Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Nonhuman Primate Model Of Anxiety-Induced Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism, J. Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the final report for the MEG Grant titled: A nonhuman primate model of anxiety-induced alcohol abuse and alcoholism. The formal phase of the project ran from June 1 through August 23, 2016, with the students learning how to safely work with their research subjects, joining a research team, and collecting their data. Following the formal phase, the students returned to BYU where they used the data they and the other students collected to write scientific manuscripts and posters to present their data. Eight students took part: Elizabeth Wood, Alexander Baxter, Natalie Lange, Travis Norseth, Esther Page, Spencer …

Enhancing Social, Emotional, And Language Learning In Children With Language Impairment, Bonnie Brinton, Phd, Martin Fujiki, Phd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

We were extremely grateful to receive a 2016-2018 Mentored Environment Grant. Our project was entitled Enhancing Social, Emotional, and Language Learning in Children with Language Impairment. The purpose of this project was to employ a multiple baseline, single subject design to investigate the efficacy of a social communication intervention designed to foster emotional and language learning simultaneously for children with developmental language disorders (language impairment). The treatment program was designed to be administered within the service delivery model (and constraints) of the public school system.

Dataset On Political Institutions In Authoritarian Regimes Around The Worlds, Joel Selway

Journal of Undergraduate Research

1. Evaluation of how well the academic objectives of the proposal were met

The Dataset was completed and two papers were produced. One has been sent out for review and the other presented at an annual political science conference.

A Blueprint Or Change: How Punk Music In Belfast Affects Activism Today, Hannah Williams, Jacob Hickman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Though art can be found in all walks of life, it lends itself particularly well to the expression of political frustration. During the deeply rooted religious conflict between Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland, commonly referred to as the Troubles, many artists and musicians used their creativity to speak out against the violence of the conflict. Born into a society of religious division and hatred, youths of the 1970s and 1980s often turned to the local punk music movement in order to bridge and speak out against the religious divide. Many believe this was critical to eventual peace in …

Analyzing A Corpus Of President Trump’S Public Statements To Reveal Possible Media Bias, Kevin Zalewski, William Eggington

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In recent years, America has become extremely politically divided. As political polarization has increased, so has distrust of the media, especially during President Trump’s current term of office. The Media Insights Project reports that “just 17 percent of Americans give the news media high marks for being ‘very accurate.’” In this partisan political landscape, it can be difficult to know where to turn for unbiased, unspun news coverage. Where can a person learn what the president has said on a given topic without some type of filter coloring the information? This possible bias is a problem that corpus linguistics can …

How To Get The Attention Of Government Officials: A Test Of The Effectiveness Of Social Proof Treatments, Aubriana Wolferts, Darren Hawkins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Social proof treatments—informing people about the behavior of their peers—have generally been shown effective in influencing subjects to engage in behavior due to a psychological desire to conform.1 Social proofs are more effective when they describe what peers typically do rather than what peers generally approve of, and when the social proof is more salient and closely related to the desired behavior.2

Funding American Democracy, Michael Barber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The academic objectives of the project were largely met. Students participated in a number of research projects from beginning to end. Two students were included as coauthors on papers that were eventually published in academic journals. Other students participated throughout the process as research assistants. They collected data from archival sources, scraped data from webpages, merged a variety of existing datasets using computer software programs, and conducted analysis of these data using statistical programs.

Multimodal Neuroimaging Of Insomnia During Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (Mni_Nrem), Daniel Kay

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The impact of insomnia on brain regions/networks during sleep may represent mechanisms through which insomnia contributes to the risk for mood disorders. As a first step toward understanding the risk relationship linking insomnia to mood disorders, this study will utilize functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with multimodal techniques to investigate alterations in brain regions and networks during wake and NREM sleep in patients with insomnia relative to good sleeper controls. We also intend to investigate the pathophysiology of insomnia across 8 units of analysis by combining these data with Dr. Kay’s larger study, the MNI_RDoC (IRB #16377). The units of …

Pathways To Success: Refugee Families Define Successful Resettlement Outcomes, Stacey Shaw

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Successful refugee adaptation to life in the United States (U.S.) has traditionally been measured in terms of economic self-sufficiency and English language acquisition. While these indicators may relate to independence and acculturation, major questions remain about how refugees fare in the U.S. Recent programmatic efforts incorporate attention to integration, wellbeing, empowerment, and mental health, but these concepts are not consistently defined or measured. This mixed methods study involved interviews with refugees who have been in the U.S. for at least 5 years, to examine which outcomes they consider key to their family’s successful adaptation to life in the U.S. BYU …

Do Support Groups For Medical Patients Reduce Risk For Mortality? A Meta-Analytic Review, Connor Workman, Dakota Jake, Daniel Rallison, Timothy Smith, Phd, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Phd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recent scientific findings show that loneliness is found among the highest predictors of mortality. This information could prove to be a major influence on future interventions for medical patients. However, the literature is inconclusive on how best to implement these findings in the real world. Given that research is limited, a meta-analysis of all appropriate scientific articles was performed to find how social support affected mortality in a medical setting.

Evaluation Of An Eeg Task For Detecting Latent Infections, Ryan Weels, Savanah Bishun, Bruce Brown

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Ultimately our goal is to develop methods for diagnosing neuropsychiatric illnesses through measurement and analysis of the electrophysiological stream of consciousness. In this project we test how well EEG adaptations of the Sternberg (1966) memory search task and the n-back cognitive task can discriminate between individuals who are positive for Herpes-simplex-1 and healthy controls.

The Effects Of Caffeine On Visual Attention In Caffeine-Naïve Participants, Eva Tveten, Steven Luke

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Controversy exists concerning the effects of caffeine on cognitive function. One of the greatest challenges in resolving this controversy stems from the fact that caffeine is the most widely used drug in the United States, consumed daily by a majority of the population. The frequent and widespread use of caffeine means that most research participants are already using it regularly. When this is the case, effects attributed to caffeine in studies can just as easily be explained by relief from withdrawals. What seems to be an improvement in cognitive function in participants who are given caffeine may simply be a …

Parent Entrance And Adolescent Outcomes Using Longitudinal Family Structure Data, Matthew Usevitch, Mikaela Dufur

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The effects that a parent entrance, such as the marriage of a single parent, has on child outcomes are currently not well documented. Since literature suggests that children living in single-parent families tend to have worse educational outcomes on average than children living in married-parent families, a logical hypothesis would be that a parent entrance would benefit children. Data from previous studies do not provide solid support for this hypothesis. Part of the reason for the variety of findings may be that there are opposing variables affecting children who experience this transition. An additional parent typically brings more economic resources …

Role Of Electrical Synapses In Dopamine Transmission In The Brain, Josh Nelson, Seth Stapley, Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Drug addiction has long been a major detriment to society. Its pervasive effects can tear apart the lives of addicted individuals. Many of these individuals go without seeking professional help. In 2015, 22.7 million Americans (8.6 percent) needed treatment for a problem related to drugs or alcohol, but only about 2.5 million people (0.9 percent) received treatment at a specialty facility. This may be due to inadequate treatment methods and therapies in use by professionals. The goal of this project is to better understand the mechanism of dopamine (DA) transmission in the brain in order to develop more effective treatment …

Fmri And Qeeg Imaging Of Auditory Function And Source Localization, David L. Mcpherson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of the MEG was to mentor students into an active research environment where new neuroimaging techniques were being developed and utilized to describe the auditory system. Approximately 18 undergraduate and graduate students participated in the project. In addition, approximately an additional 38 students were trained, by students from this MEG proposal, in this technique from Physiology and Developmental Biology and Psychology. Results helped define the role of the right hemisphere in language plasticity. Likewise, further protocol development and adjustments to the current protocol have been implemented.

Moral Transformation Of Religious Conflict: Believers & Bonfire In Belfast, Northern Ireland, Brinnan Schill, Jacob Hickman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project was to investigate the cultural and historical implications of contemporary religious changes among two case studies of millenarian movements, drawing specifically on ethnographic field research already conducted in a Hmong village in Northern Thailand, and continuing research on conflict transformation among the Protestant and Catholic communities of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Drawing from both written and visual ethnographic methodology, the aim of this project is to use the unique qualities of a visually supplemented narrative to illustrate and explicate how people within these millenarian movements interpret religious conflict as an “enchanted” (Gell 1994) narrative of persecution, …

Explaining Variation In Support For Refugees And Recent Immigrants In The United Kingdom, Katy Smith, Joshua Gubler

Journal of Undergraduate Research

On the heels of the Brexit vote and growing anxiety accompanied with leaving the European Union, immigration in the United Kingdom persists as a breaking point between native Britons, immigrants, and recent asylum seekers. To dispel the fervent animosity between these groups, humanization needs to occur in order for each party to see the others as their equal and develop long-term peaceful solutions. Decreasing ethnic conflict is often accomplished through increased positive interactions between groups. The perception is that many more refugees are being admitted into the country and yet most Brits are not acquainted with any. Introducing citizens to …

A Regional Party In Yorkshire?: The Proof Is In The Pudding, Elizabeth Whatcott, Dr. Joel Selway

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Within the United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have all gained regional assemblies which manage local affairs including health care, economic growth, education, and other services. However, the Parliament in Westminster has devolved few responsibilities to local authorities in England. Under the Blair premiership, the government began a process of referendums that would introduce regional assemblies into the Northern regions, but after the North East referendum rejected the proposal in 2004, the devolution process sputtered to a halt. However, regionalism may be gaining new life in England. The Yorkshire Party, a regionalist party that explicitly seeks a regional assembly …

Sex Differences In Ethanol Modulation Of Dopamine Release In The Mesolimbic Reward System, Mandy Parsons, Justin Bowman, Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alcohol abuse disorder is a ubiquitous problem affecting 15.1 million people in the United States, almost 10 million men and more than 15 million women (SAMHSA, 2015). The prevailing view of addiction, including alcohol addiction, is that an increase of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the nucleus accumbens within the brain has powerful rewarding effects. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effects of alcohol on dopamine release in female rats during the three phases of the estrus cycle in order to determine if alcohol is more rewarding at different points in the female hormone cycle.

Acute Ethanol Decreases Infiltration Of Macrophages Across The Blood-Brain Barrier, James Brundage, Jake Lattin, Dr. Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alcohol addiction affects the lives of millions of people worldwide. In the US alone, an estimated 28 million are currently undergoing treatment to recover from the effects of alcohol abuse at the cost of over 249 billion dollars. The disease has dire consequences for those affected, as well as their families and communities. Despite this, the mechanism of alcohol addiction formation remains a question. One prominent theory relies on the mesolimbic circuitry of the brain, commonly referred to as the reward circuit. This region is made up of two key brain regions, the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) and the Ventral Tegmental …

Oxytocin And Social Affiliation: A Study Of The Genetic Underpinnings Behind Social Behavior In Rhesus Macaques, Ryno Kruger, J. Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Studies suggest that social relationships play a critical role in physical and mental health1, with effect sizes similar to that seen for smoking and alcohol abuse. Those experiencing real or perceived social isolation show higher rates of mortality3, while those with stronger social relationships show decreased rates of mortality4. Also, genetic variation has been associated with the degree of individual sociability2. The serotonin (5-HT) and oxytocin (OT) systems are believed to influence social behavior6,2. The serotonin transporter (SERT) gene codes for efficiency of the serotonin system, with the long (L) allele associated with greater efficiency, when compared to the short …

Uncovering Reasons Behind Attrition: A Micronutrient Program Evaluation For A Global Nonprofit, Elizabeth Pulsipher, Savannah Henshaw, Dr. Scott Sanders

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Last summer, we conducted quantitative and qualitative research for an in-depth analysis of the attrition occurring in the Liahona Children’s Foundation’s program—a program attempting to alleviate child malnutrition in sixteen countries. Our findings draw upon five sources: 1) individual interviews we conducted with a randomized sample of Liahona Children’s Foundation program participants, 2) focus groups we led with all program coordinators in the Philippines, 3) our individual interviews with all program coordinators in the Urdaneta region, 4) a survey of program participants at the screenings, and 5) observations from program screenings and distributions. Upon returning home and receiving the ORCA …

The Impact Of Perceived Support On Multi-Cultural And International College Students In Utah, Erin Kaseda, Wendy Birmingham

Journal of Undergraduate Research

College is a time in which young adults face a large number of stressors, including academic adjustment, education and career planning, evolving family relationships, struggles with financial independence, dating and marriage, and exposure to new cultures and ideas.1 Previous studies have suggested that college students face high levels of stress, with 75% of college students reporting themselves as moderately stressed and 12% as highly stressed.2 Prolonged stress can have serious effects on both mental and physical health, including an increased likelihood of developing symptoms of depression and anxiety, decreased immune function, sleep disruption, poor cardiovascular health, increased body mass, and …

Attitudes Toward Economic Reform In Ukraine, Eliza Riley, Celeste Beesley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The transition from authoritarian, planned economies to democratic market economies is one of the most ambitious and momentous political-economic endeavors of the last century. As such, it is hardly surprising that the transition has been carried out with varying levels of success. Previous literature has examined features of the reforms (i.e. gradualism vs. shock therapy) or external monitoring, support and incentives (such as was available for aspiring EU members) as determinants of the probability of successful reform. This thesis contributes to our understanding of how public attitudes and beliefs about economic reforms may be a factor in the stalled or …

Improving The Bureaucracy: What Leads Government Officials To Use Evidence-Based Reports?, Nick Moffit, Darren Hawkins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many academics and government officials promote the use of scientifically rigorous policy evaluations, yet studies show that most practitioners seldom employ such evaluations, despite a growing body of policy-relevant academic literature. This represents a fundamental flaw of delegation, as citizens prefer the most efficient provision of public goods, but government officials fail to use available information to improve policy outcomes. This study examines how screening and monitoring of government officials are associated with practitioner engagement in academic research.

Bridge-Building: Effects Of Humanization In Conflict Resolution, Haley Petersen, Chris Karpowitz

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Conflict resolution is a popular topic among political scientists, as seen in the study of controlled communication, concession-making, self-perceived victimhood, and threat perception. Previous work has shown that humanization between in-conflict groups is primarily successful when the expression of empathy is unrelated to the conflict itself and catalyzes “reciprocal empathy,” creating a more humanized perspective of the group as a whole (Gubler et al. 2015). While social psychologists and political scientists have shown how humanization can create empathy (Gubler et al. 2015), none had studied how humanization affects the shared choice set of policies for conflict resolution nor had anyone …

How Endorser Gender Affects Candidate Electability, Miranda Hatch, Connor Kreutz, Jessica Preece

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Across the world, and especially in the United States of America, women are severely underrepresented in government. Although most Americans claim to see men and women as equals, covert and unintentional sexism still permeates the political decisions they make1.One consequence of this inadvertent sexism is the common perception that women are typically seen as less authoritative than men when it comes to politics. One way that this authority can be seen in politics is through endorsements given about candidates2.

Nabataean Painted Pottery Wares: Core Vs. Periphery, Shawn Hall, David Johnson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Nabataeans were an ancient civilization contemporary with the Romans who, through trading, where able to exhort influence over a large portion of the Middle East. Their capital of Petra is well-studied many of the cities on the outskirts of the Nabataean kingdom have just recently been studied more in-depth. Hegra, located in the northern part of modern-day Saudi Arabia, is one of such cities located in the south of the Nabataean kingdom. By studying the different motifs found on Nabataean painted pottery found in both Petra and Hegra, we have come to understand the relationship that the capital and …

The Long Run Economic Effects Of The Dustbowl Migration, Julie Hollenbaugh, Joseph Price

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In this project we explore the long-run economic effects of the dustbowl migration on children in families that moved out of the Oklahoma dustbowl region in the 1930’s relative to children in families that stayed in the region. My primary contribution to this ongoing analysis was the creation of a data set that links individuals across the 1930 and 1940 federal censuses. This allows us to determine which children moved away from the dustbowl region and which stayed, and compare characteristics across the two groups.

Impact Of A Psychology Of Gender Course On Student Attitudes, Charles Dale Flint, Emily Darowski

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Ambivalent sexism is present in U.S. university students (Chrisler, Gorman, Marvan, & Johnston-Robledo, 2013) and is a combination of both hostile sexism (a direct antipathy towards woman) and benevolent sexism (seemingly positive beliefs and actions based on gender stereotypes; Glick & Fiske, 1996). Ambivalent sexism is associated with justifying sexual assault and placing blame on victims (Koepke, Eyssel, & Bhoner, 2014). Similarly, high levels of sexual prejudice, or negative attitudes towards others based on sexual orientation, and rigid views of masculine gender roles, are associated with increased aggression and anger towards members of the LGBTQ+ community, hate crimes, and other …