Digital Commons Network^™

Sensory Processing Disorder And Sensory Integration: Case Study, Ella Aerni

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This project is a case study on my brother, Damien, who has sensory processing disorder. This included a treatment plan based on sensory integration. All activities were meant to activate the parts of his brain that help him to focus and be in alignment and included strategies for both school and home. These strategies included using chew necklaces, a weighted vest, and sensory integrative activities including being wrapped in a blanket before bed, using a mini trampoline, and doing wall pushups.

Damien’s family and teacher used these strategies in school and at home. The teacher found all of the strategies …

The Downfall Of Daniel Fitzpatrick: A Creative Short Story, Renee Horsley

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Daniel grew up with humble beginnings in Starlight, Nebraska. His loving parents provided him and his four other siblings with as much as they could. Victoria grew up wealthy in a small town in Georgia but by fifth grade, Victoria would move to Starlight due to her father’s business proposition. Soon Daniel and Victoria’s worlds collided setting the way for the most epic and yet tragic love story to ever hit Starlight Nebraska. A creative short story that intertwines the disciplines of criminal justice, intergroup dialogue, psychology, and the law.

On Versus Off-Campus Living: An Exploration Of College Students' Mental Well-Being, Sameer Siddiqui

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community” (“Mental Health,” 2022). Risk and protective factors can be used to predict mental health outcomes. Both positive and negative outcomes can be predicted, respectively. The categories of these include individual, relationship, community, and societal. When examining college students, it is most reasonable to study the relationship and community factors. This study examined whether living on or off campus impacts predicted mental health outcomes in …

An Unfiltered Reality: The Impact Of Social Media Usage On Personal Satisfaction, Jack Cosgrove

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of social media use on the personal life satisfaction of emerging adults (ages 18 to 25). All told, 172 participants completed a survey that asked them to report their social media usage, social media habits, and their personal satisfaction with life. The social media use variables were reduced using exploratory factor analysis. This allowed a greater breakdown of the effects of social media habits across age and gender. Some gender differences emerged, but overall, social media use was negatively related to satisfaction with life. Additionally, other significant effects were …

Mindset Theory Relates To Attitudes About Prison And Parole Among College Students, Cassandra R. Petersen

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The maintenance of prosocial relationships has been strongly connected to criminal desistance among past offenders. The opinions held by the community shape the prejudice often encountered by those with a criminal record. To promote desistance, we must understand how criminals and their abilities are considered by the public. In this study, 69 college students were surveyed about the United States prison and parole system in conjunction with Dweck’s mindset theory. Along with explicit questions, an Implicit Associations Test (IAT) was employed to measure unconscious associations between mentality and punishment preference. The IAT revealed that traits of a growth mindset were …

When Knowing Prevents Doing: An Exposition On Commitment Hazards, Alexander Porter

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Information hazards are risks posed by potentially harmful true information. Information hazards include the risks posed by instructions on how to make a bomb, facts about world events which could cause harmful political unrest, or even the password to an email account being revealed. I will examine and explain one specific type of information hazard which can be seen as the subject of discussion in three well-known but disparate philosophical texts: information which draws attention away from individual control. I will argue that this idea shows up in Plato as what is being avoided through noble falsehoods in The Republic …

The Impact Of Stimulus Age On Emotional Face Recognition, Morgan Goslar

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Research supports the theory that stimuli, including experiences, words, and faces, with an emotional connotation are more easily remembered than stimuli with a more neutral connotation. The scientific community has expanded this theory by manipulating a variety of variables, including participant age, time between encoding and retrieval, and “taboo” words in comparison to more neutral categories, to name a few. The current study seeks to expand upon the previous findings by examining emotional and neutral facial stimuli while manipulating the age of the stimulus face. To do this, participants were shown 10 photos in each of the following categories: young …

Self-Continuity In Adolescence: A Buffer Against Decreases In Self-Esteem Due To Vicitmization, Gabriela Alvarez

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The purpose of this research was to explore how components of self-esteem, such as social, cognitive and physical competence, can explain the buffering effect of self-continuity. Self-continuity explains the associations between individuals themselves in both past and present and perceived sameness, despite growth and development of the self. As self-continuity becomes more complex throughout adolescence, children may find themselves lacking a sense of identity. Previous research shows that negative views of the self may later represent themselves in adulthood. There is evidence that suggests self-continuity protects against the negative effects of peer victimization by providing positive connections between one another. …

The Relationships Of Perceived Parental Social Support To Vigilance And Resilience Among Lgbtq And Straight Cisgender Adults, Brady Dodds

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of parental support to resilience and vigilance in LGBTQ and straight, cisgender adults as the majority of research has examined these relationships in LGBTQ and straight, cisgender children and teens. It was hypothesized that greater parental support would be correlated with higher resilience and lower vigilance. Also, it was hypothesized that the relationships would be stronger for LGBTQ participants than for straight, cisgender participants. Participants who were recruited via Prolific Academic completed an online questionnaire that included measures of maternal and paternal support, resilience, and vigilance. Results indicated that participants …

Gender Differences In The Effects Of Complementary Versus Competitive Gender Stereotypes On System Justification And Tolerance Of Sexism, Jordyn Bingham

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Research has shown that people often support social systems that are not in their best interests (Kay & Jost, 2003). One way that people may justify support for such social systems is by focusing on beneficial characteristics. For example, people exhibit greater system justification when people are described as poor but happy (complementary attributes) as opposed to poor and unhappy (non-complementary attributes) (Kay & Jost, 2003). The present study examined the effects of complementary (i.e., that women and men fulfill different career roles) versus competitive (i.e., that women and men compete for the same career roles) gender stereotypes on women’s …

“Because I Said So”: The Effect Of Parenting Practices On Adolescent Adjustment, Brittany Sullivan

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study aimed to examine the relationship between specific parenting practices (i.e., psychological control, behavioral control, and parental expectations) and adolescent adjustment outcomes (i.e., internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, and self-worth). It was hypothesized that psychological control would have a positive relationship with internalizing behaviors and a negative relationship with self-worth. It was also hypothesized that behavioral control would have a negative relationship with externalizing behaviors and a positive relationship with self-worth. The study was longitudinal as data collection occurred over a 5-year period in order to determine if parenting practices not only affect adolescent adjustment outcomes, but if they do …

Covid-19’S Impact Of Social Isolation On Seniors In An Assisted Living Facility, Mary Mclaughlin

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study explores the impact of social distancing precautions in response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic by resident seniors in an assisted living facility. Previous studies describe how social distancing regulations can amplify feelings of loneliness in all age groups. However, pandemic-related lockdowns and social distancing measures disproportionately affect vulnerable older populations. Resident seniors in an assisted living facility in Omaha, NE participated in a semi-structured interview focused on the perceived impact of COVID-19 safety precautions. Participants reported a temporal dimension of impact, specifically, an increased level of loneliness in the evening, but also discussed the importance of encouragement …

Benevolence Toward Men And Political Conservatism Among Married And Never-Married Women, Tara Goering

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Research indicates that sexism allows women to justify men’s privileged status; indeed, sexism has predicted women’s conservative vote choice (Cassese & Barnes, 2018). Benevolent attitudes toward men (BM) are based in beliefs about women and men’s interdependence (Glick & Fiske, 1999). Married women may experience greater interdependence and may desire to preserve beneficial structural power systems. The present research examined the relationship of BM to political conservatism among married and never-married women. Married and never-married women recruited from Prolific Academic completed a measure of political conservatism and the 10-item BM scale (Glick & Fiske, 1999). The results indicated that, as …

Planning And Navigating In An Unfamiliar Location: Effects Of Outsourcing On Memory, Bailey Hoffer

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Outsourcing is the process of using some external tool as a memory aid. There are a whole host of tools to outsource information that we want to remember. The purpose of this study was to better understand how outsourcing impacts memory for information outsourced and the information not outsourced. This study used different methods of navigation: simulated GPS as well as a self-generated route to involve the generation effect—generating the to-be-remembered information by oneself. Route accuracy and route tasks were measured by participants’ memory. The independent variables in the study are navigation source (GPS determined versus self-generated) and test instruction …

Examining The Relationships Between College And High School Relational And Physical Victimization And Its Effects On Self-Esteem, Tylore Gross, Juan F. Casas

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the relationship between high school and college peer relational and physical victimization and its effects on self-esteem, as well parallel associations between relational victimization in romantic relationships and its effects on self-esteem. Participants were recruited at a Midwest University to participate in an online study through the Psychology Department wherein they completed a series of questionnaires. A total of 317 college students participated in this study, including 245 females (77%) and 72 males (23%). Participants received extra credit in their psychology class for participating. Self-reports of self-esteem were measured using the …

Predictors Of Loneliness Among College Students: Evidence For The Necessity Of Early Childhood Interventions, Yazmin Ramos

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Chronic loneliness is associated with negative health consequences. Those that suffer from chronic loneliness typically exhibit bad health behaviors, such as excessive alcohol and drug consumption, which can lead to physical ailments, such as heart disease or even death (Steptoe et. al., 2013; Shoevestul et. al., 2020). Additionally, chronic loneliness is associated with mental health; higher reported feelings of loneliness has been associated with higher rates of depression (Shovestul et. al., 2020). As loneliness varies by socio-demographics, such as sex, women report higher rates of loneliness than men (Maes et. al., 2019). To better understand the factors associated with loneliness, …

Perspective Driven Behavior: The Effects Of Classroom Climate On A Student's Personality And Willingness To Communicate, Nicholas Weber

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Modern students are experiencing problems novel to the college environment. Much emphasis has been placed on learning in the classroom and the interactions with other students and professors, but this research has neglected features intrinsic to the student in question. The current study evaluates the student’s communication climate (or Connected Communication Climate Inventory (CCCI) score) within their classrooms as it relates to the relationship between key personality traits (i.e. Extraversion, Intellect/ Imagination, and Neuroticism) and their willingness to communicate (WTC) in those settings. College students have been given assessments to evaluate the prevalence of distinct personality traits and their relationships …

Art And The Pursuit Of Happiness: How Artists Use Art To Promote Their Emotional Well-Being, August Namuth, Bruce Chase

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Artists have used art’s positive mental and physical health effects for as long as art has been around. Art is known to have many therapeutic and mood benefiting effects, from reduced anxiety and stress levels, to increased confidence and a sense of purpose. Many different clinical studies have found art to be beneficial to people who have suffered from PTSD, bipolar disorder, strokes, and cancer pain. Despite the clearly beneficial effects of creativity associated with art, artists suffer from disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia at a much higher rate than the general population. This study sought to …

Trying To Save The Game(R): Understanding The Meaning-Making Process Of Youtube Subscribers Surrounding Mental Health And Video Game Vlogging, Maria Mickles

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Through technological innovation and the rise of digital media platforms, many young adults are afforded the opportunity to spend their lives on the Internet. Not only is a large amount of time spent on the Internet by most people, but young adults are making media sharing-platforms, specifically YouTube, part of their daily lives (Westenberg, 2016, p. 8). YouTube allows content creators to produce videos that not only attract audiences of different ages and geographic location, but, too, create an intimate bond between creator and subscriber, allowing each party to communicate and engage in content related activities through the comments section …

Exploring Connections Between Social Anxiety And Social Media Use In College Students, Alexandra Deman

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

When young adults enter college their identity and self-esteem are tested in a novel environment. Interacting, forming new relationships, having some sense of independence for the first time, and often living in a new area can take a toll on someone who has not sufficiently developed a stable identity. This, in-turn, may create a negative outlook on one’s self and the individual’s capabilities to participate in social interaction, or ultimately a desire to avoid them altogether. If such a negative view further intensifies and remains present, it may develop into social anxiety disorder. Social media can either alleviate or escalate …

Understanding The Effect Of Font Type On Reading Comprehension/Memory Under Time-Constraints, Elizabeth Dressler

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This research study investigated the effects that font type and amount of time had on the reading comprehension. It was predicted that students restricted with time and given difficult-to-read font (Haettenschweiler) would perform more poorly because more cognitive resources are being utilized to decode the typography compared to an easy-to-read font (Times New Roman). Consequently, there would be fewer cognitive resources available to comprehend and remember the material. Previous research has consistently shown that subjects perform better from reading or memorizing words in difficult-to-read font. However, almost all previous research has consisted of short passages, thereby limiting ecological validity. Results …

A Model Of Workload Assignment Preference And Its Effect On Performance, Productivity, And Stress, Christopher Winchester

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The importance of employees within a firm has led to an increased need in maximizing performance and productivity, while also minimizing the stress levels of employees. This study provides insight into two types of workload assignment of (1) receiving a task all at once, and (2) receiving a task in incremental sections. It investigates how a subject’s workload assignment preference can impact performance, productivity, and stress levels. In addition, it also looks at the predictor variables of the Big Five personality traits, locus of control, tolerance for ambiguity, uncertainty orientation, and need for cognition to determine if workload assignment preference …

“Room At Our Table": Analyzing The Efficacy Of Pro-Refugee Social Media Campaigns Based On Hospitality Values And Resource Sharing, Virginia Gallner

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Applying a theoretical framework of engaging hospitality values can reduce implicit bias. This research was implemented through a social media campaign called Room at Our Table, based around a series of webisodes that utilize the psychological concept of meal sharing as a community-building activity to change perspectives on hospitality toward refugees, via the reduction of implicit bias. Psychologically, aversion to welcoming refugees can also stem from identity threat and a desire to protect resources within a given group. Here in Nebraska, people are changing their minds about refugees based on personal interactions. In 2016, Nebraska resettled the most refugees per …

Research Based Interventions For Students Struggling With Oral Reading Fluency And Accuracy, Jamie Wredt

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Being able to read proficiently is a key skill that students must learn to be successful in school as well as being able to function in society. Three of the main interventions to help students reach proficiency in reading are repeated reading, listening passage preview, and error correction. Each intervention has been shown to provide some benefit to students who struggle with reading when done independently or combined with repeated reading. However, the current literature on repeated reading, listening passage preview, and error correction is sparse when comparing the three against each other. The current study examined repeated reading, listening …

Occurrence Of Rumination: Effects Of Feedback Valence, Self-Disclosure, And Social Anxiety, Chun Han Chen

Student Work

Rumination, defined as repetitive and automatic thought reviewing of negative experiences, was the major object to explore. The research contemplated the mechanism facilitating the occurrence of ruminative thoughts. The hypothesis was that negative emotion from depreciated performance as well as the task requiring self-disclosure might instigate the intense discomfort within which rumination might occur. The researcher examined the potential interaction effect of Performance Feedback x Self-disclosure on rumination. In addition, stable individual characteristics of social anxiety might affect rumination. The statistical analysis explored the predictive effect of social anxiety on rumination. When the situation required one to disclose the self …

Acceptance Of Technological Change: Do Age, Expertise And Self-Efficacy Matter?, Cheryl Fernandez

Student Work

This study was designed to examine the acceptance of change by employees of different ages, in different contexts. This study challenged the stereotypes held against older individuals by proposing that factors other than age contribute to the acceptance of changes. It examined two context-specific variables, self-efficacy and expertise which contribute to acceptance of technological changes. The findings indicated that older individuals with computer experience had higher self-efficacy. On the other hand, younger individuals had higher self-efficacy, regardless of computer experience. Also, individuals who felt younger than they actually were had higher self-efficacy when they had experience with computers, compared to …

The Effect Of Values, Conscientiousness, And Self-Efficacy On Ethical Decision-Making, Marcy Young

Student Work

This research explores the roles that values, conscientiousness, and self-efficacy play in ethical decision-making. Although previous research has shown that values affect ethical decision-making, few researchers have evaluated the effect that conscientiousness has on ethical decision-making. Research has evaluated the effect that self-efficacy has on ethical decision-making, but a relationship has not been found. The current study hypothesizes that individuals high in self-transcendence values will make more ethical decisions than individuals high in self-enhancement values. Also, individuals high in conscientiousness are expected to make more ethical decisions than individuals low in conscientiousness. Third, individuals high in self-efficacy are expected to …

Play Assessment: The Effects Of Peer Interaction On Children's Cognitive Capabilities., Korrinda Mendez

Student Work

Play Assessment (PA) has recently gained the attention of researchers as a potential valid assessment tool for determining the cognitive capabilities in younger children. O f particular importance is the use o f PA among various contexts. Specifically, PA can provide insight into the types of contextual situations that promote higher levels of cognitive skills in younger children. The present study explored peer interactions as a contextual aspect of PA using the PACSS empirical coding scheme to determine the highest level of play behavior. According to the present study, results did not yield any significant differences in overall cognitive play …

Emotional Intelligence As A Moderator Of Problem Based Arousal On Solution Quality And Quantity, Anne E. Herman

Student Work

The study examined the interactive influence o f the affective qualities of a problem and a problem solver’s emotional intelligence (El), an individual difference in the ability to perceive, express, integrate, understand, and regulate emotion, on the quality and quantity of solutions generated to two different ill-structured problems. The general hypothesis was that emotional intelligence would moderate the effect of the negative emotional arousal of a problem controlling for the influence of cognitive intelligence, such that the discrepancy between those higher and lower in emotional intelligence would be greater for the problem which is high in emotional arousal than for …

Fears And The Presence Of Imaginary Companions And Personified Objects In Preschool Children, Jill R. Ramet

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a pre-school child’s fears and the child’s use of an imaginary companion or personified object. Preschool-aged children (36 To 74 months) were interviewed using a revised version o f the FSSC-R fear scale, and an imaginary companion questionnaire. Parents were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire. Data analyses revealed that children who did not have an imaginary companion or a personified object had an absolute higher total fear score than children who had this type o f figure, although this difference was not significant. Children with the lowest absolute …