A Novel Approach To Creativity Assessment: Forced Pairwise Ranking With Large Language Models, Phillip R. Gregory Jr

Master's Theses

Assessing creativity at scale remains a persistent challenge in cognitive science, as human raters are costly, slow, and often inconsistent in their judgments. This thesis introduced a novel framework for automated scientific creativity assessment using forced pairwise ranking, in which fine-tuned large language models compared response pairs and determined which was more creative. Five empirical studies were conducted using Llama-2-7B and Llama-2-13B models adapted via LoRA fine-tuning and benchmarked against human scored responses from the Scientific Creative Thinking Test. A regression baseline achieved Pearson �� = .74 on the test set, matching the human inter-rater ceiling reported in the literature. …

Building Collaborative Capacity For Coexistence With The Montana Beaver Working Group, Shane Randle

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Despite beavers’ recent surge in popularity, prevailing negative attitudes and the persistence of beaver removal practices remain obstacles for those advocating living with beavers. The Montana Beaver Working Group (BWG) advances beavers’ role in ecological and community resilience through members’ collaborative efforts, including beaver-related restoration and conflict resolution projects. Bringing together people with diverse values and perspectives, the BWG builds collective understanding, develops a holistic vision for beavers in Montana, and supports members in pursuing it. As the group’s impacts and membership have grown, so too has their need to adapt. For my Civic Engagement Project, I strengthened the BWG’s …

Serotonin 7 Receptor Modulation On Measures Of Working Memory And Anxiety, Antonio Gutierrez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Serotonin (5-HT) function is critical in the regulation and homeostasis of several neural systems. Alterations in 5-HT levels can directly impact the presence of neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. With a wide range of 5-HT receptors, the potential impact each of these modulators have on behavior is important to better understand. The 5-HT7 receptor is the most recently identified 5-HT receptor. 5-HT7 receptors can be found in the thalamus, hypothalamus, and several areas of the hippocampus. Modulation of these receptors impact circadian rhythms, hormonal regulation and memory function. Previous research has that 5-HT7 antagonist compounds lead to conflicting results, highlighting …

Raising Resilient Children: Parent Video Guide To Support Children’S Emotional Development, Perla F. Nunez-Chavez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social-emotional learning (SEL) in early childhood plays a critical role in

children’s ability to recognize emotions, regulate behavior, build relationships,

and succeed in academic settings. During the preschool years (ages 3–5),

children experience rapid emotional development and rely heavily on parents for

co-regulation, emotional modeling, and guidance. Research consistently shows

that when parents engage in emotion coaching practices, such as labeling

feelings, validating emotions, and modeling regulation strategies, children

demonstrate stronger emotional competence and improved developmental

outcomes. However, despite strong evidence supporting parent involvement in

SEL, many existing interventions are delivered through structured, in-person

programs that are often inaccessible to …

Game On! Level Up Your Teaching: A Digital Game-Based Learning Guide For Preschool Teachers, Scarlett Flores Marin

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Although digital game-based learning (DGBL) has emerged as a

promising technological advancement in early childhood education by offering

many developmental benefits for children, its effective implementation remains a

challenge. The integration of digital technologies in early childhood education has

led to the growing use of DGBL as an effective instructional approach with

research indicating that well-designed educational apps and games can enhance

young children’s cognitive, literacy, and social development by promoting active,

meaningful, and interactive learning experiences. DGBL encourages problem-

solving, critical thinking, and collaboration, aligning with how children naturally

learn through exploration and engagement. When used intentionally, technology

and …

Investigating Fentanyl-Xylazine Interactions: Implications For Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia And Affective Dysregulation In Rats, Alejandra R. Lujan

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The growing prevalence of fentanyl adulterated with xylazine presents a major public health concern, yet the behavioral and physiological effects of this combination remain poorly characterized. This study examined the effects of acute fentanyl administration, alone and in combination with xylazine, on opioid-induced hyperalgesia, affective behavior, and mortality in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats (n=80). Rats received four fentanyl injections (60 µg/kg) administered at 15-minute intervals, with or without xylazine (0, 0.1, 0.333, or 1.0 mg/kg), as well as a saline control condition. Pain sensitivity was assessed using a hot plate assay at 6.5, 12, 24, and 48 hours post-injection. …

Healing Beyond Bars: Integrated And Sustainable Recovery Models For Post-Incarcerated Women, Patricia A. Nunez, Jonathan Solomon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) significantly impact the re-entry process for formerly incarcerated individuals, particularly Latina/x women, who face unique cultural, social, and economic challenges in accessing effective treatment. The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of substance use disorder treatment programs in support of successful reentry outcomes for Latina/x women post-incarceration. Previous research on SUD treatment for this population remains limited despite growing awareness of the need for gender-responsive and culturally informed interventions. Qualitative research with an exploratory design within an interpretive research paradigm will be utilized to investigate the lived experiences of Latina/x women who have …

Effects Of Cannabinoid Agonist Win 55-212-2 On Latent Inhibition, Ashley Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a modulatory system that helps regulate brain functions, including learning and memory, influencing processes such as latent inhibition (LI). LI refers to the slower association formed when a familiar event is paired with a new outcome, compared to the association of an unfamiliar event. LI is a process that is often disrupted in individuals with schizophrenia and is known as a cognitive symptom. This study aimed to determine whether the drug WIN-55-212-2 (WIN), which interacts with the ECS, influences the process of LI using a fear-conditioned response procedure. The results found no significant interaction among …

Between Chronicle And Legend: A Two-Scene Environment And Visual Effects Examination Of Physical Accuracy And Emotional Exaggeration On The Honey Creek Bridge Collapse, Alison R. Gaddy

All Theses

This thesis explores how truth and dramatization intersect in digital storytelling by comparing realistic and stylized simulations of the Honey Creek bridge collapse within the context of the Kate Shelley animated short. At the core of storytelling lies a tension between factual accuracy and dramatic stylization. We investigate that tension by examining how narrative truth is conveyed, distorted, or enhanced through visual dramatization by focusing on the psychology of audience perception and the motivations behind creative embellishment. The practical contribution of this research is the development of two distinct digital scene setups depicting the same Honey Creek bridge collapse event. …

Romanticizing 'Monsters': Sexualized Digital Fandom Of The Menendez Brothers, Kimberly M. Brooks

All Theses

This study was conducted to explore the expressions of sexualized fandom and parasocial relationships within the context of true crime. The Menendez Brothers were chosen as the case to focus on due to the Netflix dramatization ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ release and online popularity. Reddit was the platform chosen for data collection because of the longstanding presence of true crime followers participating in dialogue on the platform. The r/MenendezBrothers thread was chosen to collect data from because of its large following and large number of weekly contributions. Sprinklr, the social media analytics platform, was employed to gather …

Portrayals Of Miscarriage In Film And Television: A Qualitative Analysis, Geovana Leonetti Saraiva

All Theses

Entertainment media may serve as a primary source through which individuals learn about miscarriage; however, little research has examined how miscarriage is portrayed in film and television. This study addresses this gap by conducting a textual analysis of five films and five television shows using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Guided by the model of stigma communication (MSC), communication privacy management theory (CPM), and social support frameworks, the analysis explores how miscarriage is represented in entertainment media.

Findings indicate that the analyzed content frequently includes stigma-related cues—such as marks, labels, responsibility, and peril—that may contribute to the formation and reinforcement …

On The Paleontology Of Belize, Alson Ovando

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Paleontology can be considered an underrepresented and emerging area of science in Belize. A primary aim of this thesis is to provide a background of paleontology in Belize and present the first comprehensive study of Quaternary vertebrate fossils known from the country. Quaternary fossil sites across Belize include caves, rivers, and sinkholes. In addition to reviewing and assessing material from known sites, this thesis presents new information and discoveries that were made while investigating Belize’s Quaternary fossil record. This thesis also includes a geospatial model depicting ecoregions in Belize during the last glacial maximum. Overall, the results presented here demonstrate …

The Smallholder’S Dilemma In Agroecological Transitions: The Diseconomy Of Agroecology For Small Farmers In Industrial Agriculture, Qian Forrest Zhang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

A scalar contradiction exists between agroecology's three goals: while ecological sustainability is best pursued at the landscape scale, social equity and livelihood goals often require organizing production at the small scale of family farms. In China's ‘industrial agriculture of small farmers’, ecological farming practices became economically unviable at small farmers' minuscule scales. Agroecological transitions almost always first go through a scale expansion, a process fraught with tension. The empirical analysis focuses on three ‘ecological farms’ that enjoyed favorable conditions unattainable to smallholders. Yet, lock-ins across five dimensions have either made their operations economically unsustainable or forced compromises in agroecological principles.

Moodify: A Mood-Based Music Recommendation System, Meghana Kagitha

Theses and Dissertations

Music has long been recognised as a powerful tool for emotional regulation, yet existing music streaming platforms often fail to align song recommendations with a user's current emotional state. Moodify is a mood-based music recommendation system designed to bridge this gap by delivering personalised playlists that reflect how a user feels in real time.

This project presents the design, development, and evaluation of Moodify, a mobile application that leverages the Circumplex Model of Emotion to capture user mood through an intuitive two-dimensional valence-arousal interface. Rather than relying on text input or manual search, users plot their emotional state directly onto …

2nd Place Research Paper: Shaping The Ape: Storytelling, Cultural Reflection, And Boundary Negotiation In Human-Ape Zoo Encounters, Abigail Bond Halling

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

The typical Western zoo functions as a unique environment in which animals are frequently positioned as subjects of education and entertainment through the medium of storytelling. In this sense, the zoological institution can also be read as an extension of popular Western constructions surrounding nonhuman animals, particularly those who are symbolically charged characters in our collective imaginary– the great apes. Given the morphological, behavioral, and psychological similarities between humans and other great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans), nonhuman great ape enclosures at the Western zoo become spaces where humans are most radically confronted with navigating the boundaries of the “human-animal …

Toward An Anthropology Of The Expressive Individual: Reformational Insights Into Emotions, The Heart, And Christian Formation, Isaac Kantola

Senior Honors Theses

Contemporary Western culture is increasingly defined by what theologians and sociologists call “expressive individualism,” driven by an “ethic of authenticity” in which one’s emotions and desires are seen as the primary arbiter of identity and meaning. Responding to this cultural movement, the Church has appropriated the language of desire, happiness, and the affective in its preaching, ministry, and apologetic endeavors. Figures such as John Piper, James K.A. Smith, and Timothy Keller have each, in their own way, sought to contextualize the faith so it may be better understood by a culture obsessed with their longings and therapeutic self-concern. While these …

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 …

Desert Deep: The Great Salt Lake's Evanesce And The Gravity Of Recovery, Avery Truman

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The Great Salt Lake has been shrinking since the mid-19th century for several reasons, primarily due to a higher evaporation rate caused by climate change and water diversion from the Bear, Weber, and Jordan rivers. This problem will cause mass ecosystem destruction, release toxic chemicals into the air, and strand migrating birds. As an environmental studies and geography major, I’ve spent a lot of time learning about the Great Salt Lake in my courses. I decided to write Desert Deep, a series of essays, after I took my first creative nonfiction writing class. The goal was to tell the …

Assessing Neurodiverse Inclusion In Zoos, Aquariums, And Nature Centers: A Secondary Analysis Of The Mozaics Project, Jennifer N.K. Garcia

All Dissertations

Playful experiences are found to promote positive youth development (Burdette & Whitaker, 2005; Gray, 2011; Sobel, 2018; Watchman & Spencer-Cavaliere, 2017). Additionally, playing in nature can improve attention and mood and reduce stress (Greenleaf, 2014; Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989; Shin & Swank, 2018; Ulrich ,1991). Unfortunately, neurodiverse youth, especially those with autism, can often experience barriers that limit access to play (Pynn et al., 2018; Stern, 2003) specifically play in nature (Barnes, 2007; Wolfberg, 2009). Yet, community organizations that offer playful experiences in nature, such as zoos, aquariums, and nature centers, could be uniquely positioned in the community to support …

Virtual Reality In Informal Education: Trends, Frameworks, And Implementation Strategies, Allison Maynard

All Dissertations

The rapid evolution of immersive technologies presents informal education settings with a complex dual challenge: while virtual reality (VR) offers compelling opportunities for engagement and experiential learning, its adoption demands significant institutional resources and may require a meaningful departure from established interpretive practice. As informal education institutions face decisions about whether to adopt emerging technologies, a critical gap remains in understanding how VR should be designed and integrated to serve both organizational missions and the needs of frontline interpreters and audiences. This dissertation moves beyond the technical novelty of VR to empirically examine its purposeful positioning within informal education settings, …

Youth In Leadership Positions: A Mediation Program Proposal, Abigail Horn

Sociology

Encountering the justice system can have harmful impacts on a child’s well-being and can lead to negative outcomes in the future, such as missing school and reoffending. This paper proposes a program to combat these impacts by creating infrastructure for schools to handle low level offenses within schools through a mentoring program. After a review of the literature on the current justice system in the United States, rehabilitative and restorative justice practices, and the effects of youth leadership positions, the “Re-Mentoring Program” is proposed. A play on the words "restorative" and "rehabilitative," this program involves youth who have offended, victims, …

2026 May, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for May of 2026.

From Clicking To Committing: Psychological Distance And Persuasion In Online Animal Adoption Platforms To Enhance Shelter Visitation, David Goodweather

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Online animal shelter platforms have become a primary channel through which potential adopters view and evaluate adoptable animals, yet many users do not progress from online engagement to visiting a physical shelter. The dissertation examines how online pet viewing translates into intention to book a shelter visit by focusing on the roles of psychological distance and persuasive influence cues within a high-involvement decision context. Drawing on Construal Level Theory and persuasion research, a sequential process is proposed in which sustained interaction with pet profiles reduces distance-related abstraction, increasing receptivity to influence cues that facilitate movement from initial assessment to action. …

The Artificial Artist: Considering Ai’S Impact On Image Copyright, Alyse Mandelblatt

Communication Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to create empirical results to ground what has been a largely theoretical discussion about the effect of artificial intelligence (AI) on copyright law in the United States. AI has disrupted traditional ideas of creativity and expression, which are vital communication tools. Copyright is a regulatory agent to encourage the production of unique communication products by giving owners complete rights to their work. Copyright principles conflict with current AI model training practices. This research considers how AI literacy may provide insight into copyright knowledge and AI attitudes for prediction of how common law and AI regulation policy may …

Of The Land And Sea: A Critical Ecocultural Analysis Of Disney's Frozen And Moana, Maggie A. Andress

Communication Undergraduate Honors Theses

Within the modern era of performative inclusivity and widespread greenwashing, it is critical to examine popular media through an ecocultural lens to determine if said media is being handled responsibly as a social practice and if a discursive atmosphere is being created. This paper takes an ecocultural critical analysis of Disney’s worlds of Frozen and Moana, inspecting their treatment of the human, treatment of the more-than-human, and human/more-than-human relationships. This study finds that although both franchises have been broadly praised for cultural representation of Indigenous people groups, Disney’s failure to effectively acknowledge the intrinsic relationship between humankind and the …

Impact Of Escitalopram On Postpartum Sleep/Wake Activity And Maternal Behaviors, Kimberly Guerrero Leon

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The postpartum period is characterized by profound physiological and psychological changes, including disruptions in sleep and activity patterns, which may contribute to the onset of postpartum depression. If left untreated, postpartum depression can result in long-term consequences, including cognitive impairments, emotional dysregulation, impaired maternal-infant attachment, and the onset of sleep-related disorders. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), escitalopram, is prescribed for the treatment of postpartum depression due to its efficacy, favorable safety profile, and relatively low cost. While escitalopram is considered an effective treatment for depression and anxiety, far less is known about its impact on maternal behaviors during the postpartum …

Nonbinary And Transgender Representation In Media: How Scripted Media Impacts And Shapes The Identities Of Communities Outside The Gender Binary, Makenna Dykstra

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The lack of, and otherwise poor, representation of nonbinary and trans communities contributes to the societal othering of these communities. However, nonbinary and trans representation holds importance to these communities. Trans and nonbinary communities, like other communities, use media to help them negotiate their identities (Hall, 2005). However, current representation in scripted television is small and contentious, with the ability to have just as much of a negative impact as a positive one. LGBTQ+ television has a history of favoring moderate depictions of queerness, like that in nonbinary and trans characters, as a means of defining these identities to cisgender …

Effects Of Orexin/Hypocretin Receptor 1 Antagonist On Adult Drinking Behavior And Rest/Wake Activity After Adolescent Alcohol Consumption In Rats, Carolyn Cueto

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Adolescent alcohol consumption has been a growing concern in developing alcohol use disorders and alcohol-related sleep issues/disorders later in adulthood. The orexin system is involved in the homeostasis of sleep/wake cycles, feeding, drinking, and motivation. Alcohol consumption increases orexin neuron activity leading to high motivation and drug-seeking behavior for alcohol use and negatively impacting sleep. Ideally, inhibiting the orexin system could be a potential target for reducing consumption and motivation for alcohol use in adulthood as well as improving alcohol-related sleep issues. Previous work has shown that SB-334867, an orexin- 1 receptor (OX1R) antagonist, reduces ethanol-related behavior, but there is …

Clawing Our Way To Inclusion: Identifying Minority Students’ Barriers To Entering The Veterinary Medicine Profession, Danielle Reeves

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Veterinary services are being utilized more each year as pet owners are increasingly viewing and treating their pets like family members. Due to this changing perspective, the veterinary profession has grown significantly. Yet, despite this change, there is a lack of ethnic/racial diversity within the veterinary field. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors and/or barriers associated with minority students' desire or lack of desire to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. This study used an online survey tool to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 423 undergraduate students at the University of Arkansas during the spring …

Good Life Automobility: Cultural/Rhetorical Resistance And Persistence Of Us Car Hegemony, Trinity O. Thompson

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This project takes the car as a historical signifier of a rhetorical racialization process that enables a hypermobile white, masculine, neoliberal identity that pervades conceptions of mobility in the West. I locate these overlapping social formations under a cultural logic of good life automobility (GLA) that positions cars, a quintessential form of private property, as a motivator for a contemporary “good life” citizenship identity that cultivates neoliberal subjectivities of free movement and market consumption in contempt of socialized and racialized public transit futures. The introduction chapter elaborates on the boundaries of GLA while also contextualizing the two analysis chapters through …