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Articles 61 - 86 of 86
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Modeling Political Improvement Through Statistical Analysis Of New Zealand’S Youth, Abigail Norton, Steve Thomsen
Modeling Political Improvement Through Statistical Analysis Of New Zealand’S Youth, Abigail Norton, Steve Thomsen
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Some things look better on paper than in person. Prior to my three-month stay in New Zealand, I wrongly assumed that the country’s history of economic success and involved voters would translate to somewhere without conflict. What I found is a country riddled with problems.
Preserving A Sinking Culture: An Investigative Report On The Kiribati Community In New Zealand And Fiji, Ryan Turner, Steven Thomsen
Preserving A Sinking Culture: An Investigative Report On The Kiribati Community In New Zealand And Fiji, Ryan Turner, Steven Thomsen
Journal of Undergraduate Research
For thousands of years the peoples of the Pacific have been a people of exploration and travel. However, with the small country of Kiribati its people are now traveling to escape climate change and overpopulation¹. With such a small population at risk of relocating to another country its culture is at a severe risk of disappearing. With good sized populations of Kiribati immigrants already living in Fiji and New Zealand for several decades we can see how well that culture has survived in foreign countries. This research was looking for mixed results: on how Kiribati sees climate change and how …
The Working Lds Mother: A Cultural Anomaly, Erica Palmer, Quint Randle
The Working Lds Mother: A Cultural Anomaly, Erica Palmer, Quint Randle
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The week after I graduated with my bachelor’s degree I gave birth to my first child. The idea of being a stay-at-home mom (SAHM) appealed to me, but I wasn’t ready to give up my professional goals and aspirations to be a SAHM just because that is the typical path of the LDS woman. Amid the rise in feminism and push for women to break away from traditional roles and achieve more in the workplace, and the LDS Church’s increased emphasis on the divinity of the family and motherhood, I knew I couldn’t be the only young LDS woman seeking …
Integration Of Microsimulation Model Into Dynamic Scoring Model, Christ Rytting, Richard Evans
Integration Of Microsimulation Model Into Dynamic Scoring Model, Christ Rytting, Richard Evans
Journal of Undergraduate Research
We integrated individual tax rates produced by a microsimulation tax policy model with a dynamic general equilibrium tax policy model. We can use this to conduct macroeconomic analysis or score hypothetical tax policies. This approach captures the rich heterogeneity, realistic demographics, and tax-code nuance of the microsimulation model and includes this nuance to increase the accuracy of a general equilibrium model with an elevated level of heterogeneity. Furthermore, we derive a functional form which suggests that tax rates depend both on capital income and labor income. Applying this approach to a canonical example of tax policy change—a cut of 10% …
Mother-Infant Rhesus Macaques, Serotonin And The Serotonin Transporter Gene, Jenna Jackson, Dr. James Dee Higley
Mother-Infant Rhesus Macaques, Serotonin And The Serotonin Transporter Gene, Jenna Jackson, Dr. James Dee Higley
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The primary purpose of this project is to assess how a mother’s genotype sets the environment for the infants’ genotype to react in a gene by environment interaction, which affects the infants’ serotonin functioning. In order to effectively study a gene by environment interaction, extensive control over the environment is needed, and rhesus macaque monkeys were used as subjects.
Discovery Of The Oxytocin Receptor Gene In Titi Monkeys, Esther Page, James Dee Higley
Discovery Of The Oxytocin Receptor Gene In Titi Monkeys, Esther Page, James Dee Higley
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Titi monkeys, are a new world monogamous nonhuman primate that bonds for life. Their monogamous nature makes them an ideal model for studying parenting behavior as well as social partner relationships (i.e., husband and wife). Non-human primates are comparable to humans genetically and, perhaps as a consequence of their genetic similarities, they show many behavioral parallels (Bales et al., 2007). Studies in humans show that variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR1) impacts the strength and type of a mother-infant relationship (Bakermans-Kranenburg & van IJzendoorn, 2008; Carter, 1992). While the OXTR1 has been found in a number of nonhuman primates …
Fast Food, Slow Brain: The Effect Of Diet On Brain Volume, Kayla Alder, Dr. Brock Kirwan
Fast Food, Slow Brain: The Effect Of Diet On Brain Volume, Kayla Alder, Dr. Brock Kirwan
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The hippocampus is a brain structure in the medial temporal lobe that mediates the encoding of sensory information into long-term memory (Squire, Clark, & Stark, 2004). Studies have found a relationship between the volume of the hippocampus and behavioral memory tests; that is, the smaller the volume of the hippocampus, the less accurate the performance on memory tests (Rajah, Kromas, Han, & Jens, 2010). Previous research also demonstrates that a high fat and sugar (HFS) diet impairs the hippocampus and affects memory (Francis & Stevenson, 2011).
Transnationalism And Civic Engagement: An Ethnographic Study Of The Hmong Diaspora In France, Jacob Hickman
Transnationalism And Civic Engagement: An Ethnographic Study Of The Hmong Diaspora In France, Jacob Hickman
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Hmong are an ethnic minority group from southeast Asia who were displaced as refugees after the Second Indochina War. Before the war, Hmong lived in kinship-based, highland, semi-nomadic, subsistence-based farming communities. In these traditional villages, Hmong developed various means of social mediation and problem solving based on hierarchies of kinship and village or clan leadership. As they have been displaced to locations like the United States and France, however, legal structures of these new communities have challenged traditional structures of authority.
The Effect Of The Nsf Grant On Future Academic And Career Outcomes, Tanner Eastmond, Dr. Joseph Price
The Effect Of The Nsf Grant On Future Academic And Career Outcomes, Tanner Eastmond, Dr. Joseph Price
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 with the stated mission “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare.” This institution supports scientific research in various scientific fields primarily by funding promising research and researchers. Our investigation focused on the NSF grant for prospective graduate students in the field of economics. Specifically, we examine those who won the award and those who received an ‘honorable mention’. The applicants who only received an ‘honorable mention’, have very similar qualifications to those who were offered the grant. The …
Phd’S, Professionalism, And Public Office: The Effeect Of Education And Professional Experience On Effectiveness In The U.S. House Of Representatives, Mckenna Westra, Jay Goodliffe
Phd’S, Professionalism, And Public Office: The Effeect Of Education And Professional Experience On Effectiveness In The U.S. House Of Representatives, Mckenna Westra, Jay Goodliffe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
We commonly attribute advanced levels of education with increased skill and capabilities. While the theory backing this assumption has been proven to be true in a variety of applications, often times the trend can unintentionally be extrapolated to other areas. As voters, we are inclined to view candidates with higher or more prestigious education as more experienced than other candidates. I will study the effects that professional and educational backgrounds have on legislators’ performance in office. If the assumption holds true that those with more education are better qualified, then these individuals should remain in office for more terms, should …
The Rise Of The Small Super Donor & The Looming Transformation Of Political Influence, Dustin Phelps, Jay Goodliffe
The Rise Of The Small Super Donor & The Looming Transformation Of Political Influence, Dustin Phelps, Jay Goodliffe
Journal of Undergraduate Research
In light of ongoing controversy over Super PACS, I chose to study how small donors might offset the disproportionate influence that the wealthy have traditionally maintained in the American campaign finance system. The dramatic rise of small donors in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 presidential elections heralds a democratic force that could theoretically balance the donor landscape in unprecedented ways.1 Since small donors are much more representative of the general population than the traditional wealthy donor, a strong enough presence of small donors could potentially close America’s political influence gap.2
Hungry, Homeless, And Hopeless: The Injustices Of The China Hukou Registration System, Lauren Barden, Celeste Beesley
Hungry, Homeless, And Hopeless: The Injustices Of The China Hukou Registration System, Lauren Barden, Celeste Beesley
Journal of Undergraduate Research
This study analyzes the destructive social and economic consequences of the Chinese hukou registration system through quantitative analysis of the inequality gap between rural-urban migrants and urbanites in Chinese cities between 1995-2002. By performing statistical tests on individual-level survey data, this paper documents the economic gap between urban hukou holders and non-urban hukou holders in 1995. It also shows that rural-urban migrant inequality has not increased between 1995 and 2002, and that the costs of migrating to the cities under a rural hukou were less in 2002 than previously. However, results also confirmed that the hukou policy significantly restricted the …
Domestic Violence And Marital Homogamy, Carly Landgrave, Renata Forste
Domestic Violence And Marital Homogamy, Carly Landgrave, Renata Forste
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Introduction: Domestic violence is one of the most pressing global human rights issues of the 21st century. It is estimated that roughly half of the women killed globally in 2012 were killed by intimate partners or family members (U.N. Facts and Figures, 2012). In 2014, three in ten women in Egypt reported that they had experienced domestic violence during their lifetime and almost onefifth reported that they were the target of an episode of spousal violence in the past twelve months. More than one third of these women experiencing spousal physical or sexual violence were injured as a result …
Family Structures In Japan And Korea: How Are Children Affected?, Jennifer Burdge, Kristie Rowley
Family Structures In Japan And Korea: How Are Children Affected?, Jennifer Burdge, Kristie Rowley
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Recently, Japan and Korea have experienced increased strain in their society. In Japan, citizens ranging from ages 55 to 64 years make up 38.3 percent of the population, and those 65 years and over account for 24.8 percent of the population. This means those that are 55 years old or more make up over 52 percent of the entire population (“East & Southeast,” 2013). Due to the aging population, and declining birth rates, there is much pressure put upon adults, young adults, and youth. This pressure has dramatically changed marriage and divorce rates, education attainment, and employment, which all impact …
The Challenges And Solutions Of Online Surveys, Rachel Cannon, Amanda Loh, Dan Dewey
The Challenges And Solutions Of Online Surveys, Rachel Cannon, Amanda Loh, Dan Dewey
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Surveys are a valuable tool in research. However, there is currently no place where researchers can find compiled information about the challenges of online surveys and their corresponding solutions. Research publications typically address a specific single issue, and these articles are published in a wide range of journals, making it difficult to access various findings. Our findings, which we presented as a work in progress at the Georgetown University Round Table (GURT) 2016 conference, provide a useful source that researchers can use to easily learn about the challenges of online surveys and the solutions to these challenges, helping them to …
Strength-Based Assessment For Children With Autism And Related With Disabilities In Kosovo, Ari Kokol, Blake Hansen
Strength-Based Assessment For Children With Autism And Related With Disabilities In Kosovo, Ari Kokol, Blake Hansen
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Kosovo was a focal point of conflict in the wars in Yugoslavia in the late 1990s. In 2008, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia leaving Kosovo partially recognized as an independent state today. Due to the combination of war, ethnic conflict, and poverty, Kosovo has been left with little resources available to meet the needs of parents and educators. Caring for children with these types of disabilities puts a heavy strain on Kosovar Families. “For parents of children with autism, identifying positive characteristics of the child and the relationship may be particularly beneficial because the stressors associated with the disability are …
Mongolian Vowel Harmony And Palatalization, Joshua Sims, Dirk Elzinga
Mongolian Vowel Harmony And Palatalization, Joshua Sims, Dirk Elzinga
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The Mongolian language is spoken by approximately 3,000,000 people in the East Asian nation of Mongolia. The language exhibits vowel harmony, a rare phenomenon where the vowels in a single word must belong to matching categories. Mongolian grammars traditionally classify the seven vowels as either “male” or “female,” as well as rounded or unrounded. The “male” vowels are pronounced with a retracted tongue root (RTR), sounding “darker,” while “female” vowels are pronounced with an advanced tongue root (ATR), sounding “lighter.” The vowel /i/ is considered neutral, neither male nor female, but its presence tends to change the pronunciation of male …
Western Philosophy For A New Generation, Sondra Sasser, Dennis Packard
Western Philosophy For A New Generation, Sondra Sasser, Dennis Packard
Journal of Undergraduate Research
As planned, Dr. Packard and I finished researching and writing our textbook, Western Philosophy for a New Generation. We are still editing some things and getting advice from other academics, but we deem the book to be a great success, and so do the classes who have used it for two semesters at BYU. Students who were initially uninterested in philosophy made comments like, “I finally understand what before was totally unintelligible,” and “Now I see how it could be valuable for me.”
Domain Adaptation In Machine Translation, Joshua Mathias, Deryle Lonsdale
Domain Adaptation In Machine Translation, Joshua Mathias, Deryle Lonsdale
Journal of Undergraduate Research
This study uses an open source statistical machine translation system (Moses) to perform machine translation for specific domains, or text types. A machine translation system can be adapted to a specific domain by using training data from the same domain. In this work we show significant improvements for machine translation by training for specific domains and compare the effectiveness of using training data in each of these domains. We also evaluate the effectiveness of different amounts of training data and combining data from different domains.
Will We Let A Language Die?, Joseph Heath, William Eggington
Will We Let A Language Die?, Joseph Heath, William Eggington
Journal of Undergraduate Research
My project examined efforts to maintain the Rusyn language (also known as Ruthenian ). Rusyn is spoken by 50,000 people living primarily in Slovakia and Ukraine. Unless protected, this language may go extinct within several generations. It is one of over 100 languages in Central and Eastern Europe that have received “threatened” or “endangered” status. Globalization threatens the existence of cultures lacking nationstates, and my professional aim is to assist in the preservation of some of these cultures and their languages.
Cerebral Lateralization Of Second Language, Emily Peterson, Gregory A. Thompson
Cerebral Lateralization Of Second Language, Emily Peterson, Gregory A. Thompson
Journal of Undergraduate Research
It has been generally accepted that language shows left-hemisphere dominance in right-handed monolinguals. In contrast, current models of L2 lateralization reveal no such consensus. Some studies (Galloway and Scarcella 1982; Gordon and Zatorre 1981; Paradis 1992) have either found no evidence supporting increased right hemisphere involvement in L2 processing or indicated that bilinguals’ L2 is not any more bilaterally organized than their L1. Other studies (Ke 1992; Hoosain and Shiu 1989; Jia et. al. 2013) have shown the opposite, finding that the L2 is significantly less left-lateralized. Still other studies have suggested that there is simply too much inter-individual variation …
Relationship Quality As A Predictor Of Eating Disorder Symptoms And Body Image Perception In Women, Jordan Sgro, Dr. Wendy Birmingham
Relationship Quality As A Predictor Of Eating Disorder Symptoms And Body Image Perception In Women, Jordan Sgro, Dr. Wendy Birmingham
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Eating Disorders (ED) are recognized as an important cause of morbidity and mortality in adolescents and adults and are much more common in women than in men. Women may exhibit ED symptoms but not be clinically diagnosed. Research has shown that individuals who exhibit sub-clinical eating disorder symptoms may eventually develop full syndrome. Thus, sub-threshold ED women are at increased risk but remain undiagnosed. Our culture often values women for their appearance, and this message is continually sent via media and other social institutions (e.g., religion), but having a supportive spouse can help buffer the negative messages women receive. While …
Early Exposure To Expository Texts: Administering The Eeca-R2 To Preschoolers, Annika Stark, Barbara Culatta
Early Exposure To Expository Texts: Administering The Eeca-R2 To Preschoolers, Annika Stark, Barbara Culatta
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Children are exposed to a variety of narrative texts from a young age. However, young children are not given this same amount of exposure to expository texts. Expository texts inform and describe as they expose a child to factual information. There is a current need in early childhood education for an assessment tool that helps teachers gauge young students’ expository text comprehension skills. In 2005, Dr. Kendra Hall-Kenyon, Dr. Janet Markham, and Dr. Barbara Culatta collaborated to develop an assessment tool to address this problem. The tool was titled the Early Expository Comprehension Assessment (EECA) and was found to be …
Understanding Utah’S Water Resources Through The Red Canyon Bristlecone Pine Tree, Shawn Wortham, Matthew Bekker
Understanding Utah’S Water Resources Through The Red Canyon Bristlecone Pine Tree, Shawn Wortham, Matthew Bekker
Journal of Undergraduate Research
The purpose of this research project is to properly cross date samples of the Bristlecone Pine Tree in order to learn more of the past, present, and future of Utah’s Water Resources. Under the mentorship of Dr. Bekker, we will take both living and dead cross sections of the Bristlecone Pine Trees found in Red Canyon, UT and add them to a tree ring database with hundreds of other samples. This will build a master chronology of tree ring measurements to help our team to discover more about the water supply for Utah.
Communication Patterns, Spousal Influence, Relationship Quality, And Genetic Testing In Regards To Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Kaitlynn Wright, Wendy C. Birmingham
Communication Patterns, Spousal Influence, Relationship Quality, And Genetic Testing In Regards To Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Kaitlynn Wright, Wendy C. Birmingham
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancer types in the United States. Having CRC in one’s family history is one of the strongest risk factors for this cancer, suggesting a genetic influence in developing CRC. While this cancer can be deadly, many steps can be taken to reduce one’s risk of getting CRC by making healthy lifestyle choices such as improving one’s diet, maintaining a healthy BMI, and engaging in an exercise regimen. Receiving CRC screening is a highly effective method for reducing one’s risk for the disease, however many with CRC in their family histories do …
Re-Ordering Utterances Using Transition Probabilities Among Randomly Assigned Grammatical Tags, Emily Duncan, Ron Channell
Re-Ordering Utterances Using Transition Probabilities Among Randomly Assigned Grammatical Tags, Emily Duncan, Ron Channell
Journal of Undergraduate Research
It was our desire to investigate further, using a computer model, how children acquire language. Specifically, we decided to investigate how children learn how to arrange grammatical tags (i.e. grammatical categories: verb, adjective, etc.) into the proper order. Originally, we were going to investigate how an evolutionary algorithm could improve the degree of accuracy in re-ordering grammatical tags. However, we decided to branch off of a previous study to gain a better understanding of the potential of a computer model to re-order the grammatical tags with just the tag transition probabilities. In her thesis last year, Katie Shaw Walker, a …