Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

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 …

Obesity Trends In Head Start Preschoolers, Anna Sanders

Honors Theses

The purpose of this natural comparative study is to see if changes in diet, education, and activity made in a South Mississippi Head Start (HS) preschool from Fall 2007 through Fall 2010 made any changes in the Body Mass Index (BMI) trends in two cohorts of low-income African American 3-year-olds. Cohort 1 BMI trends were measured in Fall 2006 and Spring 2007, before major HS changes in diet, education and activity were made (pre-treatment), and Cohort 2 was measured in Fall 2010 and Spring 2011, after major changes were made (post-treatment).

A Comparison And Assessment Of Attitudes Towards Sexual Violence At A Mid-Size Southern University, Jessica Vinson

Honors Theses

The goal of this research was to compare and assess undergraduate students’ attitudes towards sexual violence at a mid-size southern university. The respondents were recruited through an online survey distributed through a Facebook event and also through the university’s e-mail network. Attitudes were assessed through statistical means. Respondents were questioned regarding their attitudes towards sexual violence, sexual education, sexual victimization, level of self-control, and victimization of others.

Revolutionary Identities And Competing Legitimacies: Why Pariah States Export Violence, Ari B. Weiss

Honors Theses

Amid the burgeoning literature on international norms, the study of states that violate them, so called pariahs, remains sparse (Shannon 2000). Although recent studies of pariah states have the identified numerous ways in which they break international norms, we do not know why they pursue one action over another (E.g Geldenhuys 2004, Nincic 2005). I argue that the export of violence is caused by the state’s "revolutionary identity" which leads to the adoption of competing and incompatible norms. Using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) I test this against other alternate and prevailing hypotheses, demonstrating that a combination of sovereignty, existential threat, …

Virtue For Commercial Purpose: A Look At Production Code Censorship In The 1930s, Jacob Key

Honors Theses

This paper is a study of the conservative political bias inherent to the Motion Picture Production Code as it applies to Great Depression cinema. Many films in this period attempted to explore progressive themes but were edited or prohibited outright under the Code’s authority. Father Daniel Lord, the Code’s author, greatly feared cinema’s cultural and moral influences, but may have been unaware of the political ramifications of his work. On the other hand, his boss, Will H. Hays, was an ambitious man fully in support of the Code’s ability to censor politics that differed from his own. The unlikely partnership …

Knowledge And Attitudes Regarding The Human Papillomavirus And Hpv Vaccine Among College Students: A Gender Comparison Study, Kristen O'Flarity

Honors Theses

Objective: Both young men and women should obtain the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in order to reach its intended public health benefits. Because men are behind in this vaccination campaign, this study compared knowledge and attitudes regarding HPV and the vaccine among college-aged men and women in order to improve vaccination strategies among this at-risk population.

Methods: A convenience sample of 95 university students, 40 men and 55 women, ages 18 to 26 (mean age of 20.2) completed self-administered pencil-and-paper questionnaires with approximately 40 questions that assessed the desired variables. Knowledge was measured through multiple choice and true/false questions. …

Disconnected: College Freshmen Experience Communication Without Technology, Lacey Myers

Honors Theses

We are in a technological revolution, where “Generation Next” is surviving and thriving in a digital world. New and improved methods of communication through technology have altered the way we live and communicate. Today’s young adults, who have grown up with personal computers, cell phones and the internet, are living in a whirlwind of innovation and advancement “and are now taking their place in a world where the only constant is rapid change” (Pew Research Center, 2007). They cannot remember or imagine a world without such advanced technology. Modes of digital communication such as the cell phone, internet, and social …

Barriers And Motivators For Influenza Vaccination Compliance Among Healthcare, Shelby Rogers

Honors Theses

The influenza vaccine is a topic of much debate and concern throughout the healthcare profession. This vaccination has been shown to drastically reduce the number of nosocomial infections of the flu among hospitalized patients. While many healthcare professionals are aware of the benefits of obtaining the influenza vaccination, many remain noncompliant to actually getting vaccinated. This research will use a form of evidence-based practice known as an integrative review of literature in order to determine the course of nursing action to implement regarding influenza vaccination that will best increase the rates of its compliance among health professionals. A number of …

Evaluating Child Routines As A Mediator Of Marital Conflict And Child Adjustment, Ashley Prine

Honors Theses

Many studies have examined the relationship between destructive marital conflict and child externalizing behavior, however there are several gaps in the literature about constructive marital conflict and internalizing child behaviors. Also, where many experiments have focused on parenting practices as the mediator of this relationship, no known studies have examined child routines as a mediator. Thus, the current study aims to test child routines as a mediator between both constructive and destructive marital conflict, and child internalizing and externalizing behavior. Participants included 121 married mothers with children from ages 6-12 (M = 8.59, SD = 1.93). Data about the parent’s …

Pilgrimage To The Birthplace Of Elvis Presley, Joseph Samuel Miller

Honors Theses

At the Elvis Presley birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi, a sacred, secular pilgrimage is taking place. This study used the categories of myths, symbols, and experiences to understand the perceptions of the pilgrims at the birthplace. Using a combination of interviews and mapping, the themes and data presented show that the area has a clear distinction of sacred space, which was defined by the relics in the spaces that Elvis physically interacted with. The pilgrim related to these symbols through strong, varied mythological content. A mapping component illustrated the international spatial distribution of pilgrims to the birthplace and confirms that it …

A Scenographic Transposition From The Stage To The Screen: An Excavation Of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, Jordan Randall

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the distinction between the scenic design of A Streetcar Named Desire’s original Broadway production and 1951 film. Using Streetcar as a case study, I evaluated the differences in the choices made in the scenography of the two mediums as a way to evaluate whether there are inherent differences between theatre and film. I examined the scripts of both mediums and analyzed how the story was transposed and how that transposition affected the choices made by the director and designer in the making of the film.

Television’S Effects On Speech And Language: The Parent’S Perspective, Hillary Fortenberry

Honors Theses

Purpose: This study focuses on an area seldom studied, the parent’s perception of television’s influence on their speech and language disordered child’s receptive and expressive skills. Understanding the parent’s perspective on specific effects television has on speech and language development can be valuable by providing educators and child caretakers with answers as to why parents allow their children to watch television. With this knowledge, parents can be educated as to what type of programming and to what extent viewing should be allowed for children to gain positive speech and language outcomes from their television viewing experience.

Method: .This study gathered …

The Role Of Midline And Pexin10 In Regulating Drosophila Eye Development, John Forstall

Honors Theses

The Drosophila midline (mid) transcription factor gene encodes a highly conserved invertebrate ortholog of the mammalian Tbx20 gene essential for regulating the development of diverse tissues including the central nervous system (CNS), epidermis and heart. Decreasing mid transcript levels within larval eye discs using RNAi (mid- RNAi) results in poorly organized IPCs and in adult eyes, interommatidal bristles derived from sensory organ precursors are significantly reduced in number within the ventral eye field. We also observe gross abnormalities in bristle polarity, ommatidial organization, cellular adhesion and pigmentation in adult mid-RNAi flies. By combining a classical …

The Great Advertising Campaign: The Effectiveness Of British Petroleum’S Post-Oil Spill Campaign, Brianne Painia

Honors Theses

On April 20, 2010, one explosion on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig in the Gulf of Mexico caused the greatest oil spill disaster in United States history. The effects of the spill were realized almost immediately. Seafood fishers lost jobs and product, the Gulf was tainted, and people around the nation realized the damage was not going to go away any time soon. The question asked around the nation was, “What are they going to do about it?” The “they” being British Petroleum, the owners of the ill-fated oil rig. BP did do something about it; they advertised. The corporation …

Differences In Race And/Or Gender In Attitudes And Beliefs Towards Obesity Among Students At The University Of Southern Mississippi, Erick Brown

Honors Theses

Overweight and obesity have been described by various experts as critical problems in populations around the world, especially in the United States. These issues are so characterized because they affect numerous facets of life in this society. Researchers in the medical community have repeatedly described the health-related risks associated with obesity rates, asserting that higher risks of debilitating or fatal disease are tied to one’s level of obesity. They also say that obesity rates of populations are related to other disease rates, and many imply or clearly state that obesity is the cause and therefore the problem to be contested. …

Inside The Score In The 21st Century: Techniques For Contemporary Large Jazz Ensemble Composition, Tyler Dennis

Honors Theses

This study will attempt to de-mystify some of the techniques utilized in contemporary large ensemble jazz arranging. Large ensemble writing has morphed drastically from its earlier, more well-known inceptions, and yet there is no academic literature out there to explain exactly what this change entails. Through this study, I will attempt to break down the components of this music in order to provide insight for the non-musician and inspiration for the aspiring jazz composer. There is a wealth of knowledge to be found in the large ensemble music of the past decade, and I will attempt to systematically break this …

“Double-Crossed, So To Speak": Black Female Resistance To Gendered Oppression In The South, Amolie Egloff

Honors Theses

Despite the vast amount of research focused on slavery and the American South, studies focusing solely on the black female’s experience during this time period are a fairly recent development. In the existing literature, these women have been painted a helpless victim caught in the wrath of white men, black men, and even white women. This study presents the stories of black women courageously resisting oppression both while enslaved and just after emancipation from 1830 to 1890. The analysis of a handful of slave narratives taken by the Worker’s Progress Administration in the 1930s and 1940s established that because black …

Relevant Jesus: A Study Of The Integration Of Popular Culture Into The Christian Church, Amie Guenard

Honors Theses

The Christian church today takes on the characteristics of many centuries past in style and ritual. Some churches are choosing to embrace the culture of our booming entertainment industry in order to gain the attention of a “sights and sounds” generation. This research contains a historical review of the relationship between the entertainment world and the Christian church as well as a case study of First Hattiesburg Baptist Church of Hattiesburg, MS. The results of this research show that the deliberate incorporation of secular communication and entertainment strategies into the regular functions First Hattiesburg Baptist Church has had more positive …

Effects Of “Ecoeagle” Advertising Campaign On The Students Of The University Of Southern Mississippi, Zach Knight

Honors Theses

Advertising is at the core of the human experience. An ever-present facet in the life of every person, Advertising provides an excellent opportunity to transmit valuable information to audiences that normally would not be exposed to the desired message. At The University of Southern Mississippi, the university administration desired to educate students about the values and benefits of environmentally conscious decision-making. With this goal in mind, the university created the “EcoEagle” advertising campaign, a targeted approach designed to engage students through a variety of advertising media, with the desired end result of a more environmentally conscious student body. Now several …

The Effect Of Socioeconomic Status On Local School Wellness Policy Implementation In Mississippi Public Schools, Rebecca Masters

Honors Theses

In recent years, rates of overweight and obesity have increased dramatically in America due to nutritionally poor diets and more sedentary lifestyles. Research has shown that obesity is a risk factor for numerous other conditions such as stroke, heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and sleep apnea. Unfortunately, overweight and obesity do not only affect the adults in our nation. Rates of overweight and obesity have also increased among American children. Approximately 17% of American children are obese, which is three times the rate of 1980 (Menifield, Doty, & Fletcher, 2008). In order to improve the overall health of America’s …

Youth Violence In Harrison County, Mississippi, Ashley Rushing

Honors Theses

Youth violence plagues school communities and has traumatic effects on students, families, and communities (Affonso, Mayberry, Shibuya, Archambeau, Correa, Deliramich, & Frueh, 2010). Even though the rate of crime has declined, children have continued to increase the rates of violent acts (Funk, Elliot, Bechtoldt, Pasold, & Tsavoussis, 2003). Today, violent behaviors are being exhibited at an earlier age than ever before. Tragedies stemmed from youth violence occur almost daily in the United States. Between 1986 and 1991, slayings committed by teenagers, who had shown bullying tendencies as children, rose 124 percent. In 1992, 3,400 people were killed nationwide by teen …

Going Dutch: The Netherlands’ Maternal Health Care Framework As A Model For Sierra Leone, Emily Simmons

Honors Theses

The West African nation of Sierra Leone has received a large amount of attention for its especially high numbers of maternal mortality. Women in that country face a 1 in 8 chance of dying in childbirth or of related complications (WHO, 2011). In response, in 2010 Sierra Leone instituted a policy of free medical care to pregnant women and children under age 5. The Free Health Care Initiative, as it is called, emphasizes physician and clinical care, an approach that seems top-heavy considering the severe lack of physicians in the country. This study will compare the Free Health Care Initiative …

Understanding The Business Of Popular Songs, Jeremiah Stricklin

Honors Theses

This paper presents an analysis of Billboard Music Charts’ top twenty popular songs from the year 2011. These songs are studied to determine whether or not their songwriters adhere to hypothetical rules left by songwriting scholars from the past. The criteria for analysis include: length of introduction, length of the entire song, the presence of a memorable ‘hook’, the connection between tempo and key tonality, and the form of each song. The research concludes that, while songwriters typically adhere to a loose set of rules, they do not follow them exactly. Therefore, the success of a popular song cannot be …

Career Calling And Work Motivation In Traditional And Non-Traditional College Students, Cara Wells

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to help define career-related calling through the perception of traditional (18 to 24 years of age) and non-traditional (25 and older) college students and identify what variables of motivation are related to calling. Three hundred and fifty-one participants completed an online survey that measured calling through The Career and Vocational Questionnaire (CVQ), and motivation through the Work Preference Inventory (WPI). Pearson Correlation and independent t-test were used in statistical analysis. Correlational analysis revealed that presence of calling and search for calling are significantly related to intrinsic motivation. Analysis also showed that level of presence …

Perspectives On Technology Change And The Marketing Of Real Estate, Sarah Stetelman

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Libertatem Religionis: Remembering Our Origins, Joseph Tramuta

Honors Theses

At a time when the Catholic Church in the United States is publicly berated with accusations of being an outdated, oppressive institution concerned only with depriving women of their reproductive rights and devaluing freedom of conscience, many contemporary Catholics and others see only the stubbornness and isolationism rather than the constructive good of the church or the scope, depth, and fluidity of the Catholic Church’s teachings about modern society. This paper will assess the extent to which American political thought is ingrained in the Dignitatis Humanae: The Declaration on Religious Freedom from the Second Vatican Council. It will include: a) …

Libertarian Acceptance Among The Students Of The University Of Southern Mississippi, Joseph Lebeau

Honors Theses

How can a potential libertarian portion of USM students be differentiated from the conservative and liberal segments? The most obvious method is to classify students by their respective demographic factors. Demographic categories such as gender, race, age, religion, field of study, etc. could prove to be extremely useful when attempting to identify patterns in populations. The connections between these variables and political ideology are further examined in the literature review. The demographics of a potential libertarian faction have yet to be defined, specifically at the University of Southern Mississippi. Therefore, the goal of my research will be to first locate …

Change In First-Year Women's Body Dissatisfaction In Relation To Drive For Thinness And Social Body Comparison, Marie L. Chardon

Honors Theses

Drive for thinness (DT) and social body comparison (SBC) have been highly correlated with body dissatisfaction, a robust risk factor for eating disorders; however, there is little understanding of how these two variables relate to increases in body dissatisfaction over time. In the present study, I investigated how high initial levels of DT and SBC correlate with changes in body dissatisfaction and ideal body by surveying 110 first-year women at the beginning and end of their first semester. There was no significant relationship between high initial DT and SBC and changes in either body dissatisfaction or ideal body. However, high …

Behavioral Economics And Physician Behavior, Allyssa S. Ward

Honors Theses

This study seeks to answer whether the availability heuristic leads physicians to utilize more medical care than is economically efficient. Do rare, salient events alter physicians' perceptions about the probability of patient harm? Do these events lead physicians to overutilize certain medical procedures? This study uses Pennsylvania inpatient hospital admissions data from 2009 aggregated at the physician level to investigate these questions. The data come from the 2009 Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4).

The study is divided into two parts. In Part I, we examine whether bad outcomes during childbirth (defined as maternal mortality, an obstetric fistula or …