Student Researchers' Society Topics

Co-supervisor: Dr. CSABA, Gergely József

The so-called psychological defence system (fear and disgust), like the immune system, protects the body against physical injury (fear) and infection (disgust). However, in many cases, it is precisely because of these feelings that patients do not go to the doctor or forego certain treatment options. For example, the fear of needles has made it difficult or even impossible for many people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, while the pandemic has made the other person a potential threat or source of infection.

In these studies, we will use questionnaires to explore the factors that influence the intensity of these reactions. On the other hand, through the use of emotion eliciting images, we identify factors that strengthen and weaken emotional control.

keywords: fear and disgust; avoidant behaviour; medical fears; early life history

While the medical sciences are becoming more and more like the natural sciences (mostly because of their statistical, quantifiable, and operational procedures), they will always be significantly different from them because of their human subjects. Medical sciences heal and cure people, and as a result, a kind of subjectivity will always be present due to the unique assessment of the patients’ condition, the relativity of the concepts of “disease” and “health”, as well as social trends and expectations. As a result, there is an increasing demand for the introduction of various humanities “soft skills”, such as empathy, understanding, the ability to ask questions, synthetic thinking, and conceptual analysis. “Medical humanities” wants to investigate and analyze those areas and skills that are important and can be essential when we want to make medicine more humane.

During the research, the student can either examine the humanities representation of a medical problem (film, book), or analyze a humanities tool and method in the context of medicine.

Co-supervisor: Dr. FAUBL, Nóra

The mental health of university students is an area of increasing worldwide concern as medical school is recognized as a stressful environment that often has a negative effect on students’ academic performance, physical health, and emotional well-being. This population has been shown to be particularly prone to depression, anxiety, and stress due to factors that include academic pressures, obstacles to their goal achievement, environmental changes, and life challenges such as transition from school to university and the change in role from student to knowledgeable physician. The purpose of the research is to compare the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress in medical students from all semesters and assess their respective associated factors, such as burnout, academic challanges and coping strategies.

Various higher-order neural processes control our everyday behavior and cognitive abilities. These processes have crucial role in the adaptation of behavior to actual environment and behavioral aims. The proposed project is addressed to an experimental neuropsychological investigation of the cognitive control processes. The applied methods can potentially involve electrophysiological, psychophysical, and survey-based data collections.

keywords: neuropsychology, cognitive control

Placebo effect is a well-known phenomenon attracting the interest of both physicians and non-physicians. The number of evidence-based studies examining the magnitude of placebo effects and the mechanisms responsible for placebo effects has steadily increased over recent decades. Currently available evidence shows that many diseases such as heart failure, gastric ulcer, Crohn-disease, asthma, Parkinson-disease, depression and the common cold respond well to placebo therapies. In spite of all of these facts the conventional understanding of placebo effect and of the role of placebo effect in medical treatment is based on confused and contradictory ideas. The research program focuses primarily on these questions, and the ethical considerations raised by them.

Keywords: placebo effect, meaning response, contextual effect 

Chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or chronic respiratory diseases and their management (also) place severe psychological pressure on patients.

The aim of our research is to identify which cognitive, coping and behavioural characteristics exacerbate or even reduce the course of chronic diseases and the pressure of suffering. The adaptive or maladaptive personality factors and/or modes of functioning identified in our study may be the subject of subsequent psychological interventions, helping patients to achieve a better quality of life, improve their mood, reduce their anxiety.

key words: chronic diseases; psychosocial risk; coping with illness; quality of life

Co-supervisor: Dr. GÁCS, Boróka

with Dr. Gács, Boróka

Physiological immune responses are costly, can be taxing on the body, and are conditioned by exposure to the pathogen. The behavioral immune system (BIS), on the other hand, is an independent motivational system, which provides prophylactic protection against pathogen infection. According to some studies, various infectious diseases are responsible for more human deaths than all other causes of death combined, which data supports the importance of studies on the functioning of the BIS. The Sars-Cov2 pandemic, and the challenges it posed to society and health care, refocused attention on the importance of interdisciplinary research about infectious diseases. Individual differences in BIS sensitivity are related to the quality of the early environment. Adverse, threatening environmental influences (e.g., parental neglect, abuse) sensitize stress reactions and develop stronger avoidance reactions. They can also be related to the development of specific cognitive schemes, behavioral and coping mechanisms. The aim of our research is to verify the role of the listed variables in shaping the sensitivity of the behavioral immune system to gain a deeper understanding of the functioning of the first line defense in the fight against infectious diseases.

Methodologically, the research is based on questionnaire surveys and evaluation of reactions to emotional images (IAPS).

keywords: behavioural immune system; early life circumstances; pathogen resistance; disgust

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is an umbrella term that covers epidemic-like diseases such as: cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic respiratory disease. Research shows that health behaviour is a major determinant of these diseases and will therefore be the focus of the studies. 

Human evolution has taken place under very different environmental conditions, and it is only in the last two hundred years that major changes have occurred which have altered our way of life, but to which we have not yet adapted at the psychophysiological level. In this research, we test hypotheses concerning the impact on health of differences between early adaptation and current lifestyle.

Keywords: non-communicable diseases; early life circusmtances; psychosocial risks; darwinian medicine

Co-supervisors: Dr. CSATHÓ, Árpád and Dr. GÁCS, Boróka

The research is mainly based on questionnaire survey method to explore how patients' fears influence their pain experience. Specifically, fears related to medical treatments, interventions and, in general, to the medical situation will be captured by a validated questionnaire, the results of which will be compared with the results of other methods (questionnaires, image assessment, etc.) that investigate the subjective elements of pain. Our aim is to develop effective methods that can be used to address patients' fears in clinical settings.

Keywords: medical fears; pain; pain sensitivity; psychosocial stress

A characteristic symptom of the crisis of our time is that masses turn away from the instructions of science, question its credibility, and even look with hostile suspicion at everything that seems to them to be a dictatorship of opinion or a conspiracy to deceive them. The palette of alternative world interpretations, pseudo-scientific theories and science-denying doctrines has perhaps never been so colorful and comprehensive, and there has never been so much support for ideas that are often demonstrably harmful.

However, if one looks closely at the problem of pseudoscience, it is not so clear on what basis we can consider something as pseudoscience. One of the main reasons for this lies in the fact that the criteria of scholarship change over time and space, which means that a uniform, universal and all-encompassing definition of science, and thus of pseudoscience, cannot be given. Regardless, in practice and based on individual cases, our options are significantly better.

During the research, it is possible to examine selected fields considered as pseudo-scientific, alternative, or gray zone, specifically from a historical, philosophical, sociological, or even psychological point of view. However, questions can also be raised in general about the nature of science and pseudoscience, even specifically about the place of medical sciences, the assessment of different alternative therapies, and their relationship to traditional Western approaches.

Co-supervisor: Dr. LAKI, Beáta

Moral responsibility and values play a crucial role in the mental health of individuals, especially from the perspectives of motivation, depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. The individual's set of values and moral principles determine how they experience and interpret events happening around them. Adherence to correct values and moral responsibility can contribute to the development of positive motivation, assisting individuals in achieving their personal and professional goals.

However, if an individual's values or moral principles come into conflict with societal norms or their own internal value system, it can result in psychological distress, contributing to the development of anxiety and depression. Research primarily aims to examine and identify influencing factors using questionnaire-based methods, analyze their effects, and formulate possible prevention plans.

Research primarily aims to examine and identify influencing factors using questionnaire-based methods, analyze their effects, and formulate possible prevention plans.

Keywords: moral obligation, values, mental health

Co-supervisor: Dr. GÁCS, Boróka

The well-being of students and staff in higher education institutions is of paramount importance. While interpretations of well-being vary widely and there is no single definition, there can be a number of components that all contribute to our well-being. These dimensions can be physical, psychological, social, environmental, etc. The study of this issue is key to ensure balanced and sustainable educational processes. The results of this research can help the institutions to understand the impact of well-being factors on organisational culture, student well-being and academic performance. This information can be used to develop intervention programmes that increase student satisfaction, reduce stress and promote a healthy teaching and learning environment.

The research will use a combined methodology to gain a deeper understanding, including both quantitative and qualitative tools. In addition to questionnaire data collection, we plan to conduct in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.

Keywords: well-being, organizational well-being, individual well-being, learning environment