Digital Commons Network^™

Graphic Design And The Cinema: An Application Of Graphic Design To The Art Of Filmmaking, Kacey B. Holifield

Honors Theses

When the public considers different art forms such as painting, drawing and sculpture, it is easy to understand the common elements that unite them. Each is a non-moving art form that begins at the drawing board. Using line, color and shape to evoke a particular response from audiences is what ties these fine arts together. Graphic design, however, tends to separate itself from the fine arts. Because of its later development in the art world, as well as, its operation within modern technological developments, graphic design is driven by the idea of communicating to large audiences. In this way, although …

The Effect Of Easy Onset Time Treatment On Voice Onset Time In Stuttering, Candace M. Franklin

Honors Theses

For over 70 million people who stutter, it is a disorder that can affect a person’s social, emotional, and professional life on a daily basis (Gordon, 2002). Stuttering is defined as a fluency disorder that includes the repetition of words, pauses in speech, or sound prolongation (Hedge, 2001). Although there are many different theories as to what causes stuttering, the etiology of stuttering remains undetermined. As a result, much research has been done on various treatment approaches to try and ease the effects of stuttering. One particular approach is the Easy Onset Time approach. This approach encourages the client to …

The Impact Of Amputation On Body Image, Anna C. Gilg

Honors Theses

There is a lack of history regarding appearance-related concerns in healthcare. There are roughly two million people living with limb loss in the United States with nearly 185,000 amputations occurring each year. Alterations in body image are due to individuals being unable to adapt to appearance change and can take them far from their ideal body image. It has previously been discovered that amputees generally disclose negative feelings regarding their bodies.

The sample included 207 adults aged 21 years and older with lower-limb amputations. The participants completed a survey composed of demographics and the Amputee Body Image Scale. Statistical analysis …

Becoming Our Parents: A Proposed Investigation Into Family Influence In Consumer Behavior, Katie E. Bowman

Honors Theses

Relationships between children and parents have been studied for years across multiple disciplines. Family ties affect countless decisions made throughout the world, making this study relevant to multiple researchers. The need to understand these family influences is particularly important within the business world. Because sales are the goal, being able to comprehend why a consumer purchases one product over the rest of its competition is crucial. This paper is focused specifically on the relationships between parents and their children and how that relationship affects the consumer behavior of the children. These relationships are being studied through intergenerational consumer patterns including …

The Lipstick Effect Operates At The Level Of Automatic Visual Attention, Aaron M. Bermond

Honors Theses

Although general consumer spending usually decreases during economic recessions, Hill and colleagues (2012) found evidence that women concerned with economic recession demonstrated an increased preference towards purchasing products capable of enhancing physical beauty, thereby allowing them to appear more attractive to mates with resources. Referring to this phenomenon as the lipstick effect, these researchers suggested such purchasing preferences demonstrate evidence for an evolved female mating strategy. The current study was designed to more directly test whether the lipstick effect represents an evolved female mating adaptation by determining if it operates at the level of automaticity, specifically automatic visual attention (Fodor, …

List Equivalency Of The Azbio Sentence Test, Lauren C. Bush

Honors Theses

The AzBio Sentence Test was developed as a measure of speech perception abilities and intended to be more reliable and closer to real life conditions than the previous speech perception measures commonly used. The purpose of speech perception measures is to partially determine cochlear implant candidacy as well as pre- and post-outcomes of cochlear implantation. The AzBio Sentence test is composed of 15 lists of 20 sentences each. There is limited research conducted on the equivalency of each of these lists. Of the previous limited reasearch conducted, one study found that only 10 of the 15 lists were equivalent. The …

High Frequency Trading: Perceptions Regarding Volatility And Regulation, Daniel A. Beck

Honors Theses

Although high frequency trading (HFT) makes up a large portion of day to day trading activity in US and global markets, Khashanah and colleagues (2014) found that nearly half of academic and business industry professionals feel that HFT provides an unfair advantage relative to other market participants, and that a majority of industry professionals share concerns that HFT increases volatility in markets. This creates an environment wherein there are increasing calls by various groups for increased regulation of HFT, and the same study by Khashanah et al (2014) finds that 59% of academics and 46% of industry professionals are of …

Determining Methods Of Propagation For The Investigation Of Intraspecific Variability Of Climate Change Responses Of Appalachian Plant Species, Gayle L. Tyree

Honors Theses

Species range migrations are a well-documented response to climate change (Loarie et al. 2009), with range shifts mainly occurring poleward or to higher elevations (Walther et al. 2002). As range shifts occur, variation in phenotypic traits within plant species across climate gradients could affect their abilities to acclimate or adapt to a changing climate (Hooper et al. 2005, Souza et al. 2011). In 2014 Dr. Jennifer Boyd (BGES) initiated a research project to examine potential intraspecific phenotypic variation within wide-ranging Appalachian plant species of responses to projected future atmospheric CO2 and temperature regimes. As an undergraduate research assistant, I focused …

Which Language(S) Are Best (For Web Development), Jackson A. Stone

Honors Theses

This thesis is intended to shine light on the complex nature of the online software ecosystem, in the hopes that it may help students who wish to pursue web development determine how to best spend their time researching and learning varying technologies.

Understanding Tacit Theories Of Nonprofit Administrators In Collaborative Interorganizational Networks, Ella C. Sanders

Honors Theses

As the nonprofit sector increases in size, many organizations are choosing to collaborate as a new approach to delivering goods and services to the public. Collaboration occurs when “organizations work together to address problems through joint effort, resources, and decision making and share ownership of the final product or service” (Guo & Acar, 2005). In my research, I ask the question: How do nonprofit administrators conceptualize this kind of interorganizational collaboration? These conceptualizations are referred to as tacit theories: the wisdom and knowledge of administrators that is implicitly known as a result of experience. I compare these tacit theories to …

More Than A Wheelchair In The Background: A Study Of Portrayals Of Disabilities In Children's Picture Books, Sarah Caroline Crawford

Honors Theses

A review of scholarly research conducted between 2004 and 2014 revealed that portrayals of disabilities in works of children’s literature were historically poor, containing stereotypical and negative characterizations. While noting some improvements, researchers still decry a lack of balance in roles of power between characters with disabilities and those without, a lack of depth in storylines and levels of character development, and disproportionate representations of disability categories, male and female characters, and cultural minorities in comparison to the true population (Altieri, 2006; Dowker, 2004; Dyches & Prater, 2005; Dyches, Prater, & Leininger, 2009; Golos & Moses, 2011; Golos, Moses, & …

Wireless Voice Amplification Device For Weak Patients, Daniel Alexander Johnson

Honors Theses

Abstract – One problem that nurses and doctors face when treating a very weak patient is difficulty of communication. Sometimes patients become so weak that they are barely able to speak above a whisper without completely exerting themselves. Often nurses will have to put their ear directly in front of a patient’s mouth in order to hear what the patient is saying over the ambient noise in a hospital room. This becomes an even bigger problem when several patients are together in a single room and the ambient noise levels rise. One way to solve this problem would be to …

Media's Isis Crisis: How Isis Came To Be Through Framing And Naming, Cameron A. Morgan

Honors Theses

An exploration of the ISIS crisis from July 2013 - June 2014 in the New York Times and the Guardian's respective coverages using frame analysis. Through keywords, frames were determined to be constructed. Frame analysis was broken into three parts, particularly focusing on sourcing, power dynamic and structure.

Alkaloids In E-Cigarettes: Their Effects On Cell Growth And Gene Regulation, Maxwell H. Marlowe

Honors Theses

E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular in the past decade. They are marketed as smoking cessation aids. These products have not been well regulated or researched with respect to health concerns and safety issues. A number of toxic compounds have been discovered in refill solutions, and the long-term effects of e-cigarette use are still largely unknown. Nicotine is one of the primary alkaloids within e-cigarette refill solutions. Nevertheless, other tobacco alkaloids are present including; cotinine, myosmine and anabasine, even though these compounds are not disclosed on the packaging. This study uses known amounts of tobacco alkaloids, in an in vitro culture …

Millennial Skepticism And Susceptibility To Media Persuasion, Olivia K. Lee

Honors Theses

This study examines the disconnect between millennials' perceived and actual skepticism toward news media outlets as well as the Third Person Effect in millennials' attitude toward others' skepticism. This body of work includes survey research to examine these theories in the context of millennial news consumption.

Reinventing National Identity In A World Of Globalized Soccer: The Case Of The Uruguayan National Team, Maia Cotelo

Honors Theses

Soccer played a central role in Uruguay’s national identity throughout the 20th century. The national team’s triumphs in the first half of the century were seen as proof that the small nation could perform on a world stage. The mutually reinforcing relationship between soccer success and national identity weakened after 1950 when the national team stopped winning and when it entered into profound crisis in the 1990s as Uruguayan star players began leaving the country to play in better leagues abroad. The national team no longer provided the country with glory and the players were no longer mirrors of Uruguayan …

Functionalizing Β-Cyano Oligo(P-Phenylene Vinylene) Chromophores For Use In Mechanochromic Materials, Alexander J. Wink

Honors Theses

Mechanochromic materials are materials that change color upon mechanical deformation. This concept can be applied in areas of quality control, since the knowledge of damaged parts will easily be detected due to a color change in the material that has undergone deformation. Typically these types of materials are enabled by employing functional small molecules. Often, these are conjugated organic molecules or chromophores, which fluoresce different colors determined by the stimulus (or lack thereof) acting upon the material. In this work, we explore a new avenue to elicit color changes in polymeric materials based on the process of restriction of intramolecular …

The Effect Music Has In Speech Therapy, Emily K. Nester

Honors Theses

The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the use of music in speech therapy. A survey was sent via email to Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MSHA) certified speech-language pathologists to acquire knowledge on the use of music in their therapy sessions. The author used the source, SurveyMonkey, to collect and analyze the data. The data was used to determine the prevalence of music in speech therapy. In addition, when music was used, the data portrayed how music was incorporated into therapy and the particular gender, genre, and/or disorder preferred.

Evaluation Of Hearing Aid Wearers’ Appearance By Individuals Who Do Not Wear Hearing Aid Devices, Lauren M. Lott

Honors Theses

This study focuses on the perception of individuals who do not wear hearing aids and their perception of their hearing aid wearing peers. This thesis considers the opinions of students at The University of Southern Mississippi through the use of a paper survey evaluating the participant’s perception of the following attributes: attractiveness, confidence, motivation, trustworthiness, education, friendliness, intelligence, disability, and body image. Data is collected from 150 students from ages 18-30. This study hopes to determine whether or not there will be a significant change in perception of an individual once they are viewed with a hearing aid.

The Manifestation Of Blight: Examining The Effects Of Inner City Decline On Populations In The Bronx, New York And New Orleans, Louisiana, Bianca R. Stewart

Honors Theses

Urban decline, and the developments that trigger a collapse among formerly prosperous cities, is a phenomenon that is capable of leaving a lasting mark on any urban system. The collapse and disintegration of the urban landscape carries a variety of facilitators, and with that, this research sought to examine two distinct representations of urban decline and the populations that shifted in tandem with blight: the New York City fiscal crisis of the 1970s and post-Katrina conditions in New Orleans, Louisiana. Through New York City’s fiscal crisis and the act of condensing a city in hopes of rectifying urban decline, known …

Cognitive Functioning As A Moderator In The Relation Between Externalizing Behavior Problems In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Stress Among Their Parents, Robyn M. Riley

Honors Theses

It is known that externalizing behavior problems among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are related to parental stress among parents. This study examined how cognitive functioning levels of children with ASD may moderate this relation in a group of 27 children (ages 7 to 16 years) with a diagnosis of ASD. Children were tested on a brief measure of intelligence to estimate their cognitive functioning. Parents completed measures of the children’s ASD symptom severity and externalizing behaviors as well as a measure of their own levels of parental stress. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that ASD symptoms and cognitive functioning …

Perceptions Of University Community Members Regarding Alcohol Restriction Policies, Katherine A. Meeker

Honors Theses

There has been a growing concern regarding sexual assaults on college and university campuses. The push to decrease sexual assaults has lead researchers and universities to examine alcohol abuse as a contributing factor. Many colleges and universities have developed new policies for alcohol restriction, but they have done so without taking into consideration the views of the campus community. In the absence of collaboration between the campus community and university administration, such policies will likely be ineffective. This study explores the beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes of the campus community regarding alcohol restriction policies at The University of Southern Mississippi.

Synthesis And Application Of (R)-3-Methylpyrrolidine-3-Carboylic Acid, Shelby D. Dickerson

Honors Theses

L-Proline is an amino acid widely used in pharmaceutical and biotechnological research due to its catalytic activity and biological relevance. L-Proline has been recognized and utilized as an organocatalyst, which allows cleaner, more sustainable reactions. However, one issue with L-proline is its low solubility in organic systems, limiting its reactivity and efficiency, especially when considering industrial research. Two reactions that utilize L-Proline are the Michael and Aldol but require 100 mol% of L-Proline and 30 mol% of L-Proline, respectively. This research will focus on the synthesis of an analogue of L-Proline utilizing inexpensive, commercially available reagents. A variety of organic …

Emotions Involved In Shopping At The Airport, Alexis D. Tymkiw

Honors Theses

This paper examines the emotional motivations that drive consumers to shop at airport retailers. Airport retailing is a rapidly growing segment as airports continue to expand retail areas and the number of passengers increase each year. With larger retail areas, airports are beginning to resemble shopping areas. However, with higher prices and consumers experiencing time and space constraints, the airport is a very unique shopping environment. This paper explored two unique emotional motivations for shopping at airports: (1) to escape the stress of travel and (2) to eliminate boredom. Analysis of the in-depth interviews led to the development of four …

Relationship Between Parental Alcoholism And Family Unpredictability, Kamie L. Stephens

Honors Theses

This research is a retrospective study on adult children of alcoholics using a previous researcher’s, Dr. Ross, unpredictability scale. Family Unpredictability is defined as “a lack of consistency in family behaviors and regulatory systems,” (Ross and Hill, 2000). There is currently a lack of research related to parental alcoholism and its effect on family structure. The researcher hopes to gain insight on the relationship between parental alcoholism and family unpredictability. Previous research suggests children growing up with a caregiver who is an alcoholic experience a higher level of unpredictability in the home. Examples of this unpredictability are: a decreased amount …

An Experience Like No Other: A Case Study On Summer Camp Culture, Sarah E. Rhett

Honors Theses

In “An Experience Like No Other: A Case Study on Summer Camp Culture,” I consider the stories of individuals as they remember experiences and encounters they had while at summer camp. As a camper, counselor, and staff member, I have experienced many sides of camp. Recognizing my own tendency to describe the camp experience with claims about how “camp relationships are the best” and how “camp is great,” I decided that I, and others, would benefit from a study that considers and critiques these commonly recited stories about camp as a master narrative. Indeed, as the number of summer camps …

Compassion Fatigue And Educational Preparation Among Mississippi Child Welfare Workers, Meredith D. Mcphail

Honors Theses

The prevalence of trauma among youth involved with the child welfare system affects not only these individuals but also child welfare service providers, namely social workers, who experience this trauma indirectly through interaction with the children. This exposure places service providers at risk for compassion fatigue, in which these workers themselves experience trauma symptoms or are less able to complete job tasks. It is especially important to address the issues of negative personal reactions among this population in order to best care for social service workers in Mississippi and identify strategies to effectively improve Mississippi’s child welfare system. As such, …

Verification And Quantification Of Surface Electromyographic (Emg) Activity Of The Masseter Muscle, Kelsey Bowles

Honors Theses

Purpose: The goal of the present study is to develop and evaluate an automated technique for measuring biting and chewing related surface electromyographic (EMG) activity of the masseter muscle.

Methods: Data from 28 neurologically healthy participants between the ages of 18-40 were selected for this study. The procedure for collecting the bite/chew data consisted of the participant biting down and chewing three small breath mints while an EMG sensor recorded the masseter muscle activity. A five-step Matlab-based algorithm was created to accurately identify onsets and offsets of each bite and chew event.

Results: Compared to manual measurements using standard …

Stories From A Millinery, Allie Maynard

Honors Theses

In 1911, Clydenia Jewett and her daughter, Bertha Martin, moved from Detroit to St. Joseph, Michigan. In 1995, 84 years later, Clydenia’s great-great-grandson, Brian, and his wife, Barb, moved with their three young daughters to the same small town on the lake. What the young family didn’t know was that they had a connection to their new hometown. Time had forgotten Clydenia and Bertha’s story in Saint Joseph. It wasn’t for another several years that the family found out about their lost family members.

Clydenia is my great-great-great grandmother. I am her direct relation through my paternal grandmother. It’s easy …

Aggressive Gaming: A Correlative Study Of Game Preference And Trait Aggression, Andrew Hagler

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.