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Power, Virtue, And Vice, Peggy Desautels

Philosophy Faculty Publications

I approach virtue theory in a way that avoids idealized social ontologies and instead focuses on social hierarchies that include relations of power. I focus on the virtues tied to improving social environments—what I refer to as social-ethic virtues—and examine how the development of social-ethic virtues is influenced by motivations for and situations involving power. I draw on research in social and personality psychology to show that persons motivated by power and persons holding powerful social positions tend to behave in ways that correlate with certain virtuous and vicious patterns of behavior. I maintain that patterns of moral or vicious …

Review: 'Guaranteed Pure: The Moody Bible Institute, Business, And The Making Of Modern Evangelicalism', William Vance Trollinger

History Faculty Publications

It is a fine time to be a historian of fundamentalism/conservative evangelicalism in the United States. Over the past few years a number of outstanding works have appeared, many of which take seriously politics and economics. The best of this scholarship includes: Darren Dochuk, From Bible Belt to Sunbelt (2011); Kevin Kruse, One Nation under God (2015); Bethany Moreton, To Serve God and Wal-Mart (2009); Matthew Avery Sutton, American Apocalypse (2014); and, Molly Worthen, Apostles of Reason (2014).

Now we can add to this list Timothy E. W. Gloege’s Guaranteed Pure: The Moody Bible Institute, Business, and the Making of …

Activism, Community And Cultural Heritage: “Communitism” In Creek Literature, Rachel Maria Cain

Honors Theses

"Communitism" refers to literature that encourages activism by celebrating and promoting American Indian communities. This thesis investigates how the literary works, The Fus Fixico Letters (1902 – 1908) and Drowning in Fire (2004), are communitist by supporting specific political and social changes in Creek communities. Through The Fus Fixico Letters Alexander Posey promoted his progressive political convictions, including that Creeks should embrace land allotment and endorse the creation a separate state for American Indians. Drowning in Fire, by Craig Womack, takes place throughout 1904 – 1993 and relates traditional Creek stories and practices to modern life. The novel delves …

Effects Of Body Weight Loading On Arch Height, Anastasia Bjelopetrovich

Honors Theses

Deformation of the medial longitudinal arch under body weight loading is often assessed using the Arch Height Index Measurement System. This system assesses change in arch height between sitting and standing, estimated to be 10 and 50% of body weight, respectively. However, body weight forces during ambulation exceed these loads, therefore limiting our understanding of arch deformation under ambulatory load ranges. Thus, the study aims were 1) to assess if sitting and standing arch height differed from that seen under 10 and 50% body weight using a force target-matching procedure, and 2) to characterize the relationship between arch deformation and …

Preachers, Politics And The Pulpit: The Influence Of Church Structure On How Clergy Approach Political Topics And How Congregations Receive Their Messages, Michael Bender

Honors Theses

Inspired by the Catholic Church’s nationwide resistance to President Obama’s contraceptive mandate in the summer of 2012, this honors thesis paper attempts to discover a link between church polity (or church structure) and whether political messages are more or less likely to be preached by clergy from the pulpit and accepted by their congregants. Given that churches are places where attendees are exposed to political messages, this paper hypothesizes that structurally centralized Christian denominations are more likely to have preached on the contraceptive mandate than decentralized denominations. Accordingly, it is assumed that Catholics are more likely to have heard about …

Design And Prototyping Of A Variable Geometry Extrusion Die To Exhibit Significant Alteration Of Shape, David C. Bell

Honors Theses

Extruded parts are conventionally made by forcing melted plastic through a steel die having a fixed opening that matches the shape of the part. Plastic parts made by extrusion include weather stripping, PVC pipe, and composite lumber. Variable geometry dies can change their opening shape during the extrusion process. Developing shape-changing dies technology offers the possibility of making parts with varying cross-sections that currently need to be made through injection molding. This is desirable as, compared to molding, extrusion tends to be faster and less expensive. Variable geometry extrusion dies have been designed and prototyped by the University of Dayton …

Results On Some Generalizations Of Interval Graphs, Jonathan David Ashbrock

Honors Theses

An interval graph is the intersection graph of a family of intervals on the real line. Interval graphs are a well-studied class of graphs. Path graphs are a generalization of interval graphs and are defined to be the intersection graphs of a family of paths in a tree. In this thesis, we study path graphs which are representable in a subdivided K_{1, 3}. Our main results are a characterization theorem and a polynomial time algorithm for recognition of this class of graphs. The second section of this thesis provides a bound for a graph parameter, the boxicity of …

Effects Of A Peer Developed Nutrition Education Intervention On The Fruit And Vegetable Intake In Elementary School Children, Sydney Marie Antolini

Honors Theses

To promote consumption and decrease plate waste, it is important to find innovative ways to encourage fruit and vegetable intake in children. In this study, collaborating with and educating students on nutrition brought attention to the issue and raised awareness in the school system of the need for better nutrition education.

Domain Representability And Topological Completeness, Matthew D. Devilbiss

Honors Theses

Topological completeness properties seek to generalize the definition of complete metric space to the context of topologies. Chapter 1 gives an overview of some of these properties. Chapter 2 introduces domain theory, a field originally intended for use in theoretical computer science. Finally, Chapter 3 examines how this computer-scientific notion can be employed in the study of topological completeness in the form of domain representability. The connections between domain representability and other topological completeness properties are subsequently examined.

One Signal, Two Behaviors: Odor Discrimination In Unmated Versus Mated Female Green Bottle Flies, Lucilia Sericata, George Iannantuono

Honors Theses

The green bottle fly, Lucilia sericata, is of critical importance in the field of forensic entomology since it is one of the first insects to arrive at a freshly deceased carcass. These flies use a highly tuned and selective olfactory system to identify and locate the carcass; response to the decomposition odor usually occurs within minutes. Male flies use the carcass for a small protein meal and for locating females while females use the carcass for feeding (unmated) and egg-laying (mated). This divergence in behavior to a common odor cue is the subject of this thesis proposal: do unmated …

Drosophila Models To Investigate The Role Of Regulation Of Cell Death In Development And Cancer, Anam Hussain

Honors Theses

Cell death is of key importance in maintaining health and normal development. In cancer, cell death is improperly controlled provoking uncontrolled proliferation of cells, which results in severe harm to the body. The Hippo pathway is an identified pathway in Drosophila melanogaster that is involved with regulating the different mechanisms of survival and proliferation within the cells. It is known to interact with a gene known as Dronc that is a key participant in the cell death pathway of apoptosis. Previous work has shown how the loss of certain caspases, which are cysteine proteases, is linked with cell survival. My …

Effects Of Combination Ice And Compression Socks On Resting Calf Blood Flow In Trained Male Athletes, Michael John Hudock Jr.

Honors Theses

Compression socks are common tools that are utilized in the realm of athletics. The purpose of the compression is to increase blood flow to the lower extremities, thereby increasing oxygen and energy sources needed for increased skeletal muscle function and/or recovery. Recently, a product has been marketed that combines the compression element with cryotherapy, the goal being increased blood flow to the lower extremities while reducing inflammation post-workout to quicken recovery. However, to our knowledge, direct measures of blood flow using this type of product have not been performed. Thus, this study looks at the effects of compression with and …

Biodiversity, Ecosystem Function And The Pollination Ecology Of Urban Gardens In Dayton, Ohio, Angela Nicole Giaquinto

Honors Theses

Urban agriculture is an ancient concept that is gaining momentum in the United States in connection with urban renewal projects and efforts to mediate urban food deserts. These agriculture efforts represent a potential habitat for pollinator communities within the urban hardscape. Pollinator communities are threatened by urban landscape transformation, and bee species, in particular, are in a state of global decline due to various stressors. Urban agriculture has the potential to sustain both human and ecological communities, and the pollinators that visit gardens may provide pollination to plant species in the surrounding area. We investigated the influence of urban land …

Examining The Protective Effects Of Self-Positivity On Information Avoidance, Amanda C. Ferrante

Honors Theses

Although information could provide insight, comfort, or opportunity, people are motivated to avoid information that challenges preexisting belief or cause unpleasant emotion. Previous research shows that affirming one’s self-worth can reduce information avoidance. The present study measures whether selfenhancement, or exaggerating qualities to maintain a positive sense of self, can also reduce information avoidance. Self-enhancement is associated with positive mental health and reducing physiological stress symptoms if the exaggeration is within the same domain as threatening information. Participants in the selfenhancement category were asked to give examples of how they are better at maintaining social relationships than the average college …

Poetry And The Post-Apocalyptic Paradox: North American Indigenous Disruptions To The Westernized Self, Joseph Benjamin Ziegler Ferber

Honors Theses

This three-chapter project explores the work of three poets, each identifying with different North American indigenous tribes. Their work challenges western poetic conventions and notions of individualism to offer alternative worldviews and complicate mainstream oversimplifications of American Indian identity. Brandi MacDougall investigates assumptions of the Western Self represented by the "I" Perspective common in Western thought; Sherman Alexie revises the sonnet form to portray the complexity of how contemporary American Indians navigate the blending of capitalist institutions and native traditions; Kristi Leora offers readers an enlightened conception of self-hood by balancing processes of western socialization with native cosmology. Ultimately, this …

Finding A Correlation Between Zooplankton Abundance And The Aggregation Of Abudefduf Saxatilis (Sergeant Major Damselfish) Beneath Boats, William Duritsch

Honors Theses

Abudefduf saxatilis, or sergeant major damselfish, are a common reef fish in the Caribbean and western Atlantic that form large feeding aggregations. Abudefduf saxatilis are primarily planktivorous, with zooplankton making up over 50% of their diet. Zooplankton are known to have diel movements to avoid predation, which have been shown to be triggered by the presence of ultra violet radiation. Beneath boats along the coast of Bonaire, aggregations of A. saxatilis have been observed, but why they prefer these areas over the open water column had not previously been examined. The abundance of zooplankton was estimated beneath boats as …

Model Behavior: An Assessment Of Role Model Attachment, Patrick C. Doyle

Honors Theses

Despite the term existing since the early part of the 20th century, little is known about role models and relationships that individuals develop with them. Using attachment theory, a cornerstone of interpersonal theory, relationships between individuals and their role models are compared to relationships between those individuals and their parents in the present study. While data did not support the hypothesis (those with anxious attachment to their parents will experience more secure attachment to their role model) promising opportunities for future research were suggested by the qualitative and quantitative data that were collected. For example, the experience of many participants …

Fall Risk Assessment Of Older Adults With Dementia Attending Goodwill Easter Seals Adult Day Services Programs, Jamie Wynk

Honors Theses

Background and Purpose: Elderly individuals, especially those with dementia, are at an increased risk for falls. These falls can result in extremely serious injuries. However, little is known as to what factors put an Alzheimer’s patient most at risk for falls. This study seeks to determine which known fall risk factors are experienced by adults with dementia who attend adult day services. By understanding what risk factors put an individual at an increased likelihood for falls, a specific intervention can be designed to prevent falls in this population.

Participants: To be included in this study, participants had to …

Global And Regional Chitinozoan Biodiversity Dynamics In The Ordovician: Relationships To Sea-Level, Carbon Cycling And Tectonics, Jordan Watson

Honors Theses

Fossil species provide extensive information about the past history of life on Earth. This thesis focuses on the global and regional biodiversity dynamics of the extinct fossil group Chitinozoa, and analyzes the impact and influences of sea-level, global carbon cycling and tectonics on their biodiversity. Biodiversity curves were generated from three different paleo-continents, Laurentia, Baltica, and Gondwana using the automated graphic correlation computer program CONOP9. Traditional methods of biodiversity analysis count fossil taxa in individual intervals of geologic time. The results of these methods are highly dependent upon interval length and the relationship of taxon range to interval boundaries. CONOP9 …

Star Decompositions Of The Complete Split Graph, Adam C. Volk

Honors Theses

A graph is a discrete mathematical structure that consists of a set of vertices and a set of edges between pairs of vertices. A problem of interest in graph theory is that of graph decomposition, partitioning the set of edges into disjoint sets, producing subgraphs which are isomorphic to each other. Here we consider the problem of decomposing a class of graphs called complete split graphs into stars of a fixed size. We present conditions for the decomposition as well as an algorithm for the decomposition when it is possible.

Can The Color Red Improve Men's Perceived Mate Value? Examining The Interactive Effects Of Facial Masculinity And Color On Female Evaluation Of Potential Mates, Alejandro Trujillo

Honors Theses

We manipulated facial masculinity (masculine-morph/feminine-morph) and color (red/white) through two independent studies—one in-lab at the University of Dayton and one online using Amazon’s MTurk—to examine its effect on social status and attractiveness for men when rated by women. We specifically aimed to see if the color red could serve a compensatory effect for feminine-faced men, who were least likely to be found attractive by women at peak fertility. When paired with red, women rated the masculine and feminine faces higher in social status. Through this increase in social status, the color red was also able to indirectly increase the physical …

The Effects Of Low Dam Removal And Kayak Run Installation On The Biodiversity Of Fish And Macroinvertebrates In The Great Miami River In Downtown Dayton, Ohio, Sarah Anne Stalder

Honors Theses

Five Rivers Metroparks and the Miami Conservancy District have made plans to remove the upper portion of the Monument Avenue low-head dam in downtown Dayton due to the hazard it poses for recreation on the river and its negative impact on water quality and biodiversity. The plans also include modifying the dam with “kayak drops” and the construction of a second kayak drop slightly upstream of the location of the current low dam to enhance recreational opportunities on the river. Typically, low dam removal alter the flow and depth of a river, especially above the dam in the impounded area …

Design And Fabrication Of Passive Barium Strontium Titanate (Bst) Thin Film Varactor Based Phase Shifters For Operation Within A 5-15 Ghz Bandwidth, Devin William Spatz

Honors Theses

Two passive, analog phase control circuit designs utilizing ferroelectric varactors are presented. The tuning capabilities of single layer and parallel plate varactors deposited on a Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 (BST) thin film are characterized. Phase control is demonstrated through cascading multiple shunt varactors along a coplanar waveguide (CPW) structure. Through the application of a 0V – 8V DC bias, the capacitance in the circuit is tuned to control the transmission phase shift (angle of S21). Simulations of both phase control device structures are performed in AWR Microwave Office and compared with measurement data. Both circuit and mathematical models are developed and compared to …

Synthesis Of Research On The Common Core State Standards And Dyscalculia, Melissa Siegel

Honors Theses

This thesis analyzed the implications for instruction under the newly adopted Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the effects they have on students with dyscalculia. The CCSS is an educational initiative created for students to succeed in their academic endeavors through college and their professional careers. Correlations were found in the research between the instructional implications under the CCSS and intervention strategies for students with dyscalculia. Parents, teachers and students were interviewed as evidence to verify this correlation.

Nonlinear Analysis Of Balance Data In The Easter Seals Adult Day Services Population, Taylor Marie Schemmel

Honors Theses

81.1 million adults are expected to be affected by dementia in 2040. Individuals with dementia are twice as likely to fall as healthy individuals and three times as likely to sustain an injury during a fall. Unfortunately, current fall prevention techniques in place for cognitively healthy older adults are not as effective for those with dementia. The objective of this study was to examine balance differences between individuals of varying cognitive ability utilizing Easter Seals Adult Day Services. All study participants completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Clinical assessments were done in conjunction with static posturography data collection on a …

The Effect Of Early Life Social Stress On Anxiety-Like Behaviors And Ethanol Drinking In Female Long-Evans Rats, Alyssa Roeckner

Honors Theses

Among women with Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs), women have higher rates of anxiety-disorders and are more influenced by early life stress compared to men. Preclinical models have been used to study the relationships between early life stress, anxiety-like behavior, and alcohol intake and preference. However, fewer studies have been done with female rats than male rats. To that end, chronic social instability was utilized as a model of early life stress in females. In this model Long Evans rats are placed in different pairs every day, and this has previously produced anxiety-like behavior in female rats (McCormick et al., 2008). …

Phosphorus Adsorption Through Engineered Biochars Produced From Local Waste Products, Peter Ogonek

Honors Theses

Phosphorus contained in agricultural runoff is a major anthropogenic contributor to harmful algal blooms (HABs). Biochars are carbon-based materials produced from the pyrolysis of waste biomass that have the potential to amend soils and remediate inorganic and organic contaminants from water. Engineered biochars tailored to adsorb phosphorus from water could reduce the availability of the nutrient in agricultural runoff, reducing the size and frequency of HABs. This study observed the phosphorus adsorption properties of engineered biochars produced from two source materials, oak sawdust and cornstalk residue, and being unmodified, acid-rinsed, or loaded with magnesium prior to pyrolysis, creating acid-rinsed, unmodified, …

The Implementation Of Two-Way Immersion Programs, Kara Jankowski

Honors Theses

As society becomes more global, educators are searching for models of education that provide students with the ability to be competitive in the global marketplace. Bilingual education offers students the opportunity to learn two languages while maintaining student achievement in other content areas. One option of bilingual education is called two-way immersion (TWI) programs. TWI classrooms are comprised of students who are native speakers of two different languages. Together, these students communicate in both languages, while receiving instruction in both languages as well. These programs have been shown to be effective in teaching two languages without lowering student achievement. Bilingual …

Distribution Of Shell Formation Proteins In Oyster Hemolymph, Hemocytes, And Mantle Tissue, Donald Joseph Kleppel

Honors Theses

The occurrence and composition of L,3-4-dihydroxyphenylalanine-containing proteins (L-DOPA proteins) that participate in oyster shell formation has not been fully determined. It is known that the oyster mantle tissue is primarily responsible for shell formation and recent research has demonstrated the involvement of the hemolymph (blood) and hemocytes (blood cells). L-DOPA proteins are known to aid in the cross linking of shell formation proteins, in turn creating the insoluble organic matrix formed to produce the organic component of the shell. Using the biomarker amino acid L-DOPA, this research focuses on determining the localization of these shell formation proteins in hemocytes, hemolymph, …

Too Close For Comfort: The Effects Of Threatening Stereotypes On Perceptions Of Proximity, Anissa J. Maffett

Honors Theses

Do stereotypes influence how we perceive physical stimuli in our social world? The current project addresses this question by examining whether people differentially perceive targets based on whether a stereotype-based threat accompanies the target. Previous research finds that people evaluate physically threatening stimuli (e.g., spiders, aggressive people) as closer than non-threatening stimuli (Cole Balceitis, & Dunning, 2012). However, less is known about the role of stereotypes in activating a threat response. It was predicted that participants who are made aware of the threatening status of a group will perceive a member of that group as standing physically closer. Overall, the …