In 2012, the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences recognised seven of its top students, awarded UQ Medals for academic excellence.

Cindy Theresiana (Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology)

• Supervisor: Dr Jason Tangen
• Research Topic: 'Associative Learning under a Low Level of Contingency Awareness and Its Implication in Brand-image Formation'

Cindy completed her BA Honours degree with a grade of 6 or 7 in all her courses. For her honours thesis she conducted a project in applied cognitive psychology, with applications to consumer memory for brand names in the market place. The project contributes to psychologists' input into legal decision making about appropriate practices in brand and product naming and advertising.

Bonnie Griffiths (Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology)

• Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Mark Horswill
• Research Topic: "The Effects of Driving Experience and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury on Drivers' Hazard Perception"

Bonnie completed her BA Honours degree with a grade of 6 or 7 in all her courses. For her honours thesis she conducted a project in applied cognitive psychology, on the topic of the effects of mild head injury on car drivers' ability to monitor the road for potentially dangerous situations. The project makes a contribution to research on driver factors in road safety.

Kirsty Taylor (Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours))

• Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Mark Horswill
• Research Topic: "Hazard Perception Training for Experienced Drivers"

Kirsty completed her BPsySc Honours degree with a grade of 6 or 7 in all her courses. For her honours thesis she conducted a project in applied cognitive psycology, on the topic of the effects of training experienced drivers on perception of potential hazards on the road. The project provides useful input into the development of optimal driver training strategies.

Zoe Walter (Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours))

• Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Mark Horswill
• Research Topic: "Does a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Affect Drivers' Anticipation of Traffic Hazards?"

Zoe completed her BPsySc Honours degree with a grade of 6 or 7 in all her courses. For her honours thesis she conducted a project in applied cognitive psychology. The project was concerned with the perception of dangerous driving situations in drivers with a history of repeated concussive head injury. The project makes a contribution to research on driver factors in road safety.

Helena Radke (Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours))

• Supervisor: Dr Fiona Barlow
• Research Topic: "Off-colour jokes: The impact that humour about racism has on intergroup emotions and attitudes"

Helena completed her BPsySc Honours degree with a grade of 6 or 7 in all her courses. For her honours thesis she conducted a project in social psychology. Her project on humor about racism has implications for strategies to reduce group-based prejudice.

Michael Thai (Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours))

• Supervisor: Dr Fiona Barlow
• Research Topic: 'When Ethnic Deviance is Desired: The Curious Case of the 'Perpetual Foreigner''

Michael completed his BPsySc Honours degree with a grade of 6 or 7 in all his courses. He won four prizes in his honours year, including the Australian Psychological Society prize for the highest honours mark, and the McElwain prize for the best honours thesis. For his honours theis he conducted a project in social psychology, with implications for the national identity of Asian Australians in Australia.

Jacqueline Laughland-Booy (Bachelor of Social Science (Honours))

• Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Peter Newcombe and Dr Patricia Short
• Research Topic: 'The Complexity of Trauma: An Institutional Ethnography of Psychology Practise'

Jacqueline completed her BSocSc Honours degree with a grade of 6 or 7 in all her courses. Using a qualitative methodology, Jacqueline investigated mental health professionals understanding and diagnoses of people who experience the psychological effects of prolonged interpersonal trauma.
This is an important and pervasive topic as it sought to question the diagnostic categories that are often used in working with people experiencing trauma and its associated comorbidities. Her findings demonstrated the discriminating nature of assigning certain diagnoses and the need to appropriately acknowledge the psychological consequences of severe interpersonal traumatic experiences.