Digital Commons Network^™

Parenting Styles, Peer Pressure, And The Formation Of Antisocial Behavior, Erinisha L. Johnson

Honors Theses

The current study examined the relationship between antisocial behavior, negative parenting, and peer pressure. It was predicted that peer pressure and negative parenting would be positively correlated with antisocial behavior, but that negative parenting would be more statistically significant. There were 177 male and female college students who completed the Subtypes of Antisocial Behavior questionnaire, the Measurement of Parenting Style, the Peer Pressure and Popularity questionnaire, and a short demographics survey. Results indicated that negative parenting and peer pressure were both related to antisocial behavior (p< .001). However, the final hypothesis was rejected because the results indicated that peer pressure (p < .001) and not negative parenting (p<.05), showed to be more statistically significant. It may be suggested that peer pressure may overpower parenting, after a certain age.

The Homeless Perception Of Services, Alexander K. Pickle

Honors Theses

This study, recognizing a lack of academic research into the homeless population’s needs, approaches the problem of needs assessment of the homeless through the context of customer service. The literature points to a discontentment with the classic shelter model, and potential positives in newer, emerging alternatives. Using the “Gap Model of Service Quality”, qualitative interviews were structured and scheduled with the homeless individuals in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The study encountered many obstacles, including lack of participation. Due to these complications, it could not come to any meaningful conclusions; however, there are multiple avenues for further research that developed through the process.

A Comparison Of Testosterone With Prostate Specific Antigen And Prostatic Acid Phosphatase For The Serodiagnosis Of Prostate Cancer In Adult Males, Annie Chu

Honors Theses

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in men. The American Cancer Society has estimated that there were 240,890 newly diagnosed cases in 2011 and 33,720 deaths from prostate cancer. Diagnosis of this disease has traditionally been done by measuring prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels through sero-chemical testing. The purpose of this study is to compare serum testosterone levels to PSA levels and Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) levels in the search for new and more accurate technology. This study shows that testosterone was not efficient in correctly diagnosing those with prostate cancer. It had a …

Ghosts Of The Mind: The Supernatural And Madness In Victorian Gothic Literature, Stephanie F. Craig

Honors Theses

The Victorian era was arguably the most productive time for the Gothic genre. Laden with supernatural experiences and insanity around every corner, the Gothic created a distinct genre of eeriness and morbidity. The key to understanding the genre’s development lies in the culture that caused it to thrive. Victorian culture saw the emergence of supernatural experimentation, particularly in the Spiritualist movement, as well as the further development of psychology. These elements of Victorian culture are crucial in the development of the Gothic genre. Just as political or economic factors may influence the style, content, and format of a literary genre, …

The Application Of Evidence-Based Practices By Usm Student Athletes To Manage Exercise-Induced Asthma Symptoms, Meagan N. Ishee

Honors Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if EIA student athletes at USM are being educated about and implementing evidence based practices that help manage asthma symptoms for each individual. EIA is a prevalent disorder affecting collegiate athletes. Non-pharmacological evidence-based practices can be used by EIA athletes to minimize asthma symptoms. Modifications to the athlete’s breathing techniques, diet, and warm-up protocol can be implemented to reduce asthma symptoms. To determine if athletes at USM are using these practices, a survey questioning their education and implementation of these practices was administered to all the USM athletes. Of the 331 …

A Systematic Literature Review Of Household Food Security And Overweight/Obese Status Among Low-Income Children, Meaghan A. Clark

Honors Theses

A systematic literature review approach was used to determine the extent of knowledge regarding low-income children’s BMI and household food insecurity. Recommendations were made for impending research, studies, and practices regarding the consensus of current knowledge in relation to low-income children with higher BMIs that come from a food insecure household. Current studies were analyzed, with special attention to methods and findings.

South Mississippi High School Seniors’ Perceptions Of Civic Duties And Responsibilities, Chelsea L. Lewis

Honors Theses

Former United States Representative Lee Hamilton once explained what it takes to be a citizen of the United Stated. He stated, “Citizenship requires both knowledge about government and the ability to be involved in governance. It means knowing how to identify and inform oneself about issues, explore and evaluate possible solutions, and then act to resolve problems. It demands that you know how to interact respectfully with others. And it asks that you accept responsibility for meeting your community’s and the nation’s challenges.” (Hamilton, 1) This quote comes from a well-known civics program used in American high schools today called …

Interpersonal Desirability Of The Self-Defeating Humorist, Ashley N. Barnes

Honors Theses

Humor is a multifaceted construct and can be defined in terms of the different ways people tend to use humor, which are referred to as humor styles. The present study examined the potential effects that the four different humor styles (Affiliative, Self-enhancing, Aggressive, and Self-defeating) have on other people’s perceptions of the individual producing the humor, and whether that impact was moderated by the attachment style of the individual perceiving the humorist. The goal was to investigate the interaction between the humor styles and physical attractiveness of a target in predicting how attractive a person is perceived and the degree …

The Physician Assistant Profession: A Handbook For Students, Jami L. Cynecki

Honors Theses

This document extensively covers the physician assistant career and can be used as a handbook for students who are interested in learning more about the career. This thesis explores the question, what is the process of becoming a physician assistant? More specifically, I will cover the progression from a student to a fully licensed PA. Topics that are discussed include: how to prepare for a career as a PA (including the pathway to being admitted to an accredited program), the training received in an accredited program and information on certification maintenance required as a licensed physician assistant Furthermore, this document …

Identification Of Human Heart Rna Responsible For Rescuing Mutant Axolotl Hearts, William Lian

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Building Experience Beyond Academics, Katherine M. Ragan

Honors Theses

The object of this study is to determine the perceived benefits of building experience beyond academics. This study consisted of online survey through Question Pro with questions about what co-curricular activities students participated in, whether or not the student had held a previous leadership position, perceptions of benefits of extracurricular activities, holding a job on campus, and academics, demographics, and academic status.

Western Michigan University students were invited to participate in the survey via emails from professors and through social media site invites such as Facebook. Students were able to complete the survey at their convenience from Monday, June 18, …

Nursing Informatics Competencies: Implications For Safe And Effective Practice, Hayes Greer

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the implications and availability of nursing informatics competencies, and to address the current state of informatics competency guidelines and assessment tools. To possess competence in nursing informatics, one must possess the ability to obtain, store, retrieve, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom, which is essential to nursing practice. Nurses must be educated and competent in nursing informatics in order to exhibit safe and effective nursing practice. Many various lists and guidelines exist to address the distinct competencies that nurses must possess; however, very few resources are available to assess the degree …

Student Attitudes Toward Older Adults, Anna Feenstra

Honors Theses

An aging American population means more older adults will be entering the health care system. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the attitudes of nursing students toward older adults and to determine if these attitudes change over the course of a nursing program. This study was carried out in a university in the Midwest United States. A pre-test post-test single group design was used for this study. Students were surveyed three times throughout the program using Kogan’s Old People scale (KOP) and a demographic questionnaire. Testing was conducted at the beginning and end of the sophomore geriatric course …

Intelligibility And The Sinewave Speech Carrier Phrase Effect, Danielle R. Werle

Honors Theses

Several studies have examined the perception of sinewave speech. Early work showed that listeners could transcribe sinewave sentences. Recent work on sinewave vowels found that listeners could recognize sinewave speech at the phonetic level with moderate (about 50-55%) accuracy. Sinewave vowel intelligibility scores improve significantly when preceded by a sinewave carrier phrase, an effect that disappears when the carrier phrase is removed. The present study was designed to examine this carrier phrase enhancement effect and analyze whether listeners require the carrier phrase to be intelligible to produce increased intelligibility scores. Sinusoidal carrier phrases and /hVd/ syllables were generated from recordings …

Community Involvement As A Tool For International Policy: Realizing The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, Michael D. Eriksen Jr.

Honors Theses

Whether present in abundance or known for its scarcity, water defines the regional and geographical identities of people. It defines political and ecological boundaries globally. Water paucity and quality in burgeoning populations has been a catalyst for creative resource management policies. Conservation of water resources, in practice, has still not improved however. As a result, the health and stability of the Great Lakes as a natural resource is threatened. The Great Lakes region includes two countries, eight states, two provinces, and over 200 tribal and native influences. International agreements, such as the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 (BWT) and the …

Capturing Attention: Advertising In The Internet Age, Tara Crane, Elise Weisengoff

Honors Theses

It is crucial for the advertisement industry to know whether or not their commercials work. According to ComScore.com, 45 percent of Americans see video ads online, for a total of more than 1.7 billion minutes in January alone. Hulu.com accounts for 26 percent of video advertisement views, with 1.1 billion views in January (2011). Companies spent $72 billion in online advertising in 2010, according to ZenithOptimedia.com. That number is projected to increase 8 percent in the next two years. Therefore positive results are critical for business and financial success. This study will attempt to analyze data collected from the generation …

Golf: An Alternative Form Of Physical Activity For An Aging Population, Lisa Richardson

Honors Theses

It has been found that breaking an exercise into multiple ten minute bouts can provide the same results as a lump bout of the same time (American College of Sports Medicine, 2010). Though little research has been done on its effectiveness as a modality of physical activity, golf, due to the considerable amounts of walking involved and the social and leisure nature of the game, could be used as an option of physical activity for older adults. In this literature review, the primary goal is to investigate the literature regarding how much energy an older adult could predictably expend while …

9/11 And The Butterfly Effect, Taylor Eubanks

Honors Theses

September 11, 2001, is a day that forever changed and impacted this nation. Following the worst terror attacks in our nation's history, the citizens of this nation showed the absolute best parts of humanity and simultaneously the lowest depths of ignorance and hate. Immediately in the days following 9/11, an incredible sense of solidarity and pride for our nation was felt no matter what part of the country you were in. It seemed as though every home had an American flag hanging from their porch in unison. This level of Patriotism can be a truly beautiful thing, however, it can …

Of Mice And Mozart: Testing Spatial Reasoning And Memory Of Rats, Kaitlin O'Toole

Honors Theses

An increase in spatial-temporal reasoning has been documented in the presence of Mozart's sonata K.448; this enhancement of physical and psychological activities is called the "Mozart Effect" (Hughes 2001). This effect has been recorded in humans and animals alike, and its influence reaches a myriad of applications including calming wild animals to increasing test scores in college students to lowering high blood pressure. Using a cheeseboard apparatus to test spatial reasoning in rats, this experiment recorded the results from maze tasks completed in the presence of sonata K.448 compared to trials completed in silence. Results showed a significant difference between …

The Effects Of Xanthigen Supplementation On Body Weight, Resting Energy Expenditure, And Body Composition In An Obese Population, Lisa Knecht

Honors Theses

Since obesity is a significant problem that is facing the American people, there has been great interest in trying to develop a successful health supplement to help counteract the effects of obesity. Xanthigen is a new supplement composed of brown seaweed extract and pomegranate seed oil and is theorized to increase resting energy expenditure and decrease BMI and body fat. This study involved a 16‐week supplementation protocol to examine the effects of Xanthigen supplementation on an obese population in the Mississippi area. Testing of resting energy expenditure, BMI, and body fat percentage took place every four weeks for 16 weeks. …

Spiders Of Riparian Communities In The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize, Megan Chevis

Honors Theses

Currently there is little literature on what arachnids inhabit the tropics of Central America, especially within the country of Belize. This study aimed to find which spider species are found in riparian areas within the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in central Belize and to distinguish trends among spiders and the microhabitats in which they live. Nocturnal samples were predicted to have greater diversity than diurnal samples at all sites. Pisauridae, Salticidae, and Lycosidae were predicted to be the most common spider families collected. Specimens were collected from three riparian sites located on trails within Cockscomb. Diurnal and nocturnal samples were …

So Please You: A Creative Project On Playing “Oswald” In King Lear, Darren Hayes

Honors Theses

This is a creative project displaying my process and journey through rehearsals—and eventually performances—as “Oswald” in the University of Southern Mississippi’s Theatre and Dance Department’s production of William Shakespeare’s King Lear. All of my research and preparation culminated in a final performance of the show which took place October 14th through the 23rd of 2011. This was the most important part of my creative project, as it showcased all of my hard work throughout the process. All of the documentation that follows was used to support my performance, as is the case in any particular role. If I did …

The Relationship Between Resistance To Conformity And College Students’ Alcohol Use, Alcohol-Related Consequences Experienced, And Pbs Use, Melissa Ambrosino

Honors Theses

College students’ alcohol use has reached alarming heights in the past 25 years and shows no signs of slowing; experiencing alcohol-related negative consequences is on the rise for this demographic. Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) can help prevent negative consequences. This study sought to determine if relationships existed between resistance to conformity and college students’ alcohol consumption, alcohol-related negative consequences experienced, and PBS use. Data were collected via online surveys from students at a Southeastern mid-sized university. As hypothesized, resistance to conformity had negative relationships with alcohol consumption (r = -.094, p = .05 ) and number of alcohol-related negative …

Playing Echo In Eleemosynary: A Creative Thesis Project, Hayley Barnes

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I will explain on paper my creative process of researching, rehearsing, and performing the role of Echo in Eleemosynary. Eleemosynary is a one-act play by playwright Lee Blessing about three women and how their lives intersect and affect each other. I played Echo, the youngest of the three; her mother is Artie and hergrandmother is Dorothea. The play takes place in 1985 and is non-linear in structure. It alternates between scenes in the present in which the characters are speaking directly to the audience, and scenes in various points of the past. Echo is raised almost entirely …

Weak Central Coherence Theory Problem Solving In Adults With Asperger Syndrome, Marie Ferderer

Honors Theses

This study examined the effect of Weak Central Coherence on problem solving strategies in adults with Asperger Syndrome. A group of adults with Asperger Syndrome and a group of Neurotypical adults were assessed using a riddle game. This game required participants to solve a riddle based on a cryptic language clue. The types of problem solving strategies employed by each group were recorded and compared in statistical analyses.

Significant differences in problem solving strategy were obtained for the two groups. The neurotypical group evidenced a strategy in which they considered the meaning of the language clue while attempting to solve …

The Effects Of Xanthigentm Supplementation On Body Composition, Serum Markers Of The Metabolic Syndrome, And Hepaptic Enzyme Levels In An Obese Population, Emily Buras

Honors Theses

XanthigenTM [100 mg brown seaweed extract (0.8 % fucoxanthin) and 100 mg pomegranate seed oil (70 % punicic acid)] has been shown to significantly reduce body fat, liver fat, and improve serum markers of liver function in obese females. Twenty-nine participants were matched for age, gender, and body fat percentage and randomized into either a XanthigenTM group or a placebo group. For 16-weeks, participants were asked to consume a reduced calorie diet while supplementing their diet with their respective pills three times per day. Data were analyzed using multivariate ANOVA with repeated measures and presented as mean ± standard deviation. …

Online Music Piracy In College-Age Students, Jasmine D. Allen

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to assess the demographic profile of online music pirates and to assess how the magnitudes of various existing constructs differ according to gender. To reach conclusions as to which kinds of college students engage in online music piracy and their reasons for doing so, a campus-wide online survey that assessed the demographic information and piracy motivations of participants was offered to college students at a university. There is a need for this study because it will further contribute to a growing knowledge base that offers explanations as to why individuals partake in acts of …

The Practice, Regulation, And Political Context Of Midwifery In Mississippi: Attitudes Of Healthcare Professionals, Alexandria Broadway

Honors Theses

The current state-by-state system of midwifery regulation—or lack thereof—has made the issue a subject of debate amongst policy-makers, community-members, and healthcare providers as a whole. In Mississippi, the practice of midwifery is, at present, legal but unregulated, meaning there is no protocol for licensure, certification, or registration. In 2011, a bill that sought to require all non-nurse midwives in the state to become Certified Professional Midwives through the North American Registry of Midwives or a successor organization was proposed. Though the legislation passed the House of Representatives, it was never signed into law. This bill, along with past and current …

Determining The Diversity Of Wetland Fungi Through Molecular-Based Species Identification, Kimberly Chesteen

Honors Theses

This study used molecular techniques to examine the diversity of fungal species inhabiting leaf and stem litter of the freshwater emergent macrophyte, Typha angustifolia, during decomposition. Because morphological identification of fungal species is frequently inaccurate and underestimates the number of fungal species present, molecular techniques involving rRNA genes such as ITS regions (internal transcribed spacer regions) are used to better determine specific fungal species within a sample. In this study, samples of decaying leaf and stems litter of Typha angustifolia were obtained from Independence Lake, Michigan over the span of a year. DNA from litter samples obtained from the months …

Grey Matter: Investigating The Gendered Fan Consumption Of Grey’S Anatomy, John Barr

Honors Theses

This study investigates the fan consumption of the television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, which is commonly associated with a predominately female fanbase. Utilizing both a male and female focus group with fans of the show, participants took a survey (gathering demographics and their Bem Sex-Role Inventory score) and viewed two episodes of the show, both followed by a discussion of the episode and the show in general. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed in full for analysis, along with the survey data and observational notes taken during the viewing. Coding of the data revealed that males and females held …