Digital Commons Network^™

I Lost My Number, Can I Have Yours? Body Image Satisfaction With Sexually Dimorphic Traits Is Associated With Men's Dating Anxiety And Confidence, David A. Frederick, Tania A. Reynolds, Nikoline L. Smart, Justin R. Garcia, David A. Puts

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Evolutionary scientists posit that sexual selection processes caused males to develop sexually dimorphic traits to aid them during intrasexual competition and increase their likelihood of being chosen as mates. Evolutionary social sciences have extensively examined women's preferences for traits such as muscle mass and voice pitch, reasoning that these traits serve as cues of men's ability to provide direct benefits (e.g., resources) and indirect (genetic) benefits passed on to offspring. At the same time, body image researchers have extensively focused on the social causes and consequences of men's dissatisfaction with their muscularity and body fat. We connected these two research …

Soma: Exploring Touch As Performance And Performance As Therapy, Erica Pamson

Expressive Therapies Theses

This project investigated the role of touch within a performative context and its potential as a creative intervention within Expressive Arts Therapy. Grounded in phenomenology and intersubjectivity, the study draws on Expressive Arts Therapy (EXAT) and Performance Art frameworks that position meaning as emerging through embodied, co-created experience. Existing literature identifies touch as a primary mode of perception and communication, essential to both physical and emotional well-being, while also noting its increasing absence and regulation within contemporary Western culture. Performance art literature further highlights the body as both medium and site of relational exchange, often dissolving boundaries between performer and …

Neurodiversity In The Workplace: Organizational Approaches To Supporting Neurodiverse Employees, Madison Vasquez

M.S. in Leadership

Despite growing conversation around neurodiversity in the workplace, many organizations lack clear understanding and structured strategies to support neurodivergent employees. This study examines existing research on how organizations can more effectively support neurodiverse employees across the employee lifecycle. Using a qualitative literature review, this study addresses the research question by examining literature on neurodiversity within workplace contexts. This includes investigating common representations of neurodiversity and reviewing the strengths and challenges of neurodiverse individuals, including those who have autism, ADHD, and other forms of neurodivergence. The study also reviews workplace barriers, support strategies, and organizational outcomes identified across the literature. Key …

Exploring Identity Through Clay: A Humanistic Art Therapy Case Study With A Blind Chinese Adoptee, Virginia Jade Leicht

Expressive Therapies Theses

This qualitative case study explored how working with clay in art therapy can help support a blind man’s identity exploration. This paper addresses the problem of many traditional therapeutic approaches within the art therapy realm: They rely too heavily on visual engagement, which can limit the accessibility and opportunities for self-exploration and identity development for those who are blind. The study was grounded in current research and foundational theories based on the humanistic art therapy approach. Clay is considered an accessible medium that engages multiple senses and allows for emotional exploration and meaning making, specifically through tactile and sensory-based engagement …

Returning To Play: Play-Centered Art Therapy With Parentified Adult Caregivers, Paola Andrea Mendez Carreno

Expressive Therapies Theses

This research investigates the impact of play-centered art therapy on parentified adult caregivers, focusing on how creative interventions utilizing elements of play can support identity development, self-compassion, and relational capacity. The literature indicates that childhood parentification leads to identity loss and burnout, but creative play can foster neuroplasticity and emotional processing by allowing adults to externalize harmful narratives that have been internalized. To explore these concepts, the author conducted four sessions over six weeks with an adult participant at a private outpatient practice in Massachusetts. Play-centered activities included free collaging, puppet-making, and clay modeling, often involving moments of parallel play …

Exam Approach Impacts On Test Anxiety And Motivational Outcomes, Makenna Lynn Frias

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

In science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields students are facing exams with record high rates of worry and discomfort, this is known as test anxiety (Rajiah, et al., 2014). Factors such as self-concept (Simpkins et al., 2006) and views of control (Levenson, 1974) are negatively affected by examinations (the terms ‘exam’ and ‘test’ will be used interchangeably) (Spielberger, 1980). A student’s fear of failure, or how the students perceive setbacks or challenges, impacts and is impacted by test anxiety (Henry et al., 2021; Conroy, et al., 2002). Being established by the professor, the exam approach is beyond a student’s …

Exploring The Role Of Online Spaces In Understanding Young Adult Mental Health Attitudes: Internalizes Stigma, Help Seeking Behaviors, And Mental Health Centered Content, Harley Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Mental Health is an ever-rising concern in the United States, with many people experiencing some form of mental health concerns. One new tool used to fight the mental health crisis has been online content on social media sites. Few studies have been done to see the actual effect of the rise of mental health content and terminology used online, especially through the lens of those who have lived experience. We conducted an online survey via Prolific to gather quantitative and qualitative data from 287 young adults in the United States, ages 18-25, to examine their exposure to mental health content, …

Exploring The Experiences Of Adult Children Of Parents With Addiction: A Qualitative Support Group Approach, Brooke Stanton

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Adult children of parents with addiction often grow up having to navigate emotional instability, inconsistent caregiving, and long-term relational impacts that continue into adulthood. Many individuals report limited access to supportive care and spaces where they can share their stories. This capstone project addresses the gap by designing and facilitating a support group specifically for adult children of parents to build connection and healing. Through this qualitative study, participant feedback, and analysis, this project examines how structured peer support can create meaningful change for this population. The following paper outlines the development of the group, the theoretical foundations that guided …

Supporting An Inclusive Summer Camp For Children With Developmental Disabilities Who Use Aac And Their Neurotypical Peers: A Practice-Based Report, Jessica Hicks

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

For my honors research, I completed an internship in an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) lab at the University of Arkansas. For most of my internship work, I helped support an inclusive AAC summer camp for children with and without developmental disabilities, such as autism, for whom speech does not fully meet their communication needs. AAC includes high-tech tools such as communication apps on tablets that serve as speech-generating devices (SGDs). SGDs were used by many of the AAC summer camp participants with developmental disabilities. In this report, I will provide background information on AAC and developmental disabilities. I will …

The Intersection Between Adolescent Pregnancy, Mental Health Concerns, Stigma, And Sex Education, Madelon Cox

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis discusses research from the past two decades focused on factors contributing to an increased risk of adolescent pregnancy and the lasting impact of that pregnancy. The consequences of being a pregnant adolescent can be compounded by race, gender, socioeconomic class, and access to education. Adolescent pregnancy also carries significant physical and mental health risk for the adolescent and the child. Awareness and various interventions can help pregnant adolescents or those who may be at risk for adolescent pregnancy to support them, prevent isolation, and reduce further negative mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.

Dominance And Desire: Perceptions Of Dominant And Submissive Traits Among Men And Women, Anna Mahealani Gritzenbach

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Dominant, possessive “alpha male” characters are common across media and often embody traditional masculine norms, which include emotional stoicism, physical strength, and assertiveness. Portrayals such as these reinforce hegemonic masculinity and masculine honor ideology, which position dominance as essential to men’s social and romantic success, and submission as the expectation for women. Previous research has not explored how both dominant and submissive traits are evaluated across genders, and how endorsement of masculine honor ideology vary these perceptions. We examined how men and women perceive dominant and submissive traits in male and female characters across perceived romantic attraction, social attraction, leadership …

"Respect Is Earned, Not Given": Analyzing Masculine Honor Ideology And Dominance And Prestige-Motivated Outcomes, Norah Rose Schloneger

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Masculine honor ideology is the idea that men act aggressively or violently toward women and others to achieve a masculine reputation. Previous research shows that men higher in masculine honor seek higher status and use prestige (e.g. respect, honor) or dominance (e.g. aggression, force) to achieve it. Using a variation of the prisoner’s dilemma—a game where participants are assigned to another player that they can choose to compete or cooperate with to maximize a point total—we analyzed behavioral outcomes of said motivations for men higher in masculine honor. We predicted that men higher in masculine honor using honor-dominance motivations would …

Training And Working In Police And Public Safety Psychology: A Survey Study, Sana K. Vora

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Police and public safety psychology (PPSP) entails assessment, intervention, operational support, and organizational consultation services rendered by psychologists to public safety agencies and personnel. In some ways, PPSP is a more recently recognized specialty area within health service psychology. While there have been occasional surveys of PPSP professionals in the past, relative to other specialty areas in health service psychology that share certain similarities with PPSP, such as forensic psychology and clinical neuropsychology, less is known about the experiences, broadly considered, of PPSP professionals and trainees. The current study sought to address this comparative gap in the literature by soliciting …

Preventing Tragedy: The Role Of School-Based Mental Health Professionals In Mitigating School Shootings, Kaitlyn Bain

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

School shootings remain a critical concern in the United States, demonstrating the need for research into preventative measures within educational settings. With this in mind, the present study explores how the ratio of school psychologists and school counselors to students may affect school shootings, and if understanding these ratios can provide clarity on any inadequacies. It reviews the uses of mental health professionals in schools and the growing need for their services, while also highlighting how the use of crisis communication can be implemented into their skillset in order to reduce violence seen in adolescents before, during, and after crises …

Exploring Women’S Views On Intra-Gender Dynamics In The Workplace: A Study Of Impact And Change, Deidra L. Close

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine women’s intra-gender experiences in higher education workplaces and their perceived influence on future interactions and behaviors, as well as to explore potential relationships between relational aggression (RA) and the Queen Bee Phenomenon (QBP). Using the following research questions, the researcher examined how women perceive interactions with female supervisors, colleagues, and those exhibiting Queen Bee tendencies, as well as how such experiences influence their future workplace behaviors and interactions. RQ1: What have been the perceived experiences of women in higher education working with a female supervisor? RQ2: What have been the perceived …

The Influence Of Valence On Action Control: A Comparison Of Simon Effects In The Extrinsic Affective Simon Task (East) And The Spatial Simon Task, Yaara Aleissa

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

People adjust their thoughts and actions in response to a changing environment every day and emotions may influence these actions. Understanding how emotion impacts action control in situations where emotion is central to the action (task-relevant) compared to when it is present in the environment as distracting information (task-irrelevant) is essential. Currently it is unclear when emotion most significantly modulates action control. This study seeks to compare how valence (positive versus negative emotion) impacts action control performance when valence is task-relevant and task-irrelevant by using two modified versions of the Simon conflict task.

The Simon task is a paradigm to …

Implementing Narrative Family Art Therapy To Address Trauma And Conflict Resolution, Haley Elizabeth Watson

Expressive Therapies Theses

This study explored the implementation of principles and approaches from a complementary framework of narrative therapy, art therapy and family therapy using a trauma-informed approach with clients and their families receiving in-home therapy (IHT) services. Existing research demonstrates that narrative approaches and techniques support clients to identify alternative perspectives to their reality to promote a more empowering narrative. The intention of this research was to identify themes and possible areas of exploration for future research about how trauma-informed narrative family art therapy may be a suitable and beneficial framework for addressing conflict within the family system and healing from traumatic …

Associations Of Trait And Ability Emotional Intelligence With Heart Rate Variability And Emotional Reactivity In Undergraduate Students, Miriam Bowser

Senior Honors Theses

Ability emotional intelligence (EI) and trait EI have been previously associated with heart rate variability (HRV), suggesting adaptive autonomic regulation. Emotional reactivity (ER) has also been correlated with EI, possibly because individuals with higher EI are more sensitive to emotional information. The current study used a cross-sectional design (N = 71) to examine trait and ability EI, self-reported ER, and HRV. No relationship was found between trait and ability EI, suggesting distinct underlying constructs. EI was not associated with HRV. Trait EI was positively associated with positive valence (r = .34, p = .004) and ability EI with …

Awe As Signpost: An Argument For The Consistency Of Lewis’S “Joy” And Psychological Awe, Audrey Hendricks

Senior Honors Theses

C.S. Lewis’s Surprised by Joy details Lewis’s autobiographical apologetic for the existence of God through his experiences of “Joy,” a technical term invented by Lewis. Upon close study, his experiences of Joy contain many similarities to psychological awe. This investigation compares Lewis’s Joy with psychological awe using the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S) to determine consistency. Lewis’s Joy was found to be consistent with all six criteria of the AWE-S in addition to other recognized psychological characteristics of awe. In addition to qualitative consistency, this review also argues for the teleological consistency of the two concepts, contending for a Christian teleological …

Volume 17, Christian O’Neill, Kyara Greene, Savva Sidorov, Laura Bisaillon, Luke Clemmer, Hannah Gordon, Kitt Benson, Taylor Blount, Rachel Danzitz, Nicholas Duellman, Chase Gionis, Hima Fernando, Seth Franzyshen, Onyx Gonzalez, Bryan Lin, Samantha Start, Ysabel Wells, Maggie Duncan

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Cover Artist’s Statement Maggie Duncan

On Mentoring Dr. Yulia Uryadova

Ukrainian Resistance in the Face of Russification: Nestor Makhno and Anarchism

by Christian O’Neill

Life Vest by Kyara Greene

Isolation and 16S rRNA Identification of Bacteria from Fire Department Connection Pipe by Savva Sidorov

The Effectiveness of Planned Exercise in Reducing ADHD Symptoms in Children by Laura Bisaillon & Luke Clemmer

Linguistic Analysis on Confidence and Communication Strategies with Disparities Between Sign Fluency and Hearing Impairment by Hannah Gordon

Freedmen in Indian Territory by Kitt …

Partners In Crime: Unraveling Accomplice Involvement In Jury Verdicts, Daphne A. Murray

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The present study is only the second investigation to examine the effects of accomplice witness testimony on jury decision making. For this study, participants read a trial transcript of an assault case in which the defendant was accused of starting a physical altercation. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions where we varied the level of involvement of the accomplice. The three conditions included Accomplice-Altercation where the accomplice was directly involved in the altercation and threw a few punches, Accomplice-Lookout where the accomplice served as a lookout for police arrival, and a No Accomplice condition. The results of …

Can Teaching Intervention Practices To Future Educators Lead To Improvements In Sel Skills For Their Future Students?, Emma Elizabeth Magee

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

A student will spend about 15,210 hours and 2,160 days at school from kindergarten-12th grade. With students spending an immense amount of their early life stages in school, it is crucial to identify the missing pieces in a students’ education, so that students can feel satisfied and prepared for their next steps in life after completing their K-12 educational experience. Research shows that social-emotional skills can increase a student’s educational journey and participation, and therefore the connection between academic learning and social-emotional development must be discussed or taught more in schools (Elias, 2009). In order to teach the connection between …

The Role Of Reflection In Shifting Motivations To Confront Racial Prejudice, Keira Nicole Salt

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Confrontation is shown to reduce expressions of racial prejudice. However, a person’s motivations to confront can change how effective the confrontation is in shifting attitudes. Confronting prejudice can be driven by internal motivations, such as personal values, or external motivations, like social approval. Through two studies, I investigated whether reflecting on the drawbacks of performative activism (motivation condition) affected individuals' motivation to confront prejudice. I hypothesized that individuals (especially those with the strongest external motivations) would shift to be more internal when reflecting on the issues of performative activism compared to a control condition. In online Study 1A, I found …

Perceived Threats To Masculinity: How Honor, Just World Beliefs, And Hostile Attribution Bias Shape Attitudes Toward Feminism, Alayna Joy Barton

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Masculine Honor Ideology, often endorsed by men, emphasizes the importance of maintaining status and reputation from any perceived threats, usually through aggression and confrontation. A possible justification for this ideology is Just World Beliefs, the trust that society is fair and righteous, even if it perpetuates inequality. Conversely, feminism at its core aims to dismantle all systems and beliefs that perpetuate gender inequality, posing a threat to masculine honor and Just World Beliefs. This type of threat often elicits hostility from men high in honor, especially when they exhibit hostile attribution bias. Those who display this bias may perceive ambiguous …

Are Documentaries Entertaining Or Informative? Perceptions Of Expert Interview Testimonials On False Evidence Ploys, Audrey R. Ecelbarger

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Media depicting wrongful convictions is growing in popularity, especially for false confession cases. Documentaries often interview individuals connected to the suspect or evidentiary experts, but rarely provide testimonials from confessions experts. Does the content and expertise of these documentary interviewees impact the viewer’s understanding of the risks that certain interrogation tactics pose to innocent suspects? In this experiment, participants learned about a false confession elicited by the “false evidence ploy,” where an interrogator falsely claims that there is evidence against the suspect that proves their guilt. They then watched an interview testimonial from either a confessions expert, the suspect’s lawyer, …

Examining The Differences Between The Experience Of Audiobooks Vs. Reading, Mia K. Floriani

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

There are a variety of opinions regarding whether listening to audiobooks counts as real reading, but very limited research examining the topic in depth. The current study investigates the differences between audiobooks and reading, specifically examining how the two modes of story experiences effect mind-wandering, enjoyment, absorption, and comprehension. We predicted that listening to the story would lead to increased mind-wandering and decreased comprehension and raised the research question of how the modes would affect enjoyment and transportation. Undergraduate students (n = 76) were divided into a reading or a listening condition, where they experienced a short story. During …

Social Media Usage And Motives In Socially Anxious Individuals, Emma Eddy

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Social media use (SMU) has grown rapidly in recent years, alongside the rate of social anxiety. Plenty of research has been previously conducted exploring the relationship between SMU and social anxiety, as well as potential motivations for using social media which may explain the recent incline in usage. However, this study combines the two relationships together to test the association between social anxiety and problematic SMU as well as to investigate motives of SMU as potential mediators of problematic SMU. Problematic social media usage, social anxiety, passive vs active SMU, and four different motives of SMU were all looked at. …

Fear Of Crime, Intolerance Of Uncertainty, And Trait Worry: A Mediation Model Of Perceived Risk And Victimization Concerns, Nicholai N. Chasseau

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined psychological vulnerability and fear of crime in 538 adults from Trinidad and Tobago. Perceived risk was the strongest predictor of fear, while prospective intolerance of uncertainty predicted fear directly. Mediation was supported among Afro-Trinidadians but not Indo-Trinidadians, suggesting sociocultural differences in cognitive pathways linking vulnerability to fear.

Impostor Thoughts At Work: Examining The Relationship Between Impostor Thoughts, Employee Well-Being, And Coworker Support, Nikitha Sara Mohan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Most individuals experience impostor thoughts; however, limited construct clarity has hindered efforts to effectively examine their relationship with employee outcomes (Gullifor et al., 2021). To address this limitation, the present study adopts a sociocognitive perspective, conceptualizing impostor thoughts as beliefs that others overestimate one’s competence at work (Clance & Imes, 1978; Tewfik, 2022). Specifically, this research investigates workplace impostor thoughts and their associations with indicators of employee well-being, including job-related negative affect, burnout, physical symptoms, and perceived self-competence. Additionally, the study examines coworker support as a potential moderating factor in these relationships. A mixed-methods approach was employed. Quantitative data were …

Expanding Links Between Work Values And Occupations: Development Of The Occupational Values Inventory (Ovi), Nicholas F. Heimpel, Kevin Hoff, Zihan Liu, Federick L. Oswald, James Rounds

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This research developed the Occupational Values Inventory (OVI), a 30-item measure that expands the content coverage of work values by linking into a broad range of O*NET occupational descriptors, including Work Activities and Work Contexts, along with salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The OVI assesses 11 work values—Interpersonal, Outdoor, Physical, Leadership, Salary, Prestige, Variety, Interest, Work Hours, Knowledge Utilization, and Autonomy—providing an updated and refined coverage of work values relevant to people and occupations in the modern labor market. Study 1 (N = 768) developed and refined the OVI’s scales using conceptual and psychometric criteria, also reporting …