is of interest to researchers because it has an impact on health. The study notes that it can help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease and it might help to prevent obesity. In the United States, many students eat two meals a day at school, getting about one-third of their calories there, so improving vegetable consumption at school could have a long-term effect on the health of students.

More recent coverage of Zellner’s work




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