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Articles 1 - 30 of 81
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Perception Of Facial Expressions In Social Anxiety And Gaze Anxiety, Aaron Necaise
Perception Of Facial Expressions In Social Anxiety And Gaze Anxiety, Aaron Necaise
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
This study explores the relationship between gaze anxiety and the perception of facial expressions. The literature suggests that individuals experiencing Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) might have a fear of making direct eye contact, and that these individuals also demonstrate a hypervigilance towards the eye region. Some have suggested that this increased anxiety concerning eye contact might be related to the tendency of socially anxious individuals to mislabel emotion in the faces of onlookers. An improved understanding of the cognitive biases associated with SAD could lead to more efficient intervention and assessment methods. In the present study, I used the Depression …
Analysis Of The Pathomechanism And Treatment Of Migraines Related To The Role Of The Neuropeptide Cgrp, Marvi S. Qureshi
Analysis Of The Pathomechanism And Treatment Of Migraines Related To The Role Of The Neuropeptide Cgrp, Marvi S. Qureshi
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Migraines are a type of headache that specifically act on only one side of the head, although about 30% of patients with migraines may experience a bilateral headache. Migraines are brain disorders that typically involve issues of sensory processing taking place in the brainstem. Possible causation has been linked to blood vessels, blood flow, and oxygen levels in the brain. Migraines can be described in three phases, all of which have a common neuropeptide known as the calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP). CGRP increases in plasma have been linked to migraine headaches, and specific treatment plans have been tailored to …
Social Behavior In A Herd Of Captive Male Giraffes, Patrick Ziarnowski, Kaidi Fenrich
Social Behavior In A Herd Of Captive Male Giraffes, Patrick Ziarnowski, Kaidi Fenrich
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Giraffes (Giraffa spp.) are a common feature of zoological institutions, where conditions differ from those of the wild, a reality that may cause behavioral changes. A recent management technique has been to house all-male herds in zoos that have not been selected for giraffe breeding, with breeding confined to certain zoos. To date, no studies have looked at social behavior in captive herds comprised exclusively of males. In a herd of one adult (named Emba) and two subadult male giraffes (named Rafiki and Gage), the dominant adult giraffe, Emba, demonstrated sociosexual behavior—apparent courtship, investigation, and flehmen responses—almost exclusively …
The Legacy Of African Veterans Of World War Ii And Their Role In The Independence Movements Of The Mid–Century, Matthew Patsis
The Legacy Of African Veterans Of World War Ii And Their Role In The Independence Movements Of The Mid–Century, Matthew Patsis
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Throughout the First and Second World Wars, armies of African soldiers fought in defense of European interests, while being relegated to colonial status and making very little progress toward gaining independence of their own. The focus of this article is Léopold Senghor, the first president of independent Senegal, and the profound impact he had as a war veteran and member of the Tirailleurs Sénégalais (Senegalese Skirmishers) on independence movements in French West Africa. This essay will then examine the origins of post–war independence movements, the role that veterans like Senghor played in these movements, and the means by which they …
Preventing Introductions To Sustain Healthy Ecosystems: Establish Eradication Protocols For A Popular Aquarium Seaweed, Julie Deslauriers
Preventing Introductions To Sustain Healthy Ecosystems: Establish Eradication Protocols For A Popular Aquarium Seaweed, Julie Deslauriers
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Aquarium release, a vector that introduces non-native species, recently caused the costly invasion of the green macroalga (seaweed) Caulerpa taxifolia along the Californian, Mediterranean, and Australian coasts. C. taxifolia was classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as one of the world's 100 worst invasive species and cost California over $7 million to control with black tarps and chlorine bleach. Since the incident, educational efforts at conferences and conventions have influenced more than 50% of surveyed hobbyists to switch to another green macroalga, Chaetomorpha, as their primary alga in their saltwater tanks. C. taxifolia and Chaetomorpha …
The Impact Of Crown Conch On Intertidal Oyster Populations In Mosquito Lagoon, Casey Craig, Courtney Buck, Chelsea Landau, Jordan Filipponi
The Impact Of Crown Conch On Intertidal Oyster Populations In Mosquito Lagoon, Casey Craig, Courtney Buck, Chelsea Landau, Jordan Filipponi
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Commercial oyster harvesters in Florida have long complained that the Florida crown conch Melongena coronais in competition with them for harvestable-sized eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica). Harvesters also suggest that crown conch, rather than overharvesting, has led to a large decline in oyster populations. To determine the role of M. corona on oysters in Mosquito Lagoon, we must first better understand the biology and ecology of M. corona., and to comprehend crown conch biology in Mosquito Lagoon along the east coast of central Florida, we conducted a three-part experiment in Canaveral National Seashore (northern Mosquito Lagoon). Specifically, …
Perceived Locus Of Control In The Children Of Military And Civilian Families Affected By Deployment And Divorce, Rebekah Kanefsky
Perceived Locus Of Control In The Children Of Military And Civilian Families Affected By Deployment And Divorce, Rebekah Kanefsky
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
This study was designed to explore the differences between locus of control (LOC) in children from civilian and military families and to investigate whether military deployment is associated with an external locus of control. Existing literature has focused on the negative implications of external LOC for children's mental health and achievement. However, research regarding this construct related to children of military families has not been conducted. In the present study, LOC was measured by the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children, designed for individuals from the 3rd to the 12th grade. The 54 participants in this study ranged in …
Mexico In 1999: Taking Back The Unam, Jared Muha
Mexico In 1999: Taking Back The Unam, Jared Muha
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
In 1999, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) reversed course on its tradition of free education and installed a tuition requisite for attendance. In response, students launched a massive strike and eventually overturned the decision. This paper explores the possible role global institutions like the IMF may have played and argues that the strike was part of a broader movement against economic globalization. This paper places the student strike in its proper context and analyzes how students perceived their role in the strike.
Mathematical Modeling In Law And Political Science: Learning From Public Health, William Butler
Mathematical Modeling In Law And Political Science: Learning From Public Health, William Butler
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
This paper provides an overview of mathematical modeling in public health policy and recommends the teaching of mathematical models in other fields, like law and undergraduate political science studies. First, I describe various facets of public health in terms of their scope and goals. The complex nature of public health lends way to a description of mathematical modeling and the role it can serve. Various mathematical solution concepts are also provided, including the SIR model, reproductive number, and game theory. Finally, I explain why knowledge of simple models is beneficial for students in pre-professional programs in law and political science. …
Parks As Places Of Public Solace: The Perception Of Parks After 9/11, Ryan Hammond
Parks As Places Of Public Solace: The Perception Of Parks After 9/11, Ryan Hammond
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
This paper investigates the utilization and public perception of parks in New York City following the 9/11 attacks, using a quantitative content analysis of local newspapers published within a year of the attack, specifically looking for themes indicating how parks were perceived and used. My preliminary findings indicate that parks were frequently used for large gatherings and memorials, that people found solace in the parks themselves, and that communities either formed or strengthened through use of parks following the attacks. In conclusion, the creation and promotion of large common green areas in urban spaces may serve as a means of …
Small Mammal Response To The Gunnison's Prairie Dog Reintroduction, Melissa Ariella Paduani
Small Mammal Response To The Gunnison's Prairie Dog Reintroduction, Melissa Ariella Paduani
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
The Gunnison's Prairie Dog (GPD, Cynomys gunnisoni) is an herbivorous, burrowing rodent that was extirpated from the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in the 1930's by ranchers to make land available for grazing livestock. Currently, the GPD is the subject of a long-term reintroduction experiment overseen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The burrowing and feeding habits of the GPD influences an ecosystem's biotic and abiotic factors significantly, making this species a keystone ecosystem engineer that plays a vital role creating heterogeneous mosaics of habitat. Their presence is correlated with diverse biological communities and maintenance of grassland ecosystems. To better …
When Moms Say Bad Words: Family And Peer Influence On The Frequency Of Swearing, Emily Simpson, Joshua Duarte, Brianna Bishop
When Moms Say Bad Words: Family And Peer Influence On The Frequency Of Swearing, Emily Simpson, Joshua Duarte, Brianna Bishop
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Swearing is taboo in modern culture. Even though this habit is deemed negative, many people continue to swear frequently every day. The purpose of this study is to determine who exerts the most influence on one's swearing habits: one's family or one's peers? Seven hundred and sixty-three university students were asked via survey who (mother, father, siblings, friends, or peers) swore most frequently during their upbringing. These questions were compared through linear regression to measure participants' level of swearing. We anticipated that peers would have a more significant impact on one's swearing frequency. However, we found that an individual's mother …
The Self-Reference Effect, Emotion, And Self-Esteem, Analise Mcgreal
The Self-Reference Effect, Emotion, And Self-Esteem, Analise Mcgreal
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
This study examines the effect of emotionally-charged stimuli on surprise recall rates of self-referentially processed words. In a between-subjects experimental design, 101 undergraduate students from the University of Central Florida (UCF) were randomly assigned to one of three groups (positive words, negative words, or neutral words) and presented with a list of seven adjectives describing appearance (e.g. cute, appalling, tall); experimental procedures were carried out through the UCF Qualtrics online survey design platform. After self-referential processing, a significant difference between all three groups was demonstrated by completion of a one-way ANOVA, with recall rates decreasing from the neutral, to the …
Determining Tidal Elevations In Dry Elements Within A Coastal Salt Marsh Model, Martin Coleman
Determining Tidal Elevations In Dry Elements Within A Coastal Salt Marsh Model, Martin Coleman
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
An integrated hydrodynamic/marsh biomass model is a useful tool for analyzing multiple hydrologic activities on a shoreline. A key component of this type of model is the location of local tidal elevations. During astronomic tide simulations, nodes in the finite element mesh are either wet or dry. At nodes that are continuously wet during the simulation, tidal elevations are computed from ADCIRC-2DDI (ADvanced CIRCulation) output. In areas that are intermittently wetted, tidal constituents cannot be determined using ADCIRC because the drying of nodes leaves a gap in the water-level time series. The Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation method can be …
"Not To Die, But To Survive": The Construction Of Female Voice In Isabel Allende's The House Of The Spirits, Emily Thomson
"Not To Die, But To Survive": The Construction Of Female Voice In Isabel Allende's The House Of The Spirits, Emily Thomson
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Isabel Allende's debut novel The House of the Spirits follows three generations of a Chilean family, focusing primarily on the lives of the grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter. Living under a controlling patriarch and an oppressive government, these women strive to reclaim and maintain their identities in a world that denies and rejects their agency and experiences. This literary critical essay discusses the means through which Allende's characters, and Allende herself, create their own narratives: silence, speech, and writing. Through extensive close reading and analysis of Allende's text, I examine the individual and combined narratives constructed by these methods, and how …
The Effect Of Misogynistic Humor On Millenials' Perception Of Women, Natasha Vashist
The Effect Of Misogynistic Humor On Millenials' Perception Of Women, Natasha Vashist
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Humor is often a controversial genre of entertainment. It is not critically examined due to its intentionally offensive nature. This study examines the impact of sexist humor on millenials' perception of women. Students (n = 1,096) from a four-year university were divided into two groups and both participated in a survey examining attitudes toward women and media-viewing habits. One group was exposed to clips of sexist humor from television shows and the other was not. A series of analyses of variance (ANOVA) conducted on the two groups did not find significant differences between those who had viewed sexist clips and …
The Use Of Mobile Applications In Preventive Care And Health-Related Conditions: A Review Of The Literature, Naomi Ringer
The Use Of Mobile Applications In Preventive Care And Health-Related Conditions: A Review Of The Literature, Naomi Ringer
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
The purpose of this review of literature is to understand the role of mobile device applications (apps) in health-related conditions and to analyze their effects on health outcomes related to the management of chronic illnesses. The author also explores implications for the future use of apps in patient-centered care and interpretation of the data by health care providers. Peer-reviewed, English-language research articles published from 2008 to present are included for synthesis. Study results reveal positive outcomes when health-related mobile apps were used in practice and support clinicians' use of mobile apps as a tool for monitoring symptoms and communicating with …
Parentification In Deployed And Non-Deployed Military Families: A Preliminary Assessment, Taylor Truhan
Parentification In Deployed And Non-Deployed Military Families: A Preliminary Assessment, Taylor Truhan
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences in parentification in military families with a deployed parent and without a deployed parent. Parentification has been defined as a parent-child relationship in which the child is given roles and responsibilities that are inappropriate for the child's developmental level. Previous research has highlighted increased rates of parentification in situations involving parental absence or unavailability, such as divorce, parental illness, parental alcoholism, and domestic violence. This construct was assessed using the Parentification Questionnaire – Youth, a 20 item self-report survey for children and adolescents. Participants consisted of 22 children, ages 7-17, …
Teaching "Like A Girl": Student Reflection Of The Benefits And Challenges Of Feminist Pedagogy, Ashley Torres
Teaching "Like A Girl": Student Reflection Of The Benefits And Challenges Of Feminist Pedagogy, Ashley Torres
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Current unemployment rates, job market competition, and the thirst for the college experience has more millennials attending college than any other previous generation, but with the increase in university tuition and courses that feature both online and face-to-face segments for over-sized classrooms, approaches to teaching that keep students engaged can be challenging. Using my own personal reflection, anonymous midterm survey results, and Student Perception of Instruction survey results, the author analyzes the challenges and benefits of feminist pedagogy—a student-centered teaching method that focuses on student responsibility for learning, a decentralized classroom hierarchy, and strategies that promote self-reflection and participation—utilized in …
Positive Outcomes Of Divorce: A Multi-Method Study On The Effects Of Parental Divorce On Children, Grant W. Mohi
Positive Outcomes Of Divorce: A Multi-Method Study On The Effects Of Parental Divorce On Children, Grant W. Mohi
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Previous literature on parental divorce focuses on the negative effects it has on children and young adults in terms of relationships (romantic and familial) and academic standing. The implications of such research are that parental divorce brings harm to families and, consequentially, should be avoided for the sake of the children's wellbeing. What is often missing from this research is a focus on the potential positive outcomes of parental divorce. The current study explores the effects of parental divorce on young adults' ability to form and maintain romantic relationships, exploring the possibility for positive outcomes of parental divorce on young …
"On That Day We Will Be Free": Reflecting Women's Real Experiences In Joanna Russ's The Female Man And Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Victoria A. League
"On That Day We Will Be Free": Reflecting Women's Real Experiences In Joanna Russ's The Female Man And Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Victoria A. League
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
The feminist speculative fiction novels The Female Man (1975) by Joanna Russ and The Handmaid's Tale(1986) by Margaret Atwood mirror the real world by reflecting women's experiences. Speculative fiction, an umbrella genre that includes science fiction, fantasy, and magical realism, explores our world by discussing other worlds. Themes and events in each novel's fictional world reveal aspects of today's world, and the depictions and conditions of women in the novels illuminate heterosexist norms. Specific and clear parallels can be drawn between reality and these science fiction stories, showing that the novels critique and comment on our world's treatment of …
The Impact Of Culture On Students' Motivation To Acquire A Second Language, Irina Pidberejna
The Impact Of Culture On Students' Motivation To Acquire A Second Language, Irina Pidberejna
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
In accordance with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, goals for foreign language learning include communities, communication, comparisons, connections, and cultures. Each teaching goal is interlinked and serves an essential component in language development. However, culture has been largely limited by stereotypical biases, which misrepresent the culture studied, and the native culture's sociological roles and perceptions of that target culture. The experiments and theories of Vygotsky (1934; 1956), and Leontyev (1978) indicate that second language learning can reconstruct self-identity and redevelop behaviors appropriate to the second language's respective culture. Personal investment and openness to a foreign language …
The Efficacy Of Peer Presentations For English Language Learners, Courtney A. Roy
The Efficacy Of Peer Presentations For English Language Learners, Courtney A. Roy
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
This study investigates whether the instructional strategy of peer presentations positively influences English Language Learners' (ELLs') relationships with peers and their personal perspectives on their institution, the sciences, and public discourse. Data collection instruments included a pre- and post-sociometric survey to quantitate each classroom's social status, and a pre- and post-qualitative inquiry of appreciation concerning academic topics via oral interviews. Three ELLs from two learning environments participated in an eight-day intervention, comprised of 45-minute instructive sessions, to become proficient with an arrangement of scientific experiments. After the three ELLs presented these experiments to their classmates, analysis of pre- and post-sociometric …
Improving Community-Based Shoreline Erosion Stabilization Projects: Impacts Of Potential Nurse Plants On Red Mangrove Biomass Production And Survival, Paula Yespelkis, Melinda Donnelly
Improving Community-Based Shoreline Erosion Stabilization Projects: Impacts Of Potential Nurse Plants On Red Mangrove Biomass Production And Survival, Paula Yespelkis, Melinda Donnelly
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Mangrove communities provide habitat for many terrestrial and aquatic species and act as nurseries and breeding grounds for fish, crustaceans, and birds. They also protect coastal areas from erosion and storm events. However, globally 35% of mangrove habitat has been degraded or destroyed, making mangroves one of the most endangered ecosystems on earth. Thus, there is a demand for methods to restore mangrove habitats successfully. The red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) is often associated with other marsh plants. We investigated whether two marsh plants (Batis maritima, Sarcocornia perennis ) act as nurse plants and increase R. mangle success by altering seedling …
Intensive Land Use And Conservation Planning At The University Of Central Florida, Chelsea R. Piner
Intensive Land Use And Conservation Planning At The University Of Central Florida, Chelsea R. Piner
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Conservation strategies are necessary for cities to meet regional goals of sustainability, but commitments and collaborative efforts among influential stakeholders for economic and developmental growth frequently hinder conservation efforts. This study analyzes how planning documents influence conservation at the University of Central Florida (UCF). I use an inductive method of analysis to explore the stated conservation goals and commitments of UCF's Campus Master Plan. I then compare these objectives with the behaviors of the institution. This research indicates that the absence of collaborative efforts among agencies has resulted in UCF undermining its academic mission. Intensive land-use has sparked global environmental …
Defining Hybridity: Frantz Fanon And Post-Colonialism In Louise Erdrich's Shadow Tag, Scott Morrison
Defining Hybridity: Frantz Fanon And Post-Colonialism In Louise Erdrich's Shadow Tag, Scott Morrison
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
This essay focuses on issues of assimilation, identity, and hybridity as they apply to the Native American characters in Louise Erdrich's Shadow Tag. It interprets the stages of colonization, as proposed by Frantz Fanon, within the novel's storyline by focusing on the specific characterization of its three major characters: Irene, Gil, and Riel. These three characters metaphorically represent the players in a colonial system—the colonized subject, the colonizing force, and the generations of hybrids who result from colonization—in order to depict a truth about Native American identity in contemporary America. According to Fanon, the three phases of colonization are assimilation, …
An Analysis Of The Ecological Theory Of Research Participation Applied To A Sample Of Young Adult Males, Lisa M. Soler, Adriana Ramirez
An Analysis Of The Ecological Theory Of Research Participation Applied To A Sample Of Young Adult Males, Lisa M. Soler, Adriana Ramirez
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
Longitudinal research studies are consistently affected by attrition, which can undermine the validity and quality of the study results. Current practice has been to accept and compensate for participants' failure to complete the study, as opposed to making efforts to prevent such drop off prior to the study. The Ecological Theory of Research Participation (ETRP) describes factors within a study that contribute to attrition. Further, the model presents a participant-centered approach, composed of four layers, which provide strategies to incorporate into a study's design as preventative measures against attrition. This model prepares researchers to anticipate the reasons why attrition occurs …
The Influence Of Previous Traumatic Experiences On Haitian Child Refugees' Conceptualization Of Fear, Jessy Guler, Courtney Guler, Dr. Judit Szente
The Influence Of Previous Traumatic Experiences On Haitian Child Refugees' Conceptualization Of Fear, Jessy Guler, Courtney Guler, Dr. Judit Szente
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
This study investigates how children's experiences as Haitian refugees influence the development of atypical childhood fears. Eighteen child refugees were interviewed about their personal primary fear objects and their interpretation of fear in a series of drawing and picture observation exercises. Five of these eighteen children were Haitian refugees. Each of the refugee children had one adult representative who was interviewed about the child, the family's demographic information, and the child's previous traumatic experiences in his/her native country. The refugee children and their adult representatives' responses to the interview questions were coded and analyzed according to themes. Results suggest that …
The Role Of Parenting And Attachment In Identity Style Development, Kaylin Ratner
The Role Of Parenting And Attachment In Identity Style Development, Kaylin Ratner
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
The present study set investigates the role of the parent-child relationship in identity formation using a sample of 264 students collected from two high schools in the central Florida area. Maternal responsiveness fosters both the informational and normative identity style, as well as positive attachment. Such results suggest that a warm and loving maternal figure allows children to feel safe in their environment, which encourages exploration. Furthermore, positive attachment was found to significantly predict a normative identity style. Despite both responsiveness and attachment independently predicting a normative identity style, issues were raised in regards to multicollinearity of the variables utilized …
The Associations Among Maternal Resiliency, Perceptions Of Touch, And Reports Of Infant Touch, Lisa D'Agostino
The Associations Among Maternal Resiliency, Perceptions Of Touch, And Reports Of Infant Touch, Lisa D'Agostino
The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal
This research study measures how mothers perceive and use touch with their infants, and its association with maternal resiliency, a measure of coping ability. This is important because the inability to cope causes increased stress, which increases negative perceptions of life events, making it even more difficult to cope. In addition, research has yet to uncover whether resiliency is increased in mothers by the same touch and interactions that have been proven to enhance development, attachment, and resiliency in infants. This study asked participants (mothers of infants < 1 year of age) to complete demographic information and a survey composed of three questionnaires: the Mother-Infant Touch Survey, the Physical Contact Assessment, and the Resilience Scale. Although there were no statistically significant correlations among reported perceptions of touch, mother-infant touch, and maternal resiliency, some findings warrant further investigation. Hispanic mothers scored higher on the Resiliency Scale (RS-14) than Non-Hispanic mothers, and a linear trend was detected between mothers in the < 25 years of age group and higher scores on the RS- 14. These findings may influence future research on the correlations between mother-infant touch and maternal coping ability.