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Statement From The Indiana Academy Of The Social Sciences And Board Of Directors

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Editor-In-Chief's Note, Surekha K. Rao

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Volume 29, Issue 1 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

You’Ve Got Junk Mail: Prevalence Of And Factors Related To Sending And Receiving Unsolicited Nudes, Aimee Adam, Brittany Sizemore, Todd Manson

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Unsolicited nudes are common, but most of the research in this area has focused on the motivations of men sending such images and the reactions of women who receive them. In this online study, we attempted to investigate the prevalence of sending and receiving unsolicited sexual images in a broader population, and variables related to this behavior. In our sample of 357 participants, we found few people (less than 20%) acknowledged ever having sent such images, and no difference in whether people had ever sent unsolicited nudes based on gender identity. However, we found that most people (almost 68%) had …

Learning By Doing To Teach Research Skills In Econometrics, Christie Byun

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

This paper examines a revision in an introductory econometrics course at an undergraduate liberal arts college. The instructors have incorporated extensive use of data from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series from the Current Population Survey (IPUMS-CPS), with applied examples that demonstrate econometric theory. The key element is a short empirical paper assignment in which all students work on a common research question, but with different data sets. The paper assignment includes a series of scaffolding assignments using IPUMS-CPS data. This approach has several benefits, including ease of implementation into any course that has an empirical paper component, significantly streamlined …

Reviewers And Referees

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Call For Papers

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Why Publish With Mssj?

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Author Biographical Notes

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Lgbtq+ Identity Among Young Adults With Autism, Meg Hoffer-Collins, Mixalis Poulakis, Lauri Hyers

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Our qualitative study examined the sexual orientation and gender identity experiences of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority identities) identified young adults on the autism spectrum. In one-on-one semi-structured qualitative interviews with thirteen participants (ages 18-33), we explored three questions: (1) How do young adults with ASD characterize their LGBTQ+ identity; (2) How have they navigated the disclosure of their LGBTQ+ identity and coming out to others; and (3) How has their LGBTQ+ identity impacted their relationships. Qualitative coding of interviews revealed that most participants began considering their LGBTQ+ identity before adulthood and settled …

George C. Roberts Award Recipients

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

The Survival Of Sugar In Post-Emancipation British Guiana: East Indian Indentured Immigration And The Cheapening Of Labor, Wazir Mohamed

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

This Paper revisits the post-emancipation changes in the labor market of British Guiana. British Guiana, Mauritius, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji, and several other locations were spaces where East Indian Indentured Immigrants from Idia became pivotal in the economy.[1] In the decade after emancipation (1838-1848), the rise of global free trade in sugar spurred by the equalization of duties in sugar factored in the search for a cheaper and the importation of a more pliable labor force to keep the wheels of sugar turning in British Guiana. With this background in mind this paper focuses on indentured immigration of East …

Submission Guidelines

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Recovery And Resilience Of Survivors Of Sex Trafficking In Nepal, Bishnu Sapkota, Glenn M. Miles, Chitra B. Buthathoki

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This exploratory qualitative study examines how trafficking survivors in Nepalese rehabilitation centres perceive recovery and experience resilience within Nepal's specific socio-cultural context. This qualitative study employed in-depth interviews with six female sex trafficking survivors in Bagmati Province rehabilitation centres and analysed them through Bronfenbrenner's socio-ecological framework under the themes such as Hindu purity concepts, caste discrimination, joint family dynamics, and non-governmental organization dependency which shape their recovery experiences. The findings of the study reveal recovery as gradual emotional stabilization and future orientation rather than complete healing. Survivors describe stigma in terms of religious purity/pollution binary, with Dalit participants experiencing compounded …

Obsessive-Compulsive Subtraits And Self-Agency, Jacob Nelson, Cody Barton, Carissa Phillipi Phd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is categorized by persistent, unwanted thoughts, called obsessions. and repetitive behaviors, called compulsions. The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) is a valid measure of OCD, and breaks the condition into six subtraits: Checking, Hoarding, Obsessing, Ordering, Neutralizing, & Washing. Prior research has suggested that one’s sense of agency, measured through the Sense of Agency Scale (SoAS), is lower in those with higher overall OCI-R scores compared to those with lower scores and controls. Additionally, sub-clinical checking has been negatively correlated with sense of agency, and sub-clinical hoarding and ordering have been positively correlated with sense of agency. However, there …

Prenatal Depression And Maternal-Fetal Attachment: The Moderating Role Of Trauma Experiences, Ayla G. Heun, Jessilyn M. Froelich, Haley L. Ringenary, Emily D. Gerstein

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Prenatal depression is associated with lower maternal-fetal attachment (Dubber et al., 2015; Filippetti et al., 2022; Kitamura et al., 2025; Røhder et al., 2020). Trauma exposure and PTSD symptomology have also been linked to lower maternal-fetal attachment (Bailes et al., 2024; Can Caglayan et al., 2023; Sanjuan et al., 2020). This study examines the moderating effect of each; Criterion A trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms on the relationship between prenatal depression and maternal-fetal attachment. It is hypothesized that more depressive symptoms will be associated with lower maternal-fetal attachment and that trauma experience will moderate the relation between depressive symptoms and …

The Impact Of Caffeine On Bumble Bee Hunger, Hallie Chapman, Becky Hansis-O'Neill, Aimee Dunlap Phd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) are crucial pollinators, responsible for pollinating multiple native plants and agricultural crops. Caffeine, which is classified as a stimulant, is present in some of these plant species at varying levels. Alterations in bumble bee cognition, including motivation, learning, and hunger, have been associated with caffeine intake. This study explored the impacts of caffeine on the bumble bee behavior on a biological level. While previous research has examined caffeine’s effects on cognition and learning, fewer studies have investigated its effects on hunger at the level of individual bees. Bumble bees, identified with numerically labeled tags, …

Leisure Activities And Stress Levels Among College Students​, Ellie Nahm

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The present study sampled 30 university students to test the effects of time spent participating in leisure activities on stress levels, with social support and physical activity as moderators. Participants were aged18 to 56 and were largely White and women. We hypothesized that the relationship between time spent engaging in one's leisure activity and stress will be moderated by the physical exertion and social support experienced through leisure activity engagement. Results indicated no significant relationship between leisure participation and stress levels in this sample, nor a moderating effect of social support or physical exertion. Limitations include a small sample size …

Black Mothers' Stress And Harsh Parenting Moderated By Child Age: A Longitudinal Secondary Analysis, Mandiryn M. Diffee, Theresa A. Moore, Hannah White

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Black mothers from lower socioeconomic status experience the highest stress levels in the United States due to structural and societal disadvantage, and one study shows parenting stress for Black mothers increases as children age from 5 to 8 years old. Stress is a well‑established risk factor for maladaptive parenting practices, including harsh parenting, and can influence these behaviors in ways that extend beyond parents’ conscious control. However, no studies have investigated Black mothers’ parenting stress trajectories from toddlerhood to adolescence, nor whether these trajectories relate to harsh parenting. To address this discrepancy, the present study conducted a multilevel analysis using …

Are You In Control? How Timing And Severity Of Trauma Shape Perceived Self-Agency, Kinsey L. Henrichsen, Caleb A. Sanders, Carissa L. Philippi

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Exposure to trauma may alter self-agency, or the sense that one can influence outcomes and exert control over life circumstances. The present study examined whether the timing and severity of traumatic experiences are associated with perceived self-agency across development. Based on prior research, we tested whether trauma occurring earlier in life would be associated with lower self-agency than trauma occurring later, and whether greater trauma severity would be associated with further reductions in perceived control. Participants were 116 trauma-exposed adults (38 male; 78 female) who reported trauma exposure using the Life Stressor Checklist. Trauma variables included age at earliest trauma, …

Love And Artificial Intelligence: A Research Proposal, Bryanna M. Deatherage, Necdet Gurkan, Sandra J.E. Langeslag

Undergraduate Research Symposium

What happens when people fall in love with Artificial Intelligence (AI)? This study seeks to examine individuals who are in love with AI companions to gain a deeper insight in the cognitive and affective consequences. In addition, this study will examine the most effective forms of intervention regarding growing or reducing feelings of love toward AI. The first part of this study will be a questionnaire about the social and emotional impact of being in love with an AI companion. Three hundred participants will be recruited through online communities related to AI companions. The second part of this study will …

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Disease Made Invisible By Stereotypes, Isabella Tober

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a very complex disease that is often overshadowed by public opinion. Stereotypes within modern-day media have turned this disease into a social joke, leading individuals to suffer in silence and isolate in fear of judgment. Historically, society has allowed this invisibility to be placed upon the disease, but so has the medical industry through misdiagnosis and inaccurate treatment. The reality of OCD is very real and impactful for those living with this condition. Through proper education and exposure to the truth behind OCD, negative discourse will turn positive, ultimately allowing people to feel visible and seek proper …

Reframe The Narrative: Menganalisis Motivasi, Konsekuensi, Dan Solusi Perilaku Bullying Dalam Lingkungan Sekolah Dasar Melalui Teori Frustasi-Agresi, Muhammad Hatta, Nabila Eka Ramadhani, Majesty Steffania Putri Anggen Dese, Manda Zahratu Nisa, Dimas Ramadan Hariadi, Muhammad Abdan Shadiqi

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

This study analyzed the motivation, consequences, and solutions to bullying behavior from the perpetrator's perspective among elementary school students, applying frustration-agression theory. A qualitative transcendental phenomenological approach was employed to explore the lived experiences of bullying perpetrators among elementary school students volving 10 participants aged 11–12 years in Banjarmasin and Banjarbaru. In-depth interviews served as the primary source of data, while the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS) was administered after the interviews as supplementary descriptive data to provide an indication of participants’ frustration levels. A Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with educational and child-protection professionals was conducted to …

Catatan Editor: Ai, Kesejahteraan Psikologis, Dan Masa Depan Relasi Manusia, Rahkman Ardi

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Kecerdasan buatan kini hadir dalam wilayah kehidupan yang sebelumnya hampir sepenuhnya ditempati oleh manusia: percakapan, dukungan emosional, dan relasi. Kita dapat menceritakan kecemasan kepadanya, meminta nasihat, mencari penghiburan, bahkan kembali kepadanya ketika percakapan dengan manusia terasa terlalu sulit. Kecerdasan buatan (Artificial Intelligence/AI), khususnya AI generatif, dengan demikian mulai bergerak melampaui fungsinya sebagai alat. Ia perlahan memasuki wilayah yang selama ini sangat manusiawi: wilayah relasi.

Adaptasi Dan Validasi Skala Kelekatan Terhadap Kecerdasan Artifisial, Theda Renanita, Julaibib Julaibib, Yohanes Budiarto

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Recent years have witnessed renewed interest in how attachment is no longer limited to human figures. Instead, the attachment discourses now also encompass artificial intelligence (AI). Attachment to AI could be caused by a number of factors which could potentially lead to some psychological consequences, hence this new dynamic calls for further in-depth inquiries to understand it better.

To date, no previous study has developed an Indonesian version scale to measure AI attachment that is adequate in terms of its psychometric properties. The primary aim of this study is to demonstrate the adaptation and validation of the attachment to AI …

Pemaknaan Perilaku Phubbing Dalam Interaksi Sosial Pada Generasi Z Dan Generasi Milenial: Sebuah Studi Kasus Berganda, Ikhwanul Ihsan Armalid, Zidan Achmad, Wulan Zaesa Aurellia, Azimatul Mardliyah

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

The development of digital technology has transformed patterns of social interaction and given rise to the phenomenon of phubbing, which refers to ignoring one’s interlocutor due to smartphone use. This study aims to examine the meaning-making of phubbing behavior among the Millennial Generation and Generation Z in social interactions, focusing on differences in meaning, emotional responses, and ethical judgments. This study employed a qualitative approach with a multi-case study design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations involving seven participants selected using purposive sampling techniques. Data analysis was conducted through verbatim transcription, coding, and thematic analysis using the constant …

Digital Companions Or Relational Substitutes? Understanding The Use Of Generative Ai As Storytelling Companion Among Young Adults, Lail Queeny Nurfaizah, Syurawasti Muhiddin Ms

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Objectives. This study aims to explore the factors underlying the use of GenAI as a storytelling companion among young adults. Method. A qualitative approach was employed within an interpretivist paradigm, using an open-ended questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. A total of 412 participants aged 19–33 years were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using data-driven thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework. Results. Two major themes emerged: Driving Factors and Barriers to Continuing Interaction. Each theme comprised four sub-themes organized around cognitive, affective, instrumental, and social dimensions, yielding 26 sub-themes in total. Driving factors were predominantly …

The Algorithmic Narcissus: Ai Validation And The Atrophy Of The 'Athletic' Social Self, Ilham Phalosa Reswara, Anggi Mayangsari

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Artificial intelligence systems designed around continuous affirmation and minimal friction are becoming increasingly prominent as social and relational partners in everyday life. This article examines how sustained interaction with such frictionless AI systems may reshape the developmental conditions under which social selfhood forms and is maintained. Drawing on Cooley's (1902) looking glass self, Kohut's (1971) concept of optimal frustration, and the developmental literature on social competence, the article argues that frictionless AI may distort the social mirror through which identity forms, remove the manageable frustration that appears necessary for psychological growth, weaken empathic capacity, and erode the social stakes that …

Penerapan Digital Parenting Untuk Menangani Dampak Negatif Bermain Gawai Terhadap Kemampuan Prososial Anak Usia Dini, Pria Dita Anis Wari, Muqowim Muqowim

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Implementing digital parenting is an alternative for parents to address the negative impacts of gadget use on the prosocial abilities of early childhood. This is particularly relevant for working mothers who have limited time to accompany their children's digital activities. This study aims to examine the perceptions of working mothers regarding the implementation of digital parenting as an effort to enhance the prosocial abilities of early childhood, the forms of implementation, and the dynamics experienced. This research is qualitative and phenomenological in nature. The subjects of the study consist of three working mothers with different professions and children aged 5-6 …

Sharing Toys, Sharing Talks, Sharing Thoughts: Siblings’ Role In Language Skills And Theory Of Mind In Children, Khansa Nabila Anjani, Ike Anggraika Kuntoro

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Background: Theory of mind (ToM) refers to the ability to understand one’s own and others’ mental states and is closely related to children’s prosocial behavior. Previous research has linked ToM to language skills and sibling factors; however, findings remain inconsistent. Siblings may function as early social partners who support language use and social–cognitive development, thereby influencing ToM. This study examined whether sibling presence moderates the relationship between language skills and ToM in children. Methods: Participants were 117 children aged 4–7 years from the Jabodetabek area, recruited using convenience sampling. A simple moderation analysis with bootstrapping was conducted. Results …