Student Presenter(s): Carmine Velez, Anna Shumskaya
Faculty Mentor: Melissa Huey
Department: Behavioral Sciences
School/College: College of Arts and Sciences, New York City

The current college environment includes the use of both in-person and online classes. Though a remote setting is convenient, there are implications of increased difficulty in the use of nonverbal communication. We hypothesize a reduction in students' psychological well-being resulting from the inability to effectively engage in nonverbal communication remotely.

Once Dr. Melissa Huey and research assistants, Carmine Velez and Anna Shumskaya, received IRB approval, a preliminary study was completed to ensure the reliability of self-reports. After seeing no significant difference between observational and self-report data, the researchers have begun to anonymously survey members of The New York Institute of Technology. The study will determine the relationship between psychological well-being such as anxiety, mindfulness, and engagement, and the use of nonverbal communication such as eye contact, posture, and hand raising, throughout the various settings. The research may provide insight into the effectiveness of remote learning and methods for creating an optimal learning environment.