Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Life-Long Diminution Of Anxiety Response As A Consequence Of Reproductive Experience, Ilan M. Mcnamara

Master's Theses

Reproductive experience (RE), associated with hormonal fluctuations and enriching environmental stimuli, enhances spatial memory and blunts responses to stress/anxiety. Whereas stress reductions occur during lactation, the persistence of the RE-anxiolytic effects is unclear; and little research has focused on the HP A axis, amygdala, and other anxietyrelated areas. Using an elevated plus maze (EPM), we examined anxiety in nulliparous (NP), primiparous (PP), and multiparous (MP) females (zero, one, or two litters, respectively) at 6, 10, 14, 18, and 22 months of age. Brains were subsequently analyzed for neurodegeneration in dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). RE significantly dampened anxiety (defined by time …

The Relationship Between Age And Depression : A Self-Efficacy Model, Brandyn M. Street

Master's Theses

From an applied perspective, it is useful for clinicians and researchers to know what variables are more likely to be related to depressive symptoms for some groups than for others. From the social-cognitive perspective, symptoms of depression are linked to people's beliefs that they are unable to regulate or control their own functioning. The purpose of the present study was to test social cognitive theory and its claims about self efficacy by examining whether age and sex differences in depression are a function of emotion regulation, emotional self-efficacy and response styles to depression. The results indicated that females had a …

Valuing Servants Ends : A New Theory Of Ethical Service, Patricia Grace Devlin

Honors Theses

Many of today's universities encourage students to develop an ethic of service. Administrators, faculty, and staff members accompany students in campus-wide service activities; a number of collegiate honor societies reward students who engage in community service; and some academic programs require students to volunteer with local non-profit organizations. At its best, service learning inspires students to make a general commitment to service. The current emphasis placed on service learning in today's educational system reveals an emerging academic perspective not only on the value service has as an educational device but also on the significant role service plays in society. For …

Women Leaders Combining A Career In Higher Education With Raising A Family : A Study Of Leadership, Anne Simmons Williamson

Honors Theses

Much of the research within the field of Leadership Studies focuses on whether men and women lead differently and whether women can break "the glass ceiling." This study will examine women leaders in higher education administration who have children and have already broken the glass ceiling, focusing on their work-life challenges and analyzing the structural and attitudinal issues in their organization and society that impact their leadership.

Virginia Schein (1995) identified the larger challenge for society by asking,

How can we restructure work in a society in which work and family no longer are separate, but interface?...It is when this …

From Being To Doing : The Impact Of Modernization On Cultural Values, Cultural Conceptions Of Time, And Effective Leadership, Ryan S. Babiuch

Honors Theses

The foundational constructs of modernization and time conceptions are interdependent. First, I will illustrate and argue that an important relationship exists between modernization, cultural values shifts, and societal conceptions of time. In basic terms, the process of modernization and the motivations for development stimulate shifts in both cultural values and societal understandings·oftime. Second, expounding upon the relationship between modernization, cultural values, and societal conceptions of time, this project will create two different types of interpersonal cultural ethics: an "ethic of being" and an "ethic of doing." The implications of the differences between these two cultural ethics will be explored.

Foremost …

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind? : American Citizens And The Genocide In Rwanda, Colette T. Connor

Honors Theses

As citizens of the most powerful country in today's global world, Americans can no longer make the excuse, "out of sight, out of mind." Ten years ago Americans betrayed Rwandans. Their betrayal was mild yet widespread, but had repercussions of tremendous human cost. Each individual American most likely did not feel responsible for the genocide, but the collective outcome of their bystander behavior contributed to the world's inaction. This sad truth can serve as an inspiration: this does not have to happen next time, as American citizens have the agency to influence U.S. foreign policy decisions.

"Paper Sack Brown" : Effects Of Age, Skin Tone, And Stereotype Threat On Cognitive Performance And Self-Efficacy Among African Americans, Breonte Stephan Guy

Master's Theses

Divergent African American skin tones have led to negative stereotypes and outcomes regarding darker-skinned African Americans in many domains, including educational and occupational (Hill, 2002). This study assessed the effects of skin tone and stereotype threat (Steele and Aronson, 1995; Steele, 1997) on cognition in younger and older African Americans. A 2(Skin Tone: light, dark) X 2(Age: young, old) X 2(Stereotype Threat: Threat, Non-Threat) between subjects design was used. Seventy-four African American adults ranging in age from 18 to 86 years completed a battery of cognitive measures. Darker-skinned adults performed more poorly on three tests of intelligence, a paired-associates memory …

The Presence Of Pups After Birth : Effects On Spatial Memory And The Pre-Synaptic Protein Synaptophysin, Abbe Hoffman Macbeth

Master's Theses

A newly maternal rat goes through many changes when she gives birth, mostly due to prolonged elevation of hormones, particularly estrogen. Estrogen has been shown to increase memory capabilities by increasing synaptic activity in the CA1 hippocampus, but exactly how is still unknown. The current project uses reproductive experience to determine whether high hormone levels experienced during pregnancy and lactation affect spatial memory and synaptophysin, a pre-synaptic protein that controls vesicle exocytosis and thus may be responsible for enhanced synaptic connectivity. We found that reproduction itself does not affect memory of a spatial task, but the presence of pups has …

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor And Maternal Behavior : Neuronal Alterations In The Medial Preoptic Area And Suppression Of Pup Attacks, Lillian Flores Stevens

Master's Theses

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), by virtue of its relationship to various neurotransmitter systems, hormones, and to estrogen in particular, may play a role in maternal behavior. To explore this possible role, female virgin Sprague Dawley rats received continuous intracerebroventricular infusions ofBDNF sense oligonucleotide and were exposed to pups for maternal behavior testing. Behaviorally, BDNF sense had no effect on maternal behavior but did significantly suppress pup attacks during the first 24 hours of exposure. BDNF had a significant effect on neuronal morphology in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) as well, such that neurons in this region exposed to BDNF had …

The Ethics Of Service : A New Approach To Service Learning, Jonathan C. Zur

Honors Theses

The new model of service presented in this paper gives a framework for considering the possibilities for ethically grounded service. It does not solve al I of the problems with competing interests or tradeoffs in wellbeing, but is a solid foundation upon which many important discussions can be based. By examining the continuum of self-interest, the discussion of intent, preparedness, and outcome, and consideration for mandatory service, the paper has offered a comprehensive assessment of the ethics of service. The four parties - the volunteer, the client, the university, and the service site - have particular responsibilities to their own …

Trusting Organizations : Organizational Structure, Trust, And The Implications For Leaders, Jeremiah Robert Winters

Honors Theses

The religious context blurs vision and judgment when looking at issues related to matters that can be construed as theological matters. Religious issues are anchored deep inside individuals and the slightest challenge or questioning of an individuals beliefs brings about defensiveness. Long standing traditions are extremely difficult to change much less do way with. The structure of the two organizations clearly has an impact on the type and style of leadership practiced.

The Presbyterian Church structure, the denominational structure that places the power in the hands of the people was a direct response to the abuses found in the Catholic …

Leading A 'Torn Country' : Turkey's Ideological And Civilized Divide, Joshua Walker

Honors Theses

Turkey, since 1923, has proven to be a valuable case study in ideological and religious tensions and national identity crisis; however, with a newly elected government, Turkey appears ready to write a new chapter in its history. The complexity of the issues that exist within a modern state along with the diversity of traditional cultures and rich history of Turkey do not allow for a singular civilizational inclusion as Huntington advocates, nor a single ideological path to follow. The Kemalist heritage of this young country has presupposed the necessity for adopting modernity as defined by the West. but the tension …

A Blueprint For Environmental Sustainability Along The James River, Trevor S. Macdougall

Honors Theses

The paper is the result of a research project conducted through the University of Richmond, the desired end of which is to produce a Blueprint for Environmental Sustainability Along the James River, a document that provides guidelines for managing the urban riverfront in a sustainable fashion.

The first chapter is designed to outline the layout of this report. The subsequent literature review is divided into four chapters: The Ecological Model, An Overview of Sustainability, Sustainable Practices in Other Cities, and Richmond Development: Past and Present. The first pair of these chapters provide a general assessment of two important environmental paradigms, …

Reproductive Experience And Aging : Possible Neuroprotective Effects Of Motherhood, Jessica Dawn Gatewood

Master's Theses

Hormonal fluctuations associated with pregnancy and post partum periods create significant changes in the brain and behavior in female rats. Animals were tested in a land version of the Morris Water maze for three days at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. At the ages of 12, 18, and 24 months animals were also tested in the same maze using a reversal task. At the conclusion of the study brains were analyzed for Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) to determine the amount of neurodegeneration among the groups. Multiparous animals showed significantly superior performance , followed by primiparous animals, and nulliparous animals …

The Effects Of Childhood Social Competence On Young Adults Interpersonal Competence In Dyadic And Family Relations: An Exploratory Analysis, Gwen Renae Pursell

Master's Theses

The majority of peer relations research focuses on the short and long term effects of childhood peer rejection and aggression for development. The importance of social competence and more specifically, its long term effects on development have not been as thoroughly examined within the peer research. In this 20 year follow-up investigation, preadolescent social competence, peer rejection, and aggression scores were used to predict adult measures of dyadic adjustment, family environment, and family expressiveness. In addition, both preadolescent peer relation scores and concurrent adult dyadic and family scores were used to predict offspring emotion regulation abilities, internalizing and externalizing symptomatology, …

Context Effects And Lexical Ambiguity Processing: An Activation-Based Account, Frazier Orgain

Master's Theses

Many studies have been conducted to test the effects of ambiguous words in sentence processing. There are two views: the modularity hypothesis and the interactive hypothesis that dominate this field of study. The effect of ambiguity has been tested in many ways, including gating, cross-modal priming, naming, and self-paced reading. This utilizes the methods of self paced reading with lexical decision and naming tasks to examine the hypotheses as they relate to the access period of lexical differentiation. Results indicate that context has an immediate effect, after which participants look to other factors to discern meaning of a sentence. Details …

Working Memory In Schizophrenics And Older Adults : A Mediator For Episodic Memory Deficits?, Matthew W. Webster

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of working memory on episodic memory in older adults and adults with schizophrenia. This study included 15 adults with schizophrenia, 20 young adults without psychopathology, and 21 older adults without psychopathology. Storage working memory scores were greater than processing working memory scores in all groups. Young adults had the fewest problems with episodic and working memory, compared to older adults and adults with schizophrenia, who had similar deficits in both memory types. Speed of processing was found to be the greatest predictor of working memory capacity.

Parent-Child Attachment And Communication Quality As Indicators Of Psychological Adjustment : Preliminary Implications For Psychological Maltreatment Research, Sarah Kobielski

Master's Theses

This study examined the dynamics of the parent-child relationship by determining whether or not the quality of parent-child attachment and communication patterns are related to child endorsed adjustment outcomes. In addition, examination of the parentchild relationship is useful way to better understand the domain of psychological maltreatment, and likewise, attachment and communication quality are suggested to major contributing factors to the development of psychological maltreatment. 42 children completed the Parent-Adolescent Communication scale (PACS), the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), and the Emotional Symptoms Index (ESI). 22 parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Matson Evaluation of …

Group Polarization And Social Norms On Normative Body Weight Misperception And Eating Disordered Symptomology, Kelly Sears Cox

Master's Theses

Group polarization, social norms, and misperceptions of normative body weight were evaluated in sorority and non-sorority (comparison) undergraduate women at the University of Richmond. The participants completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, the Weight Locus of Control Scale, the Rosenburg Self-esteem Scale, the Multidimensional Body- Self Relations Questionnaire, and several self-report questions. Sorority and comparison participants significantly misperceived normative body weight. One sorority differed significantly from the other groups on misperception of normative body weight and the Eating Disorder Inventory-2. The comparison group had significantly lower scores than the three sororities on the Self-Esteem Scale. The four instruments did not significantly …

Alterations In Neurogenesis Following The Transition From Virgin To Maternal/Lactating Female, Elizabeth Amory

Master's Theses

The hippocampus displays hormone induced plasticity during estrus. Pregnancy, which exposes a female to a significantly longer duration of elevated estrogen and progesterone, results in even greater changes in neurons in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, with late-pregnant and lactating females displaying a significantly higher concentration of apical dendritic spines. Hippocampal astrocytes were increased in number and showed more and thicker processes in late-pregnant and lactating females. Such anatomical changes may also enhance spatial learning and memory. Changes in reproductive capacity may influence the rate at which new neurons are born, so called neurogenesis. In two experiments, neurogenesis in …

Reproductive Experience And Stress Responsiveness, Jennifer Elizabeth Wartella

Master's Theses

Hormonal fluctuations and maternal behavior associated with pregnancy and postpartum care of pups induce many changes in the female rat. Circulating hormonal surges during pregnancy modify the female brain in preparation for motherhood. Past studies identify the medial preoptic area, the hypothalamus and the basal forebrain as structures dense in hormonal receptors involved in controlling reproductive behavior. The hippocampus and amygdala possess many hormonal receptors. Neurons exposed to pregnancy hormones develop new synapses and increased spine density, changes reflected in behavioral preparations, such as nest building and increased foraging, for the new pups. Following the experience of birth, pup stimulation …

Attention, Memory, And Self-Efficacy Differences Between Adhd And Aging Individuals, Douglas Lee Welsh

Master's Theses

Attention and memory abilities decline with age. Although a similar pattern of attentional and memory decrement has been observed in individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), these two populations have never been directly compared. The present study examined performance on attention, self-efficacy (SE), and memory tasks by ADHD young adults and non-ADHD younger and older adults. ADHD adults displayed lower attentional SE than both non-ADHD younger and older adults, but performed comparably to older adults on an attention task on which non-ADHD younger adults outperformed both groups. ADHD adults and older adults had lower memory SE than non-AD HD …

The Clapham Sect : An Investigation Into The Effects Of Deep Faith In A Personal God On A Change Effort, Victoria Marple

Honors Theses

This study was undertaken primarily out of an apparent inability of leadership material to answer the question of "Why" in their studies of change efforts. Despite many scholarly materials on how societal alterations occurs and steps to make social action successful, little has been written regarding the internal influences on individuals involved in these efforts and on how these influences make the leader or group successful. This particular case study has been chosen because of its clear portrayal of various leadership theories including catalytic leadership, charismatic leadership and change theory. Moreover, writings about the Clapham Sect clearly evidence that the …

An Ethical Exploration Of Gender Inequality In Church Leadership, Elizabeth Rickert

Honors Theses

An Ethical Exploration of Gender Inequality in Church Leadership provides a moral analysis of the current status of women leaders in the church. Drawing on socio- analytical, ethical-theological, and leadership studies perspectives, this thesis sheds light on the disparity between the theological principles of equality and the ecclesiastical practices of inequality that create an unhealthy moral environment in churches.

Gender inequality in church leadership exists today in both the congregations permitting the ordination of women as well as in those that do not. This widespread discrepancy between rules and practices concerning women leaders in the church points to the socially …

Glial Cell Alterations In The Rat Medial Preoptic Area And Hippocampus As A Function Of Reproductive State, Gordon Wentworth Gifford

Master's Theses

Changes in reproductive state are accompanied by fluctuating levels of female gonadal hormones at higher levels and for longer periods of time than the normal estrus cycle. These hormones have been noted, in cell culture and over the regular estrus cycle, to influence structural changes in neurons and glial cells in areas of the brain associated with the conduct of maternal behavior. The purpose of this project was to characterize changes in GFAP immunoreactivity and astrocyte morphology in the mPOA and hippocampus as a function of reproductive state and female steroid hormone treatment. Results of this investigation noted an increases …

Modifications Of Nitric Oxide And Sexual Behavior In Prenatally Stressed Male Rats, Stephen D. Miller

Master's Theses

Normal male sexual differentiation is the culmination of perfectly timed, prenatal gonadal hormone release. Prenatal stress (PS) has a detrimental effect upon this process, obstructing the natural development of brain structures and sexual behavior. Prenatally-stressed male rats exhibit many physiological and neuroendocrinological differences when compared to control males. PS has a particularly harmful effect upon male sexual behavior, to which the neurotransmitter nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be intimately involved. The present experiment examined whether PS reduces nNOS, the rate limiting enzyme of NO, in the medial preoptic area (rnPOA) of male rats, and whether administration of the …

Community Service Day, Dotty J. Giordano, Ian F. Koffler

Honors Theses

There is a strong need for students at the University of Richmond to increase their involvement within the Richmond community, primarily in the area of service. This needed change in the relationship between the University and the city stems from an overwhelming concern expressed by Richmond students who do not feel as if they are connected to their surrounding community. One of the most dramatic ways to improve this relationship is to encourage college students to express themselves intellectually and socially through community service.

Today's society requires service from both leaders and followers of all ages. This focus of service …

The Active Architecture Of Mind : Dynamic Categorization During Metaphor Processing, James Hambrick

Master's Theses

Contemporary metaphor theory has moved away from consideration of metaphor as a similarity statement or comparison, and toward the idea that metaphor is a temporary or permanent extension of our taxonomy of concepts in long-term memory. However, this new emphasis has resulted in a divergent pattern of results in the literature. This research was designed to integrate that pattern by testing for the role of categorization in the comprehension of metaphor, and seeing whether multiple models were needed to explain that role. Experiment 1 failed to support access of metaphorical categories in the understanding of familiar metaphors. Experiment 2 found …

Leadership At 20 : Integrating New Materials Into The Current Foundations Of Leadership Course, Matt Constanzo, Kerry Mcgonigle

Honors Theses

Our project sought to integrate the Leadership at 20 text with current material in the Foundations of Leadership Studies course. In doing so we enhanced the students' perspective and understanding of leadership studies. To foster a smooth transition we have developed a teacher's manual that provide3s activities, which parallel the readings to ensure that these materials are used in an effective and efficient manner.

Promises Of The Patiarchy : A Study Of Leadership Within The Promise Keepers Movement, Daniel W. Beeman

Honors Theses

By looking at the roles that gender and faith play in an organization and their leadership, this paper will make a significant advance in leadership studies that is not overwhelmingly present. The field of leadership studies will be able to use this as a way to understand those two contexts in addition to being able to see one more way to look at the leadership of an entire movement.